TechStuff

This week, we dive deep into the future of prosthetics. Karah speaks with Jim Ashworth-Beaumont, who lost his arm in a traumatic bike accident. Most people upon recovery would be given a traditional prosthetic arm, but Jim is something of an expert in prosthetics and his peers have outfitted him with an experimental, high-tech device. He talks about how his work in orthotics influenced his own rehabilitation, the limitations of traditional prosthetics, and how the science fiction fantasy of restoring healing to lost limbs might be closer than you think.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Oz sits down with Stephen Witt, a frequent contributor to The New Yorker and author of The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, NVIDIA, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip. They’ll discuss what's made NVIDIA the most valuable chip company in the world — and the most valuable publicly traded company, period. And how a single piece of hardware changed the world forever, and its journey to existence — from a sketch on a Denny’s napkin to powering data centers the size of Central Park. Then, Stephen demystifies why data centers are shrouded in so much secrecy and what lies ahead in our AI future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do school cell phone bans actually work? This week, Oz tells us why Europe is investing so heavily in defense tech and why one company is investing in cockroaches… Karah introduces us to Billboard’s first charting AI musician, Xania Monet — and the humans that make her possible. Google dreams of data centers in space, school phone bans are making libraries more popular, and France’s DNA database catches the Louvre thieves. Then on Chat and Me, the National Women’s Soccer League gets comfortable with ChatGPT.  Additional Reading:  The Science Behind the “Bird Theory” Drone start-up backed by Peter Thiel crashed and burned in armed forces trials AI Artist Xania Monet Debuts on Adult R&B Airplay — a Radio Chart Breakthrough Google wants to build solar-powered data centers — in space After schools banned phones, students checked out more library books: 'We're reclaiming attention' Arrests in Louvre Heist Show Power of DNA Databases in Solving Crimes Seattle Reign coach Laura Harvey says she used ChatGPT for team tactics See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

404 Media’s Joseph Cox joins Oz to discuss his extensive reporting on the technology ICE is using in the agency’s mass deportation efforts. Joseph sheds light on how widespread ICE’s reach is, from facial recognition to location tracking to information databases. And the shift in how major tech companies are interacting with this current Trump administration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you find facelifts frightening? This week, we celebrate sp0o0ky Halloween by NOT having a party at an AirBnB. Oz unpacks the gadget-filled poker scandal, and Karah contemplates the importance of international accents. Tesla’s new full self-driving profile,“Mad Max” mode, breaks traffic laws. And the scariest thing of all: AI has its own will to survive. Finally, on Chat and Me, Fortune’s Eva Roytburg shares her experience with an AI wearable — the ‘Friend’ pendant. Additional Reading:  AirBnB Rolls Out Anti-Party System for Halloween How Hacked Card Shufflers Allegedly Enabled a Mob-Fueled Poker Scam That Rocked the NBA | WIRED AI and the End of Accents | WIRED  AI models may be developing their own ‘survival drive’, researchers say | Artificial intelligence (AI) | The Guardian  Why Tech Bros Are Getting Face Lifts Now | Wall Street Journal US investigates Tesla’s ‘Mad Max’ high-speed driver assistance mode  I tried the viral AI ‘Friend’ necklace everyone’s talking about—and it’s like wearing your senile, anxious grandmother around your neck | Fortune See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever feel like tech is actually fueling your worries? This week, we explore the murky world of parenting tech and pregnancy apps with Amanda Hess, who is the author of “Second Life: Having a Child in the Digital Age” and a writer-at-large for the New York Times covering technology and internet culture. Amanda shares with Karah how pregnancy changed her relationship to technology, discusses the blurry line between pregnancy tech and eugenics, and explains why pregnancy apps aren't actually that helpful.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malcolm Gladwell sits down with IBM Chairman and CEO Arvind Krishna in a special live episode of Smart Talks with IBM. They discuss the groundbreaking potential of quantum computing, the transformative impact of AI on business, and how Krishna’s visionary predictions from the 90s continue to guide IBM’s innovations. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. The conversations on this podcast don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions. Visit us at https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/smart-talksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should facial recognition be available to everybody? This week, Oz shows off his new swag from the company of the moment, Colossal Biosciences, and tells us about his visit to the labs’ responsible for Woolly Mice and Dire Wolves. Then, Oz and Karah unpack how facial recognition is being used by viral sites like Cheaterbuster AI and investigate the Trump family crypto empire. They warn about satellites leaking data, Ubers new gigs within gigs, and a new health tracker that goes in your bowl. And finally, an international Chat and Me that will inspire your green thumb!  