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Artwork for Tech Won't Save Us

Tech Won't Save Us

Paris Marx
Elon Musk
Generative AI
Artificial Intelligence
Data Centers
Silicon Valley
Social Media
Openai
Microsoft
Digital Sovereignty
Tech Industry
Climate Change
Google
Donald Trump
Peter Thiel
Streaming Services
Technology
Spotify
Trump Administration
Fossil Fuels
United States

Silicon Valley wants to shape our future, but why should we let it? Every Thursday, Paris Marx is joined by a new guest to critically examine the tech industry, its big promises, and the people behind them. Tech Won’t Save Us challenges the notion that tech alone can drive our world forward by showing that separating tech from politics has consequences for us all, especially the most vulnerable. I... more

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Artwork for Tech Won't Save Us

Latest Episodes

Public ire toward AI keeps growing as the data center boom continues to hit people’s pockets. Chris Person joins Paris Marx to discuss the soaring cost of consumer electronics, including why prices are unlikely to fall anytime soon, and how people ca... more

YouTube

As tech companies race to build hyperscale data centers, communities are coming together to push back. Saul Levin joins Paris Marx to discuss how rising opposition to data center construction is uniting people across party lines and prompting broader... more

YouTube

The Canadian government is going all in on AI, without understanding the real effects of the technology. Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood joins Paris Marx to discuss Mark Carney’s push for large-scale investment in AI, despite being unable to describe how ad... more

YouTube

The Uber model is finally coming for healthcare. Katie J. Wells joins Paris Marx to discuss how much the healthcare gig apps resemble Uber’s rollout, why they aren’t being properly regulated, and the effects they’re having on staff and patients alike... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Saul Levin
Community organizer and host of The Hum
The Hum; data center activist campaigns
Episode: Data Center Opposition is Uniting Communities w/ Saul Levin
Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood
Senior researcher and political economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Episode: Canada’s Government is Rushing AI Adoption w/ Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood
Katie J. Wells
Senior Fellow at the AI Now Institute
AI Now Institute
Episode: Silicon Valley Is Turning Nurses Into Gig Workers w/ Katie J. Wells
Sean O'Kane
Senior reporter, TechCrunch
TechCrunch
Episode: The SpaceX IPO Gives Elon Musk Even More Power w/ Sean O’Kane
Tom Mullaney
High school social studies teacher in Philadelphia suburbs, writer on AI in education
Independent educator/writer
Episode: Do Chatbots Really Belong in Schools? w/ Tom Mullaney
Will Dunn
Business editor at The New Statesman, analyzed UK government AI adoption
The New Statesman
Episode: The UK Government’s AI Obsession is a Big Risk w/ Will Dunn
Ben Tarnoff
Writer and technologist, author of Internet for the People
Author, Muskism; University of Massachusetts? (not specified)
Episode: Muskism is the New Fordism w/ Ben Tarnoff & Quinn Slobodian
Quinn Slobodian
Professor of international history, author of Crack-Up Capitalism and Hayek's Bastards
Boston University
Episode: Muskism is the New Fordism w/ Ben Tarnoff & Quinn Slobodian
Dara Kerr
Tech reporter at The Guardian (US)
The Guardian US
Episode: Cybertrucks Are a Safety Disaster w/ Dara Kerr

Host

Paris Marx
Host of the show; primary moderator guiding critical discussions on tech, policy, and society.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 2.8k ratings
  • Well rounded and well researched

    The podcast does a great job picking a variety of topics in the tech industry and the guest is always well informed on the topic. Paris does a great job as a host, bringing good knowledge about the topic but also curiosity and truly engaging in the conversation.

    This had been a great add to my podcast rotation list!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    maxandthepurpledinos
    Canadaa month ago
  • Real information

    Amazing podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jesseb1
    United States2 months ago
  • By the

    B Iuv ok v Eg S Cube Ted I king no job CD free iurs red set

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    If HR d
    Australia2 months ago
  • Pause Words

    Explanation for 2 Stars: Here’s the thing. The reporting is solid. The insights are solid.

