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This Machine Kills

This Machine Kills
Artificial Intelligence
Silicon Valley
Capitalism
Climate Change
Openai
Elon Musk
Trump Administration
Political Economy
China
Microsoft
Surveillance
Amazon
Google
Gaza
Military Technology
Labor Rights
Forensic Pseudoscience
Extractive Capitalism
Fossil Fuels
Venture Capital

A podcast about technology and political economy /// Agitprop against innovation and capital /// Hosted by Jathan Sadowski and Edward Ongweso Jr., Produced by Jereme Brown /// Hello friends and enemies Listen anywhere that fine podcasts are distributed. Subscribe at patreon.com/thismachinekills to get premium episodes every week.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes492Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

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Artwork for This Machine Kills

Latest Episodes

We’re joined by Nik Suresh, director of Hermit Tech and excellent blogger on the software industry. You might know Nik for an incredible essay he wrote a couple years ago about piledriving anybody who mentions AI. Well he’s back at it with another gr... more

First we get into a very circular (the strongest shape in nature) deal between Nvidia, OpenAI, and Softbank to finance a $250 billion 10-gigawatt data center complex, powered by a natural gas plant built by the US and Japanese governments, on a decom... more

We chat with Matt Haugen and Jesse Goldstein from the Climate + Community Institute about a new report they co-authored laying out how the US is engaging in industrial policy for AI development in ways that are often indirect, inconsistent, and inter... more

We first open a door by talking about the great new ‘right to repair’ ruling from the FTC, which is the result of a long fight against rentier monopolies and digital enclosure, and should be precedent for expanding these battles and rights much furth... more

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Recent Guests

Matt Haugen
From the Climate and Community Institute (CCI)
Climate and Community Institute
Episode: 467. Industrial Policy by Other Means (ft. Matt Haugen, Jesse Goldstein)
Jesse Goldstein
From the Climate and Community Institute (CCI)
Climate and Community Institute
Episode: 467. Industrial Policy by Other Means (ft. Matt Haugen, Jesse Goldstein)
Peter Magic
Founder/CEO of Genoshek Analytical
Genoshek Analytical
Episode: Patreon Preview – 464. Pep Rally
Ben Somers
Creator/Designer of Machines of Bone and Blood (D&D 5e supplement)
So Many Robots
Episode: 463. The Abuse is the Point (ft. Ben Somers)
Tim Sahay
Writer for Polycrisis; co-host of Electric World Order podcast
Polycrisis / Phenomenal World
Episode: 451. Do Not Become Addicted to Electrons (ft. Tim Sahay, Kate Mackenzie)
Kate Mackenzie
Writer for Polycrisis; co-host of Electric World Order podcast
Polycrisis / Phenomenal World
Episode: 451. Do Not Become Addicted to Electrons (ft. Tim Sahay, Kate Mackenzie)
Jimmy Wu
Contributor to Bay Area Current
Bay Area Current
Episode: TMK Live Show in San Francisco - March 19th
Wendy Liu
Episode: Patreon Preview – 446. Vibe Decoder (ft. Wendy Liu, Jimmy Wu)
Bruce Schneier
Renowned security technologist and author.
Harvard Kennedy School
Episode: 445. What’s Democracy Got to Do With AI? (ft. Bruce Schneier)

Hosts

Jathan Sadowski
Host of This Machine Kills; affiliated with This Machine Kills project; active in technology and political economy critique.
Edward Ongweso Jr.
Co-host of This Machine Kills; frequent collaborator on tech/policy discussions.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 579 ratings
  • Jathan Ed and Jeremy get it. Theyre kind of wordy but they're on the level and very informed.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    BrightKM
    3 months ago
  • Excellent Coverage

    Excellent, excellent coverage of multiple topics. Episode 441 with the fight against AI in behavioral health was among them. I 100% disagree with the naysayers in the reviews. All the hosts make this podcast worthwhile listening to regularly.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    EdeTM
    United States5 months ago
  • Really Good

