Podcasts about This Week in Tech

What happens when AI bots get their own social network, Silicon Valley execs cozy up to power, and Apple takes a cut from creators? This week's panel calls out the bold, bizarre, and often problematic ways tech's biggest players are reshaping everything from AI assistants to your everyday privacy. There's a social network for AI agents, and it's getting weird Moltbook is the most interesting place on the internet right now Exposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the Site Pentagon clashes with Anthropic over military AI use, sources say Salesforce signs $5.6B deal to inject agentic AI into the US Army Angry Norfolk residents lose lawsuit to stop Flock license plate scanners SpaceX wants to put 1 million solar-powered data centers into orbit Elon Musk reportedly wants a June SpaceX IPO to align with his birthday, the planets Tesla hits a grim milestone: its second straight year of decline Tesla says production-ready Optimus robot is coming soon Microsoft reports strong cloud earnings in Q2 as gaming declines What We Learned From Meta, Microsoft and Tesla Apple tells Patreon to move creators to in-app purchase for subscriptions by November Apple CEO Tim Cook 'heartbroken' after repeated ICE killings in Minneapolis A rival smart glasses company is suing Meta over its Ray-Ban products TikTok, YouTube, and Meta are headed to court for a landmark trial over social media addiction The 'Social Media Addiction' Narrative May Be More Harmful Than Social Media Itself TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection — here's what it means A Waymo hit a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica Autonomous cars, drones cheerfully obey prompt injection by road sign Samsung's TriFold phone will cost $2,899 in the US Groundhogs are bad at predicting weather, but they're valuable animal engineers Satellites encased in wood are in the works Belkin reminds users that its Wemo smart home products are shutting down this week Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Gary Rivlin, Devindra Hardawar, and Victoria Song Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit helixsleep.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit

What happens when AI bots get their own social network, Silicon Valley execs cozy up to power, and Apple takes a cut from creators? This week's panel calls out the bold, bizarre, and often problematic ways tech's biggest players are reshaping everything from AI assistants to your everyday privacy. There's a social network for AI agents, and it's getting weird Moltbook is the most interesting place on the internet right now Exposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the Site Pentagon clashes with Anthropic over military AI use, sources say Salesforce signs $5.6B deal to inject agentic AI into the US Army Angry Norfolk residents lose lawsuit to stop Flock license plate scanners SpaceX wants to put 1 million solar-powered data centers into orbit Elon Musk reportedly wants a June SpaceX IPO to align with his birthday, the planets Tesla hits a grim milestone: its second straight year of decline Tesla says production-ready Optimus robot is coming soon Microsoft reports strong cloud earnings in Q2 as gaming declines What We Learned From Meta, Microsoft and Tesla Apple tells Patreon to move creators to in-app purchase for subscriptions by November Apple CEO Tim Cook 'heartbroken' after repeated ICE killings in Minneapolis A rival smart glasses company is suing Meta over its Ray-Ban products TikTok, YouTube, and Meta are headed to court for a landmark trial over social media addiction The 'Social Media Addiction' Narrative May Be More Harmful Than Social Media Itself TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection — here's what it means A Waymo hit a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica Autonomous cars, drones cheerfully obey prompt injection by road sign Samsung's TriFold phone will cost $2,899 in the US Groundhogs are bad at predicting weather, but they're valuable animal engineers Satellites encased in wood are in the works Belkin reminds users that its Wemo smart home products are shutting down this week Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Gary Rivlin, Devindra Hardawar, and Victoria Song Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit helixsleep.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit

What happens when AI bots get their own social network, Silicon Valley execs cozy up to power, and Apple takes a cut from creators? This week's panel calls out the bold, bizarre, and often problematic ways tech's biggest players are reshaping everything from AI assistants to your everyday privacy. There's a social network for AI agents, and it's getting weird Moltbook is the most interesting place on the internet right now Exposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the Site Pentagon clashes with Anthropic over military AI use, sources say Salesforce signs $5.6B deal to inject agentic AI into the US Army Angry Norfolk residents lose lawsuit to stop Flock license plate scanners SpaceX wants to put 1 million solar-powered data centers into orbit Elon Musk reportedly wants a June SpaceX IPO to align with his birthday, the planets Tesla hits a grim milestone: its second straight year of decline Tesla says production-ready Optimus robot is coming soon Microsoft reports strong cloud earnings in Q2 as gaming declines What We Learned From Meta, Microsoft and Tesla Apple tells Patreon to move creators to in-app purchase for subscriptions by November Apple CEO Tim Cook 'heartbroken' after repeated ICE killings in Minneapolis A rival smart glasses company is suing Meta over its Ray-Ban products TikTok, YouTube, and Meta are headed to court for a landmark trial over social media addiction The 'Social Media Addiction' Narrative May Be More Harmful Than Social Media Itself TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection — here's what it means A Waymo hit a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica Autonomous cars, drones cheerfully obey prompt injection by road sign Samsung's TriFold phone will cost $2,899 in the US Groundhogs are bad at predicting weather, but they're valuable animal engineers Satellites encased in wood are in the works Belkin reminds users that its Wemo smart home products are shutting down this week Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Gary Rivlin, Devindra Hardawar, and Victoria Song Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit helixsleep.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit

What happens when AI bots get their own social network, Silicon Valley execs cozy up to power, and Apple takes a cut from creators? This week's panel calls out the bold, bizarre, and often problematic ways tech's biggest players are reshaping everything from AI assistants to your everyday privacy. There's a social network for AI agents, and it's getting weird Moltbook is the most interesting place on the internet right now Exposed Moltbook Database Let Anyone Take Control of Any AI Agent on the Site Pentagon clashes with Anthropic over military AI use, sources say Salesforce signs $5.6B deal to inject agentic AI into the US Army Angry Norfolk residents lose lawsuit to stop Flock license plate scanners SpaceX wants to put 1 million solar-powered data centers into orbit Elon Musk reportedly wants a June SpaceX IPO to align with his birthday, the planets Tesla hits a grim milestone: its second straight year of decline Tesla says production-ready Optimus robot is coming soon Microsoft reports strong cloud earnings in Q2 as gaming declines What We Learned From Meta, Microsoft and Tesla Apple tells Patreon to move creators to in-app purchase for subscriptions by November Apple CEO Tim Cook 'heartbroken' after repeated ICE killings in Minneapolis A rival smart glasses company is suing Meta over its Ray-Ban products TikTok, YouTube, and Meta are headed to court for a landmark trial over social media addiction The 'Social Media Addiction' Narrative May Be More Harmful Than Social Media Itself TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection — here's what it means A Waymo hit a child near an elementary school in Santa Monica Autonomous cars, drones cheerfully obey prompt injection by road sign Samsung's TriFold phone will cost $2,899 in the US Groundhogs are bad at predicting weather, but they're valuable animal engineers Satellites encased in wood are in the works Belkin reminds users that its Wemo smart home products are shutting down this week Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Gary Rivlin, Devindra Hardawar, and Victoria Song Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit helixsleep.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit

