Tech Won't Save Us
Tech Won't Save Us is a weekly podcast that critically examines the tech industry and its promises. Host Paris Marx interviews guests to explore how technology is intertwined with politics and society, challenging the idea that tech alone can solve our problems. The show highlights the consequences of separating tech from politics, especially for vulnerable communities.
Episodes
The RAM Crisis is Coming for All Your Tech w/ Chris Person
Public ire toward AI keeps growing as the data center boom continues to hit people’s pockets. Chris Person joins Paris Marx to discuss the soaring cost of consumer electronics, including why prices are unlikely to fall anytime soon, and how people can experiment with homespun cyberpunk tech.Chris Person is a co-founder of Aftermath and makes Highlight Reel.The podcast is made in partnership with T
Data Center Opposition is Uniting Communities w/ Saul Levin
As tech companies race to build hyperscale data centers, communities are coming together to push back. Saul Levin joins Paris Marx to discuss how rising opposition to data center construction is uniting people across party lines and prompting broader conversations around what infrastructure people want instead. Saul Levin is community organizer and host of The Hum.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a criti
Canada’s Government is Rushing AI Adoption w/ Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood
The Canadian government is going all in on AI, without understanding the real effects of the technology. Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood joins Paris Marx to discuss Mark Carney’s push for large-scale investment in AI, despite being unable to describe how adoption will work, how Canadians will benefit, and what policies will be implemented to mitigate growing risks and harms. Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood seni
Silicon Valley Is Turning Nurses Into Gig Workers w/ Katie J. Wells
The Uber model is finally coming for healthcare. Katie J. Wells joins Paris Marx to discuss how much the healthcare gig apps resemble Uber’s rollout, why they aren’t being properly regulated, and the effects they’re having on staff and patients alike.Katie J. Wells is a Senior Fellow at AI Now Institute and a co-author of Disrupting D.C.: The Rise of Uber and the Fall of the City.Tech Won’t Save U
The SpaceX IPO Gives Elon Musk Even More Power w/ Sean O’Kane
SpaceX is finally going public, and it’s bad news for anyone who wants to rein in Elon Musk. Sean O’Kane joins Paris Marx to discuss the flimsy sci-fi ideas Elon Musk is using to justify the company’s massive valuation and the way corporate governance rules are shifting to give him even more power.Sean O’Kane is a senior reporter at TechCrunch.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on te
Do Chatbots Really Belong in Schools? w/ Tom Mullaney
Generative AI is making its way into many parts of society, and schools are no different. Tom Mullaney joins Paris Marx to discuss how generative AI has been adopted in K-12 education and the many concerns it presents for students and teachers.Tom Mullaney is a high school social studies teacher in the suburbs of Philadelphia.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview,
Prediction Markets Want to Financialize Everything w/ Jathan Sadowski
Polymarket and Kalshi are everywhere. But what are they doing to society? Jathan Sadowski joins Paris Marx to discuss the rise of prediction markets and their negative social effects as they push the global economy closer toward the financialization of everything. Jathan Sadowski is an Associate Professor at Monash University. He is the author of The Mechanic and the Luddite and co-hosts This Mach
The UK Government’s AI Obsession is a Big Risk w/ Will Dunn
What happens when a government goes all in on AI? It creates some huge vulnerabilities. Will Dunn joins Paris Marx to dig into how the UK government is using chatbots to write laws without public consultation and why it isn’t asking the hard questions about the risks of that growing reliance on US technology.Will Dunn is the business editor at the New Statesman.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a
Muskism is the New Fordism w/ Ben Tarnoff & Quinn Slobodian
Paris Marx is joined by Ben Tarnoff and Quinn Slobodian to discuss their new book Muskism which explores how Elon Musk exemplifies a new economic system shaping our lives, similar to Fordism in the twentieth century.Ben Tarnoff & Quinn Slobodian are the authors of Muskism. Ben is a writer and technologist based in Massachusetts and the author of Internet for the People. Quinn is profes
Tim Cook’s Real Legacy at Apple w/ Brian Merchant
Paris Marx is joined by Brian Merchant to discuss Apple’s announcement that Tim Cook is stepping down as CEO, including his history and legacy, and what may be next for the company.Brian Merchant is the author of The One Device and Blood in the Machine and writes a newsletter of the same name.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with th
The Problem with "CEO Said a Thing" Journalism w/ Karl Bode
Paris Marx is joined by Karl Bode to discuss how tech journalists coupled with corporate interests are irresponsibly boosting the profile of tech CEOs, further damaging public trust in institutional journalism and highlighting the need for publicly funded media organizations. Karl Bode is a freelance reporter and writes The Fine Print newsletter.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspec
Cybertrucks Are a Safety Disaster w/ Dara Kerr
Paris Marx is joined by Dara Kerr to discuss how Elon’s decision to prioritize aesthetics over safety has created a safety crisis causing people to burn alive in their Cybertrucks and other Tesla vehicles.Dara Kerr is a technology reporter at Guardian US.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand be
Take A Break From The Feed w/ Amanda Mull
Paris Marx is joined by Amanda Mull to discuss the effects of constantly “monitoring the situation” through custom news, social, or live feeds, including higher rates of anxiety and disconnection, and what can be done to recalibrate.Amanda Mull is a senior reporter at Bloomberg Businessweek and writes the Buying Power column.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its wor
Why Iran is Attacking Data Centers w/ Sam Biddle
Paris Marx is joined by Sam Biddle to discuss what it means for data centers to become targets in a war, and how Silicon Valley is aiding the US war against Iran.Sam Biddle is a technology journalist at The Intercept.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support
The Long History of the US War on Iran w/ Spencer Ackerman
Paris Marx is joined by Spencer Ackerman to discuss the US and Israeli war on Iran, including the history that led to this moment and what we might see from here.Spencer Ackerman is the author of Reign of Terror: How the 9/11 Era Destabilized America and Produced Trump and the forthcoming book The Torture and Deliverance of Majid Khan. He also write the Forever Wars newsletter.Tech Won’t S
Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein w/ Ed Niedermeyer
Paris Marx is joined by Ed Niedermeyer to discuss the years-long relationship between Elon Musk and Jeffrey Epstein, and how their relationship sheds light on the murky inner workings of the one percent.Ed Niedermeyer is the author of Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors and a co-host of the Autonocast.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and
The Left Doesn’t Hate Technology w/ Gita Jackson
Paris Marx is joined by Gita Jackson to discuss why the left’s hatred of AI is justified, why a different approach to technology is necessary, and how they’re reassessing their own relationships with digital tech.Gita Jackson is a co-founder of Aftermath.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand be
Bill Gates and Jeffrey Epstein w/ Tim Schwab
Paris Marx is joined by Tim Schwab to discuss the evolving story of Bill Gates and his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, as well as the issues that arise from allowing billionaires to use philanthropy to push personal political agendas and launder their reputations.Tim Schwab is the author of The Bill Gates Problem: Reckoning with the Myth of the Good Billionaire.Tech Won’t Save Us offers
The Luddite Club is For Everyone w/ Amanda Hanna-McLeer & Lucy Jackson
Paris Marx is joined by Amanda Hanna-McLeer and Lucy Jackson to discuss the story of The Luddite Club, from its beginnings as a high school organization to its pivot into a non-profit and growth into an international movement.Amanda Hanna-McLeer is a writer, educator, and director of The Luddite Club documentary. Lucy Jackson is an early member of the Luddite Club.Tech Won’t Save Us offers
What’s Driving the Push For Humanoid Robots w/ James Vincent
Paris Marx is joined by James Vincent to discuss why we’re seeing humanoid robots everywhere, the motivations to pursue an all-purpose robot, how close we are to achieving that goal, and the social implications if we were to achieve it.James Vincent is a UK-based journalist and author of Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants.Tech Won’t Save Us o
The Green Transition Needs So Much Mining w/ Thea Riofrancos
Paris Marx is joined by Thea Riofrancos to discuss the global struggle to move away from fossil fuels and the future of the green transition, including the limitations of existing supply chains, geopolitical tensions, and the tech industry's role in the growth of extractive industries.Thea Riofrancos is the author of Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism. She is also Associate
Netflix Buying Warner Would Be a Disaster w/ AS Hamrah
Paris Marx is joined by AS Hamrah to discuss the proposed Netflix-Warner Bros Discovery merger and what it might mean for the state of decline already facing modern cinema.AS Hamrah is a film critic at n+1 and the author of Algorithm of the Night and Last Week in End Times Cinema.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of ins
Elon Musk Profits Off Non-Consensual Deepfakes w/ Kat Tenbarge
Paris Marx is joined by Kat Tenbarge to discuss the explosion of abusive deepfakes on X, including how Elon Musk is profiting from the sexual exploitation of women and children while his followers use Grok to engage in gender-based violence.Kat Tenbarge is an independent journalist who writes Spitfire News.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider s
Bring Back Meddling With Tech Hardware w/ Chris Person
Paris Marx is joined by Chris Person to discuss the state of hardware and manufacturing in the tech industry, ways to hack your stuff, options to undermine Microsoft’s software dominance, and how the AI boom is making consumer electronics more expensive.Chris Person is a co-founder of Aftermath and makes Highlight Reel.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview
Reimagining Our Relationship with Digital Tech w/ Paris Marx
Paris Marx marks the beginning of 2026 by discussing some of the big themes that will be moving the conversations he’ll be having this year, particularly digital sovereignty and rethinking the value of the tech we admit into our lives.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a bett
We All Suffer from OpenAI’s Pursuit of Scale w/ Karen Hao [Replay]
Paris Marx is joined by Karen Hao to discuss how Sam Altman’s goal of scale at all costs has spawned a new empire founded on exploitation of people and the environment, resulting in not only the loss of valuable research into more inventive AI systems, but also exacerbated data privacy issues, intellectual property erosion, and the perpetuation of surveillance capitalism.Karen Hao is an aw
How Spotify Remade the Music Industry w/ Liz Pelly [Replay]
Paris Marx is joined by Liz Pelly to discuss how Spotify changes how we listen to music and the broader impacts it has on the wider music industry. This episode previously aired in February 2025.Liz Pelly is a music journalist and the author of Mood Machine.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand
The Year in Tech w/ Jathan Sadowski & Brian Merchant
Paris Marx is joined by Jathan Sadowski and Brian Merchant to reflect on the year in tech, discuss the worst people in Silicon Valley, and share what they’ll be keeping an eye on in 2026.Jathan Sadowski is the author of The Mechanic and the Luddite, co-host of This Machine Kills, and a Senior Lecturer at Monash University. Brian Merchant is the author of Blood in the Machine and writes a n
How Effective is Australia’s Social Media Age Limit? w/ Cam Wilson
Paris Marx is joined by Cam Wilson to discuss the new social media age limit in Australia, including how successful the rollout has been so far and the missed opportunities of taking a more nuanced regulatory approach.Cam Wilson is an associate editor at Crikey and writes The Sizzle newsletter. He’s a co-author of Conspiracy Nation: Exposing the Dangerous World of Australian Conspiracy The
Europe’s Subservience to the United States w/ Ben Wray
Paris Marx is joined by Ben Wray to discuss the Europe’s capitulation to pressure from the United States on Nexperia, as well as on digital protections and labor rights that could have big implications for the future of work.Ben Wray is a researcher specializing in the platform economy. He writes the Gig Economy Project newsletter and his most recent report for the ETUC is called Uberisati
Europe is Gutting Its Tech Regulations w/ Aline Blankertz
Paris Marx is joined by Aline Blankertz to discuss how right-wing governments and international corporations in the European Union are pushing to gut tech regulations with the goal of boosting AI development in hope of improving economic growth and geopolitical standing.Aline Blankertz is a cofounder of Structural Integrity.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worl
Data Centers Are a Climate Enemy w/ Ketan Joshi
Paris Marx is joined by Ketan Joshi to discuss how hyperscale data centers are fueling the consumption of more oil and gas, what that means for climate targets, and the insidious relationship between the tech and fossil fuel industries.Ketan Joshi is a climate writer and data analyst based in Oslo working with climate and environmental groups.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspectiv
Peter Thiel is the Real Antichrist w/ Gil Duran
Paris Marx is joined by Gil Duran to discuss how Peter Thiel’s bizarre obsession with the antichrist is really a desperate and embarrassing attempt to divert attention from his own misdeeds.Gil Duran writes The Nerd Reich and is working on his first book, The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Global Democracy.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its wor
Saudi Arabia is Using Games to Improve Its Image w/ Nathan Grayson
Paris Marx is joined by Nathan Grayson to discuss how Saudi Arabia is buying its way into the sports, comedy, and video game industries in order to broaden its investment portfolio and launder its international reputation.Nathan Grayson is a cofounder of Aftermath and the author of Stream Big: The Triumphs and Turmoils of Twitch and the Stars Behind the Screen.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a c
Why We Need a War on Cars w/ Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear
Paris Marx is joined by Doug Gordon and Sarah Goodyear to discuss the many ways cars have negatively affected society, how tech companies seek to entrench those problems, and what can really be done to improve mobility in our communities.Doug Gordon is a TV producer and writer. Sarah Goodyear is a journalist and author. They are the co-hosts of The War on Cars and co-authors of Life After
We Need to Cut Our Dependence on US Tech. Here’s How to Start.
