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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 Tuesdays, WIRED’s Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond sits down with influential figures in culture, politics, business, science, and beyond for a discussion captured through the WIRED lens.

On Thursdays, 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, Zoë Schiffer brings you everything you need to know this week in tech news.

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/c/a/661hs4tSRdw2yB2dvjFyyw

Gadget Lab: Weekly Tech News from WIRED

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Max Zeff to discuss five stories you need to know about this week — from the political fallout after the release of the Epstein files, to why two young mormon men created an app to help men stop "gooning". Then, we dive into Gemini 3's release and how companies like Google and OpenAI are honing in on AI profitability. 

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/rsp/b2f5609b-7cf6-ec95-283c-98b22c15c925 

Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from Alexis Ohanian's newest tech venture to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests.

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WIRED Roundup: Epstein Files Fallout, NVIDIA Earnings, Gemini 3 Release

Whether it's teenagers reviving the Benadryl TikTok challenge or people signing up for an out of body experience program previously used by the CIA, some of us are chasing unconventional trips. Bad trips, essentially. But these trends are happening at a time when AI companies are also looking to create a “cleaner” trip for users, and others are using AI chatbots to therapeutically guide their psychedelic trips. Mike sits down with WIRED's Boone Ashworth and Manisha Krishnan to discuss these trends, and the promises and limitations of relying on tech to avoid bad trips.

Articles mentioned in this episode: 

 • 
Young People Are Tripping on Benadryl—and It’s Always a Bad Time | WIRED • 

 • 
The CIA Used This Psychic Meditation Program. It’s Never Been More Popular | WIRED • 

 • 
A Startup Used AI to Make a Psychedelic Without the Trip | WIRED • 

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: 

https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/c/a/661hs4tSRdw2yB2dvjFyyw

Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from Alexis Ohanian's newest tech venture to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests.

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

Can Tech Get Rid of Bad Trips?

Right now much of the US economy rests on AI’s future. In fact, Odd Lots cohost Joe Weisenthal says the rest of the economy that isn't tech or AI related is creaking along. He breaks down for Katie why AI’s impact on finance goes beyond billion-dollar investments. 

Tell us what you think of the show by filling out our listener survey 

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. 

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BIG INTV: Joe Weisenthal Has Predictions About How the AI Bubble Will Burst

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Brian Barrett to discuss five stories you need to know about this week — from how AI affairs can now be grounds for divorce, to why Google is suing one of the largest networks of text scammers. Then, we dive into how the Department of Homeland Security illegally gathered the data of hundreds of Chicago residents. 

Articles mentioned in this episode: 

 • 
Apple Pulls China’s Top Gay Dating Apps After Government Order | WIRED • 

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If the US Has to Build Data Centers, Here’s Where They Should Go | WIRED • 

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This Is the Platform Google Claims Is Behind a 'Staggering’ Scam Text Operation | WIRED • 

AI Relationships Are on the Rise. A Divorce Boom Could Be Next | WIRED
 • 
DHS Kept Chicago Police Records for Months in Violation of Domestic Espionage Rules | WIRED • 

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/rsp/ebee8645-151e-17fe-dec7-4bb1847de33b 

Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from Alexis Ohanian's newest tech venture to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests.

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

WIRED Roundup: AI Romantic Affairs; Google Sues Text Scammers; DHS’s Privacy Breach

Recently, WIRED’s editor at large Steven Levy sat down for an interview with Palantir’s CEO Alex Karp. Karp defended his company’s contracts with clients like ICE and the Israeli government, which have increasingly gathered criticism. 

In today’s episode, we dive into the most revealing parts of the interview and break down how Karp’s technostate ideology has rippled across Silicon Valley. 

