Tech Won't Save Us

What’s Driving the Push For Humanoid Robots w/ James Vincent

Paris Marx is joined by James Vincent to discuss why we’re seeing humanoid robots everywhere, the motivations to pursue an all-purpose robot, how close we are to achieving that goal, and the social implications if we were to achieve it. James Vincent is a UK-based journalist and author of Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781324066149]. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * James wrote about what kicking robots [https://harpers.org/archive/2025/12/kicking-robots-james-vincent-humanoids/] can tell us about the state of modern robotics * Rodney Brooks [https://rodneybrooks.com/why-todays-humanoids-wont-learn-dexterity/] makes a case for the difficulty in teaching robots human dexterity * Here is an in-depth look at what Agility Robotics [https://www.therobotreport.com/agility-robotics-explains-train-whole-body-control-foundation-model/] has been working on * Shout-out to the 2008 movie Sleep Dealer [https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804529/] * Japanese convenience stores [https://restofworld.org/2025/philippines-offshoring-automation-tech-jobs/] are using robots run by offshore operators * This is what a toilet cleaning robot [https://www.therobotreport.com/primech-launches-upgraded-bathroom-cleaning-robot/] looks like

The Green Transition Needs So Much Mining w/ Thea Riofrancos

Paris Marx is joined by Thea Riofrancos to discuss the global struggle to move away from fossil fuels and the future of the green transition, including the limitations of existing supply chains, geopolitical tensions, and the tech industry's role in the growth of extractive industries. Thea Riofrancos is the author of Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781324036760]. She is also Associate Professor of Political Science at Providence College and Strategic Co-Director of the Climate and Community Institute. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * Thea has written about Trump’s resource nationalism [https://www.ft.com/content/6ff94e8a-7918-4d0f-b0cc-bae8605ffb7b] and the resources needed for a green transition [https://thebaffler.com/latest/gimme-more-riofrancos]. * The Climate and Community Institute has done a lot of research on mining and transportation [https://climateandcommunity.org/transportation-mining/]. * Indonesia has been building out a ton of coal plants [https://news.mongabay.com/2025/04/indonesia-defies-global-coal-retreat-with-captive-plant-boom/] to power its nickel industry.

Netflix Buying Warner Would Be a Disaster w/ AS Hamrah

Paris Marx is joined by AS Hamrah to discuss the proposed Netflix-Warner Bros Discovery merger and what it might mean for the state of decline already facing modern cinema. AS Hamrah is a film critic at n+1 and the author of Algorithm of the Night [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781953813183] and Last Week in End Times Cinema [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781635902686]. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * AS Hamrah wrote the piece Time to Face Reality [https://www.bookforum.com/culture/time-to-face-reality-60799] on reality television, and this piece on the state of modern cinema [https://www.nybooks.com/online/2025/12/02/a-total-breakdown-of-all-the-easter-eggs/] * New York Magazine published a feature on the Ellisons [https://www.vulture.com/article/larry-david-ellison-paramount-warner-bros-discovery-deal-hollywood.html] and their vision for Hollywood after taking over Paramount * Here’s the latest on the Netflix-Warner deal [https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/warner-bros-shareholders-likely-hold-vote-netflix-deal-march-cnbc-reports-2026-02-02/] * Here’s more information on the ruling on Paramount Consent Decrees [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/real-impact-getting-rid-paramount-consent-decrees-1134938/]

Elon Musk Profits Off Non-Consensual Deepfakes w/ Kat Tenbarge

Paris Marx is joined by Kat Tenbarge to discuss the explosion of abusive deepfakes on X, including how Elon Musk is profiting from the sexual exploitation of women and children while his followers use Grok to engage in gender-based violence. Kat Tenbarge is an independent journalist who writes Spitfire News [https://spitfirenews.com]. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * Kat [https://spitfirenews.com/p/grok-will-always-be-a-harassment-tool] has been thoroughly [https://spitfirenews.com/p/grok-deepfakes-x-advertisers-investors-take-it-down] covering the Grok and XAI [https://spitfirenews.com/p/grok-csam-deepfakes-abuse-elon-musk] deepfake and sexual abuse story * Paris wrote about why the Grok scandal shows we need more comprehensive tech regulation [https://disconnect.blog/x-shows-why-stricter-tech-regulation-is-necessary/] * The deepfake documentary mentioned was called Another Body [https://www.documentary.org/project/another-body] * You can see the result of Megan Thee Stallion’s defamation lawsuit here [https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/miami-meghan-thee-stallion-defamation-case-verdict/] * Grok was blocked in Indonesia and Malaysia [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg7y10xm4x2o] in response to its generation of explicit images

Bring Back Meddling With Tech Hardware w/ Chris Person

Paris Marx is joined by Chris Person to discuss the state of hardware and manufacturing in the tech industry, ways to hack your stuff, options to undermine Microsoft’s software dominance, and how the AI boom is making consumer electronics more expensive. Chris Person is a co-founder of Aftermath [https://aftermath.site] and makes Highlight Reel [https://www.patreon.com/highlightreel]. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Kyla Hewson. Also mentioned in this episode: * CES showcased some weird gadgets [https://www.theverge.com/tech/855460/ces-2026-weirdest-announcements] this month. * Chris recently wrote about how AI is affecting tying your shoes [https://aftermath.site/ians-shoelace-site-is-still-the-best-destination-for-tying-your-shoes/]. * Chris also wrote about the new Steam Machine [https://aftermath.site/steam-machine-steam-frame-steam-controller-good-choices/]. * Paris wrote about how to get off US tech [https://disconnect.blog/getting-off-us-tech-a-guide/]. * A peak inside Chinese dark factories [https://futurism.com/robots-and-machines/western-executives-shaken-visiting-china]. * For those interested in learning more about Bazzite [https://bazzite.gg]. * Canva buys Affinity [https://www.canva.com/newsroom/news/affinity/]. * Chris shouts out Gamers Nexus [https://www.youtube.com/gamersnexus]. * For those who want to dive deeper on RAM pricing [https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/memory/ram-and-storage-is-ridiculously-expensive-right-now-because-of-drumroll-ai-of-course-and-theres-little-reason-to-think-prices-will-drop-any-time-soon/].