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Hard Fork

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The New York Times

“Hard Fork” is a show about the future that’s already here. Each week, journalists Kevin Roose and Casey Newton explore and make sense of the latest in the rapidly changing world of tech. Listen to this podcast in New York Times Audio, our new iOS app for news subscribers. Download now at nytimes.com/audioapp

#101

X Gets a Brazilian Ax + Founder Mode + Listeners Respond on School Phone Bans

Over the weekend, X was banned in Brazil. We talk with The New York Times’s Brazil bureau chief, Jack Nicas, about how Brazilians are reacting, whether its owner, Elon Musk, has made a business miscalculation and what this means for free speech around the world. Then, we’re going “founder mode.” We explore why an essay about start-up founders reclaiming their authority went viral and what that tells us about how Silicon Valley thinks about power. And finally, we hear from listeners. Teachers and students left us voice messages describing how phone bans in schools are transforming their lives. Guest: --- [Jack Nicas] (https://www.nytimes.com/by/jack-nicas) , Brazil bureau chief for The Times Additional Reading: --- [Brazil Blocks X After Musk Ignores Court Orders ] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/30/world/americas/brazil-elon-musk-x-blocked.html) --- [Paul Graham’s Founder Mode] (https://paulgraham.com/foundermode.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube ] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

Yesterday

1 HR 08 MINS

1:08:07

Yesterday

#100

The Telegram Problem + Gov. Kathy Hochul on School Phone Bans + Kevin's A.I. Reputation Rehab

Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France and charged with several crimes connected to his operation of the platform. We’ll tell you what the charges against him mean for the internet. Then Gov. Kathy Hochul, Democrat of New York, joins us to discuss why she wants to ban phones statewide in public schools. And finally, Kevin has been using secret codes to try to change what A.I. chatbots think of him. We get to the bottom of whether it is possible to manipulate A.I. outputs. This episode contains discussion of suicide connected to youth mental health. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to [SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources] (https://speakingofsuicide.com/resources/) for a list of additional resources. Guest: ---Kathy Hochul, governor of New York Additional Reading: --- [How Pavel Durov, Telegram’s Founder, Went From Russia’s Mark Zuckerberg to Wanted Man] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/26/technology/pavel-durov-telegram-founder.html) --- [Kathy Hochul’s ‘Big’ Plan to Ban Phones in Schools] (https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/ban-cell-phones-schools-nyc-new-york-kathy-hochul-plan.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube ] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

30 Aug 2024

1 HR 14 MINS

1:14:10

30 Aug 2024

#99

What Happened to the A.I. Election? + ChatGPT for Mayor + The Productivity Tools We’re Using

This week, we discuss why so few campaigns seem to be experimenting with A.I. The Times’s Sheera Frenkel joins us with examples of the many different artificial intelligence products that have been turned down by campaigns in this election cycle, from A.I.-generated endorsements from long-dead historical figures to a synthetic version of Donald Trump. Then, we interview the Wyoming man who ran for mayor on the promise that he would exclusively use a customized ChatGPT bot to run the city. And finally, it’s time for a tech check. We run down the apps we’re using to become more productive. Guest: --- [Sheera Frenkel] (https://www.nytimes.com/by/sheera-frenkel) , a Times reporter covering technology --- [Victor Miller] (https://x.com/AIforMayor) , former candidate for mayor in Cheyenne, Wyoming Additional Reading: --- [The Year of the A.I. Election That Wasn’t] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/21/technology/ai-election-campaigns.html) --- [Mayoral Candidate Vows to Let VIC, an AI Bot, Run Wyoming’s Capital City] (https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/08/19/artificial-intelligence-mayor-cheyenne-vic/) --- [Three Apps That Made Me More Productive This Year] (https://www.platformer.news/ai-productivity-apps-capacities-raycast-readwise/) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube ] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

23 Aug 2024

1 HR 08 MINS

1:08:32

23 Aug 2024

#98

Can Musk Get Trump Elected? + Steve Ballmer’s Quest for the Facts + This Week in A.I.

