In a recent episode of This Week in Tech, host Leo Laporte and guests Harry McCracken, Christina Warren, and Lou Maresca discussed a variety of tech industry topics. The panel debated the influence of tech billionaires on the incoming Trump administration, with Elon Musk playing a key role in shaping the transition team. They also explored the appointment of David Sacks as the White House AI and Crypto Czar, and the controversy surrounding the Hak Tuah cryptocurrency project.
TikTok’s future in the U.S. remained uncertain as courts upheld a potential ban, prompting discussions about free speech implications and geopolitical factors. Additionally, the panel discussed Frank McCourt’s bid to acquire TikTok’s U.S. operations, positioning it as a “people’s bid.”
Other topics covered included NASA’s potential partnership with SpaceX, proposed funding to remove Chinese telecom equipment from U.S. networks, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger’s departure, OpenAI’s new AI models, Google’s weather forecasting AI model, and the development of AI-infused web browsers.
The episode also touched on cybersecurity rules proposed by the FCC, Apple’s legal battle over a controversial child abuse image detection feature, advancements in atomic clocks, and the record-breaking sale of ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
Listeners can download or subscribe to This Week in Tech and access ad-free episodes with Club TWiT. Sponsors for the episode included Canary, ExpressVPN, Lookout, Veeam, and ZipRecruiter.
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