When Ed can’t swear on CNN

🎉🎉CUE! THE! BAGPIPES! 🎉🎉 www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6rX...

I am genuinely surprised they allowed this

Honestly same. The guy offered pushback questions but they were reasonable and not the kind of interrupt and talk-over-the-guest BS I'm so used to seeing on these big news networks lately.

they would never allow this kind of thing on the main CNN feed, they go out of their way to avoid platforming people critical of corporate power

(ask me how I know)

Tell us!

Yeah I noticed, CNNi is levels above the main US channel.

they're somewhat infused with the European interest in actual journalism

The guy is like, "Well surely there must be something here. Surely I, The Rube of the Week, haven't been sold a bag of lies."

This is singularly the best interview on tech I’ve ever witnessed. Clear message, hard numbers, refuse to allow for non-sensical pushback. Pardon me while I go forward this to everyone at work.

"Experts (plus Ed Zitron) warn about..."

hmm?

Joke! (being called out by you is one of the proudest moments of my life though)

Dude, you killed it. Well done. Bonus points for the wrestling reference.

honestly that happened because my brain shorted out and I nearly said "a fughazi" lol

I'm puzzled that we're not talking about the concept of kayfabe *all the time*

i said it on npr too!

Oh I didn't catch your NPR interview. Going to have to find that.

Explains maga imho

serving face and facts

fixated on wondering how much of the CNN afternoon audience knows what kayfabe is

Well said 🙌🏽

Is this the point the world realises what is happening... ? 🤔

we shall see

Max was great and teed up some fun quotes

Congratulations! And thank you for speaking up!

I once asked my job why they were wasting money, time, manpower, all things we were told we didnt have on a AI bot when the customer service line had been broken for years, only to be told to off and then months later the AI Bot was canned after 0 use and the customer service line was still broken,

Even with proof, and examples, somehow they assume youre wrong and they are the one time it will go right and they will unlock infinite money or something? For fuck sakes man the earth is in a vacuum called space, HUMANITY SETS THE VALUE ON EVERYTHING, but only those in power get to say what value.

you look so serious

AI keeps oiling the wheels of the media

screen froze, thought the frame was neat

the age of the smiling man is over. the time of the frowning man has come

Frowning Man Autumn

Agreed

Hoffdaddy mentioned!

I keep thinking "I really enjoy Ed's northern accent" despite having no idea what I'm talking about

i'm from west london!

Oops!

This was really good. We need more people who are knowledgeable and plain spoken about things like you. I wasn't sure what a non-swearing Ed would be like, but it works.

It’s very telling of the mainstream understanding of genAI that they keep using stock footage of robotics when you’re talking about LLMs.

I wonder how long the dog and pony show will last until everyone is dumping these companies

Thank you

Right on! Great job, Ed! Hopefully this won't be the last one, ya doomer😉👍🏿

You killed it dog. Host sounded a bit incredulous at times—lol'd at "but surely this is just *early* in the AI revolution?" but the facts are the facts!

Great interview! You did a really good job of balancing between professionalism and seething contempt.

Bro I can’t believe they let you on CNN! And that was so well done.

Producer in his ear must have gotten a phone call from Wario and Sammy!

CNN: But you’ve got to hand it to AI Ed: *shaking head/frowning* no

That clear, unequivocal "nnNO!" at the 2:50 mark is wonderful.

Congrats, Ed!

Nailed it Ed!

Great to see you're getting to do this, I hope it happens more in the future.

I don't think that could have gone better. Really seized the opportunity there. Great stuff Ed!

Nice job!

Ed! I teach screenwriting and I always send my hyperventilating students to your podcast. You have become a hero to MANY.

Fuck yeah tell em, ed

The newspapers are finally paying attention — well done, Ed Zitron.

People should do a side by side comparison of Sam Altmans recent call into a similar show with this appearance by Ed. One one side a raft of intangible grandiose vapour & handwaving vs. real conviction and clear answers arrived at through deep research with facts in hand. Class act Ed!

Will always respect anyone who can throw the term kayfabe into a mainstream news interview.

said it on npr too lol

My man said "fudging the numbers" but I'm so used to the podcast I thought he was really going in to say "fucking" on CNN

King

Ty

how hard was it for you not to curse

really sincerely glad there's somebody saying this stuff publicly, it makes the conversations a bunch of us are having or eventually going to have to have a lot easier

I have been preparing a long time for this

Can't believe they listed your title as "CEO EZPR" and not your real title: KNPR Shirt Model.

Absolutely love the incredibly specific technical claim "but they're going in a certain direction that will be the revolution" and the utter disdain you meet it with. People need to know that they can, and should openly laugh at this stuff.

Brilliant interview! It definitely felt like you had to contain yourself not to call Sam Altman a "fucking liar" live on CNN. A lot of us wouldn't have that sort of self-control

nah i'm never close to cursing on air, I've got control

What if they brought SAltman on with you?

I would have many questions

I accidentally turned on the domestic feed and had to listen to Andrew Yang talk out his ass

yeah when i was getting prepped i saw that interview and immediately was ready to crush

Awesome. Great interview.

Debunking the religiously around this scam in 4 minutes. Well done

Incredible, finally so refreshing to hear someone who actually follows AI and its (lack of) progress instead of someone regurgitating marketing talking points.

Max Foster: “AI models are processing information in the way humans do” It’s true that AI models process information, but not in the way humans do. It’s interesting how misunderstandings like this have become so widespread.

As a human, I don't know what words mean and am unable to parse the difference between fact and fiction and I respond to other people by intensively calculating what response is statistically most likely to be the one they were expecting

I first started seeing this claim as a pushback to the art-generator models. Very early on, artists were saying "hey this is just stealing our work for profit" and it took a while before AI-Boosters came out with a talking point to try and handwave that ethical argument away.

"It's just learning like humans do" is very easy to repeat, and it's pretty easy to land on anyone who doesn't really understand how these models work. If you're using these image generators, it's a convenient lie to tell yourself and others to absolve yourself of that ethical problem.

The way I think about AI, specifically machine learning, is that you're programming a deterministic machine to recognize patterns and (to a limited degree) simulate understanding of abstract concepts. It's why getting a machine to recognize handwritten letters is so revolutionary.

This is a pretty great interview because you were very clearly prepared and had specific examples ready to answer for every question you got. One question, though: Did you say kayfabe because you were about to say "bullshit" and were trying not to swear?

Honest to god, i slept terribly and my brain wanted me to say "fugazi" so I went with the next word, which was less helpful if I'm honest but it's better than me sounding like I'm doing a bit

I'm really glad you're getting more attention. I said it before and I'll say it again, you do a phenomenal job of articulating why this is all nonsense. You're clear and concise and make it all digestible for the layman.

Having done the podcast and forming a style of delivering succinct, sharp messaging has in a weird way positioned you well for this very good 'fuck sam altman' on this one

great job, Ed! you come across as extremely well-informed and a bit of a natural at this whole thing (which, given your PR background, I am not surprised, but still!). you’re doing great work.

thank you man!

I'm glad CNN interviewed you so you can spread this important message, even though theyre also pumping out "tech ceo makes insane claim, let's report it uncritically" stuff. Also if the AI industry has as much revenue as the smart watch h industry, does that mean Garmin will save humanity?