Better Offline
Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcastsBetter 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
| Publishes | Daily | Episodes | 247 | Founded | 2 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Category | Technology | |||
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Latest Episodes
In this week’s Better Offline, Ed talks with computer science professor and writer Cal Newport about AI companies “doom trolling” consumers using scary stories about conscious computers, and how we need to make fun of the scare-mongering and ridicule... more
In a special exclusive episode of Better Offline, Ed Zitron digs into the audited financials of OpenAI from 2024 and 2025.
Companion newsletter: www.wheresyoured.at/exclusive-openai-financials/
Save $10 off a year of my premium newsletter: https:/... more
Tech's hyper-growth era is ending, with online 100 million new people getting online between 2022 and 2023, and almost every major web platform seeing a decline in growth since 2021. In this episode, Ed Zitron walks you through how tech's decline is ... more
In this week's Better Offline monologue, Ed Zitron runs you through how the “does AI have ROI?” debate is coming at the worst possible time for two companies that can’t afford to slow down thanks to their $1.1 trillion in compute commitments.
Newsle... more
Key Facts
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Recent Guests
Host
Reviews
- 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 Podcasts5MattMcLaren88
United States6 days ago - Brilliant
Brilliant analyses Ed, thank you for sharing your findings.
Apple Podcasts5Obi-IBANkanobi
Germany16 days ago - Rationale voice is a clown show world
I enjoy Ed’s approach to scrutinizing the claims of the tech industry, especially AI. I’m glad there’s a rationale voice in those world to call out all the AI hypesters! PS I find it amusing that some episodes start with AI advertising.
I do wish he were a bit more pragmatic though as there are a lot of folks who can probably benefit from his information (since he’s one of the only ones sharing this) but may be put off by some of his attacks against people instead of ideas (like attacking all m... more
Apple Podcasts4RHM444United States25 days ago - Skepticism is good but the repetitiveness gets old
I have to use LLMs as part of my work, and understand the technology pretty well, as far as any skeptically minded generalist computer idiot can. Honestly, the tools are not as terrible as what is done to force them down our throats, or the lies told in service of promoting them. I respect Ed's perspective, and it's fun to listen to the occasional rant, but hearing the same message repeated in the extremely similar words from episode to episode gets tiresome. We need critical thinking, we need s... more
Apple Podcasts4sdmoutonUnited Statesa month ago - Better not talk to people who don’t agree with you
Ed sort of falls apart when he talks to people who don’t agree with him. So long as he’s on here or the Tech Report he’s fine but when he talks to an informed AI expert his ad hominem attacks and sarcastic comebacks (which he repeats day after day “Really Jensen?!!”) etc show him to be a light weight. Check out Karen Hao instead she’s actually done the work.
Apple Podcasts1Bunny CubUnited Statesa month ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Spotify | #13 | United States/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #17 | United States/Technology |
Spotify | #10 |  United Kingdom/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #10 |  Canada/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #10 | United Kingdom/Technology |
Spotify | #14 |  Australia/Technology |
Talking Points
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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
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How many listeners does Better Offline get?
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How many subscribers and views does Better Offline have?
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Which podcasts are similar to Better Offline?
These podcasts share a similar audience with Better Offline:
1. Tech Won't Save Us
2. It Could Happen Here
3. Kill The Computer
4. Weird Little Guys
5. Behind the Bastards
How many episodes of Better Offline are there?
Better Offline launched 2 years ago and published 247 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?
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What guests have appeared on Better Offline?
Recent guests on Better Offline include:
1. Steve Burke
2. Cory Doctorow
3. Cal Newport
4. Adam Becker
5. Ronan Farrow
6. Andrew Marantz
7. Paul Kedrosky
8. Rebecca Ungarino
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.