    Paris Marx says “Y’know” SO OFTEN it’s distracting enough I had to turn it off. It became an unwilling drinking game that would have sent anyone to the ER within the first 10 minutes.

    If Marx could do any work whatsoever to get his pause words under control, or at least let AI edit them out, and subsequently spare me an aggregate 9 minutes per podcast he’s saying “Y’know” I think I’d actually enjoy the s... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    TwitchyMcKid
    United States2 months ago
  • Ignorant, champagne-socialist yapping

    No nuance, no curiosity, dogmatic and boring. How to make tech serve society is a the question of our time, but this pod does not even try to answer.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Mkraft99
    Norway2 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Regular listeners describe it as essential for understanding tech policy beyond hype.
Thoughtful, well-researched criticism of tech hype and corporate power.
Some listeners critique pacing and host pauses, but praise depth and rigor.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#68
United States/Technology
Spotify
#48
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#22
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#38
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#62
Germany/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#63
Australia/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Prediction Markets Want to Financialize Everything w/ Jathan Sadowski
Q: What are the potential societal risks of these markets?
They can incentivize insider information, influence media and public discourse, and transform opinions into tradable assets, which may undermine trust and exacerbate social inequalities.
Prediction Markets Want to Financialize Everything w/ Jathan Sadowski
Q: What are prediction markets and why are they becoming mainstream?
They are markets that trade contracts on the likelihood of future events, expanding beyond sports into politics, culture, and economics, driven by a combination of historical precedents and rapid venture-capital-backed growth.
The UK Government’s AI Obsession is a Big Risk w/ Will Dunn
Q: What are the biggest risks if AI-driven governance becomes entrenched?
The conversation centers on vendor lock-in, sovereignty concerns, potential erosion of state capacity, and the possibility that AI could steer decision-making away from traditional democratic processes, making policy outcomes heavily dependent on external tech ecosystems.
The UK Government’s AI Obsession is a Big Risk w/ Will Dunn
Q: What are the concrete implementations of AI in the British state that you've seen up to now?
Dunn highlights uses from automating speechwriting and drafting parliamentary documents to assisting in spending reviews, with some tools aiding journalists and students, while stressing that these implementations often come with safeguards or caveats and some are based on software not housed within the UK.
The UK Government’s AI Obsession is a Big Risk w/ Will Dunn
Q: So the Conservatives had already taken a position on AI, and Labour arrived in power in 2024. How did the political context influence the UK's AI adoption plan?
Will Dunn explains that the takeover by Labour intensified existing momentum, while the shadow of earlier Conservative actions, safety commitments, and high-profile tech lobbying helped normalize rapid adoption across departments, creating a sense of inevitability about integrating AI into government operations.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About Tech Won't Save Us

What is Tech Won't Save Us about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program consistently analyzes how tech industry power intersects with politics, policy, labor, and society. Episodes center on critical examinations of prediction markets, AI governance, corporate accountability, and the geopolitical dimensions of technology. A common thread is challenging techno-utopian claims and highlighting consequences for workers, communities, and democratic processes, often through historical context, investigative reporting, and scholarly critique. Notably, guests range from university scholars to investigative reporters and authors who scrutinize Silicon Valley, digital capitalism, and state techno-sociopolitical dynamics, offering listeners a rigorous, left-leaning lens on contemporary tech and its broader im... more

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1. This Machine Kills
2. Better Offline
3. The 404 Media Podcast
4. TRASHFUTURE
5. Kill The Computer

How many episodes of Tech Won't Save Us are there?

Tech Won't Save Us launched 6 years ago and published 351 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Tech Won't Save Us?

Recent guests on Tech Won't Save Us include:

1. Saul Levin
2. Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood
3. Katie J. Wells
4. Sean O'Kane
5. Tom Mullaney
6. Will Dunn
7. Ben Tarnoff
8. Quinn Slobodian

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