Hey Conscious Church Fam

This week’s theme could be summed up in two words: AI maturity.
We’re watching the industry grow up fast, some moments feel brilliant, others… a bit messy.

Apple’s racing to fix Siri before it falls completely behind. OpenAI’s new Sora model is stunning but slightly terrifying in realism. And meanwhile, Stanford researchers have given us a new word for the AI-era workplace: “workslop.”

In today's recap:

• Apple secretly testing a ChatGPT-style Siri called Veritas

• OpenAI drops Sora 2 and a TikTok-style social app

• Stanford coins “AI workslop” — and it’s costing millions

• Apple pivots from headsets to AI smart glasses

Let’s dive in 👇

💭 Josh’s Musings

It’s been a couple of weeks since I last emailed. I wasn’t well for a bit, so I took some time to rest.

It actually felt good to stay offline for a while and stop consuming so much.

I got back to work this week and had a training call with an organisation that supports the persecuted church. One of their biggest needs is finding imagery and video to tell stories safely, since they can’t show real people or locations for security reasons.

Tools like Nano Banana, Google’s new image model, are becoming a real help. You can create a base image, change the camera angle, add people, adjust clothing or actions. It’s amazing how realistic and practical it’s getting.

But that’s also the challenge right now. Creative AI is moving fast.

With Sora 2, what used to take multiple prompts, lip syncing tools and a pile of credits can now be done in seconds, and at very high quality. The line between what’s real and what’s generated is fading quickly.

So it raises the question: when AI content looks as good as real footage, what does that mean for creators?

I think we’ll see two paths.
One will be all-in on AI content, with people and organisations churning out videos as quickly as possible.
The other will double down on what’s real: authentic stories, genuine connection, and community.

Because in the end, people don’t follow content. They follow people.

AI might create perfect videos, but it can’t create your:

• Perspective

• Experience

• Personality

• Relationships

• Trust built over time

That’s still where the real value is.

🙌 Stay Curious, Stay Conscious, Stay Wild
Josh

LATEST NEWS

🤖 APPLE TESTS INTERNAL “VERITAS” CHATBOT

Recap:
Apple’s developing an internal chatbot called Veritas to overhaul Siri after years of lagging behind. It’s being tested across the company to handle creative tasks, search personal data, and even edit images with voice commands.

The Details:

• Built to test the new “Linwood” system combining Apple’s own AI models with third-party ones

• Aims to finally make Siri conversational and capable of multi-step tasks

• Originally planned for 2025 but delayed to March 2026 after major engineering setbacks

• Apple isn’t releasing Veritas publicly — it’ll live inside Siri itself

Conscious Take:
Apple’s famously slow-and-steady approach may have served it well in the iPhone era, but AI moves at lightning speed. It’s fascinating (and slightly ironic) that the company once known for “thinking different” is now playing catch-up. A reminder that innovation isn’t just about control, sometimes it’s about courage to release before it’s perfect. Apple has to get this right.

🧾 AI “WORKSLOP” IS COSTING COMPANIES MILLIONS

Recap:
A Stanford and BetterUp Labs study found that 41% of US workers encountered “AI workslop” — shiny but shallow AI-generated work that others then have to fix.

The Details:

• Workers spend an average of 116 minutes redoing each piece of “workslop”

• Roughly 15% of content now falls into this category

• Estimated cost: $186 per employee per month in lost productivity

• Colleagues who send “workslop” are seen as less trustworthy and creative

Conscious Take:
This one hits close to home. Efficiency doesn’t equal excellence.
AI should augment our thinking, not replace it. If we start treating creation/ideation like checkbox productivity, we’ll lose the integrity that makes our work distinctly unique and human.

🎬 OPENAI LAUNCHES SORA 2 + SOCIAL VIDEO APP

Recap:
OpenAI’s new Sora 2 model can now generate 5–10 second hyper-realistic videos with matching sound, dialogue, and physics. It arrives alongside a new social app that lets users remix clips or insert themselves into AI-generated scenes via Cameos.

The Details:

• Dramatic leap in realism and audio synchronisation

• Supports longer, multi-scene clips

• Cameos feature lets you record and appear inside generated videos

• Free tier launching in US/Canada; Pro version and API to follow

Conscious Take:
We’ve crossed into cinema-grade AI video. What used to take a crew of 20 and a week of editing can now happen in seconds. The creative possibilities are breathtaking, but also confronting. When anyone can “star” in their own movie, what becomes of truth, story, or testimony? Authenticity will become our most valuable currency.

👓 APPLE ENTERS THE SMART GLASSES WAR

Recap:
After shelving plans for a cheaper Vision Pro headset, Apple’s shifting focus to AI-powered smart glasses — targeting Meta’s Ray-Ban success.

The Details:

• Multiple designs now in fast-track development

• Early models will pair with iPhones, while advanced versions include their own display

• Integrated voice, health, and AI features linked to the new Siri

• Meta recently launched Gen 2 Ray-Bans and an athlete-focused Oakley version

Conscious Take:
The headset hype might be fading, but the wearable AI era is just beginning. Apple’s move shows they’re betting big on ambient intelligence, a world where AI listens, sees, and assists quietly from your frame.

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”
— Isaiah 26:3

Stay conscious,

Josh

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