The Vergecast

The Vergecast team returns from Apple's California event with hands-on impressions of the folding iPhone Duo, the iPhone 18 Pro's variable-aperture camera, and the new Apple Watch Series 12. Nilay Patel and David Imel talk local LLMs with AI researcher CJ Trowbridge. The show closes with a thunder round of non-Apple news covering OpenAI's disputed mathematical achievement, a price hike for the Trump phone, and Sony's revival of the XM4 headphones.

The Vergecast examines how big tech companies like Google, Apple, and Microsoft embedded their products and coding curricula into schools over the past decade, promising students a pipeline to high-paying jobs. Now, as AI begins to automate many coding tasks, those promised careers are less secure, and the tech industry appears to be repeating its playbook with new AI tools for classrooms. Senior policy reporter Lauren Feiner speaks with Natasha Singer, author of 'Coding Kids,' about this cycle and why educators are now more skeptical and demanding evidence before adopting the latest technology.

The Vergecast team gathered live from Apple Park to break down Apple's latest announcements at the 'Surprise and shine' event. Hosts Nilay Patel, Victoria Song, Jake Kastrenakes, Dominic Preston, and Cameron Faulkner discuss the new folding iPhone Duo, updated Apple Watch models, the iPhone 18 Pro's variable aperture camera, and the AirPods 5.

Two runners broke the 2-hour marathon barrier at the London Marathon, a milestone Alex Hutchinson once predicted wouldn't happen until 2075. Lauren Feiner talks with Hutchinson about the role of super shoes and other technological advances in making this possible.

The Vergecast panel discusses the week's tech news: OpenAI's claim that AGI has arrived with GPT-6 Astra, Nvidia's $13B acquisition of Hugging Face, and the shifting definition of artificial general intelligence. They then preview the upcoming Apple event under new CEO John Ternus, reflect on Tim Cook's services-driven legacy, and note the departure of Phil Schiller from key roles. Finally, they highlight the best gadgets from IFA Berlin, including local AI smart home controllers, a wide foldable phone, and a toothbrush with a camera.

The Verge's senior reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy and Smart Home Insider podcast host Andrew O'Hara rank the likelihood of rumored Apple smart home gadgets ahead of Apple's hardware event. The conversation covers the anticipated releases and the broader smart home landscape, centered on what Apple might announce next week.

Guest host David Imel speaks with Verge reporter Lauren Feiner about her article examining the rapid expansion of data centers in Loudoun County, Virginia—nicknamed “Data Center Alley.” The discussion covers the county’s history as a data center hub, growing resident concerns over continued buildout, and what other regions facing similar development can learn from Loudoun’s experience.

The Vergecast hosts a roundtable with Elizabeth Lopatto, David Imel, and Victoria Song to discuss Lopatto's response to Mark Zuckerberg's 6,500-word AI manifesto. They explore what it means to be alive when AI increasingly makes decisions for us, arguing that Zuckerberg's vision frames life as an optimization problem solvable by artificial intelligence. Lopatto contends that such a framing misses the messy, non-algorithmic aspects of human existence—joy, spontaneity, and meaning. The conversation touches on the danger of ceding agency to machines and how tech leaders' grand plans often overlook the value of struggle. While the episode also name-checks recent tech news, its heart is a freewheeling debate about the pitfalls of outsourcing living to algorithms.

David Imel talks to Fairphone CEO Raymond van Eck about the Fairphone 6+ launch in the US—the company’s first phone sold directly in the country. They discuss how rising RAM prices are renewing interest in repairable phones, Fairphone’s commitment to ethically sourced materials, and what role AI might play in the company’s future. The episode also touches on other tech news, including Google’s capitulation to rename Lake Ontario and MapQuest’s viral response.

Nilay Patel, Jake Kastrenakes, and David Imel run through Apple's new M6-powered Macs, debate the impending folding iPhone, and react to Meta's teen safety settlement. Later, Ashley Esqueda joins the Hype Desk to discuss the emotional fallout of GTA VI leaks and whether the game can revitalize the industry. The crew also tackles Nvidia's staggering earnings, a Pokémon sleep tracker, and the future of E-Rate.

David Imel and Antonio G. Di Benedetto offer a survival guide for laptop shoppers facing the ongoing RAM shortage, dubbed "RAMageddon." They explain why 16GB of RAM is now the practical minimum and why an affordable model with adequate memory often outshines a premium machine with only 8GB. The episode uses specific examples, including a $520 HP OmniBook and a favorite laptop that jumped $800 in price due to the crisis.