    Jathan, Ed and Jeremy (and guests) present an accessible way to understand tech/finance/etc through the lens of dialectical materialism. What I enjoy most about this podcast is that they don’t just speak in abstractions, they are actually knowledgeable on these subjects. I always learn something new.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MRudley
    United States9 months ago
  • Take a breath Jathan

    Jathan is emblematic of the windbag Marxist professor who can't help themselves with the endless lecturing and quotes from Marx before asking his guest an actual question. Cannot recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Evantegrity
    United Statesa year ago
  • I genuinely wish I could give this a higher rating, because everyone involved in this podcast is knowledgeable and clearly researches every topic extensively but this entire show is pretty much just Jathan monologuing for an hour. Even when there's a really interesting guest, it's not a conversation. Jathan takes 20 minutes to ask a question because he goes off rambling about something and then the guest gets a brief period to talk. I heard Ed on Better Offline and he was great! I literally only... more

    Podchaser
    3
    Ali78
    a year ago

Listeners Say

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

Insightful critique of tech capitalism and its societal impacts.
Balanced, accessible yet rigorous—great for policy-minded listeners.
Some listeners find the cadence lengthy or densely theoretical.
Promotes important debates on AI governance and democratic accountability.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#83
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#42
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#50
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#62
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#126
Germany/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#179
Italy/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

467. Industrial Policy by Other Means (ft. Matt Haugen, Jesse Goldstein)
Q: What alternative framework do the hosts advocate for?
Green economic populism, which combines immediate relief for rising costs with long-term public investments in social infrastructure, democratic decision-making, and strong regulation of AI-relevant industries.
467. Industrial Policy by Other Means (ft. Matt Haugen, Jesse Goldstein)
Q: What does the report say about the role of the state in mitigating AI risks for workers and communities?
The report argues the state must de-risk and backstop investments in a way that aligns with public interests, and it calls for public investment authority, public energy grids, and labor protections to counterbalance private capital priorities.
467. Industrial Policy by Other Means (ft. Matt Haugen, Jesse Goldstein)
Q: What motivated the researchers to frame AI development as an industrial policy issue?
They saw AI build-out as deeply intertwined with state actions that facilitate private capital but also impose social and environmental costs, suggesting that reframing it as industrial policy reveals who benefits and who bears the costs, and opens room for democratic options.
463. The Abuse is the Point (ft. Ben Somers)
Q: What is Machines of Bone and Blood and how does it relate to the LP history of the Luddites?
It's a 5e-compatible supplement that reimagines the industrial revolution in a fantasy world where necromancers replace workers, using undead labor to power machines, thereby presenting a concrete narrative about workers' rights and class struggle grounded in a fantasy setting.
459. One Border After Another (ft. Gaby Del Valle)
Q: How do these technologies relate to broader immigration policy and enforcement strategies?
The guest notes that the tools are situated within a broader political project that intertwines national security, immigration control, and perceptions of threat, with privatization and contractor networks reinforcing a lasting, expansive regime beyond traditional border management.

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Machine Kills

What is This Machine Kills about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program centers on the political economy of tech, surveillance, AI, data centers, and the social impacts of innovation. Episodes frequently critique corporate power, techno-optimism, and state-society dynamics, often through a Marxist or materialist lens. The show stands out for its willing engagement with controversial topics, deep dives into policy and governance, and a preference for guests who bring rigorous analysis on energy, security, and digital culture. Listeners are likely drawn to critical conversations about how technology shapes democracy, labor, and public policy, with a tone that blends sharp critique, humor, and accessible explanation.

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Which podcasts are similar to This Machine Kills?

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1. Tech Won't Save Us
2. TRASHFUTURE
3. This Wreckage
4. Kill The Computer
5. Citations Needed

How many episodes of This Machine Kills are there?

This Machine Kills launched 6 years ago and published 492 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 This Machine Kills?

Recent guests on This Machine Kills include:

1. Matt Haugen
2. Jesse Goldstein
3. Peter Magic
4. Ben Somers
5. Tim Sahay
6. Kate Mackenzie
7. Jimmy Wu
8. Wendy Liu

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