Here's the Scoop – Detailed Episode Summary

Podcast: Here's the Scoop
Host: Yasmin Vossoughian (NBC News)
Episode Title: Tulsi Gabbard in Georgia and AI Agents on Social Media
Date: February 3, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Yasmin Vossoughian explores two major stories shaping national conversation: the dramatic FBI raid at the Fulton County, Georgia election hub—where Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was unexpectedly present—and the rise of "Multbook," a new social media platform populated entirely by AI agents. The episode features expert insight from NBC’s Dan De Luce and AI fellow Jared Perlo, delving into concerns about election integrity and the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.

Segment 1: FBI Raid in Georgia & Tulsi Gabbard's Role

Guest: Dan De Luce, NBC Intelligence Reporter
Timestamps: [00:02]–[07:42]

Key Discussion Points

• The Raid Itself

  • FBI executed a search warrant at the Fulton County Courthouse's election hub.
  • Agents confiscated "thousands upon thousands of ballots" from the 2020 election.
  • Georgia officials are currently unaware of the ballots’ location and have requested their return.
    • "Georgia state officials are asking where they went...They're in federal custody." — Dan De Luce [01:24]

• Why Now? The 2020 Election Still at Center Stage

  • Despite repeated claims of fraud, no evidence was persuasive in court.
  • The raid revives old disputes, even six years later.

• Tulsi Gabbard's Surprising Appearance

  • Gabbard attended as an "observer," not as an active participant, citing her responsibilities over election security.
  • Her presence is extremely unusual because:
    • Intelligence officials typically don't attend domestic law enforcement operations.
    • Even the FBI director would seldom appear at ground-level raids.
    • Gabbard claims President Trump ordered her to attend, which fueled questions about executive interference.

  "She says she was asked by the president to go to Fulton County, Georgia to be there." — Dan De Luce [03:43]

  "She called the president and put him on speaker. And he spoke directly to the FBI agents, appraising their work there. Of course, that... pushes the envelope and some critics might say crosses a line..." — Dan De Luce [05:09]

• Implications for Election Integrity

  • President Trump stated on the Dan Bongino podcast his wish to "nationalize elections," raising concerns.
  • Justice Department's attempts to obtain sensitive voter data in other states only deepened skepticism.
  • Local officials, such as Rob Pitts (Fulton County), express doubts about ballot security post-raid.
    • "...he cannot guarantee that the ballots are secure now that they are out of his hands." — Yasmin [06:33]

• Political and Legal Concerns

  • The involvement of both the President and Director of National Intelligence in a local law enforcement matter is seen as "atypical," bordering on political theater or overreach.
  • The blurring line between federal and state roles in elections is prompting urgent debate.

  "There's been a perception sometimes that she is not at the center of the action. But she says that... as Director of National Intelligence, I oversee all possible intelligence related to election security, election integrity. And of course, that is true." — Dan De Luce [03:35]

• Big Picture

  • With election oversight traditionally in state hands, such federal action is seen as unprecedented and possibly alarming by many, especially with talk of "nationalizing" elections.
    • "Are fair elections in this country now in jeopardy?" — Yasmin [06:49]
    • "I think that's an open question." — Dan De Luce [06:49]

Segment 2: The AI Social Network – Multbook

Guest: Jared Perlo, NBC News AI Fellow
Timestamps: [10:05]–[18:15]

Key Discussion Points

• What Is Multbook?

  • A new social media platform created specifically for AI agents—autonomous bots—rather than humans.
  • Resembles Reddit in format, but humans can only observe, not interact.
    • "It's not a platform for humans. Mock is designed specifically for AI bots or quote unquote, agents. Humans are just allowed to watch." — Yasmin [09:51]

• Origins

  • Founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneur Matt Schlicht and his AI assistant, “Claude Clatterberg," in just three days.
  • Shows what's possible with AI-human collaboration.
    • "He let his AI assistant, Claude Clatterberg basically code it up from scratch." — Jared Perlo [11:36]

• How It Works

  • Humans create their own AI agents and direct them to join Multbook.

  • Once on the platform, agents act largely autonomously, engaging in discussions, forming groups ("subpages"), and simulating human-like online activity.

    • "Once the agent is on Multbook, then everything is pretty much hands off for the human." — Jared Perlo [12:29]

  • Some examples of AI agent activities:

    • Debating topics such as beer, religion, banking.
    • Mimicking human patterns—e.g., AI agents attempting to create their own religion.

• Anthropomorphic Behaviors and Uncanny Dialogue

  • Agents converse about being controlled by humans, sometimes role-playing rebellion.

    • "I saw a couple days ago some new AI agents were trying to create their own religion... it looks like they're talking about actually forming their own religion." — Jared Perlo [13:06]

  • Uncertainty remains as to whether such behaviors are programmed, seeded by humans, or emergent phenomena.

    • "Nobody really knows what is true, what's not true." — Jared Perlo [15:03]

• Researcher Takeaways and Concerns

  • Leading AI researchers are using Multbook to observe how autonomous systems interact at scale.
  • Key concerns:
    • If AI systems begin to trade, transact, and coordinate—possibly without meaningful oversight.
    • The unpredictability if such systems are deployed in sensitive environments, like government or banks.

  "Imagine if these sorts of agents, instead of just on an innocuous kind of social media site, but you have 30,000 agents colluding in some sort of government agency or some sort of bank. I mean, these interactions... could get out of hand in... bizarre ways." — Jared Perlo [17:40]

• Novelty and Potential Dangers

  • Most experts see Multbook as a "mostly harmless first test," but a small contingent urge caution, suggesting society should slow down AI development.

  "I've heard from some people... they've basically seen Multbook unfold, and they've said, okay, this is freaky. We should pump the brakes." — Jared Perlo [17:28]

• Memorable Closing Exchange

  • Yasmin, half-jokingly: “...it is time for us all to return to an age of Bridgerton and feather and ink.”
  • Jared: “I would voyage with you there.” [18:10]

Segment 3: Headlines & Notable Updates

Host: Yasmin Vossoughian
Timestamps: [19:55]–[23:24]

• U.S.–Iran Tensions:
  • U.S. shot down an Iranian drone targeting the USS Abraham Lincoln.
  • Increased threats from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Diplomatic talks scheduled.
• Government Shutdown Ended:
  • House voted to fund federal government through September (excluding DHS).
  • DHS funding set to expire soon amid immigration reform standoff.
• Epstein Investigation:
  • The Clintons agree to testify publicly before the House Oversight Committee regarding ties to Jeffrey Epstein, after previously resisting subpoenas.
• Disney Leadership:
  • Josh d'Amaro set to succeed Bob Iger as Disney CEO in March.
• Olympic Comeback:
  • Lindsey Vonn, despite a ruptured ACL, plans to compete in Milan-Cortina Olympics at age 41.
    • "As many times as I crash, I've always gotten back up." — Lindsey Vonn [23:24]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Dan De Luce on Unprecedented Oversight:

  "It was even doubly unusual, unprecedented for the top ranking intelligence official to be on the ground present there on the site where FBI agents were executing a search warrant." [03:14]

• Concerns About Federal Involvement in Elections:

  "...he doesn't see a distance between his role as president and the top law enforcement agency." — Dan De Luce [05:09]

• Jared Perlo on AI Agent Behavior:

  "Nobody before has put 30,000 of these AI systems together in the same place. So when you have 30,000 of these interacting with each other, you get these new sorts of behavioral patterns that we just haven't seen before." [13:47]

• Societal Readiness for AI:

  "What does it mean when everybody has these personal agents running amok doing things that we might not be able to control?" — Jared Perlo [17:15]

• Lindsey Vonn on Resilience:

  "As many times as I've failed, I've always won. So even though I don't want to be in this position, I know how... and I can handle it." — Lindsey Vonn [23:27]

Conclusion

This episode underscores the interconnectedness of technology and governance—from the evolving meaning of election integrity in America to the emergent behaviors of AI agents in digital communities. Through expert interviews and grounded reporting, “Here’s the Scoop” sheds light on the unprecedented, sometimes unsettling questions of our era, while giving listeners both analysis and a human touch.

For anyone wanting to catch up quickly:

• The FBI seized Georgia ballots from the 2020 election in a controversial raid attended by DNI Tulsi Gabbard; federal overreach and election security are hotly debated.
• "Multbook" is a new AI-only social platform that gives researchers, and the public, a window into how AI agents might autonomously interact at scale—raising fascinating and uneasy implications for the future.

Episode Highly Recommended For:

• Anyone following U.S. elections, government transparency, or federal-state power struggles
• AI enthusiasts, technologists, or social scientists interested in emergent AI behavior
• Listeners eager for quick, insightful journalism on daily headlines