Terms of Service with Clare Duffy
New technologies like artificial intelligence, facial recognition and social media algorithms are changing our world so fast that it can be hard to keep up. This cutting-edge tech often inspires overblown hype — and fear. That’s where we come in. Each week, CNN Tech Writer Clare Duffy will break down how these technologies work and what they’ll mean for your life in terms that don’t require an engineering degree to understand. And we’ll empower you to start experimenting with these tools, without getting played by them.
Episodes
June 3, 2025 • 27 mins
Children and teens are spending more time than ever in online gaming spaces. But how safe are these platforms for kids? David Baszucki has thought about this question a lot. He’s the co-founder and CEO of Roblox, an online game platform that millions of young people use every day. Clare spoke with him while he was in Washington, DC, talking to members of Congress about how to protect kids online.
Learn more about your ad choices. V...
Mark as Played
May 27, 2025 • 31 mins
Self-driving cars have hit the streets of several US cities. And even in human-driven cars, giant tablet screens and automated driver assistance features can make it feel like a computer is your co-pilot. What does this all mean for the future of driving? Aarian Marshall, staff writer at WIRED, has tips for drivers and passengers alike.
The Mozilla report Aarian mentioned about the data different car companies collect is here.
Ha...
Mark as Played
May 20, 2025 • 32 mins
As US travelers gear up for Memorial Day, one question is on many people’s minds: Is it safe to fly right now? In the wake of frightening headlines about plane crashes and communication issues, Pete Muntean shares some insights. He’s CNN’s aviation and transportation correspondent – and a pilot himself.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mark as Played
May 13, 2025 • 25 mins
From “looksmaxxing” to “glass skin,” algorithms are changing how we define beauty — online and in real life. In a world of ever-evolving beauty trends and hyper-realistic AI filters, journalist Elise Hu has some tips for navigating it all.
Elise’s book is called Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capital. You can also hear her on Ted Talks Daily and NPR.
What questions do you have about the technology in you...
Mark as Played
May 6, 2025 • 33 mins
After 23andMe filed for bankruptcy in March, VC-backed genetic testing company Nucleus Genomics put up its hand to acquire the platform. Nucleus uses whole-genome testing to give users a fuller picture of their DNA. The company also recently released a new feature that raised eyebrows among some ethicists. Kian Sadeghi, Nucleus’ founder and CEO, lays out his vision for a future where genetic testing tells you a whole lot more than ...
Mark as Played
May 2, 2025 • 36 mins
Conspiracy theories are not new. They’re as old as time itself. But if you feel like they’re everywhere right now, you’re not alone. So, what do you do when somebody you love has fallen down a rabbit hole? CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan has been covering the world of misinformation for more than a decade, but now he's less interested in what people believe than why they believe it. So, he’s trying to find out.
Listen to Persuadable her...
Mark as Played
April 29, 2025 • 25 mins
With tariffs kicking in and stock prices taking wild swings, uncertainty has racked the US economy in recent weeks. What’s the best way to navigate your personal finances in a moment like this? Jeanne Sahadi, a senior writer for CNN Business, has some tips for weathering the storm.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mark as Played
April 22, 2025 • 28 mins
If you’ve been to the airport recently, you might have noticed something different while going through security: a TSA agent taking your photo. Face scans can speed up the security process, but according to Dr. Joy Buolamwini, this technology comes with big picture risks. She explains what’s going on with these face scans — and how to opt out.
Read more about Dr. Joy’s nonprofit, the Algorithmic Justice League, here.
What questio...
Mark as Played
April 15, 2025 • 29 mins
Conspiracy theories can take many forms, from misgivings about the first moon landing to false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. As anyone who’s tried to reason with a conspiracy theorist knows, it’s hard to debunk such deeply held beliefs – and arguing with a loved one about them can be emotionally taxing. What if an AI chatbot could help? A recent study, published in Science, asked that very question — and the results wer...
Mark as Played
April 8, 2025 • 25 mins
Grief is one of the most human experiences we have—so what happens when AI gets involved? How are people using it in their healing process? Audio producer Rebecca Nolan shares her own experience creating an AI chatbot based on her deceased father, and University of Arizona psychology professor Mary-Frances O’Connor talks with Clare about whether using AI for the grieving process has therapeutic benefits.
Mary-Frances’s latest book...
Mark as Played
April 1, 2025 • 25 mins
In the past decade, technology has transformed the way we use doorbells. Home security cameras that capture footage of people around your home give some people peace of mind in the face of potential break-ins or theft. Clare talks with Matthew Guariglia, a senior policy analyst at the Electronic Frontier Foundation working on issues of surveillance and policing, about where that footage is going and what it’s being used for.
Learn ...
Mark as Played
March 25, 2025 • 33 mins
The popularity of for-profit genetic testing services like Ancestry and 23andMe has skyrocketed in recent years. These tests can teach users more about their ancestry or health. But they can also have some unexpected outcomes. 23andMe recently filed for bankruptcy to pursue a sale, raising questions about what could happen to users’ data under a new owner. University of Iowa law professor Anya Prince digs into the privacy considera...
Mark as Played
March 18, 2025 • 25 mins
Becoming a parent is overwhelming. So is all the technology out there that’s marketed toward new parents, from smart bassinets to high-tech baby monitors and breastfeeding tracker apps. What gadgets do new parents actually need, and do you need them at all? Sophie Brickman explored this in her book Baby, Unplugged, and she shares some insights for fellow parents in the digital age.
What questions do you have about the technology i...
Mark as Played
March 11, 2025 • 28 mins
It’s no surprise that music can affect our emotions. But can music actually improve our mental health? Aaron Labbé, founder and chief technology officer at the Toronto-based company LUCID, believes it can. With the help of AI-curated music playlists, and technology that reads your facial expressions as you listen, LUCID is trying to turn music into medicine.
LUCID has an app called Resonance Rx that can be prescribed to patients w...
Mark as Played
March 4, 2025 • 35 mins
If you apply for a job online, there’s a good chance that your application will be put through some kind of AI evaluation. But what is the AI algorithm looking for, and how effective is AI at helping the most qualified candidates get the job? Hilke Schellmann, an investigative reporter and assistant professor at New York University, gives us the lowdown on how AI is changing hiring and what you should know about AI in the workplace...
Mark as Played
February 25, 2025 • 29 mins
Every time users talk to AI chatbots, their queries go to data centers, where stacks of computers do rapid, complex calculations in order to respond. This process requires significant amounts of electricity and water, and experts worry about the environmental cost of this rapidly growing technology. But what is that cost, exactly? And is there anything we can do as individuals to reduce the impact of our AI use? Sasha Luccioni, the...
Mark as Played
February 18, 2025 • 30 mins
Many of us have seen this happen. Someone dies IRL, but their online presence lives on. It’s estimated that millions of accounts on Facebook belong to people who have died. And many of us have so many online accounts, it’s hard to keep track of them ourselves – let alone leaving that work to loved ones after we’re gone. So, what “digital remains” are we leaving behind when we die? And how do we ensure our loved ones have the tools ...
Mark as Played
February 11, 2025 • 31 mins
Since the dawn of match.com in 1995, people have had a lot of questions about how online dating would change the experience of falling in love. But that was 30 years ago, and it was only the beginning of a total sea change in the way we date. Now, artificial intelligence is promising to switch things up in the dating world once more. And just like in 1995, we’re left wondering—what does all of this mean for the future of dating? Ma...
Mark as Played
February 4, 2025 • 32 mins
It’s become the norm for teens and tweens to have smartphones — but lately, the pendulum has been swinging back. Parents and educators worry smartphones can cause distraction, loneliness and other mental health challenges among young people. So when is the right time to give your kid a smartphone, if at all? Mark SooHoo, a parent involved with the organization Wait Until 8th, shares why he and his wife are holding off until at leas...
Mark as Played
January 28, 2025 • 25 mins
In an age of personalized algorithms and constant notifications, it can be hard to resist the pull of our devices. Why is it so hard to stop mindlessly scrolling? Cultural anthropologist Natasha Schüll shares some of her research on why we’re so hooked to our phones – and some thoughts on how to pull away from the infinite scroll.
What questions do you have about the technology in your life? Email us at CNNTermsofService@Gmail.c...
Mark as Played
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, hot takes, and listener call-ins, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT goes beyond the headlines to uncover the twists, turns, and unanswered questions that keep us all obsessed—because, at TRUE CRIME TONIGHT, there’s a seat for everyone. Whether breaking down crime scene forensics, scrutinizing serial killers, or debating the most binge-worthy true crime docs, True Crime Tonight is the fresh, fast-paced, and slightly addictive home for true crime lovers.
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.