In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda explore the deep and surprising intersections between religion and technology.

From the invention of the printing press that democratized scripture to today's AI systems subtly reshaping belief and identity, the lines between faith, society, and tech have never been more blurred. Is technology becoming the new religion? Has screen time replaced spiritual time?

We also discuss how digital tools are reprogramming societies, the ethical dilemmas created when AI outputs clash with religious values, and the global implications of a world where digital systems often shape morality more than ancient texts.

Referenced articles this week: 

Aparna's Pick: ⁠"Big Tech's AI Supply Chain Is Built on African Workers"⁠ (Rest of World)  

Harinda's Pick: ⁠"Antiqua et Nova"⁠ (Vatican Document on AI and Humanity)
Chapters:
00:00 The Intersection of Technology and Religion
07:17 Historical Context: Technology's Impact on Religion
14:16 Tech as the New Religion
20:31 Addiction to Tech: Worship or Manipulation?
23:21 The Intersection of Technology and Addiction
24:49 Societal Reprogramming: Faith vs. Screen Time
26:44 The Rise of Digital Spirituality
28:39 Technology's Impact on Religious Beliefs
31:27 Geopolitical Implications of Religion and Technology
34:40 Conflicts Between Religious Values and AI Outputs
37:37 The Future of Religion in a Technological World Connect with the hosts:

• Aparna Bhushan → ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• Harinda Katugaha → ⁠LinkedIn⁠

Learn more about Rethinking Tech: ⁠rethinkingtech.co⁠

New episodes every Tuesday — Join us as we rethink tech - the biggest forces shaping our world.

This week on Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda dive into the wild and controversial debate ignited by Jack Dorsey’s call to abolish IP laws — with Elon Musk quickly chiming in his support.

We explore the messy world of AI, copyright, and what happens when original creations are up for grabs:

• How DeepSeek, OpenAI, and others are tangled in allegations of scraping protected data

• Studio Ghibli’s style stolen at scale — and who profits

• AI valuations built on shaky (stolen?) IP foundations

• The global response to Trump’s tariffs and the rise of counterfeit commerce on TikTok

• Why cyberlibertarianism is gaining momentum — and at what cost

• How the US–China battle over patents could reshape innovation for decades

Is intellectual property still worth protecting in the age of AI? Or are we barreling toward a chaotic, free-for-all future?

🔗 Reference Materials:
• Aparna’s article - CNN: China’s First Humanoid Robot Finishes a Half Marathon
• Harinda’s article - IFL Science: Scientists Discover a New Color, "Olo"

👥 Connect with us:
• Aparna Bhushan on LinkedIn
• Harinda Katugaha on LinkedIn
• Learn more at RethinkingTech.co

🎧 New episodes drop every Tuesday. Hit follow and rethink the tech world with us.

📉 From trade wars to AI-fueled protectionism, tariffs are no longer just about economics—they're about values, power, and the digital age. In this episode, Aparna and Harinda dig into the growing complexity of tariffs, their impact on both goods and services, and how they're reshaping globalization.

We ask:

• Is this really about protecting jobs—or rewriting the world order?

• Who wins and who loses when nations turn inward?

• And is this a shift toward strategic resilience… or just economic nationalism in disguise?

We also bring you the two pieces of media that caught our attention this week:

• 🧠 Aparna’s pick: Fake job seekers use AI to land remote roles – a cautionary tale about identity, automation, and deception in hiring.

• 🌀 Harinda’s pick: AI-generated influencers with fake Down syndrome promote OnlyFans – a disturbing glimpse into where deepfakes meet digital ethics.

💡 This episode unpacks how tariffs—once seen as dull economic levers—now intersect with AI, geopolitics, and the ethics of global interdependence.

🎧 Tune in and decide: Is globalization broken, or just ready for a rethink?

