Best Act Your Area Code Podcasts (2025)

1
Zevo wants to add robotaxis to its car-share fleet; plus, Reddit argues it isn’t like other social platforms 7:50

Play Pause

2h ago7:50

7:50

As robotaxi adoption continues, wild ideas like personal ownership and renting them out are starting to pop up again. Also, Reddit, one of the world's largest social platforms, is arguing that it doesn't meet the definition of "social media platforms" as it seeks to overturn Australia's law banning children under 16 years of age from social media. …

1
Google launched its deepest AI research agent yet — on the same day OpenAI dropped GPT-5.2 8:21

30m ago8:21

8:21

For the first time, developers can embed Google's Deep Research tool, based on Gemini 3 Pro, into their own apps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Opera wants you to pay $20 a month to use its AI-powered browser; plus, Rivian going big on autonomy 7:24

1d ago7:24

7:24

Following a couple of months' testing, Opera has finally made its AI-powered browser, Neon, available to the public — though you'll have to shell out for a $19.90-per-month subscription to use it. Also, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe laid out his plan for how Rivian's vehicles will increasingly drive themselves, in a bid to match or exceed the capabilities…

1
Overview Energy wants to beam energy from space to existing solar farms; plus Nvidia is reportedly testing tracking software 5:34

13m ago5:34

5:34

The stealthy startup plans to use a network of satellites to harvest sunlight and send it to Earth using infrared lasers. A new software option could make it possible to see the approximate location of some of Nvidia's AI chips. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Google launches managed MCP servers that let AI agents simply plug into its tools 5:26

10m ago5:26

5:26

Google is rolling out managed MCP servers to make its services “agent-ready by design,” starting with Maps and BigQuery, aiming to simplify messy integrations and help AI agents use real tools. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Three in ten U.S. teens use AI chatbots every day, but safety concerns are growing; also, Why Cursor’s CEO believes OpenAI, Anthropic competition won’t crush his startup 11:01

2d ago11:01

11:01

While teenagers may start out using AI chatbots for basic questions, their relationship with chatbot platforms has the potential to turn addictive. Plus, Anysphere CEO Michael Truell explained the features his company is focused on building out after reaching $1 billion in annualized revenue,. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.…

1
Google’s first AI glasses expected next year; plus, Ford and Renault team up on cheaper EVs and Truecaller now lets users protect households from scam calls 7:27

3d ago7:27

7:27

Google will compete with Meta with its own line of AI-powered smart glasses. Also, Ford and Renault in a ‘fight for our lives.’ The automakers will work together to bring two Ford-branded less expensive EVs to European dealerships in 2028. And, Truecaller's Family Protection will be rolled out widely in the first quarter of 2026. Learn more about y…

1
FTC upholds ban on stalkerware founder Scott Zuckerman 4:56

7m ago4:56

4:56

Zuckerman, who used to run the stalkerware apps SpyFone and SpyTrac, claimed the ban is hurting his unrelated business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
‘ONE RULE’: Trump says he’ll sign an EO blocking state AI laws despite bipartisan pushback; also, Paramount's hostile bid for WBD 8:10

4d ago8:10

8:10

“I will be doing a ONE RULE Executive Order this week,” Trump posted on social media. “You can’t expect a company to get 50 Approvals every time they want to do something.” Paramount Skydance on Monday launched a hostile, $108.4 billion bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, days after Warner Bros. agreed to be acquired by Netflix for $82.7 billion. Le…

1
How would the Netflix-Warner Bros. deal reshape Hollywood? 5:59

5d ago5:59

5:59

The $82.7 billion deal to acquire Warner Bros., and the acquisition has already been described as sending Hollywood into “full-blown panic mode,” “possibly a death blow to theatrical filmmaking,” and maybe even “the end of Hollywood” itself. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
The New York Times is suing Perplexity for copyright infringement; while Meta signs commercial AI data agreements with publishers to offer real-time news on Meta AI 8:36

7d ago8:36

8:36

The New York Times filed a copyright lawsuit against Perplexity, joining other publishers using legal action as leverage to force AI companies into licensing deals that compensate content creators. Also, Meta is partnering with CNN, Fox News, Fox Sports, Le Monde Group, the People Inc. portfolio of media brands, The Daily Caller, The Washington Exa…

