In this episode of This Week in Tech, the panel tackles the "biggest hack in US history," the future of AI, and the role of government in tech. From the Chinese hack's implications to Microsoft's AI-powered Recall, the Supreme Court's tech-related cases, and the push for social media age verification, Leo Laporte, Patrick Beja, Wesley Faulkner, and Alex Wilhelm provide insightful analysis and lively discussion on the most pressing issues facing the industry today.
- China's "Salt Typhoon" hack, dubbed the "worst hack in our nation's history," which compromised US telecommunications infrastructure and allowed surveillance of high-profile individuals
- The panel debates the challenges of securing outdated infrastructure and the role of government in regulating tech companies
- DOJ's push for Google to sell off Chrome to break its search monopoly, and the potential implications for competition and innovation
- Alex Wilhelm's article "If you like startups, you should love anti-trust" and the importance of fostering competition in the tech industry
- Microsoft's Windows 365 Link, a $349 mini PC that streams Windows from the cloud, and the potential for thin client computing
- Microsoft's Recall AI feature, which records and indexes users' screen activity, raising security concerns but offering potential benefits for users
- The Supreme Court's involvement in cases related to Facebook's Cambridge Analytica data breach and the fate of America's low-income broadband fund
- The panel also discusses their personal experiences with parenting in the digital age and the challenges of balancing screen time, privacy, and education for children
- Meta's push for Apple and Google to verify users' ages on social media platforms, and the challenges of implementing effective age verification while protecting user privacy
- Amazon's talks with Instacart, Uber, Ticketmaster, and others to enhance its AI-powered Alexa assistant
- Spirit Airlines filing for bankruptcy amidst financial losses and mounting debt payments
- Alex laments the addition of ads to Amazon Prime Video and the panel debates the tradeoffs of bundled subscription services
Host: Leo Laporte
Guests: Patrick Beja, Wesley Faulkner, and Alex Wilhelm
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