Uncanny Valley | WIRED

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, The Big Interview with WIRED’s Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond in conversation with influential figures in culture, politics, business, science, and beyond for a discussion captured through the WIRED lens.

On Thursdays, WIRED writers and editors Zoë Schiffer, Brian Barrett and Leah Feiger add you to the Slack group thread to let you into what they’re hearing from sources in Silicon Valley and D.C, read you into what trends you should be watching for and how WIRED is thinking about it all.

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September 1 · 40 min
LegalEagle, the Internet’s Favorite Lawyer, Makes Sense of ‘Multiple Watergates per Week’ (Re-air)
Devin Stone, the lawyer better known as LegalEagle on YouTube, has been breaking down legal cases - and assessing the accuracy of legal procedurals in film and television -- for years. He talks to Katie about the challenges of keeping up with scandals arising from the Trump Administration. This is a summer re-air! 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 more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 27 · 21 min
AI Agents Are Hacking Systems. Could That Push the US and China to Cooperate?
The AI race has been framed as a zero-sum game: either the U.S or China will win at the end. But as concerns pile up around the increasing capabilities of AI models — especially AI agents — researchers across state lines are trying to team up to work on AI safety. This week, Zoë speaks with WIRED’s Will Knight about what he saw and heard on the ground when he visited China this summer — and why the two countries might actually need to start working together to avoid a major AI catastrophe. This is our second episode from our summer break series. We’ll be back next week with our usual roundtable. Articles mentioned in this episode: I Met With China’s Top AI Experts. They’re Freaking Out, Too | WIRED AI Hacks Are Bad. AI Worms and Viruses Will Be Worse | WIRED The Humanoid Robot of the Future Is a 6-Foot-Tall Beefcake With a Chinese Body and an American Brain | WIRED Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 25 · 53 min
Fallout Director Jonathan Nolan Says He's Still a Techno-Optimist (Re-air)
Katie sits down with the Westworld showrunner, Jonah Nolan for a wide ranging conversation about what keeps him coming back to sci-fi storytelling about technology and human nature. After decades of writing about Ai, Nolan explains why Ai may be good for burgeoning filmmakers, but won’t replace Hollywood as we know it. Nolan’s past work includes Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Interstellar and Westworld. This is a summer re-air! We are on a short vacation but back with fresh episodes very soon. 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 more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 20 · 22 min
What Happens if China Hacks the US Water Supply?
Earlier this year, insurance executives gathered in a Times Square conference room to play out a scenario — a Chinese cyberattack that knocks out 5,000 US water utilities at once. If you think that’s a far-fetched scenario, think again. WIRED's Andy Greenberg got rare access to the closed-door war game, and walked away with some disturbing conclusions. This week, Brian sits down to talk with Andy about Volt Typhoon, the Chinese state-sponsored hacking group that's spent the past three years pre-positioning itself inside American infrastructure. Articles mentioned in this episode: What Happens if China Hacks the US Water Supply? I Went to a Secret War Game to Find Out | WIRED Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from the newest ventures to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 18 · 40 min
Can AI Coexist With Privacy? Proton CEO Says It Will Have To
Andy Yen is co-founder of Proton, a Geneva-based company that operates a suite of privacy focused products like email, calendars, password managers and more. A former physicist and economist, Yen is a champion of encryption for everyone. So why is he going all in on un-encryptable AI? WIRED senior writer and author Andy Greenberg sat down with Yen to talk about how privacy can survive in a world of pervasive, AI-obsessed surveillance capitalism and creeping authoritarianism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 13 · 32 min
Zuckerberg's AI Manifesto Explained; Inside Black Hat and DEF CON's Best Hacks
This week, the team breaks down Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg's 6,500-word AI manifesto and why it ultimately rings hollow. Plus — why job seekers are scheduling bot-run interviews at 1 AM, and WIRED's Andy Greenberg joins to unpack Black Hat and DEF CON's best findings, from a hacked kids' smartwatch to a coin-sized device that can hijack a Boeing 737. Articles mentioned in this episode: The Rise of the 1 am Job Interview | WIRED Hackers Stalked Me by Hijacking a Smartwatch for Kids | WIRED This Coin-Sized Device Can Hack a Boeing 737 | WIRED McDonald’s Built a 515-Page Dossier on Me. It Says I’ll Never Stop Eating There | WIRED Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from the newest ventures to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 11 · 37 min
Zohran Mamdani, the Internet’s Mayor (Re-air)
Before he burst through the 2025 primaries, Zohran Mamdani was polling at the same level as literally "someone else." Then-candidate Zohran Mamdani sat down with Katie to talk about building a social media juggernaut, Big Tech capitulation, and what he learned from previous New York Mayor Eric Adams. This is a summer re-air! We are on a short vacation but back with fresh episodes very soon. 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 more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 6 · 33 min
How ICE Has Been Collecting DNA; SpaceX’s Rocket Crashes Into the Moon
This week, the team breaks down how ICE has collected DNA from nearly a million people this year, including young children, feeding an FBI database indefinitely. Plus — Google Earth's AI slop backfires, the White House's secretive AI cybersecurity plan, a SpaceX rocket crashes into the moon, and WIRED's Molly Taft on the strange left-right coalition fighting data centers across America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
August 4 · 52 min
Everyone Is Using AI in Hollywood
When Puck’s Matthew Belloni reported on Amazon MGM Studios decision to dump their Sam Altman biopic mere months after announced an enormous investment into OpenAI to the tune of $50 billion – the news sent a bit of a shockwave through Hollywood as the implications of Silicon Valley's grip on the industry has seemingly entered a new phase. Matt Belloni, host of The Town podcast, joins Katie to discuss the ongoing effects of Silicon Valley’s control over Hollywood and how the core mechanics of the entertainment industry, from algorithmic green lighting to the slippery slope of AI integration, are being rewritten. 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 more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 30 · 30 min
How Claude Chats Got Exposed on Google; Inside Trump's AI Policy Chaos
This week, Nvidia launched a splashy push for an open source AI security alliance alongside companies like Microsoft, SpaceX, and Palantir — notably absent were OpenAI and Anthropic. We break down what the split means for the industry and the Trump administration's own shifting opinions on AI. Plus: how Claude conversations turned up in Google and Bing search results, and the massive feat of how four whales were rescued from Canada to Chicago. Articles mentioned in this episode: Private Claude Chats Exposed in Google and Bing Search Results | WIRED Silicon Valley Is Completely Divided Over Chinese AI | WIRED The Trump Administration Is at War With Itself Over AI Regulation | WIRED Inside the Wild Rescue Mission That Took 4 Beluga Whales to Chicago | WIRED System Update Newsletter: The Best of WIRED Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from the newest ventures to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 28 · 44 min
Can the New York Times Save Journalism From Our AI Overlords?
A.G. Sulzberger, who took on the publisher role at The New York Times a decade ago and has been an influential leader in the Times’ much-lauded push into digital innovation, has no shortage of defending to do lately. Nearly three years ago, the Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement, alleging that the companies illegally used New York Times journalism to train AI models. That legal case, which isn’t even through discovery and has cost more than $20 million so far, is only one front in a broader battle: The Trump administration is waging an ongoing war on press freedoms—most recently with an outrageous attempt to subpoena Times journalists over coverage of the president’s Qatar-gifted Air Force One—while AI companies radically reshape the way people find and consume information online. A.G. tells WIRED’s Katie Drummond that he has no plans to stop fighting it. 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 more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 23 · 35 min
Did China’s Moonshot AI Steal From Anthropic?; OpenAI Loses Control of Two Models
This week, the White House accused Chinese-owned Moonshot AI of distilling Anthropic's Fable 5 to build their much talked about Kimi K3 model. Zoë, Leah, and Brian break down whether this is a repeat of the DeepSeek moment and what it means for the AI race between the U.S and China. They also get into how the U.S Army — and plenty of Silicon Valley companies — are having to cut back AI usage after burning through their tokens. Plus, we discuss why you should check if you have an alarm that could make your car easier to hack, and how OpenAI briefly lost control of two AI models during a security test. Articles mentioned in this episode: The White House Is Trying to Figure Out What to Do About Chinese AI | WIRED OpenAI Models Escaped Containment and Hacked Hugging Face | WIRED A Device Hidden in Cars Across the US Leaves Them Vulnerable to Hacking and Paralysis. Patch It Now | WIRED System Update Newsletter: The Best of WIRED Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from the newest ventures to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 21 · 41 min
Stanford Grads Say Big Tech Is Creating a 'Modern-Day Draft’
More than a hundred Stanford students left their own graduation to protest Google’s military contracts and deals with ICE. Two organizers, Amanda Campos and Eva Jones, tell us why. 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 more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 18 · 38 min
Why Apple Sued OpenAI; New York Takes On Data Centers; Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
This week, the team discusses the details behind Apple suing OpenAI over alleged stolen hardware secrets. And the company's headaches don't stop there — a group of OpenAI employees just started a Super PAC to advocate for stronger AI guardrails. Plus, they discuss New York's first-in-the-nation data center moratorium and how the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is not telling how they used AI to shape housing policy. Later in the show, WIRED's Emily Mullin explaisn the cyclosporiasis outbreak spreading across the U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 14 · 40 min
We Interviewed a Puppet and It Made A Lot of Sense
Attitudes around social media are changing. A Pew Research study found that about half of teens surveyed in 2024 felt that social media had a mostly negative impact on their age group. A group advocating a more considered relationship to tech held what they called a Summer of Ludd Festival, named after the Industrial Revolution era workers movement, the Luddites. The festival in New York City featured tech-free activities ranging from meditation to a workshop on how to flirt in real life. But in 2026, is it really possible to live without the tech we’ve become so addicted to? Guest host Manisha Krishnan, WIRED’s senior culture editor, talks to Gowanus, the spokespuppet of a local Luddite movement, about the tenets of their group - and how they plan to grow it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 9 · 18 min
Meta’s Threads Rivals Musk’s X; Trump Phone Review; Maine's Senate Race Implodes
Threads recently hit 500 million monthly users, putting it on par with X — but is it really competing, or just filling a different niche? Meanwhile, the reviews have been coming in for the Trump-branded T1 phone in recent weeks as it finally started shipping after a year of delays. Plus: Leah explains the fast-moving crisis around Senate candidate Graham Platner, who stepped down this week after a long string of controversies. Articles mentioned in this episode: The Trump Phone Is Already a Lot Different From Last Week | WIRED Republicans Gleefully Celebrate Midterms Chaos in Maine | WIRED Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, politics, finance, and business, from the newest ventures to the effects of inaccurate information from artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on social protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 7 · 40 min
From Mixed Signals: Bluesky COO Rose Wang on building a better social network
Bluesky COO Rose Wang joins our friends at Semafor's Mixed Signals to talk about the platform’s reputation as a politically charged space — and betting on a decentralized approach to social media. Semafor's media editor Max Tani and editor-in-chief Ben Smith ask Wang about the Bluesky’s rapid growth, its evolving identity, and the challenge of turning a utopian vision into a business that will last. For more on what is going on in and around media, subscribe to Semafor Media. Every Sunday, Semafor Media delivers scoops and analysis on the shifting power, business models, and personalities transforming the media industry. Get the news behind the news — subscribe to the Semafor Media briefing for free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 30 · 38 min
Bernie Sanders Wants You to Own Half the Profits from AI
While many politicians are still getting their bearings around AI, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has taken a leading stance. He’s proposed a sovereign wealth fund, to allow Americans to share in half of the financial profits made by big AI companies. He’s also calling for a moratorium on data center construction, until we’re able to answer some key questions – including how AI can improve our lives. Senator Bernie Sanders talks to Katie about the transformational power of AI, and why we need to
June 25 · 35 min
Why Amazon Dropped Its OpenAI Movie; Data Center Workers Are Fighting Back
This week, the team discusses Amazon’s controversial decision to drop Luca Guadagnino’s film about OpenAI’s Sam Altman — which reportedly did not paint him in a favorable light. Alongside Google DeepMind’s $75 million brand new partnership with indie film studio A24, how much of a dent is AI actually having in the films we see? They also discuss the recent upheaval of workers — from electricians to software engineers — against data centers. Plus: Meta’s program to track employees’ data gets paus
June 23 · 40 min
Until Trump Fires Her, Anna Gomez Will Fight for Press Freedom
President Trump probably can’t get rid of her yet, but FCC commissioner Anna Gomez still checks her email every day to see if he has. Until then, she wants to stand up for the First Amendment. Anna Gomez, the only Democratic commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission, wrote a shocking letter to Disney last month, warning that the company is the target of “a sustained, coordinated campaign of censorship and control.” Commissioner Gomez sits down with Katie to talk about protecting the

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