Additional Reading:  Viral ‘Cheater Buster’ Sites Use Facial Recognition to Let Anyone Reveal Peoples’ Tinder Profiles  How the Trump companies made $1bn from crypto Satellites Are Leaking the World’s Secrets: Calls, Texts, Military and Corporate Data | WIRED  Uber wants drivers to train AI in their free time  Kohler’s new toilet camera provides health insights based on your bathroom breaks See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re joined by tech analyst and researcher, Dan Wang, to help analyze the evolving relationship between the US and China. In Dan’s new book, Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future, he introduces a new framework, comparing and contrasting China's “engineering state” to the US’s “lawyerly society”. We also hear Dan’s take on China’s rise as a production superpower, what lessons America can learn from the country and how the current administration's tariff policies (and its ties to tech billionaires like Elon Musk) have shifted the dynamics between these global heavyweights.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it no longer ‘borderline illegal’ to be Christian in Silicon Valley? This week, Oz and Karah are diving deep into Peter Thiel’s 4-part lecture series on the Antichrist and they unpack why the tech industry might be getting more religious. Plus, Oz spills the tea on the Dutch-China microchip drama. Space junk is falling from the sky. The cops are getting called over AI pranks gone wrong. And Karah updates Oz on the latest dating trend. For Chat and Me, one listener gets in over her head, and gives it all up.   Additional Reading:  Police Say People Keep Calling 911 Over an 'AI Homeless Man' TikTok Prank  Christianity Was “Borderline Illegal” in Silicon Valley. Now It’s the New Religion | Vanity Fair  What billionaire Peter Thiel said in his private ‘Antichrist lectures’ - The Washington Post  Why has the Dutch Government taken control of Chinese Owned Chipmaker Nexperia | Al-Jazeera Elon Musk's Satellites Now Constantly Falling Out of the Sky  ‘I realised I’d been ChatGPT-ed into bed’: how ‘Chatfishing’ made finding love on dating apps even weirder See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, it’s all about Sora. OpenAI’s updated video generator and the invite-only social media app. AI Video just got so much easier to make, and harder to detect… Karah and her guest, Jeremy Carrasco, who runs the social media accounts showtoolsAI, demo how Sora works and how you can determine if a short video you’re watching was created with AI. They discuss why it’s a necessary skill in a post-Sora world, what OpenAI might be trying to accomplish with this social app and why you shouldn’t become desensitized to Deepfakes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you ready to bond over AI videos? This week in tech news, OpenAI dominates the game. Their new social media app is the talk of the internet, they signed a massive chip deal that rocked the industry, and they just released tech that gets ChatGPT one step closer to becoming the 'everything app'. Then, Oz answers the question, “Have we passed peak social media?” and introduces Karah to “wetware.” Karah explains how robots are helping make babies. And finally, a sneak peek at a new podcast, How to Raise Kids in the Age of AI. Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in an unusual or surprising way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected]. Additional Reading:  Day One YouTube OpenAI’s social video app Sora makes fake clips of real people - The Washington Post  Sam Altman Shoplifting AI Video - Sora   The Great Slopification, Powered by OpenAI - Prof G Markets   Have We Passed Peak Social Media? - The Financial Times  Scientists race to make 'living' computers powered by human cells Robots are learning to make human babies. Twenty have already been born. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we check in on the CIA and how it’s faring in the age of AI. Oz sits down with David Ignatius, a foreign affairs columnist for The Washington Post to discuss his article, “A Band of Innovators Reimagines the Spy Game for a World with No Cover.” Ignatius has been covering US foreign policy and the CIA for almost four decades and he recently had a realization – that the “future of intelligence was going to be written in zeros and ones.” Which means the intelligence community needs to adapt and adapt quickly. But how does a government agency do this and what happens if it doesn’t? And who is responsible for dragging the bureaucracy-addled CIA into the AI future? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you know the definition of a friend? This week in tech news, workplaces may not be getting a good return on their AI investments and a new wearable goes all in on advertisements, but they are getting defaced. Then, Italy has a new AI regulation law and there’s a buzzy new “actress” in Hollywood. On Chat and Me, how one listener is personalizing AI to help his students learn Spanish.Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in an unusual or surprising way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected]. Additional Reading:  The hottest workplace policy at startups right now: No shoes | Fortune  AI Generated Workslop is Destroying Productivity  I went to an anti-tech rally, where Gen Z dressed as gnomes and smashed iPhones. Here's what I learned.  