The Vergecast

They dig into Samsung’s S26 reveal, focusing on the new Privacy Display and AI camera features. They debate risks of synthetic photos and how agentic AI like Gemini could book rides or order food. They unpack Microsoft’s Xbox leadership shakeup and what it means for the platform. Rapid-fire segments touch on AI company drama, strange charts, and hardware rumors.

Boris Cherny, AI engineer who built Claude Code at Anthropic, explains how the product evolved and changed coding workflows. Hayden Field, senior AI reporter focused on privacy and security, discusses how to think about giving data and access to AI tools. They cover Claude Code’s rise, UI and safety design, data risks, and practical trade-offs for users.

They debate an FCC move that led to a late-night interview being pulled and the corporate caution that followed. They unpack Meta's plan to add facial recognition to smart glasses and the privacy risks of face-ID databases. They preview Apple’s rumored March hardware and AI gadgets. Quick hits include Tesla's robotaxi crash stats, a robovac security failure, and memory shortages affecting device availability.

Allison Johnson, senior reviewer who tested a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 as a 'purse computer', talks hardware, compact keyboards, multitasking, and software limits. Jacob Feldman, Sportico reporter covering sports business and streaming, breaks down Winter Olympics coverage, Super Bowl streaming and the evolving sports-rights and streaming landscape. Short, practical, and tech-forward conversations.

They debate whether a heartwarming Ring Super Bowl ad masks a creeping, always-on surveillance future. Conversation covers Ring’s new dog-finding feature, backlash and privacy tradeoffs of neighbor-sharing apps. They also unpack AI industry turmoil: exec departures, safety warning letters, and the arrival of ads in ChatGPT. Quick takes include fake OpenAI hardware ads, Ferrari’s new interior, and Vision Pro app news.

Dom Preston, news editor who chased down the elusive T1, describes seeing a live demo and dissecting its specs, design, and shipping claims. Hayden Field, AI reporter, breaks down OpenClaw and Moldbook, why agents excite and alarm, and their security risks. Andy Hawkins, transportation editor, weighs in on whether Tesla could pivot away from car sales and the challenges of that strategy.

Newly released emails reveal surprising ties between Jeffrey Epstein and major tech figures and companies. A provocative AI ad battle heats up over whether models should stay ad-free. A Senate hearing spotlights Netflix’s Warner Bros deal amid culture-war politics. Hardware shortages and streaming piracy create consumer headaches. Disney leadership changes and Peloton’s strategy shifts also make headlines.

Will Oremus, Washington Post reporter on tech policy, explains how Anthropic bought and destructively scanned millions of books to train AI. Julia Alexander, media reporter, debates whether Netflix will genuinely prioritize theatrical releases and what theaters must do to survive. Jen Pattison Tuohy, smart-home reviewer, troubleshoots IKEA Matter quirks and Thread network headaches.

They debate corporate leaders showing up at politicized White House events and whether those choices threaten long-term reputations. They cover distrust around major platforms, the rocky TikTok US transition, and new contenders in short-form social apps. Tech hardware gets attention too, from Samsung’s $2,899 tri-fold phone to whether Android and Chrome OS can be unified. AI agents and a quirky keyboard review round things out.

Adi Robertson, technology reporter on platforms, AI, and misinformation — explains how videos and AI-altered images shaped public understanding of the Minneapolis killing and what the new US-centric TikTok might mean. Nick Quah, podcast critic and writer — breaks down Netflix’s push into video podcasts, why video is changing discovery, and the risks to the open podcast ecosystem.