—🔗 Connect with your hosts:• Aparna Bhushan
• Harinda Katugaha
🌍 Learn more: rethinkingtech.co

#RethinkingTech #Tariffs #Globalization #AI #Geopolitics #Ethics #TechPolicy #Podcast #TechNews #InternationalRelations

In this episode, we unpack one of the boldest tech maneuvers of the year: Elon Musk’s xAI acquiring X. What does this mean for the future of freedom of speech, the fate of 600 million users’ data, and the growing centralization of AI power?

We explore the implications for geopolitics, user privacy, national security, and the increasingly blurred lines between business strategy and ideological warfare. As governments invoke national emergencies and companies tighten their grip on influence, we ask: Who really controls the tech we rely on?

🎧 Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction to the Tech Landscape01:33 – Topics on our minds this week04:10 – Laying the groundwork on X and xAI06:54 – The Dynamics of Advertising and Free Speech09:15 – The Musk–Altman Feud and Its Implications11:49 – User Rights and Data Privacy Concerns14:11 – The Future of AI and Disinformation18:44 – Elon Musk and the Data Dilemma23:13 – The Role of X in the AI Landscape26:30 – Freedom of Speech and Censorship on X29:52 – The Future of AI and xAI33:03 – The Potential Outcomes for X and Its Users37:32 – The Ethical Landscape of Technology37:57 – Engagement and Reflection

🔗 References:

• White House Fact Sheet – National Emergency Declaration

• The UnCommunist Manifesto – Book Reference

👥 Connect with us on LinkedIn:

• Aparna Bhushan

• Harinda Katugaha

In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack one of the most heated debates in AI right now: who owns the data that’s training the world's most powerful models?

From copyrighted novels and news articles to images, music, and even our social media posts — what’s fair game in the age of AI? As tech giants race ahead, artists, authors, and governments are asking hard questions about consent, compensation, and control.

Together, we dig into:

If you're a policymaker, tech founder, artist, or simply someone curious about the future of creativity—this one’s for you.

Aparna's pick: https://open.spotify.com/show/4nANvTYObGXahfd3k1Nyah?si=1f40914a3bcc4982

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/stay-with-me-here/id1608061222

Harinda's pick: https://www.pcmag.com/news/elon-musk-teases-his-departure-from-doge

Listen in and rethink with us.

🔗 Follow Aparna Bhushan
🔗 Follow Harinda Katugaha
🌐 More episodes at rethinkingtech.co

In this episode, get to know your hosts: Aparna Bhushan and Harinda Katugaha. From tech startups to policy rooms, from AI ethics to systems design — we introduce who we are, what brought us together, and why we created Rethinking Tech.

This isn’t just a podcast about what’s happening in tech — it’s about why it matters and where it might lead.

💬 Timestamps:

• 00:00 - Introduction to Rethinking Tech

  02:28 - Meet the Hosts: Harinda and Aparna

  06:09 - The Purpose Behind Rethinking Tech

  07:55 - The Need for Rethinking Tech Now

  09:53 - Why You Should Listen to Rethinking Tech

🎧 Listen, subscribe, and join us every Tuesday as we rethink what tech is doing to the world — and what the world is doing in response.

• Aparna Bhushan

• Harinda Katugaha

• Rethinking Tech Website

We live in a world where reels, shorts, likes and swipes dominate attention. But is short-form content helping us process the world, or just react to it faster than ever before? And are we simply and constantly reacting while losing touch with the world as a result?

In this episode, Aparna and Harinda break down the cultural shift toward short-form media and what it means for news, entertainment, and our collective attention spans. From the algorithms shaping what we see to the economic forces pushing creators to go shorter and snappier - this is a fast-moving world with slow-building consequences.

The importance of this topic in 2025 cannot be understated given the substantial changes happening at the individual, business and geopolitical level. Contemplating and reaching some sense of clarity on how to manage short form content in your life can literally be the difference between life and death (by scrolling).

🎧 We also talk about two pieces of content that stood out to us this week:

• 📺 This YouTube video: A captivating example of storytelling done right in the short-form era (shared by Harinda).

• 📰 This NYT interactive: A piece that forces us to rethink how digital media visualizes impact (shared by Aparna).