1
Musk says new Tesla software allows texting and driving, which is illegal in most states; plus, Feds ask Waymo about robotaxis repeatedly passing school buses in Austin 6:36

7d ago6:36

6:36

Texting while driving is banned in nearly every state, even with the use of advanced driver assistance systems like Tesla's Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software. Also, the agency already opened an investigation in October over Waymo's performance around school buses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
California’s ban on self-driving trucks could soon be over; also, Amazon may drop USPS and build a competing service 5:43

8d ago5:43

5:43

Revised rules in California would allow self-driving trucks to test on public highways. The rules also close a loophole allowing police to issue tickets for driverless vehicles. Also, Amazon is the USPS' biggest customer, and the e-commerce giant's potential break from the postal agency comes as the two sides are negotiating a new deal. Learn more …

1
Andy Jassy says Amazon’s Nvidia competitor chip is already a multi-billion-dollar business 4:51

6d ago4:51

4:51

Can any company, big or small, really topple Nvidia's AI chip dominance? Maybe not entirely but Amazon is already making big bucks trying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Another bid to block state AI regulation has failed…for now; plus, Autolane is building ‘air traffic control’ for AVs 7:05

9d ago7:05

7:05

The latest bid to squeeze a ban on states regulating AI into an annual defense bill has reportedly been rejected after facing bipartisan pushback. Also, backed by VC firms like Draper Associates and Hyperplane, Autolane said it will start by coordinating pickup and drop-off points for companies that want to let robotaxis come onto their private pro…

1
A data breach at analytics giant Mixpanel leaves a lot of open questions 7:56

7d ago7:56

7:56

We sent over a dozen questions to Mixpanel's CEO about the company's data breach. Here's what we want to know. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Amazon releases an impressive new AI chip and teases a Nvidia-friendly roadmap; also, India plans to verify and record every smartphone in circulation 10:46

10d ago10:46

10:46

Amazon Web Services, which has been building its own AI training chips for years now, just introduced a new version known as Trainium three that comes with some impressive specs. he Indian government is widening the scope of its anti-theft and cybersecurity initiative to cover both new and used smartphones, an effort aimed at curbing device theft a…

1
Construction workers are cashing in on the AI boom; also, Data center energy demand forecasted to soar nearly 300% through 2035 5:34

11d ago5:34

5:34

The AI boom is proving to be a windfall for construction workers building the massive data centers that power it all. According to The Wall Street Journal, workers moving into data-center construction are seeing pay jumps of 25 to 30 percent compared to their previous jobs . Alos, new planned data centers promise to consume even more energy than ex…

1
Amazon’s AI chatbot Rufus drove sales on Black Friday; plus, James Cameron says generative AI is ‘horrifying’ 5:54

11d ago5:54

5:54

On Black Friday, Amazon sessions that resulted in a sale were up 100% in the U.S. when the AI chatbot Rufus was used. They only increased by 20% when Rufus wasn't used. Also, James Cameron’s movies are often at the cutting edge of visual effects technology, but that doesn't make him a fan of generative AI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po…

1
No, you can’t get your AI to ‘admit’ to being sexist, but it probably is anyway 10:21

12d ago10:21

10:21

Though LLMs might not use explicitly biased language, they may infer your demographic data and display implicit biases, researchers say. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Uber and WeRide’s robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi is officially driverless; plus, a bug in jury systems used by several US states exposed sensitive personal data 7:42

16d ago7:42

7:42

The commercial robotaxi service launched last year. Now, the human safety operator is gone. Also, an easy-to-exploit vulnerability in a jury system made by Tyler Technologies exposed the personally identifiable data of jurors, including names, home addresses, emails, and phone numbers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch…

1
Character AI will offer interactive ‘Stories’ to kids instead of open-ended chat; plus, OpenAI and Perplexity are launching AI shopping assistants 7:52

17d ago7:52

7:52

The company announced last month that it would no longer allow minors to use its chat features. Also, startup founders building AI shopping tools think general-purpose models are too broad to deliver truly personalized shopping experiences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
Roblox CEO interview gets heated over child safety; X’s new About This Account feature is going great; and AI is too risky to insure 4:46

17d ago4:46

4:46

-Roblox CEO Dave Baszuki joined the Hard Fork podcast to discuss the gaming platform’s new age verification feature — but he seemed to get frustrated at the number of questions focused on child safety. -A new feature seemingly revealed many right-wing “America First” accounts are actually based outside the United States. But the data seems question…

1
Altman describes OpenAI’s forthcoming AI device as more peaceful and calm than the iPhone; plus, DOGE days are over 6:20

17d ago6:20

6:20

Altman and Ive tease a simple AI device aimed at calm, distraction-free computing, launching within two years. Also, DOGE members are reportedly worried that they could face prosecution for some of their activities conducted while under the leadership of Elon Musk. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
Trump administration might not fight state AI regulations after all; plus Waymo expanding across Bay Area and SoCal; and Meta wants to get into the electricity trading business 5:00

19d ago5:00

5:00

Reuters reports that the executive order has been put on hold. If signed, the order would probably face significant opposition, including from Republicans who previously criticized the proposed moratorium on state regulation. Waymo continues to expand its reach, with the robotaxi company posting Friday that it’s now “officially authorized to drive …

1
CrowdStrike fires ‘suspicious insider,’ X rolling out the ‘About this account’ feature, and Trump’s FCC votes to scrap cybersecurity rules 8:40

21d ago8:40

8:40

-Cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike denied it had been hacked following claims from a hacker group, which leaked screenshots from inside CrowdStrike's network. -X's new feature will show where users are based, how they're connected to X, and how many times they've changed their username. -Two Trump-appointed FCC officials voted to undo the telecom ind…

1
Grok says Elon Musk is better than basically everyone, except Shohei Ohtani 7:37

21d ago7:37

7:37

According to Grok, Elon Musk can out slug the MLB's greatest power hitters... except Ohtani. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Google releases Nano Banana Pro, its latest image generation model; and another fire broke out at aluminum plant that supplies Ford 5:08

22d ago5:08

5:08

Google is upgrading its image generation model with new editing chops, higher resolutions, more accurate text rendering, and the ability to search the web. Also, the fire that broke out at the Oswego, NY Is the second major fire -- and the third overall -- in the last few months at the Novelis plant, Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc…

1
How the classic anime ‘Ghost in the Shell’ predicted the future of cybersecurity 30 years ago 7:18

23d ago7:18

7:18

Written by: Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai The story of the Ghost in the Shell’s main villain the Puppet Master hinted at a future where governments use hackers for espionage, at a time when most of the world had never connected to the internet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
The Epstein files have claimed their first OpenAI victim; plus Target joins OpenAI’s growing list of retail apps 3:53

23d ago3:53

3:53

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers has resigned from OpenAI’s board days after Congress released an extensive cache of emails with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which included details of intimate affairs. OpenAI is pushing deeper into retail, with Target set to debut a new ChatGPT-powered app for shoppers in coming weeks. The news fo…

1
DOE gives Microsoft partner $1B loan to restart Three Mile Island reactor; plus, Hugging Face CEO says we’re in an ‘LLM bubble,’ not an AI bubble 7:07

24d ago7:07

7:07

Constellation Energy will use the loan to refurbish a reactor it idled in 2019. Microsoft has agreed to buy the power once the facility reopens in 2028. Also, Hugging Face co-founder and CEO Clem Delangue says all the attention is on LLMs, but smaller, specialized models will make sense in many use cases going forward. Learn more about your ad choi…

1
Zap Energy ramps up the pressure in its latest fusion device; plus, Stack Overflow is remaking itself into an AI data provider 5:55

24d ago5:55

5:55

Zap’s Fuze-3 device has been firing pulses of plasma at the company’s headquarters in Seattle, and the results of those experiments will ultimately inform the design of the company’s future demonstration plants. The Fuze-3 device was able to compress a soup of charged particles to more than two hundred thirty two thousand PSI and heat it to more th…

1
Ford turns to Amazon to give used cars sales a boost; plus, Meta releases a new tool to protect reels creators from having their work stolen 4:58

25d ago4:58

4:58

One year ago, e-commerce giant Amazon kicked off its new online car sales business with Hyundai. Now, Ford is joining in with a certified used car twist. Also, Facebook's new content protection tool extends to Instagram too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

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‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ is expanding fast, and that should worry everyone 14:44

25d ago14:44

14:44

As Nigel Morris watches his BNPL investments from the other side of the table, he seems to understand the warning signs better than most. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Amazon satellite network gets a rebrand and drops its affordability pitch; plus, a jury says Apple owes Masimo $634M 6:28

26d ago6:28

6:28

The company has been quietly changing how it talks about who its internet customers will be before it announced a big name change last week. Also, a federal jury in California ruled Friday that Apple must pay medical device maker Masimo $634 million for infringing a patent on blood oxygen monitoring technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis…

1
ChatGPT launched pilot group chats across Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan; plus, newsletter platform beehiiv adds AI website building, creator tools in major expansion 6:48

28d ago6:48

6:48

The group chat is available to Free, Plus, and Team users on both mobile and web platforms. OpenAI says the pilot is designed to explore how people use group conversations in ChatGPT. Also, in a video announcing the release of beehiiv, Tyler Denk, the co-founder and CEO of beehive, said that what makes newsletter platforms powerful is ownership. “O…

1
‘Chad: The Brainrot IDE’ is a new Y Combinator-backed product so wild, people thought it was fake ; plus, after 5 months, the $1,200 bottles of Besties All-In tequila are finally starting to ship 6:27

29d ago6:27

6:27

Chad: the Brainrot IDE is an actual product that pairs vibe coding with brainrot activities like gambling, Tinder and games. Also, orders of the Besties Tequila were supposed to be fulfilled by end of summer but were delayed again and again due to the bottle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
Jack Dorsey funds diVine, a Vine reboot that includes Vine’s video archive 6:34

29d ago6:34

6:34

Jack Dorsey backs diVine, a Vine reboot that includes Vine's video archive of 6-second, looping videos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Why a researcher is building robots that look and act like bats; plus Productivity app Hero announces an SDK that will complete your AI prompts for you 7:29

30d ago7:29

7:29

These palm-sized robots use ultrasound signals to navigate harsh conditions in search and rescue missions. Also, the autocomplete will help users create more effective prompts for AI apps, resulting in fewer back-and-forths. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
The global race for the AI app layer is still on; plus Australian spy chief warns Chinese hackers are ‘probing’ critical networks for espionage and sabotage 6:57

1M ago6:57

6:57

The U.S. is far ahead of Europe in the race for large AI models, at least in funding. But the picture is different for the application layer, global VC firm Accel highlighted in its 2025 Globalscape report. Also, Australia's intelligence chief warned that Chinese hackers are trying to break into its networks, sometimes successfully, to "pre-positio…

1
Robyn is an empathetic AI companion chatbot; plus Meta’s chief AI scientist Yann LeCun reportedly plans to leave to build his own startup 7:40

1M ago7:40

7:40

Robyn wants to position it self as an empathetic chatbot and not as a companion or a therapy app. Also, Yann LeCun, a chief AI scientist at Meta, is planning to leave the company to build his own startup, which will focus on continuing his work on world models. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices…

1
Lovable says it’s nearing 8 million users as the year-old AI coding startup eyes more corporate employees 6:37

1M ago6:37

6:37

The platform has attracted an eclectic user base. More than half of Fortune 500 companies are using Lovable to "supercharge creativity," according to Osika, who insisted retention remains strong. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesBy TechCrunch

1
Why a lot of people are getting hacked with government spyware, plus a better way of thinking about the AI bubble 9:19

1M ago9:19

9:19

Government surveillance vendors want us to believe their spyware products are only used in limited and targeted operations against terrorists and serious criminals. That claim is increasingly difficult to justify, given the broad range of victims — journalists, activists, and now political consultants — that have come forward. AI isn't all or nothi…

1
Elon Musk uses Grok to imagine the possibility of love, plus, ‘Pluribus’ was emphatically ‘made by humans,’ not AI 4:21

1M ago4:21

4:21

After Tesla shareholders approved a new compensation package that could be worth $1 trillion, CEO Elon Musk appears to be celebrating with a normal weekend on his social media platform X. Also, if you watched all the way to the end of the new Apple TV show “Pluribus,” you may have noticed an unusual disclaimer in the credits: “This show was made by…

1
OpenAI asked Trump administration to expand Chips Act tax credit to cover data centers, plus is Wall Street losing faith in AI? and Apple new iPhone features 5:58

1M ago5:58

5:58

A recent letter from OpenAI reveals more details about how the company is hoping the federal government can support the company's ambitious plans for data center construction. Also, a rough week for tech stocks might signal a loss of investor confidence in artificial intelligence. And while Apple’s iPhone already supports texting, calling emergency…

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

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

1M 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

1M 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
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

1M 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

1M 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…