Paris Marx celebrates the 300th episode of Tech Won’t Save Us by sharing his reasons to push for digital sovereignty and get off US tech. On top of explaining how that dependence gives the US governments and its tech companies power over us, Paris also provides tips of alternative services to consider migrating to.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and
Silicon Valley Doesn’t Know What Makes a Good City w/ Joanne McNeil
Paris Marx is joined by Joanne McNeil to discuss the proliferation of delivery bots and robotaxis and how they recycle disproven claims about how technology will improve transportation.Joanne McNeil is a freelance writer and the author of Wrong Way and Lurking: How a Person Became a User.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goa
Smart Glasses Are Ushering In An Anti-Social World w/ Chris Gilliard
Paris Marx is joined by Chris Gilliard to discuss how tech CEOs are pushing a new generation of AI-powered smart glasses by promising they’ll be stylish and indispensable to workers in a desperate attempt to convince us we should want their luxury surveillance gadgets.Chris Gilliard is the co-director of the Critical Internet Studies Institute and is working on a book called Luxury Surveil
The Gilded Rage of Tech Billionaires w/ Jacob Silverman
Paris Marx is joined by Jacob Silverman to discuss Jacob’s new book Gilded Rage, which explores the radicalization of Silicon Valley leaders, who are exerting their growing influence to shape our society for the worse.Jacob Silverman is an independent journalist and the author of Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the Radicalization of Silicon Valley.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspectiv
The Growing Divide Between MAGA and Big Tech w/ Tina Nguyen
Paris Marx is joined by Tina Nguyen to discuss the divisions within the American far-right between the Trump administration, the wider MAGA movement, and the tech executives trying to show they’re on their side.Tina Nguyen is a senior reporter at The Verge and author of The MAGA Diaries: My Surreal Adventures Inside the Right-Wing (And How I Got Out).Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical pe
Is Tesla Still a Car Company? w/ Ed Niedermeyer
Paris Marx is joined by Ed Niedermeyer to discuss the mission to turn Elon Musk into the world’s first trillionaire, Tesla’s growing interest in making robots instead of cars, and how other automakers are coming for the EV market it once dominated.Ed Niedermeyer is the author of Ludicrous and co-host of the Autonocast.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview,
Palantir is Thriving Under Trump w/ Caroline Haskins
Paris Marx is joined by Caroline Haskins to discuss what Palantir actually does and the growing influence it has within the US government and many large corporations.Caroline Haskins is a staff writer at Wired.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the sho
A New Economy Will Deliver Better Technology w/ Aaron Benanav
Paris Marx is joined by Aaron Benanav to discuss his vision for a multi-criterial economy and how it would alter the type of technology our society creates. It’s a plan to center human experience through democratic discourse while driving true social and technological innovation.Aaron Benanav is an Assistant Professor at Cornell University and the author of Automation and the Future of Wor
Will AI Kill Your Job? w/ Brian Merchant
Paris Marx is joined by Brian Merchant to discuss whether the AI bubble is about to burst and how bosses are deploying AI tools to kill jobs and degrade work.Brian Merchant is the author of Blood in the Machine and writes a newsletter of the same name.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand bette
How China’s Renewable Push Upends Geopolitics w/ Kate Mackenzie & Tim Sahay
Paris Marx is joined by Kate Mackenzie and Tim Sahay to discuss the geopolitics behind China’s investments in green tech and electrification, and how it presents the prospect of a new development model based on renewables instead of fossil fuels.Kate Mackenzie is an adjunct fellow at Macquarie University. Tim Sahay is co-director of the Net Zero Industrial Policy Lab at Johns Hopkins Unive
Why Countries Must Fight For Digital Sovereignty w/ Cecilia Rikap
Paris Marx is joined by Cecilia Rikap to discuss how countries’ dependence on US tech companies is harming them and why they need to get serious about digital sovereignty.Cecilia Rikap is Associate Professor in Economics at University College London and Head of Research at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldvie
Will the Pope Be An Ally Against AI? w/ Paolo Benanti