🎙️ Hosted by:
- ⁠Aparna⁠

- Harinda
🔸 Follow us at rethinkingtech.co

If this episode made you rethink something, share it with a friend or, better yet, leave us a review. We drop new episodes every Tuesday.

#RethinkingTech #ShortFormContent #AttentionEconomy #DigitalCulture #ContentModeration #Podcast

A government department with no legislative backing. Billions in budget cuts. Mass firings. AI-driven restructuring. Welcome to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—the most disruptive force in modern governance.

In this episode of Rethinking Tech, we break down DOGE’s unprecedented power shift and the ripple effects it’s sending across government, business, and global politics.

🔥 Inside this episode:

• What is DOGE? How did it come to be, and who’s really running the show?
• U.S. government overhaul: What’s getting cut, what’s being restructured, and what’s happening to all that data?
• The corporate buy-in: How Big Tech and private companies are adapting to DOGE’s new reality.
• Global impact: How other nations are responding, and whether this could reshape international power dynamics.
• The ethical dilemma: Is this a much-needed reset, or an unprecedented power grab with dangerous consequences?

DOGE is moving at lightning speed. Governments, businesses, and global markets are scrambling to react. But is this radical efficiency the future of governance—or a tech-fueled experiment with no safety net?

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation.
#RethinkingTech #DOGE #GovernmentReform #AI #Geopolitics #BigTech

In an era where digital platforms shape our discourse, what does "freedom of speech" truly mean? In this episode, we tackle the complex, and often controversial, world of online expression.

From JD Vance’s bold statements at the Munich Security Conference to legislating freedom of speech, we explore the shifting sands of free speech in both politics and technology. Is the digital public square really free, or is it quietly governed by unseen hands?

We also take a hard look at the US administration's paradoxical approach—championing freedom of speech on one side while taking actions that may contradict it on the other. And what about the tech giants and other nation states? How much responsibility do platforms hold in preserving or moderating our right to speak?

Join us as we break down:

• Why freedom of speech is at a tipping point.
• The silent power of algorithms and moderation.
• How global politics are shaping the future of online expression.
• The fine line between protecting free speech and ensuring safety.

This isn’t just about platforms or policies—it’s about who gets to shape the narratives of our time.

🎧 Listen now and rethink the world around you.

#RethinkingTech #FreeSpeech #ContentModeration #DigitalEthics #Geopolitics #TechPolicy #FreedomOfSpeech #Podcast

E04: Rethinking Rare Earth Minerals – The Secret War No One Is Talking About

Your smartphone. Your laptop. The electric car you dream of buying. None of it works without rare earth minerals. They’re invisible in your daily life, but they power the modern world. And right now, nations are scrambling, corporations are maneuvering, and billionaires are making strategic plays behind closed doors.

🔹 Why are Trump and Zelensky negotiating mineral deals during aid talks?
🔹 Why is Big Tech completely silent in the rare earth conversation?
🔹 And most importantly—who actually stands to win?

In this episode, we’re connecting the dots between rare earth minerals, AI, electrification, and the global tech power struggle. This isn’t just about national security—it’s about who controls the future.

🚀 What in the world are Rare Earth Minerals? And why are they being called "the new oil"?
🔬 The Tech Power Play – AI, EVs, and semiconductors depend on REMs. If China cuts off supply, the West’s tech empire crumbles.
🌍 The Geopolitics of Resources – Why Ukraine, Greenland, and even the Arctic are suddenly battlegrounds for mineral dominance.
⚖️ The Ethics of Resource-Driven Foreign Policy – Is trading aid for minerals just business… or something more sinister?
🤯 What this means for YOU – Could AI prices skyrocket? Will Tesla and OpenAI be forced to play by China’s rules?

The real AI war isn’t happening in Silicon Valley—it’s happening deep underground, in the global race for rare earth dominance.

🎧 Listen now to rethink the future of AI, Big Tech, and global power.

#RethinkingTech #AI #RareEarthMinerals #Geopolitics #EVs #BigTech #NationalSecurity #TechWars

Here’s what we break down: