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

Slate Podcasts
Artificial Intelligence
Shein
Pedestrian Fatalities
Elon Musk
British Library
Initial Public Offering (IPO)
Clear
Suvs
Data Privacy
Domestic Violence
Cyber Attack
Filterworld
Electric Vehicles
Twitter
Openai
Free Speech
Litigation
Sustainability
Fast Fashion
Retail Industry

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.

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Artwork for What Next: TBD

Latest Episodes

In the immediate aftermath of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, federal authorities presented very different accounts of what happened from what videos from witnesses showed. Did having footage from multiple angles of each shoo... more

Having already taken over Paramount, David Ellison was vying to add Warner Bros. Discovery to his portfolio. Are his dad’s politics behind his drive to run Hollywood or is there something else going on?

Guest: Reeves Widemann, features writer at New... more

The administration’s justification for their actions in Minneapolis owe a lot to the right-wing influencers—and they seem happy to keep this vicious cycle rolling onto California next. 

Guest: Will Sommer, journalist for the Bulwark.

Want more What... more

Doctors are already using artificial intelligence to take notes while with patients—but are large language models ready to consult? 

Guest: Brittany Trang, health tech reporter for Stat News.

Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to acce... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

What Next
What NextSlate Podcasts
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The DailyThe New York Times

Recent Guests

Brittany Trang
Health tech reporter at Stat News
Stat News
Episode: ChatGPT, MD
Dr. Lauren Hughes
Board certified pediatrician and science communicator
Bloom Pediatrics
Episode: How and Why to Vaccinate Now
Ed Zitron
PR expert and critic of generative AI, writer of the newsletter Where's Your Ed At, and host of the podcast Better Offline.
Episode: Is the A.I. Bubble Bursting? | 2025 in Review
Eric Berger
Space reporter at Ars Technica
Ars Technica
Episode: Data Center Space Race
Peyton Bigora
Reporter for Grocery Dive
Grocery Dive
Episode: Whole Shopping List
David Rand
Professor of information science, marketing, and psychology
Cornell University
Episode: Ready for Chatbot Canvassers?
Josh Keating
Senior correspondent at Vox and fellow at the Outrider Foundation
Vox
Episode: If You Give A.I. a Nuke
Cassie Ho
Fitness entrepreneur and designer of the Pirouette Scort
Popflex
Episode: Rebroadcast: Dupes!
David Yaffe-Bellany
Journalist covering the crypto industry for The New York Times.
The New York Times
Episode: Crypto Keeps Criming

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 351 ratings
  • Just advert after advert

    Tried to bear it but I’m out

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Flash0983
    United Kingdom6 months 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.

Many enjoy the provocative questions raised about technology's role in society, though some feel that certain episodes may lack depth and detail.
There are concerns about excessive advertising interrupting content, which some find frustrating and detracting from the overall listening experience.
Listeners appreciate the engaging discussions on relevant tech issues, often highlighting the well-researched content and the expertise of guests.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#229
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#201
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#147
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#249
France/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#195
Ireland/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#223
South Africa/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How and Why to Vaccinate Now
Q: Is there any medical evidence to support the restriction of vaccines or the dialing back of vaccines among infants that are otherwise pretty healthy?
No, there is no data supporting that, except in very specific instances like allergies or immunodeficiencies.
ChatGPT, MD
Q: What is the ideal clinical use case for large language models or AI in healthcare?
Clinicians want to automate administrative tasks like billing codes, allowing them to spend more time on patient care and providing better service.
ChatGPT, MD
Q: What do you know about how medical professionals and healthcare systems are thinking about these LLM systems, and whether they want to incorporate them clinically?
Many professionals see AI as a tool to alleviate their workload, allowing them to focus on tasks that require medical expertise. Some health systems are already using HIPAA compliant LLMs like ChatGPT for healthcare.
2025: The Meme of the Year
Q: How have memes evolved over the years?
Memes have transitioned from simple images to encompass broader internet moments and events, now heavily influenced by video and audio content.
2025: The Meme of the Year
Q: What is the meme of the year?
The meme of the year discussed is the Astronomer CEO Coldplay kiss cam scandal which reflects on social media's impact on privacy and ethics.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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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?

Focused on the intersections of technology, politics, and society, this podcast offers insightful discussions around contemporary issues shaped by technological advancements. It tackles a wide range of topics including artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, surveillance, the implications of tech in politics, and the evolving music industry. Each episode features expert guests who provide commentary and analysis on the ethical and societal implications of technology. Notably, the podcast strives to present complex subjects in an accessible manner, making it suitable for both tech enthusiasts and general listeners looking to understand the impact of technology on their lives and communities.

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How many listeners does What Next: TBD get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for What Next: TBD, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

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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. What Next
2. Post Reports
3. Today, Explained
4. The Daily
5. Explain It to Me

How many episodes of What Next: TBD are there?

What Next: TBD launched 8 years ago and published 643 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?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for What Next: TBD?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for What Next: TBD from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on What Next: TBD?

Recent guests on What Next: TBD include:

1. Brittany Trang
2. Dr. Lauren Hughes
3. Ed Zitron
4. Eric Berger
5. Peyton Bigora
6. David Rand
7. Josh Keating
8. Cassie Ho

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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