Name: The AI-tech behind your favorite Spotify feature | December 18, 2025
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We're at the penultimate day of the week, so let's get to your news while we still have time.

The folks at one of the United States largest auto manufacturers for Ford Motor Company say they are going to slow their role on their electric vehicle plants to put more focus on their gas and hybrid vehicles.

Part of their new plan putting production of their flagship EV, the F150 Lightning, on hold indefinitely.

This stems in part from US President Donald Trump's policies, which are impacting the EV industry.

The move for Ford means a $19.5 billion hit against its fourth quarter earnings.

Automakers around the world have invested big time in EVs, but

The federal tax credit, from which EV buyers once benefited, ended in September.

The US Government also took away some of the environmental regulations that went into effect during former President Joe Biden's term.

Did your Spotify Wrapped feel spot on this year?

You know where Spotify tells you which songs are your favorites?

If so, it's because the streaming music service aggregates which or collects all the songs you played throughout the year by using machine learning algorithms behind the scenes.

It's just one example of our digital experiences becoming more personalized by technology.

Our Claire Duffy has more hey Coy, have you ever found yourself wondering how your Spotify Wrapped seems to just get you so perfectly?

Or why Netflix knows how to recommend the exact show you wanted to watch next?

It's all thanks to a technology called machine learning.

Machine learning is a process where a computer takes a bunch of data and uses an algorithm, essentially a mathematical equation, to find patterns in that data to draw conclusions or make recommendations.

So think sorting through all of the music you listened to this year to determine who your favorite artists were.

You might have heard of machine learning in the context of artificial intelligence.

That's because it also powers many of the AI tools we use today.

AI chatbots, for example, were trained on a bunch of human writing, and

they use their knowledge of the patterns in our language to respond to our questions.

Here's Georgia Tech's Brian McGurko to explain.

So like for for using ChatGPT or Llama or something like that, you know, these companies scraped the Internet, grabbed as much text as they could from from Reddit conversations and forums and blog posts and news articles.

And the patterns that they found are like what words go with what Other words.

And so when you give it words, it goes, hey, what's the most likely word that would go next?

Now, online platforms don't just use information about us to serve us recommendations.

They also look at what content people like us are consuming using a type of machine learning called collaborative filtering.

Spotify is really, really good at collecting data and describing data.

So one of the things that they use and has been used in lots of the websites and apps that you use is this approach called collaborative filtering.

So Spotify, when you say, hey, give me some music that, that I think I'll like, like you hit the, the DJ button or something and what it's doing is it's going, okay, let me look at this guy.

And so collaborative filtering is underneath all of these sort of like, you know, magic suggest with Spotify Rapt or the auto generated playlists.

It can recognize, like, hey, you know, there are not that many goth circus ragtime people out there, but

You know, it can help you sort of identify if you're on this island of music appreciation that you can brag to your friends about.

It's important to understand that apps and online platforms are taking in data you share with them, whether by listening to certain songs or liking certain photos, and

That can be used for fun applications like giving you your Spotify wrapped.

Spotify says my listening age is 73, by the way, thanks to my love of classic rock.

But machine learning can also be used to do things like target you with ads for things a company thinks you're more likely to buy.

And I don't know about you, but this time of year that is the last thing I need.

Still, the more we know about how tech platforms collect and use our data, the the better we can choose how to consciously engage with them.

Volkswagen's iconic van was originally called what?

The Microbus, the Type 2, the Wonder Wagon, or the Mystery Machine.

The type two, later renamed the transporter, started production in 1950.

It soon became a cultural symbol of freedom, road trips and the 1960s counterculture.

Now to a viral moment that became a symbol of hope.

This vintage Volkswagen bus was spared from the LA fires even as the rest of the neighborhood was decimated.

The bus has since undergone a full remodel and is getting some newfound love and national attention.

The little Blue Miracle, a 1977 VW Microbus among the grays and blacks of destruction and despair.

The burnt headlight out front was on the case.

Found the bus and so we wanted to know who owned it to to get the story here.

Current owner Megan Weinreber Malibu surfer I'm speechless to see all the houses burnt and I can't believe that Azul the bus, that's what we named it, survived like it's.

Well, Volkswagen folks also saw that viral pic of the little singed survivor and they asked if they could help.

We found the car with the busted rear windows.

We had ashes inside, we had embers inside and nothing combusted.

They worked on Azul for 2000 hours to bring a bus back to life.

That eye catching blue paint had to be custom mixed.

But what about the Palisades Then now nearly 7,000 structures destroyed.

So far, only one home has been completely rebuilt.

A certificate of occupancy was issued just last week.

Azul is now back, charm intact and even better than before.