Best Hacker Valley Media Podcasts (2025)

1
‘Landfall’ spyware abused zero-day to hack Samsung Galaxy phones; plus CBO confirms it was hacked 6:06

Play Pause

2d ago6:06

6:06

A newly identified Android spyware targeted Galaxy devices for close to a year, including users in the Middle East, researchers exclusively tell TechCrunch. In addition, the congressional research office confirmed a breach, but did not comment on the cause. A security researcher suggested the hack may have originated because CBO failed to patch a f…

1
S2 - Episode 2: The Harvard Plan 50:21

2d ago50:21

50:21

Millions of dollars in federal grants have been terminated, throwing cutting-edge research at American universities into crisis. On this week’s On the Media, meet the two men at the center of the fight over the future of academia. [0:00] Harvard president Alan Garber and National Institutes of Health director Jay Bhattacharya are at the heart of th…

1
Tesla shareholders approve Elon Musk’s $1T pay package; plus, Tesla to begin Cybercab production in April, says Musk 7:40

3d ago7:40

7:40

The proposal received more than 75% approval. Musk can earn the $1 trillion in shares over the next 10 years if Tesla hits a number of milestones. Plus Musk said he expects Tesla to be able to put all the Cybercabs it builds on the road, and thanked Waymo for 'paving the path.' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
Peloton recalls 833,000 bikes after reports of injuries; plus, Perplexity to pay Snap $400M to power search in Snapchat 3:11

4d ago3:11

3:11

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning Peloton users to stop using the affected bikes immediately. Also, Snap said today that it has signed a deal with AI-powered search engine Perplexity to power a new chatbot. As part of the deal, Perplexity will pay Snap $400 million in cash and equity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc…

1
Making Cybersecurity Marketing Creative (and a Little Sexy) with Maria Velasquez 30:04

2h ago30:04

30:04

Who said cybersecurity had to be serious? The future of cyber is creative, human, and even a little sexy. In this special 400th episode, Ron Eddings celebrates six incredible years of Hacker Valley Studio with one of cyber’s most creative voices, Maria Velasquez, Co-Founder of the Cybersecurity Marketing Society and Co-Host of Breaking Through in C…

1
Millions to receive free electricity in 2026 thanks to Australia’s solar boom, plus Apple nears deal to pay Google $1B and Blue Origin plans second launch of New Glenn 6:03

4d ago6:03

6:03

Australia now has so much solar power that the government will require utilities to sell customers free electricity for three hours per day. Apple is turning to Google's technology to help revamp Siri and power a slate of upcoming features for the voice assistant. Blue Origin's first New Glenn launch in January mostly went well, and now the long-de…

1
Microsoft built a fake marketplace to test AI agents. It failed in surprising ways; plus Penn confirms hacker stole data during cyberattack 6:40

4d ago6:40

6:40

Researchers at Microsoft have developed a new simulation environment for testing AI agents, revealing surprising weaknesses in the current state-of-the-art. Also, Penn experienced a data breach on Friday as hackers sent messages boasting of the hack to the university community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
Do Moderates Win More Elections? 33:43

4d ago33:43

33:43

Zohran Mamdani has won the 2025 New York City mayoral race, with a higher turnout of voters than New York has seen in decades. This despite the fact that New York’s senators — Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand — did not back Mamdani, and House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries waited until the day before early voting began to endorse the Democrati…

1
Anthropic projects $70B in revenue by 2028, plus Tesla’s Master Plan 4 still lacks specifics ahead of $1T Musk pay vote 6:07

4d ago6:07

6:07

The Information reports that Anthropic expects to generate as much as $70 billion in revenue and $17 billion in cash flow in 2028. The growth projections are fueled by rapid adoption of Anthropic’s business products, a person with knowledge of the company’s financials said. And despite its imprecision, the fourth "Master Plan" is a centerpiece of T…

1
Wait, people actually use Facebook Dating? plus, ClickUp adds new AI assistant to better compete with Slack and Notion 7:26

2d ago7:26

7:26

Meta said that Facebook Dating has 1.77 million daily active users in the US between ages 18-29. Also, core parts of the ClickUp release were possible because of its acquisition of Qatalog. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Alphabet is increasingly launching “moonshot” projects as independent companies — here’s why 6:53

2d ago6:53

6:53

Despite the emphasis on detachment from ideas, X employees do have significant skin in the game when projects spin out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Meta has an AI product problem 6:50

3d ago6:50

6:50

Meta's AI spending is starting to make Wall Street nervous. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Elon Musk wants you to know that Sam Altman got a refund for his Tesla Roadster; also, Rising energy prices put AI and data centers in the crosshairs 6:06

