Ten years ago, IBM made a gamble. Through a monumental advertising and PR campaign, it promised that its AI technology–Watson–would transform the health care industry as we know it. A decade and billions of dollars later, Watson Health is being sold for parts. What went wrong with IBM’s “moonshot?” And what does Watson’s failure tell us about the promise of AI for health care? Guest : Casey Ross, national technology correspondent for STAT Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...
Jan 28, 2022•21 min
A recent advertisement for crypto.com, featuring Matt Damon, was met with widespread mockery online. But Damon’s ad is only the most visible example of a much broader—and more insidious—trend of celebrity cryptocurrency endorsements. Is the partnership between crypto and Hollywood really dangerous? And what separates the trend from run-of-the-mill salesmanship? Guests: Jacob Silverman , staff writer for the New Republic and Ben McKenzie , actor, writer, and director. Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted ...
Jan 21, 2022•15 min
Today on What Next TBD: What is going on with little kids' vaccines? Why don’t they seem to be a priority for the government or the pharmaceutical companies, while parents are stressed to a breaking point? We discuss with Meg Tirrell, health and science correspondent for CNBC, and co-host of the Readout Loud podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 14, 2022•21 min
Elizabeth Holmes was found guilty of defrauding investors this week in federal court. The former CEO, wunderkind, and blood mogul has been the subject of intense legal interest and public fascination ever since her company, Theranos, was beset by scandal in 2015. Today on What Next: TBD we follow-up with Rebecca Jarvis, host of “The Dropout” podcast and ABC News Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent. We dig into the verdict and ask if Silicon Valley will finally confront the e...
Jan 07, 2022•24 min
This episode originally aired in July 2021 Last week, the U.S. government released a new report that attempts to categorize 144 verified sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena, or U.A.P. They could only definitively explain one of them. The new report signals a shift in the way we think about U.A.P. As technology has advanced and evidence of these encounters have increased, the question has become more urgent: what exactly is happening in our skies? Guest: Shane Harris , intelligence and nat...
Dec 31, 2021•21 min
This episode originally aired in September. In the U.S., the PCR test is the gold standard for COVID testing. Common knowledge would have it that the test is more accurate—and therefore more effective at containing the spread of the disease—than the rapid antigen test. What if that isn’t quite true? Guest: Michael Mina , assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 24, 2021•27 min
Using experimental technology to pull gigatons of carbon out of the air and bury it deep beneath the Earth sounds like a bad sci-fi plot point. If things don’t change soon, it also might be one of our only options. Guest : Clive Thompson , journalist and author of Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 17, 2021•23 min
The U.S. civil court system doesn’t get as much attention as the criminal courts, but it would be hard to overstate its importance. In 2018, for example, 47 percent of respondents to a Pew survey said they had dealt with the system in one way or another; from eviction proceedings, to debt collection, to child-support modifications. What happened when the pandemic upended such an important pillar of the justice system? Did new technologies fix existing problems—or just create new ones? Guest : Qu...
Dec 10, 2021•15 min
On Monday, Jack Dorsey stepped down as CEO of Twitter. It’s not the first time he’s left the job. Is this really the end for the man who guided Twitter through the Trump era? And how will the platform change without him at the helm? Guest : Nick Bilton , special correspondent at Vanity Fair Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 03, 2021•15 min
This episode originally aired in January 2021 The story of how GameStop went from the verge of a bankruptcy to a $15 billion market value isn’t an easy one to wrap your head around. But it helps to go back to the beginning; almost three years ago, in a subreddit called r/wallstreetbets. Guests: Brandon Kochkodin , reporter at Bloomberg Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 26, 2021•21 min
Over the weekend, Russia tested a new weapon—a type of missile that can fly into space and destroy a satellite in orbit. The test created thousands of pieces of debris, which will hurtle around the Earth’s orbit for years to come. What’s the real risk of the rapid increase in space junk? And is there anything to be done about it? Guest : Laura Grego , Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at MIT Host: Seth Stevenson Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 19, 2021•20 min
A recent poll showed that about a third of parents of younger children would get their kids vaccinated, a third would not, and the final third said they wanted to wait and see how the vaccines worked. Public health officials are asking: what will it take to convince that third group that now is the time to vaccinate? Guests : Julie Hamill Dr. Aaron Carroll , pediatrician and professor of pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...
Nov 12, 2021•22 min
In schools across the country, tighter digital controls were put in place to keep kids on task during the pandemic. Are they here to stay? Guests : Priya Anand , reporter at Bloomberg Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 05, 2021•19 min
The bots aren’t just buying cool sneakers. They’re buying concert tickets. Tickets to basketball games and Broadway shows. At the beginning of the pandemic, they were buying hand sanitizer and face masks. And later, they were booking vaccine reservation spots. Why are bots taking over certain markets? And is there anything we can do to slow them down? Guests : Derreck Johnson , designer at Slate Eric Budish , economics professor at the University of Chicago Host: Seth Stevenson Hosted on Acast. ...
Oct 29, 2021•23 min
Between April and June of this year, Zillow bought nearly 4,000 homes. And they had no intention of holding onto them. The plan was to flip houses, often and at scale, joining the ranks of companies like Opendoor and Offerpad, also known as iBuyers. So, why did Zillow put their plans on pause last weekend? Can online middlemen really change the way we buy and sell houses? Guests : Tony Santos, homeowner Patrick Clark , reporter at Bloomberg Host: Henry Grabar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...