Paris Marx is joined by Paolo Benanti to discuss what Pope Leo XIV’s statements on AI, the publications under Pope Francis, and the ethics of AI from a theological perspective.Paolo Benanti is an author, academic, and priest. He teaches at the Pontifical Gregorian University and was an advisor to Pope Francis on artificial intelligence and technology ethics.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a crit
What Google Zero Means for Journalism w/ Matt Pearce
Paris Marx is joined by Matt Pearce to discuss how Google’s use of generative AI is sending far less traffic to all manner of websites, but especially news publications, and what that might mean for the future of journalism.Matt Pearce is Director of Policy at Rebuild Local News and a former reporter at the Los Angeles Times.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its wor
Trump’s Crypto Profiteering Is Worse Than You Think w/ Jacob Silverman
Paris Marx is joined by Jacob Silverman to discuss Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire’s Islamophobic attack on Zohran Mamdani, what it tells us about the state of tech’s politics, and how Donald Trump is enriching himself through crypto scams.Jacob Silverman is a journalist and the author of the forthcoming book Gilded Rage: Elon Musk and the Radicalization of Silicon Valley.Tech Won’t Save Us
Decomputing For a Better Future w/ Dan McQuillan
Paris Marx is joined by Dan McQuillan to discuss the global push by governments to rapidly adopt AI at all costs and how citizens can critically rethink our dependence on these technologies while imagining a collective future that benefits everyone.Dan McQuillan is a lecturer at Goldsmiths College, University of London and the author of Resisting AI.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical per
Microsoft is Gutting the Video Game Industry w/ Nathan Grayson
Paris Marx is joined by Nathan Grayson to discuss the latest round of Microsoft layoffs and how the company’s ambition to remake the video game industry around its streaming service has had significant consequences.Nathan Grayson is a co-founder of Aftermath and author of Stream Big: The Triumphs and Turmoils of Twitch and the Stars Behind the Screen.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical pe
How the US Weaponizes Tech in the Middle East w/ Laleh Khalili
Paris Marx is joined by Laleh Khalili to discuss how the United States uses its control of key technologies to shift global power dynamics, and how that specifically plays out in the Middle East.Laleh Khalili is Professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and author of the forthcoming book Extractive Capitalism.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldvi
The Geopolitical Fight Over Huawei w/ Yangyang Cheng
Paris Marx is joined by Yangyang Cheng to discuss how Huawei became one of the most powerful companies in China and how current geopolitical narratives distract from the issues at the heart of surveillance capitalism in the US and China.Yangyang Cheng is a Research Scholar in Law and Fellow at Yale Law School’s Paul Tsai China Center.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech
Chatbots Are Repeating Social Media’s Harms w/ Nitasha Tiku
Paris Marx is joined by Nitasha Tiku to discuss how AI companies are preying on users to drive engagement and how that’s repeating many of the problems we’re belatedly trying to address with social media companies at an accelerated pace.Nitasha Tiku is a technology reporter at the Washington Post.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society wit
Brazil's Battle to Rein In Big Tech w/ Laís Martins
Paris Marx is joined by Laís Martins to discuss the recent enforcement measures against tech companies like X and Rumble in Brazil, how the country is grappling with the overreach of US tech companies, and the wider discussion about tech policy in Brazil.Laís Martins is a technology reporter at The Intercept Brasil.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, an
We All Suffer from OpenAI’s Pursuit of Scale w/ Karen Hao
Paris Marx is joined by Karen Hao to discuss how Sam Altman’s goal of scale at all costs has spawned a new empire founded on exploitation of people and the environment, resulting in not only the loss of valuable research into more inventive AI systems, but also exacerbated data privacy issues, intellectual property erosion, and the perpetuation of surveillance capitalism.Karen Hao is an aw
The New Military Industry Complex w/ Sam Biddle
Paris Marx is joined by Sam Biddle to discuss how Silicon Valley is shamelessly courting government military contracts, using tactics to silence employee dissent and normalize the situation to the public, and what it all means for the future of military geopolitics.Sam Biddle is a senior technology reporter at The Intercept.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worl
The Case for a Digital Detox w/ Casey Johnston
