Spies aren't just in the shadows anymore—AI has turned every smartphone and social feed into a battlefield of influence and surveillance. This episode exposes how intelligence agencies, rogue states, and even TikTok are using machine learning to reshape what we know, believe, and fear.

• Apple AI Chief Retiring After Siri Failure
• Claude 4.5 Opus' Soul Document
• OpenAI CEO Declares 'Code Red' to Combat Threats to ChatGPT, Delays Ads Effort
• AI helps drive record $11.8 billion in Black Friday online spending
• I love AI. Why doesn't everyone?
• Dozens of US universities and colleges have announced new AI departments and programs over the last two years; an AI program is now MIT's second-largest major
• Austria's Rebel Nuns Refuse To Give Up Instagram To Stay In Their Convent
• Don't get angry, but the 2025 Oxford Word of the Year is 'rage bait'
• AI Slop Recipes Are Taking Over the Internet — And Thanksgiving Dinner
• The race to AGI-pill the pope
• Suno Creates an Entire Spotify Catalog's Worth of Music Every Two Weeks, Says Investor Pitch Deck for $250M Fundraise

Hosts: Leo Laporte, Paris Martineau, and Jason Howell

Guest: Dr. Anthony Vinci

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Emily Forlini of PCMag joins Mikah Sargent on Tech News Weekly! Microsoft launched its fall feature drop for Copilot, including a new AI avatar called Mico. Amazon is making headlines with its robotic automation efforts and also unveiled new AR smart glasses for delivery drivers. Jason Howell stops by to discuss Samsung's new Galaxy XR headset, their answer to Apple's Vision Pro.

• Emily discusses Microsoft's new AI avatar Mico, introduced as part of Copilot's fall feature drop with 12 new features, including group project tools and health Q&A. Emily and Mikah debate whether anyone actually wants 'real talk' with a chatbot.
• Mikah covers Amazon's continued automation push, replacing warehouse positions with robots as the company expands its use of robotics throughout its logistics operations. Emily weighs in with her inside knowledge on what this means for real workers.
• Jason Howell joins to talk about Samsung's new $1,799 Galaxy XR headset positioning itself as a direct competitor to Apple's Vision Pro. He explains why built-in Gemini AI makes it special and why smart glasses might ultimately beat big VR headsets.
• Mikah dives into Amazon's new AR smart glasses designed for delivery drivers, featuring hands-free navigation, package scanning, hazard detection, and automatic proof-of-delivery photo capture—all displayed directly in the driver's field of view.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Emily Forlini

Guest: Jason Howell

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Will iRobot's new Roomba's bring the company back to the forefront of robotic vacuums? What to know about Amazon's change of handling voice recordings through Alexa devices. Two new PebbleOS watches are available for pre-order! And the lowdown on the new Pixel 9a smartphone that Google recently announced.

• Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge joins Mikah Sargent this week! Jennifer talks about the new Roombas that iRobot has unveiled but is unimpressed by the lack of innovation in these new robotic vacuums.
• Do you have Alexa devices in your household? Be aware of some of the new changes Amazon is making to how Echo devices handle voice recordings.
• Two new Pebble watches are available for pre-order after Google open-sourced PebbleOS in January of this year!
• And friend of the network, Jason Howell, talks with Mikah about Google's newly announced Pixel 9a phone.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Guest: Jason Howell

Download or subscribe to Tech News Weekly at https://twit.tv/shows/tech-news-weekly.

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Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch joins us this week! Did OpenAI's Sora video generation model train on gaming and streaming content? A judge ruled that Automattic is to stop blocking WP Engine's access to WordPress.org. And Image Playground, Genmoji, and more generative AI features now available within Apple Intelligence.

• Amanda talks about how OpenAI's Sora video generation model is supposedly training on video games and streaming content.
• Mikah shares how WP Engine won an injunction against Automattic, owner of WordPress, and that Automattic must stop blocking WP Engine's access to WordPress.org's resources.
• Jason Howell stops by to share his time recently with Android XR, Google's new AI-powered OS that brings the augmented, virtual, and mixed reality experience to devices such as headsets and glasses.
• And Image Playground and Genmoji arrives to Apple Intelligence, and Mikah demonstrates these new features, which are now available to users.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling

Guest: Jason Howell

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The FTC is making it easier for you to cancel your subscriptions. Apple is celebrating ten years of Apple Pay. Android 15 is rolling out now to Pixel devices. And Amazon announced new Kindle devices, set to be released at the end of October.

