Hard Fork

Hard Fork

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. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Listen to this podcast in New York Times Audio, our new iOS app for news subscribers. Download now at nytimes.com/audioapp

How Based is Grok 3? + Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev on Markets For Everything + Vibecoding 101

How Based is Grok 3? + Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev on Markets For Everything + Vibecoding 101

This week, Elon Musk brought a new chatbot into the crowded A.I. universe — Grok 3, the latest model from his company xAI. We break down how it compares with other leading models and what it reveals about Musk’s larger ambitions. Then, Vlad Tenev, the chief executive of the investing platform Robinhood, lays out his vision for the future of investing and fields some difficult questions about his company’s role in fueling a culture of risky financial speculation. Finally, Kevin revisits his high

Feb 21, • 1:11:40

A.I. Accelerates in Paris + Can A.I. Fix Your Love Life?

A.I. Accelerates in Paris + Can A.I. Fix Your Love Life?

Kevin reports back from the A.I. Action Summit in Paris, where it was full speed ahead toward artificial general intelligence, with a conspicuous lack of action on the safety front. Also, Happy Valentine’s Day! We’re taking a look at A.I. on dating apps. First, our producer Rachel Cohn explains what happened when she applied all of the advice from Hinge’s new Prompt Feedback tool to her dating profile. Then, we’re joined by Hinge’s founder and C.E.O., Justin McLeod, to discuss how he thinks A.I.

Feb 14, • 1:12:07

The Musketeers Take Washington + Spotify's Ghost Music + Tool Time

The Musketeers Take Washington + Spotify's Ghost Music + Tool Time

This week, we’re joined by the Times reporter Jonathan Swan to discuss Elon Musk’s tech takeover of Washington, D.C. Then, Liz Pelly, author of a new book about Spotify, stops by to discuss “ghost musicians” and how Spotify’s algorithms are reshaping music culture. And finally — it’s Tool Time! We’ll tell you all about the new A.I. tools we’re using, plus the one that we wish existed.Guests: Jonathan Swan, a White House reporter for The New York TimesLiz Pelly, author of “Mood Machine: The Rise

Feb 7, • 1:22:59

DeepSeek DeepDive + Hands-On With Operator + Hot Mess Express!

DeepSeek DeepDive + Hands-On With Operator + Hot Mess Express!

This week we go even deeper on DeepSeek. ChinaTalk's Jordan Schneider joins us to explain the Chinese A.I. industry and to break down the reaction inside of China to DeepSeek’s sudden success. Then … hello, Operator! We put OpenAI’s new agent software to the test. And finally, all aboard for another ride on the Hot Mess Express! Guest:Jordan Schneider, founder and editor in chief of ChinaTalk Additional Reading:Why DeepSeek Could Change What Silicon Valley Believes About A.I.OpenAI launches its

Jan 31, • 1:05:51

Your Guide to the DeepSeek Freakout: an Emergency Pod

Your Guide to the DeepSeek Freakout: an Emergency Pod

A Chinese firm called DeepSeek managed to upend global markets at the start of the week, to drag down chipmaker Nvidia — and to surge to No. 1 in the iPhone app store, all in basically no time at all.Today, in this bonus episode, we talk through the news behind the freakout. How is a new A.I. model from one Chinese A.I. company making such a big splash? And what does it mean for the U.S. artificial intelligence industry? We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork

Jan 27, • 24:04

Quantum TikTok + Memecoin Mania + Chris Hayes on the Attention Wars

Quantum TikTok + Memecoin Mania + Chris Hayes on the Attention Wars

This week, TikTok died, came back to life — and now exists in a kind of limbo state. We break down what that may signal for how tech does business with the new Trump administration. Then we pump up the fun with memecoins and explore how the Trump family is cashing in. And finally, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes joins us to discuss his new book about attention. Guest:Chris Hayes,  Host of MSNBC's "All In With Chris Hayes" and author of “The Sirens’ Call” Additional Reading:TikTok Comes Back From the DeadTru

Jan 24, • 1:12:20

Goodbye TikTok, Ni Hao RedNote? + A.I.'s Environmental Impact + Meta's Masculine Energy

Goodbye TikTok, Ni Hao RedNote? + A.I.'s Environmental Impact + Meta's Masculine Energy

The deadline for TikTok to sell or to face a ban is fast approaching. We discuss how Supreme Court justices — who opted on Friday to uphold the law — reacted to arguments in the case, whether the Chinese government might allow Elon Musk to buy the app, and why self-proclaimed TikTok refugees are rushing to a different Chinese app, called RedNote. Then, we talk with an A.I. industry insider about what we actually know about how bad artificial intelligence is for the environment. And finally, afte

Jan 17, • 1:13:08

Meta Goes MAGA Mode +A Big Month in A.I. + HatGPT

Meta Goes MAGA Mode +A Big Month in A.I. + HatGPT

This week, Meta announced a series of content moderation changes that will transform the way the social media company’s platforms deal with misinformation and hate speech. We break down what these changes will mean for users and why the company seems to be caving to the right’s arguments on censorship. Then, we’ll explain why 2025 is already shaping up to be a huge year in A.I. — with models like OpenAI’s o3, Google’s Gemini 2.0 and DeepSeek, from China, stirring discussion that superintelligenc

Jan 10, • 1:10:55

Our 2025 Tech Predictions and Resolutions + We Answer Your Questions

Our 2025 Tech Predictions and Resolutions + We Answer Your Questions

This week, it’s our yearly tech predictions. We’ll review what we got right and wrong about 2024, and tell you what we think is going to happen in 2025. Then we’ll discuss how we want to interact with tech in the new year. Plus, we’ll answer some of your listener questions.We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.

Jan 3, • 1:08:39

The Wirecutter Show: Kitchen Gear That Lasts a Lifetime (or Extremely Close)

The Wirecutter Show: Kitchen Gear That Lasts a Lifetime (or Extremely Close)

Happy Holidays, everybody! We are off this week, but we wanted to bring you a recent episode from another New York Times podcast: The Wirecutter Show. It’s called “Kitchen Gear That Lasts a Lifetime (or Extremely Close)” and features Michael Sullivan, one of the senior staff writers on Wirecutter’s kitchen team. Michael walks through tips and tricks for finding kitchen gear that will last, what’s worth spending money on, what you can buy used and how to make cast iron last a lifetime. We want to

Dec 27, 2024 • 41:10

Is Amazon's Drone Delivery Finally Ready for Prime Time?

Is Amazon's Drone Delivery Finally Ready for Prime Time?

