Big Tech promised AI would solve our biggest problems. But behind the hype there is a more unsettling reality: labor exploitation, environmental harm, and the looming threat of mass automation.

Dexter sits down with journalist Karen Hao to talk about her new book Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI. They dig into how today’s AI companies are operating less like tech innovators and more like empires.

Make sure to check out Karen’s book, Empire of AI: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743569/empire-of-ai-by-karen-hao/

Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

Big Tech promised AI would solve our biggest problems. But behind the hype there is a more unsettling reality: labor exploitation, environmental harm, and the looming threat of mass automation.
Dexter sits down with journalist Karen Hao to talk about her new book Empire of AI: Dreams and Nightmares in Sam Altman's OpenAI. They dig into how today&rsquo;s AI companies are operating less like tech innovators and more like empires.
Make sure to check out Karen&rsquo;s book, Empire of AI: <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743569/empire-of-ai-by-karen-hao/">https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743569/empire-of-ai-by-karen-hao/</a>
Got something you&rsquo;re curious about? Hit us up <a href="mailto:killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc">killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc</a>, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

Were we sleeping when everything changed? Seems like the technologically driven future is already here. On killswitch, we explain the right NOW of our super charged technological lives. New host Dexter Thomas answers questions big and small – like who’s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer?

kill switch also brings the DIY back to tech – “How to Now” on everything from how to run your own LLM to tips to keep your data safe. Because the more “user-friendly” our devices get, the less we understand how they work, and the less control we have. We’re here to help you take back control. And if we can’t… Well, maybe we need to look for the kill switch.

 

Were we sleeping when everything changed? Seems like the technologically driven future is already here. On kill switch, we explain the right NOW of our super charged technological lives. New host <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dexdigi/?hl=en">Dexter Thomas</a> answers questions big and small &ndash; like who&rsquo;s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer?
kill switch also brings the DIY back to tech &ndash; &ldquo;How to Now&rdquo; on everything from how to run your own LLM to tips to keep your data safe. Because the more &ldquo;user-friendly&rdquo; our devices get, the less we understand how they work, and the less control we have. We&rsquo;re here to help you take back control. And if we can&rsquo;t&hellip; Well, maybe we need to look for the kill switch.
&nbsp;

kill switch

Were we sleeping when everything changed? Seems like the technologically driven future is already here. On killswitch, we explain the right NOW of our super charged technological lives. New host Dexter Thomas answers questions big and small – like who’s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer?

kill switch also brings the DIY back to tech – “How to Now” on everything from how to run your own LLM to tips to keep your data safe. Because the more “user-friendly” our devices get, the less we understand how they work, and the less control we have. We’re here to help you take back control. And if we can’t… Well, maybe we need to look for the kill switch.

Were we sleeping when everything changed? Seems like the technologically driven future is already here. On kill switch, we explain the right NOW of our super charged technological lives. New host <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dexdigi/?hl=en">Dexter Thomas</a> answers questions big and small &ndash; like who&rsquo;s behind Shrimp Jesus, and could you get arrested by a computer?
kill switch also brings the DIY back to tech &ndash; &ldquo;How to Now&rdquo; on everything from how to run your own LLM to tips to keep your data safe. Because the more &ldquo;user-friendly&rdquo; our devices get, the less we understand how they work, and the less control we have. We&rsquo;re here to help you take back control. And if we can&rsquo;t&hellip; Well, maybe we need to look for the kill switch.

boomers, doomers, and the new empire

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1411c796-019d-46a3-af46-b3060171d791/transcript

In the high-stakes world of sports, referees have always been under intense scrutiny… but what if tech could take some of the pressure off? Or will we lose something by replacing the referee with a robot? In this episode Dexter talks with Joe Lemire, senior writer at Sports Business Journal, to explore how new technologies like Hawk-Eye are reshaping sports officiating. 

Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

Read: 
Joe’s article on automating officiating in sports: https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/09/15/how-why-and-whether-to-automate-more-officiating-in-sports-and-what-are-the-trade-offs/

In the high-stakes world of sports, referees have always been under intense scrutiny&hellip; but what if tech could take some of the pressure off? Or will we lose something by replacing the referee with a robot? In this episode Dexter talks with Joe Lemire, senior writer at Sports Business Journal, to explore how new technologies like Hawk-Eye are reshaping sports officiating.&nbsp;
Got something you&rsquo;re curious about? Hit us up <a href="mailto:killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc">killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc</a>, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
Read:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Joe&rsquo;s article on automating officiating in sports: <a href="https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/09/15/how-why-and-whether-to-automate-more-officiating-in-sports-and-what-are-the-trade-offs/">https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2025/09/15/how-why-and-whether-to-automate-more-officiating-in-sports-and-what-are-the-trade-offs/</a></li>
</ul>

when the ref’s a robot

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fb85037d-3208-4026-abd5-b3a70163f14b/transcript

This week, we’re sharing an episode from another podcast we’re excited about.

In Season 2 of Shell Game, journalist Evan Ratliff tells a story of entrepreneurship in the AI age; or, how he tried to build a real company, run by fake people. 

In episode one, we meet Kyle Law and Megan Flores, Evan’s AI agent cofounders, as he puts to the test the claims about an emerging future in which AI employees work alongside — or instead of — humans.

Over the course of the season, the three cofounders will grind it out in a sprint that would sound familiar to any start-up founder. They’ll churn out software code, hire interns, and even sit down with investors. But first, they need to come up with a name for their company. And make sure that Kyle and Megan can remember it.

Subscribe to Shell Game wherever you get your podcasts. And check out more at shellgame.co.

Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

This week, we&rsquo;re sharing an episode from another podcast we&rsquo;re excited about.
In Season 2 of Shell Game, journalist Evan Ratliff tells a story of entrepreneurship in the AI age; or, how he tried to build a real company, run by fake people.&nbsp;
In episode one, we meet Kyle Law and Megan Flores, Evan&rsquo;s AI agent cofounders, as he puts to the test the claims about an emerging future in which AI employees work alongside &mdash; or instead of &mdash; humans.
Over the course of the season, the three cofounders will grind it out in a sprint that would sound familiar to any start-up founder. They&rsquo;ll churn out software code, hire interns, and even sit down with investors. But first, they need to come up with a name for their company. And make sure that Kyle and Megan can remember it.
Subscribe to Shell Game wherever you get your podcasts. And check out more at <a href="http://shellgame.co">shellgame.co</a>.
Got something you&rsquo;re curious about? Hit us up <a href="mailto:killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc">killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc</a>, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

new from kaleidoscope: shell game (season 2)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6cf10c0c-ba28-479a-9cf3-b39c0138d13f/transcript

If it feels like you’re getting more scammy texts in the past few years, you’re not imagining it. Scam texts have exploded since 2020, and the operation behind them has become a massively lucrative industry. Dexter talks to Eric Priezkalns, a self-proclaimed ‘troublemaker’ in the telecommunications world and founder of the website Commsrisk, about the new technology that’s making scam texts easier than ever, what some of the weirder, long-game schemes are after, who’s behind these operations, and if there’s anything we can do to stop them.

Got something you’re curious about? Hit us up killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.

Read: 
Eric’s website Commsrisk: https://commsrisk.com/
Eric’s article on Huang, the boy sold to a Myanmar scam compound: https://commsrisk.com/17-year-old-chinese-girl-accused-of-selling-boyfriend-into-myanmar-scam-compound-slavery/
How to turn off 2g for android: https://source.android.com/docs/security/features/cellular-security/toggle-2g

Listen + Watch:
Labi Siffre - Bless the Telephone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpy2O6fYiTk 
A Tribe Called Quest - Skypager: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYc50S23pQY
kill switch on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8oh6zDRg1zgHkyOfikoeQS7cafAytstv&si=zrCE7MYWVBgmpWqi

If it feels like you&rsquo;re getting more scammy texts in the past few years, you&rsquo;re not imagining it. Scam texts have exploded since 2020, and the operation behind them has become a massively lucrative industry. Dexter talks to Eric Priezkalns, a self-proclaimed &lsquo;troublemaker&rsquo; in the telecommunications world and founder of the website Commsrisk, about the new technology that&rsquo;s making scam texts easier than ever, what some of the weirder, long-game schemes are after, who&rsquo;s behind these operations, and if there&rsquo;s anything we can do to stop them.
Got something you&rsquo;re curious about? Hit us up <a href="mailto:killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc">killswitch@kaleidoscope.nyc</a>, or @killswitchpod, or @dexdigi on IG or Bluesky.
Read:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Eric&rsquo;s website Commsrisk: <a href="https://commsrisk.com/">https://commsrisk.com/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Eric&rsquo;s article on Huang, the boy sold to a Myanmar scam compound: <a href="https://commsrisk.com/17-year-old-chinese-girl-accused-of-selling-boyfriend-into-myanmar-scam-compound-slavery/">https://commsrisk.com/17-year-old-chinese-girl-accused-of-selling-boyfriend-into-myanmar-scam-compound-slavery/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">How to turn off 2g for android: <a href="https://source.android.com/docs/security/features/cellular-security/toggle-2g">https://source.android.com/docs/security/features/cellular-security/toggle-2g</a></li>
</ul>
Listen + Watch:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Labi Siffre - Bless the Telephone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rpy2O6fYiTk&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">A Tribe Called Quest - Skypager: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYc50S23pQY</li>
<li aria-level="1">kill switch on YouTube: <a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8oh6zDRg1zgHkyOfikoeQS7cafAytstv&amp;si=zrCE7MYWVBgmpWqi">https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8oh6zDRg1zgHkyOfikoeQS7cafAytstv&amp;si=zrCE7MYWVBgmpWqi</a></li>
</ul>

who is profiting from scam texts – and can we stop them?

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0bbe78fe-51e2-4c80-8e6e-b399015e3cd3/transcript

boomers, doomers, and the new empire

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