Best Silicon Theory Podcasts (2025)

1
Episode 221: Anti-Science Mugging on the Right and the Ascent of American Anti-Intellectualism 1:08:10

20h ago1:08:10

1:08:10

In this episode we detail demagogues' favorite faux populist schtick of taking scientific studies out of context and mocking them, often with help from mainstream media. with guest Brenda Ekwurzel, director of climate science for the Union of Concerned Scientists.

1
She Wants AI To Help You Thrive, Not Just Keep You Company — Y-Lan Boureau 1:04:05

24h ago1:04:05

1:04:05

Y-Lan Boureau is the founder & CEO of ThrivePal, an OpenAI-funded AI startup, and a former Meta AI researcher. Boureau joins Big Technology Podcast to discuss why the next frontier for AI should be science‑backed coaching that nudges us toward healthier habits and deeper real‑world relationships. Tune in to hear how large‑language models can push u…

1
S2 THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 4: Wall St. Wants Your Airwaves 40:06

1d ago40:06

40:06

EPISODE 4 In recent years, creative, often music-focused pirate broadcasting has been thriving on shortwave. But these surreptitious broadcasters are up against a surprising enemy: Not the FCC, but a deep-pocketed group of finance bros that is trying to wrestle the airwaves away from the public, and use them for a money-making scheme completely ant…

1
OpenAI's Jony Ive Moment, Anthropic's Big New Model, Google Enters 'AI Mode' 50:58

5d ago50:58

50:58

Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover: 1) Alex's unexpected Sergey Brin interview 2) Jony Ive sells his IO device company to OpenAI 3) What this device could be 4) Is Jony + Sam bad for Apple? 5) Could this device work? 6) What the move to ambient assistants could signal for tech 7) Anthropic's …

1
Some US banks explore venturing into crypto with joint stablecoin, WSJ reports 10:57

6d ago10:57

10:57

Sources reveal that major U.S. banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo, are considering issuing a unified stablecoin. This move signifies a significant strategic shift for these traditional institutions. They appear motivated by the desire to compete with existing crypto platforms, modernize payment systems, and…

1
Conspiracy Theories Come Back to Bite MAGA. Plus, Ep. 3 of The Divided Dial. 51:01

6d ago51:01

51:01

Before they were appointed, the leaders of the F.B.I. boosted misinformation about a ‘deep state.’ Now they’re in power, they’ve become the focus of conspiracy theories. On this week’s On the Media, how MAGA infighting about Jeffrey Epstein reveals a greater problem for the Republican Party. Plus, the story of one of the world's farthest-reaching r…

1
Google DeepMind C.E.O. Demis Hassabis on Living in an A.I. Future 1:13:42

6d ago1:13:42

1:13:42

This week, we take a field trip to Google and report back about everything the company announced at its biggest show of the year, Google I/O. Then, we sit down with Google DeepMind’s chief executive and co-founder, Demis Hassabis, to discuss what his A.I. lab is building, the future of education, and what life could look like in 2030. Guest: Demis …

1
News Brief: NPR Asks Starving Palestinian Living On Rubble to Denounce Hamas, Co-Sign His Own Ethnic Cleansing 23:08

7d ago23:08

23:08

In this News Brief, we we break down an object lesson in racist US-Israeli national security state toadyism, double standards, and runaway condescension.

1
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis + Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin: Scaling AI, AGI Timeline, Simulation Theory 30:47

8d ago30:47

30:47

Demis Hassabis is the CEO of Google DeepMind. Sergey Brin is the co-founder of Google. The two leading tech executives join Alex Kantrowitz for a live interview at Google's IO developer conference to discuss the frontiers of AI research. Tune in to hear their perspective on whether scaling is tapped out, how reasoning techniques have performed, wha…

1
S2 THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 3: World's Last Chance Radio 41:58

8d ago41:58

41:58

EPISODE 3 Today, in the internet era, much of the shortwaves have been left to the most extreme voices — including a conspiratorial flat earth ministry, and an ultra-conservative cult complete with everything from sexual abuse to dead infants and illegal burials. In the 737-person northern Maine town of Monticello, one of the world's farthest-reach…

1
Google DeepMind CTO: Advancing AI Frontier, New Reasoning Methods, Video Generation’s Potential 29:51

9d ago29:51

29:51

Koray Kavukcuoglu is the Chief Technology Officer of Google DeepMind. Kavukcuoglu joins Big Technology to discuss how his team is pushing the frontier of AI research inside Google as the company's Google IO developer event gets underway. Tune in to hear Kavukcuoglu break down the value of brute scale versus novel techniques and how the new inferenc…

1
Secrets Hidden in PDF Pages 17:50

9d ago17:50

17:50

In this episode, we explore a novel method for distributed steganography using PDF files. The technique involves splitting a secret message using secret sharing algorithms and embedding the parts into PDFs by manipulating their internal structure—specifically through hidden pages. We discuss how this approach makes the embedded data virtually invis…

1
Is ChatGPT The Last Website?, Grok’s System Prompt, Meta’s llama Fiasco 54:47

13d ago54:47

54:47

Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover: 1) ChatGPT ranks No. 5 among all websites worldwide 2) ChatGPT is the only website among the top ranked by SimilarWeb that is growing 3) How do chatbots get information if they replace the web? 4) Grok's 'white genocide' messaging campaign 5) What's in a sy…

1
Why Trump is Welcoming White South Africans as Refugees. Plus, Ep 2 of The Divided Dial. 50:29

13d ago50:29

50:29

On Monday, dozens of Afrikaners arrived in the US as refugees. On this week’s On the Media, how a fringe group of white South Africans have been lobbying for Donald Trump’s attention for almost a decade — but refugee status was never on their wish list. Plus, the second episode of The Divided Dial, all about how rightwing extremists took over short…

1
Ed Helms Answers Your Hard Questions 56:03

13d ago56:03

56:03

The actor, comedian and author Ed Helms has a new book out about historical blunders. He swings by Hard Fork to tell us about it and answer your moral quandaries, ethical dilemmas and etiquette questions about technology: How do I tell my mom she can’t post about her grandkids on Facebook? Am I being an A.I. hypocrite at work? And is it OK to troll…

1
How States Profit Off of Child Support 17:22

14d ago17:22

17:22

The provided episode analyzes how U.S. states profit from the child support system, despite its stated purpose of ensuring financial support for children. It explains that federal incentives, administrative fees charged to parents, the interest earned on delayed payments, and the recovery of welfare costs are key mechanisms for revenue generation. …

1
AI’s Drawbacks: Environmental Damage, Bad Benchmarks, Outsourcing Thinking — With Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna 1:01:55

15d ago1:01:55

1:01:55

Emily  Bender is a computational linguistics professor at the University of Washington. Alex Hanna is the Director of Research at the Distributed AI Research Institute. Bender and Hanna join Big Technology to discuss what their new book, “The AI‑Con," which they describe as the layered ways today’s language‑model boom obscures environmental costs, …

1
From Silicon Valley to India: How I Built a $23M Burrito Empire 16:53

15d ago16:53

16:53

The source details a personal account of leaving a stable job in the U.S. to start a Mexican food business in India. It describes the initial challenges and adaptations needed to succeed in a new market, highlighting the process of scaling the business from a single location to a multi-city chain. The author also shares lessons learned about resili…

1
S2 THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 2: You Must Form Your Militia Units 33:43

15d ago33:43

33:43

EPISODE 2 Many governments eased off the shortwaves after the Cold War, and homegrown US-based rightwing extremists edged out shortwave peaceniks to fill the void. In the 1990s, US shortwave radio stations became a key organizing and recruiting ground for white supremacists and the burgeoning anti-government militia movement. On this instantaneous,…

1
#131 Drawn to Agility: Creating Clarity with Every Line with Olina Glindevi and Ben Walder 52:54

15d ago52:54

52:54

"If you're going to write about Agile, you better work Agile." In this special live episode, hosts Jim and Sander chat with Olina Glindevi and Ben Walder, the creative duo behind The Visual Agile Coach Playbook, at the ScanAgile 25 conference in Helsinki. They share the origin story of their book, their collaboration journey, and the power of visua…

1
College Dropout’s $53K/Month Side Hustle: Creating Lasting Wealth for My Son 13:57

15d ago13:57

13:57

The source tells the story of Marcus Thompson, a college dropout who built a successful e-commerce business generating significant monthly profit. Driven by the goal of creating generational wealth for his young son, Marcus started with a small investment in dropshipping fitness accessories. Through perseverance, data analysis, brand building, and …

1
OpenAI’s New Structure, Apple Replacing Google With AI?, Cheating With ChatGPT 55:00

20d ago55:00

55:00

Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover: 1) OpenAI has another new top executive structure 2) What is Sam Altman's role now? 3) Who is Fidji Simo, OpenAI's new CEO of Applications 4) OpenAI abandons total for-profit conversion 5) Microsoft's demands on OpenAI 6) Could Apple replace Google as the d…

1
Trump Is Losing A Lot In Court. Plus, the First Episode of The Divided Dial (S2). 50:26

20d ago50:26

50:26

President Trump’s many executive orders, detentions, and deportations have triggered a host of lawsuits. On this week’s On the Media, how to understand the dozens of legal actions facing Trump. Plus, it’s the first episode of The Divided Dial, all about the battle for shortwave radio. [01:00] Host Micah Loewinger talks with Chris Geidner, who has c…

1
Bad Apple + The Rise of the AI Empire + Italian Brain Rot 1:11:48

20d ago1:11:48

1:11:48

This week, iPhone users started to feel the impact of a stern court order against Apple that requires the company to stop collecting a commission on some app sales. We break down what this means for apps like Kindle and Spotify and why the judge suggested that Apple and a top executive should be investigated for criminal contempt. Then, Karen Hao j…

1
From Earning $2 an Hour to $369,000 a Month - The Success Story of Penny Linn Designs 9:58

20d ago9:58

9:58

The source details Krista LeRay's journey from a low-profit needlepoint hobby to a highly successful enterprise, Penny Linn Designs. It highlights her initial struggles with the labor-intensive craft and how she transitioned from a profitable blogging career to focus on her passion. The text also explains the key factors contributing to the busines…

1
59-Year-Old’s $105,000 Monthly Passive Income Venture: Guiding Kids in Wealth-Building 15:52

21d ago15:52

15:52

The episode outlines how startup investor Steve Barsh transformed a personal vacation condo into Parker Chase Properties, a profitable side business managing luxury short-term rentals that now generates significant passive income. Barsh not only built a successful enterprise by focusing on quality service and strategic property investments in high-…

1
Top 10 Asian Markets for High-Yield Short-Term Rentals: Half Exceed $40,000 Annually 17:07

21d ago17:07

17:07

This analysis of the Asian short-term rental market highlights ten key locations demonstrating significant investment potential. The text identifies these areas, including multiple cities in Japan, destinations in Thailand, and popular spots in the UAE, Indonesia, and South Korea, based on their strong annual revenue for vacation rentals. It sugges…

1
News Brief: Baltimore Uprising 10 Years on: PR Co-option vs Genuine Reform 36:49

22d ago36:49

36:49

In this News Brief we are joined by Taya Graham and Stephen Janis of The Real News Network to discuss their new documentary, "Freddie Gray: A Decade of Struggle" about the lessons, pitfalls and genuine reforms stemming from the 2015 Baltimore Uprisings. You can watch the documentary here: therealnews.com/freddie-gray-the-…ng-10-years-later…

1
37% of Employers Prefer AI Over Recent Graduates: Practical Skills Outweigh Theory 11:13

22d ago11:13

11:13

The source indicates a significant shift in the job market, where employers are increasingly favoring automation and AI over recent college graduates, citing a lack of practical skills among new hires. It highlights that AI offers advantages in efficiency, cost, and scalability, making it an attractive option for businesses. However, the text also …

1
Is AI Scaling Dead? — With Gary Marcus 54:22

22d ago54:22

54:22

Gary Marcus is a cognitive scientist, author, and longtime AI skeptic. Marcus joins Big Technology to discuss whether large‑language‑model scaling is running into a wall. Tune in to hear a frank debate on the limits of “just add GPUs" and what that means for the next wave of AI. We also cover data‑privacy fallout from ad‑driven assistants, open‑sou…

1
40-Year-Olds: We Transformed Our Daughter’s Lemonade Stand into a Pop-Up Restaurant Earning Up to $15,600 Monthly 10:49

