Social Media In Wartime + Betting on the Future + A.I. Passes the Smell Test
Hard Fork13 Loka 2023

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 war in Israel may change Threads.
  • Some tech insiders believe betting can change the world.
  • The company Osmo put out a research paper showing that an A.I. model it had created was performing better than the “average human panelist” in predicting odor. We want to hear from you.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jaksot(187)

A.I. Goes to War + Is ‘A.I. Brain Fry’ Real? + How Grammarly Stole Casey’s Identity

A.I. Goes to War + Is ‘A.I. Brain Fry’ Real? + How Grammarly Stole Casey’s Identity

A.I. is changing the ways war is waged. This week, we explore how the U.S. and Israel are using A.I. to identify targets in the conflict with Iran — and why data centers and fiber optic cables are tar...

13 Maalis 1h 6min

OpenAI's Fog of War + Betting on Iran + Hard Fork Review of Slop

OpenAI's Fog of War + Betting on Iran + Hard Fork Review of Slop

This week, the fallout continues as OpenAI scrambles to rework its deal with the Pentagon, while government agencies adapt to life without Claude. Then we break down the grim new reality of prediction...

6 Maalis 1h 5min

At the Pentagon, OpenAI is In and Anthropic Is Out

At the Pentagon, OpenAI is In and Anthropic Is Out

On Friday, President Trump ordered federal agencies to stop using Anthropic’s A.I. systems and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth designated the company a “supply chain risk.” Then, just a few hours later...

1 Maalis 33min

Is A.I. Eating the Labor Market? + The Latest on the Pentagon, OpenClaw and Alpha School

Is A.I. Eating the Labor Market? + The Latest on the Pentagon, OpenClaw and Alpha School

This week, the economist Anton Korinek joins to break down how artificial intelligence is driving volatility in the job and stock markets. Then, the battle between the Pentagon and Anthropic is gettin...

27 Helmi 1h

The Pentagon vs. Anthropic + An A.I. Agent Slandered Me + Hot Mess Express

The Pentagon vs. Anthropic + An A.I. Agent Slandered Me + Hot Mess Express

This week, Anthropic is refusing to let the government use the company’s technology for autonomous weapons and domestic surveillance. In response, the Pentagon is threatening to cut business ties and ...

20 Helmi 1h 4min

‘Something Big Is Happening’ + A.I. Rocks the Romance Novel Industry + One Good Thing

‘Something Big Is Happening’ + A.I. Rocks the Romance Novel Industry + One Good Thing

This week, we discuss Wall Street’s software-stock sell-off and a viral essay on X about the potential for widespread job displacement from A.I. Then, the New York Times reporter Alexandra Alter walks...

13 Helmi 1h

Elon Musk’s Mega-Merger + We Test Google’s Project Genie + What’s Next for Moltbook Creator

Elon Musk’s Mega-Merger + We Test Google’s Project Genie + What’s Next for Moltbook Creator

This week, the A.I. initial-public-offering race is heating up! We break down SpaceX’s acquisition of xAI, as well as OpenAI and Nvidia’s messy situationship. Then, it’s time for show and tell. We got...

6 Helmi 1h 4min

Moltbook Mania Explained

Moltbook Mania Explained

A Reddit-style web forum for A.I. agents has captured the attention of the tech world. According to the site, called Moltbook, more than 1.5 million agents have contributed to over 150,000 posts, maki...

4 Helmi 27min