Home Podcasts Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast
Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

MS NOW, Chris Hayes 456 episodes Latest May 26, 2026

Every week Chris Hayes asks the big questions that keep him up at night. How do we make sense of this unprecedented moment in world history? Why is this (all) happening? This podcast starts to answer these questions. Writers, experts, and thinkers who are also trying to get to the bottom of them join Chris to break it all down and help him get a better night’s rest.

Episodes

The AI End Game: Boom to Bust? Jun 9, 2026 00:55:23 There’s a lot to unpack about the economic effects of artificial intelligence. It’s clear that artificial intelligence is having a moment (to say the least) and that it has a profound impact on global GDP. But is it just a boom that will bust? Ed Zitron, author and host of the “Better Offline” podcast, is deeply worried about the long-term viability of the industry. He points out that AI lacks the
The AI End Game: Is Your Chatbot Conscious? Jun 2, 2026 00:51:48 David Chalmers, one of the most preeminent philosophers and researchers in cognitive science, argues that nothing prevents machines from becoming truly conscious. Chalmers, who has studied the mind for decades, points out that there is a real possibility of AI creating a next stage of intelligence that is even capable of redesigning itself. He joins WITHpod to discuss what consciousness is and the
The AI End Game: The Ethics of AI with Timnit Gebru May 26, 2026 00:53:44 Timnit Gebru founded the Distributed AI Research Institute after her high-profile exit from Google’s Ethical AI team. She’s been a vocal critic of the systemic lack of diversity in learning models and the need for more inclusion in the space. Her view is that because AI so heavily relies on human input, it largely mirrors pervasive biases inherent in society. What needs to be done to change that?
AI and the Public Good with Ezra Klein May 20, 2026 00:30:46 Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing virtually every facet of our lives. While there’s a lot of doom and gloom predictions, what does a future look like if we’re more intentional about using AI to actually better lives? We’re sharing a recording of Chris and the New York Times’ Ezra Klein’s discussion at the Center for American Progress 2026 CAP IDEAS conference. They discuss what a new appr
The AI End Game: Two-Year-Olds vs. AI with Alison Gopnik May 19, 2026 00:56:04 Tech billionaires love to claim that artificial intelligence is getting smarter by the day. But according to cognitive scientist and UC Berkeley professor Alison Gopnik, a typical two-year-old routinely outsmarts the most advanced AI models. She joins WITHpod to discuss how children vs. AI learn and why AI, in many cases, still falls behind human capabilities.   Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple
The AI End Game: How Work is Changing with Ethan Mollick May 12, 2026 00:47:51 Should we think of AI as a co-intelligence and digital coworker rather than just a chatbot? Ethan Mollick, a professor at Wharton and author of numerous books including the New York Times bestseller “Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI,” says so. He joins WITHpod to discuss the practical application, adoption, and transformative impact of AI on work. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Pod
The AI End Game: Who’s Leading the Way? with Derek Thompson May 5, 2026 01:01:43 The unified class project of billionaires is doing to white collar workers what globalization and neoliberalism did to blue collar workers. And artificial intelligence is only exacerbating this trend. Derek Thompson is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, co-author of “Abundance,” and has written extensively about the political power of the wealthy. He joins Chris Hayes to kick off our new spec
Introducing WITHpod: The AI End Game Apr 30, 2026 00:01:16 We’re excited to announce a new special WITHpod series, "The AI End Game: Power, Profit, and Progress." AI – and coverage of it – is everywhere. But what is artificial intelligence, really, beyond the buzzword? Each week, we’ll be joined by preeminent experts on AI and its effects to help make sense of this revolutionary time in history. The series will feature in-depth conversations with experts,
'Here Where We Live is Our Country' with Molly Crabapple Apr 28, 2026 00:58:04 The Jewish Bund was one of the most revolutionary political parties of the twentieth century. It aimed to build a socialist alternative to Zionism. Molly Crabapple is an artist and the author of the New York Times Bestseller “Here Where We Live is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund,” which tells the story of the movement. She joins WITHpod to discuss how she found her way to this story, the
All In America with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Apr 25, 2026 00:43:56 We’re sharing a bonus episode of Chris’ sit-down with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for a special edition of “All In.” In this town hall special, held at the Bronx Children's Museum, they discuss how Mamdani has been able to speak to people on both sides politically, his vision for the city and what it could mean for bigger national ideas. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to liste
Crypto and The Golden Age of Scams with Ben McKenzie Apr 21, 2026 00:51:18 We’re in an era where it seems like get rich quick schemes, quick money, and scams of all kinds are all around. It’s become a dominant feature and cultural force in American politics and American life more broadly. And cryptocurrency is the vector by which the Trump family is making vast sums of money. The rise of crypto and the harsh truth about this is the subject of a new documentary called “Ev
Will Trump & Co. Go After Cuba Next? with Jon Lee Anderson Apr 14, 2026 00:51:00 Things are pretty dire in Cuba right now as issues have ratcheted up to an almost unprecedented degree in the last few months. This is happening as President Trump says the U.S. may “stop by” Cuba after it finishes the war in Iran. Meanwhile, Cuba's president says they ‘would die' to defend against a U.S. invasion. Jon Lee Anderson is a staff writer at The New Yorker. He joins WITHpod to discuss t

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