22d ago10:49

10:49

This source describes how a six-year-old girl's lemonade stand in Brooklyn inspired her parents, Swetha and Venkat Raju, originally from Bengaluru, India, to create a successful pop-up restaurant named Brooklyn Curry Project. The business, which started with selling traditional South Indian dosas alongside lemonade, quickly gained popularity, leadi…

1
S2 THE DIVIDED DIAL EPISODE 1: Fishing In The Night 34:05

22d ago34:05

34:05

EPISODE 1: You know AM and FM radio. But did you know that there is a whole other world of radio surrounding us at all times? It’s called shortwave — and, thanks to a quirk of science that lets broadcasters bounce radio waves off of the ionosphere, it can reach thousands of miles, penetrating rough terrain and geopolitical boundaries. How did this …

1
30-Year-Old Influencer Earns $4M with Luxury Hair Oil Brand Inspired by Indian Traditions 12:04

23d ago12:04

12:04

This source examines the remarkable success of ByErim, a luxury haircare brand founded by London-based influencer and entrepreneur Erim Kaur, which has generated $4.2 million since launching in 2019. The text highlights how Kaur leveraged her personal journey of loss and rediscovery of the ancient Indian practice of hair oiling to build an authenti…

1
AI Could Widen Workplace Inequality - Experts Weigh In 19:27

24d ago19:27

19:27

The sources explore the significant and rapid impact of artificial intelligence on the workplace, highlighting both its potential benefits and serious risks, particularly concerning exacerbating existing inequalities. Experts discuss the challenge for leaders in balancing profit with protecting jobs, with some advocating for reskilling and adapting…

1
Trump’s Executive Order on Public Media Is Here. Plus, the Murdoch’s Real Succession Drama 50:26

26d ago50:26

50:26

To mark his first hundred days in office, President Trump signed three executive orders related to immigration. On this week’s On the Media, the powerful database that can help I.C.E. track down and deport people. Plus, the dramatic fight for power over Rupert Murdoch’s media empire. [01:00] Host Brooke Gladstone talks with Jason Koebler, co-founde…

1
The ‘AI-First Company,’ Big Tech Mega Earnings, NVIDIA vs. Anthropic 1:05:30

27d ago1:05:30

1:05:30

Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover 1) What an 'AI-First Company' is 2) Aaron Levie's AI-first memo to Box. 3) Luis von Ahn's AI-first memo to Duolingo 4) Tobi Lutke's AI-first memo to Shopify 5) Can non-tech company be AI-first? 6) Apple earnings 7) Apple's federal government issues 8) Micros…

1
The Dangers of A.I. Flattery + Kevin Meets the Orb + Group Chat Chat 1:07:24

27d ago1:07:24

1:07:24

This week we dig into the ways chatbots are starting to manipulate us, including ChatGPT’s sycophantic update, Meta’s digital companionship turn and a secret experiment run on Reddit users. Then Kevin reports back from the unveiling of a new eye-scanning orb. And finally, we’re joined by PJ Vogt for a brand-new segment called Group Chat Chat. Ticke…

1
Episode 220: The Power of Thought-Terminating Bad Guy Labels 1:21:06

29d ago1:21:06

1:21:06

"American Extremists Aiding Radicals Across Border," trumpeted the Detroit Free Press in 1919. "707 Illegal Aliens Arrested in Checkpoint Crackdown," reported the Los Angeles Times in 1987. "87 Bronx gang members responsible for nine years of murders and drug-dealing charged in largest takedown in NYC history," announced the New York Daily News in …

1
Amazon's Head Of Prime on Tariffs, Alexa Plus Rollout, and AI Differentiation — With Jamil Ghani 55:50

29d ago55:50

55:50

Jamil Ghani is Amazon’s Vice President of Prime. Ghani joins Big Technology Podcast to discuss Amazon's position in the ongoing trade war and how Alexa Plus combined with Prime will appeal to its customers. Tune in to hear Ghani debunk the headline about tariff price labels, walk through Alexa Plus’s rollout, and outline why Amazon believes its app…

1
Shari Redstone's Road to Power at Paramount Global 14:49

29d ago14:49

14:49

The Redstone family is a controlling shareholder of Paramount Global — one of the biggest entertainment companies out there. (Think CBS Entertainment, MTV, Nickelodeon.) The family is also one of the inspirations for HBO's Succession, which makes sense the more you get to know them. Shari Redstone currently has the controlling stake in Paramount Gl…

1
#130 Slides, Science, and Shaping the Future: Building Brave Cultures from Playgrounds to Boardrooms 56:53

1M ago56:53

56:53

"Let people twist, turn, and break your product a little — that's where the magic happens." In this special ScanAgile 25 edition, hosts Jim and Sander sit down with Linda Liukas — renowned author, educator, and playground designer — for a rich conversation about creativity, risk, resilience, and the future of learning and public spaces. Linda share…

1
Brendan Carr’s F.C.C. Has Been Busy. Plus, Rewriting the History of Watergate. 50:27

1M ago50:27

50:27

The Federal Communications Commission is currently investigating CBS for “intentional news distortion” for its editing of an interview with Kamala Harris. On this week’s On the Media, what the new chairman of the FCC has been up to, and what led a top CBS producer to quit. Plus, what a growing effort to rewrite the history of Watergate tells us abo…

1
Is Anthropic’s Claude AI Conscious?, Shopping in ChatGPT, Systrom vs. Zuck 1:07:06

1M ago1:07:06

1:07:06

Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover 1) Anthropic researcher's assertion that there's a 15% chance Claude is conscious 2) What happens if people believe AI is sentient? 3) Why consciousness and intelligence are different 4) Hey, is this all just marketing? 5) Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's push f…

1
Is Google Breaking Up? + Seasteading Is Back + Tool Time 1:07:37

1M ago1:07:37

1:07:37

This week, with big developments in two antitrust cases against Google, we discuss how the company may be forced to change its business. Then we’re joined by the journalist Mark Yarm to discuss his recent visit to an underwater home for his article about techno-utopians who want to colonize the ocean. And finally, it’s tool time! We’ll tell you abo…

1
Ep 219: How Elites Concern Troll 'Waste' to Gut Social Welfare and Divide the Working Class 1:15:34

1M ago1:15:34

1:15:34

"Poverty plan hit for fraud, waste," reported the Associated Press in 1966. "Study says government waste is unbelievable,” insisted United Press International in 1983. "Beneath Trump’s Chaotic Spending Freeze: An Idea That Crosses Party Lines," announced The New York Times in January of this year. It’s an argument that dates back decades, even cent…

1
Generative AI 101: Tokens, Pre-training, Fine-tuning, Reasoning — With Dylan Patel 42:09

1M ago42:09

42:09

Dylan Patel is the founder and CEO of SemiAnalysis. He joins Big Technology Podcast to explain how generative AI work, explaining the inner workings of tokens, pre-training, fine-tuning, open source, and reasoning. We also cover DeepSeek’s efficiency breakthrough, the race to build colossal AI data centers, and what GPT-5’s hybrid training approach…

1
Left Wing Youtuber David Pakman EXTENDED VERSION 23:24

1M ago23:24

23:24

**EXTENDED VERSION** Micah spoke to left-wing YouTuber, David Pakman for last week's show. This is the long version of that conversation. On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with u…

1
#129 Building Resilience and Embracing Change: The Path to Agile Success with Tricia Broderick 56:55

1M ago56:55

56:55

"Resilience isn’t about avoiding change; it’s about learning to thrive within it." Join us for a special live episode of the Mastering Agility Podcast, recorded at the ScanAgile Conference 2025! Our guest, Tricia Broderick, is a leadership expert, coach, and passionate advocate for building high-performing and resilient teams. In this insightful co…

1
Brooke and Micah Enter the MAGA-verse. Plus, Liberal YouTubers Fight Back. 51:44

1M ago51:44

51:44

Conservative influencers have captured a massive audience on the internet, boasting nearly five times more followers than their progressive competitors. On this week’s On the Media, the hosts spend twelve hours immersed in right wing media and report back on what they saw. Plus, why Democrats are struggling to compete for audiences online. [00:00] …

1
Is OpenAI’s o3 Model AGI?, Is AI The New Social Media?, Zuck’s Revealing Testimony 52:49

1M ago52:49

52:49

Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover 1) Is OpenAI's o3 model AGI? 2) Maybe it's AGI when you squint 3) Why people are floating the idea that OpenAi is close to AGI 4) Is OpenAI going to declare that GPT-5 is AGI 5) What's in it for companies saying they've achieved AGI first? 6) AI's new memory…

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