This Week in Tech (Audio)

AI giants are battling not just in code, but in politics, with behind-the-scenes lobbying, strategic naming, and rumors of blockbuster deals at the heart of this week's wildest tech stories. Get the inside scoop on who's pulling the strings. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Iain Thomson, Owen Thomas, and Doc Rock Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: shopify.com/twitSimply CXethos.com/twitbox.com/AIzscaler.com/security

The US government abruptly forced Anthropic to pull its most advanced AI model offline after fears it was simply too powerful to be safe. Hear the real story behind the sudden shutdown that rocked the tech world—and what it reveals about the uneasy alliance between Washington and Silicon Valley. • Anthropic's Fable 5 AI model release sparks cybersecurity and jailbreak concerns • White House pressures Anthropic to withdraw Fable amid security fears • Debate over government intervention, model regulation, and Anthropic's IPO timing • SpaceX IPO rockets to record-breaking $1.77 trillion valuation • Apple unveils revamped Siri and Apple Intelligence at WWDC • Apple's new child safety and parental controls in iOS • OpenAI and Anthropic plot IPOs, face economic realities of AI industry • Supply chain attacks hit Arch Linux packages, security risks highlighted • Spotify battles surge of fake podcasts promoting illegal drugs • German court rules Google AI overviews legally liable for inaccuracies • FCC pursues crackdown on anonymous burner phones, raising privacy alarms • North Korean hackers' massive infiltration of US tech sector exposed • iFixit teardown reveals Trump Phone is just a rebadged HTC U24 Pro • Smartphone and internet access linked to declining US birth rates • Skydance-Paramount merger approved as Warner Bros seeks next mega deal • Roku seeks buyer, raising questions about future streaming platforms Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Christina Warren, Harry McCracken, and Richard Campbell Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: meter.com/twitthreatlocker.com/twitbitwarden.com/twitNetSuite.com/TWITcachefly.com/twit

An astronomical amount of money is being poured into AI and data centers as tech giants fight for dominance, but is this fueling the next big tech bubble or just the price of staying in the game? Get the panel's opinions on wild IPO valuations, global power grabs, Build 2026, NVIDIA GTC Taipei, and even successful YouTuber movies! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Joey de Villa, Jeff Jarvis, and Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: expressvpn.com/twitZipRecruiter.com/twitcanary.tools/twit - use code: TWITMelissa.com/twithelixsleep.com/twit

Explore everything from explosive technology for space to electric technology for the road. Leo, Molly, Gary, and Sam have deep discussions on Magnifica Humanitas takeaways, Wikipedia drama, Peter Thiel's mvoe to Argentina, and more! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Gary Rivlin, Sam Abuelsamid, and Molly White Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: mill.com/TWITbox.com/AIzscaler.com/securityZipRecruiter.com/twitdoppel.com

Google is rewriting the rules of search, CBS News Radio just died after 99 years, and billionaires now own the newsrooms. This episode dives into what happens when technology giants tighten their grip on how we get information. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Larry Magid, Marshall Kirkpatrick, and Jacob Ward Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: outsystems.com/twitsuperhuman.commeter.com/twitbox.com/AIdoppel.commill.com/TWIT

Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Harper Reed and Amy Webb Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: threatlocker.com/twitscribe.how/twitshopify.com/twitbox.com/AINetSuite.com/TWIT

Campus hacks bring final exams to a standstill, a blockbuster study on AI in education gets pulled, and the world's biggest technology companies face government crackdowns with barely a dent to their bottom lines. Plus, Apple returns to Intel as chip wars reshape US tech! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Berber Jin, Iain Thomson, and Paris Martineau Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: outsystems.com/twitjoindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWITbitwarden.com/twitziprecruiter.com/twitmeter.com/twitzscaler.com/security

Big Tech is pouring hundreds of billions into AI, but with rising signs of an industry bubble and some real-world fallout, this week's episode digs into who actually wins, who stands to lose, and whether Apple's patient strategy may outsmart the hype. 'Grand Theft Auto V' Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Nicholas De Leon, Devindra Hardawar, and Mikah Sargent Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: helixsleep.com/twitcanary.tools/twit - use code: TWITMelissa.com/twitexpressvpn.com/twitbox.com/AI

Tim Cook's surprise departure shakes Apple just as AI and product strategy take center stage, sending big questions through Silicon Valley about what comes next. From Toyota's camera-filled Woven City to questionable US police tracking and a Signal privacy gap, this episode digs into how quietly surveillance tech is encroaching on daily life. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid, Victoria Song, and Stacey Higginbotham Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: box.com/AIdoppel.commeter.com/twitSimply CXrippling.com/twit

As Anthropic, OpenAI, and industry giants race to outpace each other, data centers and supply chains are straining, while job markets and open-source communities feel the heat. Listen in for a roundtable on whether AI is fueling innovation, burnout, or just the next tech bubble. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Louis Maresca, Wesley Faulkner, and Glenn Fleishman Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: NetSuite.com/TWITzscaler.com/securityexpressvpn.com/twitshopify.com/twitcachefly.com/twit

