Podcast appearances and mentions of lauren goode

Mike Krieger is the head of Anthropic Labs and co-founder of Instagram. Krieger joins Big Technology Podcast live from the Big Technology AI Summit to discuss what it's like inside Anthropic the week the government forced the company to pull its frontier models, Fable and Mythos, off the market. Tune in to hear Krieger describe how working with Fable changed the way he builds — queuing up a full night of work before bed and waking to find it finished in an hour — why he insists Anthropic's safety warnings are material rather than marketing, and how Anthropic navigates being both a platform and a product as it competes with the companies building on top of it. Wired senior correspondent Lauren Goode joins as a co-interviewer. Hit play for a rare look inside the lab from the person building Anthropic's next breakout product.--- AI Agent documentary: https://www.gravitee.io/ai-agent-documentary Enjoying Big Technology Podcast? Please rate us five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in your podcast app of choice. Want a discount for Big Technology on Substack + Discord? Here's 25% off for the first year: https://www.bigtechnology.com/subscribe?coupon=0843016b Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for the Big Technology AI Summit on June, 18, 2026 at the Commonwealth Club in San Francisco. The lineup: OpenAI President Greg Brockman, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas, Box CEO Aaron Levie, Wired senior correspondant Lauren Goode, and more on the way! Get your tickets here: summit.bigtechnology.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Time Magazine named “The Architects of AI” as their Person of the Year for 2025. This is a group of people, mostly men, who now wield an extraordinary level of influence over the future of society. The Media Show profiles four of them: Mike Isaac from The New York Times explains the rise of Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI; Lauren Goode from Wired outlines the power and beliefs of venture capitalist Marc Andreessen; Stephen Witt, biographer of Jensen Huang, describes how the Nvidia boss has built the chips powering modern AI; and Richard Spencer of The Times reports on DeepSeek founder Liang Wenfeng, whose work has challenged the dominance of US tech companies.Presenters: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins Content Producer: Lucy Wai Production Coordinator: Ruth Waites

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, died Wednesday after he was shot at an event at Utah Valley University. Kirk's assassination was instantly broadcast to the world from multiple perspectives on social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and X. But in the hours and days that have followed, the video and various derivative versions of it have proliferated alongside an increasingly divisive debate over Kirk's legacy, the possible motives of the assassin, and the political implications. It is clear that, in some cases, the tech platforms are struggling to enforce their own content moderation rules, raising questions about their policies and investments in trust and safety, even as AI generated material plays a more significant role in the information ecosystem. To learn more about these phenomena, Justin Hendrix spoke to Wired senior correspondent Lauren Goode, who is covering this story.

Vibe coding is everywhere, and it's already drastically changing the tech industry — from shaping how software gets made to who gets hired. So back in July, our very own Lauren Goode went on a journey to become a vibe coder at one of San Francisco's top startups. In this episode, she sits down with Mike to share her experience and they break down whether vibe coding really spells the end of coding as we know it. Join us LIVE in San Francisco on September 9th Get your tickets HERE Articles mentioned in this episode:  Vibe Coding Is Coming for Engineering Jobs | WIRED Cursor's New Bugbot Is Designed to Save Vibe Coders From Themselves | WIRED   Cheap AI Tools May Come at a Big Long-Term Cost   Join WIRED's best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Can you remember the last time you got mail from an AOL email address? Or fired off an IM? In the 1990s, AOL was the hottest name in cyberspace, but now it's a digital ghost. Journalist and author Nina Munk is the author of Fools Rush In: Steve Case, Jerry Levin, and the Unmaking of AOL Time Warner — she explains how the merger meltdown led to AOL's demise. Plus, Lauren Goode and Michael Calore of the Wired podcast Uncanny Valley share a remembrance of AOL Instant Messenger — and how it laid the groundwork for online communication as we know it. Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CEO and President of Atlantic Council Fred Kempe discusses how the Trump administration's renewed push for trade deals with foreign partners are being factored into the markets–or not. Meta has lured another AI executive to its team with a multi-million dollar compensation package–this time, it's Ruoming Pang from Apple. Wired Senior Writer Lauren Goode discusses the ongoing tech battle for top AI talent. Plus, the TSA may be changing shoe requirements at the airport, Elon Musk is releasing a new version of his AI bot Grok, and Courtney Reagan reports on the best deals for Prime Day shoppers.  In this episode:Lauren Goode, @LaurenGoodeFred Kempe, @FredKempeCourtney Reagan, @CourtReaganMegan Cassella, @mmcassellaJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkMelissa Lee, @MelissaLeeCNBCKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Megan Cassella - 03:18Courtney Reagan - 16:57Fred Kempe - 23:15Lauren Goode - 35:42