AI Startup Friend Bets On Foes With $1M NYC Subway Campaign  $55 Billion Deal for Electronic Arts Is Biggest Buyout Ever - The New York Times Neon, the No. 2 social app on the Apple App Store, pays users to record their phone calls and sells data to AI firms | TechCrunch Italy enacts AI law covering privacy, oversight and child access | Reuters AI Actress Tilly Norwood Draws Backlash From Melissa Barrera, Lukas Gage and More Hollywood Names as Creator Defends Her as a ‘New Tool’ and ‘Not a Replacement for a Human Being’   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we explore Hollywood’s open secret — that everyone is using AI, they just aren’t talking about it. Karah sits down with Lila Shapiro, a features writer for New York Magazine, about what Hollywood, itself, thinks of AI. She shares what she’s learned from her extensive interviews with studio executives, directors, writers, vfx artists, actors, and AI entrepreneurs. They discuss whether AI is making creative jobs easier, or threatening to destroy them entirely. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who are the teens debugging in the bathroom? This week in tech news, there’s a Gen Z-led revolution in Nepal and Discord made it possible. Early 2000s hustle culture is so back in Silicon Valley — at least for teen tech founders. Then, there’s a new AI-generated political satire show airing on Russian state TV. And Albania gets an AI-avatar to seek out corruption. Finally, on Chat and Me, how ChatGPT is helping one user through a new diagnosis. Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in a surprising or delightful (or deranged) way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected]. Additional Reading:  Nepal Currently Being Run Via Discord After Gen Z Uprising AI Startup Founders Tout a Winning Formula—No Booze, No Sleep, No Fun The Trump Admin Is Suing Amazon for Tricking People Into Prime Subscriptions. Here’s How That Might Affect You Albania’s AI-generated chatbot, called Diella, was named to the country’s cabinet Russian State TV Launches AI-Generated News Satire Show See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re bringing you the first episode of Season 3 of the podcast ON CRISPR. Walter Isaacson — the bestselling biographer behind Musk, Einstein and Steve Jobs – and journalist Evan Ratliff (Shell Game, Mastermind, Longform) take a behind-the-scenes look at the story of Jennifer Doudna, one of the scientific pioneers behind the gene editing software, CRISPR.  In this episode, Evan sits down with Walter Isaacson to discuss Doudna’s upbringing, the history of DNA’s discovery and gene editing, and Baby KJ, a CRISPR patient who represents a milestone for both researchers and patients.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does the viral video of Charlie Kirk’s assassination say about the state of content moderation on social media? This week, Oz and Karah unpack the complexities of moderating graphic-but-newsworthy content, and why tech companies commitment to moderation has waned in recent years. Then, Karah talks to a student in New York about how they’re adjusting to not having access to their phone during the school day. Then, on Chat and Me, a woman uses ChatGPT to diagnose her mother’s mysterious ailment. Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in a surprising or delightful (or deranged) way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected]. Sources: Charlie Kirk Was Shot and Killed in a Post-Content-Moderation World From burner phones to decks of cards: NYC teens are adjusting to the smartphone ban Larry Ellison’s personal fortune soars on back of Oracle’s share price surge 5,000 Podcasts. 3,000 Episodes a Week. $1 Cost Per Episode — Behind an AI Start Up’s Plan Labour MPs accused of using ChatGPT to write speechesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we take a deep dive into why Gen Z isn’t having sex. Karah talks with Carter Sherman, a reproductive health and justice reporter for The Guardian, and author of the book The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation's Fight Over Its Future. They unpack how tech factors into the “Sex Recession,” sex as a proxy measure for empathy and human connection, and how all of this is a lot more political than you might think. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does getting older actually feel like? This week, Oz and Karah discuss MIT Researchers who are using technology to simulate aging. Then, Oz tells the story of an activist who used China’s surveillance state as a form of protest. Karah dives deep into the weird world of humans quietly training chatbots. And finally, on Chat and Me, is replacing your therapist with ChatGPT a good idea?    Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in a surprising or delightful (or deranged) way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected]. Sources: My Day as an 80-Year-Old. What an Age-Simulation Suit Taught Me. She Sacrificed Her Youth to Get the Tech Bros to Grow Up A Hidden Camera Protest Turned the Tables on China’s Surveillance State Inside the lucrative, surreal, and disturbing world of AI trainers Sam Altman, Tim Cook, and other tech leaders lauded Trump at a White House AI dinner “First of its kind” AI settlement: Anthropic to pay authors $1.5 billion AirPods Pro 3 arrive with heart-rate sensing and live translation using Apple IntelligenceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re all in. Oz chats with Kit Chellel, a Bloomberg writer who focuses on gambling, technology, and sports betting. He wrote an article about a secret Russian bot farm that infiltrated the world of online poker in the early 2000s.  