What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the...
Every Friday and Sunday, 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.
201
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
202
Spotify Unwrapped
2023 wraps up…with layoffs.
24 min
203
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
204
A Moral War for A.I.
What Sam Altman's return to OpenAI means for the industry's future.
31 min
205
The Race (Back) to the Moon
The world is competing to make the longest ice run ever.
21 min
206
Where Scams Are Born
A corridor of shady casinos in remote parts of Asia are fueling a global “scamdemic.”
26 min
207
Inside OpenAI's Implosion
Sam Altman is out—or is he?—oh yeah, he is. Wait or..?
28 min
208
Bedbugs Are Back, Baby!
How do you feel about Thanksgiving travel now?
22 min
209
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
210
Will A.I. Take My Job?
A newsroom finds itself wondering if these mysterious new contributors are even real people.
18 min
211
Tesla vs. the Swedes
The “move fast and break stuff” mentality has hit an organized labor stronghold.
23 min
212
Sam Bankman-Fraud
The disgraced crypto mogul faces up to 110 years behind bars. Will the industry ever recover?
27 min
213
Biden Goes After AI
What the new executive orders on artificial intelligence will—and won’t—address.
28 min
214
SBF Takes the Stand
It’s a high risk move, but he’s running out of options.
22 min
215
Self-Driving Cars Crash Into Reality
After numerous mistakes, Cruise has pulled all of its driverless cars off the road.
26 min
216
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
217
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
218
The $30,000 Zelle Scam
What can you do when you lose $30,000 to a Zelle scammer?
22 min
219
The Israel-Hamas War Instantly Broke X
The global town square is in ruins. Where do we go from here?
30 min
220
The Man Who Turned You Into Data
How Hank Asher created the systems that track everything about you.
24 min
221
Sam Bankman-Fried—and Crypto—on Trial
The government says FTX was a house of cards. SBF says it was just business.
29 min
222
Inside Crypto's House of Cards
This week, Sam Bankman-Fried goes on trial. The entire crypto industry will be watching.
31 min
223
Who Will Pay For A COVID Vaccine?
The government is no longer footing the bill for the COVID vaccine. What does that mean for access?
27 min
224
Is Amazon a Monopoly?
How the FTC’s case against the e-commerce giant could change everything about how you shop.
25 min
225
What Instacart’s IPO Means for Tech
After years of post-pandemic turmoil, Instacart managed to do something rare in the gig economy - turn a profit.
23 min