Summary
This episode of Hard Fork explores the SignalGate scandal involving the Trump administration's use of Signal for sensitive communications, features an interview with Dwarkesh Patel about his book "The Scaling Era" and the future of AI, and includes listener takes on whether AI is affecting critical thinking skills. Discussions cover the security risks of using commercial apps for government business and the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI advancements.Episode description
This week, we dig into the group chat that’s rocking the Trump administration and talk about why turning to Signal to plan military operations probably isn’t a great idea. Then, we’re joined by the podcaster Dwarkesh Patel to discuss his new book “The Scaling Era,” and whether he’s still optimistic about the broad benefits of A.I. And finally, a couple weeks ago we asked whether A.I. was making you dumber. Now we hear your takes.
Guest:
- Dwarkesh Patel, tech podcaster and author of “The Scaling Era: An Oral History of A.I., 2019-2025”
Additional Reading:
- The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans
- Signal Chat Leak Angers U.S. Military Pilots
- Is A.I. Making Us Dumb?
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