This week, we took a field trip to the Phoenix suburbs to see Amazon’s newest iteration of drone delivery service in action. We toured the facility where these drones are in operation, spoke with the vice president and general manager of Prime Air, David Carbon, and watched from a local backyard as our own order dropped from the sky.Guest:David Carbon, vice president and general manager of Amazon Prime Air.We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube an

Dec 20, 2024 • 1:03:16

TikTok's Last Stand + Google's Quantum Breakthrough + Cult of Claude

TikTok's Last Stand + Google's Quantum Breakthrough + Cult of Claude

Last Friday, a panel of federal judges denied TikTok’s petition to overturn the law that could force the ban of the app in the United States. We walk through the judges reasoning and explain why TikTok’s First Amendment argument was unsuccessful. Then, Julian Kelly, the director of quantum hardware at Google Quantum AI, explains how close we are to quantum computers that can solve practical problems. Finally, we talk about a new sentiment sweeping Silicon Valley: affection for the chatbot Claude

Dec 13, 2024 • 1:13:06

Is Intel Cooked? + What's Your P(Dyson Sphere)? + Hard Fork Gift Guide

Is Intel Cooked? + What's Your P(Dyson Sphere)? + Hard Fork Gift Guide

This week, Pat Gelsinger stepped down as chief executive of Intel. We talk with The New York Times’s Don Clark about why Gelsinger was ousted, what it means for the chip industry and how his departure could affect national security. Then, Kevin and Casey report back from an artificial intelligence conference, where experts debated how long it would take to build a structure around the sun to capture the star’s energy — also known as a Dyson sphere. And finally, gift guides have taken over the in

Dec 6, 2024 • 1:11:31

Hard Fork's 100 Most Iconic Technologies

Hard Fork's 100 Most Iconic Technologies

This week, we’re bringing you a Thanksgiving special that’s great for a long car ride, a day of cooking or avoiding conversation with your family. We’re counting down the 100 most iconic technologies of all time, starting with No. 100: Boats. Our definitive list was carefully crafted using an advanced methodology of vibes-only decision-making. By “iconic,” we mean technologies that have either changed the world, ruined it or at the very least made life a little more interesting. And because we l

Nov 29, 2024 • 1:27:21

Trump's Next Online Speech Cop + Doctors vs ChatGPT + Hard Fork Crimes Division

Trump's Next Online Speech Cop + Doctors vs ChatGPT + Hard Fork Crimes Division

This week, President-elect Donald Trump picked Brendan Carr to be the next chairman of the F.C.C. We talk with The Verge’s editor in chief, Nilay Patel, about what this could mean for the future of the internet, and for free speech at large. Then, a new study found that ChatGPT defeated doctors at diagnosing some diseases. One of the study’s authors, Dr. Adam Rodman, joins us to discuss the future of medicine. And finally, court is back in session. It’s time for the Hard Fork Crimes Division. On

Nov 22, 2024 • 1:09:52

Crypto Congress + HBD ChatGPT + What Social Media Platform Should I Be On?

Crypto Congress + HBD ChatGPT + What Social Media Platform Should I Be On?

This week, we explore how the 2024 election paved the way for a new crypto-friendly Congress and what that means for the future of crypto. Then, for ChatGPT’s second birthday, Nick Turley, ChatGPT head of product at OpenAI, stops by to tell us where it goes from here and share some of his favorite chatbot hacks. Finally, a listener emailed us last week asking what social network he should be using in 2024. We’ll share our thoughts on which text-based platforms are the least annoying. One more th

Nov 15, 2024 • 1:17:47

What Trump 2.0 Means for Tech +  A.I. Made Me Basic + HatGPT!

What Trump 2.0 Means for Tech + A.I. Made Me Basic + HatGPT!

As of this week, we have a new president-elect. We discuss how the incoming administration’s approach to technology will affect Elon Musk, a TikTok ban, Big Tech’s antitrust challenges and the speed of A.I. progress. Then, Kashmir Hill, a technology reporter for The Times, joins to discuss her weeklong experiment of letting A.I. make every decision in her life. And finally, we play a round of election-free HatGPT! Guest:Kashmir Hill, technology reporter for The New York Times. Additional Reading

Nov 8, 2024 • 1:05:17

Billionaire Game Theory + We Are Not Ready for A.G.I. + Election Betting Markets Get Weird

Billionaire Game Theory + We Are Not Ready for A.G.I. + Election Betting Markets Get Weird

Last week, Jeff Bezos canceled the Washington Post editorial board’s plan to endorse Kamala Harris. Are tech billionaires hedging their bets in case Donald Trump wins? Then, Miles Brundage, a former OpenAI senior adviser on artificial general intelligence readiness, stops by to tell us how his old company is doing when it comes to being ready for superintelligence, and whether we should all keep saving for retirement. And finally, David Yaffe-Bellany, a Times technology reporter, joins us to exp

Nov 1, 2024 • 1:11:28

The Elon-ction + Can A.I. Be Blamed for a Teen’s Suicide?

The Elon-ction + Can A.I. Be Blamed for a Teen’s Suicide?

Note: This episode contains mentions of suicide. This week, how Elon Musk became a main character in this year’s election, and what that means for the future of tech and of the country. Plus, the journalist Laurie Segall joins us to discuss the tragic case of a teenager who became obsessed with an A.I. companion bot and later died by suicide. We discuss what A.I. companies could do to make their apps safer for children. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Sui

Oct 25, 2024 • 1:10:26

Powerful A.I. By 2026? + Uber's C.E.O. on the Robotaxi Future + Casey's TikTok Test

Powerful A.I. By 2026? + Uber's C.E.O. on the Robotaxi Future + Casey's TikTok Test

This week, the A.I. company Anthropic has Silicon Valley rethinking the timeline for artificial general intelligence. In addition to releasing a new safety policy, the company’s chief executive, Dario Amodei, laid out a vision of how A.I. could help cure cancer, mental illness and mitigate climate change in the near future. We consider his most surprising claims and what this means for the acceleration of the technology. Then, the Uber chief executive, Dara Khosrowshahi, joins us in the studio t

Oct 18, 2024 • 1:55:24

A Flood of A.I. Slop + Searching for Satoshi + the Hot Mess Express Returns

A Flood of A.I. Slop + Searching for Satoshi + the Hot Mess Express Returns

This week, in the wake of recent natural disasters, we dig into the rise of A.I.-generated slop that’s polluting the internet and disrupting rescue efforts. Then we talk with the investigative filmmaker Cullen Hoback about his new documentary on the history of Bitcoin and about why, after so many others have failed, he thinks he has found the real Satoshi Nakamoto. And finally, we hear the train whistle approaching, and that can only mean one thing: It’s once again time to board the Hot Mess Exp

Oct 11, 2024 • 1:09:11

Can California Regulate A.I.? + Silicon Valley’s Super Babies + System Update!

Can California Regulate A.I.? + Silicon Valley’s Super Babies + System Update!

On Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California vetoed Senate Bill 1047, an A.I. safety bill that would have curtailed the growth of the technology. What received a lot less attention were the 18 other important A.I. bills he signed into law over the past month. We walk through what is in them and what they mean for the rest of the country. Then, The Information’s Julia Black joins to discuss the baby craze that’s sweeping Silicon Valley, including investment in some wild new fertility technologies.

Oct 4, 2024 • 1:09:30

Meta’s Race for Your Face + Google’s Hit A.I. Notebook + HatGPT

Meta’s Race for Your Face + Google’s Hit A.I. Notebook + HatGPT

This week, Casey reports back from a wild day at Meta Connect, discussing what’s new with Meta’s efforts in artificial intelligence, virtual reality headsets and the Holy Grail — augmented reality glasses. Then, Steven Johnson, a writer and editorial director at Google Labs, stops by to talk about the company’s new hit NotebookLM, which uses A.I. to turn even boring PDFs, such as user manuals and Kevin’s bank records, into chatty, disturbingly good podcasts. Finally, so much happened in tech new

Sep 27, 2024 • 1:12:57

OpenAI's Reasoning Machine + Instagram Teen Changes + Amazon RTO Drama

OpenAI's Reasoning Machine + Instagram Teen Changes + Amazon RTO Drama

Last week, OpenAI released a preview of its hotly anticipated new model, o1. We discuss what it has excelled at and how it could accelerate the timeline for building superintelligence. Then, we explain why Meta is making teenagers’ Instagram accounts private by default. And, finally, we chat with the New York Times reporter Karen Weise about why Amazon is forcing its corporate employees to go back to working in the office five days a week and whether other companies will follow suit. Guests:Kare

Sep 20, 2024 • 1:06:22

Do You Need a New iPhone? + Yuval Noah Harari’s A.I. Fears + Hard Fork Crimes Division

Do You Need a New iPhone? + Yuval Noah Harari’s A.I. Fears + Hard Fork Crimes Division

Apple unveiled its latest gadgets at its big September event on Monday. We discuss the most interesting new features — including AirPods that can function as hearing aids and Apple Watch software that can help detect sleep apnea — and offer our advice on when to buy a new iPhone. Then, the best-selling author Yuval Noah Harari joins us to discuss his new book and his biggest fears about A.I. And finally, we crack open some criminal cases in a new segment we’re calling the Hard Fork Crimes Divisi

Sep 13, 2024 • 1:12:22

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

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

Sep 6, 2024 • 1:08:07

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

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 ep

Aug 30, 2024 • 1:14:10

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

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 fi

Aug 23, 2024 • 1:08:32

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

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, former chief executive of Microsoft, founder of USAFacts Additional Reading:Inside Donald Trump

Aug 16, 2024 • 1:08:34

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

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

Aug 9, 2024 • 1:13:20

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

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 s

Aug 2, 2024 • 1:01:34

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

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

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 cra

Jul 26, 2024 • 1:13:15

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

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

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, New York Ti

Jul 19, 2024 • 1:10:16

Alison Roman Answers Your Hard Questions

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, cook, writer and authorAdditional Reading: Why Deleting Your Period Tracker Won’t Protect Your PrivacyD

Jul 12, 2024 • 51:45

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

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 Sarando

Jul 5, 2024 • 40:30

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

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 s

Jun 28, 2024 • 1:09:38

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

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.GuestsRenée DiResta, author of “Invisible Rulers,” former technical research manager at the Stanford In

Jun 21, 2024 • 1:18:28

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

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.Gu

Jun 14, 2024 • 1:13:19

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

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 CanadaDaniel Kokotajlo, a former researcher in Ope

Jun 7, 2024 • 1:15:12

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

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

May 31, 2024 • 1:19:20

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

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 th

May 24, 2024 • 1:17:00

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

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 ArrivedChatGPT Gets an Emotional UpgradeGoogle’s Broken L

May 17, 2024 • 1:06:33

Meet Kevin’s A.I. Friends

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,

May 10, 2024 • 1:17:04

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

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,

May 3, 2024 • 1:13:10

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

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 f

Apr 26, 2024 • 1:11:20

The Music Episode

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 TimesElisheba Ittoop, sound designer and composer at The New York TimesAdditional Reading: The Hard Fork Megamix Youtube PlaylistWe want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok. Unlock fu

Apr 19, 2024 • 1:02:32

A.I.’s Data Wall + a Surprise Privacy Bill + What Happened to the TikTok Ban?

A.I.’s Data Wall + a Surprise Privacy Bill + What Happened to the TikTok Ban?

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 ProfessionalsAdditional Reading:How Tech Giants Cut Co

Apr 12, 2024 • 1:06:24

Is AI Already Taking Jobs? + A Filmmaker Tries Sora + The XZ Backdoor Caper

Is AI Already Taking Jobs? + A Filmmaker Tries Sora + The XZ Backdoor Caper

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.

Apr 5, 2024 • 1:03:22

A.I.’s Messy Moment + Listeners Respond to Jonathan Haidt + Shrimp Jesus

A.I.’s Messy Moment + Listeners Respond to Jonathan Haidt + Shrimp Jesus

Warning: The second segment of this episode includes mentions of suicide. If you are in crisis please call the suicide and crisis lifeline at 988 or you can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.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 acquirin

Mar 29, 2024 • 1:08:58

Justice Dept. Sues Apple + Smartphones and Children with Jonathan Haidt + Reddit’s IPO

Justice Dept. Sues Apple + Smartphones and Children with Jonathan Haidt + Reddit’s IPO

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

Mar 22, 2024 • 1:30:14

A Looming TikTok Ban + A Royal Photoshop Mystery + Your Car is Snitching

A Looming TikTok Ban + A Royal Photoshop Mystery + Your Car is Snitching

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:Kashmir Hill, features writer

Mar 15, 2024 • 1:16:02

Musk vs. OpenAI + Europe’s Tech Crackdown + A Month With the Vision Pro

Musk vs. OpenAI + Europe’s Tech Crackdown + A Month With the Vision Pro

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 Jo

Mar 8, 2024 • 1:10:21

Gemini's Culture War + Kara Swisher Burns Us + SCOTUS Takes Up Content Moderation

Gemini's Culture War + Kara Swisher Burns Us + SCOTUS Takes Up Content Moderation

Warning: This episode contains strong language.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

Mar 1, 2024 • 1:29:18

Google DeepMind C.E.O. Demis Hassabis on the Path From Chatbots to A.G.I.

Google DeepMind C.E.O. Demis Hassabis on the Path From Chatbots to A.G.I.

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: A.I. Could Solve Some of Humanity’s Hardest Problems. It Already Has.This interview was recorded on Wednesday. Since then, Google has t

Feb 23, 2024 • 56:37

The State of A.I. + Will Perplexity Beat Google or Destroy the Web?

The State of A.I. + Will Perplexity Beat Google or Destroy the Web?

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:Aravind Srinivas, chief executive of Perplexity Additional Reading: The Year

Feb 16, 2024 • 1:13:29

Bluesky’s Big Bet + Are Deals Dead in Silicon Valley?

Bluesky’s Big Bet + Are Deals Dead in Silicon Valley?

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: Jay Graber, CEO of BlueskyErin Griffith,

Feb 9, 2024 • 1:08:26

We Tried the Apple Vision Pro + Can Congress Protect Kids Online? + Cruise’s Crash

We Tried the Apple Vision Pro + Can Congress Protect Kids Online? + Cruise’s Crash

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: Apple readi

Feb 2, 2024 • 1:13:34

Mediapocalypse Now +  a16z’s Chris Dixon Defends Crypto + HatGPT

Mediapocalypse Now + a16z’s Chris Dixon Defends Crypto + HatGPT

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 real

Jan 26, 2024 • 1:15:39

The AI Election + Bitcoin’s Wall Street Debut + TikTok’s Doodad Era

The AI Election + Bitcoin’s Wall Street Debut + TikTok’s Doodad Era

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:David Yaffe-Bellany covers the crypto industry for The New York TimesJohn Herrman covers technol

Jan 19, 2024 • 1:15:15

Why Casey Left Substack + Elon’s Drug Use + A.I. Antibiotic Discovery

Why Casey Left Substack + Elon’s Drug Use + A.I. Antibiotic Discovery

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:Kirsten Grind, enterpr

Jan 12, 2024 • 1:27:46

The Times Sues OpenAI + A Debate Over iMessage + Our New Year’s Tech Resolutions

The Times Sues OpenAI + A Debate Over iMessage + Our New Year’s Tech Resolutions

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 BeeperAdditional Reading:The New York Times sued OpenAI.Apple’s latest headache in the debate over blue vs. g

Jan 5, 2024 • 1:08:10

Our 2024 Predictions + Jenny Slate Answers Your Hard Questions!

