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CNN This Morning
Sudden Rise of AI; Craig Sopin is Interviewed about the Titanic. Aired 8:30-9a ET
Aired May 18, 2023 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[08:30:00]
KAITLAN COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Lawmaker. The mayor of Flavortown (ph) sat down with CNN's Sara Sidner to talk about his nearly 20-year reign on the Food Network. We'll show you Sara's interview next with Guy Fieri.
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GUY FIERI: Now, the dude that you saw 20 years ago and the guy that you see now, maybe for a little bling upgrade, but that's about it. I think the hair might be the same color.
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GUY FIERI, HOST, "DINERS, DRIVE-INS AND DIVES": I'm going to do a gorgonzola tofu sausage tarine (ph) that we served over a mildly poached ostrich age. Now, since we're in the wine country, I'll be searching that on - on grape nuts. And done with a delicious pickled herring mouse right on top. And, oh, I know, delicious. It sends shivers up my spine.
No, seriously, folks, real food for real people.
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COLLINS: The hair, the flair, it was all there. That was Guy Fieri in 2005 before "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," before he was anointed mayor of Flavortown, before he became one of Food Network's most bankable and recognizable stars. He now has half a dozen shows on the network, including "Guy's All-American Road Trip," which is returning for a second season on June 2nd.
[08:35:05]
CNN's Sara Sidner sat down with him and asked, is he really the same guy as he was on that audition tape.
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SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: You call it triple d? Is that the wrong thing to say?
GUY FIERI, HOST, "DINERS, DRIVE-INS AND DIVES": I called it triple d because I couldn't say "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." I'd say what the fans say all the time, like, I watching that divers, dine-ins and dining show you do. And I'm like, oh, yes, that one.
Now I, really, I call it triple d because when I would do the wrap for the show or some intro to the show and I would get it wrong, that would mean I had to retake the entire intro or outtro.
SIDNER: I see.
FIERI: And so I just came up with triple d, and they said, I don't think you can say that. And I'm like, well, let's just try. And they were like, hey, we don't care, triple d. So, it has become triple d.
SIDNER: OK.
Restaurants and people that work at restaurants got hammered by the closures during Covid.
FIERI: Unprecedented.
SIDNER: Have we recovered?
FIERI: There are so many facets to this. I think there's some good sides of it. I think you look at outdoor dining and people that never had an outdoor dining and now they get to take some parking spots in their city or their community.
Yes, there still are bumps and bruises and there still - there, unfortunately, are some restaurants that are gone. And that's the toughest thing for me as a chef and a restaurant owner and the host of the show and a consumer.
But we are rebuilding. It is getting better. We are going forward. And the best way people can be involved is to support. Restaurants are the fabric of the community in so many ways and a tent pole. They're the place you go to celebrate the good and the bad.
SIDNER: When you're going out to shoot triple d, I feel a little weird saying that but that's what -- I'm hanging with the people today. I'm hanging.
FIERI: Well, you're in. You're in. You're in the team. OK.
SIDNER: When you go to shoot it, how do you find all these places? How do you figure out, OK, this one, yes, this one. Now, this is really good.
FIERI: You promise you won't tell? Just stay between you and me?
SIDNER: I mean we -- we are on camera.
FIERI: OK.
SIDNER: I mean -
FIERI: Well, if nobody will tell, it's a lot of this with a dartboard and a map and just with, yes.
SIDNER: That's the secret sauce?
FIERI: That's - well, that's it. That's really the whole - that's the genesis.
Now, I'll tell you how it started. One, it used to be a lot of fan base.
SIDNER: OK.
FIERI: I would say I'm going somewhere and, of course, every person I knew would tell me where I needed to go. Then it turned into -- so that fan base. Then it turned to the actual fans writing and saying, you've got to go to this area.
Now what happens is, I travel so much and I tell my team, hey, listen, I think I'm going to Detroit in six months, let's see what you got. So then -- now we'll take a full sampling between friends, families, past triple d locations, articles written and so forth, and we'll just kind of -- it really becomes this gigantic NFL draft.
