Topic: Google Api

Google demonstrated its Duplex AI technology, which can make phone calls to restaurants and hair salons to book appointments using a human-like voice. Critics argue the technology is a "bullshit demo" designed to humanize AI, suggesting that direct API integration between booking systems would be more efficient than voice-simulated phone calls.

The program opens with a discussion regarding technical difficulties encountered while uploading clips to Google services. Speculation arises that a recent Gmail API release may be causing system instability or attracting hackers. The hosts transition into a recurring joke about a fictional IT person named Ben.

The 2014 Google IO conference is criticized for its focus on "slave jewelry" wearables and the introduction of a proprietary Gmail API. The hosts argue that moving away from the open IMAP standard allows Google to further lock users into its ecosystem and monetize personal data. They predict Google will eventually deprecate IMAP to force developers and users into their controlled API environment.

Adam Curry expresses skepticism about the Mars Curiosity Rover mission, noting that Google's image recognition API identified Mars photos as being taken in New Mexico. Dvorak counters with a theory that while the rover might be fake, there have been bases on the moon since 1953 used by "travelers" living among humans.