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 | 699 | Founded | 9 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | TechnologyNews | |||
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Latest Episodes
Everyone wants A.I. to be regulated—including the major A.I. companies like Anthropic and OpenAI. There’s just one problem… they want to have a say in what regulation looks like for their industry. Doesn’t that defeat the whole point?
Guests: Cal N... more
Perimenopause’s journey from little-understood phase before menopause to the subject of every ad on social media for women of a certain age was quick—and impossible to imagine without the internet.
Guest: Kate Knibbs, senior writer for WIRED.
Want... more
An exchange of insults on X was all that director Alex Gibney got directly from the main character of his new documentary, “Musk.” But by interviewing his business partners, father, wives and girlfriends—and using a bit of movie magic—Gibney takes vi... more
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
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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 | #171 | United States/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #162 |  Canada/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #210 |  France/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #55 |  South Africa/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #113 |  Hong Kong/Technology |
Apple Podcasts | #209 |  Philippines/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?
To see how many followers or subscribers What Next: TBD has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to What Next: TBD?
These podcasts share a similar audience with What Next: TBD:
1. Slate Money
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3. Galaxy Brain
4. Slate News
5. Radio Atlantic
How many episodes of What Next: TBD are there?
What Next: TBD launched 9 years ago and published 699 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. Cal Newport
2. Kate Knibbs
3. Alex Gibney
4. Sherry Turkle
5. Scott Singer
6. Nate Soares
7. Paul Ford
8. Paresh Dave
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.