Apple HomePad Imminent, OpenAI Dots Explained, AI Safety Charade

Stephen Robles (0:01)

In space, no one can hear you scream.

Welcome to Primary Technology, the show about the tech news that matters. Apple's HomePad may be coming October 13th, that's in the news, and iPhone Duo, you can free pre-order it this Monday. ChessRPT had their Dev Day and announced DOTS, AI agents that do a bunch of stuff for you. Paramount appoints a new co-CEO. Amazon is giving their delivery drivers glasses that record everything and a ton more. This episode is brought to you by OriginHQ and you, the members who support us directly. And I'm one of your hosts, Stephen Robles, joined by the famous and infamous, who's just making his rounds everywhere, Jason Aten. How's it going, Jason?

Jason Aten (0:38)

It's good. I love the way you do our intros because every time without fail, you say something that I'm like, hold on, we're talking about that. I better go look and see what he put in there.

Stephen Robles (0:45)

I get the rundown done at least 12 hours before we record.

Jason Aten (0:48)

In every, yes. And I look through it. And every time you say something that I'm like, how did I miss that?

Stephen Robles (0:55)

The Air Love Delivery Glasses, that'll be in the lightning round. I mean, it's just a whole other thing. All right, now, I have some, a quote. Let's start with a quote. In space, no one can hear you scream. It's a pretty well-known quote. You know what movie this is?

Jason Aten (1:06)

It's one of the most famous quotes you've used. One of the most famous. Right? Yeah, it's from Alien.

Stephen Robles (1:10)

It is from Alien. We're going to talk about the cutification of AI in a minute, about all of the companies like Muse AI and Dots trying to make their AI agent seem cute.

And I said that because someone replied to my threads post about that with this picture, which is the teddy bear head on the Xenomorph from the movie Alien. And I thought that was pretty funny.

Jason Aten (1:33)

It does seem about right. After my experience, I do think of Muse as this little, I almost say cockroach, but I don't mean that.

Stephen Robles (1:40)

What was the movie with the Gremlins? They turn evil at night or whatever?

Jason Aten (1:44)

I mean, it's called Gremlins.

Stephen Robles (1:45)

Yeah, I've actually never seen this.

Jason Aten (1:47)

The movie with the Gremlins. Oh yes, the Gremlin movie.

Stephen Robles (1:50)

I have seen Batteries Not Included, which is a very deep cut, but I've not seen Gremlins. So have you seen Batteries Not Included? You remember that movie?

Jason Aten (1:57)

I think so, yeah.

Stephen Robles (1:58)

Leave us a five star rating and review. Have you seen Batteries Not Included and Short Circuit? All three of them. Those are some of my favorites.

Jason Aten (2:05)

And hat or no hat?

Stephen Robles (2:07)

Jason was wearing a hat and hoodie today that I was not prepared for. It took me a full 10 minutes in our pre-show to actually figure out what was happening.

Jason Aten (2:14)

To absorb it, to process it.

Stephen Robles (2:15)

Who am I talking to?

Jason Aten (2:17)

You sound like Jason. You sound like you're literally Jason. Is this what AI thinks Jason looks like? Let's see.

Stephen Robles (2:22)

I said Jason was famous and infamous because Jason, you've been making the rounds everywhere. Your articles have been covered by so many news outlets. You've been on the news. Can you say, or no, should I cut that out? Wait a minute.

Jason Aten (2:34)

No, you don't have to cut it out. I've done some, yeah, I've made the rounds. Does that sound any better?

Stephen Robles (2:38)

Okay, we'll get it to that. I also wanted to say, last episode, I wanted to point it out and missed it. We passed episode 150, Jason.

150 episodes. Isn't that a while?

Jason Aten (2:50)

Now that does include one or two extra.

Stephen Robles (2:53)

Listen, I don't want to get into it. I try to mark bonus episodes as bonus that are not actually numbered. Sometimes they happen anyways. But 150, and we're coming up on our third year because we started in January of 2024

So yeah, we're coming up. But anyway, I enjoyed doing this podcast with you, Jason. Congrats on one.

Jason Aten (3:12)

It's so fun.

Stephen Robles (3:13)

All right. Five-star ratings and reviews. Thank you to McBainA99 from the UK, says loves the daily and weekly show, so they're a member. Thank you for that. Battery percentage on, but we won't hold that against him. But pencil up. Pencil up and watch only on Siri. He's riding both sides. There you go. He's on both of our sides. And JP Tui from the USA, listen, I know who this is. This is Jennifer Pattison Tui of The Verge, left us a five-star rating and review and asked us to do more smart home coverage.