Paris Marx is joined by Casey Johnston to discuss why she pared back on social media, made her smartphone much dumber, and what she learned about how bodies are treated online through her fitness journey.Casey Johnston is the creator of the She’s A Beast newsletter and author of A Physical Education: How I Escaped Diet Culture and Gained the Power of Lifting.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a cri
Generative AI is Not Inevitable w/ Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna
Paris Marx is joined by Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna to discuss the harms of generative AI, how the industry keeps the public invested while companies flounder under the weight of unmet promises, and what people can do to push back.Emily M. Bender is a Professor in the Department of Linguistics at University of Washington. Alex Hanna is Director of Research at the Distributed AI Institut
Elon Musk is Remaking the US Space Program w/ Tim Fernholz
Paris Marx is joined by Tim Fernholz to discuss how Elon Musk’s influence in the White House is shaping the US Space Program, why he’s pushing NASA toward Mars instead of the Moon, and whether the Starship rocket is in trouble.Tim Fernholz is a senior reporter at Payload Space and the author of Rocket Billionaires: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the New Space Race.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a c
The Roots of Elon Musk’s War On Empathy w/ Julia Carrie Wong
Paris Marx is joined by Julia Carrie Wong to discuss Elon Musk’s recent opposition to empathy, how it comes out of the Christian right, and the relationship it has to previous discussions of longtermism. Julia Carrie Wong is a features writer at The Guardian.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to dema
How Brainrot AI is Upending the Internet w/ Jason Koebler
Paris Marx is joined by Jason Koebler to discuss the economy behind AI slop generation, how people are building businesses on AI-generated images, and the wider consequences of their proliferation on social media. Jason Koebler is a cofounder of 404 Media and cohost of the 404 Media Podcast.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the
How Masayoshi Son Shaped the Tech Industry w/ Laleh Khalili
Paris Marx is joined by Laleh Khalili to discuss Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, the structural factors that allowed him to build an empire, and the many ways he’s shaped the modern tech industry.Laleh Khalili is Professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and the author of Sinews of War and Trade and her forthcoming book Extractive Capitalism.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical per
Digital Sovereignty in a Time of Rising Fascism
Paris Marx is doing a solo episode this week to bring together some important issues that have been on his mind lately. This is a recording of a talk Paris gave in Auckland, New Zealand on how Silicon Valley’s alliance with Donald Trump forces us to reassess the politics of the internet and challenge our collective dependence on US tech as it embraces the project of American empire.Tech Wo
Can Europe End Its Dependence on US Tech? w/ Aline Blankertz
Paris Marx is joined by Aline Blankertz to discuss whether Europe is going to finally make a serious push to end its dependence on US tech and how different European interests are trying to take advantage of those debates.Aline Blankertz is an economist working on digital policy. She currently works with Rebalance Now and was previously at Wikimedia Germany.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a crit
The Dirty Alliance Between Tech and the Oil Industry w/ JS Tan
Paris Marx is joined by JS Tan to discuss his experience seeing first hand how Microsoft deployed its cloud and machine learning services to help Chevron extract more oil and gas, and the state of tech worker organizing around climate change. JS Tan is a PhD student at MIT, researching cloud computing in the US and China. He’s a a member of Collective Action in Tech and writes the Value Ad
DOGE Is Gutting the US Digital Service w/ Kate Green and Milo
Paris Marx is joined by Kate Green and Milo to discuss how Elon Musk’s DOGE is dismantling the US Digital Service and the consequences that has on really improving service delivery in government.Kate Green and Milo are former US Digital Service engineers.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand be
Preview: Breaking Down Canada’s Election on Campaign Cops
Don’t worry; your regularly scheduled Tech Won’t Save Us is coming soon! But if you’re looking to try something a little different and get a critical take on the ongoing Canadian election, check out Campaign Cops, a special five-week series hosted by Paris Marx and Rachel Gilmore.The first episode is here for you to try out, but if you want to keep listening, find future episodes on Rachel
