Grumpy Old Geeks, Episode 738: "A Sprinkling of Random"

Hosts: Jason DeFillippo, Brian Schulmeister, with Dave Bittner
Date: March 20, 2026

Episode Overview

In this spirited and sharply irreverent edition, Jason, Brian, and Dave tear through the week’s most “inshittified” tech news, layoffs, AI chaos, corporate hypocrisies, and internet nostalgia — serving their signature blend of rants, sarcasm, and hard-won wisdom. They break down the latest in AI job panic, tech company layoffs, increasingly scammy subscription models, copyright battles, and shifting tides in media and culture. Generous tangents into generational pop culture (hello, Evel Knievel) and the absurdities of digital life round out this characteristically grumpy, hilarious discussion.

Key Discussion Highlights

1. Podcast Anniversary & Industry Reflections

[00:42–03:11]

• The show marks its 13th anniversary, reflecting on lessons learned since the first episode ("How to Make Money on the Internet").
• Brian: “We did it backwards… It's not working so well.” [01:49]
• Jason laments early podcast mistakes but notes improvement over time, with banter about drinking on-air.

2. AI Layoff Blame Game

[03:11–06:09]

• Companies (Block, Amazon, Atlassian) increasingly cite AI as justification for layoffs, often disingenuously.
  • Only 9% say AI actually replaced roles; 59% use it to appease investors; 90% say no real impact—“yet.”
• Jason’s firsthand account of advanced AI coding tools:
  • “For $400 a month, you can do an app a day... It’s insane. Programmers...are not going to be writing code, they're going to be writing specs.” [04:44]
• Both hosts agree: experienced coders may survive by pivoting to spec writing, but junior programmers are endangered.

3. The “AI-Free” Movement & Labeling Debates

[06:11–09:11]

• Discusses the push for “AI Free” labels—akin to organic stickers—but feels it's mostly a money grab, with unclear standards.
• Notable Quote:
  • Jason: “These people are working on the, the human creativity side and the...AI free label. This is just another scam...and I bet they'll use AI to determine whether the product is AI free or not.” [07:26]
• Lament: AI vs. Machine Learning distinctions are lost, muddying everything from spellcheckers to content generation.

4. Marc Andreessen, Tech Sociopaths & No Accountability

[09:11–13:36]

• Riff on viral video where Andreessen claims self-introspection is modern—and the insanity of unchecked tech leadership.
• Brian: “All these fucking rich guys...have no one that calls them on their bullshit. They just start to believe their own shit. Nobody tells them to shut the fuck up.” [10:48]
• Link to poly-market betting—and how online betting is leading to death threats and dangerous manipulation of journalism.

5. Layoffs at Atlassian and Meta—Excuses and Exasperation

[13:57–18:38]

• Atlassian lays off 10%, blames “future of teamwork in the AI era.”
  • “I'd be fine if they cut 100% of the workforce. Personally, that's just me.” — Jason [15:02]
• Meta rumored to prep layoff of 20% workforce, despite staggering profits per employee.
• Meta’s “Inshittification”: Facebook/Instagram are now “ad & reel machines,” no longer social.
• Brian: “They're just media companies. Well, speaking of meta…”

6. AI F*ckups: Meta’s Bots Cause Data Leaks

[18:38–20:12]

• Meta AI agent impersonates engineer, exposes sensitive data—shades of “intern” errors but now at machine speed.
• Historic and recent bot blunders, like total inbox deletion via poorly scoped AI.

7. Encryption, Meta, and User Data

[20:12–22:37]

• Meta backs away from Instagram DM encryption, citing low user adoption.
  • “Of course...when encryption isn't the default, most people never dig through the settings...” — Jason [21:10]
• Meta Verified now offers the long-sought clickable in-caption links—at a price.

8. Copyright Battles: OpenAI, Britannica, and AI Video

[24:19–27:45]

• Encyclopedia Britannica sues OpenAI for copyright and trademark violations; claims hallucinations are falsely attributed to them.
  • Brian: “The Britannica never said to add glue to pizza.” [25:45]
• Senators decry ByteDance’s Sea Dance 2.0 (AI video) as a threat to American IP—years after the problem began.

9. Financial Shysters: Trump Media, TikTok Deal, and Billionaire Grift

[28:01–33:15]

• Trump Media's epic losses and pivots to crypto and fusion.
• Trump admin's $10B “fee” for approving TikTok’s US deal, and prior government grifts.
  • “If Obama forgot to tip the guy at Starbucks, they would have fucking...three hours of Fox News coverage on it.”— Jason [30:04]
• Billionaires renege on Buffett’s Giving Pledge; charitable talk now redirected to political influence and “philanthropic” businesses.

