The Big Tech Show

Why are teenage boys still drawn to online influencers? and what are they really looking for? Psychologist, broadcaster and former professional footballer, Richie Sadlier joins Adrian Weckler on The Big Tech Show to explore the appeal of figures like Andrew Tate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JJ Clarke, producer and regular contributor who brings on-the-ground perspective, digs into recent legal moves around dodgy boxes. Short segments cover how Sky obtained user payment data, whether end users might face civil action, what a legal letter could mean, and how enforcement may scale. Fast-paced and probing, focused on the legal and practical angles.

How did the world’s first ransomware attack begin? and why are we still falling for the same tricks today?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did an Irish student end up building one of the biggest home-services startups in the US? Irish entrepreneur Oisín Hanrahan joins Adrian Weckler on The Big Tech Show to discuss his path from buying property in Budapest as a student to dropping out of Harvard Business School to launch Handy. He also talks about startup co-founder dynamics and his latest venture, Keychain, which connects food brands with manufacturers. Listen on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Anthropic emerging as the “good guy” of artificial intelligence? And do ethics in AI actually matter to users? Veteran tech journalist Rupert Goodwins joins Adrian Weckler on The Big Tech Show to discuss the rivalry between Anthropic, OpenAI and Google, and whether AI companies should decide how their technology is used. They also look at the shifting social media landscape, from Bluesky to X. Listen on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is Apple’s MacBook Neo the best value laptop ever? Can it match a MacBook Air? And is €699 all you need for the Mac experience? Darragh Nolan, multimedia reporter at the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is Sam Altman and why does he matter so much to artificial intelligence? What do we really know about his views on risk, control and power in the AI race? Ellen Huet, features writer with Bloomberg News and host of the Foundering podcast, joins Adrian Weckler on The Big Tech Show this week. Altman, CEO of OpenAI, runs the company behind ChatGPT. The episode explores his rise, his warnings about AI dangers and the controversies surrounding OpenAI. Listen on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How safe is your crypto really? And what happens when your private keys fall into the wrong hands? Journalist and crypto commentator Monty Munford joins Adrian on this week’s episode of the Big Tech Show. Adrian and Monty talk about how he first got into cryptocurrency, why he chose Ethereum over Bitcoin, and the moment he discovered £25,000 worth of crypto had vanished from his wallet. Monty explains the mistakes he made storing his private keys, how hackers may have accessed them, and what the loss taught him about online security. They also discuss how that stolen crypto would be worth far more today — and why his story is a cautionary tale for anyone dabbling in digital assets. You can listen to the full episode here, on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Saoirse Hanley, technology and culture journalist at the Irish Independent, explores the tech habits that bug us. They cover noisy phone alerts, loud media in public, double-screening and phone brightness in cinemas. WhatsApp voice notes and AI-written messages spark debate, plus social media photo trends and shared streaming account annoyances.

What happens when your electric car breaks down away from home? Do they have technicians to deal with them? And if you're in a very rural area, can you rely on breakdown services or might you be stranded? Darragh Nolan, multimedia reporter at the Irish Independent, joins Adrian on this week’s episode of The Big Tech Show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.