Is it me, or is it feeling just a bit like summer? The clocks have gone forward, the nights are drawing out, and our flora and fauna are in full bloom. Yet, despite these bucolic allusions, I always judge the changing of the seasons using the sporting calendar.
For me, summer starts with the end of the football season, punctuated by the FA Cup final at Wembley. And it won’t surprise regular readers that I’m especially looking forward to this year’s fixture, given that on June 3rd, my beloved Manchester United are squaring up against an old enemy for the first time in this historic competition.
Yes, it’s Man City Vs Man Utd, a proper silver-plated Mancunian derby (which, paradoxically, we’ll play in London). I’m aware I may be splitting the crowd here. A misguided few of you will be Blues but look at it this way: whoever lifts the Cup, we’re in for a fantastic match, and, most importantly, the worldwide appreciation of Mancunian footballing excellence will be at a high. So in the post-match analysis, we can all agree it’s great for our city (as long as United wins).
Once the whistle blows in the FA Cup Final, we can look forward to barbecues, summer holidays and more than a few good old British days out. Plus, there is a rich buffet of sporting excellence on offer.
New Balls, Please
As well as footie, I enjoy a bit of tennis, and there’s plenty to look forward to in the next couple of months. It’s grand slams throughout the summer, starting with the French Open at the end of this month. This is a tough tournament where tennis pros play on unforgiving clay courts at Roland Garros. I’m excited to see if (three-time winner) Iga Swiatek and last year’s winner Rafael Nadal can retain their singles titles.
The King of grand slams is undoubtedly the quintessentially English Wimbledon, played on the grass courts of the All England Club. Perhaps I’m biased, but I think this is the trophy all the tennis greats want to see in their display case. As usual, it will be a prim and proper confection of great tennis, overpriced Pimms cocktails and cream-soaked strawberries. As long as the rain stays off and Cliff Richard doesn’t do an impromptu turn, it’s sure to be a great tournament. We can expect Novak Djokovic and Elena Rybanika to do all they can to retain their titles. Still, maybe Andy Murray (but alas, not Emma Radacanu) might dig deep and make the nation proud.
In Other Sports News
Back to football, there’s a tranche of Euro 24 qualifiers in June. As you know, I went to Qatar to see the World Cup this year, and I’m thinking about jetting off to cooler German climes to catch a few games next year. So it’s vitally important we roar on England as they play Malta and North Macedonia in their Group C matches. On paper, these seem easy fixtures for Gareth and the boys. But, as we all know, the England team are prone to embarrassing pratfalls now and again (yes, I’m looking at you, Iceland). If we qualify, we might win a major cup under the noses of our oldest footballing nemesis. I don’t want to miss that opportunity!
Besides that, we have my favourite, the NBA playoffs (basketball, for those who don’t know), Test Cricket, Golf, Rugby League and plenty of Formula One to enjoy.
And if you’re wondering why I’m bringing this finance-free information to you, it’s simple. We work to get the resources to enjoy our lives, so you must make time to follow your passions. Whether it’s sport, music, gaming or whatever, do what makes you happy as and when you can.
An Expensive Hat
I must mention the impending coronation of King Charles III this weekend. And I realise this may be as divisive as an all-Mancunian football match, but it’s part of our social fabric. So whether you’re an avid royalist or a shoulder shrugger, you must admit that the British do pomp and pageantry like no one else.
And on Saturday, the spotlight will be on the UK as billions tune in worldwide to see our age-old tradition of crowning our Monarch. It’ll be a spectacle of waving crowds, sombre rituals, Scottish stones, gold-plated carriages, sacred oils and anointing spoons. Written like that, it seems an over-the-top way to present a high-born man with an expensive hat. But there you go; it’s how we do things here in Blighty.
But let’s not forget, this will be the first time in over 70 years we will have seen such a spectacle, so all things considered, I’ll be tuning in. Of course, I’ll ponder whether I’ll go as far as getting to my feet and pledging my allegiance to our new King, but one thing I will enjoy is the extra Bank Holiday, hurrah!
What AI This, Then?
I just wanted to circle back on my comments on Generative AI in the last newsletter. I’m enthusiastic and optimistic about the potential of this exciting tech for financial management and almost every aspect of our lives. However, if you’ve kept an eye on the media recently, it seems not everyone agrees with me, and many are expressing their disquiet. Some are people we should be listening to.
Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called godfather of AI, resigned from Google this week, citing his need to express worries about AI’s potential downsides. In the past, he has said:
“I said that the rapid progress of AI is going to transform society in ways we do not fully understand and not all of the effects are going to be good,”
He’s not the only one. Tech pioneer and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak opined:
“The trouble is it does good things for us, but it can make horrible mistakes by not knowing what humanness is.”
Even aspiring Bond villain Elon Musk has called for a 6-month moratorium on developing further AI models. His comments are even more stark.
“[AI] has the potential of civilisation destruction.”
Add to this the (now reversed) ban on Generative AI in Italy and emerging concerns about privacy and security, including from US President Joe Biden.
It’s a valuable reminder of the need to look past our starstruck initial enthusiasm and question our assumptions that powerful technologies like Generative AI are 100% on our side. While it might be helping us with our texts, audio, video, and more, it offers the same advantages to bad actors, criminals and rogue states, which should give us all pause for thought.
The message here is to check the accuracy of what your favourite Generative AI delivers and do adequate due diligence on any new interactions you’re invited to going forward. Now, more than ever, don’t take everything you see at face value. Indeed the entity you’re dealing with may not even have a face.
OK, that’s it for this month.
All the best
Adam
If you want to discuss any aspects of your business or even chat about football (especially if you’re a Man Utd fan), you know how to get in touch: 0161 511 2143 or email me at adam@meetenso.co.uk.