While good quality subtitles are essential VLC can’t ensure that, it’s the responsibility of the production studio. AI subtitles on vlc are for those videos which doesn’t have any sub (which are a lot). The pushback shouldn’t be for vlc implementing AI, but production studios replacing translators or transcriber with AI (like crunchyroll tried last year).

Also while transcribing and subtitle editing is a labour intensive job, use of AI to help the editors shouldn’t be discouraged, it can increase their productivity by automating repeatative tasks so that they can focus on better quality.

Depends on your threat model. Signal is fine if you just want to communicate with average joe. If you want something more anonymous look into secureX,

"I told a joke to my wife. I laughed, my wife laughed, my smart toster laughed "

GrapheneOS is for not only privacy but also security. Ironic or sad, google chips are safer. https://grapheneos.org/faq#future-devices