Rethinking Tech

RT Updates You thought smart glasses were just… smart. What if they’re actually watching —and sharing more than you realize? In this episode, we unpack the uncomfortable reality behind Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses and the hidden data ecosystem powering them. From private moments being captured to third-party workers reviewing sensitive footage, this isn’t just about innovation—it’s about who reall...

RT Updates What happens when war is no longer decided by humans… but by algorithms? In this episode, we unpack a chilling reality: AI is no longer just assisting warfare — it’s beginning to shape it . From drone strikes to battlefield simulations powered by advanced models, the line between human judgment and machine decision-making is disappearing. And the real question is… who’s still in control...

RT Updates The global AI race just collided with geopolitics. Iran has reportedly struck multiple AWS data centers in the UAE , raising a disturbing question: has AI infrastructure become a legitimate military target? Less than a year ago, the Gulf was being positioned as the next global AI hub, backed by trillions in investment promises and massive partnerships between U.S. tech companies and Mid...

RT Deep Dives You think censorship is a banned book or a blocked website. But what if it’s something far more subtle… and far more powerful? In this episode, we break down how algorithms—not governments—are shaping what you see, what you think, and what you never even realize you’re missing. From shadow banning and filter bubbles to geopolitical influence and profit-driven feeds, we explore the ne...

RT Updates Anthropic built its entire reputation on one promise: Never train AI it couldn’t control. But quietly, the company just removed one of its core safety pledges — the same pledge that made it different from every other AI company. At the exact same time, Anthropic is publicly clashing with the U.S. government over military access to AI systems and user data. So what’s really happening? Is...

RT Updates A major legal battle is unfolding between Anthropic and the U.S. Department of Defense , and the outcome could reshape how artificial intelligence is used by governments. After refusing to allow its AI technology to be used for mass civilian surveillance or autonomous weapons , Anthropic was labeled a “supply chain risk” by the Pentagon — a designation normally reserved for foreign adve...

RT Updates What happens when politics meets artificial intelligence? In Colombia, a digital AI avatar named Gaetana was created to represent two human candidates running for Congress and Senate on indigenous issues. Instead of making decisions themselves, the candidates say they would delegate legislative voting to an AI platform that gathers consensus from indigenous communities using blockchain...

RT Updates AI just crossed into one of the most uncomfortable debates in technology. The CEO of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, has admitted that he cannot fully rule out the possibility that Claude might be conscious . Engineers observed internal activity patterns that looked similar to anxiety-like responses when the model faced difficult tasks or evaluations . But does this actually mean AI is sentien...

RT Updates AI companies say they’re building the future. But what if they’re also becoming the next energy giants? Executives from Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Oracle, OpenAI and xAI are meeting with Donald Trump at the White House to sign a new pledge. The promise? AI companies will generate their own electricity so Americans don’t pay higher energy bills. But behind the headlines lies a much...

RT Updates Corporate power can get strange… but this story crosses into something far darker. In one of the most bizarre tech scandals in recent years, former eBay executives allegedly orchestrated a harassment campaign against a small newsletter that criticized the company. The tactics? Live spiders, a bloody pig mask, threatening packages, surveillance, and intimidation. What started as criticis...

RT Deep Dives AI targeted a head of state. A Pentagon contract triggered a tech industry split. And someone reportedly made half a million dollars betting on an assassination. This week on Rethinking Tech , we break down how artificial intelligence, big tech, and geopolitics are reshaping modern warfare. From autonomous targeting pipelines and hacked surveillance networks to prediction markets bet...

RT Updates What happens to your social media account after you die? Meta may already have an answer — and it’s raising some serious ethical questions. In this episode, we explore Meta’s patent for a system that could simulate a deceased person’s social media activity using AI , allowing friends and family to keep chatting with their Facebook or Instagram accounts after death. While Meta claims it...

RT Updates Behind every powerful AI model is an invisible workforce — and the reality might be more controversial than you think. In this episode, we dive into the growing controversy around AI data labeling labor , after reports revealed that gig workers in countries like Kenya may have unknowingly helped train AI systems used by the U.S. military . An Australian tech company, Appen , reportedly...