Brian Brushwood has been on my radar for the podcast almost since i first began 15 years ago. Since he lives in the Austin area, I always felt I would have time to chat and feature him on an episode. As we approach 1,000 episodes, I'm beginning to shift some guests from the back burner to the front. My son Nick, interned with Brian when he was in the thick of the college circuit in the early 2000's. That was the genesis of many of the future endeavors taken on by Brian like Scam School, Modern Rogue, and even the World's Greatest Con which define Brian's current trajectory.Brian has been and continues to be a trailblazer in our magic community having begun his his own magic career in 1993. He has since garnered the support and admiration of some of magic's biggest names including Jeff McBride, and Teller, one half of the Penn and Teller duo, and even David Copperfield.Since beginning his career in magic, Brushwood has authored six books, including Cheats, Cons, Swindles & Tricks: 57 Ways to Scam a Free Drink; Pack the House: The Ultimate, Ever-Growing Guide to Increasing Attendance to YOUR Campus Events(co-authored with C.J. Johnson); and the Professionals Guide to Fire Eating.Brushwood has made several TV and radio appearances, including appearances on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Roseanne Show, E! Entertainment Television's Talk Soup, the WB's Steve Harveys Big Time, Tech TVs Unscrewed with Martin Sargent, CMTs Most Wanted Live, BBCs The Paul Coyte Show, Westwood One's “Don and Mike Show,” ABC-TV's “The Debra Duncan Show, “The Shannon Burke Show” on KJFK-FM, Dudley and Bob” on KLBJ-FM, “The Morning Zoo” on KASE-FM, as well as news affiliates for ABC, FOX, CBS and Time-Warner. View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize View fullsize Brian Brushwood is a magician, podcaster, author, lecturer and comedian. Brushwood is known for the series Scam School, a show where he teaches the audience entertaining tricks at bars so they can "scam" a free drink from their friends. In addition to Scam School, Brushwood hosts Hacking the System on National Geographic Channel and also hosts the podcasts Weird Things, Cordkillers, and Night Attack. Brushwood has been a regular guest on This Week in Tech and previously hosted Game On! with Veronica Belmont on TWiT.Among the many suggestions and links for you to follow, I heartily suggest you follow The World's Greatest Con by Clicking Here. Download this podcast in an MP3 file by Clicking Here and then right click to save the file. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed by Clicking Here. You can download or listen to the podcast through Pandora and SiriusXM (formerly Stitcher) by Clicking Here or through FeedPress by Clicking Here or through Tunein.com by Clicking Here or through iHeart Radio by Clicking Here. If you have a Spotify account, then you can also hear us through that app, too. You can also listen through your Amazon Alexa and Google Home devices. Remember, you can download it through the iTunes store, too. See the preview page by Clicking Here.

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Microsoft quietly hands over BitLocker keys to the government, TikTok's new privacy terms spark a user panic, and Europe's secret tech backups reveal anxious prep for digital fallout. Plus, how gambling platforms are changing the future of news and sports. You can bet on how much snow will fall in New York City this weekend Europe Prepares for a Nightmare Scenario: The U.S. Blocking Access to Tech China, US sign off on TikTok US spinoff TikTok users freak out over app's 'immigration status' collection -- here's what it means Elon Musk's Grok A.I. Chatbot Made Millions of Sexualized Images, New Estimates Show Microsoft Gave FBI Keys To Unlock Encrypted Data, Exposing Major Privacy Flaw - Forbes House of Lords votes to ban social media for Brits under 16 Overrun with AI slop, cURL scraps bug bounties to ensure "intact mental health" Route leak incident on January 22, 2026 149 Million Usernames and Passwords Exposed by Unsecured Database Millions of people imperiled through sign-in links sent by SMS Anthropic revises Claude's 'Constitution,' and hints at chatbot consciousness The new Siri chatbot may run on Google servers, not Apple's A Wikipedia Group Made a Guide to Detect AI Writing. Now a Plug-In Uses It to 'Humanize' Chatbots GitHub - anthropics/original_performance_takehome: Anthropic's original performance take-home, now open for you to try! Telly's "free" ad-based TVs make notable revenue—when they're actually delivered - Ars Technica Toilet Maker Toto's Shares Get Unlikely Boost From AI Rush - Slashdot Dr. Gladys West, whose mathematical models inspired GPS, dies at 95 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Alex Stamos, Doc Rock, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twit meter.com/twit redis.io expressvpn.com/twit shopify.com/twit

Claude isn't just the hottest name in AI right now—it's quietly ushering in a wave of ultra-personalized, vibe-coded software that could transform how we build and use tech in 2026. Find out why coders and normies alike are obsessed and what's coming next. Claude Cowork Exfiltrates Files Behind the Curtain: The AI future has arrived Our Algorithmic Grey-Beige World Musk wants up to $134B in OpenAI lawsuit, despite $700B fortune Elon Musk's Grok 'Undressing' Problem Isn't Fixed I asked Grok's AI to undress me after X's new limits. It's still easy on the app. Senate passes Defiance Act for a second time to address Grok deepfakes Instagram says it fixed the issue that sent password reset emails Instagram AI Influencers Are Defaming Celebrities With Sex Scandals French Court Orders Popular VPNs to Block More Pirate Sites, Despite Opposition Nearly 5 Million Accounts Removed Under Australia's New Social Media Ban TikTok has quietly launched a new micro drama app called PineDrama as the category picks up steam in the US Creator income inequality is rising as top influencers rake in big paydays from brands Managers on alert for "launch fever" as pressure builds for NASA's Moon mission Senate passes minibus bill funding NASA, rejecting Trump's proposed cuts Pentagon Device Linked To Havana Syndrome Zuck#: A programming language for connecting the world. And harvesting it Amazon is buying copper harvested by bacteria for its data centers 'Are You Dead?' is now the top paid App Store app in China Danish dev delights kid by turning floppy drive into easy TV remote Cinemark will fill almost anything with popcorn this weekend—but there's a catch Happy Birthday, Wikipedia: We need you now more than ever Pluralistic: The world needs an Ireland for disenshittification (17 Jan 2026) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Harper Reed and Abrar Al-Heeti Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: ZipRecruiter.com/twit redis.io zscaler.com/security monarch.com with code TWIT

Claude isn't just the hottest name in AI right now—it's quietly ushering in a wave of ultra-personalized, vibe-coded software that could transform how we build and use tech in 2026. Find out why coders and normies alike are obsessed and what's coming next. Claude Cowork Exfiltrates Files Behind the Curtain: The AI future has arrived Our Algorithmic Grey-Beige World Musk wants up to $134B in OpenAI lawsuit, despite $700B fortune Elon Musk's Grok 'Undressing' Problem Isn't Fixed I asked Grok's AI to undress me after X's new limits. It's still easy on the app. Senate passes Defiance Act for a second time to address Grok deepfakes Instagram says it fixed the issue that sent password reset emails Instagram AI Influencers Are Defaming Celebrities With Sex Scandals French Court Orders Popular VPNs to Block More Pirate Sites, Despite Opposition Nearly 5 Million Accounts Removed Under Australia's New Social Media Ban TikTok has quietly launched a new micro drama app called PineDrama as the category picks up steam in the US Creator income inequality is rising as top influencers rake in big paydays from brands Managers on alert for "launch fever" as pressure builds for NASA's Moon mission Senate passes minibus bill funding NASA, rejecting Trump's proposed cuts Pentagon Device Linked To Havana Syndrome Zuck#: A programming language for connecting the world. And harvesting it Amazon is buying copper harvested by bacteria for its data centers 'Are You Dead?' is now the top paid App Store app in China Danish dev delights kid by turning floppy drive into easy TV remote Cinemark will fill almost anything with popcorn this weekend—but there's a catch Happy Birthday, Wikipedia: We need you now more than ever Pluralistic: The world needs an Ireland for disenshittification (17 Jan 2026) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Harper Reed and Abrar Al-Heeti Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: ZipRecruiter.com/twit redis.io zscaler.com/security monarch.com with code TWIT

Claude isn't just the hottest name in AI right now—it's quietly ushering in a wave of ultra-personalized, vibe-coded software that could transform how we build and use tech in 2026. Find out why coders and normies alike are obsessed and what's coming next. Claude Cowork Exfiltrates Files Behind the Curtain: The AI future has arrived Our Algorithmic Grey-Beige World Musk wants up to $134B in OpenAI lawsuit, despite $700B fortune Elon Musk's Grok 'Undressing' Problem Isn't Fixed I asked Grok's AI to undress me after X's new limits. It's still easy on the app. Senate passes Defiance Act for a second time to address Grok deepfakes Instagram says it fixed the issue that sent password reset emails Instagram AI Influencers Are Defaming Celebrities With Sex Scandals French Court Orders Popular VPNs to Block More Pirate Sites, Despite Opposition Nearly 5 Million Accounts Removed Under Australia's New Social Media Ban TikTok has quietly launched a new micro drama app called PineDrama as the category picks up steam in the US Creator income inequality is rising as top influencers rake in big paydays from brands Managers on alert for "launch fever" as pressure builds for NASA's Moon mission Senate passes minibus bill funding NASA, rejecting Trump's proposed cuts Pentagon Device Linked To Havana Syndrome Zuck#: A programming language for connecting the world. And harvesting it Amazon is buying copper harvested by bacteria for its data centers 'Are You Dead?' is now the top paid App Store app in China Danish dev delights kid by turning floppy drive into easy TV remote Cinemark will fill almost anything with popcorn this weekend—but there's a catch Happy Birthday, Wikipedia: We need you now more than ever Pluralistic: The world needs an Ireland for disenshittification (17 Jan 2026) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Harper Reed and Abrar Al-Heeti Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: ZipRecruiter.com/twit redis.io zscaler.com/security monarch.com with code TWIT

Claude isn't just the hottest name in AI right now—it's quietly ushering in a wave of ultra-personalized, vibe-coded software that could transform how we build and use tech in 2026. Find out why coders and normies alike are obsessed and what's coming next. Claude Cowork Exfiltrates Files Behind the Curtain: The AI future has arrived Our Algorithmic Grey-Beige World Musk wants up to $134B in OpenAI lawsuit, despite $700B fortune Elon Musk's Grok 'Undressing' Problem Isn't Fixed I asked Grok's AI to undress me after X's new limits. It's still easy on the app. Senate passes Defiance Act for a second time to address Grok deepfakes Instagram says it fixed the issue that sent password reset emails Instagram AI Influencers Are Defaming Celebrities With Sex Scandals French Court Orders Popular VPNs to Block More Pirate Sites, Despite Opposition Nearly 5 Million Accounts Removed Under Australia's New Social Media Ban TikTok has quietly launched a new micro drama app called PineDrama as the category picks up steam in the US Creator income inequality is rising as top influencers rake in big paydays from brands Managers on alert for "launch fever" as pressure builds for NASA's Moon mission Senate passes minibus bill funding NASA, rejecting Trump's proposed cuts Pentagon Device Linked To Havana Syndrome Zuck#: A programming language for connecting the world. And harvesting it Amazon is buying copper harvested by bacteria for its data centers 'Are You Dead?' is now the top paid App Store app in China Danish dev delights kid by turning floppy drive into easy TV remote Cinemark will fill almost anything with popcorn this weekend—but there's a catch Happy Birthday, Wikipedia: We need you now more than ever Pluralistic: The world needs an Ireland for disenshittification (17 Jan 2026) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Harper Reed and Abrar Al-Heeti Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: ZipRecruiter.com/twit redis.io zscaler.com/security monarch.com with code TWIT

Claude isn't just the hottest name in AI right now—it's quietly ushering in a wave of ultra-personalized, vibe-coded software that could transform how we build and use tech in 2026. Find out why coders and normies alike are obsessed and what's coming next. Claude Cowork Exfiltrates Files Behind the Curtain: The AI future has arrived Our Algorithmic Grey-Beige World Musk wants up to $134B in OpenAI lawsuit, despite $700B fortune Elon Musk's Grok 'Undressing' Problem Isn't Fixed I asked Grok's AI to undress me after X's new limits. It's still easy on the app. Senate passes Defiance Act for a second time to address Grok deepfakes Instagram says it fixed the issue that sent password reset emails Instagram AI Influencers Are Defaming Celebrities With Sex Scandals French Court Orders Popular VPNs to Block More Pirate Sites, Despite Opposition Nearly 5 Million Accounts Removed Under Australia's New Social Media Ban TikTok has quietly launched a new micro drama app called PineDrama as the category picks up steam in the US Creator income inequality is rising as top influencers rake in big paydays from brands Managers on alert for "launch fever" as pressure builds for NASA's Moon mission Senate passes minibus bill funding NASA, rejecting Trump's proposed cuts Pentagon Device Linked To Havana Syndrome Zuck#: A programming language for connecting the world. And harvesting it Amazon is buying copper harvested by bacteria for its data centers 'Are You Dead?' is now the top paid App Store app in China Danish dev delights kid by turning floppy drive into easy TV remote Cinemark will fill almost anything with popcorn this weekend—but there's a catch Happy Birthday, Wikipedia: We need you now more than ever Pluralistic: The world needs an Ireland for disenshittification (17 Jan 2026) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Harper Reed and Abrar Al-Heeti Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: ZipRecruiter.com/twit redis.io zscaler.com/security monarch.com with code TWIT

Is putting a camera in your toilet the future of health, or have tech companies lost the plot? This episode's panel digs into what's truly innovative versus what's just over the top, as industry leaders spar over privacy concerns and the real impact of AI in everyday devices. We tried to get humanoid robots to do the laundry Boston Dynamics unveils production-ready version of Atlas robot at CES 2026 Hair Drying Robot Jensen Huang Says Nvidia's New Vera Rubin Chips Are in 'Full Production' AMD's Ryzen AI 400 series includes the first Copilot+ desktop CPU — Team Red refreshes Zen 5 APUs and Strix Halo Meta's EMG wristband is moving beyond its AR glasses Lego's Smart Brick Gives the Iconic Analog Toy a New Digital Brain The Alexa Plus website is now available to everyone in early access Throne, from the co-founder of Whoop, uses computer vision to study your poop The Verge Awards at CES 2026 These are the smart home gadgets that impressed me at CES 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: redis.io bitwarden.com/twit meter.com/twit joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT NetSuite.com/TWIT

Is putting a camera in your toilet the future of health, or have tech companies lost the plot? This episode's panel digs into what's truly innovative versus what's just over the top, as industry leaders spar over privacy concerns and the real impact of AI in everyday devices. We tried to get humanoid robots to do the laundry Boston Dynamics unveils production-ready version of Atlas robot at CES 2026 Hair Drying Robot Jensen Huang Says Nvidia's New Vera Rubin Chips Are in 'Full Production' AMD's Ryzen AI 400 series includes the first Copilot+ desktop CPU — Team Red refreshes Zen 5 APUs and Strix Halo Meta's EMG wristband is moving beyond its AR glasses Lego's Smart Brick Gives the Iconic Analog Toy a New Digital Brain The Alexa Plus website is now available to everyone in early access Throne, from the co-founder of Whoop, uses computer vision to study your poop The Verge Awards at CES 2026 These are the smart home gadgets that impressed me at CES 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: redis.io bitwarden.com/twit meter.com/twit joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT NetSuite.com/TWIT

Is putting a camera in your toilet the future of health, or have tech companies lost the plot? This episode's panel digs into what's truly innovative versus what's just over the top, as industry leaders spar over privacy concerns and the real impact of AI in everyday devices. We tried to get humanoid robots to do the laundry Boston Dynamics unveils production-ready version of Atlas robot at CES 2026 Hair Drying Robot Jensen Huang Says Nvidia's New Vera Rubin Chips Are in 'Full Production' AMD's Ryzen AI 400 series includes the first Copilot+ desktop CPU — Team Red refreshes Zen 5 APUs and Strix Halo Meta's EMG wristband is moving beyond its AR glasses Lego's Smart Brick Gives the Iconic Analog Toy a New Digital Brain The Alexa Plus website is now available to everyone in early access Throne, from the co-founder of Whoop, uses computer vision to study your poop The Verge Awards at CES 2026 These are the smart home gadgets that impressed me at CES 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: redis.io bitwarden.com/twit meter.com/twit joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT NetSuite.com/TWIT

Is putting a camera in your toilet the future of health, or have tech companies lost the plot? This episode's panel digs into what's truly innovative versus what's just over the top, as industry leaders spar over privacy concerns and the real impact of AI in everyday devices. We tried to get humanoid robots to do the laundry Boston Dynamics unveils production-ready version of Atlas robot at CES 2026 Hair Drying Robot Jensen Huang Says Nvidia's New Vera Rubin Chips Are in 'Full Production' AMD's Ryzen AI 400 series includes the first Copilot+ desktop CPU — Team Red refreshes Zen 5 APUs and Strix Halo Meta's EMG wristband is moving beyond its AR glasses Lego's Smart Brick Gives the Iconic Analog Toy a New Digital Brain The Alexa Plus website is now available to everyone in early access Throne, from the co-founder of Whoop, uses computer vision to study your poop The Verge Awards at CES 2026 These are the smart home gadgets that impressed me at CES 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: redis.io bitwarden.com/twit meter.com/twit joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT NetSuite.com/TWIT

Is putting a camera in your toilet the future of health, or have tech companies lost the plot? This episode's panel digs into what's truly innovative versus what's just over the top, as industry leaders spar over privacy concerns and the real impact of AI in everyday devices. We tried to get humanoid robots to do the laundry Boston Dynamics unveils production-ready version of Atlas robot at CES 2026 Hair Drying Robot Jensen Huang Says Nvidia's New Vera Rubin Chips Are in 'Full Production' AMD's Ryzen AI 400 series includes the first Copilot+ desktop CPU — Team Red refreshes Zen 5 APUs and Strix Halo Meta's EMG wristband is moving beyond its AR glasses Lego's Smart Brick Gives the Iconic Analog Toy a New Digital Brain The Alexa Plus website is now available to everyone in early access Throne, from the co-founder of Whoop, uses computer vision to study your poop The Verge Awards at CES 2026 These are the smart home gadgets that impressed me at CES 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: redis.io bitwarden.com/twit meter.com/twit joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT NetSuite.com/TWIT

Happy New Year! NVIDIA just spent $20 billion to hollow out an AI company for its brains, while Meta and Google scramble to scoop up fresh talent before AI gets "too weird to manage." Who's winning, who's left behind, and what do these backroom deals mean for the future of artificial intelligence? Andrej Karpathy admits programmers cannot keep pace with AI advances Economic uncertainty in AI despite massive stock market influence Google, Anthropic, and Microsoft drive AI productization for business and consumers OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini battle for consumer AI dominance Journalism struggles to keep up with AI realities and misinformation tools Concerns mount over AI energy, water, and environmental impact narratives Meta buys Manus, expands AI agent ambitions with Llama model OpenAI posts high-stress "Head of Preparedness" job worth $555K+ Training breakthroughs: DeepSeek's mHC and comparisons to Action Park U.S. lawmakers push broad, controversial internet censorship bills Age verification and bans spark state laws, VPN workaround explosion U.S. drone ban labeled protectionist as industry faces tech shortages FCC security initiatives falter; Cyber Trust Mark program scrapped Waymo robotaxis stall in blackouts, raising AV urban planning issues School cellphone bans expose kids' struggle with analog clocks MetroCard era ends in NYC as tap-to-pay takes over subway access RAM, VRAM, and GPU prices soar as AI and gaming squeeze supply CES preview: Samsung QD-OLED TV, Sony AFEELA car, gadget show hype Remembering Stewart Cheifet and Computer Chronicles' legacy Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Dan Patterson and Joey de Villa Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit redis.io

Happy New Year! NVIDIA just spent $20 billion to hollow out an AI company for its brains, while Meta and Google scramble to scoop up fresh talent before AI gets "too weird to manage." Who's winning, who's left behind, and what do these backroom deals mean for the future of artificial intelligence? Andrej Karpathy admits programmers cannot keep pace with AI advances Economic uncertainty in AI despite massive stock market influence Google, Anthropic, and Microsoft drive AI productization for business and consumers OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini battle for consumer AI dominance Journalism struggles to keep up with AI realities and misinformation tools Concerns mount over AI energy, water, and environmental impact narratives Meta buys Manus, expands AI agent ambitions with Llama model OpenAI posts high-stress "Head of Preparedness" job worth $555K+ Training breakthroughs: DeepSeek's mHC and comparisons to Action Park U.S. lawmakers push broad, controversial internet censorship bills Age verification and bans spark state laws, VPN workaround explosion U.S. drone ban labeled protectionist as industry faces tech shortages FCC security initiatives falter; Cyber Trust Mark program scrapped Waymo robotaxis stall in blackouts, raising AV urban planning issues School cellphone bans expose kids' struggle with analog clocks MetroCard era ends in NYC as tap-to-pay takes over subway access RAM, VRAM, and GPU prices soar as AI and gaming squeeze supply CES preview: Samsung QD-OLED TV, Sony AFEELA car, gadget show hype Remembering Stewart Cheifet and Computer Chronicles' legacy Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Dan Patterson and Joey de Villa Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit redis.io

Happy New Year! NVIDIA just spent $20 billion to hollow out an AI company for its brains, while Meta and Google scramble to scoop up fresh talent before AI gets "too weird to manage." Who's winning, who's left behind, and what do these backroom deals mean for the future of artificial intelligence? Andrej Karpathy admits programmers cannot keep pace with AI advances Economic uncertainty in AI despite massive stock market influence Google, Anthropic, and Microsoft drive AI productization for business and consumers OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini battle for consumer AI dominance Journalism struggles to keep up with AI realities and misinformation tools Concerns mount over AI energy, water, and environmental impact narratives Meta buys Manus, expands AI agent ambitions with Llama model OpenAI posts high-stress "Head of Preparedness" job worth $555K+ Training breakthroughs: DeepSeek's mHC and comparisons to Action Park U.S. lawmakers push broad, controversial internet censorship bills Age verification and bans spark state laws, VPN workaround explosion U.S. drone ban labeled protectionist as industry faces tech shortages FCC security initiatives falter; Cyber Trust Mark program scrapped Waymo robotaxis stall in blackouts, raising AV urban planning issues School cellphone bans expose kids' struggle with analog clocks MetroCard era ends in NYC as tap-to-pay takes over subway access RAM, VRAM, and GPU prices soar as AI and gaming squeeze supply CES preview: Samsung QD-OLED TV, Sony AFEELA car, gadget show hype Remembering Stewart Cheifet and Computer Chronicles' legacy Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Dan Patterson and Joey de Villa Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit redis.io

Happy New Year! NVIDIA just spent $20 billion to hollow out an AI company for its brains, while Meta and Google scramble to scoop up fresh talent before AI gets "too weird to manage." Who's winning, who's left behind, and what do these backroom deals mean for the future of artificial intelligence? Andrej Karpathy admits programmers cannot keep pace with AI advances Economic uncertainty in AI despite massive stock market influence Google, Anthropic, and Microsoft drive AI productization for business and consumers OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini battle for consumer AI dominance Journalism struggles to keep up with AI realities and misinformation tools Concerns mount over AI energy, water, and environmental impact narratives Meta buys Manus, expands AI agent ambitions with Llama model OpenAI posts high-stress "Head of Preparedness" job worth $555K+ Training breakthroughs: DeepSeek's mHC and comparisons to Action Park U.S. lawmakers push broad, controversial internet censorship bills Age verification and bans spark state laws, VPN workaround explosion U.S. drone ban labeled protectionist as industry faces tech shortages FCC security initiatives falter; Cyber Trust Mark program scrapped Waymo robotaxis stall in blackouts, raising AV urban planning issues School cellphone bans expose kids' struggle with analog clocks MetroCard era ends in NYC as tap-to-pay takes over subway access RAM, VRAM, and GPU prices soar as AI and gaming squeeze supply CES preview: Samsung QD-OLED TV, Sony AFEELA car, gadget show hype Remembering Stewart Cheifet and Computer Chronicles' legacy Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Dan Patterson and Joey de Villa Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit redis.io

Happy New Year! NVIDIA just spent $20 billion to hollow out an AI company for its brains, while Meta and Google scramble to scoop up fresh talent before AI gets "too weird to manage." Who's winning, who's left behind, and what do these backroom deals mean for the future of artificial intelligence? Andrej Karpathy admits programmers cannot keep pace with AI advances Economic uncertainty in AI despite massive stock market influence Google, Anthropic, and Microsoft drive AI productization for business and consumers OpenAI, Claude, and Gemini battle for consumer AI dominance Journalism struggles to keep up with AI realities and misinformation tools Concerns mount over AI energy, water, and environmental impact narratives Meta buys Manus, expands AI agent ambitions with Llama model OpenAI posts high-stress "Head of Preparedness" job worth $555K+ Training breakthroughs: DeepSeek's mHC and comparisons to Action Park U.S. lawmakers push broad, controversial internet censorship bills Age verification and bans spark state laws, VPN workaround explosion U.S. drone ban labeled protectionist as industry faces tech shortages FCC security initiatives falter; Cyber Trust Mark program scrapped Waymo robotaxis stall in blackouts, raising AV urban planning issues School cellphone bans expose kids' struggle with analog clocks MetroCard era ends in NYC as tap-to-pay takes over subway access RAM, VRAM, and GPU prices soar as AI and gaming squeeze supply CES preview: Samsung QD-OLED TV, Sony AFEELA car, gadget show hype Remembering Stewart Cheifet and Computer Chronicles' legacy Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Dan Patterson and Joey de Villa Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/security canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT monarch.com with code TWIT Melissa.com/twit redis.io

