This Week in Tech with Jeanne Destro

While there is no doubt that AI is a transformative and extremely useful technology; there is also a lot to well-founded concern about how it is being deployed, where the resources needed to support its proliferation are coming from, and who is in charge of ensuring that it won’t destroy our economy, democracy, and global security. In Ohio, a number of cities in our area, including Cleveland, Bere...

Ohio lawmakers made it very clear they wanted to protect children from online harms back in 2023, when they passed a law mandating that minors under the age of 16 could not use social media unless they obtained parental consent. But just one month after the new law went into effect in 2024; a big tech advocacy group called NetChoice went to federal court and obtained a preliminary injunction keepi...

This week, we’re looking at the profound impact that technology is having on all of our lives; sometimes, in very unexpected ways. From a social media ban for children under 16 in the UK, to President Trump’s order aimed at keeping foreign nationals from having access too Anthropic’s newest and most powerful AI models; we’re once again talking about people all over the globe are trying to grapple...

I was inspired to write this story by the tumultuous events at CBS News last week, which resulted in the high profile firings of several key members of the 60 Minutes staff, including longtime correspondent, Scott Pelley. The internal intrigue spilled out onto the world stage, when details leaked about the fiery staff meeting in which Pelley told his new boss that he wasn't qualified to run their...

This week's story is about the interconnected web of global technology and energy production, disruption, and politics. But more than that; it is about how Ohioans are caught up in that web, pushing back against it, trying to navigate it, and worrying about how it is affecting their everyday lives. Listen now to hear about how the lack of oil flowing from the Middle East because of the war with Ir...

You can dress them up, you can dress them down, and you can use them anywhere. Drones are technology's new little black dress; delivering everything from bombs, to life-saving medicine,  and this week we're going to talk to some experts from Northeast Ohio who are helping train the students who will be the backbone of tomorrow's professional drone workforce. Our featured guests are Dr. Manigandan...

While the US Government mends fences with Anthropic, which recently introduced an AI tool known as "Mythos",which they claim is so powerful it can punch holes in even the most powerful cybersecurity safeguards today; we're heading down an entirely new path with even faster, stronger, and better technology. That's because it is based on quantum physics, and as such;  is capable of computational spe...

While the US Government mends fences with Anthropic, which recently introduced an AI tool known as "Mythos", which they claim is so powerful it can punch holes in even the most powerful cybersecurity safeguards today; we're heading down an entirely new path with even faster, stronger, and better technology. That's because it is based on quantum physics, and as such;  is capable of computational sp...

While the US Government mends fences with Anthropic, which recently introduced an AI tool known as "Mythos", which they claim is so powerful it can punch holes in even the most powerful cybersecurity safeguards today; we're heading down an entirely new path with even faster, stronger, and better technology. That's because it is based on quantum physics, and as such;  is capable of computational sp...

Hats off to Todd Rundgren, who inspired today's headline with his ever-popular 1982 classic hit, "Bang The Drum", because that's certainly what I'm doing (at least in my head) today, thinking about a unique fusion of art, music, and technology that's happening right here in Northeast Ohio. While Akron used to be known as the "Rubber Capital of The World"; it is now considered the nation's premier...

In what could be a weeks-long trial; the world's richest man, Elon Musk, is squaring off against Open AI CEO, Sam Altman, over whether or not Musk, who voluntarily walked away from a seat on the Open AI Board in 2018, deserves $134 billion dollars in compensation for alleged harm. That is a big ask, and according to reports this week, including by NBC News, is also leading to bigger questions such...

The next time you apply sunscreen to project your skin from potentially cancer-inducing Ultraviolet rays from the sun; consider this: rays of light are actually being used right now to kill skin cancer, and may one day be used on other forms of cancer deep inside the body. This promising new development is being explored by a research team at the Cleveland Clinic, headed by Dr. Vijay Krishna, who...

Will the new Anthropic "Mythos" AI model be a blessing, or a curse? Well, that depends on who wields what could be the most powerful cyber weapon ever created, according to a tech expert we talked to on this week's edition of "This Week in Tech with Jeanne Destro". We'll also be talking about an escalating backlash to AI in general, and data centers in particular, why you should always double-chec...

This week, an AI model from Anthropic so powerful its creators are limiting its release, a lawsuit claiming Open AI’s Chat GPT was behind a mass shooting, farmers notching a win for the right to repair, and NASA astronauts once again orbiting the moon.

Did you know that the cells in your eyes can "talk" to one another? Well, they can, according to some new research going on right now at the University of Akron. Listen now, and find out more from U-A Biology Chair, Dr. Jordan Renna. He's our special guest, on "This Week in Tech With Jeanne Destro".

This week, the business landscape in which big tech companies operate dramatically shifted, as juries in two different states awarded big monetary judgements to plaintiffs who alleged the social media giants Meta and Google were harming children. While the two cases—one in California, and the other; in New Mexico–were similar, they were not the same. So, to get some clarity on what was claimed in...

AI continues to stir controversy nationwide this week, as more communities, including some in Ohio, are pushing back against huge data centers that support AI, which use a lot of resources, but bring very few jobs to the communities in which they are located. In addition, despite all the hype about how great AI will be for efficiency and possible advances in many areas including science and medici...

Why Anthropic is suing the US government, a solemn reminder of how even the most advanced technology is no match for Mother Nature, and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's plea for protecting children from the harmful effects of technology. That's what's on tap in the latest edition of "This Week in Tech with Jeanne Destro." Listen now.

As the US gears up for a possible military confrontation with Iran; the federal government has issued a warning for US companies and government agencies, to tighten up cyber defenses to ensure our networks here at home, can withstand possible state-sponsored cyber attacks. But though the current buildup of military force against Iran is fairly recent; our adversarial relationship with that country...

More smart traffic cameras, better coordinated Emergency response, and smoother bus rides are all on the way within the year, as Summit County's $50 million dollar, high speed broadband fiber ring network project nears completion. That's the word today from Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro's Chief of Staff, Brian Nelsen, who is our featured guest on this week's edition of This Week in Tech wi...

This week, we're featuring an in-depth discussion about the harm social media is doing to kids and teens; addiction, depression, anxiety, and in some cases—even suicide. It is in sharp focus now, because two separate lawsuits went to trial this week, alleging that the big companies running social media platforms, including Meta (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads), and Alphabet (YouTube), know...

It was quite a week for news related to the world's richest man; Elon Musk, who announced he was merging X-AI with SpaceX, caused quite a stir on Wall Street, and simultaneously faced serious legal issues when French Prosecutors raided the X office in France. They are investigating allegations including complicity in possessing and spreading pornographic images of minors, and sexually explicit dee...

We're covering some of the biggest stories in tech this week, including a big civil trial out in Los Angeles involving a teen who is suing big tech companies, alleging that social media addiction has severely damaged her mental health, AI technology that is helping consumers build even better custom playlists on Spotify, and big-name musical artists create new songs. It is also National Data Priva...

Everybody, everywhere, it seems, wants you to "like" their product, podcast, delivery service, social media post, or whatever. But, did you ever stop to wonder, who actually invented the "Like" button? Well, business strategy expert and author, Martin Reeves did, and he turned what was supposed to be a short coffee conversation with Like button inventor, Bob Goodson, into a new book called  "Like:...

This was quite a week both for big tech developments, and big tech hassles. Listen now, to find out more about Verizon’s big outage , which affected more than a million customers on Wednesday. We'll also hear about  how the US Government is planning to integrate Elon Musk’s controversial Grok AI into Pentagon networks, rising concerns about the potentially damaging environmental effects of data ce...