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The Trump-Musk Fallout + A DOGE Coder Speaks + ChefGPT

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Content provided by The New York Times. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by The New York Times or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.

This week, Kevin and Casey discuss the sudden breakdown between President Trump and Elon Musk, whose disagreements over the policy bill before Congress quickly erupted into an all-out feud. Then, an ex-DOGE coder explains what it was really like to work inside the Trump administration’s cost-cutting arm. And finally, the former New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells explains why some chefs are turning to A.I. for inspiration.

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We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok.

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344 episodes

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The Trump-Musk Fallout + A DOGE Coder Speaks + ChefGPT

Hard Fork

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Manage episode 487199969 series 2792038
Content provided by The New York Times. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by The New York Times or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://ppacc.player.fm/legal.

This week, Kevin and Casey discuss the sudden breakdown between President Trump and Elon Musk, whose disagreements over the policy bill before Congress quickly erupted into an all-out feud. Then, an ex-DOGE coder explains what it was really like to work inside the Trump administration’s cost-cutting arm. And finally, the former New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells explains why some chefs are turning to A.I. for inspiration.

Guests:

Additional Reading:

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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  continue reading

344 episodes

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This week, we’re bringing you a recent interview from “Interesting Times with Ross Douthat,” one of The New York Times’s newest podcasts. In this episode, Ross sits down with Peter Thiel, the co-founder of PayPal and Palantir and one of the most contrarian thinkers in tech. Together, they unpack Thiel’s theory that we’re living through an era of technological stagnation, and debate whether President Trump’s populism and the development of artificial intelligence will help us unlock new progress. Guest: Peter Thiel, co-founder of Paypal and Palantir. Additional Reading: Peter Thiel and the Antichrist 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
We’re back with part two of Hard Fork Live (see last week’s episode for part one). This week, Patrick Collison, Stripe’s chief executive, joins us onstage for a wide-ranging conversation about how Silicon Valley could unleash greater progress, from building new housing to curing diseases, and why he believes prestige television is a waste of time. Then, after a quick costume change, Kathryn Zealand, the chief executive of Skip, joins us to talk about her company’s robot pants. We test them out live on a StairMaster. Finally, we end the show by taking questions from audience members. Guests: Patrick Collison , Co-founder and C.E.O. of Stripe Kathryn Zealand , Founder and C.E.O. of Skip 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
The first Hard Fork Live is officially in the books, and for those who couldn’t attend, we’re playing highlights from the event in this episode and the next. This week, Mayor Daniel Lurie of San Francisco makes a surprise appearance to discuss the advice he’s receiving from tech executives during the early days of his administration, as well as how he built a social media presence that’s got Kevin wondering: Could we do that? Then, the conversation that had everyone talking: We’ll play our interview with OpenAI’s chief executive, Sam Altman, and chief operating officer, Brad Lightcap, and explain what was going on in our heads as the conversation unfolded in a way we did not expect. 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week, President Trump’s family business announced that it was introducing a mobile phone and a cellular network. We tick through the many potential conflicts of interest this new business venture raises. Then, the co-founders of the startup Mechanize defend their efforts to automate away all jobs — starting with software engineering. And finally, we take a trip to the movie theater. “M3GAN 2.0” is out next week, so its star, Allison Williams, joins us to discuss the film, and A.I.’s impact on her career and parenting. Guests: Matthew Barnett and Ege Erdil, co-founders of Mechanize . Allison Williams, actor. Additional Reading: Trump Mobile Phone Company Announced by President’s Family, but Details Are Murky The President Is Selling a Phone This A.I. Company Wants to Take Your Job 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week, Meta hits the reset button on A.I. But will a new research lab and a multibillion-dollar investment in Scale AI bring the company any closer to its stated goal of “superintelligence”? Then we break down Apple’s big developer conference, WWDC: What was announced, what was noticeably absent, and why Apple seems a little stuck in the past. Finally, a couple of weeks ago we asked if your job is being automated away — it’s time to open up the listener mail bag and hear what you said. Additional Reading: Meta looks for an A.I. reset Apple Executives Defend Apple Intelligence, Siri and A.I. Strategy This A.I. Company Wants to Take Your Job 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week, Kevin and Casey discuss the sudden breakdown between President Trump and Elon Musk, whose disagreements over the policy bill before Congress quickly erupted into an all-out feud. Then, an ex-DOGE coder explains what it was really like to work inside the Trump administration’s cost-cutting arm. And finally, the former New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells explains why some chefs are turning to A.I. for inspiration. Guests: Sahil Lavingia, C.E.O. of Gumroad, who spent 55 days working for DOGE Pete Wells , New York Times restaurant critic from 2012 through 2024 Additional Reading: If Elon Musk and President Trump Divorce, Who Gets Silicon Valley? This Year’s Hot New Tool for Chefs? ChatGPT. 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week, we dive into Kevin’s recent column about how A.I. is affecting the job market for new graduates, and debate whether the job apocalypse is already here for entry-level work. Then Mike Krieger joins us to discuss the new Claude 4 model, the future of work and the online chatter over whether an A.I. system could blackmail you. And finally, it’s time to open up the case files for another round of Hard Fork Crimes Division. Guest: Mike Krieger, chief product officer at Anthropic Additional Reading: For Some Recent Graduates, the A.I. Job Apocalypse May Already Be Here Another Suspect Is Charged in Bitcoin Kidnapping and Torture Case Elizabeth Holmes’s Partner Has a New Blood-Testing Start-Up 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week, we take a field trip to Google and report back about everything the company announced at its biggest show of the year, Google I/O. Then, we sit down with Google DeepMind’s chief executive and co-founder, Demis Hassabis, to discuss what his A.I. lab is building, the future of education, and what life could look like in 2030. Guest : Demis Hassabis, co-founder and chief executive of Google DeepMind Additional Reading: At Google I/O, everything is changing and normal and scary and chill Google Unveils A.I. Chatbot, Signaling a New Era for Search Google DeepMind C.E.O. Demis Hassabis on the Path From Chatbots to A.G.I. 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