6d ago6:06

6:06

Elon Musk and Sam Altman are still taking swipes at each other on Musk’s social media platform X. Also, a majority of consumers say they’re worried about data centers driving up electricity costs. Is the industry prepared for a possible backlash? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
The Harvard Plan is Back. Episode 1: And So It Begins... 49:20

10d ago49:20

49:20

President Trump is compelling universities across the country to adopt a more conservative agenda in exchange for access to federal funds. On this week’s On the Media, how this pressure campaign is playing out at the oldest and richest university in America: Harvard. [0:00] Our latest collaboration with the Boston Globe is Season Two of The Harvard…

1
Nvidia is reportedly investing up to $1 billion in Poolside; also, Luminar is cutting jobs, losing its CFO, and warning of a cash shortage 4:05

9d ago4:05

4:05

Semiconductor giant Nvidia is looking to invest at least five hundred million dollars and up to one billion dollars in Poolside which builds AI models for software development. That’s according to reporting from Bloomberg, which cited sources. This investment would be part of a two billion dollar funding round Poolside is raising at a twelve billio…

1
Digg founder Kevin Rose on the need for trusted social communities in the AI era; plus Canva launches its own design model 7:38

10d ago7:38

7:38

“The dead internet theory is real,” Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian told Digg founder Kevin Rose, referring to the idea that much of the internet isn’t human — it’s mostly bots. The two entrepreneurs have since teamed up to re-envision how to build a social community in this world where, very soon, it will be hard to tell bot from human. Also, Can…

1
Figma acquires AI-powered media generation company Weavy; plus Threads now lets you approve and filter your replies 5:38

11d ago5:38

5:38

Design platform Figma said today that it has acquired AI-powered image and video generation company Weavy. The startup will join Figma under a new brand called Figma Weave. Also, Threads continues to ship new features at a rapid pace. Shortly after the launch of communities and disappearing “ghost posts,” the social networking app on Thursday intro…

51
How to See Your Organization Like a Hacker with Chris Dale 25:18

7d ago25:18

25:18

To defend like a human, you first have to think like a hacker. In this episode, Ron Eddings sits down with Chris Dale, Co-Founder and Chief Hacking Officer at River Security, to explore the human side of hacking, where curiosity, persistence, and vigilance meet defense. Chris shares how the traditional idea of penetration testing has evolved into a…

1
NBA champion Tristan Thompson partners with World Mobile to launch community-owned network Uplift, also, San Francisco's mayor: ‘We should be the testbed for emerging tech’ 6:05

11d ago6:05

6:05

With Uplift, every subscription will contribute to neighborhood-level network expansion, while local hosts that are known as "AirNode operators" will earn a portion of network revenue by providing community coverage. Also, while San Francisco's mayor Daniel Lurie is opening his arms to autonomous vehicles, other cities are more resistant. Boston, f…

1
US signs collaboration agreements with Japan and South Korea for AI, chips and biotech, and more 8:17

8d ago8:17

8:17

The U.S. inked Technology Prosperity Deals (TPD) with Japan and South Korea with an eye towards spurring collaboration on AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotech, space, 6G and other technologies. Character AI is ending its chatbot experience for kids. After facing lawsuits and public outcry following the suicides of two teenagers, Character…

1
Netflix announces interactive real-time voting for live content; plus, Sam Altman says OpenAI will have a ‘legitimate AI researcher’ by 2028 7:53

12d ago7:53

7:53

Netflix viewers will be able to vote while watching live content to directly influence the outcome of what they're watching on their TV or mobile device. Also, OpenAI says its deep learning systems are rapidly advancing, with models increasingly able to solve complex tasks faster. So fast, in fact, that internally, OpenAI is tracking towards achiev…

1
S2 - Episode 1: The Harvard Plan 49:20

12d ago49:20

49:20

The Harvard Plan - our collaboration with the Boston Globe, is back! In episode one, we hear what unfolded at Harvard from Donald Trump’s inauguration to convocation 2025. Three main characters, inside Harvard, tell the story from their perspective: politics professor Ryan Enos, genetics professor and cancer researcher Kamila Naxerova and campus co…

1
Amazon to cut 14,000 corporate jobs; also, OpenAI completes its for-profit recapitalization 7:10

9d ago7:10

7:10

Amazon said on Tuesday that it plans to reduce its corporate workforce by 14,000 jobs as it seeks to reduce bureaucracy, remove layers and invest more in its AI strategy. Plus, OpenAI has completed its recapitalization, splitting the AI lab into a for-profit corporation nested inside a non-profit foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit …

1
New corporate espionage claims emerge, centered on two highly valued 401(k) admin startups 9:05

10d ago9:05

9:05

Two 401(k) management unicorns, Human Interest and Guideline, are squaring off in federal court with allegations so brazen that they're embarrassing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Workout app Ladder launches nutrition-tracking experience; plus ads might be coming to Apple Maps next year 4:46

