This week, TechStuff teams up with Part-Time Genius for a special crossover episode. Oz and Mangesh Hattikudur, host of Part-Time Genius,discuss a largely misunderstood group of machine destroyers. The Luddites. Joining them is tech journalist Brian Merchant, author of Blood in the Machine, to dig into the history of humans fighting against job automation, why we equate Luddites with technophobes and what we can learn from these 19th century rebels in the age of AI.

This week, TechStuff teams up with Part-Time Genius for a special crossover episode. Oz and Mangesh Hattikudur, host of Part-Time Genius, discuss a largely misunderstood group of machine destroyers. The Luddites. Joining them is tech journalist Brian Merchant, author of Blood in the Machine, to dig into the history of humans fighting against job automation, why we equate Luddites with technophobes and what we can learn from these 19th century rebels in the age of AI.

Behind every innovation is a new kind of power. TechStuff unpacks how technology reshapes influence, creativity, and control, from Silicon Valley’s rising moguls to the cultural forces they create. Because tech is the new religion, economy, and entertainment, all at once.

Each week, Oz Woloshyn and the brightest minds covering tech dig into the weird, funny, and sometimes unsettling ways technology, AI, and the internet shape our daily lives. From AI and social media to privacy, digital burnout, and the creator economy, they ask how all this innovation is changing who we are, how we work, love, and make meaning.

Smart talk, strange stories, and the questions everyone’s Googling: whether AI will replace us, how social media is affecting our kids, and what it all says about us.

Get in touch here: techstuffpodcast@gmail.com

Behind every innovation is a new kind of power. TechStuff unpacks how technology reshapes influence, creativity, and control, from Silicon Valley&rsquo;s rising moguls to the cultural forces they create. Because tech is the new religion, economy, and entertainment, all at once.
Each week, Oz Woloshyn and the brightest minds covering tech dig into the weird, funny, and sometimes unsettling ways technology, AI, and the internet shape our daily lives. From AI and social media to privacy, digital burnout, and the creator economy, they ask how all this innovation is changing who we are, how we work, love, and make meaning.
Smart talk, strange stories, and the questions everyone&rsquo;s Googling: whether AI will replace us, how social media is affecting our kids, and what it all says about us.
Get in touch here:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:techstuffpodcast@gmail.com" data-stringify-link="mailto:techstuffpodcast@gmail.com" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-haspopup="menu">techstuffpodcast@gmail.com</a>

TechStuff

Behind every innovation is a new kind of power. TechStuff unpacks how technology reshapes influence, creativity, and control, from Silicon Valley’s rising moguls to the cultural forces they create. Because tech is the new religion, economy, and entertainment, all at once.

Each week, Oz Woloshyn and the brightest minds covering tech dig into the weird, funny, and sometimes unsettling ways technology, AI, and the internet shape our daily lives. From AI and social media to privacy, digital burnout, and the creator economy, they ask how all this innovation is changing who we are, how we work, love, and make meaning.

Smart talk, strange stories, and the questions everyone’s Googling: whether AI will replace us, how social media is affecting our kids, and what it all says about us.

Behind every innovation is a new kind of power. TechStuff unpacks how technology reshapes influence, creativity, and control, from Silicon Valley&rsquo;s rising moguls to the cultural forces they create. Because tech is the new religion, economy, and entertainment, all at once.
Each week, Oz Woloshyn and the brightest minds covering tech dig into the weird, funny, and sometimes unsettling ways technology, AI, and the internet shape our daily lives. From AI and social media to privacy, digital burnout, and the creator economy, they ask how all this innovation is changing who we are, how we work, love, and make meaning.
Smart talk, strange stories, and the questions everyone&rsquo;s Googling: whether AI will replace us, how social media is affecting our kids, and what it all says about us.

TechStuff x Part-Time Genius: Redefining ‘Luddite’ w/ Brian Merchant

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/48d90bdc-180b-4af5-bfe2-b28b002a581f/transcript

What do frat boys, nepo babies and the Super Bowl have in common? Prediction markets. Wall Street Journal investigative reporter Katherine Long tells us how information from Jeff Bezos's stepson sparked a bet worth nearly a million dollars, and how a rumor loosely tied to Mark Wahlberg's daughter sent $24 million into a single market. And why college kids are betting in the first place.

Kalshi and Polymarket have been quietly making themselves at home on college campuses, paying fraternities for new sign-ups, handing out branded beer pong sets, and recruiting influencers to spread the word. The pitch to students: this is just a fun way to make money off what you already know. With over $10 billion in monthly trading volume and almost no regulatory oversight, Polymarket and Kalshi are no longer a niche corner of the internet.

