logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
1h 11m

TikTok on the Clock + Tesla’s Flop Era ...

The New York Times
About this episode

On Wednesday, President Biden signed a bill into law that would force the sale of TikTok or ban the app outright. We explain how this came together, when just a few weeks ago it seemed unlikely to happen, and what legal challenges the law will face next. Then we check on Tesla’s very bad year and what’s next for the company after this week’s awful quarterly earnings report. Finally, to boldly support tech where tech has never been supported before: Engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab try to fix a chip malfunction from 15 billion miles away.

Guests:

  • Andrew Hawkins, Transportation Editor at The Verge
  • Todd Barber, Propulsion Engineer at Jet Propulsion Lab

Additional Reading:

We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok.

Up next
Yesterday
ChatGPT’s Platform Play + a Trillion-Dollar GPU Empire + the Queen of Slop
This week, we discuss the standout moments from our field trip to OpenAI’s third annual DevDay — including a bizarre chat between Jony Ive and Sam Altman, and the announcement that OpenAI is putting apps into ChatGPT. Then, we try to make sense of the massive computing deal betwe ... Show More
1h 6m
Oct 3
Sora and the Infinite Slop Feeds + ChatGPT Goes to Therapy + Hot Mess Express
This week, we’re talking about the new A.I.-generated video tools and social media feeds from Google, Meta and OpenAI. Is this how A.I. is going to cure cancer? Then, the psychotherapist Gary Greenberg stops by to discuss his recent New Yorker essay about treating ChatGPT as a pa ... Show More
1h 5m
Sep 26
The Great A.I. Build-Out + H-1B Visa Chaos + TikTok Braces for the Rapture
This week, an eye-popping $100 billion deal between OpenAI and Nvidia — along with an announcement about the construction of five new American data centers — has us re-examining our predictions of an A.I. bubble. Then, we try to make sense of the Trump administration’s changes to ... Show More
52m 41s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2021
Fri. 10/01 – TikTok And NFTs, Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together
TikTok has joined the NFT craze, so the singularity must be nigh. USB-C tries to clear up its customer confusion problem. Zoom abandons a huge acquisition. And a crypto developer is begging users to give $90 million dollars in tokens back, after an all-time screw up.Sponsors:Tiny ... Show More
18m 56s
Mar 2024
Are we really about to ban TikTok?
The Verge 's Nilay Patel, David Pierce, and Alex Cranz discuss the US House of Representatives passing a bill that could ban TikTok, the streaming news of the week, a Dyson robot, and more. Further reading: Lawmakers introduce bill that would punish app stores for hosting TikTok ... Show More
1h 39m
Mar 2019
Mon. 03/11 - How TikTok Is Different
Nvidia buys Mellanox, Tesla reverses course, a handy primer on how TikTok is different, and we check in on the smart takes from last week’s big stories. Subscribe to the Premium, Ad-Free Podcast Feed! Sponsors: DataDogHQ.com/ridehome Tiny.website Links: Nvidia to Buy Mellanox for ... Show More
23m 58s
Apr 2024
Why TikTok will never be the same again
After months of anticipation, President Biden finally signed the TikTok divestment into law this week. It will force ByteDance to either sell TikTok to another company within a year, or see the app banned from US app stores. Is this a wise move to rid control of the social app fr ... Show More
1h 2m
Jul 2020
Tue. 07/28 – Instagram Is Making TikTok-ers An Offer (They Hope) They Can’t Refuse
What to expect from tomorrow’s Big Tech Congressional testimony. Instagram is trying to woo TikTok stars. Qualcomm has some amazing new quick charge tech. Roblox continues to look like the next big thing. And Deadspin—the true Deadspin—lives to fight another day.Sponsors:Metalab. ... Show More
17m 38s
Mar 2024
Fri. 03/08 – TikTok In Peril?
Did TikTok overplay its hand yesterday? The potential legislation against them is suddenly moving quickly. How Temu might be single handedly responsible for the tech advertising turnaround. More drama behind the whole Sam Altman ouster business. And, of course, the weekend longre ... Show More
16m 56s
Mar 2023
Tue. 03/07 – A TikTok Paywall
TikTok launches a paywall, but it’s all about the creators. Salesforce has its own generative AI product. More layoffs coming for Meta. Another autonomous driving startup bites the dust. Why Twitter broke yesterday, and new speakers from Sonos.Sponsors:This episode is sponsored b ... Show More
16m 52s