The Rest Is Politics 489. Musk's AI Deepfake Disgrace & JD Vance's Minnesota Lies (Question Time)
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Jan 15, 2026 The discussion dives into the controversial use of AI for creating explicit deepfakes, raising questions about regulatory needs versus tech self-policing. JD Vance's inflammatory comments around a Minnesota shooting victim highlight the dangers of misinformation. Rory faces backlash from right-wing media, prompting reflections on political realities and the nature of truth in today's landscape. They also explore the implications of elite school recruitment on social mobility. A light-hearted listener question about home temperatures adds a humorous touch to the conversation.
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Unchecked AI Enables Harmful Deepfakes
- Elon Musk's Grok lacked safety staff and allowed users to generate realistic non-consensual images, including of children, causing global alarm.
- Governments and Ofcom stepped in because self-policing proved ineffective and monetisation increased harm.
Attention Economy Warps Public Decision-Making
- Tech billionaires disproportionately shape public priorities through the attention economy, sidelining historians and social scientists.
- That skews decisions on large ethical questions like AI governance toward engineers and investors.
Regulate Tech When Safety Fails
- Trust in Big Tech safety promises is misplaced; government regulation is the only reliable control mechanism for dangerous AI systems.
- Policymakers should act rather than defer to trillion-dollar companies' self-regulation claims.