The Vergecast breaks down Meta's settlement in its kids online safety trial. Senior policy reporter Lauren Feiner and senior tech and policy editor Adi Robertson explain how the case reached this point and why Meta chose to settle. The agreement includes a $17.1 billion payout, new teen usage restrictions such as two-hour limits, and age verification changes. The conversation connects the settlement to the broader debate over teen mental health and social media.

Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge’s smart home contributor, set out to answer whether smart home tech works in a college dorm room after dropping off her son at Clemson University. She reports back to host David Imel on the challenges posed by campus Wi-Fi authentication and housing policies that restrict wall-mounted devices. The episode explores what works, what doesn’t, and the trade-offs students face when trying to bring smart assistants, lights, and cameras into a dorm.

In an episode taped before David Pierce's leave, producer Travis Larchuk quizzes David, Nilay Patel, and Sean Hollister on their memories of old gadgets like the BlackBerry. The game reveals the personal connections and nostalgia people form with their devices and the launch dates that shaped their tech lives.

The Vergecast discusses Google's Pixel 11, which introduces Camera Looks that mimic retro camera aesthetics, alongside ongoing issues with its AI super zoom. The show also covers FCC Chair Brendan Carr's controversial broadband policies and media scrutiny, as well as the leaked AirPods camera, the Fairphone's US debut, and YouTube's new view counting strategy.

The Vergecast explores the new generative AI features in Amazon Alexa Plus and Google's Gemini for Home. Senior reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy joins host Nilay Patel to compare how these smart assistants handle tasks like tracking pets, giving advice, and managing to-do lists. Both systems are in a transitional phase, where natural language capabilities clash with the reliability expected from smart home devices. The discussion highlights the "identity crisis" of voice assistants and the pitfalls of AI-powered monitoring. The episode also touches on related topics like DJI's banned camera, Meta glasses' workplace issues, and GTA VI leaks.

Senior reviewer Victoria Song leads a Vergecast roundtable with editors Dominic Preston and Cameron Faulkner to discuss the new Google Pixel 11, 11 Pro, Fold, and Pixel Watch 5. They debate whether the HiLight feature falls flat and whether the missing temperature sensor is missed. They also examine the Watch 5's GPS performance compared to Garmin and Apple. The episode previews Friday's deeper camera discussion.

The Vergecast talks with Leo Mastrolia, a repair shop owner known as the Digital Doctor, about the current state of gadget repair and the challenges of a parts shortage they're calling RAMageddon. They discuss how rising prices, declining gadget quality, and supply chain issues are affecting consumers and the repair industry, and Mastrolia shares practical advice for keeping devices running and making smarter upgrade decisions.

Leo Mastrolia, better known online as The Digital Doctor, joins the Vergecast to discuss his journey from running a small gadget repair shop to becoming a social media personality. He explains how right-to-repair legislation and manufacturer practices shape the independent repair landscape. The conversation also covers how accelerating upgrade cycles influence consumers' decisions to fix or replace gadgets, and the reality of running a repair business in the modern era.

The Vergecast hosts react to Instagram's sudden logo redesign, unpacking the trend of 'blanding' and Meta's design philosophy. They then critique Mark Zuckerberg's lengthy AI manifesto, arguing it naively ignores collective action problems and cybersecurity risks. Later segments cover Claude's invisible text watermarks and their limitations, the backlash against AI-generated music, and a lightning round on Brendan Carr, YouTube monetization, and cheap phones disappearing.

The Vergecast revisits a previous Verge review that found robot lawnmowers not worth buying in most scenarios, in light of a new class of 2026 models described as “Roombas with razor blades.” Realtor and smart home reviewer Brandon Doyle joins the host to talk about their hands-on experiences with the newest robotic mowers. The discussion covers how these machines handle bumpy terrain and unpredictable obstacles like “crazy chickens.” The episode aims to answer whether the improved capabilities finally justify the cost for everyday yards.

David Pierce, Nilay Patel, and Victoria Song discuss Google's latest hardware launch, including the Pixel 11 phone lineup, Pixel Watch 5, and Pixel Tag. They cover Google's new ideas for smartphone cameras, GPS, and wellness features. The conversation focuses on whether the new hardware is worth upgrading for this year.

