Hard Fork
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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: __ __ ADDITIONAL READING: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
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: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
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: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
This week, the companies building artificial intelligence are facing a limit to what training data is publicly available on the internet. Will that stop them from building God? Then, a new bipartisan national privacy law proposal just dropped. We ask what’s in it. And finally, ByteDance is building new apps instead of fighting Congress’s TikTok ban. TODAY’S GUESTS: Trevor Hughes, president and C.E.O. of the International Association of Privacy Professionals ADDITIONAL READING: How Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/06/technology/tech-giants-harvest-data-artificial-intelligence.html For Data-Guzzling A.I. Companies, the Internet Is Too Small https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-training-data-synthetic-openai-anthropic-9230f8d8 Lawmakers unveil sprawling plan to expand online privacy protections https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/04/07/congress-privacy-deal-cantwell-rodgers/ TikTok Turns to Nuns, Veterans and Ranchers in Marketing Blitz https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/04/business/media/tiktok-marketing-blitz-ban.html We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork
This week we look at how AI is affecting jobs. As companies start announcing AI-related job cuts and experimenting with customer service bots, economists are placing bets on whether AI will lead to major gains for companies and workers. Some are even predicting it will help rebuild the middle class. Then, multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker Paul Trillo joins to talk to us about his experience as part of a select group of testers granted early access to Sora, Open AI’s video generation tool. And finally, Kevin explains what happened when a Microsoft developer stumbled on a huge cyber security breach. Today’s Guests: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork
This week, we look at a mess of corporate drama in artificial intelligence. Stability AI has announced that its founder and C.E.O., Emad Mostaque, is leaving the company. Meanwhile, Microsoft hired away two of the co-founders and much of the staff of Inflection, without actually acquiring the company itself. Both moves surprised tech insiders. Then, we talked with listeners who had something to say about our interview with Jonathan Haidt on smartphones, social media and young people. And finally, we examine the true motives behind “Shrimp Jesus” and other hugely popular images on social media that were generated with artificial intelligence. Today’s guests: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
This week, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Apple, saying the company holds a monopoly over the smartphone market. We break down the lawsuit and ask whether it will be a major turning point in Apple’s dominance. Then, Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist, argues that smartphones and social media are the cause of widespread increases in mental health issues among young people. He tells us his four potential solutions to the problem. And finally, Reddit’s market capitalization hit $9.2 billion when it debuted on the New York Stock Exchange this week, but the company still isn’t making money. We talk about the challenges Reddit faces as it goes public, and how the site may change as a result. Today’s guest: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
This week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that would ban TikTok if its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, doesn’t sell it off. We talk about why, what happens next, and how likely it is that the app will be banned. Then, how a photoshopped image of Kate Middleton undermines trust in photography. And finally, a new report reveals how your car may be tracking you without your knowledge — and how that might raise your insurance bill. Today’s guest: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
OpenAI responded to Elon Musk’s lawsuit this week, with a blog post that included emails dating to 2015. We talk about whether the lawsuit could have any impact on the company, and who stands to benefit from it. Then, will the European Union’s Digital Markets Act make the tech industry a more competitive environment for entrepreneurs? We look at how some of the biggest tech giants are changing their services to comply with the law. And finally, Kevin Roose and the Wall Street Journal reporter Joanna Stern compare notes on using the Apple Vision Pro. TODAY’S GUEST: __ __ ADDITIONAL READING: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
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: __ __ ADDITIONAL READING: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
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: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
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. Today’s guest: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork .
Bluesky, the Twitter spin-off, is now open for public sign-ups. Can its dreams of decentralization fix social media? We talk with CEO Jay Graber. Then, New York Times reporter Erin Griffith on how Adobe’s failed acquisition of Figma has spooked tech companies and upset Silicon Valley’s startup pipeline. And finally, updates on ancient scrolls and artificial intelligence, Google’s chatbots, and the fight between record companies and TikTok. Today’s guests: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
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. Is new legislation on the horizon? And finally, what the collapse of Cruise, the autonomous vehicle company, means for the future of self-driving cars. Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
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. TODAY’S GUEST: Chris Dixon, partner at Andreessen Horowitz ADDITIONAL READING: __ __ WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
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. companies? 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: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
Casey is taking his newsletter Platformer off Substack, as criticism over the company’s handling of pro-Nazi content grows. Then, The Wall Street Journal spoke with witnesses who said that Elon Musk had used LSD, cocaine, ecstasy and psychedelic mushrooms, worrying some directors and board members of his companies. And finally, how researchers found a new class of antibiotics with the help of an artificial intelligence algorithm used to win the board game Go. Today’s guests: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
The New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft last week for copyright infringement. Kevin Roose and Casey Newton walk through the lawsuit and discuss the stakes for news publishers. Then, they talk about Apple’s “walled garden,” which is facing threats from both regulators and 16-year-olds. Finally, we set our tech resolutions for the new year. Today’s guest: Eric Migicovsky, co-founder of Beeper Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
Last year, we predicted what 2023 in tech would look like. This week, we take a look back at those predictions, see what we got right and wrong, and make new ones for 2024. Then, the actor, comedian and writer Jenny Slate joins us to answer your Hard Questions. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
A jury decided the Google Play store unfairly stifles competition and maintains a monopoly. Kevin and Casey discuss how the ruling could reshape the digital economy. Then, a growing movement of developers and enthusiasts of artificial intelligence want the technology developed as quickly as possible, even if it has negative consequences for humanity. And finally, why the internet of the future could look totally different. Today’s guest: Cloudflare CEO and co-founder Matthew Prince. Additional Reading: __ __ We want to hear from you. Email us athardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/hardforkandTikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hardfork.
Google’s new artificial intelligence model ‘Gemini’ is out. It’s advertised as America’s next top A.I. model. Kevin and Casey ask, is it really better than OpenAI’s GPT-4? Then, by some estimates millions of people pre-ordered Tesla’s Cybertruck, but has Elon Musk’s recent behavior soured people on the brand? And finally, more A.I. news you may have missed. Additional Reading: __ __
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. is ruining web search. Or is it? Today’s guest: David Yaffe-Bellany covers crypto for The New York Times. ADDITIONAL READING: Casey hasnew details https://www.platformer.news/p/the-openai-saga-isnt-over-just-yetfrom the OpenAI board fight. Changpeng Zhao, the Binance founder, agreed to paya $50 million fine https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/21/technology/binance-changpeng-zhao-pleads-guilty.htmland step down from his role as chief executive.
In 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. ADDITIONAL READING: __ __
Last week, we interviewed Sam Altman. Since then, well, everything has changed. The board of OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, fired Altman as chief executive on Friday. Over the weekend, it looked as if he might return. On Sunday night, Microsoft hired Altman to lead a new A.I. venture. Who knows what will happen next. Today, an update on a crazy weekend in tech, and our interview with Sam Altman. TODAY’S GUEST: __ __ ADDITIONAL READING: __ __
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.
The tech start-up Humane launched a new device, an A.I. pin meant to be worn on our clothing. Might this be the device that replaces the iPhone? It’s the question on Silicon Valley’s mind. The pin allows users to take phone calls, catch up on messages and get answers to questions, all without ever looking at a screen. Then, why YouTube is bucking the trend on deepfakes. Plus: We eat a Thanksgiving meal made with meat that was grown in a lab. Today’s Guest: __ __ Additional Reading: __ __
OpenAI has unveiled a new way to build custom chatbots. Kevin shows off a few that he’s built – including a custom Hard Fork bot, and a bot that gives investment advice inspired by his late grandpa. Then, we talk to Lina Khan, the chair of the Federal Trade Commission, about the agency’s approach to regulating A.I., and whether the tactics she’s used to regulate big tech companies are working. And finally, a Bored Ape Yacht Club event left some attendees' eyes burning, literally. That, and Sam Bankman-Fried’s recent fraud conviction has us asking, how much damage hath the crypto world wrought? Today’s guest: __ __ Additional reading: __ __ More than 20 people reportedburning eye pain https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/07/style/bored-ape-nft-eye-burn.htmlafter a Bored Ape Yacht Club party in Hong Kong.
President Biden’s new executive order on artificial intelligence has a little bit of everything for everyone concerned about A.I. Casey takes us inside the White House as the order was signed. Then, Rebecca Tushnet, a copyright law expert, walks us through the latest developments in a lawsuit against the creators of A.I.-image generation tools. She explains why artists may have trouble making the case that these tools infringe on their copyrights. And finally, it’s time again for HatGPT. We get a taste of the tech headlines you may have missed from the week. TODAY’S GUEST: __ __ ADDITIONAL READING: __ __
Dozens of state attorneys general has sued Meta, alleging the company knowingly created features that induce “extended, addictive, and compulsive social media use” among teenagers and children. In a country without wide-reaching internet regulations, are lawsuits the way to reign tech companies in? Then, for our first episode onYouTube https://www.youtube.com/@hardfork, we talk with YouTuber and tech reviewer Marques Brownlee about how the platform has changed, and the future tech he’s excited about. And finally, A.I. image generators are getting scary good. Casey tells us what he’s been using them for. Today’s guest: __ __ Additional reading: __ __
A.I. models are black boxes. You input a prompt and the model outputs nearly anything: a sonnet, an image or alegal brief https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/08/nyregion/lawyer-chatgpt-sanctions.htmlriddled with lies. Today, a look at three ways that researchers are unlocking that black box in hopes of bringing transparency to A.I. Then, Marc Andreessen’s techno-optimist manifesto has left us asking, Is he OK?! Plus: decoding a 2,000-year-old ancient scroll with the help of A.I. TODAY’S GUEST: __ __ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: __ __
