The Rip Current

In today’s Deep Cut, we look at the strange, repeating pattern of civilizations wildly overbuilding their infrastructure because they’re sure the future depends on it. Tulsa, Oklahoma once built a highway grid for millions who never arrived. Britain in the 1840s poured money into rail lines that didn’t need to exist. And now the world’s biggest tech companies are spending trillions on AI data centers—some even talking openly about building them in space.I trace the logic behind this frenzy, from rising AI capex to the dream of limitless solar energy in orbit, and contrast it with the uncomfortable reality: much of today’s demand is artificially subsidized by the companies creating it. Along the way we revisit the Kardashev Scale, the pollution math of rocket launches, and the enduring human delusion that if we can build it, it should be built.The Rip Current by Jacob Ward is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.History shows what happens when infrastructure outpaces actual need. Today’s AI buildout has all the ingredients for another chapter in that saga. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theripcurrent.substack.com/subscribe

Good morning — it’s Monday, November 17th, and today’s “Map” traces the forces shaping the week ahead in tech, money, and global politics.We start with something rare: Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway quietly taking a $4.9 billion stake in Alphabet — one of the last and most unusual moves of his career, and a signal about where the long-term AI value is consolidating.On the other side of the chessboard, Peter Thiel just sold his entire ~$100 million stake in Nvidia, a move that raises questions about timing, crowd psychology, and what it means when a legendary contrarian (among many, many other things) decides the party’s over.I also pull from a conversation I moderated last week with consular officials and regulators from across Asia, where the loudest concern was simple: English-centric AI is failing the rest of the world. Meta’s new Omnilingual ASR model may change that — if they can turn 1,600 supported languages into something the world can actually use.Then we take a detour to Moscow, where Russia’s heavily hyped new humanoid robot walked onstage looking… well… drunk, and promptly face-planted so hard its panels fell off. It’s an unintentionally honest reminder that the dream of a helpful general-purpose humanoid remains firmly in the realm of wishful thinking in spite of the nifty prototypes being trotted out each week.Finally, we look ahead to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to the White House, along with a package that includes $600 billion in investment, AI technology access, and a civilian nuclear deal — all coming at a time when AI-driven energy demand is exploding past America’s power capacity, and MBS’s people clearly know it.The Rip Current by Jacob Ward is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.The theme cutting through all of this is simple:AI capital flows are steering the global agenda.Not the products, not the startups — the money. A third of America’s GDP growth last year came solely from AI infrastructure spending, and the upcoming Nvidia earnings call this week will tell us whether this frenzy is accelerating or hitting turbulence.This week, we’ll watch the intersection of investment, policy, and power — and tomorrow, we’ll dive deep into one story that explains where all this is headed. Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theripcurrent.substack.com/subscribe

Are we ready to take on the tech titans? Sacha Haworth thinks maybe—just maybe—we finally are. The head of the Tech Oversight Project joins me this week to talk about the pervasive influence of Big Tech on our lives, and why recognizing a growing allergy to that influence is becoming a centerpiece of political strategy. We discuss the public’s growing concerns over privacy, children’s addiction to technology, and the economic and environmental effects of tech companies’ big AI plans on local communities. Sacha shares insights on political will and the bipartisan potential to regulate and hold big tech accountable, and the court cases and regulatory moves she’ll be watching most closely in 2026 and beyond.The Rip Current by Jacob Ward is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.00:00 Introduction: The Growing Influence of Tech00:22 The Rip Current: Exploring Big Tech’s Impact01:05 Guest Introduction: Sasha Hayworth01:38 Election Insights: Tech’s Role in Political Wins02:43 Tech and Economic Issues in Elections03:35 The Rise of Data Centers and Their Impact06:29 Personal Journey: From Policy School to Tech Oversight10:41 The Tech Oversight Project: Mission and Goals11:46 Shaping the Narrative: Tech in Politics17:22 The Politics of Tech: Power and Influence22:03 Economic Speculation and the Tech Bubble28:36 Future Vision: The Impact of AI and Tech31:22 The Impact of Job Loss and Tax Incentives32:39 AI’s Influence on Young Minds34:49 Parental Concerns and Legislative Efforts40:28 The Dark Side of Chatbots49:03 Section 230 and Legal Protections01:00:56 Political Will and Bipartisan Efforts01:03:43 Conclusion and Call to Action This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theripcurrent.substack.com/subscribe

This week I speak with Michael Bolden, the new Dean of the UC Berkeley Journalism School, about his personal journey from Mobile, Alabama, to leading one of the country’s top journalism schools. We agree — because of course — on the philosophical importance of journalism, but it’s the complications brought by AI and media technology, and the rise of influencer culture, where things get complicated. Bolden emphasizes the necessity of adapting journalism education to future demands, including the incorporation of AI and influencer collaborations, and together we try to sort out how to bring together the best of this new, open world of information and the old world of true expertise and editorial rigor.00:00 Introduction: The Impact of Personal Background on Journalism00:29 The State of Journalism Today01:07 Challenges Facing Modern Journalism02:27 Introducing Michael Bolden: A Career in Journalism03:56 Michael Bolden’s Early Life and Influences07:17 The Importance of Representation in Journalism14:04 Navigating Professional Challenges19:53 The Future of Journalism Education27:31 The Evolving Role of Journalists28:53 The Decline of Traditional Media33:38 The Rise of Influencers and Independent Journalists38:32 Political Influence and Media Ownership47:25 AI and the Future of Journalism57:12 Innovative Journalism Models59:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theripcurrent.substack.com/subscribe

Jesse Damiani, whose newsletter Reality Studies unpacks emerging philosophical questions around technology, had me on his Urgent Futures podcast last week for an hour-plus conversation about the state of A.I., and where my 2022 book The Loop got it right and got it wrong. The Rip Current by Jacob Ward is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theripcurrent.substack.com/subscribe

AI is about to create an epidemic of addiction in this country and around the world, according to Zachary Gidwitz, founder of OpenRecovery. Could it also be our best shot at fighting back? In this episode of The Rip Current, I discuss the growing issue of addiction in America and the potential for AI tools to combat it with Gidwitz. Together we get into the rise of various forms of addiction, from fentanyl and gambling to social media and pornography. Gidwitz shares his vision of using AI not to replace human therapists but to guide individuals towards real human connection and effective recovery programs. He stresses the importance of tailoring interventions to individual needs and avoiding one-size-fits-all approaches. The conversation also explores the ethical considerations and challenges in using AI for such sensitive applications, emphasizing the need for transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Addiction is coming, team. Here’s hoping conversations like this can help get us out in front of it.00:00 The Rising Wave of Addiction02:18 Introducing Zachary Gidwitz and Open Recovery02:38 Understanding Behavioral Change and Recovery05:46 Personal Stories of Addiction07:56 The Role of AI in Addiction Recovery18:16 Challenges and Ethical Considerations30:15 Facing Investor Skepticism31:02 Mission-Driven Challenges32:31 AI and Behavioral Change33:42 The Role of Technology in Recovery35:23 Spiritual Solutions and Community36:52 Companion vs. Monitoring Tools38:51 AI’s Role in Addiction Recovery48:37 Cultural Differences in Addiction Recovery57:52 Ethical Considerations and Data Sensitivity01:01:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theripcurrent.substack.com/subscribe

My recent trip to Brazil happened to coincide with the trial of former president Jair Bolsonaro, and ever since I’ve been looking for the right person to explain how it is that a former military dictatorship is now the kind of democracy that actually brings a former leader to account. In this episode, Cristina Tardaguila, founder of the fact-checking organization Lupa, describes the rise and conviction of former President Jair Bolsonaro, the impact of misinformation, and the growing (and now perhaps unstoppable) influence of China and Russia in Brazil. Cristina shares insights into the creation and evolution of Lupa, the complexities of Brazilian democracy, and the economic and political dynamics shaping the nation’s complicated future.00:00 US Diplomacy and Brazil’s Geopolitical Landscape02:17 Introduction to Lupa and Cristina Tardaguila02:48 The Rise of Fact-Checking in Brazil05:09 Global Populism and Bolsonaro’s Influence07:02 The Hate Cabinet and Techno-Populism10:56 Lupa’s Evolution and Business Model12:58 COVID-19 and the Fight Against Misinformation16:46 The Why of Disinformation27:12 Bolsonaro’s Political Journey and Impact33:52 The Aftermath of January 8th, 202334:40 Reflecting on the Insurrection41:25 The Trial and Conviction of Bolsonaro47:56 Brazil’s Political Future51:49 China’s Influence in Brazil59:48 Conclusion and Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theripcurrent.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Rumman Chowdhury, an AI ethicist and founder of Humane Intelligence, sheds light on the dangers of AI pessimism that can empower powerful corporations. She discusses her unique background in political science and quantitative social sciences to explore algorithmic bias and the myth of mathematical neutrality in AI. Rumman emphasizes the need for user agency, the complexities of ethical AI, and the importance of collective action over individual heroics. Her insights challenge listeners to reclaim their agency in the tech landscape.

When I first came on his show, Andrew Keen took a dim view of my ideas about how we might fight back against the psychological effects of AI in my 2022 book The Loop, and to be honest: he was right. The “how to fight back” section of the book was thin, largely because I was hanging (and still hang) so much of my hopes on the idea that the courts will save us. So I asked him if he’d like to revisit our conversation on his show, and he graciously agreed. Here’s how it went!The Rip Current by Jacob Ward is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theripcurrent.substack.com/subscribe

AI ethics consultant Olivia Gambelin has been fighting to make her clients in Silicon Valley understand that good ethics are good business, and to make regulators in Europe see that good business can also have good ethics. It’s a tough gig. Gambelin, who advises both AI companies in Silicon Valley and regulators in Brussels, talks techno-solutionism, the challenges of implementing ethical AI practices when there’s always that one evangelist in the room trying to go too far too fast, and her worries about what she considers the top truly unacceptable category of AI product out there today.The Rip Current by Jacob Ward is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.00:00 Introduction to Techno Solutionism00:44 Meet Olivia Gambelin: AI Ethics Consultant01:56 Olivia’s Journey: From Bay Area to Brussels08:19 The Role of Ethical Intelligence14:38 Challenges in AI Implementation21:50 The Future of AI in the Workplace32:51 Introduction to AI Regulation in Brussels34:05 Cultural Differences in AI Regulation36:29 Challenges in European AI Literacy38:32 Behavioral Science and AI Manipulation44:22 Ethics in AI: Business vs. Regulation51:17 The Need for AI Regulation in the US56:00 Ethical Boundaries in AI Applications01:00:53 Positive Applications of AI01:05:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theripcurrent.substack.com/subscribe