What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the...

Every Friday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in.

Technology
Tech News
Business News
26
America’s Killer Car Problem | 2023 In Review
U.S. infrastructure doesn't prioritize the lives of pedestrians. Why?
33 min
27
Stephen King Is Just as Confused About Blue Che...
A meltdown over its subscription service reveals Twitter’s wheels coming off.
31 min
28
Can Hybrid Cars Save Us?
Are hybrids a bridge to fully electric vehicles, or a dead end?
24 min
29
The Case Against CLEAR
What place does a private company have in a mandatory government service?
22 min
30
Shein’s Newest Offering? An IPO
Shein has already faced criticism over its labor practices and environmental impact. What will it mean if the company goes public?
24 min
31
Musk's War on Free Speech
He may not like what you have to say—and he'll file frivolous lawsuits to discourage you from saying it.
28 min
32
Spotify Unwrapped
2023 wraps up…with layoffs.
24 min
33
They See You When You’re Shopping
Holiday shopping is upon us. Is it too late to expect a little privacy and control over your data online?
28 min
34
A Moral War for A.I.
What Sam Altman's return to OpenAI means for the industry's future.
31 min
35
The Race (Back) to the Moon
The world is competing to make the longest ice run ever.
21 min
36
Where Scams Are Born
A corridor of shady casinos in remote parts of Asia are fueling a global “scamdemic.”
26 min
37
Inside OpenAI's Implosion
Sam Altman is out—or is he?—oh yeah, he is. Wait or..?
28 min
38
Bedbugs Are Back, Baby!
How do you feel about Thanksgiving travel now?
22 min
39
How Deepfake Porn Infected a School
Once an image is on the internet, it’s out of your control—just ask the girls at Westfield High.
21 min
40
Will A.I. Take My Job?
A newsroom finds itself wondering if these mysterious new contributors are even real people.
18 min
41
Tesla vs. the Swedes
The “move fast and break stuff” mentality has hit an organized labor stronghold.
23 min
42
Sam Bankman-Fraud
The disgraced crypto mogul faces up to 110 years behind bars. Will the industry ever recover?
27 min
43
Biden Goes After AI
What the new executive orders on artificial intelligence will—and won’t—address.
28 min
44
SBF Takes the Stand
It’s a high risk move, but he’s running out of options.
22 min
45
Self-Driving Cars Crash Into Reality
After numerous mistakes, Cruise has pulled all of its driverless cars off the road.
26 min
46
Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Takeover
After a fight with regulators, Microsoft officially owns Activision Blizzard, the studio behind Call of Duty. Will gamers pay the price?
24 min
47
Inside Hamas' Social Media Strategy
Since war broke out, Hamas has been using social media to spread its message in ways we’ve never seen.
24 min
48
The $30,000 Zelle Scam
What can you do when you lose $30,000 to a Zelle scammer?
22 min
49
The Israel-Hamas War Instantly Broke X
The global town square is in ruins. Where do we go from here?
30 min
50
The Man Who Turned You Into Data
How Hank Asher created the systems that track everything about you.
24 min