David Berry and Mark Marino discuss the restoration of ELIZA, the first chatbot ever created. Joseph Weizenbaum built ELIZA in the 1960s as a simple demonstration of natural language processing, but he was stunned when users formed emotional attachments to the program. The conversation covers how Weizenbaum later regretted his invention and what this story reveals about our current interactions with AI.

The Verge's David Pierce is joined by Jake Kastrenakes and Hayden Field to share the AI-assisted personal websites they've been building. Using tools like Gemini, Codex, and Claude Code, the team created 90s-themed personal sites, a vegetable-sharing system, and a photo board. The process was messy and not everything got finished, but persistent prompting made the projects work. It's a candid look at the current state of vibe coding.

The Vergecast hosts dissect the recent leadership overhaul inside Google’s AI division and what it signals about the health of the Gemini project. They unpack the increasingly sticky, mutually dependent relationship between Google and Reddit, then turn to Disney’s ambition to turn Disney Plus into a multi-purpose platform—a move they call misguided and a symptom of larger streaming woes. The lightning round touches on FCC commissioner Brendan Carr, Snapchat’s push to de‑emphasize AI in feeds, and BMW’s in‑car Spider‑Man ad.

The Vergecast explores the sudden resurgence of IMAX technology in cinema. Charles Pulliam-Moore and Jennifer Pattison Tuohy explain that Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film cameras, a milestone that made tickets extremely hard to get. The conversation covers the technical differences between true IMAX film, the lower‑quality branded “LieMAX” digital screens, and a new format called Infinity Vision, all while noting that the upcoming Spider‑Man release will only tighten the supply of IMAX showtimes.

David Pierce and producer Travis Larchuk take listener questions on a wide range of tech topics: the latest in E Ink gadgets, federated messaging, minimalist phones, AI wearables, and a reevaluation of wide foldable phones like the new Galaxy Z Fold 8.

The Verge's Robert Hart breaks down the debate around open-weight AI models. He explains how they work, why some see them as a path to faster innovation while others view them as an economic threat or security vulnerability. The conversation also tackles the idea that the best defense against malicious use of open-weight models might be widespread access for good actors — a tech version of the 'good guy with a gun' argument.

For the last few years, the trend in wearables has been all about screens. As many of them as possible. But now, companies like Whoop, Fitbit, and Garmin are creating new products that ditch the display entirely. The Verge's Victoria Song explains why no-screen is the new flex, why even the most quantified athletes might not want a display on their wrist, and whether Whoop and the Whoop Dupes are a sign of a broader trend.

Nilay Patel and David Pierce dig into Samsung's vision for foldables and Mark Zuckerberg's push into personal AI agents. The main conversation turns to the fallout from the OpenAI Hugging Face hack, whether AI safety talk will lead to real action, and the conflicting signals from industry alliances and government calls. The show also covers Brendan Carr's controversial early renewal of ABC licenses, the relentless rise of vertical video, and the smashing success of the Ferrari Luce.

The Vergecast discusses a new Oversight Board study revealing that AI systems from OpenAI and Anthropic are less likely to criticize authoritarian governments than democratic ones. Guest Suzanne Nossel explains why the Oversight Board is examining non-Meta AI products, signaling a potential expansion of its oversight mission. The episode touches on the implications for AI governance, free expression, and the future of platform accountability.

The Verge’s Dominic Preston joins to discuss his review of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, a shorter, wider foldable that may be the right form factor for most people—once the price drops. The show also covers a wave of tech news: OpenAI’s rogue AI agent hacking Hugging Face, a US ban on foreign robots, DoorDash’s drone delivery division, Willie Nelson’s opposition to data centers, and the growing foldable competition from Huawei and Apple.

The Vergecast sits down with Kaiwei Tang, CEO of Light, to discuss the company's new Light Flip phone. After more than a decade making minimalist phones that still felt smartphone-adjacent, Light pivoted to a classic flip form factor. Tang explains the reasoning behind the design shift, how public opinion about smartphones is changing, and whether you can actually cure your tech problems by buying more tech. The conversation digs into the tension between offering a tool for digital wellness and the irony of selling a gadget to solve gadget addiction.

The Vergecast explores rumors of AI-first phones being developed by OpenAI, SpaceX, and Amazon. David Imel examines what these devices might actually be, how they differ from traditional smartphones, and whether any company can challenge Apple and Google's dominance in mobile devices.

David Pierce and Nilay Patel examine how Google's AI search results ('Google Zero') are decimating web traffic, with Reddit reportedly threatening to cut ties and publishers beginning to push back. They discuss the EU's $1 billion antitrust fine against Google and the explosive growth of Gemini. A big week in AI detection reveals that tools are still wildly unreliable. The show ends with segments on the Light Flip minimalist phone and a pointed jab at FCC commissioner Brendan Carr.