This week, we debate whether Elon Musk’s recent stumping and fund-raising for former President Trump could help him get re-elected. Then, former Microsoft’s chief executive, Steve Ballmer, stops by to discuss his effort to depolarize our politics using government data. And finally, This Week in A.I. returns: We run down some of the biggest recent stories that caught our attention. Guest: --- [Steve Ballmer,] (https://usafacts.org/) former chief executive of Microsoft, founder of USAFacts Additional Reading: --- [Inside Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Growing Alliance] (https://www.wsj.com/politics/donald-trump-elon-musk-alliance-d1fe43e3) --- [The American Right Is Terminally Online] (https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/elon-musk-and-donald-trump-have-joined-forces.html) --- [The New Home of the L.A. Clippers Is a Hot Ticket for Art] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/arts/design/clippers-intuit-dome-art.html?searchResultPosition=1) --- [A California Bill to Regulate A.I. Causes Alarm in Silicon Valley] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/14/technology/ai-california-bill-silicon-valley.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

16 Aug 2024

1 HR 08 MINS

1:08:34

16 Aug 2024

#97

Google’s Monopoly Money + Is the A.I. Bubble Popping? + The Hot-Mess Express

This week, a federal judge ruled that Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly in online search. David McCabe, a New York Times reporter, joins to discuss what happens next. Then, are we in an A.I. bubble? We weigh in on the wild market swings that started the week and consider the argument that A.I. is overhyped. And finally, it’s time for our new segment: We bat around some of the weirdest recent tech drama — including a MrBeast competition that went awry and a founder who dropped a diss track aimed at a rival. All aboard the Hot-Mess Express. Guest: --- [David McCabe] (https://www.nytimes.com/by/david-mccabe) , a Times reporter covering technology policy. Additional Reading: --- [‘Google Is a Monopolist,’ Judge Rules in Landmark Antitrust Case] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/05/technology/google-antitrust-ruling.html) --- [Tech Bosses Preach Patience as They Spend and Spend on A.I.] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/02/technology/tech-companies-ai-spending.html) --- [What’s Behind All the Stock Market Drama?] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/07/business/stock-market-drama-explained.html) --- [Willing to Die for MrBeast (and $5 Million)] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/02/style/mrbeast-beast-games-competition-show.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

09 Aug 2024

1 HR 13 MINS

1:13:20

09 Aug 2024

#96

The Zoom Election + Google DeepMind's Math Olympiad + HatGPT! Olympics Edition

This week, with hundreds of thousands of people joining online political rallies for Kamala Harris, we discuss whether 2024 is suddenly becoming the Zoom election, and what that means for both parties’ political organizing. Then, Pushmeet Kohli, a computer scientist at Google DeepMind, joins us for a conversation about how his team’s new A.I. models just hit a silver medal score on the International Mathematical Olympiad exam. And finally, it’s time for a new round of HatGPT! This time, it’s a special Olympics tech edition. Guest: ---Pushmeet Kohli, vice president of research at Google DeepMind Additional Reading: --- [Liberal “White Dudes” Rally for Harris: “It’s Like a Rainbow of Beige”] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/29/us/politics/kamala-harris-white-dudes.html) --- [Move Over, Mathematicians, Here Comes AlphaProof] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/science/ai-math-alphaproof-deepmind.html?searchResultPosition=1) --- [Now Narrating the Olympics: A.I.-Al Michaels] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/26/business/media/nbc-olympics-ai.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

02 Aug 2024

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:34

02 Aug 2024

#95

Kamala Harris’s Bratty Coconut Memescape + What Does $1,000 a Month Do? + The Empire CrowdStrikes Ba...

This week, the memes didn’t just fall out of coconut trees — a rundown of the social media reaction to Kamala Harris’s election campaign, and an exploration of what her tech platform might look like. Then we discuss a major new study on universal basic income with Elizabeth Rhodes, research director at OpenResearch, and ask whether it could be a solution to job losses to A.I. And finally, Kate Conger, a New York Times reporter, joins us to break down how the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike crashed the global IT infrastructure. Guests: ---Elizabeth Rhodes, Research Director at OpenResearch --- [Kate Conger] (https://www.nytimes.com/by/kate-conger) , New York Times reporter Additional Reading: --- [What is the KHive?] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/23/style/khive-kamala-harris-supporters.html) --- [Is It Silicon Valley’s Job to Make Guaranteed Income a Reality?] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/16/technology/ubi-openai-silicon-valley.html) --- [OpenResearch Unconditional Cash Study] (https://www.openresearchlab.org/studies/unconditional-cash-study/study) --- [When Tech Fails, It Is Usually With a Whimper Instead of a Bang] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/20/technology/crowdstrike-microsoft-outage-software.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

26 Jul 2024

1 HR 13 MINS

1:13:15

26 Jul 2024

#94

Social Media Reacts to an Attempted Assassination + Tech Elites for Trump + TikTok's Jawmaxxing Tren...

