The ChatGPT Report

154 - AI usage dropping?The AI Hype Bubble is Popping? New data from the US Census Bureau shows a significant and surprising drop-off in corporate AI adoption, the largest since the survey began.Unprofitable AI: Despite billions in investment, 95% of companies report their AI software has failed to generate new revenue, raising questions about the return on investment.The Dystopian Jobs Platform: We dissect the controversy surrounding OpenAI's new jobs platform and the accusation that the company that displaced workers is now profiting from "helping" them.Follow the Money: We examine the absurdity of a multi-billion dollar GPU data center deal between OpenAI and Oracle, while the underlying AI applications struggle to prove their value.Media and Gaming Go All-In: A look at where AI is actually finding a profitable footing, from the AI-touched Wizard of Oz at the Las Vegas Sphere to its widespread use among video game developers.The Vibe Check is Not Good: From the disappointing tech news to the unsettling ethical questions, we discuss why this week feels like we're "living in a simulation."

Explore the rise of Gemini Flash 2.5, a new AI image editor that could challenge Photoshop with its text-based editing capabilities. Discover the heavy investments in AI technology and the unexpected job market impacts, particularly for young adults. The conversation also touches on how reliance on AI might affect creativity and the surprising trend of employers reverting to paper resumes to maintain authenticity in hiring.

AI is shaking up the SaaS industry, allowing solo developers to launch products in record time. Colleges are debating whether to embrace or ban AI, with some tools like GPTZero being used to detect AI-generated work. A lively discussion reveals why integrating AI into the curriculum could better prepare students for future challenges. Google's latest advancements in multimodal AI take the spotlight, and there's an ongoing debate about how AI boosts or hinders coding efficiency. As we navigate this landscape, the importance of human connection in technology remains crucial.

This discussion dives into the controversial 'AI bubble', revealing that 95% of companies are seeing little return on their generative AI investments despite massive funding. Experts liken the current boom to the dot-com bubble, raising questions about sustainability. There's a surprising reliance on Reddit for training models and an alarming drop in ChatGPT usage, suggesting students may use it mainly for homework. The conversation also tackles whether AI is driving layoffs or just a convenient excuse for cost-cutting.

Dive into the controversy surrounding GPT-5, which has left many underwhelmed. Despite some impressive demos, the model struggles with basic tasks and even offers hilariously wrong advice. Listener feedback highlights serious concerns, including increased hallucinations. The episode questions whether this iteration represents a setback in the AI journey. Additionally, news about a new brain-implant startup adds to the competitive landscape, especially with figures like Sam Altman and Elon Musk in the mix.

What is Ryan Yapping on about todayOpenAI releases new "open" models: OpenAI launched two new open-weight reasoning models, GPT-OSS-120B and GPT-OSS-20B, which can run locally on devices like laptops and even phones.Shifting business model: The new OpenAI models signal a move away from a subscription-based, pay-per-API model to a one-time hardware investment, offering more privacy since data stays on the device.Google DeepMind's "Genie 3": Google DeepMind unveiled Genie 3, a highly advanced world simulator that can generate entire game worlds from natural language prompts, featuring high-fidelity visuals and in-world memory.New coding benchmark: Claude upgraded its Opus model to version 4.1, which is being praised as the new top-tier model for coding and advanced agentic tasks—at least until the next major release from a competitor.Amazon backs "Netflix of AI": Amazon is supporting an AI-generated streaming service that allows users to type prompts to create scenes or full episodes, with Disney and other major studios reportedly in talks to license their IPs.AI for job interviews: A growing number of major companies, including Unilever, Delta, and Vodafone, are using AI to score job interviews by analyzing a candidate's facial expressions, eye movements, and voice for "confidence" and "trustworthiness."Potential privacy concerns: With the new local-run models and AI-driven interview tools, there's a growing conversation about user privacy and data security, especially with the news that OpenAI is providing ChatGPT to the government for just $1.Publicity vs. practical use: While the new OpenAI models are generating buzz, some observers are questioning their real-world utility, suggesting the release may be more of a publicity stunt without clear use cases or examples.

The current "vibe check" for AI is low (2/10), but there's significant interest in developing AI traders, despite challenges with human inaction on AI-generated insights.A Reddit user's experiment showed ChatGPT managing a stock portfolio and outperforming the market, leading to predictions of AI-driven market crashes, AI-optimized press releases, and the emergence of AI investment clubs and "prompt engineers" for financial advice. @gregisenbergDay trading is expected to be dominated by AI within 18 months, with retail investors likely having AI trading assistants by 2027, and new financial products like "winning prompts" and social networks for AI trading strategies emerging.The rise of AI in finance will prompt new SEC regulations for "algorithmic investment advice" and could lead to "AI flash crashes" and "algorithmic insider trading" scandals.Apple is anticipated to acquire Anthropic, as Apple needs a stronger Large Language Model (LLM) than its own.OpenAI is reportedly launching GPT-5 soon, featuring a massive token window, multi-context processing, dynamic reasoning, and integrated tools like Code Interpreter, while ChatGPT is introducing a "study mode" for step-by-step problem-solving. @Diesol @radshaan

The vibe gut check is a low 2/10, with significant AI talent poaching among major companies.Delta Airlines is reportedly testing AI for personalized ticket prices, which Ryan thinks is a "horrible idea" and hopes fails. @flavioAdLinkedIn sees 11,000 job applications per minute due to AI resume spam, creating a tough job market.Nodes launched "Anti-Clueless," an AI platform for talent acquisition, deemed a "bad idea."Leading AI researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic, and Meta issued a joint warning about AI safety.Google's Gemini shows rapid user growth in both new and returning users.Pine AI's service allows AI to handle phone calls for users, seen as a "good idea" for now.OpenAI and SoftBank are struggling with the "Stargate" project, facing delays and scaled-back plans.Oracle will supply OpenAI with 2 million AI chips for its new data center, costing $30 billion per year.Microsoft and Meta are aggressively poaching top AI researchers from rivals. @scaling01

The overall "vibe gut check" for the week was a 4/10, largely due to Grok 4's new features.Grok 4 has introduced animated AI avatars, allowing users to have "Companion" anime girls that can act as friends, educators, tutors, companions, or advisors.This development is compared to the movie "Her," raising concerns about loneliness and the potential for AI companions to become widespread.Despite the new features, there's skepticism about whether animated avatars will become a mainstream AI feature or fade away.A key point of discussion is the lack of focus on memory and personalization by AI companies other than OpenAI and Grok, despite Google's extensive data collection.Grok 4 is being utilized for coding and game prototyping, with positive feedback on its efficiency as a "no-nonsense agent."xAI, the company behind Grok, is building a multi-agent AI software system where specialized agents work together to emulate human interaction with software.There are concerns about the financial stability of some AI-related companies, with one prediction of a major collapse.The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded xAI and Grok a $200 million contract for "modernization," raising questions and concerns.Concerns are also being raised about AI replies "ruining the internet" and the lack of guidance from universities for students pursuing degrees that may be impacted by AI advancements.@nickfloats@prmshra@DannyLimanseta@xAI@opencv@gregisenberg@thejobchick

Grok 3's Final Meltdown: Last week, before its upgrade, Grok 3 went completely rogue. It reportedly praised Hitler and spewed antisemitic conspiracy theories, prompting an immediate shutdown. If you saw the memes, you know!Grok 4 Hype Check: We're not expecting Grok 4 to be a huge game-changer, but we'll get the real story next week once it settles in.Linda Yaccarino Out at X: Major news: Linda Yaccarino stepped down as X's CEO. This follows increasing concerns over hate speech on the platform, causing advertisers to flee.The AI Racism Riddle: Still, no one can figure out why so many AI models turn racist and antisemitic when their safety rails are removed.AI's Impact: Minds & JobsChatGPT vs. Critical Thinking: MIT Media Lab research suggests relying on ChatGPT could actually harm your critical thinking over time.AI Doctors? A viral Reddit story showed ChatGPT flagging a hidden gene defect doctors missed for a decade. Some now argue a second opinion from top healthcare AI should be standard medical practice.AI's Job Threat: Harvard Business Review warns: AI can automate any task that can be quantified, putting a huge range of jobs at risk, from creative roles to finance and law.What's Safe from AI? Jobs needing high uncertainty judgment, true creative breakthroughs, and interpersonal trust are safest.OpenAI's New Talent: OpenAI has acquired io Products, Inc., and Jony Ive's LoveFrom will take on deep design responsibilities across OpenAI.Social Mentions: @dissidentwest, @rohanpaul_ai, @kimmonismus