This Week in Tech (Audio)

Harper Reed, a tech entrepreneur known for his innovative work in software and product development, dives into 'vibe coding' and the transformative impact of AI in coding workflows. He discusses the potential risks of AI-generated code and its implications for developers. Meanwhile, futurist Amy Webb highlights privacy concerns through her husband's ambitious project aimed at creating an unlinkable laptop. The conversation also touches on job displacement due to automation and the evolving landscape of tech journalism amid influencer culture.

Mikah Sargent, a tech journalist known for his insights on consumer technology, joins investigative tech journalist Paris Martineau and security expert Steve Gibson to dissect the ups and downs of 2025. They explore how major stories like the TikTok saga and political tech drama fizzled out. The trio delves into pressing topics like privacy concerns, age verification laws, the explosive growth of AI, and the challenges surrounding generative media. They also highlight the eerie trade-off between convenience and privacy as ISPs monetize user data.

Ian Thompson, a UK-born tech journalist and skeptic, shares his insights alongside Jason Hiner, an AI-focused editor, and Owen Thomas, a business journalist analyzing AI's economic impact. They dive deep into whether we are in an AI bubble or a healthy evolution and discuss the rise of smaller AI models challenging data center dominance. The conversation also touches on AI’s role in medicine, the geopolitical AI arms race, and the ethical considerations surrounding social media regulations and privacy in the age of AI.

Amy Webb, a noted futurist and AI author, joins forces with attorney Kathy Gellis and Brian Wolf, who is also her husband. The trio dives into the implications of the Cox–Sony copyright case, discussing how it could redefine internet liability. Brian shares his quest to build a truly anonymous laptop, revealing technical details and challenges of privacy in the digital age. They also explore FDA-approved glasses to combat childhood myopia and the innovative future of drone logistics. It's a fascinating mix of law, tech, and personal anecdotes!

Mike Elgan, a tech writer exploring AI and travel, Daniel Rubino, editor at Windows Central, and automotive analyst Sam Abuelsamid dive into intriguing topics. They dissect the mixed results of Black Friday sales, questioning whether AI shopping assistants genuinely enhance the consumer experience. The panel also debates the growing influence of Chinese open-source AI while addressing the data privacy concerns of connected cars. With humor and insight, they tackle the evolving tech landscape, blending critical analysis with engaging anecdotes.

Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ, a Jesuit priest and digital tech advocate, joins tech writer Molly White and developer relations expert Wesley Faulkner to discuss pressing tech issues. They explore the controversy over social media age verification, highlighting Roblox's selfie requirement and the potential ethical pitfalls. The Cloudflare outage sparks a debate about internet centralization and accountability. Molly shares insights on ongoing crypto scams, while the group critiques the implications of AI in advertising and Musk's vision of a labor-free future.

Victoria Song, a senior reviewer at The Verge, shares her hands-on insights about Meta's Ray-Ban Display glasses, igniting debates on privacy and wearable tech etiquette. Christina Warren, a GitHub developer advocate and tech journalist, dives into the world of AI and its implications for tech, including DeepMind's training methods. They also tackle corporate responsibility in tech, from Apple's patent disputes to Disney's AI-generated content plans, and the potential of AI shaping entertainment and privacy standards.

Ashley Esketha, a media professional and founder of Rowdy Skeleton, Ian Thompson, a former writer at The Register turned freelancer, and Janko Roettgers, a media and streaming reporter, dive into hot topics like Elon Musk's staggering pay package and Apple's bold F1 streaming deal. They explore the messy landscape of sports streaming, including YouTube TV's conflict with Disney and the challenges of parental oversight in kids' online lives. The discussion highlights the evolving tech and media landscape, filled with both innovation and significant pitfalls.

From AI-powered code generation boosting productivity to adversaries using the same tools to hunt zero-days, the panel exposes the coming wave of AI-fueled cyberattacks—and why most companies aren't ready for it. Cotton blocks Trump-backed effort to make daylight saving time permanent The End of Cybersecurity Amazon says it didn't cut 14,000 people because of money. It cut them because of 'culture' Here's How the AI Crash Happens US government is getting closer to banning TP-Link routers Neato cloud shutdown sees robocleaners robbed of their smarts FCC will vote to scrap telecom cybersecurity requirements Trump FCC Votes To Make It Easier For Your Broadband ISP To Rip You Off Swedish Death Cleaning But for Your Digital Life The F5 Hack is a Big Deal OpenAI Releases Agentic Security Researcher 'Do not trust your eyes': AI generates surge in expense fraud Proton Data Breach Observatory aims to alert you in near real-time Using a Security Key on X? Re-Enroll Now or Your Account Will Be Locked YouTube denies AI was involved with odd removals of tech tutorials 10M people watched a YouTuber shim a lock; the lock company sued him. Bad idea. Samsung's $2000 smart fridges are getting ads - gHacks Tech News ESPN, ABC, and other Disney channels go dark on YouTube TV Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Jill Duffy, Alex Stamos, and Stacey Higginbotham Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: ziprecruiter.com/twit zscaler.com/security miro.com canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT Melissa.com/twit

In this discussion, Richard Campbell, a veteran technology journalist, and Doc Rock, a popular YouTuber and tech strategist, dive into the fallout from a significant Amazon AWS outage that exposed our over-reliance on cloud services. They explore the implications of this digital fragility and dissect security threats like YouTube videos luring kids into malware traps. They also touch on the impact of TikTok's potential US-China deal and how creators adapt in a fragmented digital landscape. Their insights on future tech trends are both eye-opening and entertaining.