The Vergecast Millions of books died so Claude could live
309 snips
Feb 3, 2026 
Will Oremus, Washington Post reporter on tech policy, explains how Anthropic bought and destructively scanned millions of books to train AI. Julia Alexander, media reporter, debates whether Netflix will genuinely prioritize theatrical releases and what theaters must do to survive. Jen Pattison Tuohy, smart-home reviewer, troubleshoots IKEA Matter quirks and Thread network headaches.
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The Industry's "Original Sin" Explains Backlash
- Many see AI backlash as rooted in an initial, permissive approach to data collection by early leaders like OpenAI.
- That early "take everything" culture forced competitors into similar shortcuts, creating distrust.
Don't Let The Race Excuse Theft
- Regulate or create stronger norms to slow the data grab race and require licensing or payment.
- Companies should seek permission and pay creators to avoid legal and ethical harms.
Theatrical Releases Boost Streaming Value
- Netflix's interest in theatrical releases is strategic: theatrical premieres can boost later streaming engagement.
- But committing to a wide theatrical slate requires new infrastructure and sustained investment.