(Gradient) Descent into Mediocrity

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 00:00:00 +0000

While the rest of the world loses its collective mind over artificial intelligence, Tasmania is sitting on an amazing competitive advantage… and might be about to throw it away by jumping on the AI bandwagon.

Everything that makes Tasmania economically successful is the exact opposite of what AI represents. And if Tasmanian businesses start chasing AI “efficiency” instead of leveraging their authentic advantages, they’ll transform from premium producers into generic commodity suppliers. Let’s start with the obvious: Tasmania didn’t build its reputation by being like everywhere else. The state that turned geographic isolation into "the quiet pursuit of the extraordinary" succeeded precisely because it rejected the bigger-faster-cheaper mentality that dominates global business. Brand Tasmania explicitly warns against becoming “beige and ordinary”, which is literally AI’s business model: statistical averaging toward the most probable (read: boring) output.

Don't use Wise

Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Wise has stolen more than $60,000 AUD from us, and refuses to let us access it.

We’ve had a Wise account for around 5 years (since they were called TransferWise). It’s been a really useful way to transact in foreign currencies, and pay for things when we’re travelling for work.

In early-April 2025, Wise asked us to provide some additional information on our Ultimate Beneficial Owners (UBOs) by uploading a statement of shareholders, and the ID of the owners. Perfectly reasonable stuff for an entity that pretends to be a bank to ask for.

Theft on Dr Paris Buttfield-Addison

(Gradient) Descent into Mediocrity

Don't use Wise