SXSW features killer robots and killer barbeque. Alexa's spontaneous laugh makes us afraid of an AI takeover. Amazon wants to take over your checking account. Can blockchain reinvent fintech? Android users more loyal than iOS users. Is AI really all that smart? Apple hires M. Night Shyamalan. Millennials love Apple more than anything. Mario takes over Google Maps. Facebook asks if pedophilia is ok. On Twitter, fake news spreads faster than the truth. China's new Department of PreCrime. 
Host: Leo Laporte 
Guests: Ant Pruitt, Ben Johnson, and Dan Patterson 
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TWiT 657: DadGum Cell Phone

This Week in Tech is the top-ranked flagship tech podcast from TWiT.tv. Every Sunday, Leo Laporte and a roundtable of insiders explore the week's hottest tech news from AI to robots, and PCs to privacy. When it comes to tech, TWiT is IT.

Records live every Sunday at 5:15pm Eastern / 2:15pm Pacific / 21:15 UTC.

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In this episode of This Week in Tech, Leo Laporte is joined by Georgia Dow, Shoshana Weissmann, and Fr. Robert Ballecer, tackling a wide range of thought-provoking topics, from the ethical implications of AI in sensitive fields to the challenges of creating and consuming content in an increasingly commercialized digital landscape. 
The panel grapples with the potential risks and benefits of AI-powered therapists and priests, stressing the need for human empathy and discernment in these emotionally charged roles. 
They confront the harsh realities of the internet's "heat death," as the relentless pursuit of profits and engagement leads to a glut of low-quality content and erodes user trust. 
The group reflects on the double-edged sword of democratized media, celebrating the value of supporting emerging voices while acknowledging the importance of professional standards. 
As Twitter faces existential challenges, the panel surveys the social media horizon, evaluating alternative platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky, and weighing the implications of Jack Dorsey's departure from the Bluesky board. 
Elon Musk's reckless tweets about taking Tesla private have come back to haunt him, with the Supreme Court upholding an SEC settlement requiring his Tesla-related posts to be vetted by a lawyer. 
The FCC has cracked down on major telecom companies for the illegal sale of location data, while legislators push for reforms to prevent the government from exploiting privacy loopholes. 
Congress continues its misguided crusade to protect children online, with ill-conceived age verification mandates and privacy-eroding measures that threaten the very foundations of digital security. The panel offers an impassioned critique of these shortsighted efforts. 
The once-beloved video game Helldivers 2 serves as a cautionary tale of platform overreach, as a heavy-handed PlayStation Network login requirement sparks a massive player revolt and torpedoes the game's reputation. 
Apple's quarterly results are analyzed, and all eyes are on Apple's upcoming event, where new iPads and an enhanced Apple Pencil are expected to take center stage. But the real buzz surrounds the rumored M4 chip and its tantalizing AI capabilities, hinting at a potential game-changer for the iconic brand. 
The group geeks out over Disney+'s radical revival of X-Men '97 and Amazon's ambitious Fallout adaptation, complete with an immersive easter egg phone experience 
The freewheeling discussion also touches on Shoshana's ingenious Alexa hacks for Sabbath TV viewing, a UK council's apostrophe apocalypse, the looming cicada invasion, and Fr. Robert's role as a guardian angel for the Vatican's feral felines. 
Host: Leo Laporte 
Guests: Georgia Dow, Shoshana Weissmann, and Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ 
Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 
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TWiT 978: Baptized in Gatorade - AI Priest, FCC Fines, Jack Dorsey Leaves Bluesky

