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Show notes
This week, we tick through the many dramatic headlines surrounding xAI, including the departure of X’s chief executive, Linda Yaccarino; the Grok chatbot spewing antisemitic comments; and the A.I. companion Ani engaging in sexually explicit role-play. Then, we explain why a fight to acquire the start-up Windsurf startled many in Silicon Valley and may reshape the culture in many of the big A.I. labs. And finally, it’s “crypto week.” David Yaffe-Bellany explains how crypto provisions in the bills before Congress and the president could affect even people who don’t hold digital currencies.
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Guests:
• David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times technology reporter covering the crypto industry
Additional Reading:
• Elon Musk’s Grok Chatbot Shares Antisemitic Posts on X • Google Hires A.I. Leaders From a Start-Up Courted by OpenAI • Cognition AI Buys Windsurf as A.I. Frenzy Escalates • ‘Crypto Week’ Is Back on Track After House G.O.P. Quells Conservative Revolt • The ‘Trump Pump’: How Crypto Lobbying Won Over a President
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