Buzzfeed's AI Ads Are a Disaster

This is a re-upload that was previously only for paying subscribers! It gives a lot more context on the how and why we cover AI they way we do. Subscribe at 404media.co for more bonus content like this. Here's the original description of the episode: We got a lot of, let's say, feedback, with some of our recent stories on artificial intelligence. One was about people using Bing's AI to create images of cartoon characters flying a plane into a pair of skyscrapers. Another was about 4chan using the same tech to quickly generate racist images. Here, we use that dialogue as a springboard to chat about why we cover AI the way we do, the purpose of journalism, and how that relates to AI and tech overall. This was fun, and let us know what you think. Definitely happy to do more of these sorts of discussions for our subscribers in the future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Jason, as both a drones and aliens reporter, tells us what is most likely happening with the mysterious drones flying over New Jersey. After the break, Joseph explains how cops in Serbia are using Cellebrite phone unlocking tech as a doorway to installing malware on activists' and journalists' phones. In the subscribers-only section, Sam tells us all about an amazing art project using traffic cameras in New York City. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/T_JVUHbAzf4 WTF Is Going on With the New Jersey Mystery Drones? Maybe Mass Panic Over Nothing The No-Win 'Mystery Drone' Clusterfuck Cellebrite Unlocked This Journalist’s Phone. Cops Then Infected it With Malware Traffic Camera 'Selfie' Creator Holds Cease and Desist Letter in Front of Traffic Cam Subscribe at 404media.co. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we start with Joseph's story about how the weapon found on the alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO murderer was a particular 3D printed design. Then Jason tells us what he found about the alleged killer Luigi Mangione through his online accounts, and why, ultimately, this kind of journalism might not matter. After the break, Sam talks about how various healthcare companies removed pages about their leadership after the murder, and what we're seeing when it comes to social content moderation around it. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about Congress getting big mad at Apple and Google after 404 Media's reporting on deepfake apps. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/HuyJp3QDTbk 404 Media Objects to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's Subpoena to Access Our Reporting UnitedHealthcare Shooting Person of Interest Had 3D Printed Glock Luigi Mangione Played 'Among Us,' Breathes Air Major Health Insurance Companies Take Down Leadership Pages Following Murder of United Healthcare CEO Moderators Across Social Media Struggle to Contain Celebrations of UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Assassination Congress Pushes Apple to Remove Deepfake Apps After 404 Media Investigation Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We start this week with Sam's stories about multiple people building big datasets of Bluesky users' posts. People are not happy! After the break, Jason talks all about reverse-engineering Redbox machines, and a trip he took to see one being ripped up. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph explains two big moves the U.S. government is making against data brokers. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/i1NlQixGW2I Your Bluesky Posts Are Probably In A Bunch of Datasets Now The Redbox Removal Team FTC Bans Location Data Company That Powers the Surveillance Ecosystem U.S. Government Tries to Stop Data Brokers That Help Dox People Through Credit Data Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we start with Emanuel's couple of stories about Niantic, the company that makes Pokémon Go, and its plan to build an AI model based on data collected by its users. After the break, Jason and Emanuel talk about their big investigation into the rise of "AI pimping." In the subscribers-only section, Joseph explains why he doesn't use a mobile phone and how he uses an iPad Mini instead. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/9NhJGqEqx-U Pokémon Go Players Have Unwittingly Trained AI to Navigate the World Pokémon Go Data ‘Adding Amplitude to War Is Obviously an Issue,’ Niantic Exec Says Inside the Booming 'AI Pimping' Industry I Don't Own a Cellphone. Can This Privacy-Focused Network Change That? Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We start this week with Emanuel's story on how AI-powered ads on Buzzfeed are recommending people buy things like a hat worn by a person who died by suicide. After the break, Joseph talks about an unprecedented leak out of phone forensics tech Graykey. In the subscribers-only section, Sam tells us about HarperCollins' AI deal and how MIT Press is exploring one too. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/CAw0VvCvavA AI-Powered Buzzfeed Ads Suggest You Buy Hat of Man Who Died by Suicide Leaked Documents Show What Phones Secretive Tech ‘Graykey’ Can Unlock HarperCollins Confirms It Has a Deal to Sell Authors' Work to AI Company AI Companies Are Trying to Get MIT Press Books Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by DeleteMe. Friend of 404 Media Matthew Gault talks to Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security, about the ways scammers and criminals are using AI, and how it's changing social engineering attacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week Joseph starts with his scoop on how Apple quietly introduced code that reboots iPhones, locking out cops. After the break, we all talk about the big Blue Sky migration. In the subscribers-only section, we talk about how we plan to cover, and what to cover, in the new U.S. administration. YouTube version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNRjqqe29iE Apple Quietly Introduced iPhone Reboot Code Which is Locking Out Cops The Big Blue Sky Migration Why the Work Still Matters Subscribe at 404media.co for bonus content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Election Day in the U.S. Jason tells us about EagleAI, a piece of software that could be used to purge voter rolls in the country. After the break, Sam breaks down Microsoft's mistake around gender-predicting AI, and an experiment to test when Instagram considers a nipple as female. In the subscribers-only section, Joseph goes long on his investigation into the infostealer industry. YouTube version: https://youtu.be/JDAW53zv29g Inside the Plan to Use AI to Purge Voter Rolls Microsoft Provided Gender Detection AI on Accident When Does Instagram Decide a Nipple Becomes Female? Inside the Massive Crime Industry That is Hacking Billion Dollar Companies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An Elon Musk-funded super PAC has expanded an advertising campaign in which it is impersonating Democrats and targeting registered Republicans with policies unpopular with conservatives they say Kamala Harris will pass if she wins the election. Plus, Sam takes us inside Northwell Health, New York's largest hospital system, which is pushing AI on its doctors. Articles discussed in this podcast: https://www.404media.co/elon-musk-funded-pac-supercharges-progress-2028-democrat-impersonation-ad-campaign/ https://www.404media.co/northwell-health-ai-hub-tool-chatgpt-doctors/ https://www.404media.co/scientists-and-archivists-worry-epic-games-control-of-the-3d-model-market-will-destroy-cultural-heritage/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices