Apple’s Lawsuit Against OpenAI, New York’s Battle with Data Centers, and Essential Information on Cyclosporiasis

Brian Barrett: Vision Pro.

Zoë Schiffer: The Vision Pro. Thank you very much.

Brian Barrett: You don’t consider Vision Pro on a daily basis?

Zoë Schiffer: No. Honestly, it came and went so fast that I haven’t thought about it since. The reality is, and this applies to various AI hardware as well, like the well-known pin from Humane AI, there are simply many tasks that are more efficiently done on a screen, and that isn’t changing anytime soon. However, if voice-activated agents can perform tasks effectively, there are instances when you might not want to look at a screen continuously. Personally, with my challenging relationship with screens, I’m open to a solution that could improve the experience. But executing such ideas correctly is tough, and so far, no product has managed to achieve that. To provide some context, OpenAI has brought on board over 400 former Apple employees according to the lawsuit.

Leah Feiger: Wow.

Zoë Schiffer: Last year, they paid $6.5 billion for a startup called IO Products, co-founded by notable Apple figures, including Tan, Scott Cannon, Evans Hankey, and the incredibly well-known Jony Ive.

Brian Barrett: Indeed, that’s a massive investment in this area, and it’s certainly a blow for Apple to be losing so many key personnel. They’ve also lost AI researchers to other firms. Apple is really struggling with retaining AI talent and now hardware talent as well, which is a serious concern for them. What excites me most about this situation, although we’re not quite there yet, is that lawsuits generate discovery, and—

Zoë Schiffer: Yay.

Brian Barrett: Yay, discovery! And discovery means we’ll have access to loads of emails where these companies are speaking poorly about one another and themselves. It’s bound to be entertaining. It’s always a pleasure when these things unfold.

Zoë Schiffer: It’s absolutely enjoyable. No one is more entertaining than a lawyer tangled in an IP dispute.

Brian Barrett: That needs to be on a mug, Zoë.

Zoë Schiffer: For sure.

Brian Barrett: Wow. Do we already have merchandise for that—

Zoë Schiffer: I’m all for it.

Brian Barrett: That’s our merchandise. Absolutely.

Zoë Schiffer: That’s our merchandise!

Brian Barrett: OpenAI’s challenges aren’t limited to the Apple lawsuit this week. WIRED has discovered that OpenAI team members are backing a competing super PAC aimed at advocating for stricter regulations on Frontier AI Labs. This PAC stands in opposition to the funding efforts of individuals like Greg Brockman, an OpenAI executive, and others who have sought to boost AI development while reducing regulations. The new super PAC, named Guardrails Alliance, has a nice ring to it. It was launched last month.