Show Notes
Is your phone really listening to you or is something more complex going on behind the scenes? Adrian Weckler and JJ Clarke tackle the most enduring tech conspiracy theory, the belief that private conversations trigger targeted ads. They explore why this feels so convincing and why it keeps happening. From behavioural signals to location data and algorithmic prediction, they explain why the reality may be both less sinister and more powerful than people think. We want to earn your trust and are members of the Trust Project. See our ethics policies at independent.ie/ourjournalism See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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OpenAI’s chief financial officer Sarah Friar joins us to discuss the company’s growing ambitions in Ireland, where weekly ChatGPT usage has more than doubled to 2.5 million people. She outlines plans for 450 additional jobs, the prospect of Irish data centres and how AI could transform businesses. But with mounting concerns over cyber security, rogue AI agents and the vast cost of infrastructure, can OpenAI deliver on its promises while building a sustainable business? Why you can trust the Irish Independent See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aaron Sorkin returns to Facebook with The Social Reckoning, a follow up to The Social Network exploring whistleblower Frances Haugen’s allegations about the platform’s role in extremism. But does the film capture the scale of the scandal, or fall short of its predecessor? On this week’s Big Tech Show, Adrian Weckler and Irish Independent journalist and host of the No Encore podcast Dave Hanratty assess its portrayal of Mark Zuckerberg, its accuracy and whether Hollywood’s latest attempt to hold Big Tech to account has anything meaningful to say. Why you can trust the Irish Independent See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bill Gates says AI could contribute to the deaths of a billion people. Geoffrey Hinton, the godfather of AI, says we may have only a year to regulate it. But Meta’s Yann LeCun, Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and Mark Zuckerberg are far more optimistic. In this week’s Big Tech Show, Adrian Weckler and Irish Independent technology journalist Darragh Nolan examine the growing divide over whether AI poses an existential threat or whether the warnings are being overhyped. They also review Apple’s new Watch Series 12, its controversial AI listening features, and a Xiaomi smartphone with a 10,000mAh battery that can last three days. Why you can trust the Irish Independent See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When Mark Little sold his news verification startup Storyful to Rupert Murdoch for $25m, he was summoned to the Australian's New York office. "Let's go make some f***ing money," Murdoch told him, according to Little. In this week's episode of the Big Tech Show, the former RTE anchorman-turned-entrepreneur talks in depth about his time running Twitter in Ireland, his challenges as a startup founder and what he thinks about the future of social media and AI. https://www.independent.ie/service/why-you-can-trust-the-irish-independent/a/98708550.html See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.