Byte the Bullet

In this episode of Byte the Bullet, we dive deep into the sovereign AI strategies transforming the Middle East. We unpack how the UAE (through G42 and Stargate) and Saudi Arabia (via HUMAIN) are investing billions to build massive compute hubs, navigate shifting geopolitics, and secure their digital futures.

But behind the high-tech grand strategy lies a physical reality: what does it take to power and cool massive data centers in some of the most water-stressed regions on Earth?

Tune in as we look past the headlines to explore the real infrastructure, capital, and ecological trade-offs shaping AI in the Middle East.

From mechanical typewriters, to the rise of the Internet, to the explosion of AI, workplace technology has transformed beyond recognition. In this special episode, Julia sits down with Timothy Donnelly, her dad — who is Chief Legal Officer at a global public company — to look back at four decades on the corporate frontlines: tracing how paper trails, email booms, and AI tools changed the way we work, communicate, and think about productivity.

In early 2026, court documents exposed "Project Panama" — a secret, zealous effort by Anthropic to acquire millions of books from around the world to feed their AI models. 

From spine-ripping scanners to $1.5 billion court settlements, this episode looks past the headlines to ask the fundamental question: what are we trading away in the pursuit of faster, smarter models?