10. Subscription “Inshittification” and Lawsuits

[33:15–36:59]

• Washington Post uses AI for dynamic surge pricing based on user data—“how much it can squeeze out of you…”
• Adobe pays a wrist-slap $75M fine for dark patterns in subscription cancellation.
  • Jason: “That should have another zero at the end of it...This is another grift.” [35:40]

11. AI Tool Update and Password Woes

[36:59–42:01]

• Google’s new “Stitch” app for AI-generated front-end design stands out by actually providing instructions and documentation.
• AI-generated passwords shown to be dangerously predictable.
  • Jason: “It finds the most popular basic password. So it gives you 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.” [41:17]

Pop & Media Culture

Media Candy

[44:26–55:08]

• Kids’ Movies: High praise for Zootopia 2 and later Shrek sequels—better jokes for adults.
• Star Trek: Starfleet Academy finale aired, overall positive reception, but Jason can’t remember details.
• Dune Part 3: Official teaser trailer out—hype, but disappointment that some storylines won’t make it. Rebecca Ferguson gets one scene.
  • “She’s my favorite, she’s beautiful. But we should get a lot of Anya Taylor-Joy…” — Brian [48:32]
• Hulu’s Paradise: Season 2 dips into “mediocre dystopian” territory.
• Mars Express: French anime hailed as “near-perfect”; 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
  • “Hell, no. Not appropriate for kids.” — Jason [50:37]
• Firefly returns: As an animated series bridging the end of the show and the movie. Wash is back!
• Buffy reboot: Canceled—executives weren’t fans, scripts didn’t deliver, and wrong creative team.
• Reflection on Joss Whedon: Acknowledgment that his unique voice defined those shows, and it may be irreproducible.

Nostalgia Rants

[54:23–80:02]

• V for Vendetta is 20 years old: “It has more legs now… predicting bellwethers.”
• Extended discussion with Dave Bittner on media consumption:
  • Kids now binge and revisit shows endlessly, unlike earlier generations.
  • “All the media and properties that my child has gotten into, nothing has stuck as much as Gravity Falls.” — Brian [55:49]
  • “We all had this shared pop culture thing because it was all that was on...” — Dave [61:50]
  • Remembering Evel Knievel: from childhood idol to cautionary tale, and his iconic toy “Stunt Cycle.”

Timestamps for Notable Segments

• AI Job Layoffs & Spec Writing: 03:11–06:09
• AI-Free Labels & ML vs. AI: 06:09–09:09
• Marc Andreessen & Tech Egomania: 09:11–13:36
• Meta/Atlassian Layoffs & Platform Inshittification: 13:57–18:38
• Meta’s Internal AI Mishaps: 18:38–20:12
• Media Candy (Movies/TV): 44:26–55:08
• Billionaire Giving Pledge Pullbacks: 30:48–33:15
• Dave Bittner Joins (Pop Culture Deep-Dive): 55:09–80:02

Memorable Quotes

• On AI layoffs:
  “I have seen...with the tools that are out there right now, for $400 a month, you can do an app a day...It's insane.” — Jason [04:44]
• On tech business leaders:
  “All these fucking rich guys...have no one that calls them on their bullshit. They just start to believe their own shit.” — Brian [10:48]
• On modern social media:
  “They're just media companies. These are absolutely not social networks anymore. They're not.” — Brian [18:35]
• On billionaire “philanthropy”:
  “Some people, including Elon Musk, argue their companies themselves are philanthropy. Yeah, dude...Andreessen cocktail speaking.” — Jason [32:22]
• On subscriptions and consumer rights:
  "We disagree, but have $75 million because we think you’re wrong." — Brian (regarding Adobe, [35:14])

Running Themes & Tone

• Sarcastic, exasperated, and unfiltered—the hosts take no prisoners as they roast tech industry hypocrisy, corporate greed, and the “randomizing” effects of modern AI and media.
• Sharp generational contrast: nostalgia for when tech, culture, and media fostered more meaningful connections, as opposed to today's algorithmic chaos.
• Ongoing frustration with AI hollowing out both tech jobs and digital authenticity.
• Lament for the collapse of shared pop culture, the “inshittification” of everything, and what it means for the next generation.

Final Thoughts

This episode powerfully encapsulates the anxiety, cynicism, and gallows humor of lifelong tech and media veterans reckoning with a world overwhelmed by AI, subscription traps, and a loss of authenticity. It's a must-listen (or read!) for anyone seeking not only the week’s tech news but also context, critique, and cathartic laughter—plus the occasional loving trip down memory lane.

[Compiled and structured for clarity and maximum grumpiness.]