When Chatbots Play Human

In a pre-Superbowl interview on Fox News, President Trump talked about his plans for the Department of Education and Gaza, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been targeted for closure, and details from an NPR reporter's flight into Gaza with one of Jordan's humanitarian flights into the territory. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Roberta Rampton, Emily Kopp, Nishant Dahiya, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Mansee Khurana, Kaity Kline and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent. And our technical director is David Greenburg.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Increasingly, tech companies like Meta and Character.AI are giving human qualities to chatbots. Many have faces, names and distinct personalities. Some industry watchers say these bots are a way for big tech companies to boost engagement and extract increasing amounts of information from users. But what's good for a tech company's bottom line might not be good for you. Today on The Sunday Story from Up First, we consider the potential risks to real humans of forming "relationships" and sharing data with tech creations that are not human.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Federal judges temporarily block several Trump Administration moves aimed at reshaping the government. One order halts efforts to dramatically reduce the personnel of the U.S. Agency for International Development, but USAID is at a standstill. The Kansas City Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles at the Super Bowl on Sunday.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Justice Department is moving to implement President Trump's agenda for the agency, some large companies in the US are deleting or softening DEI language from their investor disclosures and influenza is peaking twice this winter.Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Rafael Nam, Scott Hensley, Janaya Williams, Alice Woelfle and Ben Adler. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Patrick Murray, our technical director is Zac Coleman. And our Executive Producer is Kelley Dickens.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Federal workers must decide today whether to accept an offer to resign. After calling for the US to take over Gaza, President Trump has also promised an announcement about the West Bank, and humanitarian programs around the world are being shut down as most USAID workers have been put on leave. Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Emily Kopp, Nishant Dahiya, Rebecca Davis, Janaya Williams and Ally Schweitzer. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

President Trump has laid out a new vision for US ownership of the Gaza Strip, the first planeload of migrants from the US has arrived in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and all staff members at the foreign aid agency USAID have been put on administrative leave.Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Nishant Dahiya, Barrie Hardymon, Rebecca Davis, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Simon-Laslo Janssen. And our technical director is Neisha Heinis.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

At the last moment the US paused its trade wars with Canada and Mexico, the Trump administration is reportedly targeting the US Department of Education for closure and questions are being raised about the amount of government access given to Elon Musk and his DOGE entity.Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Tara Neill, Brett Neely, Steven Drummond, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nearly all foreign aid programs delivered by the US Agency for International Development, or USAID, have been halted, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in Washington, D.C. and Sec. Marco Rubio is in Panama following up on President Trump's statements about the Panama Canal. Also, a new NPR series is helping consumers find safely-sourced cannabis products.Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Dana Farrington, Nishant Dahiya, Sami Yenigun, Andrea De Leon, Janaya Williams and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Lilly Quiroz, Nia Dumas, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Arthur Laurent. And our technical director is Neisha Heinis.A previous version of this episode included an error reported by the State Department, that Marco Rubio was the first Secretary of State in over a century to make Latin America the first visit of his tenure. Rubio is the first Secretary of State in over century to make Panama the first visit of his tenure. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The recent wildfires around Los Angeles are just the most recent example of how extreme weather driven by climate change is affecting housing across the country. Millions of homes are at risk of flooding, fire or drought. Increasingly, local municipalities are facing hard decisions about whether to tear homes down or ban new construction altogether. Today on The Sunday Story, we share an episode that originally aired last year in which reporters Rebecca Hersher and Lauren Sommer visit three communities in the US trying to balance the need for housing with the threat of climate-driven disaster.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The White House says President Trump will implement tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China on Saturday. Also, the FAA prohibits most helicopters from flying near Reagan Washington National Airport.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy