The New York Times
"Hard Fork" Podcast Episode
Match Group’s New CEO and AI-Generated Article
Casey Newton: Hi, I’m Casey Newton from "Platformer".
Kevin Roose: And I’m Kevin Roose, a tech columnist at "The New York Times". This is "Hard Fork".
Casey Newton: Today, we’re discussing the latest news in the tech world, including the new CEO of Match Group, the company behind Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge.
Kevin Roose: That’s right, Casey. And we’re also diving into the world of AI-generated content and tools.
The Discussion
Casey Newton: So, Match Group has a new CEO, Kevin. And I imagine you’ve spent some time on Zillow, looking for houses. (laughs)
Kevin Roose: (laughs) Yes.
Casey Newton: Well, this raises the question, Kevin. As you’re browsing through your Tinder matches, do you think we’ll see a Zestimate of that person’s worth?
Kevin Roose: (laughs) I think that’s a great idea. I think they should analyze market conditions and say, "The market price for a tall gay man in San Francisco is down 30 percent from last year."
Casey Newton: That’s right, short kings are having a huge moment. I just think the Zestimate should say something like, "This person probably still has roommates" – that kind of information you want to know before you swipe.
Kevin Roose: You know how on Zillow you can see the history of every house or of every property? I think you should be able to see the entire relationship history.
Casey Newton: The entire romantic history, the last three romantic partners.
Kevin Roose: Yes, two relationships ago, this person got dumped for not being a good communicator.
Casey Newton: I have to say, we’ve come up with more good product ideas for Tinder in these past five minutes than Tinder has in the past year. Call us!
Kevin Roose: (laughs) Call us.
The Main Story
Kevin Roose: The biggest story in tech this week is actually not happening in the Bay Area, where we live. It’s happening in Washington, D.C.
Casey Newton: It sure is, Kevin.
Kevin Roose: So, Elon Musk and his team at DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, have been hacking away at the federal government, barging into agencies, demanding data and access to computer systems, basically staging what some people are calling a tech takeover of the federal government.
Casey Newton: Yeah.
Kevin Roose: And Musk brought with him to Washington a bunch of people to help him with this effort, including a number of young men, some of them in their 20s, and even, reportedly, a teenager or two, who are helping him with this effort.
Casey Newton: Yeah, including Luke Farritor, who we mentioned on the show in a previous episode, Kevin. Because he was part of an effort to decode ancient scrolls using AI.
Kevin Roose: Yeah. And together, they’ve been pulling late nights, some of them reportedly literally sleeping in their offices, so that they can work basically around the clock to shrink the federal government.
Casey Newton: Yeah. And they’re doing it in some really aggressive, and some would say, scary ways. They have already gained access to the Treasury’s payment system. They have put on leave nearly the entire workforce of USAID. And they have emailed roughly 2 million federal workers, Kevin, offering them the option to resign, and allegedly to be paid through the end of September.
Kevin Roose: Yes. And the subject line of that email was "Fork in the Road," which is not a "Hard Fork" reference.
Casey Newton: That we know of.
The Conclusion
The conversation between Casey Newton and Kevin Roose covers a range of topics, from the new CEO of Match Group to the implications of Elon Musk’s efforts to "hack" the federal government. They also discuss the potential for AI-generated content to revolutionize the way we communicate and interact with each other.
FAQs
Q: What is the "Hard Fork" podcast about?
A: "Hard Fork" is a podcast hosted by Casey Newton from "Platformer" and Kevin Roose, a tech columnist at "The New York Times". They discuss the latest news and trends in the tech world.
Q: Who is the new CEO of Match Group?
A: Kevin Roose is the new CEO of Match Group, the company behind Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge.
Q: What is DOGE, and what is its connection to the federal government?
A: DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) is a team led by Elon Musk, which is working to "hack" the federal government and make it more efficient.
