Uncanny Valley | WIRED

The podcast dives into the surge of tech industry layoffs at major companies like Google and Amazon, discussing the impact of AI and challenging job interviews. Tips for connecting with disabled colleagues, watching a documentary, and listening to a new album are shared. The episode also explores the evolving tech job market and the intense interview landscape for engineers.

Discover the shady market of domain squatting and AI-generated clickbait articles. Learn about the political implications of non-political individuals and the rise of AI-generated clickbait farms. Explore the effectiveness of Google in catching clickbait farms and the future impact of AI-generated articles on search engine rankings. Find out about concerns regarding quality control and the internet becoming a 'slime fest'. Plus, recommendations for 'The Tasks of Extinction' novella and the novel 'The Beasting' by Paul Murray.

This podcast explores the history of Slack and its impact on workplace communication. It discusses the positive and negative effects of Slack's free-flowing interaction, as well as its role in the 24-7 work culture. The hosts also analyze the recent acquisition of Slack by Salesforce and speculate on its future. Furthermore, they delve into the potential of AI in Slack, its integration capabilities, and even introduce a chat GPT sticker bot for creating customized stickers.

They discuss Apple's first mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro, and its potential impact on the face computer market. They explore the headset's high price, limited apps, and tethered battery pack. The hosts speculate on whether it's a development kit or a fully realized product. They also discuss Apple's efforts to make the headset disappear in the virtual and physical space. The speakers recommend the Thumbtack app for homeowners and discuss finding assistance through web platforms and mobile apps.

Learn why using Bitcoin for internet crimes may not guarantee anonymity, as investigators can track cryptocurrency transactions to uncover the perpetrators. Explore the myth of anonymity in cryptocurrency and how law enforcement uses blockchain to trace down dark web criminals. Discover the impact of cryptocurrency instabilities on illicit markets and the potential for using traceability in solving crimes. Also, enjoy recommendations on animal rights, vegan food, and a book on contemporary art.

AI's influence on the US election is discussed, including deepfakes and text generators. Social media's role in elections and the challenge of distinguishing deep fakes and real content are explored. The hosts also share recommendations for base layers and TV shows.

At CES 2024, AI use cases and affordable electric flying cars were discussed. The design of new aircraft and transparent TVs were highlighted. LG's rollable television and new ways to interact with devices were explored. They also talked about a bizarre voice assistant with Samsung phones and shared their experiences and exhaustion at CES.

The podcast discusses the surge in stockpiling abortion pills due to increased restrictions on abortion services in the US. It explores the impact of advanced provision of abortion pills and the upcoming Supreme Court case. The availability and risks of ordering abortion pills from abroad are also discussed. Additionally, the hosts recommend a film and a book parody, and share their excitement for the upcoming CES event.

Artificial intelligence was inarguably the biggest newsmaker in the tech industry this year. Whether it was ChaptGPT writing term papers, AI-generated Drake hits, or the board shakeup at OpenAI, the topic permeated the public consciousness and left people feeling varying levels of excitement and absolute terror about how this technology will shape our future. Generative AI seems poised to alter the direction of humanity, but it's up to the people to figure out exactly how it’s going to do that.This week on Gadget Lab, we’re sharing a very special session from the recent LiveWIRED event celebrating WIRED’s 30th anniversary. Onstage, WIRED editor-at-large Steven Levy interviews renowned AI scientist Fei-Fei Li and LinkedIn cofounder and former OpenAI board member Reid Hoffman about all the chaos at OpenAI and what generative AI will look like in the future.Show Notes:Read Steven’s story about what OpenAI really wants. Read more from WIRED about OpenAI and artificial intelligence. Check out the many other sessions from the LiveWIRED event.Steven Levy can be found on social media @StevenLevy. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Discover the hosts' favorite life hacks and gear recommendations. They discuss ActivityPub, a social media presence, and recommend the Steam Deck for portable gaming. Check out their recommendations for the Oxo, Scavengers Rain, and The Worst Person in the World. Listen to their reflections on a movie and technology.