Perplexity is a bullshit machine

PLUS: Potatoes are the perfect vegetable—but you’re eating them wrong. [View in browser]( | [Your newsletter preferences]( 06.20.24 [SUBSCRIBE TO WIRED]( [FOR UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THESE STORIES]( [Photo of copies coming out of a machine within the shape of a brain, surrounded by glitchy Wired headlines]( ❖ WIRED INVESTIGATION | 10-MINUTE READ [Perplexity Is a Bullshit Machine]( BY DHRUV MEHROTRA AND TIM MARCHMAN The AI-powered search startup, that Forbes has accused of stealing its content, is surreptitiously scraping—and [making things up out of thin air](. ✚ Also in the news: After a user backlash, [Adobe has been forced to clarify how it will use creators’ work](. But can it be trusted?   [An illustration of a robot against a background of yellow chat bubbles.]( FAST FORWARD | 3-MINUTE READ [We’re Still Waiting for the Next Big Leap in AI]( BY WILL KNIGHT Anthropic’s latest Claude AI model pulls ahead of rivals from OpenAI and Google. But advances in machine intelligence have lately been more incremental than revolutionary.   [Collage with the European union flag with a brain shaped hole that shows parts of a circuit and a robot hand.]( POWER PLAY | 6-MINUTE READ [Europe Scrambles for Relevance in the Age of AI]( BY PETER GUEST With chatbot and AI development largely coming from the US, some EU entrepreneurs and politicians say local champions are needed to prevent a cultural flattening.   [Collage of a politician at a pixelated podium, surrounded by pixelated tools]( POLITICS LAB | 5-MINUTE READ [Big Tech Is Giving Campaigns Both the Venom and the Antidote for GenAI]( BY MAKENA KELLY Microsoft and Google have taught dozens of political groups how to use generative AI tools like their Copilot and Gemini chatbots, but the situation is a little complicated. ADVERTISEMENT   [Illustration of a glitchy head silhouette with a skull overlay made of 0's and 1's]( ALT-RIGHT AI | 4-MINUTE READ [Neo-Nazis Are All-In On AI]( BY DAVID GILBERT Extremists are developing their own hateful AIs to supercharge radicalization and fundraising—and are now using the tech to make weapon blueprints and bombs. And it’s going to get worse.   [3D illustration of a desktop computer with a keyboard, magnifying glass, and search engine bar hovering over the screen]( ► LISTEN | 33-MINUTE EPISODE [Good Search Borrows, Great Search … Steals?]( BY LAUREN GOODE AND KATE KNIBBS This week, we talk about how content on the open web is being used to train AI-powered search tools, and how content publishers are fighting to reverse this trend.   [Photo collage showing laser beams and fusion reaction at the centre]( WIRED WORLD | 2-MINUTE READ [Fusion Sparks an Energy Revolution]( BY MORITZ VON DER LINDEN After hitting a power-output milestone, fusion technology is ready to graduate from small-scale lab experiment to full-sized power plant.   [Collage of potatoes in various forms, with a 1950s woman in center holding a giant potato.]( TÜBERMENSCH | 9-MINUTE READ [Potatoes Are the Perfect Vegetable—but You’re Eating Them Wrong]( BY MATT REYNOLDS The humble potato is a miraculous vegetable, but Americans are eating less of them than ever before and have ditched fresh potatoes for frozen. Is it time to rebrand the spud?   [Stylized graphic of a high speed train with a circular backdrop of a city map dotted with EV icons.]( WIRED WORLD | 2-MINUTE READ [Greener Is Getting Going]( BY KATE BRANDT We’ve reached a tipping point where we’ve got a cleaner alternative for most transport. Now we have to commit.   Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world on [jobs.wired.com](. [Tax Manager]( [Spotify]( [Location: New York, USA]( [APPLY NOW]( [Avionics Engineer]( [Ryanair]( [Location: Prestwick, Scotland]( [APPLY NOW]( ADVERTISEMENT   [WIRED logo image]( Thanks for reading. Was this newsletter forwarded to you? [Sign up here](. Plus, [browse more newsletters]( from WIRED. [(image) WIRED on Facebook]( [(image) WIRED on Twitter]( [(image) WIRED on Instagram]( [(image) WIRED on LinkedIn]( [(image) WIRED on YouTube]( [Podcasts]( [TikTok](   You’re receiving this email because you signed up for the Daily newsletter from WIRED. [Manage your preferences]( | [View our Privacy Policy]( | [Unsubscribe]( Have questions or comments? [Send us a message](mailto:hello@wired.com?subject=Daily newsletter feedback). Need help? [Contact us](. Copyright © Condé Nast 2024. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.