Disney and Universal recently filed suit against Midjourney, an AI image generation startup, alleging the company has become a “bottomless pit of plagiarism,” and that it freely reproduces the studio's copyrighted content, including their most iconic characters. The lawsuit has the potential to shape how intellectual property is treated in the AI era. So, we'll dive into the details of the case and others, and explain how this conflict gives us a window into the growing tensions between AI companies, publishers, and creators. Articles mentioned in this episode:  ‘Wall-E With a Gun': Midjourney Generates Videos of Disney Characters Amid Massive Copyright Lawsuit Disney and Universal Sue AI Company Midjourney for Copyright Infringement You can follow our hosts on Bluesky—Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Meta just announced a major move in its AI efforts – investing in Scale AI and building a superintelligence AI research lab. While Meta has been trying to keep up with big names in the AI race, such as Open AI, Anthropic and Google, the company's new strategy includes dropping some serious cash to acquire talent and invest in Scale AI. Today on the show, we dive into the deal between Meta and Scale AI, including what Meta aims to get out of investment, and we ask the question we are all wondering: What is superhuman intelligence, anyway? You can follow our hosts on Bluesky—Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In the past six months, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and others have released web-browsing agents that are designed to complete tasks independently, with only minimal input from humans. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has even called AI agents “the next giant breakthrough.”  On today's episode, we'll dive into what makes these agents different from other forms of machine intelligence, and whether their capabilities can live up to the hype.You can follow our hosts on Bluesky—Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Expanded deportations, a virtually shutdown asylum process, increased scrutiny of H1-B visa applicants—immigration policy has been overhauled under the latest Trump administration. And, just last week the Trump administration said it would begin revoking the visas of some Chinese students who are currently studying at U.S. schools. On today's episode, we dive into the impacts that these changes could have on the tech industry from the talent pipeline to future innovations.Articles mentioned in this episode: The Trump Administration Wants to Create an ‘Office of Remigration', US Tech Visa Applications Are Being Put Through the WringerYou can follow our hosts on Bluesky—Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy are taking the reins of this week's episode! Does a robot vacuum really need an arm to help keep your home floors clean? Inside the chaotic struggle to keep Fisker EVs maintain connectivity. A wireless way to charge your low-powered smart devices. And insight into Sam Altman's company, OpenAI, acquiring Jony Ive's AI startup company, io. Jennifer shares her thoughts on Roborock's Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum after testing it out for some time. Emily talks about an association formed by Fisker owners following the company's bankruptcy and how it collapsed following disputes over costs and a botched software upgrade with American Lease. Jennifer also had the opportunity to use a new wireless power system from Wi-Charge, which uses infrared lasers to charge low-powered devices, such as smart locks, wirelessly. And Lauren Goode, Senior Correspondent for WIRED, joins Emily to discuss Sam Altman and Jony Ive's partnership to create AI hardware following OpenAI's acquisition of Jony Ive's io company. Hosts: Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Guest: Lauren Goode Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com for Tech News Weekly joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT

Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy are taking the reins of this week's episode! Does a robot vacuum really need an arm to help keep your home floors clean? Inside the chaotic struggle to keep Fisker EVs maintain connectivity. A wireless way to charge your low-powered smart devices. And insight into Sam Altman's company, OpenAI, acquiring Jony Ive's AI startup company, io. Jennifer shares her thoughts on Roborock's Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum after testing it out for some time. Emily talks about an association formed by Fisker owners following the company's bankruptcy and how it collapsed following disputes over costs and a botched software upgrade with American Lease. Jennifer also had the opportunity to use a new wireless power system from Wi-Charge, which uses infrared lasers to charge low-powered devices, such as smart locks, wirelessly. And Lauren Goode, Senior Correspondent for WIRED, joins Emily to discuss Sam Altman and Jony Ive's partnership to create AI hardware following OpenAI's acquisition of Jony Ive's io company. Hosts: Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Guest: Lauren Goode Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com for Tech News Weekly joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT

Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy are taking the reins of this week's episode! Does a robot vacuum really need an arm to help keep your home floors clean? Inside the chaotic struggle to keep Fisker EVs maintain connectivity. A wireless way to charge your low-powered smart devices. And insight into Sam Altman's company, OpenAI, acquiring Jony Ive's AI startup company, io. Jennifer shares her thoughts on Roborock's Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum after testing it out for some time. Emily talks about an association formed by Fisker owners following the company's bankruptcy and how it collapsed following disputes over costs and a botched software upgrade with American Lease. Jennifer also had the opportunity to use a new wireless power system from Wi-Charge, which uses infrared lasers to charge low-powered devices, such as smart locks, wirelessly. And Lauren Goode, Senior Correspondent for WIRED, joins Emily to discuss Sam Altman and Jony Ive's partnership to create AI hardware following OpenAI's acquisition of Jony Ive's io company. Hosts: Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Guest: Lauren Goode Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com for Tech News Weekly joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT

There's been a lot of talk about how AI tools like ChatGPT are changing education. Students are using AI to do research, write papers, and get better grades. So today on the show, we debate whether using AI in school is actually cheating. Plus, we dive into how students and teachers are using these tools, and we ask what place AI should have in the future of learning. You can follow our hosts on Bluesky—Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy are taking the reins of this week's episode! Does a robot vacuum really need an arm to help keep your home floors clean? Inside the chaotic struggle to keep Fisker EVs maintain connectivity. A wireless way to charge your low-powered smart devices. And insight into Sam Altman's company, OpenAI, acquiring Jony Ive's AI startup company, io. Jennifer shares her thoughts on Roborock's Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum after testing it out for some time. Emily talks about an association formed by Fisker owners following the company's bankruptcy and how it collapsed following disputes over costs and a botched software upgrade with American Lease. Jennifer also had the opportunity to use a new wireless power system from Wi-Charge, which uses infrared lasers to charge low-powered devices, such as smart locks, wirelessly. And Lauren Goode, Senior Correspondent for WIRED, joins Emily to discuss Sam Altman and Jony Ive's partnership to create AI hardware following OpenAI's acquisition of Jony Ive's io company. Hosts: Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Guest: Lauren Goode Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com for Tech News Weekly joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT

Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy are taking the reins of this week's episode! Does a robot vacuum really need an arm to help keep your home floors clean? Inside the chaotic struggle to keep Fisker EVs maintain connectivity. A wireless way to charge your low-powered smart devices. And insight into Sam Altman's company, OpenAI, acquiring Jony Ive's AI startup company, io. Jennifer shares her thoughts on Roborock's Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum after testing it out for some time. Emily talks about an association formed by Fisker owners following the company's bankruptcy and how it collapsed following disputes over costs and a botched software upgrade with American Lease. Jennifer also had the opportunity to use a new wireless power system from Wi-Charge, which uses infrared lasers to charge low-powered devices, such as smart locks, wirelessly. And Lauren Goode, Senior Correspondent for WIRED, joins Emily to discuss Sam Altman and Jony Ive's partnership to create AI hardware following OpenAI's acquisition of Jony Ive's io company. Hosts: Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Guest: Lauren Goode Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com for Tech News Weekly joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT

Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy are taking the reins of this week's episode! Does a robot vacuum really need an arm to help keep your home floors clean? Inside the chaotic struggle to keep Fisker EVs maintain connectivity. A wireless way to charge your low-powered smart devices. And insight into Sam Altman's company, OpenAI, acquiring Jony Ive's AI startup company, io. Jennifer shares her thoughts on Roborock's Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum after testing it out for some time. Emily talks about an association formed by Fisker owners following the company's bankruptcy and how it collapsed following disputes over costs and a botched software upgrade with American Lease. Jennifer also had the opportunity to use a new wireless power system from Wi-Charge, which uses infrared lasers to charge low-powered devices, such as smart locks, wirelessly. And Lauren Goode, Senior Correspondent for WIRED, joins Emily to discuss Sam Altman and Jony Ive's partnership to create AI hardware following OpenAI's acquisition of Jony Ive's io company. Hosts: Emily Forlini and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Guest: Lauren Goode Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: Melissa.com/twit threatlocker.com for Tech News Weekly joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT

Elon Musk says he's stepping back from his role with the so-called Department of Government Efficiency to turn his attention to his businesses—most urgently to Tesla, which has faced global sales slumps in recent months. Today on the show, we discuss how our understanding of DOGE has evolved over the past five months and what we think will happen when Musk scales back. You can follow our hosts on Bluesky—Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In the days before his inauguration, President Trump announced his own cryptocurrency, TRUMP coin, a move that could stand to make the Trump family significantly wealthier. And now, Trump has offered investors something else– access to him, when he recently announced he'll hold a private dinner with the largest investors in TRUMP coin. In this week's episode, we talk about Trump's venture into cryptocurrency and the giant web of ethical concerns it presents. You can follow our hosts on Bluesky—Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In the year 2000, measles were declared eliminated from the United States. But thanks to declining vaccination rates, Americans may have to contend with a much scarier future for the deadly disease. Today on the show, we talk about the state of measles, and we explain the role Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of  Health and Human Services, has played in the shifting culture around vaccines in America.You can follow our hosts on Bluesky—Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Under the new Trump administration, more and more visa holders and foreign visitors are being detained or denied entry at the border. It's also becoming more common for people to be questioned or detained because of content on their phones, laptops and cameras. In today's episode, we'll tell you what you need to know about your carrying devices across the US border, and how to stay safe. Plus, we share some pretty spectacular recommendations for your downtime.You can follow our hosts on Bluesky—Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

There have been a number of protests in the past few months pushing back against President Trump's most recent policy changes, and we're likely to see more. Today on the show, WIRED's Senior Editor of Security and Investigations, Andrew Couts, talks us through the technology being used by law enforcement to surveil protests, how surveillance tech has evolved over the years, and what it means for anyone taking to the streets or posting to social media to voice their concerns. Plus, we share WIRED tips on how to stay safe, should you choose to protest. You can follow our hosts on Bluesky— Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

It's been total chaos since President Trump announced tariffs last week. Despite the endless reporting on this story, none of it really makes any sense yet. So today, we attempt to make sense of how the tariffs could revamp the entire tech industry and what you can do to deal with this new normal. You can follow our hosts on Bluesky— Michael Calore is @snackfight, Lauren Goode is @laurengoode, and Katie Drummond is @katie-drummond. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

It's long been believed that Silicon Valley is a hotbed for libertarian ideals, but where did that idea come from? Aside from some high-profile tech founders and investors who either identify as libertarian or express libertarian-esque beliefs, does this set of ideologies really define the Valley? And what is libertarianism anyway?  You can follow Michael Calore on Bluesky at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on Bluesky at @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Bluesky @zoeschiffer. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

She sits in on his business meetings, defends him on X, and travels to give talks about how she raised him, the richest man in the world — but who is Elon Musk's mother? Today on the show, we learn all about the model, influencer and author, Maye Musk, while dissecting her most recent travels to China and her possible influence on foreign politics. Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com.You can follow Michael Calore on BlueSky at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on BlueSky at @laurengoode,  and Zoë Schiffer on Bluesky @zoeschiffer. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

If you've spent time in San Francisco or Phoenix in the last couple years, chances are you've probably seen a self-driving car making its way around. This week, we're joined by WIRED's Aarian Marshall to talk about the race to flood our streets with self-driving cars. We'll get into safety regulations, the pros and cons of robo taxis, and we imagine a future where driverless cars become mainstream. You can follow Michael Calore on Bluesky at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on Bluesky at @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Bluesky @zoeschiffer. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Silicon Valley is obsessed with solutionism. So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that when it comes to a declining birth rate some of the valley's elite have a clear answer: more babies at all costs. Today on the show, we talk about the pronatalism movement and how ideas around increasing birth rates are trending among some of the valley's biggest and wealthiest names. Articles mentioned in this episode:This Woman Will Decide Which Babies Are BornYou can follow Michael Calore on BlueSky at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on BlueSky at @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on BlueSky at @zoeschiffer. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

What happened at Elon Musk's unexpected White House press conference alongside President Trump? Reuters' Jeff Mason was there. Semafor's Max Tani and First Amendment expert Katie Fallow discuss Trump's $20 million lawsuit against CBS News. We also examine the impact of US AID cuts on global media, with BBC Media Action's Simon Bishop addressing claims of foreign influence. Wired's Lauren Goode profiles venture capitalist Marc Andreessen in a new series on Silicon Valley elites and MSNBC's Chris Hayes discusses his book The Siren's Call, all about the attention economy and big tech's grip on our focus.Guests: Max Tani, Media Editor, Semafor; Katie Fallow, litigation expert, Knight First Amendment Institute; Simon Bishop, CEO, BBC Media Action; Chris Hayes, Host, MSNBC, Lauren Goode, Senior Writer, Wired; Jeff Mason, White House Correspondent, Reuters Presenter: Katie Razzall Producer: Simon Richardson Assistant Producer: Lucy Wai

With the news that Meta is ending its third-party fact-checking program, we dig into the future of content moderation. From Community Notes to automated systems, how do you manage trust and safety for a site with two billion daily active users?Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com.You can follow Michael Calore on BlueSky at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on BlueSky at @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Threads @reporterzoe. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Wearable tech, self-driving cars and AI mishaps. There were a lot of new product launches this year – some more successful than others. This week on Uncanny Valley, we talk about the tech out there that we are most excited about and the tech that has us most terrified for the coming year. Plus, we share our gifting recommendations.  Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com.You can follow Michael Calore on BlueSky at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on BlueSky at @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Threads @reporterzoe. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In a post-Twitter world, text-based social media apps have taken a new shape. X, BlueSky, and Threads are home to wildly different types of discourse. So, which of these apps are actually worth our time?  This week on Uncanny Valley, we talk about the state of text-based social apps and how they impact journalism. And finally, we ask–is it time to quit?  Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com.You can follow Michael Calore on Mastodon at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on Threads and @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Threads @reporterzoe. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Sam Altman is the king of generative artificial intelligence. But is he the person we should trust to guide our explorations into AI? This week, we do a deep dive on Sam Altman. From his Midwest roots, to his early startup days, to his time at Venture Capital, and his rise and fall and rise again at OpenAI. Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com.You can follow Michael Calore on Mastodon at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on Threads and @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Threads @reporterzoe.

Blood boys. Cryogenic freezing. Living by the algorithm. Silicon Valley is known for a culture of health optimization, but some recent biohacking ventures are becoming more extreme–aimed not just at longevity, but at beating death altogether. This week, we talk about the Silicon Valley moguls obsessed with living forever and the radical measures they're taking to do so.Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com.You can follow Michael Calore on Mastodon at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on Threads and @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Threads @reporterzoe.

Much of the tech workforce has become accustomed to remote or hybrid jobs over the last several years. But lately, we've seen big tech companies demanding their teams head back into the office. This week, we look at some of these return-to-office mandates and discuss their ripple effects. Plus, we ask the question on all of our minds: does working in person actually make employees more productive? Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com.You can follow Michael Calore on Mastodon at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on Threads and @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Threads @reporterzoe.

For years, Mark Zuckerberg's style could be summed up in a look: the hoodie. But now, he's entered a new style era. One that involves gold chains and oversized tees of his own creation (with a little help from a high-end designer). In this episode of Uncanny Valley, we look into Zuckerberg's style evolution, how it aligns with the future of Meta, and why you should care. Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com.You can follow Michael Calore on Mastodon at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on Threads and @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Threads @reporterzoe.Share your thoughts on Uncanny Valley. As a token of our appreciation, you will be eligible to enter a prize drawing up to $1,000 after you complete the survey.https://selfserve.decipherinc.com/survey/selfserve/222b/76152?pin=1&uBRANDLINK=7&uCHANNELLINK=2

Welcome to Uncanny Valley—an insider look at the people, power, and influence of Silicon Valley. Join hosts Lauren Goode, Michael Calore, and Zoë Schiffer as they break down new stories or phenomena bubbling up in Silicon Valley. Whether it's a pivotal decision made inside a tech company, a quirky, new habit of a CEO, or the overwhelming expansion of generative AI, we'll explain why these matter and how they affect you.

Everybody wants to talk to their pet. Or to try to get them to listen, anyway. So it's no wonder that some startups think the way to break through the communication barrier between you and your pooch is with a nice big helping of technology. Welcome to a world with AI-enabled dog and cat collars that try to interpret a pet's needs and then share those wishes with their human. The only problem with these devices is that the pet won't actually be a part of the conversation, as the collar is just guessing at what the pet is thinking—but still doing all the talking anyway. It's less like the audio collar worn by the dog from the movie Up, and more like shouting at a chatbot strapped to your dog's neck. Meanwhile, your dog or cat might just be trying to figure out where that new voice is coming from.Later in the show, we talk about all the weird new ways AI gadgets are bouncing around in our lives, and whether any of them are helping us have better conversations.Also, this week marks the final episode of the Gadget Lab podcast—at least in its current form. We'll be back soon with a fresh reboot of the show. Lauren and Michael will return as hosts, but we'll have a third cohost at the table, a new podcast title, and a new angle on our coverage. Show Notes:Stay tuned to this feed for the updated version of this show, out October 31! Read Boone's stories about the talking pet collars and the AI-powered Friend necklace. Read Lauren's story about the challenges of AI hardware. Keep an eye on all the ways AI is weaving into our lives. For all your gadget needs, follow WIRED's onslaught of gear coverage.Recommendations:Boone recommends the rain. Lauren recommends taking walks. Mike recommends KEXP's YouTube channel, where the Seattle radio station posts videos of musical acts playing in its studio.Boone Ashworth can be found on social media but honestly, since he's going to remain as a full-time reporter at WIRED, just email him story tips: boone@wired.com. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight@heads.social. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show was produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music was by Solar Keys.

Ring cameras have come a long way. Since the security camera brand launched 11 years ago, its video doorbells and cams have become vigilant, constant surveyors of patios, porches, and vestibules everywhere. Amazon now owns the company, and has ushered it through controversies over privacy concerns, incidents of vigilantism, and the company's cozy relationship with law enforcement. The drama has not slowed growth; over 10 million Rings have been installed, and the cameras currently blanket our urban and suburban landscape, filming the movements of you, your family, and any strangers who wander near your door.That makes for a lot of video to sift through if you're trying to find something important, like whether or not a delivery was made, or what time your kids left for soccer practice. That abundance of footage is why Ring cameras, along with many other consumer products right now, are getting some AI-powered capabilities. Ring's software update helps users search for specific moments their cameras may have captured.This week, WIRED senior writer Paresh Dave joins the show again to talk about the evolution of Ring—how the security cameras have become nearly ubiquitous security tech, and what the future holds now that they're being infused with AI.Show Notes:Read Paresh's story about Ring's AI updates. Read WIRED's guides to the best indoor and outdoor security cameras. Read more about all the data Ring collects from its users and why we recently stopped recommending Ring cameras for a couple of years.Recommendations:Paresh recommends getting a Sling TV subscription from Dish to watch live sports. Mike recommends searching for decoy security cameras you can install if your landlord requires you to put up a security camera. Lauren recommends the streaming shows Nobody Wants This and Killing Eve. Both are on Netflix.Paresh Dave can be found on social media @peard33. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight@heads.social. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

