
kill switch
Were we sleeping when everything changed? Seems like the technologically driven future is already here. On kill switch, we explain the right NOW of our super charged technological lives. New host Dexter Thomas answers questions big and small – like who’s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer?
kill switch also brings the DIY back to tech – “How to Now” on everything from how to run your own LLM to tips to keep your data safe. Because the more “user-friendly” our devices get, the less we understand how they work, and the less control we have. We’re here to help you take back control. And if we can’t… Well, maybe we need to look for the kill switch.
Latest episodes

Jun 13, 2019 • 30min
Dull, Dirty, Dangerous
Robots are coming for our jobs, and not just in factories. Artificial intelligence doesn't distinguish between blue collar and white collar work, which means that the economy of the future will look very different. And as it changes, we'll need to make big adjustments. But A.I. is also being used in the fight against world hunger. This episode, we speak with roboticists, inventors, and a fast food regular about how we'll put food on the table. In this episode: Ian Bremmer of Eurasia Group, Kai Fu Lee of Sinovation Ventures, Gill Pratt of the Toyota Research Institute, George Kantor of the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institue, and Walter Kankowski. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jun 6, 2019 • 37min
The New Deal
We travel to Silicon Valley where Astro Teller welcomes us inside X, Google's secretive innovation laboratory, to explain how one of the most powerful companies on earth is building the future. X is working on everything from creating new antibiotics to restoring internet connectivity after natural disasters. And they're not alone. Tech companies are increasingly involved in building infrastructure, and even playing the role of government. But what kind of power does this give them? And what can we do to rein it in? In this episode: Astro Teller of X, Lina Khan of Columbia Law School, Sal Candido & Pamela Desrochers of Loon, Jack Clark of OpenAI, and Jamie Susskind, author of "Future Politics". Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 30, 2019 • 39min
Truth to Power
It's getting harder to tell reality from fiction. Fake news and misinformation are all around us, and they're increasingly used as weapons of war. But what happens when A.I.-doctored videos are added to the mix? We meet the people fighting back against deep fakes, and even using them for good. And we visit Facebook headquarters to learn how Russian agents are trying to manipulate our behavior. In this episode: Nathaniel Gleicher of Facebook, John Micklethwait of Bloomberg News, Jose Sotelo of Lyrebird, Danielle Citron of Maryland Carey Law, Hany Farid of Dartmouth, and David Kirkpatrick of Techonomy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 23, 2019 • 33min
Poker Face
Ever wondered what it would be like to live in a world where computers know exactly what we're feeling? It may sound far-off but advances in sensor technology and A.I. are making us easier to read than ever. For some, this conjures fears of a Minority Report future. For others, it means revolutions in medicine and end-of-life care. We speak with leading experts in the field of empathetic technology to understand the risks and rewards of giving up our privacy. When our technology can adapt to us, how should we respond? In this episode: Poppy Crum of Dolby Laboratories, Jaron Lanier of Microsoft, Kai-Fu Lee of Sinovation Ventures, and Lisa Talia Moretti of Methods. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 16, 2019 • 35min
The Watchmen
If data doesn't make you think of a new world order, it should. AI is enabling wholesale surveillance, and changing the landscape in countries like China, where cameras monitor citizens to decide their social credit score. But how is this already playing out in the US? We speak with experts on both sides of the Pacific, and visit the NYPD to learn how they use AI. Plus, we see where else predictive technology is being used in the American criminal justice system. In this episode: Ian Bremmer of Eurasia Group, Kai Fu Lee of Sinovation Ventures, Mary Haskett and Alex Kilpatrick of Blink Identity, Lisa Talia Moretti of Methods, Glenn Rodriguez of the Center for Community Alternatives, Ben Singleton of the NYPD, and Jason Tashea of Justice Codes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 9, 2019 • 30min
Chocolate Chicken Chicken Cake
If there's one thing that sets people apart from machines, it's creativity, right? Automation may take over certain jobs, but what happens when algorithms start to learn from our work to create their own? This episode, we speak with people using AI to generate films, poetry, music, and even recipes. And the founder of Google X, Sebastian Thrun, explains what's powering this new wave of AI. In this episode: Ross Goodwin and Oscar Sharp of Sunspring, Janelle Shane of AI Weirdness, Drew Silverstein of Amper, Sebastian Thrun of Kittyhawk, Cristobal Valenzuela of Runway ML. Check out Magenta's AI Music tools here. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May 2, 2019 • 34min
Sleepwalking
Welcome to the A.I. revolution that is already transforming our lives, for good and evil. But what exactly are we sleepwalking into? We start by investigating the connections between online dating, terrorism, and screen addiction.In this episode we hear from: Tristan Harris of the Center for Humane Technology, Gillian Brockell of the Washington Post, Yasmin Green of Jigsaw, and Dr. Helen Fisher. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 25, 2019 • 1min
Welcome to Sleepwalkers
This is Sleepwalkers. With secret labs and expert guests, Oz Woloshyn and Karah Preiss explore the thrill of the AI revolution hands-on, to see how we can stay in control of our future. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.