iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 28/09/2026

Quality and care nurtures trust between a business and its customers. Punishing customers for their mistakes to boost short-term revenue undoes all that hard work. mattcasmith.net/2026/09/27/f...

001

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 25/09/2026

Ate at a seafood restaurant with the most nautically themed bathroom stairwell I’ve ever seen. The photo doesn’t do justice to the atmosphere.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 25/09/2026

In September's edition of Field Notes, I learn that the frontier AI models are no good at identifying cars from photos. mattcasmith.net/2026/09/20/f...

001

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 19/09/2026

The pasta at this restaurant is so good it’s almost dangerous. I hear the local Italian restaurants have banded together to slow the pace of pasta development and observe each other’s kitchens to make sure things don’t get out of control.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 18/09/2026

An evening out in the City.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 17/09/2026

Recent AI "misalignments" were the result of improper supervision and isolation, not super-advanced agents set on destroying the world. But in some ways, that's just as concerning. mattcasmith.net/2026/09/13/a...

001

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 14/09/2026

It's impossible to know what to make of the AI safety push when the incentives are so skewed. In AI, events that would be an existential threat to most companies are seen as indicators of progress. mattcasmith.net/2026/09/13/a...

010

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 12/09/2026

Besides the ransomware attack hitting in 1977, this is getting way too real. Let's see what happens if I don't pay.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 12/09/2026

Can't escape the day job even when I'm trying to chill out.

100

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 11/09/2026

From 2028, PlayStation game discs will no longer be manufactured. But Sony is adamant players don't own their digital games – meaning your PlayStation 6 collection will only ever be temporary. mattcasmith.net/2026/09/06/s...

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 04/09/2026

New blog post coming this weekend – but first, one more run-out for this rational argument for optimism. This seems to have struck a chord with people this week. mattcasmith.net/2026/08/30/r...

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 29/08/2026

Shabu-shabu. Ordered way too much, but we made it.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 12/08/2026

Checked out the Corgi Cafe this morning. Cute place and I love the idea, but if there are builders in London then they certainly aren’t early risers!

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 15/07/2026

I still think it'll be impossible to identify 16 and 17 year-olds without some REALLY intrusive checks, but disabling autoplay videos and infinite scroll are more thoughtful measures than anything else the government has come up with.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 01/07/2026

First Waymo experience today. It didn’t feel as unnatural as I was expecting. The real-time mapping of cars/pedestrians/dogs/obstacles was fascinating to watch. I’d love to know more about how they decided what to show to reassure passengers.

100

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 30/06/2026

I heard rumours there’s a magical place where they have plentiful air conditioning everywhere you go. I’ve travelled from Europe to find it.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 06/06/2026

In my element, flat out through Eau Rouge and Raidillon.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 30/05/2026

A proper Saturday – a long walk in nature followed by a long afternoon at the pub.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 11/05/2026

Gave my blog a little update over the weekend – especially on mobile, where the design was previously a bit messy.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 07/05/2026

This new Claude feature sounds genuinely useful, but calling it "dreaming" is an especially creepy kind of AI anthropomorphism.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 03/05/2026

Windsor Castle yesterday. Normally averse to tourist hotspots, but while crowded, there are some really stunning rooms in the State Apartments.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 29/04/2026

Never use company tools for your personal projects.

100

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 09/04/2026

Microsoft's terms of use for Copilot now state that it is "for entertainment purposes only" and shouldn't be relied upon for important advice. Meanwhile, it's forced Copilot into its productivity suite and airs adverts where it's used in high-powered business negotiations.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 04/04/2026

Muse were fantastic last night at Brixton Academy, but the Ticketmaster saga just keeps on giving. I’ll write a blog post soon with the whole story, but it’s been incompetence and obfuscation at every turn.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 26/03/2026

This is the kind of update that would have consumed an entire weekend in years gone by.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 19/03/2026

An old friend was in town, so made an occasion of it and enjoyed some top-tier steak and wine tonight.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 15/02/2026

If you’re ever in Malta then I’d very much recommend the short trip to Gozo – parts of it are stunning. What I can’t recommend is the fast ferry from Valletta if you have even the slightest vulnerability to seasickness.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 15/02/2026

Taken while walking off a huge Italian meal.

100

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 25/01/2026

Back at the lanes on a Sunday night.

100

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 13/01/2026

Pizza date with colleagues.

100

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 03/01/2026

Photos from a visit to the RAF Museum today.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 01/01/2026

This was a really fun Lego set to build, with so many little details in the engine and suspension, and even Brazilian colours hidden under the livery. Might find a wheel/sticker set to finish it off.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 26/12/2025

Merry Christmas! I hope everybody’s enjoying some much-needed time off with their family.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 12/11/2025

Finally arrived today! Better get reading quick at the speed this industry moves…

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 09/11/2025

Took my wife to the viewing platform at 22 Bishopsgate yesterday. Fantastic views as far as Wembley in one direction and past Canary Wharf in the other.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 01/11/2025

Saturday morning trip to F1 Arcade - lucky Seat 13 and they gave me an Alpine, but still won every race. 😎

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 24/10/2025

A rare Friday afternoon in the City. Looking forward to resting and writing this weekend!

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 12/10/2025

The pressure was on, grilling British wagyu for my wife (she’s Japanese, so the wagyu bar was set high). But I think I did it justice.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 02/10/2025

The most “New York” price I paid for anything was about £20 for a bagel and a drink, but it also turned out to be completely worth it.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 01/10/2025

I thought London was cutting-edge, but NYC literally has entire walkways pushing LLMs at people.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 17/09/2025

Minimalism is dead. We’re on World Clock now.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 16/09/2025

What’s going on in the City today? It’s so much busier than usual that I thought I was running late.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 18/08/2025

Back after a few sunny days spent touching grass in the middle of nowhere (at least it felt like it, by our standards).

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 05/08/2025

Now that’s what I call a steak.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 20/07/2025

Relived my teenage years watching Kaiser Chiefs play Employment in full at Alexandra Park last night. Great view of the office from the hill, too.

010

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 05/07/2025

Visited the Williams British GP fan zone in London and ran into one of my favourite Formula 1 cars of all time, the FW18 driven by Damon Hill when he won the world championship in 1996. #BritishGP #F1

010

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 01/07/2025

I’ve used an iPhone for a decade and will probably keep doing so for functionality/ecosystem reasons, but I wish I could buy an iPhone that looked like this.

000

Matt C. A. Smith @mattcasmith.net · 30/06/2025

What a fantastic night at Kojima Productions’ World Strand Tour! Surprise appearances from Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, Chvrches… It was much better than I expected! #DeathStranding2

000