On with Kara Swisher

Tristan Harris, technology ethicist and co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, talks about why the AI race rewards speed over responsibility. He gets into agentic AI, deepfakes, job disruption, and power getting concentrated in a few hands. The conversation also explores public pressure, liability, and what a more human-centered future could look like.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, immigration lawyer at the American Immigration Council, Austin Kocher, Syracuse researcher tracking detention data, and Ximena Bustillo, NPR reporter covering DHS, unpack ICE’s detention surge. They dig into warehouse holding plans, abuse claims, rising deaths, private prison growth, gutted oversight, disappearing data, and how detention is being used to pressure migrants.

Jonathan Glatzer, showrunner (Succession, Better Call Saul) discusses crafting a sharp satire of tech power. Gina Mingacci, TV EP (Killing Eve), explains the show’s production and tone. Billy Magnussen, actor, plays an ambitious data-mining CEO. They talk about surveillance, algorithmic harm, therapist dynamics around billionaires, and how family and reputation collide in small‑town Silicon Valley.

Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia senator and top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, speaks from years of intelligence oversight. He discusses shifting U.S. war aims, the lack of a credible plan for Iran’s surrender, Iran’s remaining asymmetric capabilities, risks of ground intervention and regional fallout, and political and AI-related national security concerns.

Matt Belloni, a sharp entertainment journalist and host of The Town, walks through Hollywood’s biggest boardroom dramas. They unpack the Warner/Paramount saga, industry consolidation and its human cost. Conversations hit streaming strategies, Disney’s succession questions, AI’s impact on film crews, and Oscar season predictions.

Liz Stein, human trafficking specialist who aids survivors; Jess Michaels, survivor and creator of Sexual Assault First Aid and the With You Too app; Dani Bensky, former survivor turned dance educator focused on youth safety. They discuss how survivors united for transparency, the DOJ files' chaotic release and its harms, who helps or hinders accountability, and how elite power shields wrongdoing.

Jennifer Vail, a tribologist and author who studies rubbing surfaces across aerospace, medical devices, and materials engineering. She discusses the history of lubrication and how tiny texture and chemistry tweaks cut energy loss. Conversations range from Roman engineering and ball bearings to space lubricants, molecular friction, and why some behavioral friction can protect systems.

Gavin Newsom, California governor, memoirist, and possible 2028 contender, discusses his new memoir and how family history shaped him. He reflects on growing up between wealth and struggle. He talks California politics, same-sex marriage, AI regulation, concerns about Trump and foreign policy, and threats to democracy.

Bill Gurley, longtime Silicon Valley venture capitalist and early Uber backer, shares career advice from his book Running Down a Dream. He argues for finding fascination through experiments, starting at the bottom, and honing craft with peers and mentors. He also discusses AI-related job anxiety, why being near talent creates opportunity, and growing concern about tech’s political power and regulation.

Maggie Kang, director and creator who drew on her Korean heritage to shape the film’s mythology. Chris Appelhans, co-director and songwriter who brought anime and K-drama musical sensibilities. They discuss the film’s surprise global smash, writing the hit song "Golden," rooting the story in mudang mythology, blending 3D and 2D animation, AI’s impact on creativity, and plans for a sequel.