Rephonic
Artwork for Better Offline
Openai
Generative AI
Artificial Intelligence
NVIDIA
Microsoft
Tech Industry
Anthropic
Venture Capital
Consumer Electronics Show
Chatgpt
Google
Data Centers
Softbank
Meta
Robotics
Sam Altman
Oracle
Technology
CES 2025
Las Vegas

Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build.

Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes an... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes265Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Better Offline

Latest Episodes

In this week's Better Offline monologue, Ed Zitron runs through how Anthropic and OpenAI’s revenue growth is decelerating, and how OpenAI’s pause on model development and collapsing economics create the very real possibility it could collapse.

EDITO... more

In this episode, Ed Zitron is joined by Steve Burke of GamersNexus to talk about the increasingly-delusional promises of the AI semiconductors industry, the rotten economics of LLMs, and how everything is becoming more frantic and desperate as we rea... more

YouTube

In this week's Better Offline, Ed is joined by comedian Chloe Radcliffe and critic Ed Ongweso Jr. to talk about AI’s attempts to interfere with the creative arts, horrible little robots, Mark Zuckerberg’s terrible AI essay, and why we can’t respect p... more

YouTube

In this week's Better Offline monologue, Ed Zitron runs through NVIDIA’s entirely-theoretical $500 billion AI infrastructure partnership with various asset managers, all to keep up with analyst expectations that it will make more than $1.6 trillion i... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Kill The Computer
Kill The Computermail@killthecomputer.com
It Could Happen Here
It Could Happen HereCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Behind the Bastards
Behind the BastardsCool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Weird Little Guys
Weird Little GuysiHeartPodcasts and Cool Zone Media

Recent Guests

Ed Elson
Prof G Markets, frequent contributor on tech markets and AI economics
Prof G Markets
Episode: The AI Demand Bubble with Ed Elson
Nik Suresh
writer and consultant
Episode: AI Mania Is Eviscerating Global Decision-Making w/ Nik Suresh
Katherine Long
Wall Street Journal reporter
Wall Street Journal
Episode: The WSJ On Polymarket's Questionable Ads
Caitlin Ostroff
Wall Street Journal reporter
Wall Street Journal
Episode: The WSJ On Polymarket's Questionable Ads
Cory Doctorow
Writer, activist, and Clarion West instructor; founder/longtime advocate for digital rights
Electronic Frontier Foundation (past)
Episode: CZM Rewind: Cory Doctorow and Ed Zitron on Enshittification and the Rot Economy
Cal Newport
Commsci professor and commentator
Boston College (assumed based on common bio)
Episode: Cal Newport on Mythos and Anthropomorphization
Adam Becker
Author of More, Everything Forever; journalist and astrophysicist
Author/Journalist
Episode: More, Everything, Forever With Adam Becker
Ronan Farrow
Correspondent from The New Yorker who co-authored a major piece on Sam Altman
The New Yorker
Episode: Investigating Altman With Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz
Andrew Marantz
Writer for The New Yorker with background on tech and big tech reporting
The New Yorker
Episode: Investigating Altman With Ronan Farrow and Andrew Marantz

Host

Ed Zitron
Host of Better Offline; tech industry veteran with a focus on accountability and scrutiny of AI, big tech, and venture-backed narratives.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 2.8k ratings
  • Decent, needs to get away from iheart

    I do appreciate the podcast and ed’s research into the financial ouroborous that is the genAI industry, however I find him repeating his points a *lot* over all his episodes and articles. Several episodes exist to make the same point.

    The other issue is iheart. CZM is cool (it’s in the name) but hearing ads for AI services (including one that does investing based on an AI prompt) makes it feel hypocritical. I know we all need to make money but I feel like a patreon would be best here.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    RamblingTurian
    United States2 months ago
  • Help Computer

    Listening to Ed Zitron is like watching a disabled person juggling chainsaws. Sure, it’s damn impressive, but the sinking feeling of watching a person exploit themselves for the sake of entertainment leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    pike.spade
    Germany2 months ago
  • Good stuff, but such long ads

    I enjoy this podcast but the ads are out of control. 3+ minutes long even on short monologue episodes. I blame iHeartPodcasts.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    FiddlesPlay
    United States2 months ago
  • EZ is refreshing

    EZ says all the stuff everyone is “secretly” thinking in tech if they have half a brain or do math or communicate with other humans. Much appreciated EZ.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MattMcLaren88
    United States2 months ago
  • Brilliant

    Brilliant analyses Ed, thank you for sharing your findings.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Obi-IBANkanobi
    Germany2 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Critics note the host's aggressive style but acknowledge the provocative, thought-provoking analysis.
Some praise the guest diversity and depth of industry context.
Listeners appreciate the data-driven skepticism and willingness to challenge hype around AI.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

AI Mania Is Eviscerating Global Decision-Making w/ Nik Suresh
Q: What dynamics in the boardroom push companies to adopt AI even when it isn't clearly beneficial?
Boards and executives feel coordinated pressure from peers, investors, and job security fears; admitting doubt about AI can feel career-threatening, so many push forward with AI initiatives despite weak strategic rationale.
AI Mania Is Eviscerating Global Decision-Making w/ Nik Suresh
Q: The piece argues that AI investments are generally failures; can you break down why that happens in plain terms?
Because AI is being treated as a universal fix rather than a tool to address a specific bottleneck, executives overinvest in generalized promises and ignore the actual, narrow business problems that would benefit from targeted AI applications.
The WSJ On Polymarket's Questionable Ads
Q: What are the regulatory implications discussed in the episode?
There is ongoing or suspected regulatory scrutiny (CFTC investigation) into Polymarket, while Kalshi has pursued US-regulated status; the episode notes a broader regulatory vacuum affecting prediction markets and advertising truth standards.
The WSJ On Polymarket's Questionable Ads
Q: How did the researchers uncover that these were fake, and what clued you in to the true nature of the site?
The team cross-referenced a database of Polymarket trades and noticed discrepancies; a clue came from the URL of a fake site (POIYMarket) found in one creator's video, which helped distinguish fake sites from the real Polymarket.
The WSJ On Polymarket's Questionable Ads
Q: Okay, walk me through exactly what Polymarket was doing with these influencers and what they were paying for.
The influencers produced videos showing bets and profits on a simulated Polymarket-like site, but the bets and the platform were fake, meaning the wins were often not real and the website was not Polymarket.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Better Offline

What is Better Offline about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A sharp, opinionated tech-focused program that consistently challenges the profitability and public narratives around AI, big tech, and venture-backed hype. Across episodes, the host and guests dissect the economic incentives, governance, and societal impact of Silicon Valley's growth-at-all-costs mindset, often pairing data-driven critique with provocative storytelling and bold takes. Noteworthy aspects include frequent fielding of insider anecdotes, policy-oriented angles on antitrust and regulation, and a confrontational, unapologetic delivery that appeals to listeners seeking a candid counterpoint to tech industry cheerleading. The show often features guests from technology policy, journalism, and industry critique, making it a potentia... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Better Offline?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Better Offline. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Better Offline and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Better Offline get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Better Offline, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Better Offline?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Better Offline, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Better Offline have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Better Offline has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Better Offline?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Better Offline:

1. Kill The Computer
2. Tech Won't Save Us
3. It Could Happen Here
4. Behind the Bastards
5. Weird Little Guys

How many episodes of Better Offline are there?

Better Offline launched 3 years ago and published 265 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Better Offline?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Better Offline?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Better Offline from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Better Offline?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Better Offline. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Better Offline?

Recent guests on Better Offline include:

1. Ed Elson
2. Nik Suresh
3. Katherine Long
4. Caitlin Ostroff
5. Cory Doctorow
6. Cal Newport
7. Adam Becker
8. Ronan Farrow

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days