718: Net Unhelpful
Grumpy Old Geeks
Jason DeFillippo & Brian Schulmeister with Dave Bittner
4.8 • 6.1K Ratings
🗓️ 18 October 2025
⏱️ 79 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, Guest Host Donovan Adkisson joins Jason DeFilippo to wade through the usual tech chaos; California is attempting to regulate the inevitable AI companion chatbots, which is timely, considering ChatGPT is about to launch erotica (with age verification, natch). Turns out, most of the world is less stoked about our algorithmic future than Silicon Valley is. Speaking of chaos, Elon Musk’s Boring Company racked up nearly 800 environmental violations in Vegas, and his Starlink satellites are burning up the atmosphere, validating the Kessler Syndrome predictions (and ruining backyard astronomy). On the ground, Georgia Tech is deploying drone first responders, ensuring campus security is instantly airborne, while the UK's Online Safety Act slapped 4chan with a hefty fine. We also mourn a Crypto Kingpin who met his end in a Lamborghini following a market crash. Finally, beware that "perfect" house listing, as the owner likely used AI to virtually enhance that curb appeal.
It seems even the guy who coined the term "Vibe Coding" admits that relying on AI for complex software is "Net Unhelpful," proving that humans still have to do the heavy lifting—a fact Uber might ignore, as they plan to pay drivers to train AI between rides. Speaking of dumb human stunts, some genius launched the "World's First Waymo DDoS" by summoning 50 robotaxis to a dead end. On the entertainment side, it's time to binge Gen V before Season 5 of The Boys drops; also, why did Apple rename Apple TV+ to Apple TV? The guys also discuss the eternal cultural resonance of Idiocracy and the perfection of Galaxy Quest (and its fantastic documentary, Never Surrender). On the work front, Jason switched back to Things 3 because life is too short for ugly software, even as Windows 10's impending end-of-life threatens to create an e-waste disaster. Also, Wi-Fi 8 is coming soon, because the recently ratified Wi-Fi 7 just wasn't cutting it.
Finally, the Grumpy Old Geeks wish a happy birthday to friends of the show and offer remembrance for the recently deceased, including screen icon Diane Keaton and KISS founding member Ace Frehley (though, honestly, no one here watched KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park). Tune in next time, and always remember to check out Anonymous: Real Stories of Alcoholism, Addiction, and Recovery; and go get some of that GOG Merch... when it becomes available.
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Show notes at https://gog.show/718
FOLLOW UP
California becomes first state to regulate AI companion chatbots
ChatGPT erotica coming soon with age verification, CEO says
International Polling Shows Fear of AI Across the World
IN THE NEWS
Georgia Tech’s drone first responder program cuts emergency response time to 90 seconds or less
Crypto Kingpin Turns Up Dead in Lamborghini After Market Crash
4chan fined $26K for refusing to assess risks under UK Online Safety Act
Elon Musk’s Boring Company Accused of Nearly 800 Environmental Violations on Las Vegas Project
That perfect-looking house for sale may have an owner using AI to virtually enhance the listing
Even the Inventor of 'Vibe Coding' Says Vibe Coding Can't Cut It
Man Launches “World’s First Waymo DDoS” by Ordering 50 Robotaxis to Dead End Street
MEDIA CANDY
Apple’s streaming service gets harder to tell apart from its streaming app, box
Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary
Anonymous - Real Stories of Alcoholism, Addiction, and Recovery
APPS & DOODADS
The End of Windows 10 Support Is an E-Waste Disaster in the Making
CLOSING SHOUT-OUTS
Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Grumpy Old Geeks, a weekly talk show hosted by Brian Schulmeister and Jason DeFilippo discussing the finer points of what went wrong on the internet and who's to blame. |
| 0:16.4 | Welcome to Grumpy Old Geeks. I'm Jason DeFilippo. |
| 0:19.9 | And I'm Brian Scho. Wait, no. No, that's not right. I'm Donovan Edkisson. |
| 0:24.6 | Hey, Donovan. Thank you so much for coming today. |
| 0:28.5 | Oh, man. It's a pleasure and an honor to be here. |
| 0:32.1 | Oh, you're not going to say that by the time we're done. Don't worry. |
| 0:36.3 | No, I texted with Brian. He is right now as we speak in Disneyland, |
| 0:41.7 | Paris. So hopefully he's enjoying his baguette and Mickey Mouse. You know, I have never been to |
| 0:50.4 | Disneyland. I have been to Disney World because that's down in Florida. And I have been there |
| 0:57.4 | one time in my life. And I think I was 10. So that was 1980. And I haven't been back since. |
| 1:03.9 | Oh, well, you got it out of your system early. I guess so. I went with family and I was like, |
| 1:10.6 | okay, this is great. Okay, move on. You know, 10 year old, I don't know. I guess so. I went with family and I was like, okay, this is great. Okay, move on. You know, 10-year-old, I don't know. I guess I was never enamored by any of the stuff that, you know, Disney World, Disneyland, Six Flags Over Georgia, none of that stuff. |
| 1:24.1 | Hmm. Well, I have been to Disney World multiple times. I've been to Disneyland, and Disneyland is a pale |
| 1:30.0 | comparison to Disney World. So you at least got the good one out of the way. |
| 1:33.9 | Yeah, that's true. That's about the only damn good thing in Florida, probably. |
| 1:38.0 | I can say that. I'm sitting on top of them. They can fuck off. |
| 1:41.9 | You're like the Canada of Florida. |
| 1:44.2 | Yeah. |
| 1:47.9 | And Donovan's in Georgia, by the way. I don't know if we've mentioned that. |
| 1:51.1 | Yeah, yeah. I'm roughly 90 minutes to two hours from the Georgia, Florida border. |
| 1:57.2 | So pray for me. |
| 1:58.9 | It's like Mad Max Zone. |
... |
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