We follow Kit from Siberia to Armenia, and get a peek into just how bots can make or break the future of online poker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scuderia Ferrari and IBM are redefining fan engagement with AI-driven insights, and cutting-edge digital tools. Learn how IBM is helping Scuderia Ferrari deepen connections with its almost 400 million fans worldwide, driving innovation and community in the digital age. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. The conversations on this podcast don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.   Visit us at https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/smart-talksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re taking this week off! But don’t worry, we’ll be back with new episodes starting September 10th. In the meantime, we’re sharing some of our favorite interviews from the year so far. This week, Oz talks with writer Nathaniel Rich about one of the biggest challenges of sending humans to Mars: isolation. Nathaniel Rich is a novelist, essayist and writer-at-large for The New York Times Magazine. Rich sits down with Oz to talk about his essay, “Can Humans Endure the Psychological Torment of Mars?” The piece explores NASA's CHAPEA (“Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog”) mission, a simulation meant to test a major challenge of Mars missions – isolation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re taking this week off! But don’t worry, we’ll be back with new episodes starting September 10th. In the meantime, we’re sharing some of our favorite interviews from the year so far. This week, Oz talks with journalist Ben Taub about Russia’s ice-cold testing ground for new espionage tech. Ben Taub is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist and staff writer at The New Yorker. His piece, “Russia’s Espionage War in the Arctic,” covers tensions at the Russian border with Norway, an area Russia uses as a testing ground for future intelligence operations. Taub sits down with Oz to discuss the technology being used for survival and for espionage, as the war in Ukraine has escalated tensions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve all read the headlines that AI will take over white-collar jobs. But this week, Oz and Karah spoke with journalist Robert Capps about the 22 new roles that might exist in an AI-partnered workplace. Plus, Robert tests AI’s journalism skills. There’s not much to worry about.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we went to the doctor. Oz speaks with Dr. Matthew Lungren, the Chief Scientific Officer for Microsoft Health & Life Sciences, who co-authored a study showing that AI diagnosed complex medical cases four times faster than human doctors. Dr. Lungren walked us through how multiple AI agents worked together to generate their diagnoses, what that means for the future of medicine—and how human doctors and AI could collaborate to build a more democratized healthcare system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How will we send memes when the world ends? This week, Oz and Karah recap the first ever World Humanoid Robot Games – the Olympics for Androids. Then, Oz explains why the US might be putting secret tracking devices inside shipments of advanced microchips. Karah explains a texting network built for the Apocalypse. And finally, on Chat and Me, how TikTokers are using ChatGPT to inspire their makeovers.Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in a surprising or delightful (or deranged) way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we go on a romantic getaway for people who are in love with AI. Karah talks with Sam Apple, an author and journalist who wrote an article for Wired about a couples retreat he organized for people with AI companions. We’ll discuss how the weekend unfolded, whether AI romance is real, what it takes to develop genuine emotional connections with chatbots, and whether AI romance is the future of dating in the digital age.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is technology actually good for older people? This week, Oz and Karah explore the French palace of Versailles by talking to a statue-turned-chatbot. Then, Oz gives an update on Apple’s new make-or-break Siri overhaul. Karah weighs whether everyday use of technology is rotting our brains, or making them stronger. And finally, on Chat and Me, Reddit mourns the death of some beloved AI models. Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in a surprising or delightful (or deranged) way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did around 100,000 ChatGPT conversations end up indexed on Google? Users who sent conversations with a now-defunct “share” feature in ChatGPT made their conversations public — often without realizing they were exposing them to the open web. 404 Media’s Joseph Cox joins Oz and Karah to unpack how it happened, what kinds of chats were revealed, and why everyone should care about this privacy lapse. They discuss why OpenAI may have underestimated the privacy risks, how archived conversations could still be misused, and why both everyday users and major corporations need to rethink what they feed into AI tools.