X Hits Grok Bottom + More A.I. Talent Wars + ‘Crypto Week’

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This week, we tick through the many dramatic headlines surrounding xAI, including the departure of X’s chief executive, Linda Yaccarino; the Grok chatbot spewing antisemitic comments; and the A.I. companion Ani engaging in sexually explicit role-play. Then, we explain why a fight to acquire the start-up Windsurf startled many in Silicon Valley and may reshape the culture in many of the big A.I. labs. And finally, it’s “crypto week.” David Yaffe-Bellany explains how crypto provisions in the bills before Congress and the president could affect even people who don’t hold digital currencies.

Also, we officially have merch! For a limited time, you can get a special-edition “Hard Fork” hat when you purchase an annual New York Times Audio subscription for the first time. Get your hat at nytimes.com/hardforkhat

Guests:

• David Yaffe-Bellany, New York Times technology reporter covering the crypto industry

Additional Reading:

• Elon Musk’s Grok Chatbot Shares Antisemitic Posts on X

• Google Hires A.I. Leaders From a Start-Up Courted by OpenAI

• Cognition AI Buys Windsurf as A.I. Frenzy Escalates

• ‘Crypto Week’ Is Back on Track After House G.O.P. Quells Conservative Revolt

• The ‘Trump Pump’: How Crypto Lobbying Won Over a President

Credits

“Hard Fork” is hosted by Kevin Roose and Casey Newton and produced by Whitney Jones and Rachel Cohn. We’re edited by Jen Poyant. Engineering by Katie McMurran and original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Rowan Niemisto and Alyssa Moxley. Fact-checking by Caitlin Love.

Special thanks to Paula Szuchman, Pui-Wing Tam, Dahlia Haddad and Jeffrey Miranda.