Our 2024 Predictions + Jenny Slate Answers Your Hard Questions!

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 at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts

Dec 22, 2023 • 1:37:47

Google’s Epic Loss + Silicon Valley’s Curious New Subculture + How 2023 Changed the Internet

Google’s Epic Loss + Silicon Valley’s Curious New Subculture + How 2023 Changed the Internet

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 R

Dec 15, 2023 • 1:13:21

Google's Next Top Model + Will the Cybertruck Crash? + This Week in A.I.

Google's Next Top Model + Will the Cybertruck Crash? + This Week in A.I.

Warning: This episode contains some explicit language. 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: Google is chasing ChatGPT with the launch of Gemini.Even if peopl

Dec 8, 2023 • 57:18

What’s Next for OpenAI + Binance Is Binanceled + A.I. Is Eating the Internet

What’s Next for OpenAI + Binance Is Binanceled + A.I. Is Eating the Internet

Warning: This episode contains some explicit language. 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

Dec 1, 2023 • 1:04:54

(Yet Another) Emergency Pod: Sam Altman Is Back

(Yet Another) Emergency Pod: Sam Altman Is Back

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:Late Tuesday night, Sam Altman was reinstated as OpenAI’s chief executive.  Unlock full

Nov 22, 2023 • 13:48

Mayhem at OpenAI + Our Interview With Sam Altman

Mayhem at OpenAI + Our Interview With Sam Altman

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:Sam Altman is the former chief executive of OpenAI.Additional Reading:On Sunday, Microsoft hir

Nov 21, 2023 • 1:30:56

Emergency Pod: Sam Altman is Out at Open AI

Emergency Pod: Sam Altman is Out at Open AI

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. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to

Nov 18, 2023 • 21:16

An A.I. Pin Drops + YouTube’s Take on Deepfakes + A Lab-Grown Thanksgiving

An A.I. Pin Drops + YouTube’s Take on Deepfakes + A Lab-Grown Thanksgiving

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:Joshua March is the chief executive of SCiF

Nov 17, 2023 • 59:58

Personalized GPTs Are Here + F.T.C. Chair Lina Khan on A.I. Competition + Mayhem at Apefest

Personalized GPTs Are Here + F.T.C. Chair Lina Khan on A.I. Competition + Mayhem at Apefest

Warning: this episode contains some explicit language.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 som

Nov 10, 2023 • 1:08:18

Casey Goes to the White House + The Copyright Battle Over Artificial Intelligence + HatGPT

Casey Goes to the White House + The Copyright Battle Over Artificial Intelligence + HatGPT

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

Nov 3, 2023 • 1:05:34

The People vs. Meta + Marques Brownlee on YouTube and Future Tech + DALL-E 3 Arrives

The People vs. Meta + Marques Brownlee on YouTube and Future Tech + DALL-E 3 Arrives

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 on YouTube, 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 gen

Oct 27, 2023 • 1:05:23

Peering Into A.I.’s Black Box + Who’s The Real Techno-Optimist? + Reading Ancient Scrolls With A.I.

Peering Into A.I.’s Black Box + Who’s The Real Techno-Optimist? + Reading Ancient Scrolls With A.I.

A.I. models are black boxes. You input a prompt and the model outputs nearly anything: a sonnet, an image or a legal brief riddled 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:Brent Seales is a computer scientist at the University of Kentucky.Additional Inf

Oct 20, 2023 • 1:04:33

Social Media In Wartime + Betting on the Future + A.I. Passes the Smell Test

Social Media In Wartime + Betting on the Future + A.I. Passes the Smell Test

As the Israel-Hamas war broke out, misinformation and fake imagery surged on X, the platform formerly known at Twitter. Can Meta’s Threads fill the real-time news hole that X created? Should it?Then, Kevin debriefs us on his reporting on Manifold Markets, where Silicon Valley Rationalists bet on the likelihoods of different events.Plus: The company digitizing smell.Today’s Guest:Alex Wiltschko is the founder of Osmo, a company trying to digitize smell.Additional Reading:Casey Newton on how the w

Oct 13, 2023 • 1:06:35

Google’s Trial Heats Up + How to Wear A.I. + It’s Our Birthday!

Google’s Trial Heats Up + How to Wear A.I. + It’s Our Birthday!

The antitrust trial against Google has led to some of tech’s biggest players testifying in court, and things have gotten spicy. The New York Times reporter Cecilia Kang tells us the wildest moments in the trial so far.Then, A.I. is jumping off the screen and into your wardrobe. Has the personal assistant of the future finally arrived? Or a dystopian panopticon?Plus: happy first birthday, Hard Fork! Kevin and Casey share some lessons learned.Today’s guest:Cecilia Kang covers technology and regula

Oct 6, 2023 • 1:06:20

All Gas, No Brakes in A.I. + Metaverse Update + Lessons From a Prompt Engineer

All Gas, No Brakes in A.I. + Metaverse Update + Lessons From a Prompt Engineer

ChatGPT can now hear, see and speak — and that’s just the start of the deluge of A.I. news this week. Kevin and Casey unpack the lightning-speed updates.Then, Meta’s next-generation headset, Quest 3, is here. Is there still hope for the metaverse?And: An interview with a prompt engineer. Yes, that’s a real job. Today’s Guest:Riley Goodside is a prompt engineer at Scale A.I., a San Francisco start-up.Additional Reading:Kevin Roose on ChatGPT, which can now see, hear and speak.Spotify announced a

Sep 29, 2023 • 1:06:05

Breaking Bard + Who Owns Your Face? + Gamer News!

Breaking Bard + Who Owns Your Face? + Gamer News!

Today’s Guests:Kashmir Hill is a Times business reporter covering technology and privacy.Additional Reading:Google unveiled new features for its A.I. chatbot, Bard.Kashmir Hill’s “Your Face Belongs to Us” tracks the rise of Clearview AI, a facial recognition start-up.  Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Sep 22, 2023 • 59:12

Casey v. Kevin on US v. Google + Walter Isaacson on Two Years With Elon Musk

Casey v. Kevin on US v. Google + Walter Isaacson on Two Years With Elon Musk

Is Google allowed to spend billions of dollars to make its search product the default browser? That is the question at the center of U.S. et al. v. Google — the most important tech trial of the modern internet era — and Kevin and Casey disagree on the answer.Then, a conversation with the journalist who spent the last two years shadowing Elon Musk.Today’s guest:Walter Isaacson is a writer and author of the forthcoming biography “Elon Musk.”Additional reading:Google’s antitrust lawsuit against the

Sep 15, 2023 • 58:57

Escape From Burning Man + Musk vs. the A.D.L. + Listener Questions

Escape From Burning Man + Musk vs. the A.D.L. + Listener Questions

This week: How tech executives’ favorite place to take their pants off turned into a muddy hellscape. We talk to one executive who couldn’t just call a helicopter to escape.Then, Jonathan Greenblatt, C.E.O. of the Anti-Defamation League, on how his organization went from having a “productive” meeting with X’s C.E.O., Linda Yaccarino, last week to being threatened with a lawsuit by Elon Musk on Monday.Plus, Kevin and Casey answer your questions.Additional Information:Burning Man left behind a sea

