Elon Musk’s Grand xAI Plans

Michael Calore: Lauren, what is your favorite Elon Musk company? Which of his many companies fascinates you the most?

Lauren Goode: Define favorite.

Michael Calore: Which one are you most intrigued by?

Lauren Goode: Does that really mean favorite? I think that “favorite” inherently has a positive connotation, and I’m not sure I would envision any of Elon Musk’s companies in that space.

Michael Calore: Not even Twitter?

Lauren Goode: Well, I mean, I used to have a huge fondness for Twitter, but that was before Elon Musk. I can tell you what I like least.

Michael Calore: Which?

Lauren Goode: Which is Neuralink.

Michael Calore: brain-computer interface.

Lauren Goode: Because what have those poor pigs, sheep and monkeys ever done to Elon Musk to deserve this? OK. If I had to say I would probably say Tesla. What is your favorite Elon Musk company? What is your favorite Elon Musk company?

Michael Calore: I’d say it’s Twitter, mostly because I think it still has the clearest potential for good.

Lauren Goode: Interesting. Really?

Michael Calore: Yes.

Lauren Goode: Not even Tesla, not even the revolution of the electric vehicle and maybe also a more sustainable mobility.

Michael Calore: That’s noble and we should definitely do that. But I think if we really want to solve the climate crisis, we have to stop relying on cars altogether.

Lauren Goode: Correct, and batteries also have their own problems.

Michael Calore: They do, yes.

Lauren Goode: To the right. Okay, so is that it? is this our show

Michael Calore: Yes. oh no wait You know what?

Lauren Goode: What?

Michael Calore: There is now one more company to add to the list.

Lauren Goode: What?

Michael Calore: Yes.

Lauren Goode: Another Elon Musk venture?

Michael Calore: Let us talk about it.

Lauren Goode: Exactly what we needed.

[Gadget Lab intro theme music plays]

Michael Calore: Hello everybody. Welcome to the Gadget Lab. I’m Michael Calore, I’m Managing Editor at WIRED.

Lauren Goode: And I’m Lauren Goode, I’m Senior Writer at WIRED.

Michael Calore: We’re back this week with WIRED Editor-in-Chief Steven Levy. Hello Steven.

Steven Levy: Hello folks. Nice to be back on the podcast.

Michael Calore: It’s great to have you.

Lauren Goode: It’s really great to have you, Steven. I always think of the editor broadly as an editor in jam mode, but as far as I can see on Zoom, you’re not in jam mode.

Steven Levy: I am at large, I am being pursued by the authorities somewhere.

Michael Calore: In order. As previously mentioned, Elon Musk is back in the headlines. Really? Does he ever leave the news?

Lauren Goode: Nope.