Hard Fork
Hard Fork

A.I. Goes to War + Is ‘A.I. Brain Fry’ Real? + How Grammarly Stole Casey’s Identity

March 13, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Voices & The Context

  • The Format: Casual tech news podcast with hosts bantering over current events, deep dives, and an expert interview.
  • The Key Players:
    • Kevin Roose (NYT tech columnist): Gleeful provocateur, dives into AI ethics and military uses.
    • Casey Newton (Platformer): Sarcastic storyteller, shares personal Grammarly fiasco; sharp on AI hype vs. reality.
    • Guest: Julie Bedard (BCG managing director): Researcher on "AI brain fry," provides data-driven insights.
  • The Vibe: Fun and irreverent banter mixed with intense educational dives into AI's dark sides—glee over backlash, worry over war tech, laughs at AI absurdities.

🗝️ Key Themes & Topics

The episode unpacks AI's chaotic real-world impacts: from battlefield tools to workplace burnout and shady product features. Hosts blend outrage, humor, and analysis on how AI blurs lines between help and harm.

Continue reading the full summary in the app — free to try.

Read Full Summary →

Free • No credit card required

What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Julie Bedard**
  • 2 (00:30) **Backlash to NYT AI Writing Quiz**
  • 3 (03:07) **AI's Role in the War in Iran**
  • 4 (11:55) **Claude and Military AI Deployments**
  • 5 (25:10) **AI Brain Fry Phenomenon**
  • 6 (28:55) **Interview: Julie Bedard on AI Brain Fry Study**
  • 7 (49:36) **Grammarly's Expert Review Scandal**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

A.I. is changing the ways war is waged. This week, we explore how the U.S. and Israel are using A.I. to identify targets in the conflict with Iran — and why data centers and fiber optic cables are targets on the front lines. Then, researcher Julie Bedard breaks down “A.I. brain fry,” a new condition she and her colleagues studied among A.I. users at work. And finally, Casey shares his battle with Grammarly after the company used his identity in a new A.I. feature, without his consent.


Guest:


Additional Reading:

 

We want to hear from you. Email us at [email protected]. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsW

Hard Fork

More from this podcast

Hard Fork →