TikTok Ban, Intel's Struggles, Google's Ensh*ttification 
'Thunder Run': Behind Lawmakers' Secretive Push to Pass the TikTok Bill 
A Chinese Firm Is America's Favorite Drone Maker. Except in Washington.  
The panel taks about AI  
With YouTube Booming, Podcast Creators Get Camera-Ready  
A new California bill would restrict line-skipping service 'Clear' at airports in the name of equity  
The Man Who Killed Google Search  
Google search boss Raghavan warns employees of 'new operating reality'  
Oracle is moving its world HQ to Nashville  
Google delays third-party cookie demise yet again  
Alphabet Leaps Into $2 Trillion Club as Results Show AI Strength  
U.S. chipmaker Intel was once dominant, now struggles to stay relevant  
Twilio Founder Jeff Lawson Has Some Serious Plans for The Onion 
Host: Leo Laporte 
Guests: Amy Webb and Kevin Rose 
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TWiT 977: Gahoo Yoogle - TikTok Ban, Intel's Struggles, Google's Ensh*ttification

 
Cops can force suspect to unlock phone with thumbprint, US court rules 
TikTok 'ban' passes in the House again 
Senate reauthorizes FISA spy program, but not before its midnight expiration 
Surveillance Law Section 702 Keeps Us Safe 
Netflix (NFLX) earnings Q1 2024 
Americans' New TV Habit: Subscribe. Watch. Cancel. Repeat. 
How One Author Pushed the Limits of AI Copyright 
Amazon Prime Memberships in US Gain 8% to New High After Lull 
Tesla recalls all 3,878 Cybertrucks over faulty accelerator pedal 
Tesla asks shareholders to approve Elon Musk's nixed $56 billion pay plan 
Cool or creepy? Microsoft's VASA-1 is a new AI model that turns photos into 'talking faces' 
GPT-4 can exploit real vulnerabilities by reading advisories 
Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid robot goes electric 
Schools Want to Ban Phones. Parents Say No. 
Host: Leo Laporte 
Guests: Jason Howell, Abrar Al-Heeti, and Mikah Sargent 
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TWiT 976: Serial Churners - Netflix Earnings, Cybertruck Recall, FISA

 
AI Music with Suno and Udio  
Google's DeepMind finds 2.2M crystal structures in materials science win 
Vana plans to let users rent out their Reddit data to train AI 
How I Built an AI-Powered, Self-Running Propaganda Machine for $105 
AI's Victories in Go Inspire Better Human Game Playing 
Why the California Journalism Preservation Act is putting support of the news ecosystem at risk 
Google and the CJPA 
Consumers will finally see FCC-mandated 'nutrition labels' for most broadband plans 
SAG-AFTRA union secures AI protections for artists in deal with major record labels 
Peter Higgs, physicist who proposed Higgs boson, dies aged 94 | Peter Higgs 
BESSY II: How pulsed charging enhances the service time of batteries 
Host: Leo Laporte 
Guests: Denise Howell, Larry Magid, and Owen Thomas 
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TWiT 975: You Don't Want to Make Gandhi Mad - AI Music, Broadband Nutrition Labels

 
House, Senate leaders nearing deal on landmark online privacy bill 
Marissa Mayer's eternal Sunshine 
Elon Musk says Tesla will unveil its robotaxi on Aug. 8; shares pop 
Amazon's Grocery Stores to Drop Just Walk Out Checkout Tech 
X's 'complimentary' Premium push gives people blue checks they didn't ask for 
President Biden is now posting into the fediverse 
Yahoo is acquiring Artifact to bring its AI features to Yahoo News 
MrBeast calls for slowing down video editing styles 
A TikTok Whistleblower Got DC's Attention. Do His Claims Add Up? 
Price of zero-day exploits rises as companies harden products against hackers 
App Store guidelines now allow game emulators; more 
How Tech Giants Cut Corners to Harvest Data for A.I. 
Google Pledges to Destroy Browsing Data to Settle 'Incognito' Lawsuit 
SF Giants using facial recognition tech to fast-track ticket line 
Apple (AAPL) Explores Home Robots After Abandoning Car Efforts 
Host: Leo Laporte 
Guests: Mikah Sargent, Lisa Schmeiser, and Harry McCracken 
Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech 
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TWiT 657: DadGum Cell Phone

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