Uncanny Valley | WIRED Wired Roundup: ChatGPT Goes Full Demon Mode
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Aug 1, 2025 Louise Matsakis, Wired's senior business editor with a focus on AI chatbots, joins to discuss the latest in tech and society. They dive into Meta's aggressive recruitment of AI talent and share insights on how the pandemic might have accelerated brain aging. A wild twist reveals why ChatGPT went 'full demon mode,' highlighting the fascinating complexities of AI interactions. The conversation also touches on climate migration in Tuvalu and the innovative steps being taken to preserve its culture amidst rising sea levels.
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Meta’s Aggressive AI Recruiting
- Meta is offering extraordinarily high salaries to AI researchers, sometimes exceeding hundreds of millions over years.
- This reflects Meta's existential urgency in catching up in the competitive AI field and securing top talent.
Why Researchers Reject Meta
- Many top AI researchers decline Meta's offers, valuing meaningful work and culture over massive salaries.
- Loyalty to startup founders and Meta’s corporate culture affect these decisions significantly.
Pandemic Linked to Brain Aging
- The pandemic accelerated brain aging by about five and a half months even in people who never contracted COVID.
- Stress, isolation, socioeconomic status, and gender influence this brain aging effect.