SIDNER: It's like a social media experiment.
FIERI: It is crazy. So, by the time it finally makes it to me, it's usually about 20 locations make it to me.
SIDNER: I happened to come by your 2005 audition for the Food Network.
FIERI: Thank you. It's been great having me.
SIDNER: And I watched it more than once, just so you know. But it was authentically you.
FIERI: One hundred percent smartass.
SIDNER: Right. So, 100 percent smart-aleck, as my grandma would say.
FIERI: Smart-aleck, yes, smart-aleck. That's what I meant to say.
SIDNER: But when I -- when you look at that -- have you ever gone back to look at it, and are you the same guy? Do you feel like, I'm that same guy, even though it's almost been 20 years?
FIERI: Twenty years. There is no difference at all. My friends that, you know, my -- still my closest friends then are my closest friends now. And it's even funny. I was showing my son Rider, who's 17, who was just born when the - when I hit the finale of Food Network star, and he's watched it and he goes, so you were doing all of this even before I was born? He goes, this is how you've always acted?
It's not an act, it's just -- I think life is very funny. I think that everything should have some kind of -- you should -- I mean you should enjoy it and laugh at it and poke fun with it. And, I mean, things to take serious as well. But when I had that opportunity to put in that demo tape, I'm saying, I really meant what I said.
Listen, there's a real serious side of food and there's a real fun side of food. And I'm the - I want to be the fun side of food.
But, no, the dude that you saw 20 years ago and the guy that you see now, maybe for a little bling upgrade, but that's about it. I think the hair might be the same color.
SIDNER: I want to ask you about, when you're out on these shoots, because I have watched and thought, I mean, I'm getting full just looking at this.
FIERI: Right.
SIDNER: Do you just take a bite or do you say, screw it, I'm eating this whole thing it's so good?
FIERI: Well, you can't see it because of the fantastic trickery of television, that we actually have a stunt eater that takes --
SIDNER: OK, stop. Stop right now.
FIERI: So, when I go to a triple d joint, we vetted them so quick - it was so far that I know what I'm going to take a bite of most likely is going to be good if not great if not incredible. And there is a difference. But sometimes I take a bite, and I'll be like, yes, that's great. Sometimes it will be, this is outstanding. And sometimes like, uh --
SIDNER: I've seen those moments.
FIERI: OK. All right.
SIDNER: Yes.
FIERI: So, the producers have a - have a - have a do not resuscitate -- do not give to Guy order, which I'll take a couple bites and then I'll talk about it and then it will be gone.
[08:40:05]
And you're like, where did that pastrami sandwich go? And they're like, we'll give it to you when you leave.
SIDNER: Fair.
FIERI: Because otherwise I'll eat the whole thing.
SIDNER: Yes.
FIERI: And -- and I can't do it because I've got to keep my palate open. I shoot three locations in a day. Two to three recipes per time - per location. So, to keep my palate fresh, so I can really taste the food, so I can really tune into what's going on, you know how you kind of get numb from food after a while.
SIDNER: Yes. Yes.
FIERI: I can't get into that space.
SIDNER: OK. So, has there ever been somewhere where you bit into something and you wanted to spit it out? We don't have to say where but -
FIERI: It's not wired?
SIDNER: It's not wired, but you are.
FIERI: Damn, I knew it.
It hasn't happened in 12 years.
SIDNER: But it's happened?
FIERI: Maybe five or six times. So, listen, I have -- I think I have one of the greatest opportunities in the world because I get to shine the light on just how alive and well America is. And we even shot outside of the country.
But, you know, food is the common denominator of all people. Not everybody likes all the same music or sports or politics or whatever, but we all love food. And to be the guy that gets to be the conductor, you know, to be in the - to be in the middle of this whole thing and to say, hey, take a look, it's blessed. Blessed opportunity.
SIDNER: You talked about, you know, getting to go to all these places and you really have seen a wide swath of this country and you've talked to people while their guard is down because when you're eating and enjoying yourself, it's easy to talk about anything.
FIERI: It's how we should - it's how we should have our world summits, by the way.
SIDNER: I agree.
FIERI: You get some barbecue on things -- you put some India food, some shawarma -
SIDNER: Yes.
FIERI: You get some pizzas and some margaritas flowing -
SIDNER: Yes.
FIERI: I think we could solve a lot of the problems that we got going on these days.
SIDNER: I'm going to have to agree with you.
FIERI: The great thing is, is when we talk about food, it's become so neutral that you can bring people together that weren't typically going to be together and you can do it over food. Even now with ethnicities, the ethnic foods that are coming in, people are starting to say, wait a second, I don't understand these -- this background or this culture or the music or even the names of the spices, but, boy, I love Indian food, you know?
SIDNER: Right.
FIERI: And I'm turning people onto Indian food all the time. That's one of my favorite things. Or vegan. You know, people look at vegan with this such - there's this voodoo. No! I'm sharing it with people and they're going, wait a second, we don't even go to the restaurant because it's a vegan restaurant, we go because it's delicious.
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POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Gosh, that was fascinating. I love what he said, we can all agree on food.
COLLINS: (INAUDIBLE) food better (ph).
HARLOW: Yes.
COLLINS: Yes.
HARLOW: I love that. That was great.
COLLINS: Love that interview from Sara, that Sara did.
HARLOW: Yes.
All right, so, if you want to watch more, which I'm sure you do after seeing that, "Guy's All-American Road Trip" returns June 2nd and "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" airs Fridays at 9:00 p.m.
So, just six months ago, ChatGPT was just getting launched. It has since become one of the most popular on the planet. Just how popular? Harry Enten is here with this morning's number.
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[08:46:21]
HARLOW: You've probably noticed over the last six months, ChatGPT has become one of the most popular websites on the planet. But industry leaders say now that AI powered technology could revolutionize or destroy -
COLLINS: No big deal.
HARLOW: NBD (ph), everything from democracy to education and national security, well, we thought we'd talk a little bit more about it. This week's - this week the company's CEO, Sam Altman, testified in front of Congress and said AI must be regulated to avoid causing, quote, significant harm to the world.
Let's talk about how popular ChatGPT has become. Joining us now, CNN's senior data reporter Harry Enten.
So, what's the number?
HARRY ENTEN, CNN SENIOR DATA REPORTER: All right, this morning's number is 1.8 billion. That was the worldwide visits to ChatGPT in the month of April, making it the 17th most visited website. My goodness gracious.
And let's take a look at what surrounds it to give you a real understanding of just how popular it's become. You see ChatGPT here. Look, the Microsoft Live, your Outlook suite at 16, TikTok at 15. And, look at this, Amazon at 14, probably my favorite website so I don't actually have to go out and shop, I can just stay in my room.
And, here we go, this also is another key indication, right? You want people to stay on your website for a long period of time. So visit one page and leave the website or your bounce rate. On ChatGPT it's just 17 percent. The top 20 websites visited average, it's 29 percent. So, a lot of people are staying on ChatGPT for a long period of time.
COLLINS: But, of course, I mean, the assumption is most of those people are younger, I assume. My dad is certainly not checking out ChatGPT. But I am scared of what he's going to do once he discovers it.
ENTEN: Those text messages may not be from him from now on.
COLLINS: I'm questioning the ones - whether the ones I get now even are.
ENTEN: So, are you familiar with ChatGPT? Fifty percent of Americans overall are. But look at this, under the age of 45, 65 percent versus age 45 and older, 41 percent. And I think there's this fear of a lot of people, will students cheat using ChatGPT. Very likely students will be able to use ChatGPT to cheat. Sixty-five percent of Americans say yes. But look at this. Children that live at your home among those parents, look at that, 74 percent. So, parents are a little bit worried, guys.
HARLOW: Yes.
COLLINS: Yes. Seems like a pretty easy thing to do.
HARLOW: I still haven't used it. Maybe I'll do it this weekend.
