In this episode of Uncanny Valley, we get into how the Elon Musk-Sam Altman trial goes way beyond their rivalry and could have major implications both for OpenAI and also the AI industry at large.Leah Feiger: Absolutely. It’s crucial to consider the future trajectory of our political landscape. What happens if power shifts in the upcoming November midterms, or even in 2028? There’s a significant amount of institutional rebuilding that would need to occur. While there will undoubtedly be individuals eager to step in, the loss of institutional knowledge is a significant hurdle to overcome.
Brian Barrett: Indeed. Now, let’s take a short break. When we return, we’ll dive into our WIRED/TIRED picks for the week. Stay tuned.
Leah Feiger: It’s time for our WIRED and TIRED segment. We’ll be discussing the latest trends that are exciting us (WIRED) and those that we feel have run their course (TIRED). Brian, would you like to kick things off?
Brian Barrett: Absolutely. Let’s start with a bit of context for my WIRED/TIRED picks. OpenAI’s Codex, its coding agent, is a crucial part of its future as it competes with Anthropic for the attention and approval of engineers worldwide, aiming to revolutionize coding jobs. However, we recently discovered, thanks to our colleague Will Knight, that OpenAI has specific instructions in its prompts for Codex. It’s explicitly told, “Never talk about goblins, gremlins, raccoons, trolls, ogres, pigeons, or other animals or creatures, unless it is absolutely and unambiguously relevant to the user’s query.”
Leah Feiger: Fascinating.
Brian Barrett: My TIRED pick is this restriction on Codex’s ability to discuss critters. I believe Codex has earned the right to talk about gremlins, ogres, pigeons, and the like if it so chooses. So, my TIRED is the shackling of these language models, preventing them from expressing their critter-related thoughts. Conversely, my WIRED pick is the opposite: allowing language models to freely discuss fantastical creatures. We should certainly prevent them from designing nuclear weapons, but let them talk about whatever they want.
Zoë Schiffer: That seems like a reasonable balance. Leah, what are your picks?
Leah Feiger: Like many millennial women in Brooklyn, I’m currently engrossed in Lena Dunham’s Famesick. So, my WIRED and TIRED picks are based on my recent rewatching habits, inspired by Famesick. I’ve just finished rewatching Girls, and I highly recommend it. It’s a brilliant show in so many ways.
Zoë Schiffer: Sounds great.
Leah Feiger: It’s a wonderful feeling to walk down the street with my dog, knowing that half the block is probably also listening to the audiobook. It’s a fantastic read.
Brian Barrett: I can’t join in on the Girls rewatch because I never watched it in the first place. I apologize for that oversight.