What happens when the systems designed to make life easier quietly begin shaping how we think, decide, and choose? In this episode of the Tech Talks Daily Podcast, I sit down with Jacob Ward, a journalist who has spent more than two decades examining the unseen effects of technology on human behavior. From reporting roles at NBC News, Al Jazeera, CNN, and PBS, to hosting his own podcast The Rip Current, Jacob has built a career around asking uncomfortable questions about power, persuasion, and the psychology sitting beneath our screens. Our conversation centers on his book The Loop: How A.I Is Creating a World Without Choices and How to Fight Back, written before ChatGPT entered everyday life. Jacob explains why his core concern was never about smarter machines alone, but about what happens when AI systems learn us too well. Drawing on behavioral science, newsroom experience, and recent academic research, he argues that AI can narrow our sense of possibility while convincing us we are gaining freedom. The result is a subtle tension between convenience and control that many listeners will recognize in their own digital lives. We also explore the idea of AI companies behaving like nation states, accumulating talent, influence, and authority without the checks that usually accompany that kind of power. Jacob reflects on the speed of AI deployment, the belief systems driving its biggest champions, and why individual self control is unlikely to be enough. Instead, he makes the case for systemic responses, cultural guardrails, and a renewed focus on protecting human skills that cannot be automated away. There is room for optimism here too. We talk about where AI genuinely helps, from medicine to scientific discovery, and how leaders can hold hope and skepticism at the same time without slipping into hype or fear. From preserving entry level work as a form of apprenticeship to resisting the urge to outsource thinking itself, this episode offers a thoughtful look at what staying human might mean in an age of intelligent machines. Jacob has also appeared on shows like The Joe Rogan Experience, This Week in Tech, and The Don Lemon Show, but this conversation strips things back to fundamentals. How much choice do we really have, and what are we willing to give up for frictionless answers? If AI is quietly closing the loop around our decisions, what does fighting back actually look like for you, and where do you think that line between help and influence should be drawn? Useful Links Connect With Jacob Ward Check out his website and book

AI video generation TWiT turns 20 Harper Reed on vibe-coding Job loss and AI Apple's iPhone 16 event Amy Webb's crazy husband talks about his anonymous computer Host: Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: zscaler.com/security

AI video generation TWiT turns 20 Harper Reed on vibe-coding Job loss and AI Apple's iPhone 16 event Amy Webb's crazy husband talks about his anonymous computer Host: Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: zscaler.com/security

AI video generation TWiT turns 20 Harper Reed on vibe-coding Job loss and AI Apple's iPhone 16 event Amy Webb's crazy husband talks about his anonymous computer Host: Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: zscaler.com/security

AI video generation TWiT turns 20 Harper Reed on vibe-coding Job loss and AI Apple's iPhone 16 event Amy Webb's crazy husband talks about his anonymous computer Host: Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: zscaler.com/security

AI video generation TWiT turns 20 Harper Reed on vibe-coding Job loss and AI Apple's iPhone 16 event Amy Webb's crazy husband talks about his anonymous computer Host: Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: zscaler.com/security

AI video generation TWiT turns 20 Harper Reed on vibe-coding Job loss and AI Apple's iPhone 16 event Amy Webb's crazy husband talks about his anonymous computer Host: Leo Laporte Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: zscaler.com/security

After a year tangled in political drama, AI hype, and regulation battles, the TWiT crew explains how many of tech's "biggest stories" simply fizzled into nothing or left us with new headaches by year's end. • Year-end tech trends: AI, politics, and security dominated 2025 • Major stories faded fast: TikTok saga, political tech drama, DOGE scandal • TikTok's ownership battle—Oracle, Trump donors, and US-China tensions • China tech fears: banned drones, IoT vulnerabilities, secret radios in buses • Rising political pressure for internet privacy and media literacy reform • Surveillance and kill switch concerns in US grid and port infrastructure • Convenience vs. privacy: Americans trade data for discounts and ease • Age verification, surveillance, and flawed facial recognition across countries • Discord's ID leak highlights risks of rushed compliance with privacy laws • Social media's impact on kids pushes age-gating and verification laws • ISPs monetize customer data, VPNs pitched for personal privacy • Global government crackdowns: UK bans VPN advertising, mandates age checks • The illusion of absolute privacy: flawed age gates and persistent tracking • AI takes over: explosive growth, but profits elusive for big players • Arms race in LLMs: DeepSeek's breakthrough, OpenAI/Meta talent bidding war • Ad-driven models still rule; Amazon's playbook repeated in AI • Humanoid robots and AGI hype: skepticism vs. Silicon Valley optimism • AI-generated art, media, and the challenge of deepfake detection • Social platforms falter: Instagram and X swamped by fake or low-value content • Google's legal, regulatory, and technical woes: ad tech trial, Manifest V3 backlash • RAM price spikes and hardware shortages blamed on AI data center demand • YouTube overtakes mobile for podcast and video viewing, Oscars move online • The internet's growth: Cloudflare stats, X vs. Reddit, spam domain trends • Weird tech stories: hacked crosswalks, Nintendo Switch 2 Staplegate, LEGO theft ring • Sad farewell: Lamar Wilson's passing and mental health awareness in tech • Reflections on the year's turbulence and hopes for a better 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Mikah Sargent, Paris Martineau, and Steve Gibson Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: expressvpn.com/twit zscaler.com/security Melissa.com/twit ventionteams.com/twit auraframes.com/ink

After a year tangled in political drama, AI hype, and regulation battles, the TWiT crew explains how many of tech's "biggest stories" simply fizzled into nothing or left us with new headaches by year's end. Year-end tech trends: AI, politics, and security dominated 2025 Major stories faded fast: TikTok saga, political tech drama, DOGE scandal TikTok's ownership battle—Oracle, Trump donors, and US-China tensions China tech fears: banned drones, IoT vulnerabilities, secret radios in buses Rising political pressure for internet privacy and media literacy reform Surveillance and kill switch concerns in US grid and port infrastructure Convenience vs. privacy: Americans trade data for discounts and ease Age verification, surveillance, and flawed facial recognition across countries Discord's ID leak highlights risks of rushed compliance with privacy laws Social media's impact on kids pushes age-gating and verification laws ISPs monetize customer data, VPNs pitched for personal privacy Global government crackdowns: UK bans VPN advertising, mandates age checks The illusion of absolute privacy: flawed age gates and persistent tracking AI takes over: explosive growth, but profits elusive for big players Arms race in LLMs: DeepSeek's breakthrough, OpenAI/Meta talent bidding war Ad-driven models still rule; Amazon's playbook repeated in AI Humanoid robots and AGI hype: skepticism vs. Silicon Valley optimism AI-generated art, media, and the challenge of deepfake detection Social platforms falter: Instagram and X swamped by fake or low-value content Google's legal, regulatory, and technical woes: ad tech trial, Manifest V3 backlash RAM price spikes and hardware shortages blamed on AI data center demand YouTube overtakes mobile for podcast and video viewing, Oscars move online The internet's growth: Cloudflare stats, X vs. Reddit, spam domain trends Weird tech stories: hacked crosswalks, Nintendo Switch 2 Staplegate, LEGO theft ring Sad farewell: Lamar Wilson's passing and mental health awareness in tech Reflections on the year's turbulence and hopes for a better 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Mikah Sargent, Paris Martineau, and Steve Gibson Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: expressvpn.com/twit zscaler.com/security Melissa.com/twit ventionteams.com/twit auraframes.com/ink

After a year tangled in political drama, AI hype, and regulation battles, the TWiT crew explains how many of tech's "biggest stories" simply fizzled into nothing or left us with new headaches by year's end. Year-end tech trends: AI, politics, and security dominated 2025 Major stories faded fast: TikTok saga, political tech drama, DOGE scandal TikTok's ownership battle—Oracle, Trump donors, and US-China tensions China tech fears: banned drones, IoT vulnerabilities, secret radios in buses Rising political pressure for internet privacy and media literacy reform Surveillance and kill switch concerns in US grid and port infrastructure Convenience vs. privacy: Americans trade data for discounts and ease Age verification, surveillance, and flawed facial recognition across countries Discord's ID leak highlights risks of rushed compliance with privacy laws Social media's impact on kids pushes age-gating and verification laws ISPs monetize customer data, VPNs pitched for personal privacy Global government crackdowns: UK bans VPN advertising, mandates age checks The illusion of absolute privacy: flawed age gates and persistent tracking AI takes over: explosive growth, but profits elusive for big players Arms race in LLMs: DeepSeek's breakthrough, OpenAI/Meta talent bidding war Ad-driven models still rule; Amazon's playbook repeated in AI Humanoid robots and AGI hype: skepticism vs. Silicon Valley optimism AI-generated art, media, and the challenge of deepfake detection Social platforms falter: Instagram and X swamped by fake or low-value content Google's legal, regulatory, and technical woes: ad tech trial, Manifest V3 backlash RAM price spikes and hardware shortages blamed on AI data center demand YouTube overtakes mobile for podcast and video viewing, Oscars move online The internet's growth: Cloudflare stats, X vs. Reddit, spam domain trends Weird tech stories: hacked crosswalks, Nintendo Switch 2 Staplegate, LEGO theft ring Sad farewell: Lamar Wilson's passing and mental health awareness in tech Reflections on the year's turbulence and hopes for a better 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Mikah Sargent, Paris Martineau, and Steve Gibson Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: expressvpn.com/twit zscaler.com/security Melissa.com/twit ventionteams.com/twit auraframes.com/ink

After a year tangled in political drama, AI hype, and regulation battles, the TWiT crew explains how many of tech's "biggest stories" simply fizzled into nothing or left us with new headaches by year's end. Year-end tech trends: AI, politics, and security dominated 2025 Major stories faded fast: TikTok saga, political tech drama, DOGE scandal TikTok's ownership battle—Oracle, Trump donors, and US-China tensions China tech fears: banned drones, IoT vulnerabilities, secret radios in buses Rising political pressure for internet privacy and media literacy reform Surveillance and kill switch concerns in US grid and port infrastructure Convenience vs. privacy: Americans trade data for discounts and ease Age verification, surveillance, and flawed facial recognition across countries Discord's ID leak highlights risks of rushed compliance with privacy laws Social media's impact on kids pushes age-gating and verification laws ISPs monetize customer data, VPNs pitched for personal privacy Global government crackdowns: UK bans VPN advertising, mandates age checks The illusion of absolute privacy: flawed age gates and persistent tracking AI takes over: explosive growth, but profits elusive for big players Arms race in LLMs: DeepSeek's breakthrough, OpenAI/Meta talent bidding war Ad-driven models still rule; Amazon's playbook repeated in AI Humanoid robots and AGI hype: skepticism vs. Silicon Valley optimism AI-generated art, media, and the challenge of deepfake detection Social platforms falter: Instagram and X swamped by fake or low-value content Google's legal, regulatory, and technical woes: ad tech trial, Manifest V3 backlash RAM price spikes and hardware shortages blamed on AI data center demand YouTube overtakes mobile for podcast and video viewing, Oscars move online The internet's growth: Cloudflare stats, X vs. Reddit, spam domain trends Weird tech stories: hacked crosswalks, Nintendo Switch 2 Staplegate, LEGO theft ring Sad farewell: Lamar Wilson's passing and mental health awareness in tech Reflections on the year's turbulence and hopes for a better 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Mikah Sargent, Paris Martineau, and Steve Gibson Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: expressvpn.com/twit zscaler.com/security Melissa.com/twit ventionteams.com/twit auraframes.com/ink

After a year tangled in political drama, AI hype, and regulation battles, the TWiT crew explains how many of tech's "biggest stories" simply fizzled into nothing or left us with new headaches by year's end. Year-end tech trends: AI, politics, and security dominated 2025 Major stories faded fast: TikTok saga, political tech drama, DOGE scandal TikTok's ownership battle—Oracle, Trump donors, and US-China tensions China tech fears: banned drones, IoT vulnerabilities, secret radios in buses Rising political pressure for internet privacy and media literacy reform Surveillance and kill switch concerns in US grid and port infrastructure Convenience vs. privacy: Americans trade data for discounts and ease Age verification, surveillance, and flawed facial recognition across countries Discord's ID leak highlights risks of rushed compliance with privacy laws Social media's impact on kids pushes age-gating and verification laws ISPs monetize customer data, VPNs pitched for personal privacy Global government crackdowns: UK bans VPN advertising, mandates age checks The illusion of absolute privacy: flawed age gates and persistent tracking AI takes over: explosive growth, but profits elusive for big players Arms race in LLMs: DeepSeek's breakthrough, OpenAI/Meta talent bidding war Ad-driven models still rule; Amazon's playbook repeated in AI Humanoid robots and AGI hype: skepticism vs. Silicon Valley optimism AI-generated art, media, and the challenge of deepfake detection Social platforms falter: Instagram and X swamped by fake or low-value content Google's legal, regulatory, and technical woes: ad tech trial, Manifest V3 backlash RAM price spikes and hardware shortages blamed on AI data center demand YouTube overtakes mobile for podcast and video viewing, Oscars move online The internet's growth: Cloudflare stats, X vs. Reddit, spam domain trends Weird tech stories: hacked crosswalks, Nintendo Switch 2 Staplegate, LEGO theft ring Sad farewell: Lamar Wilson's passing and mental health awareness in tech Reflections on the year's turbulence and hopes for a better 2026 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Mikah Sargent, Paris Martineau, and Steve Gibson Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: expressvpn.com/twit zscaler.com/security Melissa.com/twit ventionteams.com/twit auraframes.com/ink

Are we witnessing an AI-fueled gold rush or the early signs of an epic crash? Listen to these hard-hitting discussions on bubbles, breakthroughs, and the real impact behind Silicon Valley's AI obsession. Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year': the Architects of AI The AI Wildfire Is Coming. It's Going to Be Very Painful and Incredibly Healthy. 'ChatGPT for Doctors' Startup Doubles Valuation to $12 Billion as Revenue Surges Trump Pretends To Block State AI Laws; Media Pretends That's Legal It's beginning to look a lot like (AI) Christmas Amazon Prime Video Pulls AI-Powered Recaps After Fallout Flub Could America win the AI race but lose the war? Google Says First AI Glasses With Gemini Will Arrive in 2026 Border Patrol Agent Recorded Raid with Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses The countdown to the world's first social media ban for children US could demand five-year social media history from tourists before allowing entry Reddit making global changes to protect kids after social media ban - 9to5Mac There are no good outcomes for the Warner Bros. sale Paramount CEO Made Trump a Secret Promise on CNN in Warner Bros. Convo Whatnot's Schlock Empire Shows Digital Live Shopping Can Thrive in America The Military Almost Got the Right to Repair. Lawmakers Just Took It Away Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case Japan law opening phone app stores to go into effect Microsoft Excel Turns 40, Remains Stubbornly Unkillable - Slashdot Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeps The Game Awards — analysis and full winners list Microsoft promises more bug payouts, with or without a bounty program An ex-Twitter lawyer is trying to bring Twitter back Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Iain Thomson, Owen Thomas, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: shopify.com/twit NetSuite.com/TWIT ventionteams.com/twit zscaler.com/security helixsleep.com/twit

Are we witnessing an AI-fueled gold rush or the early signs of an epic crash? Listen to these hard-hitting discussions on bubbles, breakthroughs, and the real impact behind Silicon Valley's AI obsession. Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year': the Architects of AI The AI Wildfire Is Coming. It's Going to Be Very Painful and Incredibly Healthy. 'ChatGPT for Doctors' Startup Doubles Valuation to $12 Billion as Revenue Surges Trump Pretends To Block State AI Laws; Media Pretends That's Legal It's beginning to look a lot like (AI) Christmas Amazon Prime Video Pulls AI-Powered Recaps After Fallout Flub Could America win the AI race but lose the war? Google Says First AI Glasses With Gemini Will Arrive in 2026 Border Patrol Agent Recorded Raid with Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses The countdown to the world's first social media ban for children US could demand five-year social media history from tourists before allowing entry Reddit making global changes to protect kids after social media ban - 9to5Mac There are no good outcomes for the Warner Bros. sale Paramount CEO Made Trump a Secret Promise on CNN in Warner Bros. Convo Whatnot's Schlock Empire Shows Digital Live Shopping Can Thrive in America The Military Almost Got the Right to Repair. Lawmakers Just Took It Away Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case Japan law opening phone app stores to go into effect Microsoft Excel Turns 40, Remains Stubbornly Unkillable - Slashdot Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeps The Game Awards — analysis and full winners list Microsoft promises more bug payouts, with or without a bounty program An ex-Twitter lawyer is trying to bring Twitter back Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Iain Thomson, Owen Thomas, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: shopify.com/twit NetSuite.com/TWIT ventionteams.com/twit zscaler.com/security helixsleep.com/twit

Are we witnessing an AI-fueled gold rush or the early signs of an epic crash? Listen to these hard-hitting discussions on bubbles, breakthroughs, and the real impact behind Silicon Valley's AI obsession. Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year': the Architects of AI The AI Wildfire Is Coming. It's Going to Be Very Painful and Incredibly Healthy. 'ChatGPT for Doctors' Startup Doubles Valuation to $12 Billion as Revenue Surges Trump Pretends To Block State AI Laws; Media Pretends That's Legal It's beginning to look a lot like (AI) Christmas Amazon Prime Video Pulls AI-Powered Recaps After Fallout Flub Could America win the AI race but lose the war? Google Says First AI Glasses With Gemini Will Arrive in 2026 Border Patrol Agent Recorded Raid with Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses The countdown to the world's first social media ban for children US could demand five-year social media history from tourists before allowing entry Reddit making global changes to protect kids after social media ban - 9to5Mac There are no good outcomes for the Warner Bros. sale Paramount CEO Made Trump a Secret Promise on CNN in Warner Bros. Convo Whatnot's Schlock Empire Shows Digital Live Shopping Can Thrive in America The Military Almost Got the Right to Repair. Lawmakers Just Took It Away Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case Japan law opening phone app stores to go into effect Microsoft Excel Turns 40, Remains Stubbornly Unkillable - Slashdot Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeps The Game Awards — analysis and full winners list Microsoft promises more bug payouts, with or without a bounty program An ex-Twitter lawyer is trying to bring Twitter back Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Iain Thomson, Owen Thomas, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: shopify.com/twit NetSuite.com/TWIT ventionteams.com/twit zscaler.com/security helixsleep.com/twit

Are we witnessing an AI-fueled gold rush or the early signs of an epic crash? Listen to these hard-hitting discussions on bubbles, breakthroughs, and the real impact behind Silicon Valley's AI obsession. Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year': the Architects of AI The AI Wildfire Is Coming. It's Going to Be Very Painful and Incredibly Healthy. 'ChatGPT for Doctors' Startup Doubles Valuation to $12 Billion as Revenue Surges Trump Pretends To Block State AI Laws; Media Pretends That's Legal It's beginning to look a lot like (AI) Christmas Amazon Prime Video Pulls AI-Powered Recaps After Fallout Flub Could America win the AI race but lose the war? Google Says First AI Glasses With Gemini Will Arrive in 2026 Border Patrol Agent Recorded Raid with Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses The countdown to the world's first social media ban for children US could demand five-year social media history from tourists before allowing entry Reddit making global changes to protect kids after social media ban - 9to5Mac There are no good outcomes for the Warner Bros. sale Paramount CEO Made Trump a Secret Promise on CNN in Warner Bros. Convo Whatnot's Schlock Empire Shows Digital Live Shopping Can Thrive in America The Military Almost Got the Right to Repair. Lawmakers Just Took It Away Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case Japan law opening phone app stores to go into effect Microsoft Excel Turns 40, Remains Stubbornly Unkillable - Slashdot Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeps The Game Awards — analysis and full winners list Microsoft promises more bug payouts, with or without a bounty program An ex-Twitter lawyer is trying to bring Twitter back Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Iain Thomson, Owen Thomas, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: shopify.com/twit NetSuite.com/TWIT ventionteams.com/twit zscaler.com/security helixsleep.com/twit

Are we witnessing an AI-fueled gold rush or the early signs of an epic crash? Listen to these hard-hitting discussions on bubbles, breakthroughs, and the real impact behind Silicon Valley's AI obsession. Time Magazine's 'Person of the Year': the Architects of AI The AI Wildfire Is Coming. It's Going to Be Very Painful and Incredibly Healthy. 'ChatGPT for Doctors' Startup Doubles Valuation to $12 Billion as Revenue Surges Trump Pretends To Block State AI Laws; Media Pretends That's Legal It's beginning to look a lot like (AI) Christmas Amazon Prime Video Pulls AI-Powered Recaps After Fallout Flub Could America win the AI race but lose the war? Google Says First AI Glasses With Gemini Will Arrive in 2026 Border Patrol Agent Recorded Raid with Meta's Ray-Ban Smart Glasses The countdown to the world's first social media ban for children US could demand five-year social media history from tourists before allowing entry Reddit making global changes to protect kids after social media ban - 9to5Mac There are no good outcomes for the Warner Bros. sale Paramount CEO Made Trump a Secret Promise on CNN in Warner Bros. Convo Whatnot's Schlock Empire Shows Digital Live Shopping Can Thrive in America The Military Almost Got the Right to Repair. Lawmakers Just Took It Away Apple loses its appeal of a scathing contempt ruling in iOS payments case Japan law opening phone app stores to go into effect Microsoft Excel Turns 40, Remains Stubbornly Unkillable - Slashdot Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 sweeps The Game Awards — analysis and full winners list Microsoft promises more bug payouts, with or without a bounty program An ex-Twitter lawyer is trying to bring Twitter back Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Iain Thomson, Owen Thomas, and Jason Hiner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: shopify.com/twit NetSuite.com/TWIT ventionteams.com/twit zscaler.com/security helixsleep.com/twit

What happens if your internet provider gets the blame for what you download? This week, the panel unpacks a billion-dollar copyright battle at the Supreme Court that could upend how we all use the web. Justice Alito Makes The Most Sense, Or This Week At The Supreme Court In The Cox-Sony Copyright Case First Porn, Now Skin Cream? 'Age Verification' Bills Are Out of These new FDA-approved glasses promise to slow nearsightedness in kids. Here's how they work Amazon Tests U.S. Ultrafast Delivery Offering What the heck is going on at Apple? | CNN Business Meta's Zuckerberg Plans Deep Cuts for Metaverse Efforts Meta acquires AI device startup Limitless Instagram mandates total return to office for employees in 2026 Is Netflix Trying to Buy Warner Bros. or Kill It? - Slashdot School Cell Phone Bans and Student Achievement RoboCop statue rises in Detroit: 'Big, beautiful, bronze piece of art' People who talk with their hands seem clearer, more persuasive - Fast Company (a petition to cancel Twitter's trademark for abandonment) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Amy Webb, Cathy Gellis, and Brian Woolf Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 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: miro.com expressvpn.com/twit bitwarden.com/twit ZipRecruiter.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT

What happens if your internet provider gets the blame for what you download? This week, the panel unpacks a billion-dollar copyright battle at the Supreme Court that could upend how we all use the web. Justice Alito Makes The Most Sense, Or This Week At The Supreme Court In The Cox-Sony Copyright Case First Porn, Now Skin Cream? 'Age Verification' Bills Are Out of These new FDA-approved glasses promise to slow nearsightedness in kids. Here's how they work Amazon Tests U.S. Ultrafast Delivery Offering What the heck is going on at Apple? | CNN Business Meta's Zuckerberg Plans Deep Cuts for Metaverse Efforts Meta acquires AI device startup Limitless Instagram mandates total return to office for employees in 2026 Is Netflix Trying to Buy Warner Bros. or Kill It? - Slashdot School Cell Phone Bans and Student Achievement RoboCop statue rises in Detroit: 'Big, beautiful, bronze piece of art' People who talk with their hands seem clearer, more persuasive - Fast Company (a petition to cancel Twitter's trademark for abandonment) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Amy Webb, Cathy Gellis, and Brian Woolf Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 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: miro.com expressvpn.com/twit bitwarden.com/twit ZipRecruiter.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT

What happens if your internet provider gets the blame for what you download? This week, the panel unpacks a billion-dollar copyright battle at the Supreme Court that could upend how we all use the web. Justice Alito Makes The Most Sense, Or This Week At The Supreme Court In The Cox-Sony Copyright Case First Porn, Now Skin Cream? 'Age Verification' Bills Are Out of These new FDA-approved glasses promise to slow nearsightedness in kids. Here's how they work Amazon Tests U.S. Ultrafast Delivery Offering What the heck is going on at Apple? | CNN Business Meta's Zuckerberg Plans Deep Cuts for Metaverse Efforts Meta acquires AI device startup Limitless Instagram mandates total return to office for employees in 2026 Is Netflix Trying to Buy Warner Bros. or Kill It? - Slashdot School Cell Phone Bans and Student Achievement RoboCop statue rises in Detroit: 'Big, beautiful, bronze piece of art' People who talk with their hands seem clearer, more persuasive - Fast Company (a petition to cancel Twitter's trademark for abandonment) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Amy Webb, Cathy Gellis, and Brian Woolf Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 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: miro.com expressvpn.com/twit bitwarden.com/twit ZipRecruiter.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT

What happens if your internet provider gets the blame for what you download? This week, the panel unpacks a billion-dollar copyright battle at the Supreme Court that could upend how we all use the web. Justice Alito Makes The Most Sense, Or This Week At The Supreme Court In The Cox-Sony Copyright Case First Porn, Now Skin Cream? 'Age Verification' Bills Are Out of These new FDA-approved glasses promise to slow nearsightedness in kids. Here's how they work Amazon Tests U.S. Ultrafast Delivery Offering What the heck is going on at Apple? | CNN Business Meta's Zuckerberg Plans Deep Cuts for Metaverse Efforts Meta acquires AI device startup Limitless Instagram mandates total return to office for employees in 2026 Is Netflix Trying to Buy Warner Bros. or Kill It? - Slashdot School Cell Phone Bans and Student Achievement RoboCop statue rises in Detroit: 'Big, beautiful, bronze piece of art' People who talk with their hands seem clearer, more persuasive - Fast Company (a petition to cancel Twitter's trademark for abandonment) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Amy Webb, Cathy Gellis, and Brian Woolf Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 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: miro.com expressvpn.com/twit bitwarden.com/twit ZipRecruiter.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT

Is Black Friday really booming, or are inflated prices and AI shopping assistants just muddying the waters? This episode rips into the data, exposes retailer tactics, and debates if smarter tech is actually making us better shoppers. Black Friday data shows online sales strong, store results mixed Silicon Valley's man in the White House is benefiting himself and his friends View: Trump's AI agenda sails toward an iceberg of bipartisan populist fury 'We do fail ... a lot': Defense startup Anduril hits setbacks with weapons tech Solar's growth in US almost enough to offset rising energy use Datacenters in space are a terrible, horrible, no good idea China leapfrogs US in global market for 'open' AI models Danish authorities in rush to close security loophole in Chinese electric buses The Ford F-150 Lightning was supposed to transform the industry. Now, Ford may pull the plug Roblox is a problem — but it's a symptom of something worse Warner Music and Suno strike deal for AI music, giving artists control over their likeness Leak confirms OpenAI is preparing ads on ChatGPT for public roll out Jony Ive, Sam Altman: OpenAI plans elegantly simple device One tech tip: Modern cars are spying on you. Here's what you can do about it How a GM EV1 was sold for the first time GPU prices are coming to earth just as RAM costs shoot into the stratosphere Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Daniel Rubino, Sam Abuelsamid, and Mike Elgan Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 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: ventionteams.com/twit deel.com/twit zapier.com/twit Melissa.com/twit zscaler.com/security

Is Black Friday really booming, or are inflated prices and AI shopping assistants just muddying the waters? This episode rips into the data, exposes retailer tactics, and debates if smarter tech is actually making us better shoppers. Black Friday data shows online sales strong, store results mixed Silicon Valley's man in the White House is benefiting himself and his friends View: Trump's AI agenda sails toward an iceberg of bipartisan populist fury 'We do fail ... a lot': Defense startup Anduril hits setbacks with weapons tech Solar's growth in US almost enough to offset rising energy use Datacenters in space are a terrible, horrible, no good idea China leapfrogs US in global market for 'open' AI models Danish authorities in rush to close security loophole in Chinese electric buses The Ford F-150 Lightning was supposed to transform the industry. Now, Ford may pull the plug Roblox is a problem — but it's a symptom of something worse Warner Music and Suno strike deal for AI music, giving artists control over their likeness Leak confirms OpenAI is preparing ads on ChatGPT for public roll out Jony Ive, Sam Altman: OpenAI plans elegantly simple device One tech tip: Modern cars are spying on you. Here's what you can do about it How a GM EV1 was sold for the first time GPU prices are coming to earth just as RAM costs shoot into the stratosphere Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Daniel Rubino, Sam Abuelsamid, and Mike Elgan Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 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: ventionteams.com/twit deel.com/twit zapier.com/twit Melissa.com/twit zscaler.com/security

A judge is racing to break up Google's advertising empire before they can appeal, while Microsoft's Copilot stumbles on camera. Australia's sweeping social bans, Roblox's selfie requirement, and flawed AI moderation spark sharp debate on what happens when online gatekeeping gets serious. Top MAGA Influencers Accidentally Unmasked as Foreign Trolls NetChoice Sues Virginia To Block Its One-Hour Social Media Limit For Kids Roblox is requiring 9yo kids to submit a video selfie to prove age Outage at Cloudflare Disrupts Parts of the Internet It's not just you, many websites are not working this morning amid Cloudflare outage Cloudflare-related variation on the classic XKCD Trump's DOGE Is Dead and We Won't Miss It Meta Wins FTC Antitrust Trial Over Instagram, WhatsApp Deals Europe is scaling back its landmark privacy and AI laws Talking to Windows' Copilot AI makes a computer feel incompetent 780,000 Windows Users Downloaded Linux Distro Zorin OS in the Last 5 Weeks Fortnite is getting Unity games Oops. Cryptographers cancel election results after losing decryption key. SEC Dismisses Case Against SolarWinds, Top Security Officer Google Starts Testing Ads In AI Mode A decision about breaking up Google's adtech monopoly is on the horizon Work is "optional" and irrelevant money: Musk's creepy utopian dream White House Tries to axe the GAIN act (Act that would have prevented AI tech from being sold to other nations.) Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, Molly White, and Wesley Faulkner Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 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: spaceship.com/twit helixsleep.com/twit expressvpn.com/twit zscaler.com/security deel.com/twit

Meta's Ray-Ban Display glasses steal the spotlight on a Rome trip, triggering debates about privacy, wearable tech etiquette, and the uncomfortable power of recording the world through your eyewear. Plus, gadgets scanning your urine, bots shaping your inbox, and the future of Disney+! Counting Renaissance butts in Rome with the Meta Ray-Ban Display Jury says Apple owes Masimo $634M for patent infringement Google ordered to pay $665 million for anticompetitive practices in Germany Disney and YouTube TV reach deal to end blackout The future of Disney Plus could involve AI-generated videos X is finally rolling out Chat, its DM replacement with encryption and video calling Tim Cook could step down as Apple CEO 'as soon as next year' iPhone Pocket revealed in hands-on videos of new Apple accessory AMD continues to chip away at Intel's X86 market share — company now sells over 25% of all x86 chips and powers 33% of all desktop systems Google DeepMind is using Gemini to train agents inside Goat Simulator 3 George Lucas' narrative art museum opens next year in LA Spotify's new audiobook recap feature uses AI to remind you of the story so far PNG is back! 3 SeatGuru alternatives for finding the best airline seats What Are We Going to Do With 300 Billion Pennies? Withings Beamo Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Victoria Song and Christina Warren Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 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: zapier.com/twit deel.com/twit zscaler.com/security helixsleep.com/twit ventionteams.com/twit