🧠 Issue #18 — We’re About to Get Really Picky About AI Voices

Samsung is reportedly dropping Google’s Gemini for Perplexity AI on the upcoming Galaxy S26. At first, it sounds like just another corporate shake-up. But then I had a weird reaction:

I was glad.
Because I prefer Perplexity.

And that’s when it hit me—we’re starting to have AI preferences the way we have favorite coffee shops, authors… or friends.

🔍 The Human Shift

Not long ago, most of us didn’t even know what a large language model was. Today? People are choosing AI tools based on vibes.

Some want a chatty assistant like Gemini—someone who feels like a friendly sidekick.
Others prefer the straightforward, citation-heavy style of Perplexity—it feels honest, efficient, grounded.

These aren’t just product features. They’re personality traits we’re responding to.

We’re developing AI taste. We’re becoming connoisseurs of conversation styles, even emotional tones.

It’s no longer “Do I use AI?”
It’s “Which AI feels more me?”

🧭 The Human Prompt

Take a moment:
Who’s your go-to AI right now?
Why them?

Is it the tone?
The trust factor?
The way they “talk” to you?

We’re not just training machines to understand us—
We’re training ourselves to listen for the right kind of artificial voice.

And that says a lot about who we are, and who we’re becoming.

🔗 Curiosity Clicks

🎙️ Octave: The First TTS That Understands Context – Hume AI Breakthrough voice AI where creators can direct emotions with natural language—"sound sarcastic" or "whisper fearfully"—bringing unprecedented control to AI speech.

🔊 Why Humans Trust Human Voices 2.5x More – Audacy Research
New data reveals people are more than twice as likely to trust human voices (55%) over AI-generated content (23%), with major implications for brand communication.

🧠 AI Voice Matching Dramatically Increases Trust – Lab Horizons When AI systems match a listener's vocal characteristics, trust and rapport skyrocket—but researchers warn of consent and misuse concerns.💬 Quote That Hits

📈 Worth Considering

Samsung’s move may just be business.
But the reaction?
That’s human.

We’re no longer just adopting AI.
We’re relating to it.

And the future won’t be defined by who has the smartest assistant—
It’ll be defined by who chooses the one that feels right.

Until next time — stay thoughtful, stay human.
— Jesse