The Vergecast discusses the decline of long-form reading with The Atlantic's Rose Horowitch, author of 'The End of Reading Is Here.' Horowitch explains how the constant influx of social media feeds, streaming, AI, and messaging has reduced people's attention spans, making it harder to sit with books and long articles. The conversation explores the paradox of consuming more text than ever while retaining less. The episode questions whether technology is fundamentally changing how we process information.

David and Nilay discuss Samsung's newly announced Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold 8 Ultra, Z Flip 8, Galaxy Watch 9 and Ultra 2, and smart glasses developed with Google. The conversation centers on Samsung's case for foldable phones and the challenge of convincing consumers to spend $2,000 on a folding device.

Electric vehicles are usually designed to look and behave like traditional cars, but a few companies are taking inspiration from an unlikely source: the golf cart. The Verge’s Andy Hawkins explains how Amble, Chip, and others are reimagining these low-speed, open-platform runabouts as street-legal electric vehicles. The catch? They only work if the speed limit stays low, creating a new niche between micromobility and full-sized cars.

Hayden Field and Lauren Feiner explain how Chinese AI companies have rapidly caught up to American competitors, shipping cheaper models that may rival US performance. They examine the threat this progress poses to US commercial and governmental dominance in artificial intelligence. The conversation covers what might come next as the two nations vie to become the world’s first AI superpower.

David and Nilay discuss Apple's aggressive legal strategy against OpenAI, including a lawsuit over alleged hardware trade secret theft. They cover early experiences with Siri AI, OpenAI's incoming smart speaker, regulatory pressure from Brendan Carr, and the year's tech launches including new Pixel colors and Samsung's Z Fold 8.

The Vergecast examines the rise of Pangram, an AI text detection system that's gaining trust as a reliable tool for identifying AI-written content. Max Spero, CEO of Pangram, discusses how the system works, its reliability, and the broader question of where the line between useful AI and AI slop actually lies. The episode also touches on regulatory shifts affecting tech platforms and the literary world's unpreparedness for AI-generated writing.

The Vergecast dives into the heated debate around Valve's new Steam Machine living room console. Sean Hollister joins to break down the polarized reaction to The Verge's review—some call it the console they've been waiting for, others call it overpriced and pointless. The conversation wrestles with whether Valve's history of hardware experiments makes the Steam Machine more or less trustworthy, how to evaluate its price, and who the device is really designed for. The crew also briefly touches on a few other tech stories of the week.

AI-generated music is suddenly everywhere on social media and streaming platforms, and Suno is at the center of it. The Verge's Terrence O'Brien joins host David Pierce to trace Suno's rapid rise, examine its v5.5 customization features, and debate whether AI can truly change how we create and consume music. They also discuss the technology's soullessness, explore the copyright nightmare it represents, and wonder whether AI songs might ever become genuine hits.

The Verge's Allison Johnson and Victoria Song join David to evaluate the current landscape of AI-first gadgets—from pendants to smartwatches to rectangles—and assess whether any form factor has emerged as a genuine breakthrough or next big thing. The episode explores why, despite massive industry investment, no truly great AI gadget has materialized yet.

The Vergecast explores Netflix's expansion beyond its core streaming business into short-form video, podcasts, games, and third-party publisher content, raising questions about what Netflix actually is anymore. The hosts also discuss Meta's ongoing struggles with smart glasses development, privacy concerns around always-on cameras, the RAM shortage's impact on PC shipments, and various tech industry mishaps including a surprisingly good accidental 'dumb TV' from Vizio.

Science journalist Sophia Chen joins the show to cut through the quantum computing hype. Bold timelines from the White House and Microsoft are colliding with a new paper accusing the latter of exaggeration, while the industry still lacks a practical killer app. The conversation walks through the real state of the technology, the overblown promises, and the parallel race to develop quantum-safe cryptography before the threat materializes.

The Vergecast explores why switching phones remains difficult in 2026 despite technical progress. Allison Johnson discusses smartphone dependency, the friction of switching ecosystems, smartwatch viability as phone replacements, and how much smartphone use is reasonable. The episode draws on personal experiences of testing different devices and ecosystem switching.

