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Artwork for What Next: TBD

What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future

Slate Podcasts
Elon Musk
Trump Administration
Artificial Intelligence
Donald Trump
Openai
Tiktok
Cryptocurrency
Social Media
Meta
Tesla
Google
Department Of Government Efficiency
Mental Health
Data Centers
Doge
Misinformation
Biden Administration
Climate Change
Silicon Valley
Spacex

Every Friday and Sunday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes677Founded9 years ago
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Artwork for What Next: TBD

Latest Episodes

It’s an awkward time to have a Department of Education that seems so disinterested in, uh, education. It’s leaving teachers to grapple with how to integrate artificial intelligence into the classroom—if at all. 

Guest: Randi Weingarten, president of... more

How the Trump administration has tried to put pressure on Disney for opinions expressed by Jimmy Kimmel and the hosts of The View—and how the Mouse is fighting back.

Guest: Anna M. Gomez, commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission since S... more

The promise of an “internet for niche communities” and “the empowered independent creator” has been taking a beating as the web has become less open and increasingly dominated by a few platforms and players. But does it have to be that way?

Guest: J... more

Under fire for what critics say is inadequate protection of its young user base, Roblox nevertheless remains incredibly popular. Are the company’s new ballyhooed protections up for the task of keeping kids safe? Or is that asking the wrong question e... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Jack Conte
CEO of Patreon
Patreon
Episode: Can Patreon Build a Better Internet?
Cecilia D'Anastasio
Bloomberg journalist who has covered Roblox
Bloomberg
Episode: TBD Tries…Roblox
Matt Kaufman
Roblox Chief Safety Officer
Roblox
Episode: TBD Tries…Roblox
Stella Dove
Host Mary Harris's daughter, featured participant in the Roblox experiment
Episode: TBD Tries…Roblox
Mary Harris
Co-host of the broader What Next show
Slate
Episode: TBD Tries…Roblox
Josh Chin
Senior global correspondent for the Wall Street Journal
Wall Street Journal
Episode: Trump Visits the First World
Nilay Patel
Co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Verge; host of Decoder and co-host of Vergecast
The Verge
Episode: Does Anyone Like A.I.?
Will Guisbond
Reporter at The Air Current
The Air Current
Episode: Buy Your Flights Now
Robinson Meyer
Founding executive editor of Heatmap News, climate and energy journalist
Heatmap News
Episode: Big Tech’s Climate Fight…on Pause?

Host

Lizzie O'Leary
Host with Slate background; guides tech and policy conversations; central editorial voice.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 357 ratings
  • Just advert after advert

    Tried to bear it but I’m out

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Flash0983
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Too much ads

    Sick

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    FuuuuuuckThisGame
    United States2 years ago
  • I love this podcast, but …

    It’s played in What Next? also, so I decided to unsubscribe, so I wouldn’t have the same episode show up on my feed. Lizzie O’Leary is awesome. I used to enjoy hearing her in Marketplace. I’m happy to here her again

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    semipenguin
    United States2 years ago
  • Shallow summaries of tech issues filled with ads

    There is a huge demand for deep dive podcasts into the hot topic tech issues like AI and the Metaverse etc. This podcasts taps exactly into that but fails miserably. After summarizing an issue, which basically takes the entire episode because of all the ads (funded by the same companies they critique i.e. Apple), they end each episode with a “ok so what does this all mean?” segment. Except this segment lasts 30 sec followed by more ads and then the podcast ends.

    So if you are looking for dee... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Samd199
    United States2 years ago
  • OMG… now I realize why trump will get re-elected

    Generally enjoy the show, but just listened to

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    bluebill987
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests and topics often feel timely and relevant to ongoing tech-policy discussions.
Ads are a frequent criticism, impacting listening experience for some.
Positive feedback highlights strong host engagement and accessible explanations of complex topics.
Listeners appreciate expert guests and insightful context for complex tech issues.
Some listeners want more depth and fewer promotional segments.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#245
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#120
Indonesia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#121
India/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#235
Hong Kong/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Can Patreon Build a Better Internet?
Q: How does Patreon balance being a creator-first platform with the pressures of content moderation and platform safety?
Patreon has strict content policies and will remove posts or creators when necessary to prevent hate or harmful content, prioritizing the safety and integrity of the creator-audience relationship over growth at any cost.
Can Patreon Build a Better Internet?
Q: What were the biggest points that got Patreon to where it is today, and what's the vision for the next five years?
The move to a professional membership model was driven by recognizing that creators deserve to be paid for their labor and that audiences want ongoing relationships with creators, not just one-off posts. The next five years involve reducing dependence on dominant platforms, strengthening creator tools, and helping creators build sustainable businesses with direct audience connections.
TBD Tries…Roblox
Q: What is Roblox doing to make the platform safer for kids?
Roblox has rolled out age checks for communication and content, is phasing in new parental controls, and emphasizes defaults that protect younger users while respecting parental decisions.
Why OpenAI Bought a Talk Show
Q: Okay, so for people who are not in Silicon Valley all the time, what is TBPN? Can you just describe it for a normie?
TBPN started as a three-hour daily show by two founders who created a platform for in-depth tech discussion and entertainment, appealing to a highly engaged, online tech audience. It evolved into a distinctive format with light-hearted, self-aware branding, and a gap in mainstream media coverage of tech personalities and startup culture. The OpenAI acquisition raises whether such a show can keep its unique voice while being owned by a major tech company.
Iran's Memes Are Winning
Q: Why do these memes work, and what makes Iran effective in this space?
They mimic the language and formats that people already understand and engage with online, using culturally familiar tropes like diss tracks and popular memes to frame geopolitical narratives, while leveraging the internet's multi-audience nature.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About What Next: TBD

What is What Next: TBD about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A tech-forward news show that blends policy, business, and culture at the intersection of technology and power. Recent episodes cover creator ecosystems, platform safety, AI and software paradigms, airline economics, climate tech, and OpenAI/open-media dynamics, often featuring reporters, executives, and policy experts as guests. The conversational style leans toward analytical context, real-world implications, and thoughtful critique of industry trends, with a recurring emphasis on transparency, accountability, and the societal impact of tech decisions. Listeners likely care about how big tech shapes everyday life, the ethics of platforms, and the future of work and regulation; the show is notable for its creator-first framing, media-indus... more

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Which podcasts are similar to What Next: TBD?

These podcasts share a similar audience with What Next: TBD:

1. What Next | Daily News and Analysis
2. Slate Money
3. The Indicator from Planet Money
4. The 404 Media Podcast
5. Planet Money

How many episodes of What Next: TBD are there?

What Next: TBD launched 9 years ago and published 677 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 What Next: TBD?

Recent guests on What Next: TBD include:

1. Jack Conte
2. Cecilia D'Anastasio
3. Matt Kaufman
4. Stella Dove
5. Mary Harris
6. Josh Chin
7. Nilay Patel
8. Will Guisbond

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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