Articles mentioned in this episode:

 • 
Alex Karp Goes to War | WIRED • 

What Does Palantir Actually Do? | WIRED

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/rsp/ebee8645-151e-17fe-dec7-4bb1847de33b 

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

In Alex Karp’s World, Palantir Is the Underdog

Steven Adler used to lead product safety at OpenAI. When Katie read his recent op-ed asking OpenAI to prove that they have and continue to address safety issues, she knew she wanted to talk to him. This week she sits down with Steven to talk about what AI users should know about their bots.

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/rsp/ebee8645-151e-17fe-dec7-4bb1847de33b 

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: Open AI’s Former Safety Lead Calls Out Erotica Claims

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Leah Feiger to discuss the top stories you need to know about this week — from Zuckerberg’s illegal school to the repercussions behind the recent pardoning of Changpeng Zhao, Binance’s ex-CEO. Then, Zoë and Leah discuss how fandom on the internet played a key tole in this week’s election results. 

Articles mentioned in this episode: 

 • 
Mark Zuckerberg Opened an Illegal School at His Palo Alto Compound. His Neighbors Revolted | WIRED • 

The Inside Story of How Gen Z Toppled Nepal’s Leader and Chose a New One on Discord | WIRED
 • 
Trump’s CZ Pardon Has the Crypto World Bracing for Impact | WIRED • 

 • 
Zohran Mamdani’s Campaign Figured Out How to Channel Fandom | WIRED • 

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/c/a/661hs4tSRdw2yB2dvjFyyw

Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from Alexis Ohanian's newest tech venture to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests.

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

WIRED Roundup: Zuckerberg’s Illegal School, Nepal’s Discord Revolution, Fandom in Politics

Chatter about an AI bubble has been everywhere lately, and top tech companies like Google, Meta, and Microsoft have doubled down on their AI investments for 2026. But how have analysts in the past accurately identified forming tech bubbles? Mike and Lauren sit down with WIRED contributor and author of the newsletter Blood in the Machine Brian Merchant to break down the four criteria some researchers have used in the past to understand and brace for the worst. 

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/c/a/661hs4tSRdw2yB2dvjFyyw

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

The Four Criteria for a Tech Bubble

Katie catches up with fellow journalist and podcast host, Kara Swisher to talk about interviewing arrogant pricks, the power of negging and who would play her in a movie. And she tells Katie if she had to she would rather work for Sam Altman over Mark Zuckerberg. 

Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from Alexis Ohanian's newest tech venture to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests. 

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/c/a/661hs4tSRdw2yB2dvjFyyw

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

BIG INTV: Kara Swisher Says Silicon Valley's Biggest Lie is That They Care About People

In today’s episode, WIRED’s Brian Barrett is joined by Leah Feiger to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from the release of Grokipedia to real estate entering its AI slop era. Then, Brian and Leah dive into why the promise of a tech-forward school in Texas with software instead of teachers fell apart.

Please help us improve Uncanny Valley by filling out our listener survey: https://panel2058.na2.panelpulse.com/c/a/661hs4tSRdw2yB2dvjFyyw

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: Grokipedia, Real Estate AI Videos, Alpha School

Even if you aren't familiar with Okta, you've probably used it. The digital login system is used by thousands of companies across the world to manage employee logins to various cloud services. Which makes it a real problem when that system, and all that login info, gets hacked.

This week on Gadget Lab, WIRED senior writer Lily Hay Newman joins the show to tell us about the group behind the recent Okta hack, how the hackers took control of such a vast system, and what happened in the aftermath.

Show Notes: 

Read all Lily’s stories about the Lapsus$ Okta hack. This episode was recorded and scheduled shortly before news broke that two teenagers in the UK have been charged in connection with the hacks.

Recommendations: 

Lily recommends setting up two-factor authentication on all your services. (Here’s how!) Mike recommends the podcast Poog with Kate Berlant and Jacqueline Novak.

Lily Hay Newman can be found on Twitter @lilyhnewman. Michael Calore is @snackfight. Lauren Goode is @LaurenGoode. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. The show is produced by Boone Ashworth (@booneashworth). Our theme music is by Solar Keys.

 

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Who's Behind the Okta Hack?

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