Tag Archives: Big Tech

Culture/Politics: Harper’s Magazine – March 2024

HARPER’S MAGAZINE – MARCH 2024: The new issue features ‘The Pentagon’s Silicon Valley Problem’ – How Big Tech is losing the wars of the future…

The Pentagon’s Silicon Valley Problem

How Big Tech is losing the wars of the future

Illustrations by Yoshi Sodeoka
Illustrations by Yoshi Sodeoka

by Andrew Cockburn

“Artificial intelligence may indeed affect the way our military operates. But the notion that bright-eyed visionaries from the tech industry are revolutionizing our military machine promotes a myth that this relationship is not only new, but will fundamentally improve our defense system—one notorious for its insatiable appetite for money, poorly performing weapons, and lost wars. In reality, the change flows in the other direction, as new recruits enter the warm embrace of the imperishable military-industrial complex, eager to learn its ways.”

The Case Against Children

Illustrations by María Jesús Contreras

Among the antinatalists

by Elizabeth Barber

“People would rather be enthusiastic collaborators in a global project than be skeptics of its fundamental integrity. Antinatalism implies or counts on our eventual extinction, and thinking this way is painful.”

Opinion: China-US Danger Zone, Big Tech AI Race, Rice Fuels Diabetes Epidemic

April 3, 2023: A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, the China-US contest is entering a new and more dangerous phase, how the tech giants are going all in on artificial intelligence (10:26) and why rice is fuelling climate change and diabetes (25:03).

Why the China-US contest is entering a new and more dangerous phase

Chinese officials rage at what they see as American bullying

Big tech and the pursuit of AI dominance

The tech giants are going all in on artificial intelligence. Each is doing it its own way

The global rice crisis

Rice feeds more than half the world—but also fuels diabetes and climate change

Opinion: The Despot In The Desert, Big-Tech Decline, Imperfect Is OK At Work

A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, MBS: despot in the desert, the era of big-tech exceptionalism may be over (49:05), and why it’s OK not to be perfect at work (55:30). 

International Economics: Top Stories Of The Week

The World Economic Forum’s top stories of this week include the 5 biggest risks facing humanity, the rise of tech giants, Ireland giving artists a base income and how to fix and upgrade this laptop.

Timeline: 00:00 – Intro 00:14 – Why rising tech giants matter 03:34 – The 5 biggest risks facing humanity 05:13 – Fix & upgrade your own laptop 06:38 – Ireland’s base income for artists

The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, cultural and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. We believe that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

Interview: Psychologist & Author Steven Pinker On Rationality & Fake News

Social media companies face a tough choice in censoring their users. Steven Pinker joins Steven Edginton to discuss rationality, big tech companies and conspiracy theories in the latest Off Script podcast. Watch the full episode above or search “Off Script” on your podcast app.

Analysis: China’s New Regulations On Tech

Big Tech, real estate, and even video games are being targeted by new regulations in China. This regulatory upheaval could be yet another sign that Xi Jinping and the Chinese Communist Party is trying to reign in the business sector.

Smartphone Tracking: ‘Apple vs Facebook’ (WSJ)

Big Tech Fight Night: Cook vs. Zuck A new privacy feature in Apple’s iOS 14.5 requires apps to request permission to track you. And Facebook isn’t happy about it. WSJ’s Joanna Stern put Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO Tim Cook into the ring to explain why this software update has kicked off a tech slugfest. Photo illustration: Preston Jessee for The Wall Street Journal Personal Technology With Joanna Stern Technology is overwhelming and making decisions about what gadget to buy is harder than ever. WSJ personal tech columnist Joanna Stern makes it all a bit easier in her lively and informative videos.

Morning News Podcast: Big Tech CEO’s Testify, North Korea Missile Test

A.M. Edition for March 25. The heads of Facebook, Google and Twitter are set to appear in front of House lawmakers today.

North Korea launches ballistic missiles; WSJ Korea Bureau Chief Timothy W. Martin has the latest. The Olympic torch relay begins in Japan. Marc Stewart hosts.

Remote Work: ‘How Big Tech Is Revamping It’ (WSJ)

Prominent tech companies are embracing remote work amid an exodus of skilled labor from Silicon Valley. WSJ looks at what that could mean for innovation and productivity and what companies are doing to manage the impact.