Oct 22, 2021•17 min
Over the last month, the domain company Epik and the streaming service Twitch have fallen prey to massive-scale hacks. The hackers revealed not just email addresses, but detailed personal information too. For Twitch, it was the entire source code for their site. But the attackers aren’t holding this data for ransom. In fact, they don’t seem to want much of anything. What’s motivating this new wave of activist hacks? And who suffers? Guest: Drew Harwell , tech reporter at the Washington Post Host...
Oct 15, 2021•20 min
The last month has seen a steady drip of leaked documents from inside Facebook, each seemingly more damning than the next. This week, the whistleblower behind the leaks revealed her identity. What motivates Frances Haugen? And can she do real damage to the social media giant? Guest: Jeff Horwitz , tech reporter at the Wall Street Journal. Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 08, 2021•21 min
Since 2018, internal research teams at Facebook have been studying the effect on Instagram on mental health. Their results couldn’t be more clear: Instagram is causing problems, especially for teen girls. Why has it taken so long for their research to surface? And what can be done to improve the relationship between kids and the platform? Guest: Georgia Wells , tech reporter at the Wall Street Journal. Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Oct 01, 2021•20 min
In the U.S., the PCR test is the gold standard for COVID testing. Common knowledge would have it that the test is more accurate—and therefore more effective at containing the spread of the dease—than the rapid antigen test. What if that isn’t quite true? Guest: Michael Mina , assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 24, 2021•26 min
The final episode of Season 1 features Ted Ross, Chief Information Officer for the City of Los Angeles. His role became more vital than ever during the pandemic, with L.A.’s 4 million residents and 50,000 employees relying on the city’s complex technological operation for support. Ted helped his city navigate the challenge with tech solutions built on principles designed to serve citizens and inspire employees: focus on people, improve lives, and lean into promising innovations. Hosted on Acast....
Sep 22, 2021•30 min
Recently, China restricted video game playing to just three hours a week for its young people: 8pm to 9pm, Friday through Sunday. And that’s not the only change. Over the last few months, private tutors, diehard celebrity fans, and tech giants have all faced fresh restrictions from Beijing. What’s behind this new wave of crackdowns? Guest: Brenda Goh , technology correspondent for Reuters Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 17, 2021•15 min
The Colorado River Basin is experiencing its 22nd year of drought. Its reservoirs are at their lowest-ever levels. The water stored in the system is at just 40 percent of its capacity. How did the situation on the Colorado become so dire? And what does the shortage mean for the 40 million people who rely on its waters? Guest: Abrahm Lustgarten , senior investigative reporter at ProPublica Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 10, 2021•17 min
A medicine meant to treat parasites is the latest unproven COVID treatment craze. With warnings from the FDA, and prescribers clamping down, some are going to extreme lengths to get their hands on the drug. What’s behind Ivermectin’s sudden rise? Guest: Brandy Zadrozny , senior reporter for NBC News Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Sep 03, 2021•20 min
Elizabeth Holmes convinced countless people that her company would change the world. Can she convince 12 jurors that she didn’t intend to deceive her company’s patients and investors? Guest: Rebecca Jarvis , host of “The Dropout” podcast and ABC News Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 27, 2021•22 min
The Biden administration says a third dose of vaccines for all American adults will end the pandemic faster. And experts say there is evidence of waning vaccine effectiveness against mild-to-moderate disease. But globally, what’s the best use of the next available dose? Guest: Saad Omer , director of the Yale Institute for Global Health. Host: Lizzie O’Leary This episode was produced by Alyssa Edes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Aug 20, 2021•19 min
Experts say that a “fully approved” designation for the vaccines could have sweeping effects. Broader vaccination mandates, inclusion for new age groups, and reassurance for those hesitant to take a vaccine without the designation. As calls for approval grow louder and more urgent, the Food and Drug Administration is yet to give its blessing. What’s happening inside the FDA as they work toward this milestone? Guest: Sarah Owermohle , health care reporter at Politico Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted o...
Aug 13, 2021•24 min
America used to be at the vanguard of railroad technology. What went wrong? And can the new infrastructure bill fix our broken system? Guests: Alon Levy and Eric Goldwyn of the Marron Institute at NYU Host Henry Grabar Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 06, 2021•16 min
Whether it’s a phone screen or a coffee machine, why is it so hard to fix our own stuff? And what can we do to make it a bit easier? Guest: Jason Koebler , editor-in-chief of Motherboard and contributor to the CYBER podcast Host Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 30, 2021•17 min
This week, Amnesty International and a French journalism nonprofit named Forbidden Stories revealed that technology from a spyware firm called NSO Group is being deployed on a massive scale. The spyware, called Pegasus, gives the user access to every part of a victim’s smartphone -- notes, messages, photos, and recordings. What’s it like for security researchers to see their worst fears about digital spying play out? And what are they worried about next? Guests: John Scott Railton , Senior Resea...
Jul 23, 2021•28 min
Over the last month, North Americans have seen record-breaking heat, droughts, wildfires, and floods. The science is clear: we are living through the effects of climate change. Now scientists are trying to answer: is this the new normal? Guest: Daniel Swain , climate scientist at UCLA Host Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jul 16, 2021•19 min
