Gerrit De Vynck
@gerritd.bsky.social
Washington Post tech reporter
San Francisco
Defense tech and AI
https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/gerrit-de-vynck/
Signal: GerritD.27
San Francisco
Defense tech and AI
https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/gerrit-de-vynck/
Signal: GerritD.27
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
Eight warships, a nuclear-powered attack submarine, a floating base for Special Operations and an aircraft carrier on the way
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
These are the U.S. ships and aircraft massing off Venezuela
The large-scale buildup of U.S. military forces and assets in the Caribbean suggests that the Trump administration is preparing to expand operations.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 1, 2025 at 12:36 PM
Eight warships, a nuclear-powered attack submarine, a floating base for Special Operations and an aircraft carrier on the way
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/1...
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
“It is unlikely that superintelligence is actually imminent,” write @mchorowitz.bsky.social and @laurenakahn.bsky.social. Washington should not “distort U.S. policy by dashing for something that might not exist.”
The Cost of the AGI Delusion
By chasing superintelligence, America is falling behind in the real AI race.
www.foreignaffairs.com
October 29, 2025 at 12:45 AM
“It is unlikely that superintelligence is actually imminent,” write @mchorowitz.bsky.social and @laurenakahn.bsky.social. Washington should not “distort U.S. policy by dashing for something that might not exist.”
I listened to Peter Thiel's antichrist lectures, so you don't have to
www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/pos...
www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/pos...
Inside billionaire Peter Thiel’s private ‘Antichrist’ lectures - The Washington Post
The billionaire Peter Thiel recently hosted a series of exclusive lectures in San Francisco. The topic? The Antichrist. Today, his arguments and what they say about an emerging mindset in Silicon Vall...
www.washingtonpost.com
October 24, 2025 at 6:09 PM
I listened to Peter Thiel's antichrist lectures, so you don't have to
www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/pos...
www.washingtonpost.com/podcasts/pos...
Remember when the tech cos. said they would use watermarks and metadata to help inform people what content was AI-created? Yea, it's all nonsense.
Really great/important story from @kevinschaul.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Really great/important story from @kevinschaul.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Analysis | We uploaded a fake video to 8 social apps. Only one told users it wasn’t real.
Facebook, TikTok and other major platforms do not use a tech industry standard touted as a way to flag fake content, tests using AI-generated videos found.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 22, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Remember when the tech cos. said they would use watermarks and metadata to help inform people what content was AI-created? Yea, it's all nonsense.
Really great/important story from @kevinschaul.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Really great/important story from @kevinschaul.bsky.social www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
"While on the phone with 911, Rinderknecht allegedly typed a question into ChatGPT: 'Are you at fault if a fire is lift because of your cigarettes'"
When investigators recovered the phone of the man suspected of starting the Palisades fire they found an image of a burning city he generated on ChatGPT www.latimes.com/california/s...
Uber driver accused of intentionally starting fire that destroyed Pacific Palisades
Authorities will announce an arrest in connection with the devastating Palisades fire, law enforcement sources said, and are expected to announce a cause of the blaze.
www.latimes.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:45 PM
"While on the phone with 911, Rinderknecht allegedly typed a question into ChatGPT: 'Are you at fault if a fire is lift because of your cigarettes'"
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
When a judge told Claudio David Balcane González “Welcome to the United States,” he sobbed. He had finally been granted asylum.
Then ICE detained him for 63 more days @marialuisapaul.bsky.social reports
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
Then ICE detained him for 63 more days @marialuisapaul.bsky.social reports
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
A Venezuelan singer won asylum. ICE detained him for two more months.
The singer known online as Davicito59 won his asylum case in July. Still, ICE kept him in custody for two more months — a holdup several experts called unlawful.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 6, 2025 at 8:42 PM
When a judge told Claudio David Balcane González “Welcome to the United States,” he sobbed. He had finally been granted asylum.
Then ICE detained him for 63 more days @marialuisapaul.bsky.social reports
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
Then ICE detained him for 63 more days @marialuisapaul.bsky.social reports
www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
Do you abstain from AI? I'd love to hear about why you avoid it -- and how hard that might be getting. Send me a DM or Signal @lisabonos.18
October 6, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Do you abstain from AI? I'd love to hear about why you avoid it -- and how hard that might be getting. Send me a DM or Signal @lisabonos.18
Deepfake detection co. Reality Defender was able to use videos of real people to get their cameo uploaded to Sora. OpenAI's system didn't catch it
www.linkedin.com/posts/benpco...
www.linkedin.com/posts/benpco...
Reality Defender bypassed Sora 2's deepfake impersonation safeguards in under 24 hours.
Here's what happened: OpenAI just launched Sora 2 with a "Cameo" feature requiring identity v...
