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Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’Google removed the ability to generate images of people from its Gemini chatbot. We talk about why, and about the brewing culture war over artificial intelligence. Then, did Kara Swisher start “Hard Fork”? We clear up some podcast drama and ask about her new book, “Burn Book.” And finally, the legal expert Daphne Keller tells us how the U.S. Supreme Court might rule on the most important First Amendment cases of the internet era, and what Star Trek and soy boys have to do with it. Today’s guests:Kara Swisher, tech journalist and Casey Newton’s former landlordDaphne Keller, director of the program on platform regulation at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy CenterAdditional Reading:

Persons: Kara Swisher, “, Daphne Keller, Casey Newton’s Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Google, Supreme, Stanford Locations: U.S

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’This week’s episode is a conversation with Demis Hassabis, the head of Google’s artificial intelligence division. We talk about Google’s latest A.I. models, Gemini and Gemma; the existential risks of artificial intelligence; his timelines for artificial general intelligence; and what he thinks the world will look like post-A.G.I. Additional listening and reading:

Persons: Demis Hassabis, Gemma Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen to and follow ‘Hard Fork’A year ago, a chatbot tried to break up Kevin Roose’s marriage. Ever since, chatbots haven’t been the same. We’ll tell you how. Then, we’ll talk through the latest ways the world is adapting to artificial intelligence. And finally, Aravind Srinivas, the chief executive of Perplexity, will discuss his company’s “answer engine,” a challenger to Google’s search engine that could reshape the web as we know it.

Persons: Kevin Roose’s, chatbots haven’t, Aravind Srinivas, ” Organizations: Apple, Spotify, Perplexity

☆ The Year Chatbots Were Tamed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Kevin Roose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A year ago, on Valentine’s Day, I said good night to my wife, went to my home office to answer some emails and accidentally had the strangest first date of my life. The date was a two-hour conversation with Sydney, the A.I. alter ego tucked inside Microsoft’s Bing search engine, which I had been assigned to test. I had planned to pepper the chatbot with questions about its capabilities, exploring the limits of its A.I. engine (which we now know was an early version of OpenAI’s GPT-4) and writing up my findings.

Persons: Bing, Kevin Organizations: Sydney Locations: Sydney

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’Bluesky, the Twitter spinoff, is now open for public sign-ups. Can its dreams of decentralization fix social media? We talk with the company’s chief executive, Jay Graber. Then, the New York Times reporter Erin Griffith on how Adobe’s failure to acquire Figma has spooked tech companies and upset Silicon Valley’s start-up pipeline. And finally, updates on ancient scrolls and artificial intelligence, Google’s chatbots, and the fight between record companies and TikTok.

Persons: Jay Graber, Erin Griffith, Figma, Google’s chatbots Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, New York Times

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’Apple’s Vision Pro headset is now for sale in stores. Will it live up to the hype? Kevin Roose and Casey Newton tried it out to see. Then, in a high-profile congressional hearing on child safety and social media, Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta chief executive, made an apology to families of victims of online child abuse. And finally, what the collapse of Cruise, the autonomous vehicle company, means for the future of self-driving cars.

Persons: Kevin Roose, Casey Newton, Mark Zuckerberg Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Locations: Cruise

☆ The Apple Vision Pro Is a Marvel. But Who Will Buy It?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Kevin Roose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Last week, I was ushered by an Apple employee through a security gate, past a manicured lawn, down a flight of stairs and into a tastefully decorated faux living room inside the Steve Jobs Theater to get a preview of the company’s new Vision Pro headset. Like other reporters who were given early tours of the Vision Pro, my demo was far from exhaustive. Given how limited my trial was, I can’t in good conscience tell you whether the Vision Pro is worth the $3,500 — yes, three thousand five hundred United States dollars — it costs. I also can’t say if the Vision Pro solves what I call the “six-month problem.” With many V.R. headsets I’ve tried — and I’ve tried a lot — the initial novelty fades, and minor annoyances, like blurry graphics or a lack of compelling apps, start to pile up.

Persons: Steve Jobs, I’ve Organizations: Apple, Steve, Vision, United Locations: United States

New Mexico is the first state to partner with Google for such an endeavor, state officials said, noting that the payoff could be significant in terms of curbing losses and saving municipalities and ratepayers money over the long term. The water plan notes that some systems in New Mexico are losing anywhere from 40% to 70% of all treated drinking water because of breaks and leaks in old infrastructure. “We don't need to make that choice between safe drinking water and your business," the governor said. One proposal calls for funneling another $100 million to the state water board to disperse for shovel-ready projects. In 2018, New Mexico rolled out a water plan that included details about policies at the time, historical legal cases and regional water plans.

Persons: Michelle Lujan Grisham, Lujan Grisham, “, Lujan Grisham's, Rebecca Roose Organizations: —, Google, Intel Locations: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M, — New Mexico, U.S, New Mexico, Mexico, Albuquerque

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’Layoffs are hitting newsrooms and publishers again, as tech platforms, ad markets and artificial intelligence reshape the internet. Kevin Roose and Casey Newton have ideas for solutions. Then, one of the most influential investors in crypto companies lays out where the industry went wrong, and why he still thinks blockchains are the future. And finally, a round of HatGPT with the week’s tech headlines, including a spicy LinkedIn post and an A.I. test that disturbs Kevin and Casey’s sense of reality.

Persons: Kevin Roose, Casey Newton, Kevin Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’OpenAI has released its plan to fight disinformation in elections in 2024, but will its policies be consequential compared to those of other generative A.I. Then, a watershed moment had crypto fans celebrating for the first time in maybe more than a year. And finally, what one writer’s attempt to sell a used mechanical pencil on TikTok says about how the platform is changing. Today’s guests:David Yaffe-Bellany covers the crypto industry for The New York TimesJohn Herrman covers technology for New York MagazineAdditional Reading:

Persons: OpenAI, David Yaffe, The New York Times John Herrman Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, The New York Times, New York

☆ Opinion | A Lot Has Happened in A.I. Let’s Catch Up.
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A lot has happened since. OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT, recently dominated headlines again after the nonprofit board of directors fired C.E.O. But that drama isn’t actually the most important thing going on in the A.I. They’ve been closely tracking developments in the field since well before ChatGPT launched. I invited them on the show to catch up on the state of A.I.

Persons: ChatGPT, C.E.O, Sam Altman, isn’t, hasn’t, “, Ezra Klein, Kevin Roose, Casey Newton, Newton, They’ve Organizations: Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, Google, Tech, The Times Locations: A.I

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’The drama at OpenAI is not over. Kevin and Casey take stock of new information they’ve gathered since last week, and look at how other artificial intelligence companies are trying to capitalize on the debacle. Then, why people are still buying cryptocurrency even after Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, and its founder pleaded guilty to money laundering violations. And finally, three ways A.I. Today’s guest: David Yaffe-Bellany covers crypto for The New York Times.

Persons: Casey, David Yaffe Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, The New York Times

For much of the past year, OpenAI’s board of directors has been criticized as too small and too divided to effectively govern one of the fastest-growing start-ups in Silicon Valley history. On Friday, the board’s dysfunction spilled into public view when four of its members fired Sam Altman, OpenAI’s popular and powerful chief executive. Mr. Altman, 38, returned to the company on Tuesday night, after days of haggling over his job and over the makeup of the board. The board and Mr. Altman’s allies discussed more than a half dozen options for its future. The departing board wanted to be sure the replacements would be independent thinkers and experienced enough to stand up to Mr. Altman.

Persons: Sam Altman, OpenAI’s, Altman, Altman’s, Laurene Powell Jobs, Steve Jobs, Brian Chesky Organizations: Emerson Locations: Silicon Valley

☆ A.I. Belongs to the Capitalists Now
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Kevin Roose | More About Kevin Roose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

What happened at OpenAI over the past five days could be described in many ways: A juicy boardroom drama, a tug of war over one of America’s biggest start-ups, a clash between those who want A.I. to progress faster and those who want to slow it down. But it was, most importantly, a fight between two dueling visions of artificial intelligence. In one vision, A.I. In another vision, A.I.

Persons: Sam Altman Locations: OpenAI

More board members, who could be plucked from OpenAI’s biggest investor, Microsoft, and the A.I. Mr. Altman was not named to the board on Tuesday night, and it was not clear if he ever will be. But some already argue that it will not be as attuned to OpenAI’s original mission to create A.I. The tech industry — perhaps even the world — will be watching to see if OpenAI is any closer to balancing those dueling aspirations than it was a week ago. “This needs to be a trustworthy organization that’s aligned with its board, and at the end of it all, OpenAI is a more valuable organization than it was a week ago.”

Persons: Altman, ”, Aaron Levie Organizations: Microsoft

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’Kevin Roose and Daniel Ramirez andIn yet another head-spinning twist at OpenAI, Sam Altman was reinstated as the company’s chief executive on Tuesday night, a mere five days after the OpenAI board had fired him. The board will be overhauled and a new set of directors, including Bret Taylor and Lawrence Summers, will join. Today, we discuss how Altman returned to the top seat — and whether the OpenAI news will ever slow down.

Persons: Kevin Roose, Daniel Ramirez, Sam Altman, Bret Taylor, Lawrence Summers, Altman Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube

Sam Altman was reinstated late Tuesday as OpenAI’s chief executive, the company said, successfully reversing his ouster by the company’s board last week after a campaign waged by his allies, employees and investors. The board of directors will be overhauled, jettisoning several members who had opposed Mr. Altman. Adam D’Angelo, the chief executive of Quora, will be the only holdover. “We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo,” OpenAI said in a post to X. “We are collaborating to figure out the details.

Persons: Sam Altman, Altman, Adam D’Angelo, Sam, Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, ” OpenAI, Greg Brockman, upended Organizations: Quora

☆ The Chaos at OpenAI, Explained
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Kevin Roose | More About Kevin Roose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

If they had been the plot of a science fiction movie, or an episode of “Succession,” the events at OpenAI last weekend would have seemed a little over-the-top. If you haven’t been paying attention to all the twists and turns in the saga, that’s OK. It’s been a confusing ride, with lots of complex jargon and hard-to-follow details. But it’s an important story, even if you’re not particularly interested in A.I. If you’ve ever used ChatGPT or drawn a picture with DALL-E 3, or if you care about whether powerful A.I. systems might someday threaten human survival, all of that is wrapped up in the drama at OpenAI, the country’s most prominent maker of artificial intelligence.

