Sam Harris on Silicon Valley’s Slide into Techno-Authoritarianism

Sam Harris on Silicon Valley’s Slide into Techno-Authoritarianism

One of 2025’s most memorable images was of Silicon Valley’s billionaire CEOs lined up in the front rows at President Donald Trump’s inauguration. It was visual proof of the tech industry’s embrace of MAGA’s authoritarian-style of politics — one it has benefited from considerably over the last year. Author and neuroscientist Sam Harris has been using his podcast, “Making Sense,” to talk about the ways tech moguls are corroding our politics, and although he used to be close with some of them, he’s become a vocal critic of their support for Trump. Kara and Sam talk about why he thinks the left is to blame for the tech billionaires’ shift to the right, why all of us are bad at sorting through the glut of information we find online, and the potential risks that come with the Trump administration’s hands-off approach to A.I. They also talk about what possible tech regulation could look like, and whether everyday people stand a chance against tech oligarchs and their platforms. (Please note: This interview was recorded before President Trump signed an executive order to block states from passing A.I. regulation.) Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episoder(380)

‘Stop This Mass Invasion’: Mayor Frey Blasts ICE Operation in Minneapolis

‘Stop This Mass Invasion’: Mayor Frey Blasts ICE Operation in Minneapolis

For the last few weeks, Minneapolis has been the epicenter of President Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, but tensions between residents and the administration exploded after an Immigration an...

26 Jan 46min

Elon’s “Nudify” Mess: How X Supercharged Deepfakes

Elon’s “Nudify” Mess: How X Supercharged Deepfakes

On Christmas Eve, Elon Musk’s X rolled out an in-app tool that lets users alter other people’s photos and post the results directly in reply. With minimal safeguards, it quickly became a pipeline for ...

22 Jan 53min

The Problem with Wellness Culture, According to Dr. Zeke Emanuel

The Problem with Wellness Culture, According to Dr. Zeke Emanuel

Dr. Zeke Emanuel is one of the country’s foremost healthcare experts. An oncologist and the former chair of the Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health, he was one of the architec...

19 Jan 58min

Rep. Ro Khanna on Epstein, ICE & a Billionaire Wealth Tax

Rep. Ro Khanna on Epstein, ICE & a Billionaire Wealth Tax

Democratic California Representative Ro Khanna joins Kara for a wide-ranging conversation about the culture of impunity that’s taken hold in America during President Trump’s second term.  They disc...

15 Jan 1h 8min

Imran Ahmed Researches Online Hate. Trump Wants to Deport Him

Imran Ahmed Researches Online Hate. Trump Wants to Deport Him

As the founder and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, Imran Ahmed specializes in researching how hate and disinformation spread online. His work has made him a target of Elon Musk and the ...

12 Jan 56min

Venezuela After Maduro: Can Trump Control Caracas From Afar?

Venezuela After Maduro: Can Trump Control Caracas From Afar?

The arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, on Saturday, sent shockwaves across the globe. And although the targeted military operation was a success, the repercussions of ousting the authorita...

8 Jan 55min

Isaac Chotiner on Confrontation, Curiosity, and Being the 'Interview Assassin'

Isaac Chotiner on Confrontation, Curiosity, and Being the 'Interview Assassin'

As the principal contributor to The New Yorker’s “Q&A” interview series, Isaac Chotiner has earned a reputation as “the interview assassin.” His persistent questioning has made for some awkward — and ...

5 Jan 1h

ACCESS with Alex Heath and Ellis Hamburger

ACCESS with Alex Heath and Ellis Hamburger

Happy 2026 from all of us at On with Kara Swisher! We’re ringing in the new year with an episode of ACCESS, a new tech insider podcast from the Vox Media Podcast Network that’s hosted by two highly co...

1 Jan 1h 5min

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