Reality Defender bypassed Sora 2's deepfake impersonation safeguards in under 24 hours.
Here's what happened: OpenAI just launched Sora 2 with a "Cameo" feature requiring identity verification to pre...
www.linkedin.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Deepfake detection co. Reality Defender was able to use videos of real people to get their cameo uploaded to Sora. OpenAI's system didn't catch it
www.linkedin.com/posts/benpco...
www.linkedin.com/posts/benpco...
A few hours on Sora we made
- video of an ICE raid on Sesame St.
- JFK saying things he never said
- Sam Altman robbing a bank and dressed as a Nazi general
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
- video of an ICE raid on Sesame St.
- JFK saying things he never said
- Sam Altman robbing a bank and dressed as a Nazi general
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Everything is fake on Silicon Valley’s hottest new social network
The new Sora social app from ChatGPT maker OpenAI encourages users to upload video of their face so their likeness can be put into AI-generated clips.
www.washingtonpost.com
October 2, 2025 at 4:32 PM
A few hours on Sora we made
- video of an ICE raid on Sesame St.
- JFK saying things he never said
- Sam Altman robbing a bank and dressed as a Nazi general
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
- video of an ICE raid on Sesame St.
- JFK saying things he never said
- Sam Altman robbing a bank and dressed as a Nazi general
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
New: ICE has bought a tool that tracks the locations of hundreds of millions of phones globally, updates every single day. Usually harvested from apps and advertising
www.404media.co/ice-to-buy-t...
www.404media.co/ice-to-buy-t...
ICE to Buy Tool that Tracks Locations of Hundreds of Millions of Phones Every Day
Documents show that ICE has gone back on its decision to not use location data remotely harvested from peoples' phones. The database is updated every day with billions of pieces of location data.
www.404media.co
September 30, 2025 at 9:52 PM
New: ICE has bought a tool that tracks the locations of hundreds of millions of phones globally, updates every single day. Usually harvested from apps and advertising
www.404media.co/ice-to-buy-t...
www.404media.co/ice-to-buy-t...
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
Wrote about the Riyadh Comedy Festival, where the setup of tell-it-like-it-is comedians who riff on cultural reservations around taboo subjects meets the awkward punchline of severe restrictions on speech.
wapo.st/46vPycf
wapo.st/46vPycf
Saudi comedy festival draws big names and backlash
Human rights advocates and some comics say the festival, at which Bill Burr, Louis C.K., Dave Chappelle and Kevin Hart are performing, whitewashes abuses.
wapo.st
September 30, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Wrote about the Riyadh Comedy Festival, where the setup of tell-it-like-it-is comedians who riff on cultural reservations around taboo subjects meets the awkward punchline of severe restrictions on speech.
wapo.st/46vPycf
wapo.st/46vPycf
Thanks to tower dumps, Gmail warrants, social media, police are drowning in data. A new startup is selling AI to help them parse it. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Police are drowning in data. Could a chatbot help?
Start-up Longeye offers an AI chatbot for police designed to help them spot clues and patterns in digital evidence such as phone recordings or online chatlogs.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 30, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Thanks to tower dumps, Gmail warrants, social media, police are drowning in data. A new startup is selling AI to help them parse it. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
the fact they have the ability to allow opt out means they're capable of matching rights holders to works, so so much for their theory that the machine is dumb and they can't tell what it is generating.
Exclusive: OpenAI is planning to release a new version of its Sora video generator, which creates videos featuring copyrighted material unless copyright holders opt out of having their work appear.
OpenAI’s New Sora Video Generator to Require Copyright Holders to Opt Out
Executives at the startup notified talent agencies and studios over the last week.
on.wsj.com
September 30, 2025 at 1:39 AM
the fact they have the ability to allow opt out means they're capable of matching rights holders to works, so so much for their theory that the machine is dumb and they can't tell what it is generating.
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
New @washingtonpost.com supercut:
Donald Trump and his allies keep blaming the left for "fascist" political rhetoric that they have also used
Donald Trump and his allies keep blaming the left for "fascist" political rhetoric that they have also used
September 29, 2025 at 11:41 PM
New @washingtonpost.com supercut:
Donald Trump and his allies keep blaming the left for "fascist" political rhetoric that they have also used
Donald Trump and his allies keep blaming the left for "fascist" political rhetoric that they have also used
the lighting makes me look like
September 29, 2025 at 10:35 PM
the lighting makes me look like
YouTube's settlement will go towards paying for the new White House ballroom (seriously)
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
YouTube to pay $24.5 million to settle Trump lawsuit over post-Jan. 6 suspension
YouTube will pay $24.5 million to settle a 2021 lawsuit alleging it unfairly blocked President Donald Trump’s account after the Jan 6. Capitol attacks.
www.washingtonpost.com
September 29, 2025 at 10:31 PM
YouTube's settlement will go towards paying for the new White House ballroom (seriously)
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
“Our general approach has been to treat likeness and copyright distinctly,” said Jason Kwon, chief strategy officer of OpenAI.
