Rephonic
Artwork for Uncanny Valley

Uncanny Valley | WIRED

WIRED
Elon Musk
Openai
Artificial Intelligence
Silicon Valley
Trump Administration
Social Media
Generative AI
Doge
Department Of Government Efficiency
Mark Zuckerberg
Google
Cryptocurrency
Peter Thiel
Dating Apps
China
Chatgpt
NVIDIA
AI Agents
META
Tesla

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 be... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes477Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Uncanny Valley

Latest Episodes

This week, President Trump issued a new “morally binding” AI accord after a lunch meeting with tech executives, that basically says the AI labs are going to regulate themselves. We get into how a non-binding accord will affect AI safety. Plus — we’l... more

One of AI’s fiercest critics believes the doom talk is about founders making money, not saving humanity.

Check out the new WIRED app.

Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and bu... more

Last year, Maddie Kowalski was a regular sophomore attending the University of Florida. That is until one day, a series of anonymous accounts on X started proliferating explicit, non-consensual videos of her.

This week, Zoe sits down with WIRED’s se... more

Comedian Patti Harrison hates social media. She wishes she didn't have to use it at all. To her, the internet is a slop factory. One of her biggest concerns: intentionally created confusion meant to drive engagement online. So, Katie asks her why.

P... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
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.

Hard Fork
Hard ForkThe New York Times
The Vergecast
The VergecastThe Verge
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion

Recent Guests

Timnit Gebru
Founder and executive director of the DARE Institute; co-founder of Black in AI
DARE Institute; Black in AI
Episode: There Is No ‘Existential Threat’ From AI Says Timnit Gebru
Maddie Kowalski
A private citizen whose non-consensual images were circulated, leading to a campus-wide harassment campaign
Student, University of Florida
Episode: Inside the Network of Anonymous Men Destroying Young Women's Lives
Patti Harrison
Sensational comedy writer and performer
Episode: Patti Harrison Grew Up With Tech As Her North Star. Not Anymore
Sam Altman
CEO, OpenAI, discussions on pacing the frontier and safety
OpenAI
Episode: What Would the AI Apocalypse Look Like? We Went Looking for Answers
Dario Amodei
CEO, Anthropic, advocate for an international plan and regulation
Anthropic
Episode: What Would the AI Apocalypse Look Like? We Went Looking for Answers
Jensen Huang
CEO, NVIDIA, industry leader on AI infrastructure and safety considerations
NVIDIA
Episode: What Would the AI Apocalypse Look Like? We Went Looking for Answers
Emily St. John Mandel
Bestselling author
Author of Exit Party
Episode: If the US Collapses Soon, Don’t Blame Emily St. John Mandel
Rebecca Kutler
President of MS Now (MSNBC)
MS Now
Episode: MS NOW Wants to Turn Its Viewers Into a Fandom
Devin Stone
LegalEagle, YouTuber and Georgetown law professor introduced as Devin Stone
LegalEagle / Georgetown University
Episode: LegalEagle, the Internet’s Favorite Lawyer, Makes Sense of ‘Multiple Watergates per Week’ (Re-air)

Hosts

Zoë Schiffer
Host of Uncanny Valley; WIRED contributing editor
Brian Barrett
Executive/Host on Uncanny Valley; WIRED
Leah Feiger
Director of Politics and Science; WIRED

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • What happened? It’s all ads now?

    I used to love this podcast. Keeping up with the comings and goings in Silicon Valley and the effects of huge technology industries on personal lives was fascinating. But I was just listening to the episode with the interview of Rebecca Kutler. The first bad sign was our host saying she was going to read from the press release (which she “rarely” does), then proceeds to a verbatim reading of ad copy. She then lets Kutler wax commercially about the new offerings from MS-NOW. The offerings are gre... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    nutjob
    United States21 days ago
  • Zoë’s vocal fry

    It’s so hard to listen to the show with that level of vocal fry.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Smj2013
    Canadaa month ago
  • Can’t take the valley up-speak

    The ads (ads on other podcasts) for Uncanny Valley have better elocution than that of Uncanny Valley itself. So sophomoric. Too many “likes” every half sentence. I stopped using fillers like “like” in high school. How about some public speaking lessons?

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Refined Taster
    United States3 months ago
  • Great Podcast

    Great podcast, thoughtful reporting. I love Wired’s podcasts and tech coverage. It’s consistently great work and they talk about real things in a balanced way.

    Honestly, would probably be a paying subscriber for the magazine again except that Condé Nast makes it too hard to unsubscribe.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    amikins13
    United States3 months ago
  • Informative and entertaining

    The hosts are extremely knowledgeable about a wide range of tech development topics – even as they relate to domestic politics, and they are also surprisingly warm and even funny. I really appreciate their work!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Royce1629
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some critique tonal shifts and host interruptions in newer formats.
Audience values access to high-profile guests and practical insights into tech policy.
Listeners praise thorough reporting and balanced analysis.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#36
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#20
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#38
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#47
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#64
France/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#85
Germany/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Inside the Network of Anonymous Men Destroying Young Women's Lives
Q: Can you talk us through, like, what exactly is the Burnerverse? How is it organized? Who exactly is part of it?
The Burnerverse is a loosely organized, amorphous community of anonymous college sports burner accounts; while many are innocuous, a segment has emerged that is violently racist, misogynistic, and anti-Semitic, turning doxxing of women into a sport and making accountability difficult.
There Is No ‘Existential Threat’ From AI Says Timnit Gebru
Q: What governance steps do you think are most effective right now?
She points to five avenues outlined by Lina Khan: deceptive marketing practices enforcement, transparency and documentation of data sources, addressing labor exploitation of data workers, and leveraging existing regulations to hold companies accountable; she warns against relying on aspirational branding of AI as irreducible or unregulated.
What Would the AI Apocalypse Look Like? We Went Looking for Answers
Q: What are the three buckets of doomsday scenarios the guests propose?
The guests outline three buckets: AI starts hacking or acts autonomously and harms systems; AI enables or deploys bioweapons; and AI begins to operate in ways that go beyond human oversight, pursuing its own goals and potentially causing large-scale disruption.
Patti Harrison Grew Up With Tech As Her North Star. Not Anymore
Q: I want to talk to you about AI. Are there things that scare you creatively and artistically? I mean, does it come up in the context of your work?
Patti notes the realism AI can capture in irony, nuance, and humor, while worrying about how context and originality survive in an online landscape where authenticity is easily misrepresented; she emphasizes the importance of live, in-person performance for authentic connection.
So, Can AI Kill Us All?; Apple’s Foldable iPhone; the Census’ Bad Data Problem
Q: What keeps you up at night when you think about AI?
The concern is not just whether AI can do things but how quickly different labs push capabilities while incentives may misalign with long-term safety, especially around rogue agents and misaligned governance.

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 Uncanny Valley

What is Uncanny Valley about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program leans into the intersections of technology, policy, and culture, with frequent dives into AI strategy, regulation, and industry dynamics. Episodes mix high-profile interviews with reporters' on-the-ground analysis of tech power structures, governance, and the societal impact of digital life. A standout is the willingness to host influential policymakers, journalists, and industry insiders to unpack controversial topics—from AI policy and data-center politics to Hollywood's AI landscape and media ethics. Listeners can expect thorough reporting, candid perspectives from guests, and a balance of technical detail with broader societal context, making it valuable for professionals evaluating tech narratives, policy risks, and media ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Uncanny Valley?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Uncanny Valley. 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 Uncanny Valley and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Uncanny Valley get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Uncanny Valley, 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 Uncanny Valley?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Uncanny Valley, 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 Uncanny Valley have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Uncanny Valley 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 Uncanny Valley?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Uncanny Valley:

1. Hard Fork
2. Decoder with Nilay Patel
3. The Vergecast
4. The Political Scene | The New Yorker
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of Uncanny Valley are there?

Uncanny Valley launched 19 years ago and published 477 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 Uncanny Valley?

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 Uncanny Valley?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Uncanny Valley 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 Uncanny Valley?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Uncanny Valley. 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 Uncanny Valley?

Recent guests on Uncanny Valley include:

1. Timnit Gebru
2. Maddie Kowalski
3. Patti Harrison
4. Sam Altman
5. Dario Amodei
6. Jensen Huang
7. Emily St. John Mandel
8. Rebecca Kutler

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