10d ago4:46

4:46

Fitness app Ladder is debuting a new nutrition tracking feature that lets you snap a photo to input macros. Also, according to a new report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple Maps users could start seeing ads in the app as soon as next year. Similar to Google Maps and other mapping apps, Apple’s plan is to allow restaurants and other businesses wi…

1
Trump and Xi will possibly ‘consummate’ TikTok deal on Thursday, High school’s AI security system confuses Doritos bag for a possible firearm, and OpenAI reportedly developing new generative music tool ... 5:12

14d ago5:12

5:12

-The United States and China are ready to move forward on a TikTok deal, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. -A high school student in Baltimore County, Maryland was reportedly handcuffed and searched after an AI security system flagged his bag of chips as a possible firearm. -OpenAI is working on a new tool that would generate music bas…

1
Donald Trump's 'Darth Vader.' Plus, the Normalization of White Nationalist Nick Fuentes. 51:36

17d ago51:36

51:36

The federal government shutdown has entered its fourth week. On this week’s On the Media, hear about the man who is laying off four thousand federal workers this month, whom some call a “shadow president.” Plus, a white nationalist influencer reveals how fast the Republican party is shifting right. [02:21] Host Brooke Gladstone sits down with Andy …

1
Ford isn’t going to make more F-150 Lightnings for a while ; also, big tech is paying for Trump’s White House ballroom 5:56

13d ago5:56

5:56

Ford is prioritizing its gas and hybrid F-150 trucks instead. Plus, Trump's $250 million White House ballroom will be funded in part by big tech companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Coding by Vibe: The Future of AI-Built Security with Ron Eddings 20:22

15d ago20:22

20:22

When code meets intuition, innovation gets personal. But what happens when we let AI vibe with our ideas? In this episode, Ron Eddings covers the rise of AI-driven development from Vibe Coding, where natural language shapes real code, to the emerging Model Context Protocols (MCPs) that redefine how apps talk to AI. He breaks down the recent Figma M…

1
20-year-old dropouts built AI notetaker Turbo AI to 5 million users; plus, YouTube paid out $8B to the music industry in 12 months 7:21

17d ago7:21

7:21

Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan, two 20-year-old college dropouts, grew an AI note-taker app to five million users and an eight-figure ARR. Also, The milestone marks a new record for the platform, as YouTube’s annual music industry payout increased by $2 billion since 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
As China’s 996 culture spreads, South Korea’s tech sector grapples with 52-hour limit 9:12

15d ago9:12

9:12

South Korea's 52-hour workweek cap is stricter than the U.S. and Singapore but more flexible than much of Europe. Still deep tech founders and investors worry it's too restrictive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Sumble emerges from stealth with $38.5M to bring AI-powered context to sales intelligence 8:15

18d ago8:15

8:15

The founders of machine learning community Kaggle are trying to upend the crowded sales prospecting market with AI. And they're making headway. Also, Starbridge raises $42M Series A led by Craft Ventures to help businesses better monitor public service opportunities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
Airbnb is becoming more social by allowing users to connect with fellow travelers 4:30

15d ago4:30

4:30

The company is also improving search by suggesting properties that you might have missed due to your filters and has redesigned the Maps view to let you search for points of interest such as nearby landmarks, attractions, and restaurants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
How Funding Cuts Are Changing Public Radio 16:17

19d ago16:17

16:17

This summer, Republicans clawed back over a billion dollars that had been pledged to public media. But it wasn’t until this month that the corporation for public broadcasting – longtime distributor of that money – started to wind down operations, and those federal funds finally ran out. Now, many stations are weighing whether to spend their shrinki…

1
OpenAI launches an AI-powered browser: ChatGPT Atlas 4:38

15d ago4:38

4:38

The company says Atlas will first roll out on macOS, with support for Windows, iOS, and Android coming soon. OpenAI says the product will be available to all free users at launch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Cards Against Humanity settles trespass lawsuit against SpaceX 5:03

16d ago5:03

5:03

The dispute centered on a plot of land along the Rio Grande River in Cameron County, Texas, that Cards Against Humanity purchased in 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
FTC removes Lina Khan-era posts about AI risks and open source 4:27

16d ago4:27

4:27

These removals are part of a broader pattern under the Trump administration, which began issuing executive orders to direct federal agencies to remove or modify substantial amounts of government content. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Wikipedia says traffic is falling due to AI search summaries and social video 3:49

17d ago3:49

3:49

The online encyclopedia is not completely immune to broader trends, with human pageviews falling 8% year-over-year, according to Marshall Miller of the Wikimedia Foundation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Silicon Valley spooks the AI safety advocates 7:07

