The year in tech, decoded and all wrapped up! Today’s episode looks back and closes the book on 2024 with special guest Patrick Austin, Founding Editor at IT Brew. From the disruption of Artificial Intelligence to news headlines that shook the balance of the industry, Patrick, Jasmine, and Allison break down the great, the terrible, and the absolutely bizarre tech moments that defined 2024.

Whether you’re curious about tech’s biggest wins and mishaps, the “weirdo” tech innovations, or how to keep track of the buzzing news line, this episode’s for you!

Got a question you’d like answered on the show? Slide into our DMs at jellyfish.co/offthevpn. And don’t worry! We promise to keep it Off The VPN.

Highlights:

• Weirdest Tech Headlines of The Year: From breakup-text summarizers to hologram brides, we bring you the year’s most jaw-dropping tech headlines.
• Tech News Overload: Patrick shares his go-to strategies for staying informed without burning out and panicking.
• Manifesting For a Smarter Tech Future Today: We’re all in this together, and hope to see that manifest in 2025. We’re looking forward to more ethical developments to AI, new technologies, and apartment-friendly saunas (yes, really).

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Wrapping up 2024 in tech with Patrick Austin

(03:56) Patrick’s path from IT to tech journalism

(06:01) Two headlines and a lie: the AI edition

(16:03) The smart spoon debate: tech innovation or just plain weird?

(21:14) Keeping up with tech news: tips for avoiding overload

(27:42) AI controversies: from helpful tools to ethical dilemmas

(33:15) Manifestations for 2025: ethical AI and informed leaders

(38:37) Apartment-friendly saunas and other fun predictions