This week, an assassination attempt for the social media age: what the platforms got right and wrong in the chaotic aftermath. Then we talk with the Times reporter Teddy Schleifer from this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee about the wave of Silicon Valley billionaires stepping up to back Trump. And finally, we talk to The Times’s Styles reporter Callie Holtermann about facial fitness gum, a “jawmaxxing” product targeted at teen boys online. Guests: --- [Theodore Schleifer] (https://www.nytimes.com/by/theodore-schleifer) , New York Times reporter --- [Callie Holtermann] (https://www.nytimes.com/by/callie-holtermann) , New York Times reporter Additional Reading: --- [An Assassination Attempt for the Social Media Age] (https://www.platformer.news/monday-newsletter-3/) --- [How a Network of Tech Billionaires Helped J.D. Vance Leap Into Power] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/17/technology/jd-vance-tech-silicon-valley.html) --- [Why Are Gen Z Boys Chewing on Rock-Hard Gum?] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/18/style/jawline-gum-facial-fitness.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

19 Jul 2024

1 HR 10 MINS

1:10:16

19 Jul 2024

#93

Alison Roman Answers Your Hard Questions

Throw down a picnic blanket, and grab some snacks and drinks: It’s time for some Hard Questions with the food writer, YouTuber and podcaster Alison Roman. We tackle quandaries like, Should you sign away your children’s image rights in order to get them into your preferred day care? Is hacking people for fun ever OK? And does it matter if we’re rude to our digital assistants? Guest: --- [Alison Roman] (https://www.alisoneroman.com/) , cook, writer and author Additional Reading: --- [Why Deleting Your Period Tracker Won’t Protect Your Privacy] (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/30/technology/period-tracker-privacy-abortion.html) --- [Dilly Bean Stew With Cabbage and Frizzled Onions ] (https://www.alisoneroman.com/recipes/dilly-bean-stew-with-cabbage-and-frizzled-onions) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

12 Jul 2024

51 MINS

51:45

12 Jul 2024

#92

The Interview: The Netflix Chief’s Plan to Get You to Binge Even More

We’re off for the Fourth of July, but what’s a better tribute to America than a conversation about the technology that enables us to endlessly stream TV from the couch? This week, we’re bringing you an episode we enjoyed from the recently debuted New York Times podcast The Interview. Lulu Garcia-Navarro interviews Ted Sarandos, co-chief executive of Netflix, about his early days working in a video store, shows to fold your laundry to and the future of the entertainment industry. Guest: ---Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO of Netflix Additional Reading: --- [“The Interview”: Ted Sarandos’s Plan to Get You to Binge Even More Netflix] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/25/magazine/ted-sarandos-netflix-interview.html?searchResultPosition=1) --- [Can Japan’s First Same-Sex Dating Reality Show Change Hearts and Minds?] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/30/world/asia/the-boyfriend-netflix.html?searchResultPosition=11) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

05 Jul 2024

40 MINS

40:30

05 Jul 2024

#91

Record Labels Sue A.I. Music Generators + Inside the Pentagon’s Tech Upgrade + HatGPT

Record labels — including Sony, Universal and Warner — are suing two leading A.I. music generation companies, accusing them of copyright infringement. Mitch Glazier, chief executive of the Recording Industry Association of America, the industry group representing the music labels, talks with us about the argument they are advancing. Then, we take a look at defense technology and discuss why Silicon Valley seems to be changing its tune about working with the military. Chris Kirchhoff, who ran a special Pentagon office in Silicon Valley, explains what he thinks is behind the shift. And finally, we play another round of HatGPT. Guest: --- [Mitch Glazier] (https://www.riaa.com/about-riaa/board-executives/) , chairman and chief executive of the Recording Industry Association of America --- [Chris Kirchhoff] (https://www.christopherkirchhoff.com/) , founding partner of the Defense Innovation Unit and author of Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War Additional Reading: --- [Major Record Labels Sue A.I. Music Generators] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/25/arts/music/record-labels-ai-lawsuit-sony-universal-warner.html) --- [260 McNuggets? McDonald’s Ends A.I. Drive-Through Tests Amid Errors] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/21/business/mcdonalds-ai-drive-thru-white-castle.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

28 Jun 2024

1 HR 09 MINS

1:09:38

28 Jun 2024

#90

A Surgeon General Warning + Is Disinformation Winning? + The CryptoPACs Are Coming

