The Vergecast

Courtroom leaks and internal messages around the Musk v OpenAI saga take center stage. They relive the chaotic texts from Sam Altman’s ouster and how Microsoft’s moves reshaped the fallout. Conversation pivots to rumors of an AI-first phone and why hardware control is tempting but fraught. New gadgets pop up too, from a screenless Fitbit Air to a peculiar furry home robot.

Tim Stevens, freelance auto and tech journalist, digs into how AI is reshaping car design, shrinking development timelines, and changing who gets to build the future. Hayden Field, senior AI reporter covering Big Tech and policy, jumps into Codex vs. Claude Code, OpenAI and Anthropic drama, Pentagon deals, and whether AI is becoming the go-to excuse for layoffs.

Elon Musk’s courtroom meltdown takes center stage, from shaky testimony to a jury that may already be over him. Then the conversation jumps to OpenAI’s changing alliances, the growing backlash to consumer AI, and why AI ads keep winning anyway. There’s also gadget chaos with Valve’s new controller, Samsung smart glasses, a wild dual-screen gaming laptop, plus Netflix’s clip ambitions and Taylor Swift’s fight against AI fakes.

Liz Lopatto, a Verge reporter covering Musk and crypto chaos, unpacks the messy Musk vs. OpenAI trial and why it could spill tech industry secrets. Sean Hollister, a Verge senior editor focused on PCs and repairability, digs into Framework’s slick new modular laptop, a couch-friendly keyboard, and the possible return of tiny laptops.

John Gruber, Daring Fireball writer and longtime Apple analyst, joins a lively chat about Tim Cook’s legacy, Apple’s succession plan, John Ternus, and whether the Touch Bar ever had a chance. Then it’s on to Microsoft making Xbox more Xbox again. Plus a wild lightning round with BMW screen chaos, a logo-ready mic, and Meta using employee activity to train AI.

Helen Havlak, publisher at The Verge focused on media business, joins a lively chat about subscriptions, ads, audience strategy, and why the old web model is fading. They also get into video vs. audio podcasts, younger readers, open social platforms, unsustainable old video ambitions, and yes, Nilay’s jackets.

Apple’s leadership shakeup sparks a fast, lively debate. There’s buzz around Tim Cook stepping aside, John Ternus taking over, and what that means for hardware, chips, and Apple’s future direction. The conversation also circles around product culture, safer bets versus bold experiments, and why WWDC suddenly matters a lot more.

AI hype gets roasted through a bizarre shoe-company pivot, mounting backlash around Sam Altman, and a growing gap between Silicon Valley promises and what people actually want. Then it pivots to Coachella as a camera-first spectacle, Ticketmaster’s courtroom troubles, soaring tech prices, satellite internet battles, brain-computer interfaces, and the surreal saga of the Trump Phone.

Ben McKenzie, actor and filmmaker behind Gotham and The O.C., talks about his documentary and long-running fight with crypto. He gets into Bitcoin’s limits, gambling culture, crime, and why the hype survives. Victoria Song, a Verge reviewer covering wearables and health tech, explores continuous glucose monitors, influencer wellness trends, scary readings, and how health data can spiral into obsession.

Ross Miller, a Verge contributor who covers entertainment, internet culture, and space, joins for a lively run through OpenAI turmoil and fresh questions about Sam Altman. They also hit AI-built productivity tools, Mario movie hype, Artemis II’s eclipse photos and toilet drama, Brendan Carr’s CNN fight, and the latest Satoshi Nakamoto guessing game.