Anthropic has built an AI model so sharp it's being withheld from the public, sparking debate over who gets access to world-changing tech and who's left behind. Hear how this "too dangerous" AI could tip the balance for the world's most powerful players. This episode unpacks the fresh moral minefields created when cutting-edge tech collides with politics, security, and human lives. GTA 6 Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Doc Rock, Jason Hiner, and Mike Elgan Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: bitwarden.com/twitZipRecruiter.com/twitthreatlocker.com/twitjoindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWITmeter.com/twit

This week's episode confronts the mounting legal battles over addictive social apps, questioning whether court rulings should reshape Instagram and YouTube's design. Explore the heated clash between user autonomy, scientific uncertainty, and the next wave of regulation. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Patrick Beja, Abrar Al-Heeti, and Iain Thomson Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: canary.tools/twit - use code: TWITrippling.com/twithelixsleep.com/twitMelissa.com/twitexpressvpn.com/twit

Big Tech just faced a courtroom reckoning, with Meta and Google found liable for platform "addictiveness" in a social media trial that could unleash a tidal wave of lawsuits. Find out why attorneys, entrepreneurs, and everyday users are suddenly on edge. • Social media addiction lawsuits hit Meta, Google, YouTube • Section 230 and First Amendment implications debated after court verdicts • Supreme Court sides with Cox; ISPs not liable for user piracy • Elon Musk's lawsuit over X (Twitter) ad boycotts thrown out • Anthropic versus Department of Defense: AI contracting dispute and retaliation claims • FCC's confusing foreign-made router ban and consumer tech fallout • Major supply chain attack: LiteLLM malware infects AI devs • The rise (and risks) of AI agents with voice, identity, and personification • Turing Award honors pioneers of quantum cryptography • Antimatter on the move: CERN's oddball truck experiment • Sci-fi and reality blur as Neal Stephenson walks away from the metaverse • Privacy and consent worries escalate with AI-powered recordings and surveillance • Digital shelf pricing arrives at Walmart and Kroger • Flipper Zero: voice-controlled hacking gadget gets an AI upgrade • Age verification laws create headaches for OS and app developers • Official White House app called out for surveillance and security blunders • Is AI progress barreling toward a dystopian tech future? Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Harper Reed, Brian McCullough, and Cathy Gellis Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: doppel.comoutsystems.com/twitzscaler.com/securitymeter.com/twitZipRecruiter.com/twit

Elon Musk faces a multi-billion dollar verdict after a California jury finds his tweets misled Twitter shareholders, raising the stakes for tech CEOs with unchecked social media influence. Plus, CBS kills its legendary radio news service while podcasting explodes, signaling a dramatic shift in how America consumes, trusts, and pays for news. Project Hail Mary Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Janko Roettgers, Dan Patterson, and Lisa Schmeiser Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: meter.com/twitshopify.com/twitoutsystems.com/twitpreview.modulate.ai

From "gainfully employed robots" to AI that accidentally ruins lives, this week's conversation unpacks the real-world fallout of futuristic promises. Leo, JPT, Iain, and Richard tackle energy sources, social media effects, tech layoffs, and the algorithms quietly taking charge. Pokémon Go Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Iain Thomson, Richard Campbell, and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: expressvpn.com/twitpreview.modulate.aimonarch.com with code TWITspaceship.com/twitthreatlocker.com/twit

Between copyright-free AI art, government blacklists, and data brokers run amok, this episode spotlights the fierce new battles for privacy, agency, and control in our digital lives. Plus, hear Cory Doctorow break down why the AI gold rush may be headed for a colossal crash. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Joey de Villa and Cory Doctorow Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/securityjoindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWITmeter.com/twitNetSuite.com/TWITbitwarden.com/twit

Anthropic's clash with the Pentagon pits tech ethics against government demands, raising explosive questions about AI's role in surveillance and weaponry. If you care about who controls the future of artificial intelligence, this episode is a must-listen. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Molly White, Owen Thomas, and Harry McCracken Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: Melissa.com/twitexpressvpn.com/twitcanary.tools/twit - use code: TWITZipRecruiter.com/twithelixsleep.com/twit

What do jailbreaking fighter jets, lost Amazon vans, and swapping your phone's smart features for a handful of mud have in common? TWiT dives into the wild, occasionally absurd future of tech, where yesterday's sci-fi is tomorrow's supply-chain headache. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid, Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, and Nicholas De Leon Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: trustedtech.team/twit365threatlocker.com/twitexpressvpn.com/twitmeter.com/twitshopify.com/twit

Is social media addictive by design or just irresistible entertainment? The panel tackles the lawsuit that's dragging tech giants onto the witness stand and how surveillance tech is quietly expanding while lawmakers and users scramble to catch up. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Wesley Faulkner, Stacey Higginbotham, and Thomas Germain Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: zscaler.com/securitymonarch.com with code TWITZipRecruiter.com/twithelixsleep.com/twitcachefly.com/twit

Will Elon Musk really launch a million data centers into orbit, and why is McDonald's so worried about you using "McNuggets" as your password? This week's tech roundtable takes on wild new frontiers and everyday security headaches with insight and a bit of irreverence. Project Hail Mary Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Larry Magid, Mike Elgan, and Louis Maresca Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: bitwarden.com/twitNetSuite.com/TWITmeter.com/twittrustedtech.team/twitCSSzscaler.com/security