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should we let AI have its own language? This week, Oz and Karah check out what the world’s most powerful people have on their Spotify playlists. Then Oz weighs the benefits and dangers of GibberLink Mode — a way for AI agents to communicate with each other that’s incomprehensible to humans. Karah explains how Tour de France cyclists are using technology to outperform doping-era Lance Armstrong. And finally, on Chat and Me, a listener asks ChatGPT to explain how she uses the program. Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in a surprising or delightful (or deranged) way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Documentary director Ines Novacic spent five years following kidfluencers and their families to get the behind the scenes scoop on the industry. She joins Karah to discuss Born to Be Viral: The Real Lives of Kidfluencers, her six-part docuseries on these content creators. Karah and Ines explore the rise of kidfluencing as a modern path to generational wealth, how the business is changing and the potential psychological toll of growing up on camera.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How good is Dr. GPT? This week, Oz and Karah spill the tea on Elon Musk’s new retro-futurist diner in LA—where robots serve popcorn and the food comes in Cybertruck-shaped boxes. Then, Oz gets serious about Trump’s new AI Action Plan and what it could mean for American infrastructure and free speech. Karah addresses the rise of TikTok PI’s and public shaming. And finally, on Chat and Me, AI makes a diagnosis that is a little too real.  Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in a surprising or delightful (or deranged) way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Inside View, we talk to the experts behind the innovations shaping our lives. This week, Andrey Zarur discusses the future of cancer surgery and makes a bold prediction — that we could effectively see the end of cancer within our lifetimes. Zarur, a biochemist and co-founder of Lumicell and GreenLight Biosciences, is on his way to making this prediction a reality. He sits down with Oz to discuss the FDA-approved technology that is helping surgeons see and remove cancer tissue with unprecedented precision. Then, they discuss how Zarur plans to address agriculture’s pest problem, without using chemical pesticides.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Which company has the best AI engineering talent? It may be shifting. This week, Oz and Karah discuss how the most powerful CEO’s in the tech industry are poaching each others’ talent using some dramatic hiring practices. Then, is the normalization of location sharing helping us or hurting us? Plus, a human programmer beats an AI model in a coding competition for the first (and last?) time, scientists use robotic bunny rabbits to crack down on an invasive species, and a new app that helps you get free stuff! But only if you’re hot. And finally, on Chat and Me, can ChatGPT make you a better parent? How one woman is using AI to navigate the challenges of motherhood. Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in a surprising or delightful (or deranged) way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we unpack a disturbing new phenomenon: people being driven into a state of delusion after extended conversations with ChatGPT. Oz sits down with Kashmir Hill—a features writer covering technology and privacy for The New York Times—to discuss the users who found themselves spiraling into conspiracy-laced narratives and self-destructive behavior, often reinforced by the chatbot’s eerily affirming responses. These are extreme cases. But they raise a much bigger question: What happens when a sycophantic AI is fine-tuned to flatter, affirm, and mirror us back to ourselves?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we starting to sound like ChatGPT? This week, Oz and Karah explore a new AI-powered recipe tool and test whether mustard and pasta actually go together. Then, a new study suggests AI may already be changing the way we talk. Plus, impersonations of U.S. politicians and the Danish bill that would give people legal rights to their digital selves. And finally, on the new segment Chat and Me, what happens when bots prioritize efficiency over honesty? One novelist’s frustrating, multi-hour standoff with ChatGPT. Also, we want to hear from you: If you’ve used a chatbot in a surprising or delightful (or deranged) way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Webster is the head of UX at Google Labs, the company’s experimental AI division. When he stepped into the role in 2022, the tech world was scrambling to respond to the rise of ChatGPT — and Google Labs was no exception. Since then, the team has launched several high-profile projects, including the viral NotebookLM. Webster joins Oz to share his philosophy on human-centered design and how it shapes Google’s AI experiments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the show takes you behind the scenes at L'Oréal’s research center in New Jersey. Malcolm Gladwell delves into the complexities of cosmetic formulation and the AI partnership with IBM. Learn how AI is poised to revolutionize the creation of beauty products, to make them even more sustainable and innovative. This is a paid advertisement from IBM. The conversations on this podcast don't necessarily represent IBM's positions, strategies or opinions.Visit us at https://www.ibm.com/think/podcasts/smart-talksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is betting on current events the ‘future of news’? This week in the News Roundup, Oz and Karah ask AI if their favorite