This week, feuding between some of the biggest tech companies spilled into public view. We discuss Apple’s accusation that OpenAI tried to steal secrets about Apple’s hardware business, as well as share our reactions about OpenAI’s new model, Sol, and Anthropic’s decision to extend access to its model Fable.
Then, we unpack the loudest warning yet about A.I. and jobs. We talk with Erik Brynjolfsson, a Stanford economist, about a statement he helped organize that implores economists and A.I. researchers to “act now” to steer A.I. in a direction that complements humans.
And finally, we play a round of HatGPT.
 
Guest:
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.brynjolfsson.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Erik Brynjolfsson</a>, senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered A.I., and director of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab.</li>
</ul>
 
Additional Reading:
<ul>
 <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/10/technology/apple-openai-lawsuit.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Apple Sues OpenAI, Accusing It of Stealing Company Secrets</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-14/openai-s-first-device-will-be-moveable-screenless-speaker-built-as-ai-companion" rel="noopener noreferrer">OpenAI’s First Device Will Be Movable, Screenless Speaker Built as A.I. Companion</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/business/economists-ai-threat-jobs.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xVA.8iwD.8XPZrSpF01m9&smid=bs-share" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nearly 200 Economists and Tech Leaders Warn of A.I. Threats</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.platformer.news/ai-jobs-warning-brynjolfsson-acemoglu/?ref=platformer-newsletter" rel="noopener noreferrer">The loudest warning about A.I. and jobs yet</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/technology/kalshi-openai-chatgpt-world-cup-odds.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">OpenAI Is Showing Kalshi’s World Cup Odds in ChatGPT</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/14/nyregion/new-york-data-center-moratorium-hochul.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share" rel="noopener noreferrer">New York Enacts Nation’s First Statewide Moratorium on Data Centers</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty/learning-assessment/2026/07/08/brown-professor-suspects-most-his-class-used-ai-cheat" rel="noopener noreferrer">Brown Professor Suspects Majority of His Class Used A.I. to Cheat</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/minimax-ceo-vows-forgo-salary-achieving-agi?rc=8aq5ai" rel="noopener noreferrer">MiniMax CEO Vows to Forgo Salary Until Achieving A.G.I</a>.</li>
 <li><a href="https://stereogum.com/2504954/lorde-speaks-out-against-fucked-up-ai-glasses/news" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lorde Speaks Out — With Expletives — Against A.I. Glasses</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2026/07/13/nearly-6-in-10-young-women-get-health-and-wellness-information-from-influencers/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nearly 6 in 10 Young Women Get Health and Wellness Information from Influencers</a></li>
 <li><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/10/technology/meta-muse-images-instagram-removal.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meta Removes A.I. Feature on Instagram After Days of Backlash</a>
  </li>
</ul>
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The A.I. Trade Secrets War + Economists Say ‘We Must Act Now’ + HatGPT

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