17d ago7:07

7:07

Silicon Valley leaders including White House AI & Crypto Czar David Sacks and OpenAI Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon caused a stir online this week for their comments about groups promoting AI safety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Big Tech is Silencing the ICE Watchers. Plus, Why a Scholar of Antifa Fled the Country. 50:39

23d ago50:39

50:39

Tech giants Apple and Google have been quietly removing ways for citizens to document The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s activities. On this week’s On the Media, one group’s efforts to make sure citizens can see what ICE is doing. Plus, the online right-wing campaign that led a historian to flee the country. [01:00] Host Micah …

1
Ousted Luminar CEO Austin Russell wants to buy the company; also, VLGE is making it easier to world build and shop on Roblox 6:37

24d ago6:37

6:37

Austin Russell was replaced in May following an ethics inquiry, but now he wants to use his new AI lab to buy Luminar. Plus, 50 fashion brands are launching their shoppable worlds for VLGE's World Fashion Week, founder Evelyn Mora says. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
VC legend Ron Conway quits Salesforce Foundation ; also, Kayak launches an ‘AI Mode’ for travel questions, search, and bookings 5:28

20d ago5:28

5:28

VC legend Ron Conway quits Salesforce Foundation after Benioff’s National Guard comments Kayak is bringing AI directly to its main platform with a new “AI Mode” that lets travelers research, plan, and book trips through a built-in chatbot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
Pinterest adds controls to let you limit the amount of ‘AI slop’ in your feed, also Apple loses another AI exec to Meta , 4:53

25d ago4:53

4:53

Pinterest is rolling out new controls that let users limit how much AI-generated content appears in their feeds. The company is also making its AI content labels more visible. Ke Yang’s departure marks the latest in a string of exits from Apple’s AI unit, putting the company into jeopardy in the lead up to a much-anticipated Siri revamp scheduled f…

1
Learning How to Learn: Mastering the Cyber Fundamentals with Rich Greene 25:38

21d ago25:38

25:38

The real edge in cybersecurity isn’t found in new tools, it’s built through timeless fundamentals and a mindset that never stops learning. In this episode, Ron sits down with Rich Greene, Senior Solutions Engineer and Instructor at SANS Institute, to uncover how true cyber value starts with skills, curiosity, and mindset. Rich shares his remarkable…

1
Cyber giant F5 Networks says government hackers had ‘long-term’ access to its systems; also, Meta partners up with Arm to scale AI efforts 6:20

25d ago6:20

6:20

F5 Networks, which provides cybersecurity defenses to most of the Fortune 500, said the DOJ allowed it to delay notifying the public on national security grounds. Semiconductor firm Arm is partnering with Meta to enhance the social media company's AI systems amid an unprecedented infrastructure buildout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podc…

1
David Remnick: How The Two State Solution Ended in Disaster 38:32

26d ago38:32

38:32

For decades, the United States backed efforts to achieve a two-state solution—in which Israel would exist side by side with the Palestinian state, with both states recognizing each other’s claim to contested territory. The veteran negotiators Hussein Agha, representing Palestine, and Robert Malley, an American diplomat, played instrumental roles in…

1
ChatGPT will soon allow erotica for adult users; also, Waymo plans to launch a robotaxi service in London in 2026 8:57

26d ago8:57

8:57

OpenAI says it will soon roll back some of ChatGPT's safeguards, and even allow the chatbot to engage in erotica for adult users. Waymo already has ties to the UK, which began after the autonomous vehicle technology company acquired Latent Logic in 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
You’ll soon be able to shop Walmart from ChatGPT, also, Google’s Gemini can now help you schedule Google Calendar meetings 5:14

26d ago5:14

5:14

Walmart is partnering with OpenAI to let shoppers buy products directly through ChatGPT. The new integration will allow users to link their Walmart accounts, browse items ,and instantly check out — all within the chatbot. Designed for one-on-one meetings, the tool lets you insert available time slots directly into an email, automatically creating a…

1
SpaceX wraps action-packed Starship V2 era, Satellites exposed unencrypted data, and Grindr’s owners may take it private 6:46

27d ago6:46

6:46

SpaceX said farewell to its V2 on Monday night as it sent Starship’s current configuration on one last test flight, in a mission that the company says hit all its key goals, moving the program into its next phase. ecurity researchers have discovered that as many as half of all geostationary satellites in Earth’s orbit are carrying unencrypted sensi…

1
Oura is winning young women and losing gym rats, and it’s fine with that 9:06

23d ago9:06

9:06

Oura's chief commercial officer doesn't seem particularly worried about capturing every demographic. Instead, she's focused on keeping Oura’s core users happy while organically attracting new segments. And young women are becoming part of that core market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…