On with Kara Swisher

Are the people building AI going to kill us all? That's the question sparking debate across the country right now. While fears of an AI doomsday aren’t new, they broke into the mainstream this month after Jacob Coxon, a 27-year-old British researcher, publicly quit his job at Anthropic and accused the leading AI developers of gambling with our lives. Kara convened a panel of experts to help break down the latest: New York State Assemblyman Alex Bores is a computer engineer by training. His unsuccessful bid for a congressional seat earlier this year became a flashpoint in the debate over AI safety and industry regulations. He’s now launching a political advocacy group called “Who Decides” aimed at shaping the ways Democrats talk about AI. Renee DiResta is an associate research professor at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy and author of the book, “Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality.” Her research focuses on disinformation, influence, propaganda, and narrative power. And Casey Newton and Kevin Roose are longtime technology journalists. The duo just announced a new partnership with NPR for a video-first tech show called “Machine Gods.” Kevin also has a new book coming out next month called “The AGI Chronicles: The Inside Story of the Race to Create an Artificial Superintelligence.” Kara and the group talk about why Coxon’s warnings spurred a global conversation and how tech leaders are responding. They also discuss whether Congress can finally get its act together and pass meaningful AI regulation. Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected] or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jessica Tarlov says she has “the coolest job in media for a liberal.” As a Democratic co-host of The Five on Fox News, she knows how to navigate contentious political conversations and make clear arguments based on data and research. Now, she's written a book called I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends. Kara and Jessica talk about her unique approach to finding common ground with others during an intensely polarized time, and why it's worth doing so. They also discuss polling and strategy ahead of the midterms. Plus, what being a "moderate" means today, and how Jessica really feels about her other gig hosting the Raging Moderates podcast alongside Scott Galloway. Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected] or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Flock Safety, the company that makes the automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras used by over 7,000 U.S. law enforcement agencies, is facing a public backlash against surveillance tech. Nearly half of Americans surveyed in an August poll said they opposed ALPRs. The opposition is part of a long-simmering mistrust of big tech and concerns over privacy and data security. Kara speaks with a panel of experts about how the backlash to Flock and street surveillance cameras squares with the boom in wearable tech and AI-powered smart devices. Plus, they discuss – and question – the usual framing of a trade-off between privacy and security. Jason Koebler is a co-founder of 404 Media. He and his colleagues have been reporting on Flock for the past few years. Dr. Safiya Umoja Noble is the David O. Sears Presidential Endowed Chair of Social Sciences and Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is the Director of the Center on Resilience & Digital Justice and is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius Grant.” She’s also the author of Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism. Victoria Song is a senior reviewer for The Verge and author of the Optimizer newsletter. She specializes in emerging technologies in wearables, health and fitness and XR. Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected] or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As ballots start to hit mailboxes ahead of the November midterms, Democrats are finally feeling some long-awaited electoral optimism. But to build a coalition that can defeat MAGA politics for good, the party will have to win back voters it's lost. In her new book, “How to Eat An Elephant,” Sarah Longwell, founder and publisher of The Bulwark, gives readers a blueprint to do just that. In a live conversation recorded at Sixth & I in downtown Washington, D.C., Kara and Sarah talk about the hundreds of voter focus groups Sarah’s conducted since President Trump first won the White House a decade ago, how Trump convinced swing voters he was the “lesser of two evils” in 2024, and why she thinks Democrats need a stronger message on immigration. Sarah also offers her opinion on which Democrats are — and are not — best positioned to win the White House in 2028. Questions? Comments? Email us at [email protected] or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ripple CEO Chris Larsen once told Kara he’d rather vomit blood out of his eyeballs than run for public office. But that doesn’t mean he won’t use his wealth to influence politics or install a Flock surveillance system that helps the San Francisco Police Department. The latter has some civil liberties advocates crying foul. Kara presses Larsen on everything from surveillance, the AI arms race, cryptocurrency regulations, California's billionaire tax ballot measure, and the midterms. This conversation was recorded live at San Francisco’s Pier 27 as part of the Odoo Experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices