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

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

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.

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PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes688Founded9 years ago
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Artwork for What Next: TBD

Latest Episodes

Investments in—and among—artificial intelligence companies have pushed the S&P 500 to record highs. It’s also introduced a volatility to the markets that may be unprecedented. Is this growing pains or the wobble before the fall? 

Guest: Ed Elson, co... more

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a department for wonks, by wonks. But under the dual pressures of the changing nature of work—like the growing gig economy—and an administration that doesn’t accept bad news, should next week’s jobs report be taken w... more

Why are kids getting faster? Is it the shoes? Also, running the Boston Marathon is obviously a huge accomplishment, but if you ran the 2013 Boston Marathon, you should lead with that and not save it for an interview years after you meet someone.

Gue... more

Steve Witkoff is a real estate investor, an attorney, and now America’s Special Envoy to the Middle East. It may seem like a weird career shift for Witkoff, but he’s such an outlier that the famously transactional Donald Trump treats him like an actu... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Ben Casselman
Chief economics correspondent, The New York Times
The New York Times
Episode: Can We Trust the Jobs Report?
Andrea Bernstein
Independent journalist and author
Independent
Episode: Trump’s Only Friend
Cory Doctorow
Author of The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI
Author/Journalist
Episode: A.I. Enshittifies Everything
Mark Follman
National Affairs Editor at Mother Jones; author of Trigger Points
Mother Jones
Episode: Can ChatGPT Be a Criminal Accomplice?
Randi Weingarten
President of the American Federation of Teachers
American Federation of Teachers
Episode: Gradu-AI-tion Day
Anna Gomez
Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Episode: Trump's Disney Shakedown
Jack Conte
CEO of Patreon
Patreon
Episode: Can Patreon Build a Better Internet?
Mary Harris
Co-host of the broader What Next show
Slate
Episode: TBD Tries…Roblox
Stella Dove
Host Mary Harris's daughter, featured participant in the Roblox experiment
Episode: TBD Tries…Roblox

Host

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

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 358 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 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 Podcasts
    1
    Samd199
    United States3 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 States3 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
#171
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#117
South Africa/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#137
Ireland/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#147
Norway/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#170
Hong Kong/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#174
India/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Game Over for Video Games?
Q: What should we be watching in the near term to indicate whether the layoff crisis is ending or just evolving?
The guest suggests there isn't a single clear domino to watch; the industry could either see a Lehman-style collapse or a slow whittling away into a new model, with attention on hardware cycles and shifting console pricing.
Can ChatGPT Be a Criminal Accomplice?
Q: What did the author/host observe about the safeguards in the chatbots during testing?
The safeguards responded with generic safety cautions, but in many scenarios they did not prevent the user from pursuing increasingly detailed and dangerous information, indicating gaps in protection.
Gradu-AI-tion Day
Q: What is the role of federal policy in guiding AI in schools?
Federal guidance is crucial to set nationwide standards and avoid a patchwork approach; without national direction, districts may misalign AI adoption with long-term educational outcomes.
Gradu-AI-tion Day
Q: Why partner with big tech for training if you're worried about influence and cognitive concerns?
The partnership is framed as providing necessary resources for teacher training, with conditions that the tools must be under teacher control and accompanied by strong guardrails to prevent coercive or harmful use in the classroom.
Gradu-AI-tion Day
Q: Can you run me through your plan? Give me the highlights.
Weingarten outlines a plan prioritizing teacher agency in AI adoption, restricting screens in early grades, delaying chatbot use until students are older, and linking AI integration to bargaining agreements and funding, all aimed at keeping education as the central driver of policy while adding guardrails.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Age Range
Household Income
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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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1. What Next | Daily News and Analysis
2. Today, Explained
3. Slate Money
4. Explain It to Me
5. The Ezra Klein Show

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What Next: TBD launched 9 years ago and published 688 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. Ben Casselman
2. Andrea Bernstein
3. Cory Doctorow
4. Mark Follman
5. Randi Weingarten
6. Anna Gomez
7. Jack Conte
8. Mary Harris

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