Rethinking Tech

Spotify is quietly reshaping how music is produced, surfaced, and monetized. At the center of the debate is a program known as Perfect Fit Content — a system accused of flooding playlists with music from artists who don’t exist, optimized for listener data rather than human creativity. This episode examines how platforms evolve once they control both the audience and the data. What this episode co...

Microsoft is building data centers at an unprecedented scale to support the AI push. But in many U.S. communities, that expansion is colliding with a hard reality: soaring energy demand, water use, rising utility bills, and growing local backlash. This episode looks at what happens when AI infrastructure meets finite resources — and who ultimately bears the cost. What this episode covers As politi...

Greenland has become a recurring point of interest in U.S. foreign policy — often framed as a national security concern, but surrounded by competing narratives and unclear motivations. Former U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly argued that the United States “needs” Greenland for security reasons, pointing to Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic. Denmark, which governs Greenland while it r...

The Tony Blair Institute was built as a nonprofit focused on governance, geopolitics, and policy advice. But leaked documents suggest the organization may now be pursuing a very different future — one that looks increasingly like a technology company operating in the defense and government software space. What this episode covers In this episode of Rethinking Tech , we examine claims that the Tony...

Public broadcasting in the United States has reached a breaking point. The organization responsible for routing federal funding to public media — including PBS and NPR — has voted to dissolve itself, citing defunding and an inability to operate in line with its ethical and editorial standards. What this episode covers In this episode of Rethinking Tech , we examine the decision by the Corporation...

DJI is the world’s largest drone manufacturer, with its technology used everywhere from real estate footage to military and autonomous systems. But behind its dominance sits a complex corporate structure that has drawn growing attention from U.S. regulators. What this episode covers In this episode of Rethinking Tech , we examine how DJI built a network of affiliated entities and shell companies,...

2026 is shaping up to be a decisive year — not because of a single breakthrough or crisis, but because multiple systems are converging under pressure . In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda lay out their predictions for 2026 across technology, geopolitics, and ethics — focusing on where power is shifting, where constraints are emerging, and what signals are already visible. R...

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency — ICE — operates with a budget that has steadily grown over the years. But where does that money actually go? What this episode covers In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda break down ICE’s spending with a focus on technology — from data systems and digital infrastructure to tools that shape how modern law enforcement operat...

Iran shut down internet access as protests intensified — a tactic governments have used before to limit coordination and information flow. But this time, satellite internet complicated the picture. In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda examine how Starlink factored into Iran’s internet restrictions, why the service was already illegal in the country, and what actually happens...

A platform called Anna’s Archive has quietly become one of the most controversial projects on the internet — because it now hosts massive amounts of music data that mirrors Spotify’s catalog . In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda break down what Anna’s Archive is, how it operates, and why the idea of a public, downloadable mirror of the world’s largest music library raises h...

Kontigo is building something that could redefine the relationship between money, banking, and access. In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda break down how Kontigo’s USDT-backed banking services aim to serve the unbanked in developing countries, why stablecoins matter for financial inclusion, and what this model signals about the future of global finance. They explore: What K...

What began as a fatal shooting in Minneapolis has exploded into a dangerous misinformation crisis online — with fake images, AI-generated content, and false claims swirling across social platforms, dragging innocent people into the narrative and escalating tensions nationwide. In this x10 of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda unpack how the killing of Renee Good by a federal agent has been disto...

A new controversy is exploding around Grok , the AI system built by Elon Musk’s X — and it raises terrifying questions about privacy, consent, and child safety . In this x10 of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda break down how image-generation tools are now being used to alter photos of real people , including minors , and why regulators, parents, and governments are scrambling to respond. They...

🧠 DESCRIPTION Global defense spending is surging — but this time it isn’t just about tanks and jets. It’s about technology, data, and geopolitical leverage . In this Weekly episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda unpack how arms deals, military budgets, and alliances are being reshaped by modern tech — and why countries are spending more than ever to protect their sovereignty in an increa...

TikTok’s U.S. divestiture is moving forward — but the outcome is far from guaranteed. In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda break down the latest phase of TikTok’s forced U.S. sale, why regulators are pushing for a deal, and what’s really at stake as Washington and Beijing wrestle over one of the world’s most powerful platforms. They explore: What the current U.S.-TikTok agre...

For decades, the U.S. dollar has been the backbone of the global financial system — powering trade, shaping geopolitics, and giving the United States enormous influence. But that dominance is now being quietly challenged. In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda break down what it means as countries, financial systems, and new technologies begin shifting away from the dollar, an...

Iran is using cryptocurrency to sell weapons — and it’s reshaping how sanctions, warfare, and global finance intersect. In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda break down how Iran is exchanging military equipment for crypto, why digital currencies make these deals harder to track, and what this means for geopolitics in a world where money no longer moves through banks. They dis...

The United States has approved a new multi-billion-dollar arms package for Taiwan — and the consequences go far beyond weapons. In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda break down what this deal actually means: for Taiwan’s defense, for China’s strategy, and for the fragile balance of power in the Pacific. We look at:Why the U.S. is increasing military support for TaiwanHow these...

Greenland just became one of the most important pieces on the global chessboard. In this episode of Rethinking Tech x10 , we break down why Donald Trump has Greenland back in his sights — and why this isn’t about a real-estate deal, but about power, resources, military positioning, and the future of the Arctic . We unpack how Greenland’s location, rare earth minerals, and proximity to major milita...

U.S. border agents are increasingly checking travelers’ social media activity before allowing entry into the country. In this x10, we break down: What border agents are legally allowed to check Who this applies to (tourists, students, workers) What kind of posts raise red flags And why this matters far beyond immigration policy This isn’t hypothetical — it’s already happening. ⭐ Stay Connected 📺...

Jeff Bezos is back in builder mode — and this time, it’s not Amazon. In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda break down Jeff Bezos’ latest startup , what problem it’s trying to solve, and why it fits into a much bigger shift happening across tech, capital, and power. Rather than chasing headlines, we look at: What Bezos is actually building Why now is the right moment for this...

A startup called EVA AI lets users go on dates with artificial intelligence. In this x10, we look at how AI companionship products actually work, who they’re built for, and why romantic and emotional use cases are emerging faster than almost any other category in consumer AI. We discuss: What EVA AI offers versus chatbots and “AI friends” Why people are paying for synthetic relationships The psych...

At the start of 2025, we made bold predictions about technology, geopolitics, AI, regulation, and global power . Now, we’re holding ourselves accountable. In this episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda revisit their 2025 predictions and break down: What actually played out as expected Which assumptions failed — and why How power shifted across tech companies and governments What surprised...

Once again, EU–US data transfers are under pressure . In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda unpack the latest legal challenges from NOYB and Max Schrems , and why data flows between Europe and the United States remain fragile despite repeated political agreements. They discuss: Why EU–US data transfer frameworks keep failing What NOYB is challenging in the current setup How U...

A major shift is unfolding in U.S. tech policy. In this x10 episode of Rethinking Tech , Aparna and Harinda break down how Trump has loosened restrictions on certain Nvidia chip sales to China , allowing exports to resume under a new framework — including a 25% fee paid by Nvidia to the U.S. government on sales made directly to China . They discuss: What restrictions are being relaxed — and what r...