
What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future
Every Friday and Sunday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in.
Latest episodes

Jun 27, 2025 • 27min
The Other Iran-Israel War
In addition to the three-dimensional war of bombs and missiles, Iran and Israel—and the US—are squaring off in a cyber battle. With everything from water infrastructure to banking connected to the internet in some way, how much damage can cyberattacks do?
Guest: Maggie Miller, POLITICO cybersecurity reporter
Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 22, 2025 • 29min
Airlines Are Selling Your Data to the Government
ARC, the data broker owned by the country’s major airlines, has been selling domestic flight data in the US to Customs and Border Protection. But in the contract, they told CBP not to reveal where the data was from… why?
Guest: Joseph Cox, co-founder of 404 Media and the co-host of the 404 Media Podcast.
Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 20, 2025 • 33min
We Deport. You Laugh?
The Trump administration's anti-immigration campaign has become defined by distasteful memes that gleefully portray the mass deportations being carried out across the country. It’s impossible to ignore… which is exactly what the administration wants.
Guest: Drew Harwell, tech reporter at the Washington Post.
Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Patrick Fort.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 15, 2025 • 31min
Summer Travel Tips To Not Get Detained
Lily Hay Newman, a senior writer at WIRED specializing in information security, dives into the essential tactics for keeping your digital life secure when crossing U.S. borders. She discusses the alarming rise in traveler detentions and the invasive digital searches conducted by border agents. Practical advice on using burner phones and navigating airport security is highlighted to protect personal data. The episode also addresses the ongoing tension between surveillance, privacy rights, and the need for travelers to balance security with their digital safety.

Jun 13, 2025 • 31min
New DOGE, New Tricks
Makena Kelly, a Senior Writer at WIRED, discusses the future of Doge after Elon Musk's controversial exit. She delves into how Doge is evolving from a personal project to a crucial government tool amid leadership instability. The podcast reveals the challenges of integrating technology with governance, focusing on efficiency and transparency in operations. Kelly also explores the shifting relationship between Silicon Valley talent and government, raising questions about the implications for civil liberties and data privacy.

Jun 8, 2025 • 32min
The Future of the Internet Hinges on Gail Slater
Assistant Attorney General Gail Slater inherited the government’s antitrust case against Google and is eager to follow it through—but likely not for the same reasons as her predecessors.
Guest: Nancy Scola, reporter and contributing writer at POLITICO.
Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 6, 2025 • 33min
Is Palantir Building a Data Big Brother?
One of the goals of DOGE was to get rid of the “silos” that keep government agencies from sharing freely amongst themselves efficiently and instead organize data using tools offered by companies like Palantir. The thing is, a lot of those silos are there by design, and removing them could be a nightmare for privacy advocates.
Guest: Sheera Frenkel, tech reporter for the New York Times.
Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 1, 2025 • 32min
So Long, Elon
His time in Washington was brief, but we’ll be picking up the pieces for a long time. What Elon’s exit signals for the future of DOGE, and Musk’s political career.
Guest: Kate Conger, reporter for the New York Times covering X and other technology companies.
Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 30, 2025 • 29min
The Drone Wars
The war between Ukraine and Russia is being fought increasingly via drone —and NATO and US military leadership is training troops for future conflicts that will pit man against machine.
Guest: Jake Epstein, senior defense reporter for Business Insider.
Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.
Podcast production by Evan Campbell and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 25, 2025 • 33min
Crypto's Big Win
The crypto industry poured tons of money into the last election cycle. Is the GENIUS Act, which has bipartisan support, their big payoff?
Guest: Hilary Allen, professor at American University’s Washington College of Law.
Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices