Rephonic
Artwork for Decoder

Decoder with Nilay Patel

The Verge
Artificial Intelligence
Openai
Google
Generative AI
Elon Musk
Microsoft
Donald Trump
Trump Administration
Tiktok
Healthcare
Amazon
Private Equity
Anthropic
AI Agents
Youtube
First Amendment
Tesla
Chatgpt
The Verge
Content Moderation

Decoder is a show from The Verge about big ideas — and other problems. Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to a diverse cast of innovators and policymakers at the frontiers of business and technology to reveal how they’re navigating an ever-changing landscape, what keeps them up at night, and what it all means for our shared future.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes937Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessTechnology

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Artwork for Decoder

Latest Episodes

Musk v Altman was nominally about OpenAI's conversion to a for-profit entity, and how it went about that change. But really, the suit seems mostly to have been about Elon Musk being mad at Sam Altman — or at OpenAI, for being successful without him —... more

Just days before we spoke, BuzzFeed co-founder and CEO Jonah Peretti agreed to sell the company, which was losing money and at risk of shutting down. Now there’s a new lease on life — and new leadership. Jonah is taking on a new role as president of ... more

Brendan Ballou is founder of the Public Integrity Project and author of the new book,  When Companies Run the Courts, about the rise of forced arbitration.

Forced arbitration is similarly everywhere in modern life, and there have been some very high... more

My guest today is longtime friend of the show Joanna Stern. You all know Joanna: she is the former senior personal technology columnist for The Wall Street Journal, a former Decoder guest host, one of my co-founders at The Verge, and also just one of... more

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Recent Guests

Adam Dubay
Associate professor of learning sciences at McGill University, co-lead of the McGill Collaborative for AI and Society
McGill University
Episode: Rewind: How AI is fueling an existential crisis in education
Evie May
Instructional designer at a small college in Michigan
Unknown small college (Michigan)
Episode: Rewind: How AI is fueling an existential crisis in education
Anne Rubenstein
Historian and professor of history at York University
York University
Episode: Rewind: How AI is fueling an existential crisis in education
Todd Harper
Professor of Game Design at the University of Baltimore
University of Baltimore
Episode: Rewind: How AI is fueling an existential crisis in education
Jennifer Scanlon
CEO of UL Solutions
UL Solutions
Episode: That UL safety logo is a lot more complicated than it looks
Satya Nadella
Microsoft CEO (mentioned as a guest in the episode)
Microsoft
Episode: THE PEOPLE DO NOT YEARN FOR AUTOMATION
Melanie Perkins
Founder and CEO of Canva
Canva
Episode: Canva's CEO on its big pivot to AI enterprise software
Ronan Farrow
Investigative reporter and The New Yorker contributor
The New Yorker
Episode: Ronan Farrow on Sam Altman's "unconstrained" relationship with the truth
Sarah Personette
CEO of Puck
Puck
Episode: Can Puck’s CEO reinvent the news business for the influencer age?

Host

Nilay Patel
Editor-in-Chief of The Verge, known for his engaging interviews with decision-makers across technology and business, aiming to uncover deeper societal insights and implications.

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 5.5k ratings
  • Not Just For Techbros!!

    A podcast that talks about tech with normal people in mind? Who would have imagined such a thing could exist. It is refreshing to hear talk about tech take the social world into account instead of pretending it doesn’t exist. This podcast gives a way better perspective than most tech podcasts. The hosts care about “why” questions and not just bootlicking for billionaires

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    northshorestalker
    United States18 days ago
  • Great podcast delving into the intricacies of tech and business!

    Amazing and informative podcast. Please update the thumbnail resolution of the ad-free version!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sajiberjaber
    United Statesa month ago
  • Identify?

    Very timely excellent interview. Our nonprofit is currently evaluating

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BalayAdvisory
    United States2 months ago
  • Satisfying

    It’s incredibly satisfying to watch Nilay hold tech leaders accountable while delivering real journalism on the most important tech developments of this era. Truly a refreshing approach to get to the bottom of critical issues, and avoid the classic canned talking points. Excellent conversation, journalism, and tech reporting.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    estuhldreher
    United States2 months ago
  • Superhuman=gross

    Listening to the CEO weasel around being caught dead to rights trying to exploit real journalists without compensation and while misleading users is disgusting.

    All these AI shills are just acting without any responsibility or thought beyond “make me money, AI”

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    0xbeepBoop
    United States2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

The host is noted for being engaging and bringing out insightful perspectives from guests.
Some feedback indicates a desire for less political commentary and more focus on technology-related content.
Listeners appreciate the enlightening discussions that explore the connections between technology and societal issues.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#156
United States/Business
Apple Podcasts
#80
Canada/Business
Apple Podcasts
#123
United Kingdom/Business
Apple Podcasts
#137
Australia/Business
Apple Podcasts
#154
Germany/Business
Apple Podcasts
#54
Netherlands/Business

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Joanna Stern is not a robot, but she lived with them
Q: Why did you choose YouTube as your primary distribution, and how does NBC fit into that strategy?
YouTube offers scale and direct access to audiences, but NBC provides reach to a different, more traditional audience; the goal is to balance monetization with impact by combining subscriptions, sponsorships, and events with NBC's distribution.
Joanna Stern is not a robot, but she lived with them
Q: Walk me through that. Tell me about this business a little bit.
New Things is a newsletter, video, events, and an evolving media company that aims to guide people through tech with engaging storytelling while reaching broader audiences beyond the early adopter crowd, including partnerships with traditional media.
How to win — or lose — Decoder
Q: How do you think about the tension between journalism and entertainment in interviews with tech leaders?
We try to balance tough questions with fair treatment, using accountability as a feature of the show rather than a gimmick, and we believe this honesty benefits both the audience and the guests.
Dara Khosrowshahi on replacing Uber drivers — and himself — with AI
Q: Why trust computers to make policy-like determinations for customer service instead of relying solely on human judgment?
Because the model can learn from the population as a whole and be more trackable and tunable than individual humans, while allowing contextual outcomes that reflect real-world conditions, not just static rules.
Dara Khosrowshahi on replacing Uber drivers — and himself — with AI
Q: So last year on Decoder, I asked how you make decisions, and you talked about one-way doors and two-way doors. Has your fundamental framework changed with these new AI-driven bets?
The fundamental framework hasn't changed, but we're pushing the company toward smart risk-taking and larger-scale bets, accepting that some will fail while others will deliver exponential value, especially in areas like autonomous driving and platform expansion.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About Decoder

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

Exploring the intersections of technology and business, this podcast features in-depth conversations with key figures from various sectors, including innovators and policymakers. Episodes delve into topical issues such as automation, the evolving tech industry, privacy concerns, and the challenges surrounding AI. Beyond surface-level discussions, the host engages guests in critical dialogues that illuminate broader societal implications, making the content not only informative but also thought-provoking on pressing global issues. This focus on substantial themes separates it from more casual tech discussions, appealing to those keen on understanding the deeper layers of technological advancement and its impacts.

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Which podcasts are similar to Decoder?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Decoder:

1. The Vergecast
2. Version History
3. Hard Fork
4. Channels with Peter Kafka
5. Pivot

How many episodes of Decoder are there?

Decoder launched 11 years ago and published 937 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 Decoder?

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 Decoder?

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

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What guests have appeared on Decoder?

Recent guests on Decoder include:

1. Adam Dubay
2. Evie May
3. Anne Rubenstein
4. Todd Harper
5. Jennifer Scanlon
6. Satya Nadella
7. Melanie Perkins
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.

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