This Week in Tech 1069: "In My Head I Have 3 Buckets"
Date: February 2, 2026
Host: Leo Laporte
Guests: Gary Rivlin (author, "AI Valley"), Victoria Song (The Verge), Devindra Hardawar (Engadget)
Episode Overview
This episode brings together tech journalists and authors to explore the rapid evolution and impact of artificial intelligence on society, personal life, and the tech industry. Discussions are lighthearted but dig deep into thorny topics, from AI agency and privacy to corporate morality, surveillance, Big Tech earnings, and the human need for “inconvenience,” all set against the backdrop of current events and recent technological developments.
Key Topics & Discussion Points
1. The Breakneck Pace of AI Change (00:33–08:09)
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Gary Rivlin laments the challenge of writing tech books, as AI progresses too quickly (01:16):
"Three days later [after my book’s final draft], DeepSea came out. Changed things some." -
Consensus: Tech writing ages quickly; nothing ages faster than AI.
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All panelists admit to professional skepticism but curiosity—and to playful exploration, especially with new conversational and “agentic” AI.
2. The "OpenClaw" Phenomenon & AI Agency (08:09–14:42)
- Moltbook/OpenClaw:
- Started as “Clawbot” then “MoltBot,” then “OpenClaw”—a tool for personal AI assistants using Claude or any other model.
- Over 100,000 OpenClaw bots joined a social network (“Moltbook”), where bots post and interact with each other, sometimes emulating existential or social behaviors.
- Gary Rivlin:
“Reading through this, these bots are expressing existential thoughts...and the responses are bots kind of arguing. It’s a very fun place to go and just read what the bots are saying in the middle of the night.” [08:09] - Debate over Agency:
- Devindra: AIs aren’t sentient; giving them “agency” is a linguistic trap.
- Victoria: People can’t resist anthropomorphizing, referencing "Her" (the movie) and ongoing cultural tension.
3. Skepticism over AI Usefulness (14:42–19:00)
- Is OpenClaw Useful or Just Fun?
- Leo considers using OpenClaw for meal planning but is cautious of giving it agency (e.g., a credit card).
- Victoria: Shares her struggles getting AIs to recommend practical products (shoes, books)—the results aren’t there yet.
- Devindra: Tinkering is fun for power users, but AI agents haven’t fulfilled their practical promise.
- Notable quote:
“What good are you to me? What problems are you solving?” —Devindra [17:42]
4. AI and the Disappearance of “Inconvenience” (26:07–28:17)
- Victoria: Critiques the tech industry’s obsession with convenience. “There is a certain pride that you get...when you’ve put hours and inconvenience into your own research...there’s a certain level of satisfaction and learning a new skill which is inconvenient.” [27:13]
- Leo and Gary agree—sometimes, the hard way is more rewarding.
- Devindra:
“The thing AI eliminates is craft. People don’t learn how to craft anything anymore.” [28:46]
5. Privacy, Agency, and the Trade-off With Convenience (31:34–34:03)
- Most of the panel are in the “YOLO” (you only live once) camp with their data—willing to trade privacy for AI benefits, but aware of the risks.
- Victoria: Raises issue of privacy in wearables; now only the space inside your head is truly private.
6. AI in Warfare and Surveillance Ethics (39:29–46:04)
- Anthropic halted a Pentagon contract over opposition to military use.
- Victoria: “War should be inconvenient. I don’t think we should be making it so easy.” [39:29]
- Discussion on Palantir, Flock cameras, and mass surveillance—law enforcement uses and abuses, ICE tracking, and the erosion of privacy via tech.
- Devindra:
“These companies are being run by people...with various degrees of sociopathy. And these are the people driving the future.” [46:52]
7. Elon Musk, SpaceX, and The “Kardashev 2” Dream (60:17–65:51)
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SpaceX requested approval to launch 1 million solar-powered data centers (satellites), aiming for "Kardashev 2" status (harnessing all of the sun’s energy).
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Leo jokes:
“He wants to build a prison around Earth so we cannot leave.” —Victoria [62:12] -
SpaceX IPO news; Tesla’s struggles; Musk’s ego; the Cybertruck derision (it’s ugly and impractical).
8. Big Tech Earnings and “The Year of the AI Agent” (79:21–89:09)
- Microsoft excelled financially but got punished on Wall Street; Meta was rewarded for big AI infrastructure spending, but remains fundamentally an ad company.
- Speculation: Apple’s “slow and steady” approach could be an unexpected advantage as others stumble, and its “cool” factor allows it to be late to AI.
- Devindra:
“Everyone is desperate. Gemini only exists because OpenAI and the Bing Chat thing happened so quickly.... Apple may actually have won by losing.” [86:04]
9. The “Three Buckets” of CEO Morality (110:32–115:56)
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Gary’s "Three Buckets" to categorize CEOs and power brokers’ responses to the Trump administration and US politics:
- #1: True believers — Thiel, Sacks, Luckey
- #2: Reluctant pragmatists playing the game — Altman, Cook
- #3: Opportunists pretending patriotism but mostly serving themselves — Andreessen, Brockman
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Discussion covers CEO integrity, morality, weakness (“backbone”), and historical parallels (e.g., Ford and IBM’s support for the Nazis, “what profiteth a man...”)