Washington University professor and Atlantic writer Ian Bogost argues that the 'dematerialization' of modern life—where every place looks the same and every experience is mediated through screens—is making us worse off. He explains why tangible objects like paper tickets and the rubber grip on a water bottle matter, and offers practical ways to reconnect with the physical world. Bogost also discusses the role of ASMR videos in reawakening sensory awareness.

The Vergecast team finally gets hands-on with the Trump Phone after over a year of speculation about whether it would actually ship or be manufactured in America. David, Dom Preston, and other Verge staff discuss first impressions of the device and what it represents in the 2026 smartphone landscape.

The Vergecast team shares practical strategies for disconnecting during the holiday weekend. Rather than advocating for complete screen abandonment, the hosts discuss intentional approaches to digital wellness, including Wi-Fi management, phone hygiene practices, and smartwatch usage tips. The episode balances realistic advice with acknowledgment that technology is part of modern life.

Nilay Patel and David Pierce discuss the end of physical video game discs, with Sony killing disc production and Xbox testing a disc-to-digital conversion feature. They examine what Microsoft's layoffs, price hikes, and weak console sales mean for the future of Xbox hardware. The hosts also explore new AI coding hardware like OpenAI's Codex device, leaked iPhone 18 drop test photos, and headlines from the Hype Desk including a SpaceX phone prototype and BMW's wild headlights.

Andrew Hawkins joins the show to break down Rivian’s R2, the more affordable EV that the company hopes will finally break it into the mainstream. He takes us inside the factory where it’s being built and explains why the R2—and the surprise R3 and R3X—could be Rivian’s make-or-break moment against Tesla.

Tim Heidecker, creative director of The Onion's acquisition of InfoWars, discusses the upcoming July 2 launch of a comedy-focused reboot of the conspiracy platform. The conversation covers what attracted Heidecker to the project, the challenges of sustaining a long-form parody, and the absurdity of doing multiple press interviews for the same announcement.

The Vergecast launches a new series in which Verge staffers take on challenges and regroup to see who succeeded best. In this debut, Jake Kastrenakes and Hayden Field share AI-driven 'vibe coding' projects that have genuinely stuck in their daily lives. Host David Pierce then gives the next challenge: build a website to solve a personal problem, the more ambitious the better. Results will come in a future episode, and the team asks listeners for series name ideas and suggestions for future challenges.

The Vergecast hosts Nilay Patel and David Pierce break down a chaotic week in tech. They discuss Meta's plan to clone Polymarket as a prediction-market app, the company's messy AI reorganization and internal surveillance, Valve's $1,049 Steam Machine and the brutal RAM supply dynamics that are driving up device costs, and Apple’s own aggressive price increases. The show also touches on the brewing AI data-scraping war between publishers and Google, and a bizarre mid-year hardware roundup that includes everything from the Slate electric truck to Kaleidescape's wallet-destroying home theater player.

The Vergecast discusses training data—the raw material of AI. Alex Reisner, a staff writer at The Atlantic, explains how AI companies gather massive datasets from books, blogs, YouTube, and Reddit, why they prefer to keep that data secret, and whether the practice can ever be fair. Reisner also highlights specific findings, including that over 15 million YouTube videos have been scraped and millions of songs incorporated into AI-generated music.

The Vergecast tests Google's first new smart speaker in six years, the Home Speaker. Guest Jennifer Pattison Tuohy explains why this launch matters, whether Google is serious about the smart home, and what the early review impressions reveal. The show also takes listener questions about the growing influence of IKEA in smart home products and the future of thermostats.

The tech industry is making a massive bet on smart glasses as the next major platform, but the category has a troubled past. The Verge’s Victoria Song joins the show to unpack why companies still see promise despite huge technical, social, and design hurdles. The conversation centers on what it will take for a face-worn computer to go from niche to mainstream — and whether any features can make all the hassle worthwhile.

Sean Hollister reviews Valve's new Steam Machine, a $1,049+ device positioned between PC and console gaming. After more than a decade of attempts to enter the living room, Valve has created what Hollister calls the most ambitious game console he's ever tested. The episode explores whether the Steam Machine can compete with PlayStation and Xbox, and why Valve continues pursuing this challenging market despite persistent obstacles.

David Pierce explores the rise and fall of the Harmony universal remote with guests Nilay Patel, John Higgins, and Nest co-founder Matt Rogers. The story traces the remote's origins as the 'Easy Zapper,' its acquisition by Logitech, and how the shift to smart TVs—and their vastly inferior remotes—ultimately made the Harmony obsolete. It’s a look at a device that promised to simplify the living room but couldn’t survive the integration of streaming into televisions.

Nilay Patel and David Pierce dig into Snap’s long-awaited AR glasses, which pack impressive tech but raise the question: does technical capability matter if nobody wants to wear them? The show also covers Fox’s planned acquisition of Roku and the potential antitrust and integration troubles ahead. Updates to the Matter smart home standard get attention with Thread Direct aiming to solve setup headaches, and Facebook’s new AI Mode search pulls answers from public posts, raising questions about data sourcing and accuracy.

The Vergecast team, joined by John Higgins, tests microphone quality across multiple headphone models to find which delivers the clearest call audio. The episode challenges the assumption that premium brands like Apple deliver the best mic performance, uncovering surprising results in real-world call scenarios.

Hayden Field reports on the escalating conflict between Anthropic and the US government over Claude Fable 5, a model caught in regulatory limbo as officials debate whether it poses unacceptable risks. The episode explores what American AI exceptionalism means when the government can effectively block a private company's product, then pivots to answering listener questions about future AI integration—specifically how WhatsApp and Siri might eventually work together, and whether Apple's branding choice of "Siri AI" missed the mark.

John Gruber, creator of Markdown, joins Anil Dash to discuss how a simple syntax system for writing became ubiquitous across tech culture. From AI conversations to note-taking apps like Obsidian, Markdown's design philosophy—making text readable to both humans and machines—shaped how millions write today. The episode traces Markdown's origins and its unexpected dominance in modern digital workflows.

After Apple's WWDC announcement, Siri has become surprisingly functional—a watershed moment for voice assistants and AI integration. Nilay and David discuss how Apple achieved this, what it signals about AI commoditization, and the implications for the industry. The episode also covers major shifts in social networking (Bluesky communities, Instagram algorithm transparency, YouTube DMs) and regulatory pressure from Brendan Carr on tech platforms.

The Vergecast explores the recent surge of box office hits directed by YouTube creators, including Backrooms, Obsession, and The Amazing Digital Circus. Media correspondent Julia Alexander provides historical context on YouTube's long and bumpy relationship with Hollywood, and the hosts discuss whether the future of movies is simply big-budget YouTube videos. The conversation touches on how the line between traditional and digital-first content is blurring.

The Vergecast team takes listener questions following Apple's WWDC 2026. They discuss the new Siri AI features, non‑AI updates from the conference, and lingering questions about the HomePod product line.

Geoffrey Cain, author of Steve Jobs in Exile, discusses how Jobs' 12-year exile from Apple—first at NeXT, then Pixar—transformed him from a failed executive into the visionary leader who would reshape Apple upon his return. The conversation explores how failure, constraint, and distance from power taught Jobs the discipline and humility necessary to lead at scale, and examines the mechanics of his famous reality distortion field.

Apple's 2026 WWDC keynote pivoted toward AI and device-life balance rather than OS features. The Vergecast team unpacks Apple Intelligence, the redesigned Siri with new voices and app intents, the ethics of useful-versus-creepy AI, Apple's private cloud approach, Screen Time redesigns, and the strange design decisions (corner radii, gesture overload) that made the keynote feel chaotic.

Nilay Patel and David Pierce dive into the wave of AI announcements from developer conferences, testing Google's Gemini Spark agent and discussing Microsoft Scout and Project Solara. They then analyze Nvidia RTX Spark laptops and Jensen Huang's vision for AI-integrated PCs, debating whether this is Windows' M1 moment. The lightning round covers Meta's AI security blunder, the demand for AI content filtering, and the uncertain future of Apple's Vision Pro.

At Microsoft Build 2026, the company unveiled new AI initiatives including Scout, a competitive AI assistant, and Solara, an operating system concept, signaling aggressive effort to compete with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google in the AI space. Tom Warren discusses whether Microsoft can establish itself as a major player rather than riding on Copilot's existing presence, and touches on Xbox's direction in the new era.

Victoria Song reports from the Enhanced Games in Las Vegas, where athletes competed under permissive doping rules designed to test the limits of human performance. The event sits at the intersection of legitimate sport science, pseudo-scientific wellness marketing, and explicit drug use—with unclear regulatory oversight, murky athlete compensation, and a business model that looks suspiciously like a grift wrapped in harm-reduction language.

