TechStuff

The Week in Tech is now a roundtable! Every Friday, Oz and three of the best writers covering Silicon Valley will discuss the latest news, decode emerging trends and debate what actually matters for the future of technology and for us. This week, guests Reed Albergotti (Semafor), Kyle Chayka (The New Yorker) and returning panelist Taylor Lorenz (User Mag) each share a story. Reed fills us in on what he saw at the Nvidia GTC conference in San Jose, and why we shouldn’t ignore OpenClaw. Taylor gives a primer on Section 230, the 30-year-old foundational internet law, and why there’s a campaign to repeal it. And finally, Kyle tells us what ‘taste’ means to Silicon Valley’s tech bros and why it may annoy you. Additional Reading: We’re all living inside Jensen Huang’s ‘triangle’ | SemaforHow Powerful People Became Obsessed w/ Section 230 | User MagWhy Tech Bros Are Now Obsessed with Taste | The New YorkerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Iran's Shahed drone costs $30,000 to build. The US missile sent to destroy it? Up to $4 million. Pulitzer Prize-winning conflict journalist Ben C. Solomon wants you to do the math. Oz sits down with Ben to break down the economics driving the conflict with Iran, why the Pentagon may already be making impossible choices about what to defend, and why Ukraine — largely abandoned by the West — has quietly become the world's leading authority on drone warfare. Additional Reading: Ben C. Solomon Instagram: Just follow the money. Pentagon acknowledges tough quest to counter Iranian drones | Military TimesUS may not have capacity to take down full barrage of Iranian drones, officials warn | US-Israel war on Iran | The GuardianSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Week in Tech is back and it’s growing. Starting this Friday, Oz will be joined by a panel of the brightest minds covering Silicon Valley. Each week, they will discuss the latest news, decode emerging trends and debate what actually matters for the future of technology and for us. This week, TechStuff asked Taylor Lorenz, Stephen Witt and Nitasha Tiku to share a story. Nitasha catches us up on the drama unfolding between Anthropic and the Pentagon. Stephen covers another tragic case of AI psychosis with fatal consequences. And Taylor makes the case for why 'social media addiction' is a harmful framework — and how age-verification laws could lead to mass surveillance and censorship of adults and children alike. Additional Reading: Anthropic Sues Pentagon Over National Security Risk Label - The Washington PostGemini Said They Could Only Be Together if He Killed Himself. Soon, He Was Dead. - WSJCongress Is Considering Abolishing Your Right to Be Anonymous Online - The InterceptThe world wants to ban children from social media, but there will be grave consequences for us all | Taylor Lorenz | The Guardian This episode contains mentions of suicide. If you or someone you know needs support, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or visit 988lifeline.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're talking 'human technology' — specifically, neuro-linguistic programming, or NLP. If you have any interest in modern day cults like NXIVM or Twin Flames Universe, you may have heard of it. But did you know that NLP also has roots in therapeutic practices like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, or that Tony Robbins was an NLP practitioner before becoming a motivational speaker? In the new podcast Mind Games, journalists and best friends Alice Hines and Zoë Lescaze investigate the origins of NLP, from its roots in the new age movement in 1970s California through the pick-up artist trend of the early 2000s. They even try their hand at hypnotizing themselves. But does it work? Check out Mind Games from Kaleidoscope and iHeartPodcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When documentary filmmaker Adam Bhala Lough set out to make a movie about OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, he hoped to get an interview with his main character. But when that didn’t happen, Adam found a workaround — he created a chatbot version of Sam Altman. From San Francisco to India to Los Angeles, Adam takes “Sambot” and the audience on a journey through the possibilities of what can happen when you deepfake a real person, and that person becomes your friend. Karah sat down with Adam to discuss the secretive, cult-like nature of OpenAI, Adam’s relationship with “Sambot,” and whether AI chatbots are the future of friendships. If you’d like to see the film, check out deepfakingsamaltman.com/buy-tickets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re bringing you an episode from the podcast No Such Thing. Join Manny, Noah, and Devan — three best friends and journalists — as they settle dumb arguments by actually doing the research. Each week, they start with a debate or discussion. In this episode, they ask: what’s up with Tesla door handles? And why do microwaves have so many buttons? And why are couches so expensive, but so uncomfortable? They’re joined by experts to answer these questions, including friend of the pod, Dexter Thomas, host of kill switch. For more information, please subscribe to their newsletter at www.nosuchthing.show. And if you have any questions you’d like Manny, Devan and Noah to get to the bottom of, email them at or leave a voicemail: ‪(860) 325-0286. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tilly Norwood caused quite a stir when she was introduced in late 2025. Her creator, actor-producer Eline Van der Velden, said she wanted Tilly to be the “Scarlett Johansson” of AI actors. But she immediately felt the backlash from Hollywood. Emily Blunt called Tilly “really, really scary,” and agencies said they wouldn’t sign her. But Eline is pushing forward, creating a TV show around Tilly, filled with all-new AI characters. Karah sat down with Eline to talk about how she created Tilly, how she taught her to “act,” and to discuss how Eline sees the future of AI in filmmaking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How often do you use ChatGPT to evaluate your ailments? Did it work? More and more people are turning to chatbots to diagnose their illnesses — with varied success. But when it does work, it can be life-changing. Dr. Dhruv Khullar heard of a case where ChatGPT identified the cause of one man’s years-long gastrointestinal struggles, in seconds. Given a medical system that can fail so many, Dr. Khullar started to wonder, “If A.I. Can Diagnose Patients, What Are Doctors For?” That’s the title of a recent piece he wrote for The New Yorker. Oz sits down with Dr. Khullar to see if there is an answer to this question. Additional Reading: If A.I. Can Diagnose Patients, What Are Doctors For? | The New YorkerThe Role of Doctors Is Changing Forever | The New YorkerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is building data centers in space actually feasible? It may be, thanks to Ariel Ekblaw. The scientist, VC investor and co-founder and CEO of Aurelia Institute has devoted her life to democratizing space and ensuring that humans will one day be a spacefaring species. Ariel sits down with Oz to discuss self-assembling space architecture, how science-fiction influences her inventions, and why she doesn’t think billionaires investing in space is a bad thing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cristóbal Valenzuela co-founded Runway to rethink how movies are made, and now his technology is spreading across Hollywood. Cristóbal sits down with Oz to discuss how far AI media tools have come in just the past six years, and why the next leap forward could happen even faster than anyone expects. He also addresses many artists' AI fears, by saying that film has always evolved alongside technological breakthroughs and that AI is simply the next chapter in that long history. And finally, Cristóbal and Oz explore Runway's next frontier after Hollywood and why video models might be the key to training humanoid robots. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Theatre and tech don't usually share the same stage. But that's changing. This season, two plays caught our eye: Data, a play about the inner workings of a data mining company, and Marjorie Prime, a play where grief, family, and AI collide. Karah interviews both playwrights: Matthew Libby (Data) and Jordan Harrison (Marjorie Prime). They discuss the origins of their plays, from failed collabs with AI chatbots to the internship with Palantir that never was. And how plays about technology can teach us about our humanity. Data runs through March 29th. Tickets are at lortel.org Marjorie Prime runs through February 15th. Buy Tickets at 2st.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s been two months since Australia’s social media ban went into effect for kids under 16. But Jay Caspian Kang, staff writer at The New Yorker, doesn’t think America will follow suit. Jay sits down with Karah to unpack why a U.S. ban is unlikely, what Australia’s move does change, and how cultural pressure — not legislation — may be the most powerful tool we have to protect kids online. Additional Reading: Americans Won’t Ban Kids from Social Media. What Can We Do Instead? | The New YorkerThe Case for Banning Children from Social Media | The New YorkerIf You Quit Social Media, Will You Read More Books? | The New YorkerGen Z are arriving to college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates | FortuneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oz is at the Web Summit in Qatar this week, and he’s taking you with him. This episode was recorded live on stage with Wired’s global editorial director Katie Drummond. Katie and Oz talk about what it’s like to cover this moment, from DOGE and tech titans in the White House to AI’s rapid ubiquity. Katie also shares why Americans need to wake up to what is happening outside the US to discover the future of technology. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If the 20th century was defined by oil, journalist and author Nicolas Niarchos bets that the 21st century will be defined by batteries. In his book, The Elements of Power: A Story of War, Technology and the Dirtiest Supply Chain on Earth, Niarchos unpacks the hidden costs behind the world’s battery boom. In this episode, he and Oz trace how the race for cobalt and other critical metals is reshaping global power—why China dominates refining and battery innovation, what the U.S. would actually have to build to compete, and whether trade deals can realistically “clean up” the system. Additional Reading: The Elements of Power by Nicolas Niarchos| PenguinRandomHouse.com: BooksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you feel about AI in your art, your music, and your video games? Oz is joined by Kill Switch host, Dexter Thomas, to discuss Switchbot's AI Art Frame and the video gamers who are holding developers to account. But will the anti-AI outrage continue to make change? Then, Oz updates us on last week’s World Economic Forum — one Davos attendee spent the night in jail and Canada’s PM says there’s a rupture in the world order. Europe is listening and threatening to part ways with American tech companies. Additional Reading: An entrepreneur’s 13 hours in Davos jail: ‘The food was phenomenal’ | SemaforEurope Prepare For A Nightmare Scenario: The US Blocking Access to Tech | Wall Street JournalSwitchBot AI Art Frame Now Officially Available | Corporate - EQS NewsAngry gamers are forcing studios to scrap or rethink new releases | Washington PostSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Audrey Tang’s path to government had very unusual origins: she is a hacker, an anarchist and the world’s first non-binary government minister. She now serves as Taiwan’s Cyber Ambassador and continues to advocate for greater internet freedom and civic participation globally. Audrey sits down with Oz to discuss Taiwan’s AI chip manufacturing and how it impacts their contentious relationship with China, how she stopped deepfake scams head on, her opinion on social media bans and why radical transparency heals polarization. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You’re meeting us at a ‘very Chinese time in our lives’ and today’s episode is no exception — it’s all about China. First, Oz explains China’s attempt to claw a Singaporean AI company, Manus, back from Meta. And why Chinese customs are rejecting NVIDIA H200 chips. Is China fighting back? Then, Karah fills us in on why everyone on TikTok is saying they are Chinese. Finally, humans fold laundry for hours while humanoid robots just watch, TikTok launches a new app for microdramas and Silicon Valley is hiring ‘cracked’ engineers. Additional Reading: China Is Investigating Meta’s Acquisition of the AI Start-Up Manus | The New York TimesChina blocks Nvidia H200 AI chips that US government cleared for export | The GuardianTikTok Shows Americans In Their ‘Chinese Era’ of Health Habits | BloombergIn Chinese data factories, workers teach humanoid robots boring tasks | Rest Of WorldTikTok quietly launches a microdrama app called 'PineDrama' | TechCrunchForget Vibe Coders: ‘Cracked Engineers’ Are All the Rage in Tech | The InformationSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever wonder why Gen Z is so obsessed with Millennial culture? Casey Lewis can tell you. She’s a trend researcher and author of “After School,” a Substack newsletter about youth and internet culture. Casey joins Karah to discuss why Gen Z is doubling down on nostalgia and buying up analog products. She runs through the latest trends you may have seen, but didn’t understand… And she unpacks why Gen Alpha might not feel the need to get away from their screens. Additional Reading: Nostalgia Economy and Analog Awakening | After SchoolSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would you do if AI took your clothes off? Elon Musk’s AI model, Grok, will strip women of their clothes when prompted and the results are all over X.com. “Nudify” apps and communities have been doing this for years, but now it’s trending on one of the biggest social media platforms out there. And no one is protected—even children. Karah sits down with Samantha Cole from 404 Media to discuss how X and authorities are responding, the societal implications of this trend and why it’s so concerning. Additional Reading: Grok's AI Sexual Abuse Didn't Come Out of Nowhere | 404 Media See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey entrepreneurs! Your favorite hosts Jannese Torres (Yo Quiero Dinero & Financially Lit!) and Austin Hankwitz (Rate of Return & Rich Habits) are back for Season 4 of “Mind the Business: Small Business Success Stories", brought to you by iHeartMedia’s Ruby Studio in partnership with Intuit QuickBooks. This time around, we're diving deep with more exciting small business owners at the cutting edge of their fields. We'll be discussing overcoming challenges and celebrating successes – as well as practical takeaways from utilizing AI, to automating services, to time management, and all the other things that come with being your own boss. Join us for another inspiring season to hear from the entrepreneurs themselves how they’ve found their success, and learn about the grit, elbow grease, and know-how required to get your own business off the ground – and how QuickBooks on the Intuit platform can help, all in one streamlined place. Listen to new episodes every other Thursday beginning December 4th and discover what it takes to run a business that not only survives, but thrives! To learn more about how you can outdo it with Intuit QuickBooks, visit: quickbooks.com/mtb See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.