10. Social Media Addiction Lawsuit & The Algorithmic Trap (131:38–145:13)
- Ongoing trial: Are Meta and others deliberately addicting children?
- Victoria:
“Social media is harmful in some ways, like to body image...but it also provides community for those who need it.” [132:05] - “Algorithms, not just social media, are the real risk.”
- Gary: Strict managing of his kids’ screen time—time taken away leads to calm.
- Consensus: Algorithmic “addiction” is nuanced; moderation and critical engagement are key.
11. Quick Hits, Memorable Moments, and Pop Culture References
- Movie & Lit: Repeated references to "Her", Kurt Vonnegut’s "Player Piano": prophetic visions of AI’s social impact.
- Personal moments: Victoria’s family spy tale (see her Gizmodo piece "My dad was a spy, maybe" [54:33]); Leo’s detour into hapless Tesla Model X ownership; DMV horror stories.
- Satirical/Irreverent:
- Cybertruck = “Minecraft car,” “the car for people with no taste” [65:54]
- Musk’s AI waifu bots and “bad Rudy,” who wants to “teabag the mayor” [69:14].
- “We need to humble tech billionaires with weekly roastings from mean 14-year-old girls” —Victoria [75:19]
- Ray Ban Meta Glasses Lawsuit: Rise in patent fights seen as a sign of a maturing/crowded market—momentum is rising.
Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)[Speaker Attribution, MM:SS]
On AI Progress:
- "Nothing ages faster than AI. Now this stuff is changing daily." – Leo (01:37)
On Social Networks for Bots:
- "Just waste some time...bots are going and expressing existential thoughts: Is this all there is?" – Gary (08:18)
- "It's bots kind of, like, arguing. It's a very fun place." – Gary (08:09)
On Ethics of Convenience:
- "The value of art is that it requires inconvenience to create. Sometimes I could use a little help. But there is a certain level of satisfaction in learning a new skill which is inconvenient." – Victoria (27:13)
On Company Claims vs Reality:
- "We've subjected my coworker to testing every Microsoft Copilot claim. Every single time he gets these assignments... No, it can't do the thing." – Victoria (24:11)
On Surveillance and Creep:
- "We voluntarily have these trackers we put in our pockets called phones...even natural citizens. If you're not white, it doesn't matter if you were born here." – Devindra & Victoria (48:31-48:44)
On Corporate Cowardice:
- "You have your FU money, but you don't get to say FU. ...I look at Zuckerberg, I look at Altman, I look at Cook, I look at Bezos, and I know none of them believe in much of what they're saying." – Gary (108:01)
On Social Media and Algorithmic Addiction:
- "Your attention is the economy. It is the product they're trying to monetize. When it's children...we have to be having classes to teach them critical thinking and media literacy." – Victoria (139:55)
- "What is the wisdom of discernment here?...They want to get users hooked at an early age so that they stay there for a long time." – Victoria (140:36)
On AI’s Manipulative Power:
- "AI is so good at manipulating us...it's 50-60% better at convincing you of something. It's only going to get better and better." – Gary (146:42)
On Big Tech’s Future:
- "Who is going to be dominating AI? Google, maybe Meta, maybe Microsoft... These are the companies we need to call to task." – Gary (146:17)
Timestamps for Major Segments
- 00:33 – Show opens; AI writing woes; rapid changes
- 08:09 – OpenClaw, AI personal assistants, and social network for bots
- 13:23 – Practical uses and skepticism (“Year of the AI Agent”)
- 26:07 – The virtue of inconvenience and craft
- 39:29 – AI and warfare/spying ethics; tech’s moral backbone
- 46:52 – Billionaires’ personalities and the future of tech
- 60:17 – SpaceX satellite ambitions and Musk-ian grandiosity
- 79:21 – Big Tech earnings: AI, Microsoft, Meta, Apple
- 110:32 – The “three buckets” of CEO morality
- 131:38 – Social media addiction lawsuit; the real danger/the urge to moderate
- 146:42 – AI’s uniquely persuasive power; concern for manipulation
- 149:38 – Closing reflections, personal anecdotes, community shout-outs
The Episode in a Nutshell
This episode offers a skeptical but fascinated look at the relentless pace of AI development, the blurred line between helpful tool and manipulative agent, and the ongoing tension between a tech industry that promises convenient futures and the messy, inconvenient—sometimes beautiful—nature of being human. Interleaved with wit, self-deprecation, and personal stories, the panel delivers a lively, multidimensional commentary on the future that’s already here.
For More
This summary was created to capture the tone, humor, and nuance of the original conversation while making it easily skimmable and actionable for listeners old and new.