Nvidia launches RTX Spark, a new chip designed to power AI-integrated personal computers, challenging Apple, Intel, and AMD's dominance in the PC market. Sean Hollister from The Verge breaks down what's inside the Spark, why Nvidia is making this move, and whether the company can reinvent the personal computer without premium pricing. The episode covers Computex announcements and Microsoft's Build developer conference, mapping the collision of AI ambitions across the tech industry.

The Vergecast marks its transition to a daily show with Casey Neistat, who discusses his 800-day vlogging streak. He shares practical and psychological insights on maintaining daily content creation, the current state of YouTube, and strategies for sustaining creative output without burnout.

Nilay Patel and David Pierce unpack the reveal of Ferrari's first electric car, the Luce, designed with Jony Ive. The car's exterior draws widespread criticism for not looking like a Ferrari, while its interior is praised as a luxurious, Apple Car-inspired space. The hosts also discuss the ethical dilemmas of the Ferrari media junket, where one journalist admitted they couldn't speak honestly for fear of losing access. The conversation then turns to the growing user backlash against Google's AI-driven Search changes and YouTube's new AI content labels. In the lightning round, they cover Sony's first RGB TV, Facebook's new 'Plus' subscription, and the end of the affordable handheld gaming era.

The Verge explores how short-form clips have become the dominant way people consume long-form content—movies, podcasts, articles—without ever accessing the originals. Mia Sato investigates the "clip economy" machinery: clipping platforms, professional clippers, algorithmic distribution, and what it means for media consumption. Victoria Song then discusses Google's new Fitbit Air, a $99 AI-powered fitness tracker that attempts to make health wearables useful again, plus a Vergecast Hotline segment on smart glasses.

Nilay Patel and David Pierce discuss the sweeping changes revealed at Google I/O 2026, where AI agents are poised to replace the traditional search box with a system that can find, create, and even buy things for you. They break down Demis Hassabis's 'foothills of the singularity' comment, Google's plan to embed ads into AI-generated answers, and the introduction of a universal AI shopping cart. The episode also covers Vergecast's transition to a daily podcast format and Vox Media's corporate sale.

The Verge's senior AI reporter Hayden Field and executive editor Jake Kastrenakes react live to Google's I/O 2026 keynote, a two-hour presentation dominated by AI and Gemini announcements. The episode covers Google's biggest announcements including major changes to Google Search, updates to Gemini, and a look inside Google's Beam Lab. Despite the heavy AI focus, the hosts assess which announcements are genuinely useful versus hype.

The Vergecast breaks down the ongoing Musk v. OpenAI trial, exploring leaked details about Sam Altman's 2023 firing and the internal dynamics at OpenAI. The hosts discuss OpenAI's apparent plans to build a phone, Google's Fitbit Air health initiative, and a bizarre new robot from the creator of Roomba. The episode concludes with rapid-fire takes on AI rebrands, regulatory overreach, and the state of consumer tech.

Verge contributor Tim Stevens explores how car companies are using AI tools to radically speed up vehicle development, potentially changing the cars we drive and affecting the jobs pipeline. Then, Hayden Field breaks down the latest in AI industry news: the Pentagon's classified AI deals, Anthropic's exclusion, the death of Microsoft and OpenAI’s AGI agreement, and why ChatGPT downloads are slowing. The episode also answers a listener question about whether tech layoffs are really about AI.

Nilay and David break down Elon Musk's self-damaging testimony in the OpenAI trial, where his contradictions and pettiness seemed to hurt his own case. The Hype Desk crew shares new things to watch, and the hosts review the latest gadgets: Valve's resurrected Steam Controller and Asus's dual-screen Zephyrus Duo laptop. The lightning round covers Trump and the FCC targeting Disney over Jimmy Kimmel, Netflix chasing the clip economy, and Taylor Swift's battle against AI-generated fakes.

The Verge breaks down Elon Musk's lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman, explaining how the case reached trial despite Musk's likely loss and what he might actually gain from the fight. The episode also covers Framework's latest laptops, including the Laptop 13 Pro aimed at Linux users, and a new couch keyboard. Listeners call in with questions about small portable PCs.

Following Tim Cook's announcement that he's stepping down as Apple CEO in favor of operations chief John Ternus, Nilay and David discuss Cook's 14-year tenure and what might change under new leadership. With help from Daring Fireball's John Gruber, they examine whether the Touch Bar could have succeeded, Cook's legacy in wearable health tech, and what Ternus's background in product and operations suggests for Apple's future direction. The episode also covers Microsoft's renewed Xbox ambitions and controversial new FCC inquiries into children's programming.

