Uncanny Valley | WIRED
WIRED
Welcome to Uncanny Valley—an insider look at the people, power, and influence of Silicon Valley—where each week, WIRED’s writers and editors bring you original reporting and analysis about some of the biggest stories in tech.
On Tuesdays, The Big Interview with WIRED’s Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond in conversation with influential figures in culture, politics, business, science, and beyond for a discussion captured through the WIRED lens.
On Thursdays, WIRED writers and editors Zoë Schiffer, Brian Barrett and Leah Feiger add you to the Slack group thread to let you into what they’re hearing from sources in Silicon Valley and D.C, read you into what trends you should be watching for and how WIRED is thinking about it all.
On Tuesdays, The Big Interview with WIRED’s Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond in conversation with influential figures in culture, politics, business, science, and beyond for a discussion captured through the WIRED lens.
On Thursdays, WIRED writers and editors Zoë Schiffer, Brian Barrett and Leah Feiger add you to the Slack group thread to let you into what they’re hearing from sources in Silicon Valley and D.C, read you into what trends you should be watching for and how WIRED is thinking about it all.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 15, 2026 • 32min
Meta’s Muse Won’t Stop Sexting; Apple’s HomeView Is Just a Giant Apple Watch
Reece Rogers, a WIRED senior writer covering AI, privacy, software, and sexuality, tests Meta’s Muse and finds its productivity assistant eager to sext. They explore privacy, addiction, blackmail, and the unsettling contrast between its cuddly design and adult capabilities. Plus, hidden pro-AI political money, Apple’s underwhelming HomeView, and why men may overestimate their AI expertise.
55 snips
Oct 13, 2026 • 33min
Alex Gibney’s Elon Musk Documentary Has a Unique Perspective on Daddy Issues
Alex Gibney, the Oscar-winning investigative filmmaker behind Taxi to the Dark Side, discusses his new Elon Musk documentary. He explores Musk’s father Errol, a simulated interview, and the risks of challenging Musk’s persona. The conversation also examines Musk’s risk-taking, influence over Twitter and government, DOGE’s alleged performative cruelty, and the dangers of sensitive data being used for political messaging.
17 snips
Oct 8, 2026 • 29min
Inside Elon Musk's Midterm Spending Spree; What Is Effective Altruism Exactly?
Elon Musk’s America PAC pours millions into pivotal 2026 Senate races, raising questions about Silicon Valley’s political strategy. The conversation explores effective altruism, its influence on AI safety, and fears surrounding advanced AI. Plus, the backlash facing the designer behind Meta’s Muse logo, news fatigue, comfort viewing, and the literary quirks that spark irritation.
69 snips
Oct 6, 2026 • 36min
Kevin Roose Didn’t Use AI to Write His Book About AI
Kevin Roose, technology journalist, author, and co-host of Hard Fork, discusses his new book, The AGI Chronicles. He explores the rival visions of Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic, why AI leaders are racing toward dangerous systems, and the role of philosophy in AI labs. He also shares how he used AI for research and editing without letting it write the book.
40 snips
Oct 1, 2026 • 43min
Are AI Agents Worth the Risk? and Trump’s Pinky Swear AI Safety ‘Accord
A voluntary AI safety pact from the Trump administration sparks debate over self-regulation and political motives. OpenAI’s new consumer agent raises questions about privacy, convenience, and financial disruption. The discussion turns to AI colleagues, workplace accountability, and uncanny digital clones before surveying extremist candidates in key midterm races and the culture surrounding tech power.
34 snips
Sep 29, 2026 • 32min
There Is No ‘Existential Threat’ From AI Says Timnit Gebru
Timnit Gebru, computer scientist and founder of the Distributed AI Research Institute, challenges the AI apocalypse narrative. She discusses corporate influence, regulatory capture, and the dangers of language models that sound authoritative without understanding. The conversation explores data labor, environmental costs, deceptive marketing, and how collective action could shape a more accountable AI future.
27 snips
Sep 24, 2026 • 19min
Inside the Network of Anonymous Men Destroying Young Women's Lives
Ej Dickson, WIRED senior writer covering internet culture and online harassment, investigates the “burnerverse,” a shadowy network of anonymous sports-fan accounts targeting young women with non-consensual videos, doxing, and abuse. She traces Maddie Kowalski’s search for help, institutional betrayal, legal fight, and the wider community’s reach. A disturbing look at online humiliation and one woman’s effort to reclaim her story.
10 snips
Sep 22, 2026 • 35min
Patti Harrison Grew Up With Tech As Her North Star. Not Anymore
Patti Harrison, comedian, writer, and actor known for I Think You Should Leave and Shrill, joins for a candid conversation about the internet’s transformation from creative playground to rage-fueled slop factory. They explore addictive platforms, algorithmic confusion, AI’s darker promises, online harassment, and why live comedy may remain impossible to replicate.
86 snips
Sep 17, 2026 • 37min
What Would the AI Apocalypse Look Like? We Went Looking for Answers
What could an AI catastrophe actually look like? The discussion examines hacked power grids and water systems, AI-assisted bioweapons, and autonomous systems slipping beyond human control. It also explores competing safety messages from tech executives, present-day harms versus future doomsday fears, and the unlikely bipartisan alliance challenging AI’s growing power.
4 snips
Sep 15, 2026 • 34min
If the US Collapses Soon, Don’t Blame Emily St. John Mandel
Emily St. John Mandel, the Canadian novelist behind Station Eleven, The Glass Hotel, and Sea of Tranquility, discusses Exit Party’s dueling visions of America: militia-driven chaos and totalitarian rule. She explores identity, resilience, political change, and the fragile trust threatened by AI-generated misinformation. Mandel also recalls her path from dance and debt to literary success, pandemic-era fame, and the pressures of social media and book promotion.
