713: Ourovibeos

This week on Grumpy Old Geeks, we're diving headfirst into the digital dumpster fire, starting with follow-up that will make you wonder if the rich are finally getting their comeuppance. It seems Tesla's market share is plummeting, and Elon Musk has been unceremoniously knocked off as the world's wealthiest person. Meanwhile, OpenAI and Microsoft are flirting with new partnership terms, and OpenAI is also reportedly cozying up with Oracle for a cloud computing deal. Are they figuring it all out or just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic? You decide.

In the news, it’s a feast of AI-induced chaos. Anthropic attempted to settle a copyright lawsuit for $1.5 billion, but a judge rejected it. Apple faces scrutiny for allegedly using pirated books to train AI (because who needs original ideas when you can just steal them?), and everyone from Reddit to Yahoo is rushing to get paid for their data being scraped by AI. Google even admits that the open web is struggling, while pushing ads into AI-generated answers and trying to convince us that DOGE never existed. Meanwhile, millions of YouTube videos have been copied by AI companies—because why create when you can just steal? Not to mention, The Boring Company reportedly stopped tunneling after a "crushing injury" (ironic, huh?), Zuckerberg and Palmer Luckey are teaming up again like a disastrous boy band for military-grade goggles, and Meta whistleblowers are exposing child safety issues. Plus, a hot mic caught Zuck groveling to Trump—the cringe is real. And if that wasn't enough, it turns out AI usage is actually declining at big companies, and programmers using AI are creating more security risks than a screen door on a submarine. It's almost like we saw this coming.

For your Media Candy fix, get ready for a dose of existential dread. The MTV Video Music Awards are still happening in 2025, with a median viewer age of 56—because nothing screams "youth culture" like osteoporosis. We'll wonder if Wednesday (aka Charlie Sheen) is still winning and discuss Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Amazon Music is launching AI-powered playlists (because who needs a human DJ when you can have an algorithm that thinks it knows your soul?), and Deezer claims 28% of all new music is AI-generated. Taika Waititi is developing a "potentially disastrous" Fyre Fest musical (we're excited!), Foundation is renewed for season 4, and the HBO Max CEO thinks it's "way underpriced"—bless his heart. Plus, more Highlander reboot news that will probably disappoint, and a look at The Missi & Brooke Show and The Traitors Ireland.

Finally, in Apps & Doodads, bad news for AirPods Live Translation in the EU, Evernote and WeTransfer's owner is buying Vimeo, and you need this pettable Poké Ball Tamagotchi-style toy. In The Dark Side with Dave, we'll discuss The Princess Bride, how tariffs are ruining hobbies, and who wants "slop for their ears." This episode shows that some things never change, and most things are just getting worse. You're welcome.

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