Persons: you’re, DALL Organizations: OpenAI

☆ ‘I Think We’re Heading Toward the Best World Ever’: An Interview With Sam Altman
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Kevin Roose | More About Kevin Roose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Sam Altman: So first of all, I think this is a great example of people understanding the technology, making smart decisions with it, and of society and the technology evolving together. What you see is that people are using it where appropriate and where it’s helpful and not using it where you shouldn’t. I think you guys have learned a lot of lessons from the past era of tech development. Sam Altman: One thing: No one wants to be scolded by a computer. Sam Altman: Yeah, certainly things that are illegal and dangerous.

Persons: Sam Altman, Casey Newton, we’ve, ChatGPT, I’m, you’re, Kevin Roose

☆ The A.I. Industry Was Upended
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Matthew Cullen | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The future of OpenAI, the start-up that quickly became a titan of the artificial intelligence industry after its release of ChatGPT last year, is in doubt. In a series of head-spinning developments over the last 24 hours, the company briefly considered and then rejected a proposal to bring Altman back. Shortly after, both Altman and Greg Brockman, a co-founder of OpenAI, were hired by Microsoft to run a new A.I. The upheaval is probably not over, and it could be a while before the new landscape of the A.I. industry is clear.

Persons: ChatGPT, Sam Altman, Altman, Greg Brockman, —, Kevin Roose, ” Organizations: Microsoft Locations: OpenAI

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’Read the transcript from our interview with Sam Altman. Last week, we interviewed Sam Altman. The board of OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, fired Altman as chief executive on Friday. On Sunday night, Microsoft hired Altman to lead a new A.I. Today, an update on a crazy weekend in tech, and our interview with Sam Altman.

Persons: Sam Altman, Altman Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Microsoft

☆ The Winners and Losers of OpenAI’s Wild Weekend
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Kevin Roose | More About Kevin Roose | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Things are shifting quickly, and there is plenty we still don’t know — including the reason the board decided to fire Mr. Altman in the first place. It was in the middle of a tender offer that would have allowed employees to cash out their stock at an eye-watering valuation, and its cutting-edge A.I. The tender offer may fall apart. OpenAI’s board may be satisfied with this outcome — after all, the board chose it, even after being given a chance to backtrack. But it looks silly for not explaining why it fired Mr. Altman, and until it shares more information, it’s hard to imagine the rank-and-file falling in line.

Persons: Altman Organizations: Microsoft, Mr Locations: ChatGPT

The board of directors of OpenAI, the high-flying artificial intelligence start-up, said in a note to employees on Sunday night that its former chief, Sam Altman, would not be returning to his job, while naming his second interim replacement in two days. Emmett Shear, the former chief executive of Twitch, will replace Mira Murati as interim chief executive of OpenAI, the board said. Ms. Murati, a longtime OpenAI executive, had been appointed to that role after Mr. Altman’s ouster on Friday. The board said Mr. Shear has a “unique mix of skills, expertise and relationships that will drive OpenAI forward,” according to the memo viewed by The New York Times. It was signed by each of the four directors on the company’s board; Adam D’Angelo, Helen Toner, Ilya Sutskever, and Tasha McCauley.

Persons: Sam Altman, Emmett Shear, Twitch, Mira Murati, Murati, Altman’s, Shear, ”, Adam D’Angelo, Helen Toner, Ilya Sutskever, Tasha McCauley, “ Organizations: OpenAI, The New York Times

☆ The tech community says Altman's ouster is a 'hostile takeover' and a 'coup.' Here's what we know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

OpenAI sent shockwaves through the tech world Friday when its board ousted Sam Altman as CEO. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . When Altman logged on to the Google Meet link on Friday, he was joined by the entirety of OpenAI's board, Brockman said. Altman's departure has thrown Cerebral Valley , the moniker for San Francisco's booming AI enclave, into a state of uncertainty.

Persons: OpenAI, Sam Altman, —, It's, Altman, Kevin Roose, Roose, OpenAI's, Greg Brockman —, Greg Brockman, Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, Sutskever, Mira Murati, " Brockman, it's, Annie Wright, Wright Organizations: Service, Microsoft, New York Times, OpenAI, Google, Sheriff Locations: Silicon Valley, OpenAI, Bay

Apple | Spotify | Amazon | YouTube Listen and follow ‘Hard Fork’Sam Altman, the chief executive of Open AI, was pushed out of the company by its board of directors on Friday. The news was a complete shock to much of the company’s employee base and to its largest corporate partner, Microsoft. Silicon Valley insiders are scrambling to get answers on exactly what happened and why the board’s decision seemed so abrupt. We rundown what we know and the many things we still don’t.

Persons: Sam Altman Organizations: Apple, Spotify, YouTube, Microsoft, Silicon

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