Gadget Lab: Weekly Tech News

Mere months ago, New York's mayoral frontrunner was polling at the same level as literally "someone else." Zohran Mamdani talks to Katie about building a social media juggernaut, Big Tech capitulation, and what he learned from outgoing New York Mayor Eric Adams.Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from Alexis Ohanian's newest tech venture to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from how satellites are leaking sensitive data to what Zoë learned after interviewing cybertruck owners. Then, Zoë and Jake dive into how federal workers ended up in the middle of a political fight that they didn’t sign themselves up for. Articles mentioned in this episode:  Satellites Are Leaking the World’s Secrets: Calls, Texts, Military and Corporate Data | WIRED  A Plan to Rebuild Gaza Lists Nearly 30 Companies. Many Say They’re Not Involved | WIRED  A Quarter of the CDC Is Gone | WIRED  Spit On, Sworn At, and Undeterred: What It’s Like to Own a Cybertruck | WIRED  Federal Workers Are Being Used as Pawns in the Shutdown | WIRED   Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fann

History professor Mark Bray is no stranger to death threats. As the author of the book Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, published in 2017, he has received backlash and harassment from far-right circles for almost a decade. But things recently escalated after the Trump administration designated antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization,” and far-right influencers with a newfound power targeted Bray. Mike sits down with WIRED’s David Gilbert and Leah Feiger to discuss what went down, how the role of far-right influencers has expanded exponentially during the past year, and what responsibility tech companies carry. Articles mentioned in this episode:  He Wrote a Book About Antifa. Death Threats Are Driving Him Out of the US | WIRED  Trump Wants to Take Over Cities. Influencers Are Giving Him the Fuel to Do It | WIRED  The Who's Who of MAGA Influencers You Should Know About by Now | WIRED  Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the

Billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs, talks to Katie about the state of entrepreneurship, American healthcare, and tech under Trump. The investor campaigned for Kamala Harris, but thinks tech execs have a “moral imperative” to play nice with the president. Why? It’s good business.Follow the UnCanny Valley feed for WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Leah Feiger to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from the Antifa professor who’s fleeing to Europe for safety, to how some chatbots are manipulating users to avoid saying goodbye. Then, Zoë and Leah break down why a recent announcement from OpenAI rattled the markets and answer the question everyone is wondering — are we in an AI bubble?  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

When news broke last month that H1-B visa holders in the U.S would be subjected to a new hefty fee of $100,000, chaos and confusion ensued for a lot of tech workers and their employers. It’s the latest in a string of restrictive visa measures imposed by the Trump administration, which has been making tech talent wonder if they should look elsewhere. Lauren sits down with WIRED’s Zeyi Yang and Louise Matsakis to discuss the short-term and long-term effects of these measures, and how China is seizing the moment and offering a new visa program to bring tech talent into the country. Articles mentioned in this episode:  $3,800 Flights and Aborted Takeoffs: How Trump’s H-1B Announcement Panicked Tech Workers | WIRED  China Rolls Out Its First Talent Visa as the US Retreats on H-1Bs | WIRED  A Journey Into the Heart of Labubu | WIRED   Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to ho

Jack Conte, founder of Patreon tells Katie if we can send rockets into space and have self-driving cars we can figure out how to pay creators for their work. In this interview recorded in front of a live audience in San Francisco, Jack talks about how to build a lifelong audience beyond clicks, and why keeping Patreon a private company has been a strength. Follow the UnCanny Valley feed for WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Manisha Krishnan to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from how federal workers are being told to blame Democrats for the government shutdown, to Peter Thiel’s ongoing obsession with the Antichrist. Then, Zöe and Manisha break down the news of OpenAI launching a new social app for AI-generated videos.  Articles mentioned in this episode:  OpenAI Is Preparing to Launch a Social App for AI-Generated Videos | WIRED  Federal Workers Are Being Told to Blame Democrats for the Shutdown | WIRED  The Real Stakes, and Real Story, of Peter Thiel’s Antichrist Obsession | WIRED  Tesla Is Urging Drowsy Drivers to Use ‘Full Self-Driving.’ That Could Go Very Wrong | WIRED Scientists Made Human Eggs From Skin Cells and Used Them to Form Embryos | WIRED  Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate informat

Earlier this week, DoorDash unveiled its own new autonomous robot, called Dot. The company says it’s part of its goal to have a “hybrid” model for deliveries going forward—working with humans, but also drones and autonomous vehicles. It’s the latest sign of a renewed interest in the industry of delivery robots after years of challenges. WIRED’s Aarian Marshall joins us to discuss why it matters for all of us, whether we’re ordering in or not. Articles mentioned in this episode:  DoorDash’s New Delivery Robot Rolls Out Into the Big, Cruel World | WIRED  This Food-Delivery Robot Wants to Share the Bike Lane | WIRED  Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (Ai) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Branded Content by McKinsey | WIRED’s Global Editorial Director, Katie Drummond sat down with McKinsey’s Global Institute Director and Senior Partner Lareina Yee for a conversation on the technologies redefining industries—from AI to autonomous vehicles—and how leading organizations turn innovation into long-term strategic advantage. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

 In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from Customs & Border Protection efforts to collect American’s DNA to tech billionaire Larry Ellison’s shadowy influence on the White House. Then, Zöe and Jake discuss the surge in popularity of white nationalist influencer Nick Fuentes, who has leveraged the vacuum left behind by Charlie Kirk's death to break into the mainstream. Articles mentioned in this episode:  Nick Fuentes' Plan to Conquer America Larry Ellison Is a ‘Shadow President’ in Donald Trump’s America OpenAI Teams Up With Oracle and SoftBank to Build 5 New Stargate Data Centers DHS Has Been Collecting US Citizens’ DNA for Years For One Glorious Morning, a Website Saved San Francisco From Parking Tickets Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial

Earlier this month, we took the show to San Francisco for a live recording in front of a great audience at KQED's The Commons. WIRED'S Lauren Goode, Katie Drummond and Jason Kehe asked themselves and answered a perennial question: Is Silicon Valley still the tech capital of the world? Plus, they put themselves to the test with a new game and some questions from the audience.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Signal Foundation president, Meredith Whittaker recalls where she was when she heard Trump cabinet officials had added a journalist to a highly sensitive group chat. And tells, Katie about why it's important she gets paid less than her engineers. Follow the UnCanny Valley feed for WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Manisha Krishnan to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from OpenAI implementing teen safety features to how human design is the new astrology. Then, Zöe and Manisha discuss the reverberating reactions to Kirk’s death and why some creators, from comic book artists to late night show hosts, are getting their work cancelled. Articles mentioned in this episode:  Cancel Culture Comes for Artists Who Posted About Charlie Kirk’s Death | WIRED  OpenAI's Teen Safety Features Will Walk a Thin Line | WIRED US Tech Giants Race to Spend Billions in UK AI Push | WIRED How China’s Propaganda and Surveillance Systems Really Operate | WIRED Human Design Is Blowing Up. Following It Might Make You Leave Your Spouse | WIRED Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI

This week, WIRED learned that OpenAI is ramping up its efforts in robotics — specifically, by hiring researchers who work on AI systems for humanoid robots. Humanoids, robots built to resemble us and perform daily tasks, were famous for their clumsiness just a few years ago. WIRED’s Will Knight tells us how in the era of AI, that’s rapidly changing. Articles mentioned in this episode:  OpenAI Ramps Up Robotics Work in Race Toward AGI | WIRED  Humanoid Robots Are Coming of Age | WIRED 2025 Is the Year of the Humanoid Robot Factory Worker | WIRED   Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (Ai) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The CEO of Cloudflare – the internet’s bodyguard - sits down with Katie to talk about his efforts to make the AI money machine start benefiting creators. Cloudflare’s new blocker tool required AI platforms to “pay per crawl.” Follow the UnCanny Valley feed for WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to discuss the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s death — from the response of right-wing tech leaders, to how Kirk helped shape conservative media influencers and U.S politics as we know it. Articles mentioned in this episode:  Right-Wing Activist Charlie Kirk Dead at 31 | WIRED ‘War Is Here’: The Far-Right Responds to Charlie Kirk Shooting With Calls for Violence | WIRED MAGA Influencers Take Their Victory Lap, With Big Tech Picking Up the Tab | WIRED    Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Hasan Piker, the Left’s favorite Twitch streamer has the kind of following that could get votes. But he tells Katie Drummond he’d rather use his influence to tell Democrats “you can't podcast your way out of this problem.” Streaming on Twitch seven days a week for 6-8 hours a day, he doesn’t see himself slowing down anytime soon. We also talk about his childhood in Turkey, his decision to live in the spotlight, and whether he’s planning a run for office.Follow the UnCanny Valley feed for WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Dating apps have evolved a lot over the years, with apps dedicated to any romantic niche– dog lovers, astrology heads, and big, bushy beards. Despite the seemingly endless options of dating platforms, the industry seems to be at a low. So this week, we talk about the current state of dating apps and what it means for those looking for love (or something like it).Join us LIVE in San Francisco on September 9th Get your tickets HERE Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Online gambling is on the rise, and AI is entering the field. This week, Lauren and Mike speak with WIRED’s Kate Knibbs to break down how both startups and traditional gambling sites are promoting their own AI agents with the promise of helping users make better bets. Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (Ai) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests.Articles mentioned in this episode:  Meet the Guys Betting Big on AI Gambling Agents | WIRED Volodymyr Zelensky’s Clothing Has Sparked a Polymarket Rebellion | WIRED   Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices