In this episode of Hashtag Trending, host Jim Love covers reports that the Pentagon may cut ties with Anthropic over Claude's usage restrictions, after a $200M Department of Defense contract and disagreements about limits related to weapons development, surveillance, and violence.

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The episode also examines warnings from Phison Electronics CEO KS Pua that an AI-driven memory crunch could push smaller consumer electronics makers toward bankruptcy or product exits by 2026 as high-end memory supply is prioritized for data centers, with potential ripple effects across devices and even automotive systems. MacWorld's critique of Apple's prolonged Siri overhaul is discussed, including delayed Apple Intelligence promises and reports Apple may integrate Google's Gemini into iOS, raising questions about Apple's premium brand perception amid broader software criticism. Finally, the show highlights a Meta patent describing AI that could continue posting and responding on behalf of deceased users by learning from their historical content, raising concerns about consent, control, authenticity, and identity online.

00:00 Hashtag Trending + Sponsor Message (Meter) 00:46 Pentagon vs. Anthropic: AI Guardrails and Military Use 03:05 AI Memory Crunch: Storage Shortages Threaten Consumer Tech 04:58 Is Siri Now an Apple Liability? Delays, Gemini, and Brand Risk 07:38 Meta's Patent: AI Posting After You Die (Digital Afterlife) 08:59 Wrap-Up, How to Support the Show + Sponsor Thanks