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WIRED

Welcome to Uncanny Valley—an insider look at the people, power, and influence of Silicon Valley—where each week, WIRED’s writers and editors bring you original reporting and analysis about some of the biggest stories in tech. On Thursdays, WIRED’s Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond is joined by Lauren Goode and Michael Calore to break down a recent story or phenomena bubbling up in Silicon Valley and explain its influence on our daily lives. And on Fridays, WIRED’s Zoë Schiffer has an urgent conversation about this week in the news.

Gadget Lab: Weekly Tech News from WIRED

When news broke last month that H1-B visa holders in the U.S would be subjected to a new hefty fee of $100,000, chaos and confusion ensued for a lot of tech workers and their employers. It’s the latest in a string of restrictive visa measures imposed by the Trump administration, which has been making tech talent wonder if they should look elsewhere. 

Lauren sits down with WIRED’s Zeyi Yang and Louise Matsakis to discuss the short-term and long-term effects of these measures, and how China is seizing the moment and offering a new visa program to bring tech talent into the country. 

Articles mentioned in this episode: 

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$3,800 Flights and Aborted Takeoffs: How Trump’s H-1B Announcement Panicked Tech Workers | WIRED • 

 • 
China Rolls Out Its First Talent Visa as the US Retreats on H-1Bs | WIRED • 

 • 
A Journey Into the Heart of Labubu | WIRED • 

Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (Ai) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests.

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How China Is Hoping to Attract Tech Talent

Jack Conte, founder of Patreon tells Katie if we can send rockets into space and have self-driving cars we can figure out how to pay creators for their work. In this interview recorded in front of a live audience in San Francisco, Jack talks about how to build a lifelong audience beyond clicks, and why keeping Patreon a private company has been a strength. 

Follow the UnCanny Valley feed for WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

BIG INTV: Patreon CEO Jack Conte Wants You to Get Off of Your Phone

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Manisha Krishnan to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from how federal workers are being told to blame Democrats for the government shutdown, to Peter Thiel’s ongoing obsession with the Antichrist. Then, Zöe and Manisha break down the news of OpenAI launching a new social app for AI-generated videos. 
 
Articles mentioned in this episode: 

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OpenAI Is Preparing to Launch a Social App for AI-Generated Videos | WIRED • 

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Federal Workers Are Being Told to Blame Democrats for the Shutdown | WIRED • 

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The Real Stakes, and Real Story, of Peter Thiel’s Antichrist Obsession | WIRED • 

Tesla Is Urging Drowsy Drivers to Use ‘Full Self-Driving.’ That Could Go Very Wrong | WIRED
 • 
Scientists Made Human Eggs From Skin Cells and Used Them to Form Embryos | WIRED • 

Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

WIRED Roundup: The New Fake World of OpenAI’s Social Video App

Earlier this week, DoorDash unveiled its own new autonomous robot, called Dot. The company says it’s part of its goal to have a “hybrid” model for deliveries going forward—working with humans, but also drones and autonomous vehicles. It’s the latest sign of a renewed interest in the industry of delivery robots after years of challenges. WIRED’s Aarian Marshall joins us to discuss why it matters for all of us, whether we’re ordering in or not. 

Articles mentioned in this episode: 

 • 
DoorDash’s New Delivery Robot Rolls Out Into the Big, Cruel World | WIRED • 

 • 
This Food-Delivery Robot Wants to Share the Bike Lane | WIRED • 

Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (Ai) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Your Delivery Robot Is Here

Branded Content by McKinsey | WIRED’s Global Editorial Director, Katie Drummond sat down with McKinsey’s Global Institute Director and Senior Partner Lareina Yee for a conversation on the technologies redefining industries—from AI to autonomous vehicles—and how leading organizations turn innovation into long-term strategic advantage.

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BIG INTV: Lareina Yee Discusses Breakthrough Technologies

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from Customs & Border Protection efforts to collect American’s DNA to tech billionaire Larry Ellison’s shadowy influence on the White House. Then, Zöe and Jake discuss the surge in popularity of white nationalist influencer Nick Fuentes, who has leveraged the vacuum left behind by Charlie Kirk's death to break into the mainstream. 

Articles mentioned in this episode: 

Nick Fuentes' Plan to Conquer America
Larry Ellison Is a ‘Shadow President’ in Donald Trump’s America
OpenAI Teams Up With Oracle and SoftBank to Build 5 New Stargate Data Centers
DHS Has Been Collecting US Citizens’ DNA for Years
For One Glorious Morning, a Website Saved San Francisco From Parking Tickets

Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

WIRED Roundup: Groypers Going Mainstream

Earlier this month, we took the show to San Francisco for a live recording in front of a great audience at KQED's The Commons. WIRED'S Lauren Goode, Katie Drummond and Jason Kehe asked themselves and answered a perennial question: Is Silicon Valley still the tech capital of the world? Plus, they put themselves to the test with a new game and some questions from the audience. 

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Is Silicon Valley Still the Tech Capital?

The Signal Foundation president, Meredith Whittaker recalls where she was when she heard Trump cabinet officials had added a journalist to a highly sensitive group chat. And tells, Katie about why it's important she gets paid less than her engineers. 

Follow the UnCanny Valley feed for WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

BIG INTV: Signal's Meredith Whittaker Says AI Is Just A Branding Term

In today’s episode, Zöe is joined by WIRED’s Manisha Krishnan to run through five of the best stories we published this week — from OpenAI implementing teen safety features to how human design is the new astrology. Then, Zöe and Manisha discuss the reverberating reactions to Kirk’s death and why some creators, from comic book artists to late night show hosts, are getting their work cancelled. 

Articles mentioned in this episode: 

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Cancel Culture Comes for Artists Who Posted About Charlie Kirk’s Death | WIRED • 

OpenAI's Teen Safety Features Will Walk a Thin Line | WIRED
US Tech Giants Race to Spend Billions in UK AI Push | WIRED
How China’s Propaganda and Surveillance Systems Really Operate | WIRED
Human Design Is Blowing Up. Following It Might Make You Leave Your Spouse | WIRED

Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

WIRED Roundup: The Right Embraces Cancel Culture

This week, WIRED learned that OpenAI is ramping up its efforts in robotics — specifically, by hiring researchers who work on AI systems for humanoid robots. Humanoids, robots built to resemble us and perform daily tasks, were famous for their clumsiness just a few years ago. WIRED’s Will Knight tells us how in the era of AI, that’s rapidly changing. 

Articles mentioned in this episode: 

 • 
OpenAI Ramps Up Robotics Work in Race Toward AGI | WIRED • 

Humanoid Robots Are Coming of Age | WIRED
 • 
2025 Is the Year of the Humanoid Robot Factory Worker | WIRED • 

Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analysis of the overlap between tech and politics, from the influence of Silicon Valley on the Trump administration to how inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (Ai) chatbots fanned the fire on social protests.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Move Aside, Chatbots: AI Humanoids Are Here

In a post-Twitter world, text-based social media apps have taken a new shape. X, BlueSky, and Threads are home to wildly different types of discourse. So, which of these apps are actually worth our time? This week on Uncanny Valley, we talk about the state of text-based social apps and how they impact journalism. And finally, we ask–is it time to quit? 

Write to us at uncannyvalley@wired.com.

You can follow Michael Calore on Mastodon at @snackfight, Lauren Goode on Threads and @laurengoode, and Zoë Schiffer on Threads @reporterzoe.

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Is This The Year We Quit Social Media?

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