Additional Reading: 
‘Is This Insider Information?’ The Prediction Market Bets Driving a Campus Frenzy - WSJ 

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/techstuff Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee 

What do frat boys, nepo babies and the Super Bowl have in common? Prediction markets. Wall Street Journal investigative reporter Katherine Long tells us how information from Jeff Bezos's stepson sparked a bet worth nearly a million dollars, and how a rumor loosely tied to Mark Wahlberg's daughter sent $24 million into a single market. And why college kids are betting in the first place.
Kalshi and Polymarket have been quietly making themselves at home on college campuses, paying fraternities for new sign-ups, handing out branded beer pong sets, and recruiting influencers to spread the word. The pitch to students: this is just a fun way to make money off what you already know. With over $10 billion in monthly trading volume and almost no regulatory oversight, Polymarket and Kalshi are no longer a niche corner of the internet.
Additional Reading:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/media/prediction-markets-campus-e57cd19f?mod=author_content_page_1_pos_1">&lsquo;Is This Insider Information?&rsquo; The Prediction Market Bets Driving a Campus Frenzy - WSJ</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
EXCLUSIVE&nbsp;NordVPN Deal ➼<a href="https://nordvpn.com/podcast/?coupon=techstuff&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_term=&amp;utm_content&amp;utm_source=aff141920&amp;utm_campaign=off1001"> https://nordvpn.com/techstuff</a> Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee&nbsp;

Polymarket and Kalshi Have a Problem with Nepo Baby Insider Trading - The Story

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/aa3af9e9-cf49-4600-856a-b42d0066374a/transcript

In Smart Talks with IBM Season 7, Malcolm Gladwell reveals how global brands are applying AI and technology to reshape experiences and help solve complex challenges. Go behind the scenes with HEINEKEN, UFC, and Cleveland Clinic. New episodes drop April 21.

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

Visit us at ibm.com/smarttalks

In Smart Talks with IBM Season 7, Malcolm Gladwell reveals how global brands are applying AI and technology to reshape experiences and help solve complex challenges. Go behind the scenes with HEINEKEN, UFC, and Cleveland Clinic. New episodes drop April 21.
This is a paid advertisement from IBM. Visit us at&nbsp;<a href="http://ibm.com/smarttalks" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://ibm.com/smarttalks&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1776268326241000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3vd0YgHDMvaQ0aFncGvHKm">ibm.com/smarttalks</a>

Smart Talks with IBM Returns April 21

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/051acb75-ba77-40b1-acc1-b42d00688c0c/transcript

OpenAI dominated this week's headlines — and it wasn’t all flattering. Reed Albergotti (Semafor) breaks down the chaos: IPO drama and Ronan Farrow's probing New Yorker profile of Sam Altman paint a picture of a company under pressure, even as it remains the most talked-about name in AI. Taylor Lorenz (User Mag) tells us about the AI tools marketed to schools as safety solutions that end up tracking students in ways with real consequences for kids and adults alike. And Kyle Chayka (The New Yorker) reviews the new book, Techno-Negative, tracing the long, often misunderstood history of anti-technology movements. Spoiler: it goes way deeper than the Luddites.

Additional Reading: 
Leap of Faith | Semafor
Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted? | The New Yorker
OpenAI CEO and CFO Diverge on IPO Timing | The Information
They're Putting AI on School Buses | User Mag
The Age-Old Urge to Destroy Technology | The New Yorker 

Download SAILY in your app store and use our code techstuff  at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/techstuff

OpenAI dominated this week's headlines &mdash; and it wasn&rsquo;t all flattering. Reed Albergotti (Semafor) breaks down the chaos: IPO drama and Ronan Farrow's probing New Yorker profile of Sam Altman paint a picture of a company under pressure, even as it remains the most talked-about name in AI. Taylor Lorenz (User Mag) tells us about the AI tools marketed to schools as safety solutions that end up tracking students in ways with real consequences for kids and adults alike. And Kyle Chayka (The New Yorker) reviews the new book, Techno-Negative, tracing the long, often misunderstood history of anti-technology movements. Spoiler: it goes way deeper than the Luddites.
Additional Reading:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.semafor.com/newsletter/04/08/2026/openai-goes-after-ari-emanuels-wme-in-musk-legal-drama?utm_source=newslettershare&amp;utm_medium=technology&amp;utm_campaign=FirstWord#b">Leap of Faith | Semafor</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trusted">Sam Altman May Control Our Future&mdash;Can He Be Trusted? | The New Yorker</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openai-ceo-cfo-diverge-ipo-timing">OpenAI CEO and CFO Diverge on IPO Timing | The Information</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoAvL1MoTIA">They're Putting AI on School Buses | User Mag</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/infinite-scroll/the-age-old-urge-to-destroy-technology">The Age-Old Urge to Destroy Technology | The New Yorker</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Download&nbsp;SAILY in your app store and use our code techstuff&nbsp; at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to<a href="https://saily.com/creator/?coupon=techstuff&amp;utm_source=12669&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_campaign=138&amp;aff_transaction_id=102e6208403cf45b12b357c4a30eb2&amp;aff_offer_id=138&amp;aff_id=12669"> https://saily.com/techstuff</a>

OpenAI's Sam Altman: Philosopher King Or Sociopath? - Week in Tech

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5988fee9-c0f9-4f63-b21a-b4280052d9de/transcript

TechStuff x Part-Time Genius: Redefining ‘Luddite’ w/ Brian Merchant

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