Ozempic has been hailed as a miracle drug. It is the most well known of the GLP-1 medications, a class of drugs that can help regulate appetite, digestion, and blood sugar—and help those suffering from obesity or diabetes lose weight. Naturally, these drugs are very much in demand. But now there is a shortage of Ozempic and other GLP-1s, which has led to a swell of clones that purport to offer the same benefits and the same key ingredient, semaglutide, at lower prices. These clone drugs are easy to procure from telehealth providers, even if a buyer needs to lie about themselves a little bit to buy them.In this brave new weight-loss world, we're still coming to grips with how these drugs fit into our society. Part of that journey is the continued study about how GLP-1 drugs work—much of how they affect us is still unknown—and the continued debate about how much we should regulate and control their use.This week on Gadget Lab, we talk with WIRED writers Kate Knibbs and Emily Mullin about how GLP-1 medications like Ozempic work and what happens when they don't. We also talk about the current drug shortage and how that may get resolved.This episode originally aired July 11, 2024. Read the transcript.Show Notes:Read Kate's story about buying cloned Ozempic online. Read Emily's story about how Ozempic doesn't work for everyone. Read all the stories in WIRED's The Age of Ozempic series.Recommendations:Emily recommends staying cool this summer however you can. Kate recommends the HBO series John Adams, starring Paul Giamatti. Mike recommends buying a used 35-mm film camera and shooting some rolls to flex your creativity.Kate Knibbs can be found on social media @Knibbs. Emily Mullin is @emilylmullin. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

AI data centers are so hot right now. Each time generative AI services churn through their large language models to make a chatbot answer one of your questions, it takes a great deal of processing power to sift through all that data. Doing so can use massive amounts of energy, which means the proliferation of AI is raising questions about how sustainable this tech actually is and how it affects the ecosystems around it. Some companies think they have a solution: running those data centers underwater, where they can use the surrounding seawater to cool and better control the temperature of the hard working GPUs inside. But it turns out just plopping something into the ocean isn't always a foolproof plan for reducing its environmental impact.This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED writers Paresh Dave and Reece Rogers join the show to talk about their reporting on undersea data centers and how the race to power AI systems is taking its toll on the environment.Show Notes:Read Paresh and Reece's story about the plan to put an underwater data center in the San Francisco Bay. Read Reece's stories about how this is AI's hyper-consumption era and how to wade through all the AI hype. Read Lauren's story about the social network inhabited only by bots. Read Karen Hao's story in The Atlantic about how companies like Microsoft are taking water from the desert to use for cooling down AI data centers. Here's the Black Cat substack article about the character Harper from Industry. Follow all of WIRED's AI and climate coverage.Recommendations:Paresh recommends checking out cookbooks from your local library. Reece recommends the soundtrack of the first Twilight movie for all your Fall feels. Lauren recommends the HBO show Industry. Mike recommends Anna Weiner's profile of bicycle designer Grant Peterson in The New Yorker.Reece Rogers can be found on social media @thiccreese. Paresh Dave is @peard33. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight@heads.social. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.Share your thoughts on WIRED Gadget Lab. As a token of our appreciation, you will be eligible to enter a prize drawing up to $1,000 after you complete the survey.https://selfserve.decipherinc.com/survey/selfserve/222b/76152?pin=1&uBRANDLINK=7&uCHANNELLINK=2

One surefire way to go viral on Threads—the Meta-owned Instagram-spinoff social network with more than 200 million users—is to ask a ridiculous question that enrages your followers so much, they just have to chime in to answer you, mock you, or berate you. When it first launched last summer, Threads was seen as a blatant Twitter clone. At the time, that was an appealing attribute, as users fleeing the platform now known as X were looking for a new place to gather. Threads turned out to be a safe haven from the trolling and engagement bait on X, Reddit, and Facebook, but only for a while. Threads, like any for-profit social media site, was not able to keep those jokers and bad actors at bay. In its effort to boost engagement on the platform, Threads began prioritizing posts with the most replies and comments—which also happen to be the posts that stirred up the most drama and pissed everyone off.This week on Gadget Lab, we chat with Business Insider senior correspondent Katie Notopoulos about her personal experiment with rage bait immersion on Threads. We also ask whether social media sites are making the right decision by catering to their most furious users.Show Notes:Read Katie's story about ragebait on Threads. Read Lauren's story about the new app SocialAI, where the only human is you, and everyone else is a bot.Recommendations:Katie recommends the reality show The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on Hulu. Mike recommends the HBO show Industry. Lauren recommends the Apple TV+ show Slow Horses.Katie Notopolous can be found on Threads @katienotopoulos. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight@heads.social. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.Share your thoughts on WIRED Gadget Lab. As a token of our appreciation, you will be eligible to enter a prize drawing up to $1,000 after you complete the survey.https://selfserve.decipherinc.com/survey/selfserve/222b/76152?pin=1&uBRANDLINK=7&uCHANNELLINK=2