RT Updates AI companies are accusing each other of stealing intelligence. Anthropic says rival labs created 16 million interactions with Claude using 24,000 fake accounts to extract its capabilities and train competing models. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: The same AI companies now crying “IP theft” also trained their own models by scraping the internet. So where exactly is the line between...

RT Deep Dives The world showed up in New Delhi. Tech CEOs. Heads of state. Billion-dollar promises. And a declaration signed by 88 countries pledging ethical, inclusive AI. But behind the applause and diplomacy… the real question lingered: Who actually controls the future of AI? This week on Rethinking Tech , we unpack the India AI Impact Summit — the politics, the power plays, the sovereignty deb...

Hollywood fears AI. Celebrities hate it. So OpenAI just hired Instagram’s “celebrity whisperer” — the man who helped launch Beyoncé’s album on Instagram and even brought Pope Francis onto the platform. This isn’t just a talent move. It’s a signal. OpenAI is expanding beyond engineers and model builders. Between agent-focused hires, open-source deals, and hardware rumors, something bigger is formin...

Microsoft just confirmed that Copilot accessed emails — including drafts — and used them in ways users didn’t expect. They’re calling it a bug. But was it really? In this episode, we break down what happened, what it means for AI training inside corporate environments, and why this isn’t just about one “glitch.” It’s about incentives, architecture, and the quiet normalization of AI reading everyth...

NVIDIA and Meta just announced a multi-year, multi-generational strategic partnership — and this isn’t your typical chip procurement deal. This is a full-stack, co-designed AI infrastructure alliance spanning on-prem, cloud, CPUs, Blackwell GPUs, and Rubin architecture — reportedly worth around $50 billion. Meta says it wants to deliver “personal superintelligence” to everyone. NVIDIA just made su...

What happens when Apple and SpaceX decide to beam internet straight to your phone — from space? In this episode of Rethinking Tech , we unpack the unlikely alignment between Tim Cook and Elon Musk, and why low Earth orbit satellite connectivity could fundamentally disrupt global telecommunications. Apple’s new C2 chip is enabling 5G connectivity via low Earth orbit satellites — the same architectu...

AI just challenged the U.S. military. And it’s not science fiction — it’s happening inside classified systems right now. Anthropic’s Claude is currently the only AI model deployed on U.S. military classified networks. Now, a standoff is unfolding between the Pentagon and Anthropic over one fundamental question: Who sets the ethical limits — the government or the AI company? In this episode of Reth...

Can Catholic Values Truly Guide Capital Markets? The Vatican is stepping into finance — and not quietly. In a surprising merger of faith and capital markets, the Vatican Bank has launched Catholic-aligned stock indices designed to help investors back companies that reflect Catholic social teachings. Human dignity. Environmental stewardship. Ethical labor. But how do you measure morality in a profi...

The Epstein files aren’t just exposing elites. They’re exposing an architecture. In this episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda unpack why the Epstein scandal isn’t only about criminal networks — it’s about a model of power built on compromising information. And in a digitized world, that model may now be scalable. From data brokers and ad tech to AI surveillance and geopolitical coercion...

How “The Company” Engineered Influence — And Why No Country Is Innocent Disinformation isn’t accidental anymore. It’s structured, funded, and operationalized. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack a 1,430-page leak detailing a Russia-linked influence network known as “The Company” — a coordinated operation of PR experts, political strategists, and social media operators run...

Meta, TikTok, Snap, Pinterest, Roblox — and several other major platforms — have agreed to be rated on teen safety. After years of scrutiny around mental health, harmful content, and data privacy, social media companies are now signing onto a framework that will score them on how well they protect minors. But is this a real shift toward accountability — or just clever optics? In 2026, tech compani...

Big Tech employees are pushing back — again. Over 1,000 Google employees have signed an open letter demanding the company sever ties with ICE and CBP, arguing that Google’s cloud and AI tools may be supporting immigration enforcement in ways that contradict its stated values. But here’s the harder question: Do employees actually get to shape corporate strategy — or is quitting the only real levera...