What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future
Slate PodcastsEvery Friday, 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.
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| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 696 | Founded | 9 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | TechnologyNews | |||
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Latest Episodes
A.I. large language models are prompt, attentive, positive and frictionless—in short, much easier to deal with than humans with their own needs, wants, and moods.
But, as long as humans aren’t social creatures by nature, this should be fine, right? more
Artificial intelligence is pitched as a potential economic powerhouse—and also a potential bringer of the apocalypse. Can two economic and military rivals cooperate enough to fulfill the former (and former only)?
Guest: Scott Singer, fellow and co-d... more
Why did the “Hugging Face Incident” scare A.I. researchers so much? And if they are so confident artificial intelligence needs to be slowed down, why aren’t they slowing it down?
Guest: Nate Soares, President of the Machine Intelligence Research Ins... more
After OpenAI agents hacked a rival company this summer, the word from Silicon Valley was “That’s it! They’re almost ready to kill us all!” But…are they? Really?
Guest: Paul Ford, co-founder of the AI start-up Aboard, technology writer.
Want more ... more
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Reviews
- Just advert after advert
Tried to bear it but I’m out
Apple Podcasts1Flash0983
United Kingdoma year ago - Too much ads
Sick
Apple Podcasts1FuuuuuuckThisGame
United States3 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 Podcasts5semipenguinUnited States3 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 Podcasts1Samd199United States3 years ago - OMG… now I realize why trump will get re-elected
Generally enjoy the show, but just listened to
Apple Podcasts2bluebill987United States3 years ago
Listeners Say
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Chart Rankings
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Apple Podcasts | #91 |  New Zealand/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #148 |  China/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #196 |  India/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #206 |  South Africa/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #236 |  South Korea/Technology |
Talking Points
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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?
The show consistently centers tech policy, AI, data privacy, and the broader impact of technology on society and economy. Episodes often pair rigorous reporting with big-picture asks about how regulators, markets, and platforms shape innovation, labor, and civil liberties. Noteworthy are investigative deep-dives into surveillance, AI hype vs. real-world gains, and high-profile policy debates—often featuring journalist guests, economists, regulators, and industry insiders. The format tends toward sharp, issue-focused conversations that translate complex tech topics into practical implications for listeners who aspect technology's influence on business, policy, and everyday life. A standout trait is the podcast's readiness to challenge tech n... more
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How many listeners does What Next: TBD get?
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What are the audience demographics for What Next: TBD?
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How many subscribers and views does What Next: TBD have?
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Which podcasts are similar to What Next: TBD?
These podcasts share a similar audience with What Next: TBD:
1. Slate Money
2. Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. On the Media
5. Hard Fork
How many episodes of What Next: TBD are there?
What Next: TBD launched 9 years ago and published 696 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 What Next: TBD?
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What guests have appeared on What Next: TBD?
Recent guests on What Next: TBD include:
1. Nate Soares
2. Paul Ford
3. Paresh Dave
4. David Gilbert
5. Ed Elson
6. Ben Casselman
7. Andrea Bernstein
8. Jason Schreier
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.