Elon Musk’s xAI has been working on a ‘DeepSearch’ feature, employees say, and it could compete with Google and OpenAI
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, has been working on a tool for complex research tasks, four current and former employees told B-17 — and it could compete with features from its rivals OpenAI and Google. Data annotators at xAI have been working on the tool, known internally as “DeepSearch,” since at least late last…
Jony Ive opens up about Steve Jobs’ parting wish
Steve Jobs asked Jony Ive to trust his own instincts. Before he died in 2011, Steve Jobs left iPhone designer Jony Ive with a request. Ive led Apple’s design team to help create the company’s most iconic products, and he developed a close relationship with its cofounder along the way. During an appearance on BBC’s…
I’ve lived in Berlin for 5 years. The US will always be my home, but I feel more at ease living in Europe.
Living in Germany has made access to hiking across Europe more accessible. In late August 2016, my wife and I landed in Düsseldorf. It was love at first sight. We’re avid hikers, and I remember the feeling of absolute glee with our easy access to miles of footpaths along a river — in this case,…
My kids’ teenage years were the happiest of my life. After the chaos of raising little kids was done, we had so much fun together.
Linda Townsend’s three daughters and son (not pictured) are all grown up now. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Linda Townsend, a 76-year-old mom of four from the Gold Coast, Australia. It has been edited for length and clarity. Many parents dread the adolescent years when children tend to become moody and…
xAI trains its chatbot not to impersonate Elon Musk
One of the first rules workers at Elon Musk’s xAI learn about monitoring the company’s chatbot: Don’t let it impersonate the boss. At least not without asking. When xAI tutors — more commonly known as data annotators — join the company, they are provided with a training document on the company’s guiding principles and how…
My teens and I survived a weekend without screens. This digital detox helped us reconnect and experience new things together.
A digital detox weekend helped my kids and I disconnect with our devices and reconnect with each other. As a parent of two kids, 13 and 11, I’m always looking for ways to balance technology use in our home. Like most families, screens have become an unavoidable part of our daily lives, whether it’s for…
Getting a Musk-style request from your boss? How to manage up and show your work.
Leadership experts shared with B-17 their tips on getting your accomplishments on your manager’s radar. If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Depends on who you ask. This one’s easier: If you accomplish an important task at work and your boss doesn’t…
Americans are afraid to fly after recent crashes — social media and DOGE aren’t helping
Images and videos of recent travel mishaps have travelers on edge. Collective anxiety about flying often spikes after high-profile accidents, but the combination of social media and the recent firings at the Federal Aviation Administration may be exacerbating fears. Videos of passengers inverted in their seats and evacuating from a smoking Delta Air Lines plane…
I went to a major bitcoin conference as a crypto skeptic. I still have doubts, but I see why buying the dip is worth the risk.
A scene from the Bitcoin Investor Week conference on February 27, 2025. As a cryptocurrency skeptic, I arrived at the Bitcoin Investor Week conference in New York City significantly outnumbered. I was armed only with my backpack, a notepad, and an open mind. Eight hours later, I left with something else: a newfound fondness for…
