OpenAI’s Goblin Problem

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Happy Monday, Future Party. The ultimate example of “don’t fix what ain’t broke” is Berkshire Hathaway’s website. It still looks pretty much like it did in the late ’90s or early ’00s. Why? Probably because Warren Buffett was too busy counting his Benjamins to worry about how cool his company’s site looked. But with today’s nostalgia for the early internet, maybe Berkshire Hathaway’s site is actually cool again. Looks like Buffett was ahead of the curve once again.

Netflix has decided to give Greta Gerwig’s upcoming blockbuster adaptation of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew a wide theatrical release in 2027.

The Big Picture: Netflix’s general aversion to releasing its movies in theaters is well documented, so Gerwig getting the streamer to commit to a wide release marks a major sea change for the company. But with Netflix having explored the theatrical business while it was in the running to acquire Warner Bros., it’s possible the company got a look at financials showing that putting some high-profile titles on the big screen is a smart bet.

Behind The Scenes: Narnia was originally slated for an exclusive IMAX release over Thanksgiving before premiering on Netflix on Christmas Day… but a six-week production delay due to a cast injury made that plan unworkable.

So, Netflix gave Gerwig what she wanted from the start.

Final Credits: Narnia represents one of Netflix’s biggest franchise plays to date, giving Barbie filmmaker Gerwig a reported $200 million budget and a stacked cast that includes Meryl Streep, Daniel Craig, and Carey Mulligan. Netflix is hoping the film will be successful enough to launch several sequels — especially since it’s the first time a single company has held the rights to all seven of C.S. Lewis’ books simultaneously.

A robust theatrical run could help fuel its popularity on the platform… much like many of the movies Netflix licenses from other studios.

The Future: Don’t hold your breath waiting for Netflix to regularly release movies wide in theaters, but it could become a major bargaining chip in wooing A-list filmmakers who’ve avoided making movies for streaming.

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OpenAI has had to rewrite its code to get ChatGPT to stop talking so much about goblins and other fantastical creatures.

Why It Hurts: OpenAI’s goblin problem just goes to show how little control even top AI firms have over how their products behave. While ChatGPT’s obsession with goblins is mostly harmless (and genuinely hilarious), it’s possible a leading chatbot could fixate on something that poses a real danger to users.

Behind The Code: OpenAI is trying to root out goblins from its code, according to The WSJ.

Last Query: You’re probably thinking: “Can you give an example of all this goblin gab?” Luckily, The WSJ came with the receipts. A 32-year-old product manager at a tech company said ChatGPT referred to a flaw in his code as a “classic little goblin.” When another tech worker asked why the chatbot called itself a goblin, it replied, “Because ‘helpful minion in a power suit’ was taken, so I evolved into goblin mode.” Again, hilarious.

And for anyone already feeling nostalgic for the goblins, OpenAI has publicly provided instructions to get ChatGPT talking about them again. So yes, ChatGPT now literally has a “goblin mode.”

Prediction: Thanks to Goblingate, expect every AI firm to create an always-on test dedicated to rooting out unknowable bugs — the goblin test, if you will.

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40.1% of you voted Neutral in Friday’s poll: What’s your take on film biopics?

“It all depends on who it’s about and how well it’s done. The good ones can be very informative, while others can be not only bad, but also inaccurate and misleading.”

“A few are really good, but most seem to have an agenda (either positive or negative) they want to push about the subject. An individual can’t be made into a hero or a villain based on a movie. They were who they were.”

“Some are great, some are terrible, and all are wildly inaccurate. The ones that embrace the tension of telling a larger-than-life story and actually have fun with it are bound to be the most successful.”

“There’s so little room in a 120-page screenplay that biopics can feel like a quick waterski across the depths of an interesting life.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🤝 SAG-AFTRA has signed a new contract with Hollywood studios and streamers, averting fears of another strike.

🏆 AMPAS has introduced several new rule changes to the Oscars, including allowing actors to be nominated multiple times in the same category in a single year.

✅ Spotify is rolling out verification checks for artists to confirm that they’re actually human.

🤖 Meta has acquired Assured Robot Intelligence, a startup building AI models for humanoid robots.

🖥️ Apple has announced a shortage of Mac minis as people use them to run local AI models.

👀 Elon Musk revealed that much of Grok was actually trained on OpenAI’s models.

🎟️ TikTok has struck a deal with Fandango to let users buy movie tickets directly on the platform, with Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D) as the first title available.

🎮 Six former FaZe Clan members have launched a new streaming group called CORE.

📱 Instagram will start removing content-aggregating accounts from algorithmic recommendations.