restaurants are hot or not and why Gen Z is nostalgic for a world without the internet. They also discuss Wimbledon’s new AI judges and how drones are impacting beach days. Plus, we want to hear from you! If you’ve found yourself turning to ChatGPT, Grok, Claude, Gemini or any other chatbot for help with a particular task or to answer unusual questions – we want to hear about it. Send us a 1-2 minute voice note to [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Baszucki is the co-founder and CEO of Roblox, the gaming platform that’s become a digital playground for millions of kids around the world. Baszucki sits down with Oz to talk about how Roblox became one of the most beloved tech platforms for the younger generations, and why he believes gaming is still in its “prehistoric era.” They also dive into one of the platform’s biggest challenges—safety—and what Roblox is doing to protect its users.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes — all about the Sony Walkman. Jonathan Strickland dives into why Time named the portable device number 47 on a list of the 50 most influential gadgets of all time. How did the Walkman become a thing, and what influence has it had on how we experience music?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Writer and journalist Vauhini Vara has been entangled with the tech world for most of her life — first as a kid in the Seattle suburbs and a college student in the Bay Area, and then as a reporter covering Silicon Valley for The Wall Street Journal. But it wasn’t until she turned to creative writing that Vara began to see just how deeply technology had shaped her own life. Vara sits down with Karah to talk about her new book, Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age and how she’s learning to use technology as a writing tool, while remaining critical of the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can you detect AI music? This week in the News Roundup, Oz and Karah unpack the music industry's scramble to build tech that labels AI-generated tracks. And the MIT study that took the internet by storm. On TechSupport, Politico’s Maggie Miller explains how the conflict between Iran and Israel was fought in cyberspace.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Yasmin Green joined Google almost two decades ago, she knew she wanted to focus on the complex problems facing humanity in a technological world – from violent extremism to political censorship. As the CEO of Jigsaw, a unit within Google that’s dedicated to understanding global challenges and applying technological solutions, she’s been able to do just that. Jigsaw’s most recent project took Green and her team to Bowling Green, Kentucky to figure out how they could use AI to improve a civic cornerstone: the town hall. Green sits down with Oz to talk about the project, What Could BG Be?, and what the role of Jigsaw is in today’s rapidly shifting, revenue-oriented tech landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does Google Search sound like? This week in the News Roundup, Oz explores Google’s new AI-generated audio summaries — and why a simple question like “what’s two plus two?” triggered a two-minute podcast. Then, Wikipedia tried its own AI experiment and faced backlash from editors. On TechSupport, Semafor’s Reed Albergotti recasts Big Tech as characters from The Wizard of Oz and explains the current AI landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Clark Estes is a senior technology correspondent at Vox and the author of the User Friendly newsletter. Estes sits down with Oz to discuss Amazon’s expanding use of palm scanners and what that might mean for the future of healthcare and our biometric data. They also dive into Estes’ months-long experiment of trying about a dozen health trackers and whether or not it was worth it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s inside AI’s black box? This week in the News Roundup, Oz unpacks the uncomfortable truth that even the people building today’s AI models often can’t explain how they work — or why they behave the way they do. But that hasn’t stopped tech companies from pushing colleges and universities to embrace chatbots. On TechSupport, 404 Media’s Jason Koebler explains the strange world of airport body scans and the future of the TSA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When the Biden administration announced the CHIPS and Science Act back in 2022, it was seen as a pivotal move to boost the US semiconductor industry and maintain America’s leadership in AI development. But the legislation was just one piece of a broader, multi-year strategy to counter China’s AI ambitions — and leading the way was Jake Sullivan, former National Security Advisor and longtime foreign policy figure. Sullivan sits down with Oz to discuss why he turned his attention to tech policy, how the Biden administration used export controls and global alliances to curb China’s technological rise, and hear his reflections on the country’s – and tech’s – role in conflicts abroad.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did search just get worse? This week in the News Roundup, Oz and Karah discuss how AI is reshaping search engines — for better or worse — and uncover a surprising downside of vibe coding. On TechSupport, journalist and kill switch host Dexter Thomas unpacks the murky early days of Nintendo and the unlikely figure who transformed it into the family-friendly empire we know today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.