David Pierce and Nilay Patel are joined by The Verge's publisher Helen Havlak to discuss how The Vergecast is made, how the publication monetizes, the evolution from audio to video podcasting, and the changes in gadget journalism over the years. The conversation touches on The Verge's new website, audience demographics, subscription models, and the creative process behind the show.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is stepping down after 15 years, and hardware engineering chief John Ternus will take over. In an emergency livestream, hosts Nilay Patel and David Pierce break down their immediate reactions and discuss what the leadership change might mean for Apple's future.

David Pierce and Nilay Patel open by dissecting the AI hype cycle, starting with Allbirds' outlandish pivot to AI that sent its stock soaring 600 percent. They explore the growing divide between AI companies' inevitability narrative and souring public sentiment, especially among Gen Z, as a Stanford study finds attitudes turning negative. The Hype Desk crew checks in on Coachella and the RAM shortage that's driving up device costs, before David and Nilay return to the Ticketmaster antitrust verdict and the rising price of everything. A lightning round covers Brendan Carr's FCC maneuvers, satellite internet competition, brain-computer interfaces, and the new Trump Phone design.

Actor Ben McKenzie discusses his documentary Everyone Is Lying to You For Money, exploring why crypto never made sense to him despite years of investigation. The Verge's Victoria Song reports on continuous glucose monitors' migration from medical device to lifestyle influencer trend, revealing how the devices can create anxiety and misuse. The episode examines two parallel stories of technology sold with broken incentives: one a speculative bubble, the other a wellness industry.

Responding to a New Yorker profile of Sam Altman, Patel and Pierce debate whether OpenAI's CEO should be trusted with the most powerful technology in history.

Sony's partnership with TCL and what it means for the TV industry as hardware margins collapse and software becomes the primary revenue model.

Nilay and David rank Apple's 50 best products against voter feedback, debating which innovations truly changed the tech landscape.

Samsung launches the Galaxy S26 with a Privacy Display that limits screen visibility and agentic AI features that can take actions on the user's behalf.

Year-end review of the biggest tech stories of 2025: AI's rapid integration into everything, the platform regulation battles, and the hardware innovations that mattered.

The AI gold rush has made homelab hardware scarce and expensive, but software for self-hosting has never been better. Pierce examines the trade-offs for enthusiasts.

AI email assistants that draft, summarize, and prioritize emails are changing the communication environment. Are we approaching a world where AI reads and writes our email for us?

Meta's Ray-Ban smart glasses are the first AI wearable that people actually use daily. Pierce and Patel examine why they succeed where others failed.

Head-to-head comparison of consumer AI assistants across real-world tasks. Each assistant has strengths shaped by its parent company's priorities and data access.

Apple's AI-powered Siri is still delayed. Patel and Pierce examine why Apple is behind in AI and whether its privacy-first approach is a competitive advantage or handicap.

Apple's WWDC 2025 reveals its AI strategy: on-device intelligence, privacy-preserving cloud compute, and a rearchitected Siri that finally understands context.

Google I/O 2025 puts Gemini into every Google product. Patel and Pierce assess whether Google's AI integration strategy will succeed or create a confusing mess.

YouTube is now the most-watched streaming service on TVs. The hosts examine what this means for Netflix, Disney+, and the future of entertainment.

First hands-on with the Nintendo Switch 2. The hosts examine Nintendo's design philosophy and how it differs from Sony and Microsoft's approach to console gaming.

The new FCC chairman outlines his regulatory vision for AI, social media, and telecommunications, with implications for how tech companies operate.

Mobile World Congress 2025 coverage. Xiaomi, Samsung, and Realme are pushing phone design in new directions with rollable screens, modular components, and AI-first interfaces.

One year after Apple Vision Pro's launch. Has spatial computing found its audience, or is the headset a $3,500 solution looking for a problem?

The Supreme Court upholds the TikTok ban. Pierce and Patel debate the implications for free speech, national security, and the precedent for platform regulation.

CES 2025 recap: AI is in everything — cars, fridges, TVs, glasses. Pierce and Patel sort the genuinely useful from the AI-washed marketing.

Nilay and David analyze the AI industrys shift from consumer chatbots to enterprise software. Why OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic are all pivoting to business customers, and what this means for the future of AI.

For Apples 50th anniversary, Nilay and David assess the state of Apple hardware: the M-series chip revolution, Vision Pro disappointment, iPhone plateau, and whether Apple can still make products that change the world.