The actor, comedian and author Ed Helms has a new book out about historical blunders. He swings by Hard Fork to tell us about it and answer your moral quandaries, ethical dilemmas and etiquette questions about technology: How do I tell my mom she can’t post about her grandkids on Facebook? Am I being an A.I. hypocrite at work? And is it OK to troll the scammers who blow up my cellphone? Guest : Ed Helms, actor, podcaster and author of “ Snafu: The Definitive Guide to History’s Greatest Screwups ” Additional Reading: Interview: Ed Helms on Historical Snafus and His Reading Life 7 Months Inside an Online Scam Labor Camp 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week, iPhone users started to feel the impact of a stern court order against Apple that requires the company to stop collecting a commission on some app sales. We break down what this means for apps like Kindle and Spotify and why the judge suggested that Apple and a top executive should be investigated for criminal contempt. Then, Karen Hao joins us to discuss her new book about OpenAI and explain why she believes the benefits of using the company’s tools do not outweigh the moral costs. And finally, Casey introduces Kevin to a strange new universe of A.I. slop that’s racking up millions of likes on TikTok. Guest : Karen Hao , Author of “Empire of AI” Additional Reading: Judge Rebukes Apple and Orders It to Loosen Grip on App Store Brain Rot Comes for Italy 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week we dig into the ways chatbots are starting to manipulate us, including ChatGPT’s sycophantic update, Meta’s digital companionship turn and a secret experiment run on Reddit users. Then Kevin reports back from the unveiling of a new eye-scanning orb. And finally, we’re joined by PJ Vogt for a brand-new segment called Group Chat Chat. Tickets to “Hard Fork Live” on June 24 are sold out. You can join the wait list here to be alerted if additional tickets become available. Guest: PJ Vogt, host of the podcast “ Search Engine ” Additional Reading: Meta’s ‘Digital Companions’ Will Talk Sex With Users — Even Children Reddit Issuing ‘Formal Legal Demands’ Against Researchers Who Conducted Secret A.I. Experiment on Users The Group Chats That Changed America The Ice Bucket Challenge Worked. Why Not Try It Again? 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week, with big developments in two antitrust cases against Google, we discuss how the company may be forced to change its business. Then we’re joined by the journalist Mark Yarm to discuss his recent visit to an underwater home for his article about techno-utopians who want to colonize the ocean. And finally, it’s tool time! We’ll tell you about our latest experiments with ChatGPT’s o3, Casey’s newest journaling practice and Kevin’s continued battle to get to inbox zero. Tickets to Hard Fork live are on sale! See us June 24 at SFJAZZ. Guest: Mark Yarm , an executive editor at PCMag and the author of “Everybody Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge.” Additional Reading: Google May Be on the Brink of a Breakup Google Is Illegally Monopolizing Online Advertising Tech, Judge Rules The Techno-Utopians Who Want to Colonize the Sea 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week Meta is on trial, in a landmark case over whether it illegally snuffed out competition when it acquired Instagram and WhatsApp. We discuss some of the most surprising revelations from old email messages made public as evidence in the case, and explain why we think the F.T.C.’s argument has gotten weaker in the years since the lawsuit was filed. Then we hear from Princeton computer scientist Arvind Narayanan on why he believes it will take decades, not years, for A.I. to transform society in the ways the big A.I. labs predict. And finally, what do dolphins, Katy Perry and A1 steak sauce have in common? They’re all important characters in our latest round of HatGPT. Tickets to Hard Fork live are on sale now! See us June 24 at SFJAZZ. Guest: Arvind Narayanan , director of the Center for Information Technology at Princeton and co-author of “AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What it Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference.” Additional Reading: What if Mark Zuckerberg Had Not Bought Instagram and WhatsApp? AI as Normal Technology One Giant Stunt for Womankind 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week, with the tech world in chaos over President Trump’s tariffs, we look at how four specific companies are navigating the new day-to-day reality. Then, the A.I. researcher Daniel Kokotajlo returns to the show to discuss a new set of predictions for how artificial intelligence could transform the world in just the next few years and how we avoid the most dystopian outcomes. Finally, we explore whether Meta cheated on an important A.I. benchmark with its new Llama model. Guest: Daniel Kokotajlo, executive director of the AI Futures Project Additional Reading: Inside Trump’s Reversal on Tariffs: From ‘Be Cool!’ to ‘Getting Yippy’ A.I. 2027 Meta Gets Rebuked Over Benchmark Gaming 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
This week, President Trump announced sweeping new tariffs that are roiling the global economy. We discuss what this could mean for the tech sector and whether this will give China a competitive advantage over the United States in the development of A.I. Then, we chat with a Wall Street Journal reporter, Keach Hagey, about her new book on Sam Altman and how she solved the mystery of his firing from OpenAI. And finally, Tinder has a new chatbot that you can practice your flirting skills with — which means it’s time for a flirting competition. Guest: Keach Hagey, Wall Street Journal reporter and author of the forthcoming book The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future. Additional Reading: What Trump’s Sweeping Tariffs Mean for the Global Economy, and for You Trump’s New Tariffs Test Apple’s Global Supply Chain The Secrets and Misdirection Behind Sam Altman’s Firing From OpenAI 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 or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.…
 
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