TechStuff

IBM's CEO reveals that the company has paused on hiring approximately 7,800 people in order to consider AI for those roles instead. A pioneer in deep learning is concerned about the potential dangers of AI. And the Web celebrates 30 years of being in the public domain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What process does Nissan follow when designing a new vehicle? We dive into the complicated process of going from concept to finished vehicle and learn how Nissan combines cutting edge technology with traditional artistic expression to get there.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Producer Noel Brown joins the show to talk about the science, theory and practice of soundproofing. How does sound work? How can you protect a room from sound?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A man in Thailand claims that, with a little coaxing, ChatGPT helped him pick winning numbers for the lottery. Plus we hear a lot of other stories about AI, how Meta had a very good first quarter after laying off 21,000 people, and why Netflix might be worried after rolling out a password sharing crackdown initiative in Spain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a quantum bit, and how is it different from a normal bit? What kinds of problems are quantum computers good at solving? And how many dumb jokes can Jonathan shove into this episode?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In less than a week, Twitter's blue checkmark went from a desired status symbol to a mark people want to avoid at all costs. What happened? Plus, news on GM phasing out the Chevy Bolt, Google abandoning a mega campus project and an update on the Apple vs Epic legal battle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is an AI hallucination? What causes a chatbot to go off script and invent stuff? And is AI's tendency to rewrite history a bug or a feature?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jonathan and Ben continue their conversation about online ads. Is it wrong to use ad blockers? Or is it wrong to block people who block ads?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The test launch of SpaceX's Starship was a success despite the fact that the launch vehicle later exploded high above the Gulf of Mexico. There are more battles happening around the subject of artificial intelligence. And if you used Facebook between 2007 and 2022, you can file a claim to get a share in a massive class action lawsuit.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vinyl sales were on the decline from the 1980s to the mid 2000s, but since 2006 sales have been on the rise. What's the history of vinyl, and what makes this format special?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Elon Musk working on a kinder, gentler AI? Could Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI take a huge chunk out of Google? And how do artists protect themselves against deepfakes?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the weekend, Google rolled out a patch to Google Chrome. It addresses a zero-day vulnerability. But what are zero-day vulnerabilities and zero-day attacks? We learn about the definition and history of this powerful type of hacker attack.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Online advertising has been a bit of a problem for a long time. Join Jonathan and Ben as they talk about ads, ad blockers and malware.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China's Cyberspace Administration recommends regulations that would prevent AI from upsetting the country's political apple cart. Plus, why did Elon Musk buy 10,000 GPUs? And Meta employees are having a real morale issue for lots of reasons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does a CPU do? What is clock speed? What does it mean to overclock a CPU? And are FLOPS a good thing?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've got stories about top secret US documents showing up on Discord servers and how Meta's verification system is putting people in danger, but to be honest a LOT of this episode ends up being about the chaos going on over at Twitter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a dark ride? What's the oldest dark ride still in operation? How do dark rides use technology to tell stories? And whatever happened to the Tunnel of Love?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hak5 Host Shannon Morse joins the show to talk about hacking as a profession. From white hats to black hats, how do hackers make money?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meta has plans to launch a commercialized AI product by the end of this year. Apple might have picked the wrong year to get into XR. Binance closes derivative businesses in Australia due to an investigation. And rich lonely people may soon be able to avoid the rest of us on Tinder.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Razer makes pretty much everything, but this episode is about some of the concepts, prototypes and (arguably) vaporware the company has teased that never became a commercial product. From modular computers to futuristic gaming chairs, we look at some crazy concept hardware that you absolutely cannot buy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Germany looks to block ChatGPT out of privacy concerns. Samsung Semiconductor adjusts its own stance on ChatGPT as employees share a bit too much information with the chatbot. And a ChatGPT detector might flag a student's legitimate work as AI material. Plus lots more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not that long ago, tech companies would fall over themselves to participate in gags and jokes on April 1st. Things have calmed down a bit over the last few years, but we're starting to see shenanigans poke through again. We look at a few examples from this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CarStuff's Scott Benjamin comes on to talk about Google's self-driving car causing its first car accident. What happened? And how will Google prevent future accidents?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pair of letters signed by more than 1,000 people (maybe) argue that we need to slow down before developing more advanced artificial intelligence models. Plus, did Google cheat off OpenAI's work to build out Bard? And SBF stands accused of bribing Chinese officials to the tune of 40 million dollars.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gordon Moore, the man behind Moore's Law, passed away on March 24, 2023. We look at his life and contributions to tech.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An analyst predicts that there's a 90% chance the US will ban TikTok unless there are drastic changes at the company. A legend in the tech industry passes away. And why does NVidia's CTO say that cryptocurrencies serve no use in society? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We learn who invented the lawnmower, how lawnmowers evolved, and why we even have lawns in the first place. Hint: it has to do with castles in the Middle Ages. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are weather predictions made? How does the tech used in meteorology work? And can we control the weather?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google Bard admitted that it took data from an article in Tom's Hardware without attribution. ChatGPT and Bard both prove they can't tell the difference between real news and a joke. And TikTok's CEO appears before Congress to answer some tough questions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do tech entrepreneurs go from having an idea to turning it into a successful business? We look at the process of funding a tech startup and what might convince someone to invest in a long shot.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vulnerabilities in Samsung-produced chipsets may require you to remove the phone from your smartphone. Plus we learn about a bunch of new AI stories, including a company that can generate video based off text input. Plus a watchdog group in Germany brings accusations against Meta and German politicians. And more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From a pair of generals paralyzed by bad communication to a trolley hurtling out of control, we look at some classic thought experiments and how they pertain to technology. Plus, are we living in a simulation?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How are weather predictions made? How does the tech used in meteorology work? And can we control the weather? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a new version of GPT out in the wild and it has some interesting new features (and familiar problems). Chinese company Baidu's version of a chatbot fails to inspire investors. And TikTok faces new demands that it sever all ties with its Chinese parent company. Plus more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While modern flight simulators can be incredibly complicated and rely on powerful computer systems, the very first flight simulator didn't have any computers at all. Instead, it relied on stuff you'd normally find in a pipe organ. We learn about Edwin Link and his incredible flight simulator.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've got a lot of updates for ongoing news stories in tech. Meta plans more layoffs, New South Wales debates banning TikTok on government devices, Sony argues that Microsoft is untrustworthy, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Silicon Valley Bank, or SVB, was a financial pillar in the tech sector. So how did a company that helped countless startups launch fail in less than two days? We look at the history of SVB, what happened, and how it relates to banks like Silvergate and Signature failing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are solar towers? How do they generate electricity? What's the future of solar power?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Senators show concern about how the FBI collected geolocation data without going through normal procedures. Google pays out a large settlement relating to how the company handled location tracking. Plus we have stories about facial recognition tech, how Tesla is under scrutiny for accidents (and for steering wheels popping off of SUVs) and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bridget Todd host of There Are No Girls on the Internet steps in for Jonathan to celebrate women in tech for International Women's Day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Senate introduces a bill that could give the President the power to ban TikTok (and other foreign tech products and services). Microsoft introduces an AI platform for enterprises. Cambridge Analytica resurfaces in the news down under. And Meta plans to hold more layoffs soon. Plus more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ponzi scheme is a classic high-stakes con game that can net a scammer a lot of money, but at considerable risk. We take a look at the Terraform Labs collapse of 2022 and learn what factors led to its downfall and why its co-founder is on the run.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does the FBI want Apple to do and why do so many tech experts oppose it? Ben Bowlin joins the show to talk about it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There seems to be a lack of consensus regarding whether or not AI is about to change everything or if it's more hype than substance. We explore several news items that look into this. Plus, the ACLU doesn't think the US should ban TikTok. Airbnb might ban you based on who you hang out with. And DARPA is looking for some new aircraft designs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Getting into space is hard, which is why it might surprise you to learn about some of the weird, wild and goofy stuff we've sent up there. From action figures to salmonella to Elon Musk's personal Tesla Roadster, we look at a collection of weird things we've sent to space.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've got a ton of stories relating to AI to talk about today. Plus, VW's Car-Net service refuses to help detectives track down a stolen car (with a toddler inside it) unless they first pay the $150 reactivation fee. Ford proposes a future where cars repossess themselves. And everyone is banning TikTok.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In early February, 2023, the US shot down a Chinese balloon. The US says the balloon was gathering intelligence while the Chinese claimed it was a weather balloon. We look at the history of spy balloons and how they've evolved over time, as well as the dilemma these balloons put leaders in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is LIGO and how did it detect gravitational waves? We explain!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Supreme Court admits it isn't qualified to make a judgment call on Section 230, which provides protection to online platforms regarding user content. Plus Apple's iOS 17 is rumored to allow users to sideload apps for the first time. And Elon Musk continues to shake things up at Twitter. And more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listener Nathan asked me to explain why the hacktivist group Anonymous would promote SovereignDAO, so in this epic episode we learn about the origins and evolution of Anonymous, how DAOs work, and whether the components of a DAO align with the philosophy of Anonymous. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.