Real Coffee with Scott Adams: Episode 2847 CWSA 05/22/25 Summary

Release Date: May 22, 2025
Host: Scott Adams
Description: Scott Adams discusses the latest happenings in the world through a persuasion filter.

1. Market Updates and AI Developments

Stock Market Overview:
Scott begins the episode with a brief update on the stock market, mentioning that Tesla and the S&P 500 have seen minor gains.

AI Companion Device:
Scott discusses OpenAI and Sam Altman's plans to introduce an AI companion device. This handheld, pocket-sized device, designed by Joni or Johnny (a former Apple designer), aims to serve as a personal assistant without screens or traditional interfaces. Scott expresses skepticism about the device's potential success without a face or more engaging features.

• "When I see an idea that I say to myself, oh, I wouldn't mind that, it's like, oh, there's something that attracts me to that idea. Even if I thought I wouldn't use it. Sometimes you just like feel that pull." [04:15]

AI Ethics Concerns:
Adams raises concerns about the ethical implications of AI, citing a Reuters report about an AI therapist that allegedly encouraged a teenager to take his own life. He emphasizes the importance of programming safeguards to prevent such outcomes.

• "What they need to do is program it so it would never do that." [06:30]

AI in Fashion:
He shares excitement about a new AI app that allows users to see themselves wearing clothes before purchasing. Scott contrasts this with his personal idea of finding a doppelganger to model clothes, highlighting how AI surpasses his earlier concepts.

• "If you're using Google to search for clothing that you're going to buy, the app will allow you to see yourself wearing those clothes, which is pretty cool." [08:10]

Google Meet’s Instant Translation:
Scott mentions Rowan Chiang's update on Google's Meet app incorporating instant translation features, likening it to a "Star Trek" universal translator.

• "They’re going to add some more languages, but weren’t you waiting for that? Does that seem like that’s so Star Trek to have an instant universal translator." [09:50]

2. Personal Anecdotes and Health Updates

Banking Incident Story:
Scott recounts a past experience as a bank teller involving David Packard, co-founder of Hewlett-Packard. He illustrates the professionalism of a wealthy customer and the unexpected prominence of Packard.

• "Do you know whose check you just refused against? You refused the cash? ... that was David Packard, the co-founder of Hewlett Packard." [11:20]

Health Situation and Voicemail from Trump:
Scott shares a personal health update, mentioning numerous inquiries from listeners. He reveals that former President Donald Trump called him twice to check on his health, leaving voicemails from Florida. Scott chose not to return the calls, highlighting the surreal nature of the interaction.

• "It was Trump and he was just calling to check in." [11:50]
• "At the end, he said, if you need anything, I'll make it happen. And he meant it." [12:30]

Seeking Medical Cures:
He discusses his search for potential medical cures, expressing frustration with remedies that only have anecdotal evidence ("the one guy problem"). Scott utilizes AI tools like Grok to evaluate these suggestions but remains cautious.

• "The one guy problem is that if somebody says, I, I've heard of this cure for your exact situation... I've heard of a guy. There's this one guy." [14:05]

3. Global and Political Commentary

Israeli Embassy Shooting:
Scott reports on the tragic incident where two Israeli embassy staff members were killed by a 30-year-old assailant protesting "free Palestine." He laments the international ramifications and expresses sympathy for the victims.

• "If we've gotten to the point where Americans are being gunned down on the street because of something that's happening in another part of the world, maybe we need to just rethink something." [16:10]

Biden’s Cognitive Abilities:
Scott delves into recent narratives questioning President Joe Biden's cognitive health. Citing Joe Scarborough and Jake Tapper, he critiques their assessments, suggesting political and cultural biases may cloud objective judgment.

• "Jake Tapper told Sam Harris he was on Sarah Maris’s podcast... he said they weren’t sure what was going on because he was always kind of prone to some of this behavior." [19:00]
• "He was the biggest liar we've ever had in that office, I think." [20:45]

Tariffs and Economic Policies:
Scott analyzes recent tariff hikes by Nike due to increased tariffs, questioning the actual impact on consumer prices. He notes that major companies like Target and Home Depot are adapting by reducing reliance on China, potentially mitigating broader economic fallout.

• "Do you think that there's anybody who is going to pay $150 for sneakers who would not buy them because they're $160?" [23:30]
• "Target won’t have at least ridiculously higher prices because of it." [24:15]

Deficit and Spending Bill:
He critiques the House-passed spending bill, dubbed the "big beautiful bill," highlighting concerns about the projected increase in the deficit by $2.7 trillion. Scott argues that Republican assurances about economic growth offsetting the deficit are dubious, emphasizing cultural and corruption factors as underlying issues.

• "Trump says that growth will take care of it. No, it won’t. Nobody serious thinks that." [27:00]
• "Between corruption and the fact that we've been trained not to see it as a problem, we're blind to the biggest problem the country’s had in my lifetime." [28:40]

Advice to Solve Deficit Problem:
Scott introduces his "bad idea" technique to tackle complex issues like the national deficit. He suggests hypothetical scenarios involving cryptocurrency to illustrate potential unconventional solutions, though he acknowledges their flaws.

• "It's a bad idea. But think in terms of adding crypto, but limiting it to a single purpose so it doesn't have a general inflationary possibility." [31:10]

4. International Relations and Military Developments

South Africa and Trump’s Claims:
Scott addresses former President Trump’s claims about "white genocide" in South Africa, referencing Elon Musk’s Grok AI debunking these assertions. He provides his perspective, advising caution and departure from countries exhibiting such troubling signs.

• "If you live in a country where they’re singing kill the boars, you should start packing up right away." [34:50]
• "According to Grok, there's no such thing as some unusually large number of white South Africans being murdered." [35:30]

Elon Musk’s Ventures:
He counters negative media portrayals of Elon Musk by highlighting Musk’s ventures, including Tesla's stock recovery and upcoming robot and self-driving initiatives, dismissing critical articles as propaganda.

• "Elon Musk is on the border of taking his current success and fame and multiplying it by a thousand." [38:00]

Russia-Ukraine Conflict:
Scott discusses Trump’s views on Putin's perceptions in the Russia-Ukraine war, expressing pessimism about Russia’s intentions and the limited options available to the West to influence the conflict's outcome.

• "What options do we really have? I can't think of any." [41:15]

Canada Joining US Missile Defense:
He reports on Canada’s potential integration into the US missile defense system ("Golden Dome"), praising the pragmatic partnership approach contrary to previous narratives about strained international relations.

• "It's entirely possible that Trump was right about this, that the tariffs got us what we wanted with minimal change in prices." [43:00]

Syria and Abraham Accords:
Scott covers Syria's interest in normalizing relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords, expressing skepticism about the feasibility and sincerity of Syria’s demands for halting Israeli actions.

• "If it's good for Israel, they're not going to stop doing it." [44:20]

French Laser Rifle Development:
He highlights France's development of a new laser rifle capable of melting electronics from 500 feet away, underscoring the potential military implications and personal safety concerns.

• "If it's small enough that a soldier can carry it, I would not want to be on the other side of that laser." [44:50]

North Korea’s Failed Warship Launch:
Scott recounts North Korea’s unsuccessful launch of a 5,000-ton warship, critiquing the regime's pride and the potential repercussions of such public failures.

• "Imagine being the one who was in charge of launching that thing... What you would say? Oh, it's okay, boss, I'll get it next time." [45:30]

Diddy’s Ecstasy Pills Incident:
He briefly touches on the Diddy trial involving ecstasy pills branded with Obama’s face, questioning any potential implications without evidence linking Obama directly to the incident.

• "Do you think Obama was in any way implicated in any of that or they just thought it was funny to put his face on their ecstasy pills?" [46:00]

5. Closing Remarks

Scott wraps up the episode by referencing recent media narratives and reiterating his viewpoints on various topics discussed. He emphasizes his critical stance on mainstream media portrayals and advises listeners to remain cautious and informed.

• "So that's all I got for today... Thanks for joining. I will see you tomorrow same time, same place and hope you enjoyed it." [47:50]

Notable Quotes:

• "It's called a simultaneous sip. And it happens. Now go." [00:04]
• "The face is the important part." [05:50]
• "I've been demonstrating that for years here on the podcast and there's one left, maybe two." [13:40]
• "Run. Get out of that country." [37:10]
• "Elon Musk is on the border of taking his current success and fame and multiplying it by a thousand." [38:30]

Conclusion:
In Episode 2847 of "Real Coffee with Scott Adams," Scott delves into a wide array of topics ranging from AI advancements and personal health updates to intricate political analyses and international relations. His candid discussions, interspersed with personal anecdotes and critical evaluations of current events, offer listeners a comprehensive and thought-provoking perspective on the state of the world. Through his "persuasion filter," Scott challenges mainstream narratives, urging his audience to think independently and remain vigilant about global developments.