Canada’s Tech Leaders Want Their Own DOGE w/ Jen St. Denis
Paris Marx is joined by Jen St. Denis to discuss how Silicon Valley thinking is creeping into Canadian politics as Donald Trump continues to threaten the country with tariffs and annexation. Jen St. Denis is a reporter with The Tyee.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better
AI Hype Enters Its Geopolitics Era w/ Timnit Gebru
Paris Marx is joined by Timnit Gebru to discuss where the AI industry stands in 2025 as AI increasingly becomes a geopolitical football even as the big promises made by AI companies fail to materialize.Timnit Gebru is the founder and executive director of the Distributed AI Research Institute.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with th
The UK’s Misguided Embrace of AI Hype w/ James Meadway
Paris Marx is joined by James Meadway to discuss how the UK Labour Party is embracing AI regardless of the cost and the consequences of allowing US companies to dominate the digital economy in so many other countries.James Meadway is an economist and the host of Macrodose.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring p
Protesting Tesla Can Hurt Elon Musk w/ Ed Niedermeyer
Paris Marx is joined by Ed Niedermeyer to discuss the trouble with Tesla’s business model and how that makes Elon Musk’s power vulnerable to protest and boycott.Ed Niedermeyer is the author Ludicrous: The Unvarnished Story of Tesla Motors and a co-host of the Autonocast.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring peo
How DOGE is Remaking the US Government w/ Makena Kelly
Paris Marx is joined by Makena Kelly to discuss how Elon Musk’s DOGE is reshaping the US government and the consequences that has for government employees and the wider public.Makena Kelly is a senior writer at WIRED and writes the weekly Politics Lab newsletter.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to d
Patreon Preview: The Harms of Generative AI w/ Alex Hanna
Our Data Vampires series may be over, but Paris interviewed a bunch of experts on data centers and AI whose insights shouldn’t go to waste. We’re releasing those interviews as bonus episodes for Patreon supporters. Here’s a preview of this week’s premium episode with Alex Hanna, the Director of Research at the Distributed AI Institute. For the full interview, support the show on Patreon.Su
The Tech Oligarchy’s Campaign Against the Media w/ Eoin Higgins
Paris Marx is joined by Eoin Higgins to discuss how tech billionaires set out to change the media ecosystem and made it profitable for influential voices to shift to the political right.Eoin Higgins is a journalist and the author of Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wi
Patreon Preview: Sam Altman’s Self-Serving AGI Future w/ Julia Black
Our Data Vampires series may be over, but Paris interviewed a bunch of experts on data centers and AI whose insights shouldn’t go to waste. We’re releasing those interviews as bonus episodes for Patreon supporters. Here’s a preview of this week’s premium episode with Julia Black, a reporter on The Information’s Weekend Team. For the full interview, support the show on Patreon.Support the s
How Spotify Remade the Music Industry w/ Liz Pelly
Paris Marx is joined by Liz Pelly to discuss how Spotify changes how we listen to music and the broader impacts it has on the wider music industry.Liz Pelly is a music journalist and the author of Mood Machine.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the sho
The Problem With Cyberlibertarianism w/ Chris Gilliard
Paris Marx is joined by Chris Gilliard to discuss David Golumbia's final book Cyberlibertarianism and how right-wing politics shaped how we think about the internet.Chris Gilliard is co-director of the Critical Internet Studies Institute and author of the forthcoming book Luxury Surveillance, coming in 2026.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and w
Patreon Preview: Do We Live in a Simulation? w/ Émile P. Torres
Our Data Vampires series may be over, but Paris interviewed a bunch of experts on data centers and AI whose insights shouldn’t go to waste. We’re releasing those interviews as bonus episodes for Patreon supporters. Here’s a preview of this week’s premium episode with Émile P. Torres, a postdoctoral researcher at Case Western University. For the full interview, support the show on Patreon.S
The New Tech Oligarchy w/ Gaby Del Valle
Paris Marx is joined by Gaby Del Valle to discuss the inauguration of Donald Trump and what the tech oligarchy hopes to get from their relationship with him.Gaby Del Valle is a policy reporter at The Verge and is working on a book on ecofascism that will be released by Bloomsbury in 2026.Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goa
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