Marketplace Tech

Rafe Pilling, Director of Threat Intelligence at Sophos and cybersecurity expert, walks through Iran-linked cyber operations and historical DDoS attacks on U.S. banks. He explains how those attacks worked and how defenses have hardened. He also outlines current Iranian tactics like phishing, vulnerability scanning, and information operations, and flags risks to healthcare and data-rich organizations.

Erin Griffith, a New York Times technology and business reporter, breaks down how brands are racing to appear in AI-powered search. She explores what companies must provide AIs to be found. She covers startups and spending on AEO services. She discusses risks like low-quality AI content and wealthy brands shaping answers.

Linda Tadic, digital archivist and founder of Digital Bedrock, preserves archives for museums, libraries, and media studios. She discusses the global memory chip shortage and its impact on archival work. She talks about stockpiling drives, risks of hyperscalers controlling storage, and the limits of relying on the cloud for long-term preservation.

Jeramie Scott, senior counsel directing Surveillance Oversight at EPIC, studies government surveillance and data brokers. He breaks down how agencies obtain private consumer data, from subpoenas to buying surveillance-as-a-service like license-plate networks. He explores legal gaps, the weakening of Fourth Amendment protections, and proposals to limit mass surveillance.

Maria Curie, Axios tech policy reporter who covers technology policy and defense-tech interactions. She breaks down Pentagon pressure on Anthropic for model access and the risks of broad "lawful use" rules. She covers OpenAI recruiting consultants to push AI adoption and Apple's move to make the Mac Mini in Texas, with implications for jobs and supply chains.

Nova Safo, a Marketplace reporter who covered the resurgence of physical video media. She explores Consumer Reports data on Blu-ray, DVD and even VHS use. She visits Vidiot’s revival, hears why younger viewers prefer rentals, and talks with a collector who reissues rare videotape-only films. The story highlights community, preservation and why discs are making a comeback.

Teenagers are increasingly using AI to search for colleges and assess campus vibe. Students prompt tools for programs, sports, and social scene details. Colleges are spending big to shape AI discoverability and add career-focused FAQs. AI often recycles top-ranked schools, pushing institutions to signal unique fits.

Ray Smith, a Wall Street Journal workplace reporter who tested AI interview platforms. He describes the awkward, cue-less feel of video-question interviews. He explains how AI assessments feed human reviewers. He shares practical prep tips like rehearsing recordings and maintaining eye contact.

Megan McCarty Carino, a Marketplace reporter who investigates tech and the digital economy, recounts encountering an AI-made fake website. She explains how AI makes building convincing sites easy. The conversation covers how scams scale cheaply, why niche brands are targeted, how ads and search hide fraud, and how trust signals and URLs can betray imposters.

Anita Ramaswamy, columnist at The Information who covers tech industry shifts, breaks down Google’s UI tweak to spotlight source links in AI summaries. She unpacks whether that change could steer traffic back to publishers. She also covers Palantir’s surprising move to Miami and the controversy around Ring’s Search Party and its law-enforcement ambitions.