Tech Won't Save Us

Prediction Markets Want to Financialize Everything w/ Jathan Sadowski

Polymarket and Kalshi are everywhere. But what are they doing to society? Jathan Sadowski joins Paris Marx to discuss the rise of prediction markets and their negative social effects as they push the global economy closer toward the financialization of everything. Jathan Sadowski is an Associate Professor at Monash University [https://research.monash.edu/en/persons/jathan-sadowski/]. He is the author of The Mechanic and the Luddite and co-hosts [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780520398078]This Machine Kills [https://soundcloud.com/thismachinekillspod]. 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: * Jathan wrote about Kalshi trying to bring about the financialization of everything [https://www.fastcompany.com/91457404/kalshi-betting-gambling-polymarket] in Fast Company. * The NYT reported on the use of classified information [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/23/nyregion/polymarket-maduro-indictment-soldier.html] by a US soldier to place a bet on the capture of Maduro. * Wired just reported on how the US is using AI [https://www.wired.com/story/polymarket-insider-trading-cftc-michael-selig-interview/] to spot insider trading. * Polymarket users sent death threats to a reporter [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/18/polymarket-gamblers-threaten-israeli-journalist-missile-strike-wager]. Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]

The UK Government’s AI Obsession is a Big Risk w/ Will Dunn

What happens when a government goes all in on AI? It creates some huge vulnerabilities. Will Dunn joins Paris Marx to dig into how the UK government is using chatbots to write laws without public consultation and why it isn’t asking the hard questions about the risks of that growing reliance on US technology. Will Dunn is the business editor at the New Statesman [https://www.newstatesman.com/author/will-dunn]. 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: * Will wrote about the UK government’s adoption of AI [https://www.newstatesman.com/technology/2026/04/the-silent-coup] and the risks it presents. * Rishi Sunak is working with Anthropic [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyqe22pz81o]. * Sunak acknowledges companies reliant on AI technology are hiring less young people [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg07x4rejdo]. * Will shouts out the book Fancy Bear Goes Phishing [https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250335678/fancybeargoesphishing/] by Scott J. Shapiro. Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]

Muskism is the New Fordism w/ Ben Tarnoff & Quinn Slobodian

Paris Marx is joined by Ben Tarnoff and Quinn Slobodian to discuss their new book Muskism which explores how Elon Musk exemplifies a new economic system shaping our lives, similar to Fordism in the twentieth century. Ben Tarnoff & Quinn Slobodian are the authors of Muskism [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780063484320]. Ben is a writer and technologist based in Massachusetts and the author of Internet for the People [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781839762024]. Quinn is professor of international history at Boston University, and the author of books like Crack-Up Capitalism [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781250871855]. 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: * For listeners who are feeling extra academic, here is the Milton Friedman economics paper [https://www.wiwiss.fu-berlin.de/fachbereich/bwl/pruefungs-steuerlehre/loeffler/Lehre/bachelor/investition/Friedman_the_methology_of_positive_economics.pdf], “The Methodology of Positive Economics.” * Quinn discusses his struggle to find any reporting on Jared Leto and the Optimus robot [https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/social/teslas-optimus-robot-shows-off-kung-fu-skills-to-jared-leto-at-disney-event-watch/articleshow/124369196.cms] media stunt (that goes deeper than commenting on the virality). Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]

Tim Cook’s Real Legacy at Apple w/ Brian Merchant

Paris Marx is joined by Brian Merchant to discuss Apple’s announcement that Tim Cook is stepping down as CEO, including his history and legacy, and what may be next for the company. Brian Merchant is the author of The One Device [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780316546249] and Blood in the Machine [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780316487740] and writes a newsletter [https://www.bloodinthemachine.com] of the same name. 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: * Brian’s most recent newsletter covers Tim Cook’s stepping down, as well as Palantir’s manifesto [https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/palantir-is-overplaying-its-hand]. * Brian has previously written about Foxconn’s working conditions [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jun/18/foxconn-life-death-forbidden-city-longhua-suicide-apple-iphone-brian-merchant-one-device-extract]. * Brian mentioned Patrick McGee’s book Apple in China [https://bookshop.org/p/books/apple-in-china-the-capture-of-the-world-s-greatest-company-patrick-mcgee/496b96d06a984e01]. Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]

The Problem with "CEO Said a Thing" Journalism w/ Karl Bode

Paris Marx is joined by Karl Bode to discuss how tech journalists coupled with corporate interests are irresponsibly boosting the profile of tech CEOs, further damaging public trust in institutional journalism and highlighting the need for publicly funded media organizations. Karl Bode is a freelance reporter and writes The Fine Print [https://karlbode.com] newsletter. 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: * Karl wrote about how the press mythologizes tech CEOs [https://karlbode.com/whoops-the-tech-press-mythologized-another-unethical-asshole/]. * The New Yorker published a brutal article [https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trusted] on Sam Altman’s compulsive lying to get ahead. * OpenAI’s Pentagon deal [https://www.forbes.com/sites/jodiecook/2026/04/03/why-chatgpts-pentagon-deal-sparked-25-million-quitgpt-uninstalls/] led to a large user migration. * Shout out to Karen Hao’s book Empire of AI [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780593657508] * Allbirds [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c98mrepzgj7o], the shoe company, is now entering the AI space. * Here is the latest on the attacks on Sam Altman’s home [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/18/sam-altman-house-attack-ai]. * Meta has been found to amplify hate and contribute to genocide [https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/amnesty-report-finds-facebook-amplified-hate-ahead-of-rohingya-massacre-in-myanmar], something that is an ongoing concern [https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/02/meta-new-policy-changes/] with the platform. And we can’t forget about attempts to force their ‘Free Basics’ internet on India [https://qz.com/india/614887/what-do-the-british-raj-and-facebook-free-basics-have-in-common-a-lot-actually]. Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]