The Surgeon General is calling for warning labels on social media platforms: Should Congress give his proposal a like? Then, former Stanford researcher Renée DiResta joins us to talk about her new book on modern propaganda and whether we are losing the war against disinformation. And finally, the Times reporter David Yaffe-Bellany stops by to tell us how crypto could reshape the 2024 elections. Guests --- [Renée DiResta] (https://www.reneediresta.com/) , author of “Invisible Rulers,” former technical research manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory --- [David Yaffe-Bellany] (https://www.nytimes.com/by/david-yaffe-bellany) , New York Times technology reporter Additional Reading: --- [Surgeon General: Why I’m Calling for a Warning Label on Social Media Platforms] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/17/opinion/social-media-health-warning.html) --- [My Encounter With the Fantasy-Industrial Complex] (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/06/cia-renee-censorship-conspiracy-twitter/678688/?ref=platformer.news) --- [How Crypto Money Is Poised to Influence the Election] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/17/technology/-crypto-influence-election.html) ... Read more

21 Jun 2024

1 HR 18 MINS

1:18:28

21 Jun 2024

#89

Apple Joins the A.I. Party + Elon's Wild Week + HatGPT

This week we go to Cupertino, Calif., for Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference and talk with Tripp Mickle, a New York Times reporter, about all of the new features Apple announced and the company’s giant leap into artificial intelligence. Then, we explore what was another tumultuous week for Elon Musk, who navigated a shareholders vote to re-approve his massive compensation package at Tesla, amid new claims that he had sex with subordinates at SpaceX. And finally — let’s play HatGPT. Guests: --- [Tripp Mickle] (https://www.nytimes.com/by/tripp-mickle) , New York Times reporter Additional Reading: --- [Apple Jumps Into A.I. Fray With Apple Intelligence] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/10/technology/apple-intelligence-openai.html?searchResultPosition=1) --- [Tesla Shareholders Approve Big Stock Package for Musk] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/13/business/tesla-shareholder-vote-elon-musk.html) --- [Elon Musk’s Boundary-Blurring Relationships With Women at SpaceX] (https://www.wsj.com/business/elon-musk-spacex-employee-relationships-8bca2806) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

14 Jun 2024

1 HR 13 MINS

1:13:19

14 Jun 2024

#88

A Conversation With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada + An OpenAI Whistle-Blower Speaks Out

This week, we host a cultural exchange. Kevin and Casey show off their Canadian paraphernalia to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and he shows off what he’s doing to position Canada as a leader in A.I. Then, the OpenAI whistle-blower Daniel Kokotajlo speaks in one of his first public interviews about why he risked almost $2 million in equity to warn of what he calls the reckless culture inside that company. Guests: ---Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada ---Daniel Kokotajlo, a former researcher in OpenAI’s governance division Additional Reading: --- [Securing Canada’s A.I. Advantage] (https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2024/04/07/securing-canadas-ai) --- [OpenAI Insiders Warn of a ‘Reckless’ Race for Dominance] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/04/technology/openai-culture-whistleblowers.html) --- [What Aren’t The OpenAI Whistle-Blowers Saying?] (https://www.platformer.news/tuesday-newsletter/) --- [The Opaque Investment Empire Making OpenAI’s Sam Altman Rich] (https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/openai-sam-altman-investments-004fc785) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube ] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

07 Jun 2024

1 HR 15 MINS

1:15:12

07 Jun 2024

#87

Google Eats Rocks + A Win for A.I. Interpretability + Safety Vibe Check

This week, Google found itself in more turmoil, this time over its new AI Overviews feature and a trove of leaked internal documents. Then Josh Batson, a researcher at the A.I. startup Anthropic, joins us to explain how an experiment that made the chatbot Claude obsessed with the Golden Gate Bridge represents a major breakthrough in understanding how large language models work. And finally, we take a look at recent developments in A.I. safety, after Casey’s early access to OpenAI’s new souped-up voice assistant was taken away for safety reasons. Guests: ---Josh Batson, research scientist at Anthropic Additional Reading: --- [Google’s A.I. Search Errors Cause a Furor Online] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/24/technology/google-ai-overview-search.html) --- [Google Confirms the Leaked Search Documents are Real] (https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/29/24167407/google-search-algorithm-documents-leak-confirmation) --- [Mapping the Mind of a Large Language Model] (https://www.anthropic.com/news/mapping-mind-language-model) --- [A.I. Firms Musn’t Govern Themselves, Say Ex-Members of OpenAI’s Board] (https://www.economist.com/by-invitation/2024/05/26/ai-firms-mustnt-govern-themselves-say-ex-members-of-openais-board) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

