This Week in Tech (Audio)

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TWiT 1040: The $100,000 Stapler - Veo 3 and Deepfakes

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Jul 14, 2025

In this engaging discussion, technologist Harper Reed, known for his work in AI and the Obama campaign, joins futurist Amy Webb, who specializes in tech forecasting. They dive into the implications of age verification laws, exploring their impact on free speech and youth engagement online. The conversation also highlights innovative technology like Grok and Gemini, alongside the ethical dilemmas surrounding deepfakes. Plus, they share laughs over the viral 'Staplegate' incident and its astounding charity auction success, reminding us of the quirks in tech and culture.

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INSIGHT

Age Verification Sparks Hacker Wave

Age verification laws will create a wave of hackers who bypass restrictions.
These laws may also expose youth to more risks from bad actors.

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INSIGHT

Internet Regulation's Turning Point

The open internet era's lax regulation led to societal harms causing regulatory pushback.
Governments are seeking to balance free speech with protection from harm under new tech laws.

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ADVICE

Privacy Tech for Age Verification

Use privacy-preserving technologies like verifiable credentials for age verification.
Blockchain may be part of solutions for digital identity without exposing personal data.

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Unbound Challenges and Legal Discussions

01:54 • 9min

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Navigating Youth, Technology, and Regulation

10:32 • 21min

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Navigating AI and Global Connections

31:39 • 6min

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Exploring Japan's Heat and Safeguarding Online Privacy

37:20 • 4min

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Navigating Stablecoins and Digital Currency Challenges

41:41 • 14min

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Exploring the Quirks of AI Assistants and the Latest in AI Technology

55:29 • 6min

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Navigating AI and Power Dynamics

01:01:00 • 26min

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Tech and Trends: Navigating Innovation and Society

01:26:41 • 15min

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Secure Your Credentials

01:42:00 • 7min

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Navigating the Ethics of Deepfakes

01:48:42 • 14min

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Navigating Creativity in the Digital Age

02:02:21 • 22min

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Navigating Tech Culture: From Entrepreneurship to Product Disruption

02:24:13 • 6min

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Emerging Technologies and Digital Privacy

02:29:52 • 20min

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The Viral Staplegate Incident and Its Charitable Auction

02:49:43 • 4min

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Voices of Change: AI and Industry Shifts

02:54:07 • 11min

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Casual Conversations and Podcast Insights

Published in 1979, 'The Right Stuff' by Tom Wolfe is a seminal work of nonfiction that delves into the lives of the pilots and astronauts involved in the U.S. postwar research with experimental rocket-powered aircraft and the early human spaceflight program, Project Mercury. Wolfe's book is based on extensive research, including interviews with test pilots, astronauts, and their families. It focuses on the bravery, machismo, and the unspoken code of 'the right stuff' that defined these individuals. The book contrasts the Mercury Seven astronauts with other test pilots like Chuck Yeager and Scott Crossfield, highlighting their courage, skills, and the risks they undertook. Wolfe's narrative is characterized by its vivid descriptions and use of literary techniques to evoke the era and the people involved in the early days of American space exploration.

The Big Nine

How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity

Amy Webb

In this book, Amy Webb delves into the world of artificial intelligence and the nine tech titans (Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, IBM, Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent) that are shaping its future. Webb discusses the history of AI, the current roles of these corporations, and presents three plausible future scenarios ranging from optimistic to catastrophic. She also offers strategies for mitigating the potential negative impacts of AI on society and ensuring a more beneficial future for humanity.

The Genesis Machine

Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology

Amy Webb

Andrew Hessel

The Genesis Machine delves into the promising yet controversial field of synthetic biology, which combines biology and artificial intelligence to program living systems. The book explores how this technology can address existential challenges like climate change and pandemics but also raises critical questions about genetic privacy, ownership, and ethical governance. Through hypothetical scenarios, it illustrates the potential impact of synthetic biology on various aspects of life, from genetic selection to food production.

The Cluetrain Manifesto

Markets of Conversations

Doc Searles

Who Moved My Cheese?

Spencer Johnson

The book tells the story of four characters—two mice named Sniff and Scurry, and two 'Littlepeople' named Hem and Haw—living in a maze and searching for their favorite cheese. When the cheese at their usual spot, Cheese Station C, disappears, the mice adapt quickly and find new cheese at Cheese Station N. However, the Littlepeople struggle with change, with Hem refusing to move and Haw eventually embracing the need to adapt. The story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of complacency and the importance of embracing change to succeed in both personal and professional life.

The end of racism

principles for a multiracial society

Dinesh D'Souza

Dinesh D'Souza's "The End of Racism" is a controversial book that argues against the existence of systemic racism in the United States. D'Souza contends that racism is primarily an individual phenomenon and that policies aimed at addressing systemic racism are misguided. The book has been widely criticized for its selective use of evidence and its dismissal of historical and contemporary accounts of racial inequality. It sparked significant debate and controversy upon its release, highlighting the ongoing complexities of the discussion surrounding race and racism in America. The book's arguments have been challenged by numerous scholars and activists who point to the persistent effects of historical and ongoing racial discrimination.

A New Era of Internet Regulation Is About to Begin
Australia is quietly rolling out age checks for search engines like Google
Bluesky is rolling out age verification in the UK
House "crypto week" could change how Americans use, save money
Latest stablecoin bill addresses foreign issuers, national security safeguards
Grok team apologizes for the chatbot's 'horrific behavior' and blames 'MechaHitler' on a bad update
Grok 4 seems to consult Elon Musk to answer controversial questions
European Union Unveils Rules for Powerful A.I. Systems
Gemini can now turn your photos into video with Veo 3
Denmark to tackle deepfakes by giving people copyright to their own features
Belkin shutting down these Wemo smart home products in 2026
It's YouTube vs. Netflix as the Streaming Wars Come Down to 2
Jack Dorsey launches a WhatsApp messaging rival built on Bluetooth
GameStop's Nintendo Switch 2 stapler sells for more than $100,000 on eBay after viral mishap
Professor Oak's voice actor, James Carter Cathcart, has died

Host: Leo Laporte

Guests: Harper Reed and Amy Webb

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