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

Mia Sato, a Verge reporter who covers tech, platforms, and users, walks through AI's retail takeover. She explains types of AI you actually see in stores. She highlights AI at retail conferences, real-world use cases from grocery to pizza, surveillance and privacy tradeoffs, and why companies rush to adopt AI despite messy results.

Emily Peck, Axios national correspondent and Slate Money co-host, breaks down how AI buzz is roiling markets and reshaping tech work. She traces AI-fueled stock swings, massive cloud spending, and why some software roles feel suddenly insecure. Short takes on vibe coding, layoffs, and which industries face real disruption.

Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat focused on consumer protection, energy policy, and national security, lays out his 'Power for the People' plan. He dives into data centers driving up electricity costs. He explains a federal data-center rate class and why voluntary corporate pledges need legal force. He also weighs in on DHS funding fights and the future direction of the Democratic Party.

Mark Fischbach (Markiplier), a longtime YouTuber turned filmmaker who self-financed and starred in Iron Lung. He talks about Iron Lung’s surprise box-office run. He reflects on shifting identity from online creator to filmmaker. He discusses why horror and constrained worlds drew him, struggles with studios, and choosing independence to protect his vision.

Andy Greenberg, senior WIRED writer who investigates cybersecurity and scam networks, shares firsthand reporting from a Golden Triangle scam compound. He describes pig butchering romance-to-crypto schemes, how the special economic zone enables lawless operations, the compound’s controls and punishments, and the risky reporting and escape that exposed 10 GB of evidence.

Faiz Siddiqui, Washington Post technology reporter and author of Hubris Maximus, breaks down Elon Musk’s next moves. They cover Tesla pivoting from cars to humanoid robots. They discuss SpaceX absorbing XAI and plans to fund AI data centers. They unpack controversies from Grok’s content issues to newly revealed Epstein-era emails.

The Iranian government cut off nearly all internet access on January 8 as part of a crackdown on protestors, an example of why authoritarians attempt internet blackouts—and why they don’t always work the way authoritarians want them to.Guest: Steve Feldstein, political scientist and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program.Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julia Angwin, investigative journalist and founder of Proof News, discusses citizen filming, digital forensics, and accountability. Jake Godin, Bellingcat researcher, explains syncing and analyzing multiple videos to reconstruct events. They explore how multiple phone angles can clarify shootings, the risks to people who film, legal limits on recording, and how platforms shape what footage gets seen.

Reeves Weidemann, features writer at New York Magazine who reported on David Ellison and Skydance. He traces Ellison’s rise from a failed film start to owning Paramount and aiming for Warner Bros. He explores family dynamics with Larry Ellison, David’s taste for big blockbusters, the business strategy behind studio buys, and the tech and AI ambitions tied to building a media empire.

In this discussion, Will Sommer, a senior reporter at The Bulwark, exposes how right-wing influencers manipulate narratives surrounding Minneapolis, particularly targeting Somali communities. He reveals a cycle of disinformation leading to real-world consequences, such as government prosecutions following viral outrage videos. Sommer highlights the troubling relationship between influencers and federal agencies, emphasizing the impact of their content on public perception and policy. He also predicts California as the next battleground for this model of outrage.