‘Uncanny Valley’: Anthropic’s DOD Lawsuit, War Memes, and AI Coming for VC Jobs

Brian Barrett: The irony is my favorite part because I feel like venture capitalists have largely positioned themselves as immune to the effects of AI because they’re very special and surely a machine can— Zoë Schiffer: It’s art, not science. Brian Barrett: Yes. It’s art, not science. Machines can take every job, but not us. … Read more

Inside OpenAI’s Race to Catch Up to Claude Code

Katy Shi, a researcher who works on Codex’s behavior at OpenAI, says that while some folks describe its default personality as “dry bread,” many have come to appreciate its less sycophantic style. “A lot of engineering work is about being able to take critical feedback without interpreting it as mean,” Shi says. Several major enterprises … Read more

OpenAI and Google Workers File Amicus Brief in Support of Anthropic Against the US Government

more than 30 employees from OpenAI and Google, including Google DeepMind chief scientist Jeff Dean, filed an amicus brief on Monday in support of Anthropic in its legal fight against the US government. “If allowed to proceed, this effort to punish one of the leading US AI companies will undoubtedly have consequences for the United … Read more

OpenAI Had Banned Military Use. The Pentagon Tested Its Models Through Microsoft Anyway

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is still in the hot seat this week after his company signed a deal with the US military. OpenAI employees have criticized the move, which came after Anthropic’s roughly $200 million contract with the Pentagon imploded, and asked Altman to release more information about the agreement. Altman admitted it looked “sloppy” … Read more

‘Uncanny Valley’: Iran War in the AI Era, Prediction Market Ethics, and Paramount Beats Netflix

Zoë Schiffer: Emil Michael, you should turn off your views on LinkedIn because people can see when they look at your phone. Brian Barrett: Yeah, that’s a tip for Emil Michael if you’re listening. And then, if you listen to Uncanny Valleywhich you should. Leah Feiger: And this is really the Trump official that’s kind … Read more

What AI Models for War Actually Look Like

Anthropic might have misgivings about giving the US military unfettered access to its AI models, but some startups are building advanced AI specifically for military applications. Smack Technologieswhich announced a $32 million funding round this week, is developing models that it says will soon surpass Claude’s capabilities when it comes to planning and executing military … Read more

What Is That Mysterious Metallic Device US Chief Design Officer Joe Gebbia Is Using?

Joe Gebbia, cofounder of Airbnb and the US chief design officer appointed by President Trump, was spotted in San Francisco today using a mysterious metallic device. In a social media posts on He’s wearing metallic buds that bisect his ears, with a matching clamshell-shaped disc in front of him on the counter. After the video … Read more

OpenAI Fires an Employee for Prediction Market Insider Trading

OpenAI has fired An employee following an investigation into their activity on prediction market platforms including Polymarket, WIRED has learned. OpenAI CEO of Applications, Fidji Simo, disclosed the termination in an internal message to employees earlier this year. The employee, she said, “used confidential OpenAI information in connection with external prediction markets (eg Polymarket).” “Our … Read more

OpenAI Announces Major Expansion of London Office

OpenAI has announced plans to turn its London office into its largest research hub outside of the United States. The company—which established a UK office in 2023—says it will expand its London-based research team, scooping up talent emerging from leading British universities. It has not indicated how many researchers it will hire. “The UK brings … Read more

Riley Walz, the Jester of Silicon Valley, Is Joining OpenAI

Riley Walz, a The software engineer famous for his online stunts, is joining OpenAI to research and develop new ways for humans to interact with AI, WIRED has learned. An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed the hire. Walz built a reputation as Silicon Valley’s jester and has created a series of viral web projects that double as … Read more