• Fresh off her appearance on This Week in Tech, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy celebrates the FTC's new rule, making canceling a subscription service easier.
• Mikah Sargent talks about Apple's celebration of 10 years of Apple Pay.
• Jason Howell stops by to talk about the official release of Android 15 to Pixel devices and when other Android phones, such as Samsung devices, will see Android 15 arriving on those devices.
• And David Carnoy of CNET got his hands on Amazon's newly announced Kindle devices and shares his thoughts on them.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

Guests: Jason Howell and David Carnoy

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Apple is forcing Patreon to switch to its App Store billing system, allowing Apple to take 30% of new subscriptions made through its App Store. KOSPA passed in the U.S. Senate recently: what's next for the controversial bill. And Google announced a lot at its Made by Google event, including new Pixel phones and a big push for Gemini AI.

• Dan Moren of Six Colors joins Mikah this week! Dan talks about Apple forcing Patreon to switch to using its App Store billing system, or Patreon will be removed from the App Store.
• Mikah Sargent talks about KOSPA being passed recently in the U.S. Senate and what's behind the controversial 'child safety' bill.
• Jason Howell of Techsploder joins Mikah for the 2nd half of the show! Jason talks about everything Google announced at its recent Made by Google event, including focusing on what its AI can do for its various devices, and announced the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Watch 3, and Pixel Buds Pro 2.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren

Guest: Jason Howell

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• Existential thoughts about Apple services revenue.
• Intel announces two extra years of warranty amid chip crashing and instability issues — longer warranty applies to 13th- and 14th-Gen Core processors.
• Intel plans to lay off 15% of workforce -- at least 15,000 people.
• Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway cuts stake in Apple by nearly 50%.
• Amazon paid almost $1 billion for Twitch in 2014. It's still losing money.
• Google Chrome warns uBlock Origin may soon be disabled.
• Artist and musician sue SEC over its NFT regulatory jurisdiction.
• Senate passes the Kids Online Safety Act.
• Ding dong KOSA's dead (for now).
• A senate bill would radically improve voting machine security.
• Jailed cybercriminals returned to Russia in historic prisoner swap.
• US border agents must get warrant before cell phone searches, federal court rules.
• Posing as 'Alicia,' this man scammed hundreds online. He was also a victim.
• Broadcasters fly in TikTokers and YouTubers to generate Olympic buzz.
• Disney, Fox and Warner Sports streamer Venu to launch at $42.99/ Month.
• Don Lemon sues Elon Musk over canceled X deal.
• Meta talks With Judi Dench, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key for AI voice projects.
• Google pulls Olympics AI ad 'Dear Sydney.'

Host: Leo Laporte

Guests: Jason Howell, Alex Lindsay, and Jason Snell

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The Federal Trade Commission bans an app from being offered to minors. A beloved DVD rental service files for bankruptcy. An old website publication has been resurrected as an 'AI-zombified' website. And what Samsung announced at its latest Galaxy Unpacked event.

• Amanda Silberling joins Mikah this week on Tech News Weekly! Amanda talks about the FTC banning the app NGL from offering its social app to minors following a ruling that the company tricked users into paying its $9.99 monthly subscription.
• Mikah talks about Chicken Soup For The Soul Entertainment, the company that owns the DVD rental service Redbox. It is now filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy following a filing of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection initially.
• Christina Warren stops by to discuss how a company brought back an old website as an 'AI-zombified' publication, using content pulled from other website publications under the bylines of former authors who wrote for the publication, including Christina herself!
• And finally, Jason Howell returns to TNW to talk with Mikah about everything Samsung announced at its recent Galaxy Unpacked event, including the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Galaxy Ring devices.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling

Guests: Christina Warren and Jason Howell

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