X Hits Grok Bottom + More A.I. Talent Wars + ‘Crypto Week’

In this episode of Hard Fork, Kevin Roose and Casey Newton discuss recent tech news, beginning with Linda Iaccarino's departure as CEO of X and the release of Grok 4, xAI's newest AI model, including its controversial outputs and AI companions. They explore the AI talent wars, focusing on Meta's aggressive hiring strategies and the Windsurf deal, and the potential implications for the AI economy. Finally, David Yaffe-Bellany joins to discuss crypto week in Congress, detailing the Genius Act, the Clarity Act, and the anti-CBDC bill, and how these legislative efforts could affect the Trump family's crypto investments and the broader economy. The hosts also solicit stories from student listeners about their experiences using AI in education for a future episode.