On Monday of this week, Apple held one of its splashy media events. This one was used to show off its next round of iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches. These are three of its biggest products, and all of the design tweaks feel very familiar to the current Apple universe. But Apple has also trotted out some new tricks, like sleep apnea detection in the Apple Watch and a new feature that instantly turns a pair of AirPods Pro into hearing aids. And of course, the company is also very keen to get consumers hyped up about the iPhone's new Apple Intelligence features—even if those flashy AI tricks won't start becoming available until next month.This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED product reviews editors Adrienne So and Julian Chokkattu join us after Apple's "Glowtime" event to go over all the big news from Cupertino.Show Notes:Our roundup of everything Apple announced this week. Read Julian's WIRED stories about how the iPhone 16 is incorporating AI and which iPhone 16 model is right for you. Dive into Lauren's story about whether Apple's AI promises will actually equate to more iPhone sales. Read Chistopher Null's story about how AirPods Pro could disrupt the hearing aid industry. Follow all WIRED's Apple coverage.Recommendations:Adrienne recommends the book Status and Culture by W. David Marx. Julian recommends the Dev Patel action movie Monkey Man. Lauren recommends that you recommend a good chair to help her back pain. Mike recommends Manning Fireworks, the new album by musician MJ Lenderman.Adrienne So can be found on Threads @adso_sheehan. Julian Chokkattu is @julianchokkattu. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight@heads.social. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.Share your thoughts on WIRED Gadget Lab. As a token of our appreciation, you will be eligible to enter a prize drawing up to $1,000 after you complete the survey.https://selfserve.decipherinc.com/survey/selfserve/222b/76152?pin=1&uBRANDLINK=7&uCHANNELLINK=2

Encrypted messaging is a godsend for mobile communications, whether you're just sending standard texts to your friends that you want kept private, or engaging in interactions that are better kept secret for safety reasons. Apps like Signal and Telegram offer users the ability to trade messages that can be read by only the sender and the receiver. Of course, people can also use that privacy as a way to conduct unsavory dealings without having to worry about their communications getting exposed.Encrypted messaging has been in the news for the past couple weeks, largely because of the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, who is being accused by the French government of failing to comply with law enforcements' demands to help catch some people who are using the app for criminal activity. Durov's arrest also casts a light on the rising profile of Signal, a fully encrypted messaging app that's always taken a stance against the collection of its users' data.This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED security writer Andy Greenberg joins us to talk about how encrypted messaging works, what can go wrong, and how while Telegram and Signal may seem similar, the ways they operate are different—and might affect what makes them liable for what users share on its platforms.Show Notes:Read Andy's interview with Signal president Meredith Whittaker. Read Lily Hay Newman and Morgan Meeker's reporting on the arrest of Telegram's founder and its broader criminal investigations. Follow all of WIRED's coverage of Signal and Telegram.Recommendations:Andy recommends the memoir My Glorious Defeats: Hacktivist, Narcissist, Anonymous by Barrett Brown. Mike recommends taking a ride in a Waymo, just to get an idea of the future of driverless cars that is coming. Lauren recommends The Ringer's story about the new baseball team, the Oakland Ballers.Andy Greenberg can be found on social media @agreenberg.bsky.social. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight@heads.social. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

People everywhere are hot for heat pumps. These electric appliances—which perform the same heating and cooling tasks as traditional HVAC systems, just much more efficiently—have been outselling gas furnaces over the past couple of years. Their proliferation seems to be pointing more towards an energy-conscious electric future in people's homes. And, four months ago, nine states in the US signed a memorandum of understanding that says that heat pumps should make up at least 65 percent of residential heating, air conditioning, and water-heating shipments by 2030.But, what exactly is a heat pump? How does it work? How much does it cost to replace your furnace with one, and how much money does making the switch actually save you in the long run? Let's also consider the same question we're asking about AI: how much will this change or displace existing jobs for the people who have been trained to install and service traditional HVAC systems?Former WIRED staff writer Matt Simon is our in-house heat pump expert. He joins us this week to tell us everything we need to know about these appliances he calls “climate superheroes.”This episode originally aired on May 23, 2024. Read the transcript.Show Notes:Read all of our heat pump coverage. Don't miss Matt's story about the heat pump technician shortage. Matt also took a look at the in-window heat pumps now hitting the market that look and operate like in-window AC units. WIRED's Rhett Alain digs into the physics of heat pumps.Recommendations:Matt recommends the book Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization by Edward Slingerland. Mike recommends the book Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna. Lauren recommends taking a staycation.Matt Simon can be found on social media @mrmattsimon. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

Electric Vehicles are having a real moment. People by and large prefer EVs because they're greener, quieter, and often more fun to drive than gas cars. But one sticking point in the EV revolution is charging. There are more charging stations now than there have ever been, but it's still not enough. And how those stations are distributed can make driving long distances in an EV feel like a bit of a gamble.This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED staff writer Aarian Marshall joins the show to talk about the state of EV charging, the feelings of “charging anxiety,” and whether people really need to worry all that much about those EV battery fires in the news.Show Notes:Read Aarian's story on the current state of EV charging prices. Aarian writes for WIRED about all things electric vehicle and transportation related.Recommendations:Aarian recommends three different episodes of PJ Vogt's Search Engine podcast featuring Ezra Klein as a guest. Mike recommends Agnes Varda's film The Gleaners and I from the year 2000. Lauren is out this week.Aarian Marshall can be found on social media @AarianMarshall. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

At a splashy media event this week at its headquarters in Mountain View, California, Google announced four new Pixel phones. But the really important stuff unveiled at the Made By Google event wasn't the hardware itself, but rather all of the generative AI tools packed into the devices. Most notable are some AI-powered camera features that allow Pixel owners to easily add themselves to a group shot after they've taken the photo, or to alter any scene entirely by changing night to day and adding objects that were never really there. It's an exploration of our limits—how convincingly technology can bring alternate realities to life, and how much of the computer-generated scenery we can tolerate.This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED senior reviews editor Julian Chokkattu joins the show to talk about Google's fancy new photo tricks. We also talk about Gemini Live, the latest iteration of the company's AI-powered voice chatbot. Finally, we ask the unaskable: Is Google Assistant finally dead, or just banished to Google's attic?Show Notes:Read more about all the new updates from the Made By Google event, including Google's Pixel camera updates. Learn how the company is using AI to reshape reality. There are some potentially life-saving new features on the Pixel Watch 3. Also read Reece Rogers' WIRED story about ChatGPT's advanced voice mode and Jia Tolentino's New Yorker story about tweens and Sephora.Recommendations:Julian recommends folding flip phones. Lauren recommends Colorscience Sunforgettable Total Protection Face Shield Flex SPF 50 sunscreen lotion. Mike recommends the audiobook version of All Fours by Miranda July. (You can listen to it in Spotify Premium.)Julian Chokkattu can be found on social media @JulianChokkattu. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

There has been a no wilder time than the present to build a company around artificial intelligence. The server bills are astronomical, for one. Also the market for talent is red hot, and you'll end up paying through the nose for good people. Even if you do get funding, staff up, get the product off the ground, and start making headway in a crowded field, there's the specter of Big Tech looming overhead. The hypercarnivorous raptors of Silicon Valley—Google, Apple, Amazon, and Meta—will fix their steely eyes on the plump prey of your best employees and your intellectual property.But they can't just buy you. Not anymore; outright acquisitions could draw the attention of regulators in the US and Europe, where governments are ramping up their antitrust efforts. Now instead of gobbling you up, a big tech company will license your tech and bring your top talent into their offices to collaborate with their employees. This maneuver—not an acquisition, more like an acquihire with some partnerships included—is something we've seen a few times in recent months. And we can expect more.This week, we welcome WIRED senior writer Paresh Dave back onto the show to discuss the current trend of partnerships between small AI companies and the tech giants. We also talk about how regulators are really cracking down on Google in particular.Show Notes:Read about the US court ruling that found Google engaged in monopolistic practices to increase its search engine's dominance. Read more about Character AI, Meta, and customizable chatbots. Read all of WIRED's antitrust coverage.Recommendations:Paresh recommends playing games on Netflix, like Triviaverse. Mike recommends the new documentary Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa, which is also on Netflix. Lauren recommends “Inside the Secret Negotiations to Free Evan Gershkovich” from The Wall Street Journal.Paresh Dave can be found on social media @peard33. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

Before Apple and Samsung took over our wrists, there was Fitbit. The fitness tracker was just about the coolest thing in Silicon Valley, and everyone in tech was wearing one — including Wired Magazine senior editor Michael Calore and senior writer Lauren Goode!Long before the pair started hosting the Wired Gadget Lab podcast, they were crushing their steps goal while reporting on the buzziest wearable on the market. Michael and Lauren join David to help trace the steps that Fitbit took to become one of the most enduring pioneers of the wearable world, walking 10,000 steps so that the Apple Watch could run...and answer calls...and text.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mike Calore and Lauren Goode from Wired are back! The pair co-host Wired's Gadget Lab podcast, where they've been diving deep into what the future of AI looks like. Mike and Lauren join host David Brown to share their predictions, and give us their takes on whether the classic sci-fi films that feature AI are hitting a little too close to home these days.Listen to Gadget Lab. Catch Mike and Lauren's latest reporting at wired.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.