Sep 8, 2023 • 1:04:00

The Secretive Billionaires Building a Tech Utopia + Casey’s External Brain + HatGPT

The Secretive Billionaires Building a Tech Utopia + Casey’s External Brain + HatGPT

A group of tech titans is gobbling up land north of San Francisco with aspirations to alleviate the Bay Area’s housing crisis, promote innovation, and experiment with new forms of governance. It’s not the first time ultra-wealthy people have tried to build the place of their dreams. Will this time be any different?Then, note-taking apps claim to make us smarter. Usually, they don’t. Casey Newton, a productivity cult member, on how A.I. could change that.Plus, Kevin and Casey play HatGPT.Addition

Sep 1, 2023 • 59:35

N.Y.C. Says Airbn-bye + How Far Would You Go for a GPU? + The A.I. Songs of the Summer

N.Y.C. Says Airbn-bye + How Far Would You Go for a GPU? + The A.I. Songs of the Summer

Are New York City’s new rules for short-term rentals like Airbnb effectively a ban? And will they accomplish what proponents want them to? Then, The New York Times tech reporter Erin Griffith on Silicon Valley’s mad dash for GPUs. And finally, we take stock of the A.I. songs of the summer and discuss YouTube and Universal Music Group’s plan to make synthetic voices profitable.On Today’s Episode:Erin Griffith is a New York Times journalist based in the San Francisco bureau, where she reports on t

Aug 25, 2023 • 1:04:04

S.B.F Goes to Jail  + Back to School with A.I. + Self-Driving Car Update

S.B.F Goes to Jail + Back to School with A.I. + Self-Driving Car Update

When Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested in December, he was confined to his parents’ house — but he was left free to roam the internet. Today, the New York Times reporter David Yaffe-Bellany talks about how access to the cyberworld allowed Mr. Bankman-Fried to violate his bail terms and land himself in jail.Then, how universities can manage a generative A.I. world.Plus: another look at autonomous vehicles.On Today’s Episode:David Yaffe-Bellany, a cryptocurrency and financial technology reporter for

Aug 18, 2023 • 1:10:39

Don't Scrape Me, Bro + The Activists Sabotaging Self-Driving Cars + How Reddit Beat a Rebellion

Don't Scrape Me, Bro + The Activists Sabotaging Self-Driving Cars + How Reddit Beat a Rebellion

Users are protesting Zoom’s liberal data-collection policy. Authors are shutting down websites that scrape their work. And, in a concession to users, OpenAI is allowing websites to opt out of web scraping. The era of A.I. backlash has begun.Then, street activists are deterring self-driving cars by placing traffic cones on the hoods of vehicles.Plus: How Reddit has squashed the Reddit Revolt.Today’s Guests:Adam Egelman and Mingwei Samuel are organizers with Safe Street Rebel, an activist group tr

Aug 11, 2023 • 1:11:17

Superconductor Superconfusion, KOSA’s Hidden Costs and HatGPT

Superconductor Superconfusion, KOSA’s Hidden Costs and HatGPT

Researchers in Korea claim they’ve identified a material that could unlock a technological revolution: the room temperature superconductor. Material scientists are skeptical, but enthusiasts on Twitter are enthusiastic. Why is the internet so excited about superconductors?Then, the Kids Online Safety Act is headed to the Senate floor. Would it actually keep children safe? And how would it change the internet?Plus: Kevin and Casey play HatGPT.Additional Reading:South Korean researchers released a

Aug 4, 2023 • 1:06:47

Elon's X Machina + Crypto Orbs + A Visit to Google’s Robot Lab

Elon's X Machina + Crypto Orbs + A Visit to Google’s Robot Lab

On Sunday night, a crane arrived in downtown San Francisco to take down the Twitter sign from the company’s office building. The crane’s arrival marked the death of Twitter, the brand, and the start of X, Elon Musk’s everything app. Today, why Elon’s acquisition feels more and more like cultural vandalism and what, if anything, will replace the global town square.Then, is Sam Altman’s universal basic income cryptocurrency app Worldcoin an iris scanning tool to save humanity, or just another atte

Jul 28, 2023 • 59:24

Dario Amodei, C.E.O. of Anthropic, on the Paradoxes of A.I. Safety and Netflix’s ‘Deep Fake Love’

Dario Amodei, C.E.O. of Anthropic, on the Paradoxes of A.I. Safety and Netflix’s ‘Deep Fake Love’

Dario Amodei has been anxious about A.I. since before it was cool to be anxious about A.I. After a few years working at OpenAI, he decided to do something about that anxiety. The result was Claude: an A.I.-powered chatbot built by Anthropic, Mr. Amodei’s A.I. start-up.Today, Mr. Amodei joins Kevin and Casey to talk about A.I. anxiety and why it’s so difficult to build A.I. safely.Plus, we watched Netflix’s “Deep Fake Love.”Today’s Guest:Dario Amodei is the chief executive of Anthropic, a safety-

Jul 21, 2023 • 1:12:24

Help! My Boss Won’t Stop Using ChatGPT

Help! My Boss Won’t Stop Using ChatGPT

This week, we answer more of your questions, like: What is ChatGPT’s carbon footprint? Why are engineers so sure artificial intelligence will keep getting better? And, why are there so many venture capital bros? Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jul 14, 2023 • 47:24

Special Episode: Meta’s Twitter Rival Arrives, with Adam Mosseri

Special Episode: Meta’s Twitter Rival Arrives, with Adam Mosseri

Instagram is no stranger to taking product ideas from other companies and turning them into their own successes. Just ask Snapchat about Instagram Stories or TikTok about Instagram Reels. This time, the company is coming for Twitter with Instagram Threads.Today, the head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, on why the company now wants to take on Twitter.Today’s guest:Adam Mosseri is the head of Instagram.Additional reading:Meta announced a new app called Threads intended to rival Twitter.  Unlock full a

Jul 6, 2023 • 38:59

Is A.I. Poisoning Itself? + Billionaire Cage Fight + Cooking With ChatGPT

Is A.I. Poisoning Itself? + Billionaire Cage Fight + Cooking With ChatGPT

Whether it’s on TikTok or Twitter, A.I.-generated content is already flooding the web. So, what happens when the technology — prone to confidently making things up — starts ingesting itself?Then, the New York Times reporter Joe Bernstein talks about why Mark Zuckerberg wants to fight Elon Musk in a cage match.Plus, we put ChatGPT’s recipe generation to the test with A.I. cocktails.Today’s guests:Joe Bernstein is a Styles reporter at The New York Times.Priya Krishna is a Food staff reporter at Th

Jun 30, 2023 • 1:08:40

A.I. Beach + Vibes-Based R.T.O. + the ‘Black Mirror’ Quamputer

A.I. Beach + Vibes-Based R.T.O. + the ‘Black Mirror’ Quamputer

This week, advertisers swarmed the beaches of southern France for the Cannes Lions advertising festival. Kevin says artificial intelligence is all anyone there can talk about, but admits the conference is making him rethink how quickly generative A.I. will take over the industry — despite the buzz.Then, the New York Times reporter Emma Goldberg on when remote work stopped being the future for tech companies.And finally: What does the newest season of “Black Mirror” tell us about what’s next for

Jun 23, 2023 • 1:01:46

Reddit Revolts + MrBeast’s YouTube Empire + Peak Trust and Safety?

Reddit Revolts + MrBeast’s YouTube Empire + Peak Trust and Safety?

Moderators on Reddit have shut down their forums in protest of a new policy that charges users for access to the site’s API. The revolt has put Kevin in child care-wisdom-withdrawal (RIP r/daddit) — and left many other users without their favorite subreddits. But does the incident say something more about the future of the internet?Then, the MrBeast Philanthropic-Industrial Complex.Plus: Platforms are already fumbling the ball on misinformation.Today’s guest:Max Read is a journalist, screenwrite

Jun 16, 2023 • 1:19:11

Apple’s Face Computer + Crypto Chaos + How Teens Really Feel About Social Media

Apple’s Face Computer + Crypto Chaos + How Teens Really Feel About Social Media

Apple kicked off the week with the announcement of a mixed-reality headset: the Apple Vision Pro. Putting a computer on your face may seem weird AF, but if there’s one company that knows how to make nerdy stuff into the thing that everyone wants, it’s Apple. Will these fancy goggles be the next Apple revolution?Then, crypto had (another) terrible week after the S.E.C. filed lawsuits against the cryptocurrency exchanges Coinbase and Binance.Plus: Our teenage listeners on how they feel about socia

Jun 9, 2023 • 1:09:10

A.I.'s Inner Conflict + Nvidia Joins the Trillion-Dollar Club + Hard Questions

A.I.'s Inner Conflict + Nvidia Joins the Trillion-Dollar Club + Hard Questions

A few days after a lawyer used ChatGPT to write a brief filled with made-up cases, a group of A.I. experts released a letter warning of the “risk of extinction” from the technology. But will A.I. ever be good enough to pose such a threat?Then, FAANG is now MAAAN, with the addition of Nvidia. Here’s how the GPU company became a trillion-dollar behemoth.Plus: Kevin, Casey and the New York Times tech reporter Kate Conger answer Hard Questions from listeners.Today’s Guest:Kate Conger is a technology

Jun 2, 2023 • 1:05:40

The Surgeon General’s Social Media Warning + A.I.’s Existential Risks

The Surgeon General’s Social Media Warning + A.I.’s Existential Risks

The U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy, says social media poses a “profound risk of harm” to young people. Why do some in the tech industry disagree?Then, Ajeya Cotra, an A.I. researcher, on how A.I. could lead to a doomsday scenario.Plus: Pass the hat. Kevin and Casey play a game they call HatGPT.On today’s episode:Ajeya Cotra is a senior research analyst at Open PhilanthropyAdditional reading:The surgeon general issued an advisory about the risks of social media for young people.Ajeya Cotr

May 26, 2023 • 1:13:25

Mr. Altman Goes to Washington + Casey Goes on This American Life

Mr. Altman Goes to Washington + Casey Goes on This American Life

In a congressional hearing this week, OpenAI’s chief executive, Sam Altman, appeared to be on the same page as lawmakers: It’s time to regulate A.I. But like so many other proposals to regulate tech, will it actually happen? The Times’s technology reporter Cecilia Kang helps us understand whether Congress will actually act, and what that could look like.Then, Casey talks with Twitter’s former head of trust and safety, Yoel Roth, before and after Elon Musk took over the company.On today’s episode

May 19, 2023 • 1:12:59

Google’s A.I. Bonanza + Driverless Car Talk With Cruise C.E.O. Kyle Vogt

Google’s A.I. Bonanza + Driverless Car Talk With Cruise C.E.O. Kyle Vogt

At its biggest event of the year, Google announced an avalanche of A.I. product releases: A.I. in search, A.I. that writes emails and A.I. that generates slides. Is Google pulling ahead in the A.I. arms race?And, after years of hype, self-driving cars are finally hitting the streets of American cities. Kevin and Casey take a ride through San Francisco in Banana Slug — an autonomous vehicle from the self-driving car company Cruise. After their ride, they sit down with Cruise’s chief executive, Ky

May 12, 2023 • 1:09:25

Bluesky Has the Juice + A.I. Jobs Apocalypse + Hard Questions

Bluesky Has the Juice + A.I. Jobs Apocalypse + Hard Questions

The Twitter look-alike Bluesky, started by the former Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey, is doing the impossible: making social media fun again.Then, A.I. is coming for jobs but not in the way you think.Plus: Kevin and Casey moonlight as advice columnists in a new Hard Fork segment called Hard Questions.Additional reading:Bluesky is vying to replace Twitter.IBM announced a pause in hiring, anticipating that A.I. would replace thousands of jobs at the company in the coming years.The chief execu

May 5, 2023 • 56:14

Deepfake Drake + HatGPT + Ben Smith on the End of the BuzzFeed Era

Deepfake Drake + HatGPT + Ben Smith on the End of the BuzzFeed Era

A song featuring A.I.-generated versions of Drake and the Weeknd went viral — before being taken down by streaming services. Is censorship of A.I.-generated songs the way forward? Or can singers benefit from synthetic voices, as some artists like Grimes are suggesting?Then, HatGPT: Kevin and Casey pull headlines out of a hat and generate their own takes on the news.And Ben Smith, the former BuzzFeed News editor, discusses the end of the 2010s digital media era.On today’s episode:Ben Smith is a j

Apr 28, 2023 • 1:01:26

Hard Fork Presents: The Most Amazing – And Dangerous – Technology In the World

Hard Fork Presents: The Most Amazing – And Dangerous – Technology In the World

Today we’re bringing you an episode on chips. No, not potato chips. Kevin has been pitching an episode on the truly fascinating world of chips and semiconductors for quite a while, but our friends at the The Ezra Klein Show got to it first. This week on Hard Fork: Ezra Klein’s engrossing conversation with historian Chris Miller. It’s a must listen. Thank you to Ezra for beating us in our quest for a great chips episode.We'll be back with our regularly scheduled tech coverage, with Kevin and Case

Apr 21, 2023 • 1:01:08

Inside the Hunt for the Discord Leaker + Twitter Chaos Updates

Inside the Hunt for the Discord Leaker + Twitter Chaos Updates

Aric Toler untangles the web of teens, gamers and memes at the heart of the latest intelligence scandal.Then, an update on Twitter — where things have gone from bad to worse.Plus: How A.I. is bringing us closer to “Westworld.”On today’s episode:Aric Toler is the director of research and training at Bellingcat, the Dutch investigative site. He worked with journalists at The New York Times to identify the man who allegedly leaked top secret documents on Discord, a social media chat platform.Additi

Apr 14, 2023 • 1:09:53

A.I. Vibe Check With Ezra Klein + Kevin Tries Phone Positivity

A.I. Vibe Check With Ezra Klein + Kevin Tries Phone Positivity

The New York Times Opinion columnist Ezra Klein has spent years talking to artificial intelligence researchers. Many of them feel the prospect of A.I. discovery is too sweet to ignore, regardless of the technology’s risks.Today, Mr. Klein discusses the profound changes that an A.I.-powered world will create, how current business models are failing to meet the A.I. moment, and the steps government can take to achieve a positive A.I. future.Also, radical acceptance of your phone addiction may just

Apr 7, 2023 • 1:03:24

Google C.E.O. Sundar Pichai on Bard, A.I. ‘Whiplash’ and Competing With ChatGPT

Google C.E.O. Sundar Pichai on Bard, A.I. ‘Whiplash’ and Competing With ChatGPT

For years, Google was seen as one of the most cutting-edge developers of A.I. But, with OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT, and other chatbots beating Google to market, is that distinction still the case? Google’s chief executive is in an unenviable position: Scramble to catch up or, in the face of potentially harmful technology, move slowly.Today, Sundar Pichai on Google’s delicate balance between A.I. innovation and safety.On today’s episode:Sundar Pichai is the chief executive of Google.Additional r

Mar 31, 2023 • 46:35

Bard Fork + How to Talk So Chatbots Will Listen

Bard Fork + How to Talk So Chatbots Will Listen

“It’s different because it’s Google.” Bard, Google’s answer to ChatGPT, could prove to be more consequential than any large language model to date — but it isn’t there yet.Then, we hear from listeners on how they are using A.I. to negotiate their rent, understand medical results and affirm their gender identity.Plus: Why Spotify’s A.I. D.J. may be a tipping point for artificial intelligence taking control of our lives.You can sign up for On Tech: A.I. at nytimes.com/newsletters.Additional readin

Mar 24, 2023 • 1:02:54

BONUS: Hard Fork Live! Big Tech’s Arch Nemesis + Bot, or Not?

BONUS: Hard Fork Live! Big Tech’s Arch Nemesis + Bot, or Not?

Jonathan Kanter, who heads up the Justice Department’s antitrust division, believes that antitrust laws are critical for innovation — from ad tech to A.I. The assistant attorney general is bringing a new philosophy to enforcing those laws. So, how is his new approach to protecting competition playing out?Plus: Can you guess whether that was a bot, or not?On today’s episode:Jonathan Kanter is the assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s antitrust division.Additional reading:Jonatha

Mar 20, 2023 • 43:01

GPT-4 Is Here + The Group Chat Bank Run

GPT-4 Is Here + The Group Chat Bank Run

It’s acing standardized tests, building websites and hiring TaskRabbits — GPT-4 is “equal parts fascinating and terrifying.” OpenAI has released its latest model, alongside A.I. announcements from Meta, Google and other industry players. The A.I. arms race is only accelerating.Then, what Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse means for the future of start-ups, and what Mark Zuckerberg has learned about layoffsAdditional reading:OpenAI released ChatGPT-4. It is exciting and scary.With its release of GPT-

Mar 17, 2023 • 1:03:03

A Congressman Goes to A.I. School + How to Ban TikTok

A Congressman Goes to A.I. School + How to Ban TikTok

Representative Don Beyer thinks artificial intelligence is “the most amazing technology since fire.” So what does it mean that most of Congress seems not to understand it? Then our colleague David McCabe discusses a bill that could dramatically expand the Biden administration’s power to ban TikTok.Plus: what can the video game character Waluigi tell us about A.I. chatbots gone rogue?On today’s episode:Don Beyer is a U.S. representative for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District.David McCabe is a

Mar 10, 2023 • 59:21

Everyone Pivots to A.I. + Bad News for Crypto

Everyone Pivots to A.I. + Bad News for Crypto

Snapchat launches a chatbot. Meta plans to “turbocharge” its A.I. work. Elon Musk explores “BasedAI.” At this point, who isn’t making an A.I. play?Plus: Is crypto finally dead? Also, a new TikTok filter is making people terrifyingly hot.On today’s episode:David Yaffe-Bellany, a cryptocurrency and financial technology reporter for The New York Times.Hard Fork listeners! We want to hear from you. How is A.I. showing up in your everyday life? In your job, school and families? What are you using it

Mar 3, 2023 • 59:35

Kevin Killed Sydney + Reddit’s C.E.O. Defends Section 230

Kevin Killed Sydney + Reddit’s C.E.O. Defends Section 230

Bing AI isn’t sentient. But it’s more than glorified autocomplete. How do we talk about — and understand — the power of today’s large language models? Then, Reddit’s C.E.O., Steve Huffman, on Section 230 and why the future of the internet lies with the Supreme Court.Plus: Meta is charging for blue checks. On today’s episode:Steve Huffman is the chief executive of Reddit.Additional reading:A Washington Post reporter asked Bing AI its opinion of Kevin Roose. Its response was eerie.Microsoft made c

Feb 24, 2023 • 52:03

The Bing Who Loved Me + Elon Rewrites the Algorithm

The Bing Who Loved Me + Elon Rewrites the Algorithm

“I’m Sydney, and I’m in love with you. 😘”A conversation with Bing AI (aka Sydney) turns romantic and bizarre. Why Microsoft’s AI search tool appears more powerful — and unsettling — than we thought. Then, inside Elon Musk’s quest to be the most popular user on Twitter.Plus: It’s not just you. Online ads have gotten much worse.On today’s episode:Tiffany Hsu is a technology reporter at The New York Times who covers misinformation and disinformation.Zoë Schiffer is the managing editor of Platforme

Feb 17, 2023 • 1:01:20

Bing’s Revenge + Google’s AI Faceplant

Bing’s Revenge + Google’s AI Faceplant

Microsoft’s release of a ChatGPT-powered Bing signifies a new era in search. Then, a disastrous preview of Bard — Google’s answer to ChatGPT — caused the company’s stocks to slide 7 percent. The A.I. arms race is on.Plus: What “Nothing, Forever,” the 24/7, A.I.-generated “Seinfeld” parody, says about bias in A.I.On today’s episode:Sam Altman is the chief executive of OpenAI.Kevin Scott is the chief technology officer of Microsoft.Additional reading:Microsoft integrated OpenAI's technology into i

Feb 10, 2023 • 55:07

A Trip to TikTok + ChatGPT’s Origin Story + Kevin Systrom’s Comeback

A Trip to TikTok + ChatGPT’s Origin Story + Kevin Systrom’s Comeback

TikTok is opening up a “Transparency and Accountability Center” to try to win over skeptics. Is the company’s strategy working? Then, the origin story of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and how the company kicked off an A.I. arms race.Plus: A co-founder of Instagram, Kevin Systrom, hopes to make a “TikTok for text.”On today’s episode:Kevin Systrom is an entrepreneur and the co-founder of Instagram.Additional reading:TikTok is taking a more aggressive approach toward lobbying.Inside OpenAI’s race to build ChatG

Feb 3, 2023 • 1:01:49

Meta’s Trump Calculus + Regime Change at Netflix

Meta’s Trump Calculus + Regime Change at Netflix

What does Donald Trump’s reinstatement on Facebook and Instagram mean for our politics and platforms? Then, Netflix in its post-Reed era.Plus: How the Bored Ape Yacht Club went from being the Disney of Web3 to handing out sewer passes for their new video game.On today’s episode:Lucas Shaw is an entertainment industry reporter for Bloomberg.Additional reading:Meta reinstated Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.Trump looked to get out of a deal with his own social media site, Truth SocialThe J

Jan 27, 2023 • 59:02

Elon's Crumbling Empire + Generative A.I. Goes to Court

Elon's Crumbling Empire + Generative A.I. Goes to Court

Nearly three months into Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, things are in a "shambolic" state. Is the rest of Elon’s empire also in trouble? Then, an artist fighting generative A.I. sets the stage for a legal clash.Plus: what goes wrong when A.I. becomes a reporter.On today’s episode:Sarah Andersen, a cartoonist and the illustrator of a semi-autobiographical comic strip, “Sarah’s Scribbles.”Additional reading:A look inside Elon Musk’s first 90 days as chief executive of Twitter.The artist Sarah An

Jan 20, 2023 • 1:00:54

ChatGPT Transforms a Classroom + Is 'M3GAN' Real?

