Machines Like Us

Musk, Money and Misinformation: Tech & The U.S. Election

Oct 22, 2024

Nitasha Tiku, a tech culture reporter at the Washington Post, anchors the conversation alongside Charlie Warzel from The Atlantic and bestselling author Charles Duhigg. They discuss how Silicon Valley has evolved into a political powerhouse, with crypto donations swaying elections. The trio examines Elon Musk's controversial role in shaping narratives and the rising threat of misinformation, especially regarding AI's impact on politics. They also ponder the implications for democracy, as the tech landscape shifts under the weight of growing right-wing influence.

32:55

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Episode guests

Charles Duhigg

Charlie Warzel

Nitasha Tiku

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The podcast discusses Silicon Valley's political shift towards the right, driven by discontent with the Biden administration and substantial crypto lobbying efforts.

It highlights the proliferation of misinformation in politics, particularly through AI-generated content that distorts narratives and complicates public discourse.

Deep dives

The Tech Industry's Political Shift

The tech industry is experiencing a significant shift in political alignment as once Democratic-aligned Silicon Valley executives and companies have begun gravitating toward right-leaning politics. This change is illustrated by Elon Musk's vocal support for Trump and the emergence of crypto lobbying as a major force in political financing, accounting for nearly half of corporate donations in this election cycle. Many in the tech community feel betrayed by the Biden administration's regulatory approach, especially in relation to antitrust issues, leading to widespread discontent among tech leaders. This growing animosity has prompted them to leverage their financial clout to reshape political landscapes, indicating a pivotal moment in tech's influence on American politics.

Intro

2min

Tech Leaders and Political Narratives

6min

Exploring the Nuances of Misinformation and Belief Systems

2min

Navigating the Chaos of Online Discourse

13min

AI, Elections, and the Rise of Propaganda

4min

Tech Politics and Election Impacts

6min

The tech lobby has quietly turned Silicon Valley into the most powerful political operation in America.

Pro crypto donors are now responsible for almost half of all corporate donations this election. Elon Musk has gone from an occasional online troll to, as one of our guests calls him, “MAGA’s Minister of Propaganda.” And for the first time, the once reliably blue Silicon Valley seems to be shifting to the right. What does all this mean for the upcoming election?

To help us better understand this moment, we spoke with three of the most prominent tech writers in the U.S. Charles Duhigg (author of the bestseller Supercommunicators) has a recent piece in the New Yorker called “Silicon Valley, the New Lobbying Monster.” Charlie Warzel is a staff writer at the Atlantic, and Nitasha Tiku is a tech culture reporter at the Washington Post.

Mentioned:

“Silicon Valley, the New Lobbying Monster” by Charles Duhigg

“Big Crypto, Big Spending: Crypto Corporations Spend an Unprecedented $119 Million Influencing Elections” by Rick Claypool via Public Citizen

“I’m Running Out of Ways to Explain How Bad This Is” by Charlie Warzel

“Elon Musk Has Reached a New Low” by Charlie Warzel

“The movement to diversify Silicon Valley is crumbling amid attacks on DEI” by Naomi Nix, Cat Zakrzewski and Nitasha Tiku

“The Techno-Optimist Manifesto” by Marc Andreessen

“Trump Vs. Biden: Tech Policy,” The Ben & Marc Show

“The MAGA Aesthetic Is AI Slop” by Charlie Warzel