How a Tiny Himalayan Country Became a Bitcoin Mining Paradise

WSJ Tech News Briefing

The Wall Street Journal

News, Tech News

4.6 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 2 July 2025

⏱️ 13 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Wounded by the pandemic, Bhutan turned to the unlikely industry of bitcoin mining to expand its economy. The WSJ’s Shan Li takes us through how the plan is working. Plus: Tech leaders want their AI chatbots to offer more personality in the race to encourage usage. WSJ columnist Tim Higgins discusses how Elon Musk is rethinking xAI chatbot Grok. Katie Deighton hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Americans love using their credit cards, the most secure and hassle-free way to pay.
0:04.0	But DC politicians want to change that with the Durban Marshall Credit Card Bill.
0:08.0	This bill lets corporate megastores pick how your credit card is processed,
0:13.0	allowing them to use untested payment networks that jeopardize your data security and rewards.
0:18.0	Corporate megastores will make more money and you pay the price.
0:22.1	Tell Congress to guard your card because Americans lose when politicians choose. Learn more at
0:28.1	guard your card.com. Welcome to Tech News Briefing. It's Wednesday, July 2nd.
0:38.2	I'm Katie Dayton for the Wall Street Journal.
0:40.9	Would you become friends with a chatbot?
0:43.3	No?
0:44.1	What if it shared most of your deeply held beliefs?
0:47.3	That's what some tech leaders are banking on
0:49.4	as they try to make their own chatbots stand out in a crowded market.
0:53.6	Then, we'll take a trip to
0:55.1	Bhutan to learn how this tiny landlocked kingdom is becoming a major player in the Bitcoin economy.
1:02.8	But first, AI chatbots are everywhere, and tech CEOs want consumers to use them more. One strategy
1:10.0	being tested is programming AIs with such winning personalities that they'll start
1:14.8	to be seen less as tools and more as friends.
1:18.1	But tech companies are finding that isn't an easy task.
1:21.8	Our columnist, Tim Higgins, has the story.
1:24.5	So, Tim, your column this week starts and ends with Elon Musk's issues with GROC,
1:29.4	the chatbot designed by his company, X-A-I. Can you take us through a timeline of their love-hate
	...

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