Definitely seeing this distinction being made by AI execs recently. A potential wedge being driven into Hollywood/Music industry www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open...
Definitely seeing this distinction being made by AI execs recently. A potential wedge being driven into Hollywood/Music industry www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open...
Exclusive | OpenAI’s New Sora Video Generator to Require Copyright Holders to Opt Out
Executives at the company notified talent agencies and studios over the last week.
www.wsj.com
September 29, 2025 at 8:11 PM
“Our general approach has been to treat likeness and copyright distinctly,” said Jason Kwon, chief strategy officer of OpenAI.
Definitely seeing this distinction being made by AI execs recently. A potential wedge being driven into Hollywood/Music industry www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open...
Definitely seeing this distinction being made by AI execs recently. A potential wedge being driven into Hollywood/Music industry www.wsj.com/tech/ai/open...
we are definitely in the era of waving your hand and saying "AI" as you lay off thousands of older workers www.businessinsider.com/accenture-co...
Accenture is cutting staff it can't retrain in the age of AI — but it still plans to hire more people
The consulting giant is cutting staff it can't reskill in the AI era, with plans to increase overall head count.
www.businessinsider.com
September 29, 2025 at 6:36 PM
we are definitely in the era of waving your hand and saying "AI" as you lay off thousands of older workers www.businessinsider.com/accenture-co...
Silver Lake, Jared Kushner and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund are buying Electronic Arts
September 29, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Silver Lake, Jared Kushner and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund are buying Electronic Arts
astronomers found the star god
The Black Hole That Could Rewrite Cosmology. Astronomers may have found a primordial black hole, perhaps formed by quantum fluctuations during post-Big Bang inflation “before any stars had yet appeared”. [theatlantic.com]
The Black Hole That Could Rewrite Cosmology
Astronomers see a mysterious object shining in the deep sky. It could be older than the stars.
www.theatlantic.com
September 25, 2025 at 7:03 PM
astronomers found the star god
The FTC's $2.5 billion Amazon fine is equivalent to 4% of the company's 2024 net income
September 25, 2025 at 6:25 PM
The FTC's $2.5 billion Amazon fine is equivalent to 4% of the company's 2024 net income
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
Microsoft will no longer allow Israel to use its cloud services to enable its mass surveillance of occupied Palestinians – "the first known case of a US technology company withdrawing services provided to the Israeli military since the beginning of its war on Gaza"
Microsoft blocks Israel’s use of its technology in mass surveillance of Palestinians
Exclusive: Tech firm ends military unit’s access to AI and data services after Guardian reveals secret spy project
www.theguardian.com
September 25, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Microsoft will no longer allow Israel to use its cloud services to enable its mass surveillance of occupied Palestinians – "the first known case of a US technology company withdrawing services provided to the Israeli military since the beginning of its war on Gaza"
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
"The Ellison family is cornering the market on attention and data the way the Vanderbilts did railroads and the Rockefellers did oil."
"He does a brilliant job of being, let’s call it the anti-Elon. He’s not kind of feared directly, but people in the know in Washington know he has some tremendous pull.” - a Trumpworld source in the AI industry
www.wired.com/story/larry-...
www.wired.com/story/larry-...
Larry Ellison Is a ‘Shadow President’ in Donald Trump’s America
The Ellison family is cornering the market on attention and data the same way the Vanderbilts did railroads and the Rockefellers did oil.
www.wired.com
September 24, 2025 at 9:00 PM
"The Ellison family is cornering the market on attention and data the way the Vanderbilts did railroads and the Rockefellers did oil."
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
No one knows Silicon Valley better than @stevenlevy.bsky.social. And no one is more clear-eyed about how far removed it has become from its supposed ideals.
I Thought I Knew Silicon Valley. I Was Wrong
Tech got what it wanted by electing Trump. A year later, it looks more like a suicide pact.
www.wired.com
September 22, 2025 at 4:59 PM
No one knows Silicon Valley better than @stevenlevy.bsky.social. And no one is more clear-eyed about how far removed it has become from its supposed ideals.
Reposted by Gerrit De Vynck
Whose video did OpenAI take to train Sora? @kevinschaul.bsky.social and I are back on our training data bullshit to find out. Gift link 🎁 t.co/c3Zg4gcYIT
September 19, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Whose video did OpenAI take to train Sora? @kevinschaul.bsky.social and I are back on our training data bullshit to find out. Gift link 🎁 t.co/c3Zg4gcYIT