Uncanny Valley | 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
Episodes
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.
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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...
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/c/a/661hs4tSRdw2yB2dvjFy...
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:
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 t...
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 ventu...
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.n...
Last week, the US Justice Department published an indictment involving NBA stars and members of the mob for allegedly running a network of rigged gambling games. One of their rigging tactics was a manipulation of a Deckmate 2 automatic shuffling machine — almost identical to the one WIRED’s Andy Greenberg and his hacking crew executed using the same machine.
Mike and Lauren sit down with Andy Greenberg to break down how th...
The Atlantic CEO’s new book, The Running Ground, examines his complicated relationship with the sport. Nicholas Thompson, former WIRED editor, talks to Katie about the ways tech is helping him become a better runner.
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...
In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Louise Matsakis to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from how SEO is changing in the era of AI, to how frogs became a protest symbol. Then, why some people have been filing complaints to the FTC about ChatGPT, arguing it has led them to AI psychosis and pleading the agency to step in.
Join WIRED’s best and brightest as they provide an insider analy...
Tech giants have been investing hundreds of billions of dollars into AI data centers just this year alone. But as the deals pile up, so have the concerns around their viability and sustainability. Mike and Lauren sit down with WIRED’s Molly Taft to discuss how these energy hungry facilities actually work; the different industry interests at stake; and whether it’ll all come crumbling down.
Articles mentioned in this episod...
Mere months ago, New York's mayoral frontrunner was polling at the same level as literally "someone else." Zohran Mamdani talks to Katie about building a social media juggernaut, Big Tech capitulation, and what he learned from outgoing New York Mayor Eric Adams.
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 ...
In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Jake Lahut to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from how satellites are leaking sensitive data to what Zoë learned after interviewing cybertruck owners. Then, Zoë and Jake dive into how federal workers ended up in the middle of a political fight that they didn’t sign themselves up for.
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History professor Mark Bray is no stranger to death threats. As the author of the book Antifa: The Anti-Fascist Handbook, published in 2017, he has received backlash and harassment from far-right circles for almost a decade. But things recently escalated after the Trump administration designated antifa as a “domestic terrorist organization,” and far-right influencers with a newfound power targeted Bray.
Mike sits down with...
Billionaire Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and co-founder of Cost Plus Drugs, talks to Katie about the state of entrepreneurship, American healthcare, and tech under Trump. The investor campaigned for Kamala Harris, but thinks tech execs have a “moral imperative” to play nice with the president. Why? It’s good business.
Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they dissect the collision of tech, polit...
In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Leah Feiger to run through five stories that you need to know about this week — from the Antifa professor who’s fleeing to Europe for safety, to how some chatbots are manipulating users to avoid saying goodbye. Then, Zoë and Leah break down why a recent announcement from OpenAI rattled the markets and answer the question everyone is wondering — are we in an AI bubble?
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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...
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.
Join WIRED’s best and brightest on Uncanny Valley as they disse...
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:
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...
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