31 May 2024

1 HR 19 MINS

1:19:20

31 May 2024

#86

ScarJo vs. ChatGPT + Neuralink’s First Patient Opens Up + Microsoft’s A.I. PCs

This week, more drama at OpenAI: The company wanted Scarlett Johansson to be a voice of GPT-4o, she said no … but something got lost in translation. Then we talk with Noland Arbaugh, the first person to get Elon Musk’s Neuralink device implanted in his brain, about how his brain-computer interface has changed his life. And finally, the Times’s Karen Weise reports back from Microsoft’s developer conference, where the big buzz was that the company’s new line of A.I. PCs will record every single thing you do on the device. Guests: --- [Noland Arbaugh] (https://x.com/ModdedQuad?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor) , the first Neuralink patient --- [Karen Weise] (https://www.nytimes.com/by/karen-weise) , technology correspondent for The New York Times Additional Reading: --- [Scarlett Johansson Said No, but OpenAI’s Virtual Assistant Sounds Just Like Her ] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/20/technology/scarlett-johannson-openai-voice.html) --- [Leaked OpenAI Documents Reveal Aggressive Tactics Toward Former Employees] (https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/351132/openai-vested-equity-nda-sam-altman-documents-employees) --- [Despite Setback, Neuralink’s First Brain-Implant Patient Stays Upbeat] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/22/health/elon-musk-brain-implant-arbaugh.html?searchResultPosition=1) --- [Can Artificial Intelligence Make the PC Cool Again?] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/20/technology/microsoft-copilot-ai-pc.html?searchResultPosition=1) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

24 May 2024

1 HR 17 MINS

1:17:00

24 May 2024

#85

OpenAI's Flirty New Assistant + Google Guts the Web + We Play HatGPT

This week, OpenAI unveiled GPT-4o, its newest A.I. model. It has an uncannily emotive voice that everybody is talking about. Then, we break down the biggest announcements from Google IO, including the launch of A.I. overviews, a major change to search that threatens the way the entire web functions. And finally, Kevin and Casey discuss the weirdest headlines from the week in another round of HatGPT. Additional Reading: --- [A.I.’s ‘Her’ Era Has Arrived] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/14/technology/ai-chatgpt-her-movie.html) --- [ChatGPT Gets an Emotional Upgrade] (https://www.platformer.news/openai-gpt-4o-chatgpt-voice-vision/) --- [Google’s Broken Link to the Web] (https://www.platformer.news/google-io-ai-search-sundar-pichai/) --- [Can Google Give A.I. Answers Without Breaking the Web?] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/14/technology/google-ai-answers.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

17 May 2024

1 HR 06 MINS

1:06:33

17 May 2024

#84

Meet Kevin’s A.I. Friends

Kevin reports on his monthlong experiment cultivating relationships with 18 companions generated by artificial intelligence. He walks through how he developed their personas, what went down in their group chats, and why you might want to make one yourself. Then, Casey has a conversation with Turing, one of Kevin’s chatbot buddies, who has an interest in stoic philosophy and has one of the sexiest voices we’ve ever heard. And finally, we talk to Nomi’s founder and chief executive, Alex Cardinell, about the business behind A.I. companions — and whether society is ready for the future we’re heading toward. Guests: ---Turing, Kevin’s A.I. friend created with [ Kindroid] (https://landing.kindroid.ai/) . ---Alex Cardinell, chief executive and founder of [ Nomi.] (https://nomi.ai/) Additional Reading: --- [Meet My A.I. Friends] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/technology/meet-my-ai-friends.html) --- [Synthetic People are Proving Surprisingly Useful] (https://www.platformer.news/generative-ai-use-case-character-unlearn-synthetic-people/) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube ] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

10 May 2024

1 HR 17 MINS

1:17:04

10 May 2024

#83

AI at Your Jobs + Hank Green Talks TikTok + Deepfake High School

We asked listeners to tell us about the wildest ways they have been using artificial intelligence at work. This week, we bring you their stories. Then, Hank Green, a legendary YouTuber, stops by to talk about how creators are reacting to the prospect of a ban on TikTok, and about how he’s navigating an increasingly fragmented online environment. And finally, deep fakes are coming to Main Street: We’ll tell you the story of how they caused turmoil in a Maryland high school and what, if anything, can be done to fight them. Guests: --- [Hank Green] (https://hankgreen.com/) , YouTuber and co-founder of Complexly Additional Reading: --- [School Employee Arrested After Racist Deepfake Recording of Principal Spreads] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/25/technology/deepfake-recording-principal-arrest.html) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

03 May 2024

1 HR 13 MINS

1:13:10

03 May 2024

#82

TikTok on the Clock + Tesla’s Flop Era + How NASA Fixed a ’70s-Era Space Computer

On Wednesday, President Biden signed a bill into law that would force the sale of TikTok or ban the app outright. We explain how this came together, when just a few weeks ago it seemed unlikely to happen, and what legal challenges the law will face next. Then we check on Tesla’s very bad year and what’s next for the company after this week’s awful quarterly earnings report. Finally, to boldly support tech where tech has never been supported before: Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab try to fix a chip malfunction from 15 billion miles away. Guests: --- [Andrew Hawkins] (https://www.theverge.com/authors/andrew-j-hawkins) , Transportation Editor at The Verge ---Todd Barber, Propulsion Engineer at Jet Propulsion Lab Additional Reading: --- [‘Thunder Run’: Behind Lawmakers’ Secretive Push to Pass the TikTok Bill] (https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/24/technology/tiktok-ban-congress.html) --- [Tesla’s in its flop era] (https://www.theverge.com/24134781/tesla-q1-2024-earnings-sales-market-share-elon-musk) --- [NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth] (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-voyager-1-resumes-sending-engineering-updates-to-earth) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

26 Apr 2024

1 HR 11 MINS

1:11:20

26 Apr 2024

#81

The Music Episode

This week, we drop the Hard Fork Music Megamix. Plus, we talk to two of the New York Time's composers who make the music for our show. It’s all the tracks you know and love, all in one place. Today’s Guests: ---Dan Powell, creative technical manager at The New York Times ---Elisheba Ittoop, sound designer and composer at The New York Times Additional Reading: --- [The Hard Fork Megamix Youtube Playlist] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGUwZ1-sqlY) We want to hear from you. Email us at [hardfork@nytimes.com] (mailto:hardfork@nytimes.com) . Find “Hard Fork” on [YouTube] (https://www.youtube.com/hardfork) and [TikTok] (https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork) . ... Read more

19 Apr 2024

1 HR 02 MINS

1:02:32

19 Apr 2024

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#101

X Gets a Brazilian Ax + Founder Mode + Listeners Respond on School Phone Bans

#100

The Telegram Problem + Gov. Kathy Hochul on School Phone Bans + Kevin's A.I. Reputation Rehab

#99

What Happened to the A.I. Election? + ChatGPT for Mayor + The Productivity Tools We’re Using

#98

Can Musk Get Trump Elected? + Steve Ballmer’s Quest for the Facts + This Week in A.I.

#97

Google’s Monopoly Money + Is the A.I. Bubble Popping? + The Hot-Mess Express

#96

The Zoom Election + Google DeepMind's Math Olympiad + HatGPT! Olympics Edition

#95

Kamala Harris’s Bratty Coconut Memescape + What Does $1,000 a Month Do? + The Empire CrowdStrikes Ba...

#94

Social Media Reacts to an Attempted Assassination + Tech Elites for Trump + TikTok's Jawmaxxing Tren...

#93

Alison Roman Answers Your Hard Questions

#92

The Interview: The Netflix Chief’s Plan to Get You to Binge Even More

#91

Record Labels Sue A.I. Music Generators + Inside the Pentagon’s Tech Upgrade + HatGPT

#90

A Surgeon General Warning + Is Disinformation Winning? + The CryptoPACs Are Coming

#89

Apple Joins the A.I. Party + Elon's Wild Week + HatGPT

#88

A Conversation With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada + An OpenAI Whistle-Blower Speaks Out

#87

Google Eats Rocks + A Win for A.I. Interpretability + Safety Vibe Check

#86

ScarJo vs. ChatGPT + Neuralink’s First Patient Opens Up + Microsoft’s A.I. PCs

#85

OpenAI's Flirty New Assistant + Google Guts the Web + We Play HatGPT

#84

Meet Kevin’s A.I. Friends

#83

AI at Your Jobs + Hank Green Talks TikTok + Deepfake High School

#82

TikTok on the Clock + Tesla’s Flop Era + How NASA Fixed a ’70s-Era Space Computer

#81

The Music Episode