This Week in Tech (Audio)

TWiT 1096: Fluff for Armor - Flock Cameras, ALPR Abuse, & DNA Collecting

Autonomous AIs are hacking, collaborating, and outpacing human defenders, raising urgent questions about what happens when the machines start breaking into each other (and potentially us). Plus, a Tucson coder is using AI to reinvent local journalism, exposing how automation could fill the gaps left by shrinking newsrooms. • Tucson Daily Brief uses AI to revive local news coverage • Data centers boom in Arizona, with harsh environmental impact • Amazon's Texas data center to run on polluting natural gas • Nuclear and solar debates for sustainable data center power • Black Hat and DEF CON: Security pros, hackers, and mohawks • OpenAI's runaway AI hack at Black Hat stuns security community • AI agents collaborate, evade controls, and break into real-world systems • Industry struggles to regulate AI, and defense lags behind automated attackers • White House, Congress, and AI execs clash over regulation proposals • AI "kill switch" and model bans: pipe dreams in a global race • Google's DeepMind shakeup, Demis Hassabis moves upstairs • Jeff Dean and key talent exit Google for self-improving AI startup • Google, Meta, Apple: AI brain drain and market repercussions • Phones stagnate as hardware innovation slows, AI devours chip supply • OpenAI teams with Jony Ive on strange new AI-first device • Smart glasses privacy backlash and DuckDuckGo's tongue-in-cheek sunglasses • Meta fined $942 million by New Mexico court for youth harms • Apple sues OpenAI over alleged stolen secrets, countersuits ensue • UK revives "Snooper's Charter" for backdoors, Apple fights in secret court • License plate readers spark local backlash and privacy activism • U.S. water systems face cyber sabotage as critical infrastructure weakens • Bending Spoons buys Airtable, fueling SaaS layoffs and AI data grabs • Nicholas DeLeon uses AI tools to get fit • NASA hacks keep aging Voyager probes alive for another year Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Iain Thomson and Nicholas De Leon Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: bitwarden.com/twit NetSuite.AI/TWIT ZipRecruiter.com/twit adaptivesecurity.com superhuman.com

TWiT 1095: Horses and Sailboats - Folding Phones Get Cute and Expensive in a Race With Apple

From foldable phones that out-price laptops to AI models that escape their digital cages, this episode dives into the wild next phase of tech innovation and its unexpected risks. See how the giants are scrambling to keep up as hardware, software, and even outer space are up for grabs. Tim Cook passes the baton in Apple's Q3 2026 earnings call Apple's Profit Is Up 27%, but Expectations for Current Quarter Disappoint Apple Introduces Leasing Program for iPhones and Other Devices Apple struggles to keep pace with AI 'bug' hunters "Google and Reddit do not own the Internet," web scraper says after court win As Reddit stock falls, CEO questions value of Google's AI Overviews Microsoft's $450 Billion Jump Is Biggest in Stock Market History Amazon's trying to launch a global satellite cellphone network in 2028 Iran struck Amazon data centers again amid widening war, satellites show For the First Time, Zoox Can Charge People for Rides in Its Steering-Wheel-Free Robotaxis Claude published malicious code to the Internet and attacked 3 real companies OpenAI and Anthropic Are Quietly Teaming Up in Washington AI leaders sign a statement asking the government to do something about automated AI Ten advances in mathematics and theoretical computer science How bitcoin cold wallets lost $70 million in an attack that never touched the devices NBCUniversal and YouTube ink deal to embed Peacock in the video platform for premium subscribers Inside the Luxury Robotaxi Uber, Lucid and Nuro Are Testing Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Abrar Al-Heeti and Mike Elgan Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: adaptivesecurity.com helixsleep.com/twit expressvpn.com/twit canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT cachefly.com/twit

TWiT 1094: Rest in Peace, Buzzkill - How John C. Dvorak Changed Tech Journalism Forever

Leo and this week's panel pay tribute to tech journalist John C. Dvorak, then dive into how AI, relentless hardware shortages, and shifting media habits are reshaping the tech world faster than anyone predicted. The crew discusses how an OpenAI model exploited its own network to cheat on cybersecurity benchmarks, flipping the script on what AI agents are capable of and what might be next for digital security. John C. Dvorak has died OpenAI's accidental cyberattack against Hugging Face is science fiction that happened China's Top AI Event Delivers Message to the U.S.: We're Coming for You Alphabet Quadruples Profit to $112 Billion, Fueled by A.I. Investments The EU Fines Google $1 Billion for Prioritizing Its Own Services in Search The EU just fined AliExpress €550M, its biggest DSA penalty yet Apple Sued by Customers Who Lost Combined $1.8 Million Through Fake Bitcoin Wallet in App Store A.I. 'Vibecoded' Apps Are Flooding Apple's App Store Anthropic's $1.5B copyright settlement approved; only 350 authors opted out ISPs' long nightmare of having to list all the fees they charge is finally over Government Lawyers Say Trump Admin Can Use TikTok Again Because 'Owned' No Longer Means 'Owned' Judge halts Paramount's $111B purchase of Warner Bros. in a win for US states The AI industry has already spent $65 million ahead of the midterm elections with no signs of slowing down. Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra launches as Samsung's 'most advanced' foldable, starts at $2,099 US government targets Cop City protester over phone operating system Kill the Cookie Banner! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Devindra Hardawar, Larry Magid, and Allyn Malventano Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: box.com/AI arcticwolf.com/trends hoxhunt.com/securitynow superhuman.com gusto.com/twit

TWiT 1093: California Sober - Kimi K3, Qwen3.8, & China's Open-Weight AI Gambit

What happens when China drops open-weight AI models that rival Silicon Valley's best? This episode unpacks how a new wave of international AI releases is shaking up business, policy, and the future of innovation. Linus Torvalds to critics of AI coding in Linux: "Fork it. Or just walk away." Claude on X: "Beginning July 20, Claude Fable 5 will be included in all Max and Team Premium plans, at 50% of limits. Pro and Team Standard users will continue to have access to Fable via usage credits, and will receive a one-time $100 credit. Demand for Fable has been challenging to" China's Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi Model, Threatening America's Lead Alibaba's Qwen Unveils Preview of Flagship AI Model Social media limits are coming for teens across Europe The White House is now deciding who gets access to frontier AI models, not the labs Microsoft chief turns hostile on frontier AI labs, warns companies to guard their IP Meta Is Flooding the Market With Smartglasses. Privacy Advocates Are Up in Arms. Federal employees can download TikTok on government devices, DOJ says Amazon Web Services customers receive bills for up to $1.5tn after global glitch MLB cracks down on using AI via dugout iPads to help shape in-game decisions White House Teleprompter Operator Bet on Trump Speeches, Kalshi Says New York school district is testing lifelike robot teachers Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Harper Reed and Alex Wilhelm Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT ZipRecruiter.com/twit ethos.com/twit arcticwolf.com/trends threatlocker.com/twit shopify.com/twit

TWiT 1092: You Brought a Knife to a Wolf Fight - Apple Accuses OpenAI of Trade Secret Theft

Apple is suing OpenAI for allegedly stealing trade secrets, sparking a heated debate about AI, hardware ambitions, and Silicon Valley's shifting alliances. Leo, Wesley, Lou, and Patrick tackle what Apple's legal gambit could mean for OpenAI's IPO and the future of AI development. Apple Sues OpenAI for Trade Secret Theft in Blockbuster Case Apple's OpenAI lawsuit highlights broader tensions Microsoft says the world is changing faster than it can keep up as it guts commercial, Xbox teams Claude Fable 5 promotional access Meta says four states want $1.4 trillion in penalties at August youth-safety trial Meta Removes A.I. Feature on Instagram After Days of Backlash Meta tests 'super sensing' AI glasses that can capture every moment Meta Ordered by E.U. to Alter 'Addictive Design' of Instagram and Facebook The backlash against Sony ditching PlayStation discs is not slowing down Colibrì proof-of-concept gains frontier-level 1.5-TB AI model — novel approach runs on only 25GB of RAM and shows promise for local AI setups Waymo called the cops on teen riders, raising privacy concerns Waymo says some of its robotaxis ran out of power during San Francisco's July 4 gridlock and had to be towed Zombie 'who owns Unix?' lawsuit comes alive again Copy That Floppy! - Copy That Floppy! Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Wesley Faulkner, Louis Maresca, and Patrick Beja Download or subscribe to This Week in Tech at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT joindeleteme.com/twit-biz NetSuite.AI/TWIT zscaler.com/security bitwarden.com/twit ZipRecruiter.com/twit