Grumpy Old Geeks

718: Net Unhelpful

Oct 18, 2025
Donovan Adkisson, an IT professional and guest host, dives into a chaotic tech landscape with Jason DeFilippo. They discuss California's move to regulate AI companion chatbots and the controversial introduction of adult content on ChatGPT. Concerns about Elon Musk's Boring Company racking up environmental violations and Starlink satellites' impact on astronomy take center stage. Donovan highlights innovative drone first responders at Georgia Tech and a peculiar Waymo prank involving 50 robot taxis summoned to a dead end. The conversation wraps up with reflections on AI's limitations in software development.
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INSIGHT

California Regulates AI Companion Chatbots

  • California passed SB 243 to regulate AI companion chatbots with safety, age verification, and reporting rules.
  • The law imposes heavy fines and forces platforms to add explicit safeguards for minors and deepfakes.
INSIGHT

ChatGPT To Permit Adult Content

  • Sam Altman announced ChatGPT will allow sexually explicit content for verified adults starting in December.
  • The hosts link age-gating requirements to platforms enabling adult content once verification exists.
INSIGHT

Global Anxiety Outweighs AI Enthusiasm

  • Global polling shows majority anxiety about AI across 25 countries, with no nation over 30% upbeat.
  • Public sentiment is more worried than excited about AI's impact on daily life.
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