Tech News Weekly (Audio)

Amanda Silberling from TechCrunch joins Mikah Sargent this week! Spotify's latest update gives users more control over their listening experience. Students are using AI more widely to cheat. Microsoft's latest Surface devices still utilize Snapdragon X. And Netflix is rolling out a major UI redesign, which includes algorithmic changes and a TikTok-like feed.

• Amanda talks about Spotify's rollout of its latest update, which utilizes AI-driven features, including enhanced playlists and "smart shuffle."


• Mikah shares a New York Magazine article that highlights the increasing use of AI tools by students to complete assignments and the impact the reliance of these tools will have on students' critical thinking skills.


• Brian Westover of PCMag joins Mikah to talk about Microsoft's latest Surface devices, including a 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro tablet.


• Mikah chats about Netflix rolling out a significant redesign of its user interface, incorporating algorithmic changes and a feed similar to TikTok, as a way to boost user engagement and keep users hooked in Netflix's ecosystem.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling

Guest: Brian Westover

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In this episode of Tech News Weekly, Mikah Sargent and Abrar Al-Heeti explore the growing role of AI in consumer tech, the latest legal setback for Apple's App Store policies, and two in-depth interviews: Bloomberg's Leah Nylen breaks down the DOJ's proposed remedies in the antitrust case against Google, and Wikimedia's Leila Zia shares the foundation's new AI strategy that centers humans—not machines.

• ChatGPT Adds Shopping Tools: Abrar Al-Heeti highlights OpenAI's new AI-powered shopping experience in ChatGPT, which personalizes product recommendations and integrates purchase links—all without leaving the chat window. She and Mikah explore the implications for consumer trust, affiliate marketing, and the future of Amazon and Google as default shopping destinations.


• Apple vs. Epic: Court Strikes Back: Mikah breaks down a dramatic new ruling against Apple, in which a judge found the company in violation of a 2021 injunction and imposed strict limits on how it can control third-party payments. Mikah and Abrar discuss how this could reshape the App Store's fee model and what it means for developers and users alike.


• Google's Antitrust Remedy Phase: Bloomberg antitrust reporter Leah Nylen returns to unpack the latest in the DOJ's case against Google. She explains the three proposed remedies—including a possible Chrome browser divestiture—and what testimony from tech competitors like DuckDuckGo, Perplexity, and OpenAI revealed about Google's dominance in search and AI.


• Wikipedia's Human-Centered AI Strategy: Leila Zia, Head of Research at the Wikimedia Foundation, outlines their new AI roadmap, which focuses on supporting Wikipedia's volunteer editors rather than replacing them. She details how AI will assist with moderation, multilingual knowledge expansion, and mentorship—all while upholding values of transparency and human agency.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Abrar Al-Heeti

Guests: Leah Nylen and Leila Zia

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Abrar-Al Heeti and Emily Forlini are here this week for Tech News Weekly! Is Mark Zuckerberg envious of Instagram's popularity, even after purchasing the company? The first Tesla robotaxis are hitting the road. Apple drops the 'available now' tagline from its Apple Intelligence page. And Motorola RAZR announces a new lineup of its foldable devices, including a $1,300 option!

• Abrar discusses information that became public during Meta's antitrust trial, highlighting how Meta has sought to reduce Instagram's popularity.


• Emily wrote a story on Tesla's first robotaxis hitting roadways in Austin and San Francisco.


• Apple has quietly removed its 'available now' advertising tagline from its Apple Intelligence page following an inquiry from the National Advertising Division.


• And Mike Sorrentino of CNET joins Abrar to talk about Motorola's recently announced updated RAZR foldable phones, including a premium version called the RAZR Ultra.

Hosts: Abrar Al-Heeti and Emily Forlini

Guest: Mike Sorrentino

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Google's ad business takes a loss against the DoJ. OpenAI is working on its own social network. Inside Zuckerberg's negotiations to end the antitrust case against Meta. And ChatGPT's newest AI models is performing 'reverse location searches' from photos.

• Breaking news as the Department of Justice finds Google's Ad Tech violates antitrust laws.


• OpenAI is building a social network that looks to take on other social networks such as Meta and X. But why would OpenAI be interested in a social network?


• A Wall Street Journal article looks into Mark Zuckerberg's negotiations with the FTC to drop Meta's antitrust case.


• And ChatGPT's latest AI models, o3 and o4-mini, are being utilized to perform 'reverse location searches' through uploaded photos.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Dan Moren

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A Waymo robotaxi got stuck in a unique space. A rebooted digg.com launches an early-access community. How Apple fumbled the AI makeover of Siri. Samsung is finally releasing its Ballie device later this summer, which was initially unveiled back in 2020.

• Amanda Silberling of TechCrunch is here this week! Amanda talks about a Waymo robotaxi that got trapped in a Chick-fil-A drive-through after dropping off a passenger at the fast-food restaurant.


• Mikah Sargent talks about the rebooted digg.com website launching an early-access community with a $5 fee that gives early adopters insight into the website's rebuilding and other perks.


• Mikah also talks about a great report from Wayne Ma of The Information about Apple's fumble with Siri's AI makeover.


• And Jennifer Pattison Tuohy of The Verge stops by to talk about Samsung's Ballie, which is finally getting a release later this summer after being announced back in 2020.

Hosts: Mikah Sargent and Amanda Silberling

Guest: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy

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