Is This an A.I. Bubble? + Meta’s Missing Morals + TikTok Shock Slop

Note: This episode contains sexually explicit music.

This week, the whole tech world seemed to be asking: Are we in an A.I. bubble? We’ll explore the cases for and against, including who we think stands to lose most. Then we’re joined by the journalist Jeff Horwitz to discuss his blockbuster reporting about an internal Meta policy document that permit the company’s chatbots to engage in romantic role-playing with children. And finally, Casey introduces Kevin to a shocking new TikTok trend.

 

Guests:

• Jeff Horwitz, investigative technology reporter for Reuters

Additional Reading:

• My Dinner With Altman
• Companies Are Pouring Billions Into A.I. It Has Yet to Pay Off
• Meta’s A.I. Rules Have Let Bots Hold ‘Sensual’ Chats With Children
• Why Is TikTok Overflowing With A.I. Country Music Erotica?

 

We want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok.

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.