COLLINS: Well, I wonder if your children have.
HARLOW: No way.
Thank you, Harry.
COLLINS: I'm going to tell Sienna about ChatGPT.
HARLOW: Don't.
Thank you.
Coming up, the world's most famous shipwreck like you've never seen it before. Yes, that one.
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[08:52:08]
COLLINS: This just in, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy arriving on Capitol Hill, telling CNN, negotiations over the debt limit are continuing. McCarthy also offering praise of the White House director of Office of Management and Budget Shalanda Young, she's been one of the key negotiators in the process, saying that he has the utmost respect for her and that she, quote, knows her numbers well.
Stay with CNN, of course, as those updates continue between the two sides.
HARLOW: Let's hope they get somewhere.
Meantime, you know it, the iconic scene of Jack and Rose on the bow of the Titanic. Remember that?
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm flying. Jack.
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HARLOW: That was 1997, folks. We are now getting an incredible look at the shipwreck that sits more than 12,000 feet below water. A new underwater scanning project captured what's described as an exact digital twin of the luxury passenger liner that sank in 1912, killing more than 1,500 people. And as you can see, the bow of the ship remains identifiable all these years later.
So, joining us now is Craig Sopin, an attorney and Titanic expert.
It's great to have you. That brings back so many memories for so many people. Good morning.
CRAIG SOPIN, TITANIC HISTORIAN: Thank you. Good morning. It's great to be here.
HARLOW: Well, you're a Titanic expert. What was your first reaction when you saw these scans?
SOPIN: Well, this is something like we've never had before. It's really an amazing development. And I would say that probably the most significant development in terms of research since the development of facial recognition software.
HARLOW: Wow.
SOPIN: It gives us an unbridled view of the entire ship in a 3-D format, which we never had before. And it's very important that we have that and very fortunate that we have it now because the Titanic is disintegrating at an alarming rate. And at some point all we're going to have left are images such as this. And since we're going to have what can be considered an exact duplicate of the Titanic as it rests today, we'll be able to continue studying the ship because there's still a lot of unanswered questions and probably questions that we don't even know exist until we get into this research. For example, there were --
COLLINS: And -
SOPIN: Yes.
COLLINS: Well, Craig, I didn't realize that there are still so many unanswered questions about exactly how the Titanic sank. And you say that there are questions about what damage the iceberg actually caused to this ship. So, do you think you'll be able to learn more about that from these scans?
SOPIN: Yes. Absolutely. When the ship went down, there were some eyewitnesses who said we saw the ship break in two. And a lot of people did not believe them. And then once the ship was discovered in 1985, it became apparent that they were correct. And now we'll be able to see the mechanics of how that actually occurred.
[08:55:01]
The clarity, the detail of these images is absolutely incredible. You can even see - and, by the way, when you're looking at this you don't even see the murky ocean surrounding the ship, which has really been an impediment to some of the 2-D images that we've taken before. But you can actually see unopened bottles of champagne and even a serial number on one of the propeller blades from the ship.
So, the detail is incredible. It's going to allow us to examine the mechanics of the sinking, as well as what kind of damage the iceberg actually did. Everyone assumes that the iceberg just made some piercings or slashes to the starboard side of the ship, but other things could have happened as well that we just couldn't determine before because the Titanic sits in a very hostile environment. And with these 3-D images, we're going to be able to answer a lot of those questions once engineers really get their hands on this.
COLLINS: Wow.
HARLOW: Totally fascinating.
COLLINS: Unopened bottles of champagne, that level of detail is amazing.
HARLOW: That's exactly what I was thinking.
COLLINS: Craig, thank you so much. You're an expert on this. So, we really appreciate your time this morning.
SOPIN: Thank you. My pleasure. Take care.
HARLOW: Thanks, Craig.
All right.
COLLINS: And thank you all for joining us.
HARLOW: See you tomorrow. It's Friday tomorrow.
COLLINS: Yes.
"CNN NEWS CENTRAL" starts right after this quick break.
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