TechMagic with Cathy Hackl

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler dive into the latest developments in AI, gaming IP, and practical technology trends shaping the industry today. They explore why the current AI skepticism signals maturity, how AI solutions are moving beyond flashy features, and the rise of gaming as a prime entertainment and commercial frontier. In the second segment, Cathy interview...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler , unpack the realities behind today’s AI headlines. They explore OpenAI’s shift toward advertising, the growing human bottleneck in data center expansion, and why the AI conversation is moving beyond productivity toward physical and human-centred systems. The discussion dives into the surprising earning power of skilled trades, how XR...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler return from a holiday break to unpack the most important ideas and innovations from CES 2026. Cathy breaks down how the AI conversation has evolved beyond large language models into embodied AI, agentic systems, world models, and on-device intelligence. The discussion spans standout demos, from attention-aware robots and immersive VR...

In this Greatest Hits episode of Tech Magic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler dive into the latest tech developments, from Meta's bold moves in AR to Apple's Vision Pro journey one year later. They highlight Meta's success with Ray-Ban AI glasses, Apple’s challenges in AR innovation, and how creators are evolving into media moguls. Cathy also interviews special guest Jeff Barrett, who shares insi...

In this Greatest Hits episode of TechMagic , host Cathy Hackl is joined by Samantha G Wolfe , founder of PitchFWD and NYU adjunct professor, to explore how AI and emerging tech are redefining relationships. From AI-generated love letters to dating in virtual environments, they examine the evolving boundaries between authentic connection and digital convenience. The duo discusses the ethics of emot...

In this Greatest Hits episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Adam Davis McGee dive into the cutting edge of spatial computing, AI, and extended reality. Join Cathy and Adam as they unpack Meta’s XR partnership with Palmer Luckey, Snap’s smart glasses ambitions, and Apple’s sleek AR design strategy. Cathy dives into the strange world of vibe coding and discovers anyone can gamify the pitfalls...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Lee Kebler and Adam Davis McGee unpack the rapid shifts transforming AI, hardware, and creative industries. Cathy is away this week and will be back in the new year. Lee and Adam explore how RAM manufacturers are pivoting away from consumer electronics toward AI, and how this will spike gaming and device prices in 2026, why Meta’s mixed-reality delays open the...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler explore how the future of AI is being shaped through hardware innovation happening around the world. They break down breakthroughs in autonomous vehicles, humanoid robots, and spatial computing, highlighting why hardware ownership now determines who controls data, training models, and long-term AI power. Cathy shares insights from her...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler break down the biggest shifts shaping tech, entertainment, and personal branding. They explore emerging trends, from real-world experiences like Beastland, to the growing influence of spatial computing, and why authentic human content is becoming a premium as AI saturation rises. In the second half, Cathy sits down with David Cash , F...

AI is booming, VR is evolving, and AR is exploding into the real world—but most of it still feels underwhelming. On this week’s episode of TechMagic , host Lee Kebler welcomes Andrew Schwartz while host Cathy Hackl is away. Andrew is the Director of Metaverse Engineering at Nike, and together, they unpack the realities behind today’s AI hype cycle, revealing why generative AI can feel both astonis...

As AI systems start rewriting their own code and sanitising negative news about themselves, the line between control and autonomy is blurring. In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler explore the unsettling rise of AI self-management, Google’s growing edge over OpenAI through real-world data, and the “AI slop spiral” threatening to degrade the entire internet. They also exam...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler explore OpenAI’s Sora and how AI-driven video generation reshapes creativity, privacy, and consent. From OpenAI’s massive $38B AWS deal to the ethical storm over data scraping and copyright, they unpack the week’s biggest tech power plays. The duo explores Geoffrey Hinton’s surprising optimism on AI’s future, Meta’s data mishap, and h...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler explore the fascinating, funny, and sometimes unsettling intersection between humans and machines. From Cathy’s “shopping date” with humanoid robot Maximus to Amazon’s ambitious plans to automate its warehouses, the hosts unpack how AI and robotics are reshaping work and daily life. They also discuss Samsung’s entry into the XR race w...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl (yep, she’s back) and Lee Kebler open Pandora’s box - the tech edition. This episode’s all about navigating tech disruptions and learning to roll with the punches. From the AWS outage and OpenAI's controversial content policies, to Sora's impact on content creation, Pinterest's AI content controls, and Apple's quiet Vision Pro updates, they deep div...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Lee Kebler and Adam Davis McGee explore the evolving intersection of AI, creativity, and ethics. Cathy is away this week and will rejoin the show next week. Meanwhile, Lee and Adam delve into OpenAI’s Sora 2 and its implications for digital rights, content authenticity, and ethical innovation. The hosts examine Nintendo’s research on gaming’s cognitive benefits...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler unpack the week’s biggest tech stories, from OpenAI’s latest announcements and Sora’s deepfake potential to Meta’s sold-out Ray-Ban smart glasses. They explore how AI integrations with platforms like Coursera, Canva, and Zillow could reshape how we access and trust information. The hosts also dive into the implications of skyrocketing...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler delve into the latest developments in tech, from Meta’s hardware updates to AI advancements and parental controls. Cathy interviews Tom Acland , CEO at Dassault Systèmes 3DEXCITE . Learn how the Apple Vision Pro is transforming enterprise collaboration and why we're finally reaching the tipping point for widespread adoption of spatial...

In this episode of TechMagic , host Lee Kebler is joined by Nic Hill , co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Sawhorse Productions , to explore the latest tech developments shaping our digital world. Together, they break down Meta Connect’s memorable moments and mobile-first pivot with Horizon Worlds, Intel’s surprising $5B partnership with NVIDIA, and Lee’s first-hand experience with Waymo’s...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler explore the future of hardware innovation, from Meta’s anticipated Connect event to Nintendo’s bold gaming moves. They unpack Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses collaborations, Amazon’s push into wearable tech, and Nintendo’s surprising Virtual Boy revival. Alongside hardware news, Cathy and Lee examine the deeper cultural and societal s...

In this episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler explore the future of space and digital entertainment, and discuss AI-driven space operations, Roblox’s expansion with 100,000-player servers, and Paramount’s Call of Duty film adaptation. From esports acquisitions shaping global markets to safety and privacy in AI wearables, the conversation touches on several key tech trends that ar...

In this exciting return of TechMagic in season 3, hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler sit down with Kevin Rose , founder of Digg and partner at True Ventures , to explore the future of digital communities and human-first technology. Together, they discuss the ambitious Digg relaunch in partnership with Reddit’s co-founder, Alexis Ohanian, the challenges of building trust and safety on online platform...

Cathy and Lee are taking a break this month, and August is Greatest Hits time on TechMagic as we pull out some special episodes from our vault. In this Greatest Hits episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler unpack the cutting-edge innovations transforming finance and commerce in 2025. Along with special guest Nabil Manji , SVP of Fintech Growth at Worldpay , the trio discusses the r...

Cathy and Lee are taking a break this month, and August is Greatest Hits time on TechMagic as we pull out some special episodes from our vault. In this Greatest Hits episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler unpack viral AI trends, privacy concerns surrounding ChatGPT's photo location capabilities, and the future of spatial computing with special guest Tom Emrich, author of "The Next...

Cathy and Lee are on leave this month, and August is Greatest Hits time on TechMagic as we pull out some special episodes from our vault. In this Greatest Hits episode of TechMagic , hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler explore cutting-edge innovations, from AI agents to Meta’s fashion-forward Ray-Ban smart glasses. Special guest Melissa Medina , CEO of eMerge Americas , discusses South Florida’s rise...

While TechMagic hosts Cathy Hackl and Lee Kebler are on vacation, they spotlight a must-hear episode of Adspeak by Adweek. In this episode, Ryan Joe speaks with Adweek’s Rebecca Stewart and Audrey Kemp to unpack the fallout from Cannes Lions 2023, where AI-manipulated case studies led to major award revocations, most notably involving agency DM9. The trio explores how AI is reshaping creative subm...