710: Mass Delusion Events

Remember all that "AI is gonna change everything" nonsense the kids were screaming about just a few months ago? Yeah, about that. It turns out 95% of corporate generative AI pilots are, to use a technical term, completely shitting the bed, according to a report from MIT. This shocking revelation has sent Wall Street into a tizzy, wiping trillions off the market as investors suddenly realize they've been sold another bill of goods. Even Sam Altman, the high priest of the AI cult, is now trying to pump the brakes, warning that maybe, just maybe, everyone got a little too excited. Meta, never one to miss a bandwagon it can immediately fall off of, has slammed the brakes on its AI spending and hiring. It’s almost like we’ve seen this movie before, with NFTs, crypto, and every other tech bubble that was supposed to make us all billionaires while we sat on our couches.As if the AI-pocalypse wasn't entertaining enough, the next brilliant idea from Silicon Valley, "agentic AI" browsers, has proven to be dumber than a bag of hammers, happily handing over banking details to obvious phishing scams. Meanwhile, in the land of aging tech bros, Elon Musk is getting his butt handed to him in court by Media Matters, proving that you can't just bully everyone into submission. Not to be outdone in the corporate greed department, Volkswagen wants you to pay a subscription to unlock the horsepower you already own, and Robinhood is trying to convince its users that betting on football games is now called "investing." We're just waiting for them to offer a strategic advisory seat to Donald Trump Jr.... oh, wait.Just to put a fine point on our collective slide into oblivion, it turns out Antarctica is melting about six times faster than it was in the 90s, no doubt powered by the massive natural gas plants being built to run Meta's useless chatbots. But hey, at least we can distract ourselves with new toys! The Flipper Zero, that handy little hacker gadget, can now be upgraded to steal a wide variety of cars, bringing grand theft auto to the masses. So as the sea levels rise and the robots fail, at least we'll have new and exciting ways to commit felonies. Welcome to the future; it's just as dumb as we predicted.Sponsors:CleanMyMac - clnmy.com/GrumpyOldGeeks - Use code OLDGEEKS for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/710FOLLOW UPSen. Hawley says he'll investigate Meta's 'sensual' child chatbot policiesMIT report: 95% of generative AI pilots at companies are failingWall Street Appears to Be Having Serious Doubts About AIMeta Freezes AI Hiring as Fear SpreadsIN THE NEWSAI Is a Mass-Delusion EventThere's a Compelling Theory Why GPT-5 Sucks so MuchNobody Likes Zuckerberg’s Glitchy AI AppGas power plants approved for Meta’s $10B data center, and not everyone is happyAI browsers may be the best thing that ever happened to scammersCourt blocks FTC investigation into Media Matters' alleged scheme against XSelf-Proclaimed Nazi Kanye West Announces 'New Economy, Built on Chain'Cybertruck Owners Sue Over Expensive UpgradeGoogle to pay $30 million to settle class-action suit over children's privacyVW introduces monthly subscription to increase car powerRobinhood Tries to Rebrand Sports Betting as InvestingStudy Confirms 'Abrupt Changes' in Antarctica – And The World Will Feel ThemMEDIA CANDYAli Wong: Single Lady‘Alien: Earth’ Is Finally Doing What the Movies Have Not‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Did a Documentary Episode That Should’ve Been Killed in the EditKaren Gillan Joins the New ‘Highlander’ and Has the Best Reaction to the NewsAnonymous PodcastAPPS & DOODADSRoblox cracks down on its user-created content following multiple child safety lawsuitsInside the Underground Trade of ‘Flipper Zero’ Tech to Break into CarsNew AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware now available in public betaTobio's™ Watercolor KitPzizzDohm® Connect App Controlled Sound MachineStressWatch: AI Stress Monitor - HRV & Habit Tracker for WatchTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingHere’s What Muppet Mayhem Disney Will Unleash on Rock ‘n’ Roller CoasterAyaneo’s Pocket DS could be the dual-screen handheld you’ve been waiting forApple TV+ releases the first 'Peanuts' musical in 37 yearsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.