Once seen by politicians as a tool to tackle issues, Capitol Hill is finding out that technology could be a double-edged sword with unintended consequences. Cecilia Kang, National Technology Correspondent at The New York Times, joined to take a closer look at the crossroads between politics and Silicon Valley.
Kang discussed why the Democrats became sour on Silicon Valley. She said the 2016 election was the start of a journey for the Democratic party to evaluate the role of technology companies in the spread of information. Kang added that they wanted to investigate whether social media companies were good or potentially harmful for democracy. When the shock wore off from the election results, they wanted to look into what was behind the outcome.
Are Democrats just trying to find something else to blame for election results they aren’t happy with? Kang pointed out that social media companies themselves have acknowledged that they did play a role in the election. This is evident in the newsfeed algorithm changes implemented by Facebook. The company is now placing a heavier emphasis on content from friends and family opposed to content from publishers.
OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT will soon engage in "erotica for verified adults." CEO Sam Altman says the company aims to allow more user freedom for adults while setting limits for teens. OpenAI isn't the first to explore sexualized AI, but previous attempts have faced legal and societal challenges. Altman believes OpenAI isn't the "moral police" and wants to differentiate content similar to how Hollywood differentiates R-rated movies. This move could help OpenAI, which is losing money, turn a profit. However, experts express concerns about the impact on real-world relationships and the potential for misuse.
CNN is launching a new “All Access” streaming subscription in the U.S. on October 28th, priced at $6.99 a month, or just $69.99 if you sign up for a full year.