ChatGPT Transforms a Classroom + Is 'M3GAN' Real?

A high school teacher on how the new chatbot from OpenAI is transforming her classroom — for the better. And, “M3GAN” may be closer than you think.Plus: Why Gen Z is chasing the digital camera aesthetic.On today’s episode:Cherie Shields is a high school English teacher in Sandy, Ore.Kalley Huang is a technology reporting fellow based in San Francisco.Additional reading:Gen Z is bringing back the digital camera, and teenagers in Brooklyn are rejecting smartphone culture.Researchers at Columbia Un

Jan 13, 2023 • 1:02:22

TikTok’s Spying Scandal + ChatGPT Puts Google on Notice + Phone Jail

TikTok’s Spying Scandal + ChatGPT Puts Google on Notice + Phone Jail

Calls to ban TikTok or force its sell-off from its parent company ByteDance are gaining momentum, especially after reports of ByteDance’s surveillance of several U.S. journalists. And could Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI mark the end of Google’s search monopoly?Plus: New Year's resolutions, including locking up your phone. On today’s episode:Emily Baker-White, a technology reporter at Forbes who reports on TikTok.Additional reading:An inside view into Project Texas, TikTok’s plan to limit acce

Jan 6, 2023 • 59:37

SBF Arrested + 2023 Predictions + Your Questions Answered

SBF Arrested + 2023 Predictions + Your Questions Answered

The year of the “mini-Musk” chief executive, the end of homework as we know it, a crackdown on TikTok and other predictions for 2023.Also, Sam Bankman-Fried’s arrest and answers to our listener questions.On today’s episode:David Yaffe-Bellany, a cryptocurrency and financial technology reporter for The New York Times.Additional reading:Bankman-Fried, the former chief executive of FTX, was arrested and denied bail by a judge in the Bahamas. Prosecutors accused him of engaging in widespread fraud.J

Dec 16, 2022 • 56:59

Can ChatGPT Make This Podcast?

Can ChatGPT Make This Podcast?

It’s writing podcast scripts, finishing students’ homework and correcting mistakes in computer code: ChatGPT, the A.I. chatbot from OpenAI, is suddenly everywhere. Who should decide how it’s built? What could go wrong? And what could go right?On today’s episode:Aviv Ovadya, a technologist and affiliate at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society and a visiting scholar at Cambridge University Leverhulme Center for the Future of Intelligence.Additional reading:ChatGPT is inspiring a

Dec 9, 2022 • 57:57

Elon’s Two-Day War with Apple + How to Beat an A.I. Censor + S.B.F.’s ‘Bad Month’

Elon’s Two-Day War with Apple + How to Beat an A.I. Censor + S.B.F.’s ‘Bad Month’

Elon Musk accuses Apple of trying to sabotage Twitter. But after his visit with Apple’s C.E.O., Tim Cook, things are … good? Then, the New York Times reporter Paul Mozur on the tactics Chinese protesters are deploying to avoid the most sophisticated censorship apparatus in the world.Plus: S.B.F. says it’s been a “bad month.”Additional Reading:Elon Musk accused Apple of threatening to pull Twitter from its App Store and tweeted about Apple’s “secret 30 percent tax” on developers for in-app purcha

Dec 2, 2022 • 51:21

A Hard Fork in the Road: FTX’s Unraveling and Elon’s Loyalty Oath

A Hard Fork in the Road: FTX’s Unraveling and Elon’s Loyalty Oath

The balance sheet contains an apology, the in-house coach is concerned that company executives are “undersexed” and billions in customer funds remain in jeopardy. The wreckage at FTX goes from bad to worse.Plus: Elon’s “extremely hardcore” plan for Twitter 2.0.Additional Resources:George K. Lerner, FTX’s in-house performance coach, said he was shocked by the collapse of FTX.In an interview with Matt Levine, a Bloomberg columnist, Sam Bankman-Fried described his strategy to restore faith in the c

Nov 18, 2022 • 47:08

A Verified Mess: Turmoil from Twitter to FTX

A Verified Mess: Turmoil from Twitter to FTX

This week, we go inside Elon Musk’s “dire” warnings, FTX’s spectacular collapse and Meta’s big layoffs. Has the tech industry lost its mind?“Hard Fork” listeners: We want to hear your questions about the tech industry. Send them to hardfork@nytimes.com. Also, check us out on TikTok: @hardforkpodAdditional Resources:Elon Musk told Twitter employees the company faced a bleak financial picture in a meeting with staff on Thursday and in his first companywide emails.The world’s largest crypto exchang

Nov 11, 2022 • 53:23

Life Under Musk: Two Twitter Employees Speak Out

Life Under Musk: Two Twitter Employees Speak Out

“We cross our fingers and hope to make it through another day.” Twitter hasn’t spoken publicly since Elon Musk bought the company a week ago. But inside, employees describe a mood of fear, chaos, stress and bizarre requests to print out code.Additional Resources:Members of Elon Musk’s inner circle, including the podcast hosts David Sacks, Jason Calacanis and Sriram Krishnan, are advising Mr. Musk on changes at Twitter.Engineers at Twitter were told to print out their most recent software code to

Nov 4, 2022 • 39:21

Emergency Pod: Elon Musk Owns Twitter

Emergency Pod: Elon Musk Owns Twitter

We look into the company’s weird new future with Times tech reporter Kate Conger. Plus, how Apple is single-handedly deciding the future of the digital economy, and a social media death watch. Guest today:Kate Conger, a technology reporter in the San Francisco bureau of The New York TimesAdditional resources: Elon Musk has closed the $44 billion deal to own Twitter.In the lead up to the deadline to complete the acquisition of the social media service, Elon Musk visited Twitter’s San Francisco of

Oct 28, 2022 • 56:59

Generative AI is Here. Who Should Control It?

Generative AI is Here. Who Should Control It?

We sit down with the founder of Stability AI, Emad Mostaque, on the heels of his $101 million fund-raising round. His open-source Stable Diffusion image generator is the key to unlocking creativity, he says, and “one of the ultimate tools for freedom of expression” — as long as it stays out of the hands of a few censorious tech giants. So what’s this former hedge fund manager turned tech mogul thinking about how this technology could be used — or misused? Plus: A.I. Kevin and A.I. Casey stop by.

Oct 21, 2022 • 53:37

Legs Are Coming + $36 Burritos + Shocking AI News

Legs Are Coming + $36 Burritos + Shocking AI News

Meta is in the fight of its life — and Mark Zuckerberg hopes VR is the answer. Hmmm. Plus, an existential threat to the gig economy and the wildest news in artificial intelligence. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Oct 14, 2022 • 1:00:22

Elon’s Hidden Motives + A Meetup in the Metaverse

Elon’s Hidden Motives + A Meetup in the Metaverse

The $44 billion Twitter deal is back on the table — and Casey isn’t buying it. Kevin looks for friends in the Metaverse. And the “Hard Fork Transparency Report” debuts. You can read Kashmir Hill’s story here: "This Is Life in the Metaverse." Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Oct 7, 2022 • 1:04:03

What’s a Hard Fork?

What’s a Hard Fork?

Hosts Kevin Roose and Casey Newton explore stories from the wild frontier of tech.What’s real? What’s hype? “Hard Fork” is here to help you make sense of it. Tune in every Friday. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Sep 27, 2022 • 1:24

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