Daily Tech News Show

A deep dive into SpaceX merging with an AI company and what orbital data centers could mean for compute and Starlink. Discussion of hardware, radiation, supply chains and geopolitical fallout for space-based solar. News about Nintendo Switch sales milestones and a new family health app from Fitbit founders. Firefox rolling out an AI kill-switch and global probes into X's AI tools.

OpenClaw and how it runs local AI agents takes center stage, including security risks, one-click exploits, and whether hobbyists should worry. A social network for agents called MoultBook raises questions about token trading and agent chatter. Rumors swirl about Apple exploring clamshell and book-style foldables and the manufacturing hurdles that could delay them. Quick tech headlines and gadget patents round out the discussion.

Dr Niki (Nicole Ackermans), a neuroscientist and science communicator, breaks down animal tool use and comparative neuroanatomy. She explains what counts as a tool and surveys tool-using species. The discussion centers on Veronika, an Austrian cow using a brush and stick, and what that behavior means for measuring intelligence, ethics, and how we view livestock.

A lively look back at January tech trends and how LLMs were used to surface the biggest stories. A recap of CES highlights, from robots and car tech to foldable displays and major chip reveals. Discussion of Apple choosing Gemini for Siri and the buzz around a possible wearable smart pin. A deep dive into TikTok's USDS spinoff and recent algorithm retraining effects.

A deep dive into Project Genie, which creates on-demand 3D world models from text or images. A discussion on copyright risks when AI recreates famous game styles. Debate about short-lived AI-generated games and their creative uses. Analysis of Apple’s strong iPhone 17 quarter and Gemini’s role in Siri. Rumors of a clamshell, hot-swappable keyboard device and whether dedicated AI hardware makes sense.

Discussion of Apple-inspired wider foldable phone designs and the tradeoffs between wide and tall foldable aspect ratios. A look at smartphone market share shifts and why some makers skip annual flagships. Debate over Tesla retiring models to repurpose a plant for humanoid robots and whether that pivot is credible. Explanation of a Waymo collision involving a child and related safety context.

Jason Howell, technology journalist known for hands-on reporting, walks through Google’s new Gemini features in Chrome and how they feel baked into the browser. He demos auto-browse agents, explains safety limits and trust concerns, and discusses Chrome’s distribution advantage for rolling out integrated AI. Other highlights include Amazon ending palm scanning and industry tech headlines.

Andy Beach, writer and analyst on media and AI, joins to unpack Bandcamp’s new human-first music policy. He discusses why Bandcamp banned predominantly AI-created tracks and how platforms may split into human-first versus AI-first marketplaces. They explore challenges in authenticating AI content and debate whether results or creation methods should guide policy.

Oh, and Apple has new Air Tags. But SMALL ROBOT!Starring Tom Merritt and Robb Dunewood.Show notes can be found here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Andrew Mayne, investor, former OpenAI prompt engineer and magician, explores AI hardware trends and chip architectures. He explains why specialized chips like Groq and Cerebras speed up training and inference. Discussions cover wafer-scale designs, energy and system efficiency, and how faster chips could enable smarter, instant assistants and quicker media generation.