TechStuff

Are you a gift go-getter, or a holiday procrastinator? This week, Karah spoke with Kyle Chayka, tech writer for The New Yorker and author of the book “Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture”. They talk about his gadget gift guide, how analog products are back in style, and why books are his preferred gift of choice. Oz also shares the hottest toy of the year: a console that helps the whole family stay active. Additional Reading: The Hottest Toy of the Year Is Made by a Tech Startup You’ve Never Heard Of A Holiday Gift Guide: The Newest Strangest Gadgets and Apps See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is nuclear fusion the clean energy we need? Oz speaks with Commonwealth Fusion Systems' scientist and engineer Alex Creely and fashion designer Gabriela Hearst about why the public should get excited about nuclear fusion. Together, they discuss what it will take to commercialize fusion, how Gabriela’s 2022 fashion show changed the public conversation, and whether we’ll have nuclear fusion by 2030.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should LLMs monitor crime? This week, Oz tells us why the US pharmaceutical industry may have competition… and why we’ve yet to see a flood of new products from AI drug discovery companies. Then, Karah explains how a telecommunications company is feeding recordings of inmate phone calls into LLMs that can then monitor future calls for planned crimes. Also, the UK government wants to cross-reference CCTV footage with the passport photo database, there’s a new self-made female billionaire in town — the youngest yet — and the newest billion dollar company sells blueberries the size of golf balls. And then, on Chat and Me, a deep fake interview has international consequences. ADDITIONAL READING: Art Basel show by Beeple has realistic Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg robot dogs pooping NFTs | Page Six Why is AI struggling to discover new drugs? | Financial Times Will the next blockbuster drug come from China? | Financial Times An AI model trained on prison phone calls now looks for planned crimes in those calls | MIT Technology Review Live facial recognition cameras planned for every town centre | Telegraph Kalshi’s Cofounder Is Now World’s Youngest Self-Made Woman Billionaire | Forbes Ray Dalio is backing a $1 billion blueberry unicorn that sells berries nearly the size of golf balls | Fortune See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does the death of restaurants look like? Ellen Cushing, staff writer for The Atlantic, joins Karah to talk about the rise of delivery apps and the fall of the in-person dining experience. They discuss how delivery apps became part of the millennial lifestyle subsidy, how they reshaped what’s on the menu, and why this feels all too similar to what’s happening to movie theaters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is unplugging from your phone the ultimate luxury? This week, Oz introduces us to the businesses that specialize in “dimming the sun” and Karah introduces us to “LinkedIn Face.” Polymarket’s bets lead to disinformation about Russia’s war with Ukraine. 23andMe reveals secret families — and secret inheritances. And Oz and Karah almost cry over the latest invention from Japan: a human washing machine. Finally, we celebrate ChatGPT’s 3rd birthday (and possible decline) with Axios technology reporter, Megan Morrone. If you’ve used a chatbot in an unusual or surprising way, send us a 1–2 minute voice note at [email protected]. Additional Reading: Being hot is now a job requirement - Business Insider Climate Geoengineering: Dimming the Sun Is a Terrifying New Industry COP30 - Bloomberg What Really Happened in the Storm Clouds Over Dubai? - Bloomberg How Unplugging Became Luxury’s Most Valuable Currency - Vogue Business 'Unauthorized' Edit to Ukraine's Frontline Maps Point to Polymarket's War Betting - 404 Media Japan Launches Human Washing Machine For Public Use After Expo Success -NDTV They Found Relatives on 23andMe and Asked For A Cut of the Inheritance - WSJ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.