This Week in Tech 1062: The Architects of AI

Date: December 15, 2025
Host: Leo Laporte
Guests: Ian Thompson, Jason Heiner, Owen Thomas

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the current state and far-reaching impact of artificial intelligence (AI), probing the transformative influence it's having not just on tech, but on global economics, culture, infrastructure, and regulation. The roundtable of seasoned tech journalists discusses the “AI wildfire” sweeping the industry, the sustainability of the boom, power and regulatory struggles, and how AI is seeping into every aspect of society—from hospital wards to holiday sermons.

Panel Introductions & Changes (00:00–08:38)

• Host: Leo Laporte

• Guests:

  • Ian Thompson: Launching SiliconLimey.com, writing a column for PC Pro, focused on interpreting U.S. tech for the UK audience.

    "Just trying to explain to the Brits what exactly is going on over here, which is doing my head in." (Ian, 01:32)

  • Owen Thomas: Managing Editor at the San Francisco Business Times.
  • Jason Heiner: Newly appointed Editor-in-Chief at The Deep View, a publication specializing in AI analysis and news, with over 600,000 subscribers.

    "The future of media is direct relationships, with more specific audiences." (Jason, 06:19)

• Discussion on the shift toward independent media platforms and news coverage, away from legacy outlets.

Segment 1: "Time Magazine Person of the Year – The Architects of AI" (08:38–21:29)

• Topic: The selection of “The Architects of AI” as Time’s Person of the Year, reflecting AI’s dominance in 2025 headlines.
• Panel Reactions:
  • Mixed feelings about naming a collective group vs. a single person—seen by some as a “cop out.” (Owen, 10:31)
  • Historical context: Machines, not just people, have been picked before (e.g., “personal computer” in 1982).
  • Panel views on candidates:
    • Jensen Huang (Nvidia) and Dario Amodei (Anthropic) considered as more impactful than familiar names playing catch-up (Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg).

      "Huang really driving this ‘AI factory’ movement...it’s having a massive impact." (Jason, 15:11)

    • Anthropic’s focus on safe AI and enterprise adoption lauded as influential and profitable.
    • Fei-Fei Li and Demis Hassabis credited for fundamental research.
  • The blurred line between AI architects as visionary leaders and as business drivers.

Segment 2: "AI Wildfire and Bubble Fears" (21:29–46:44)

• Article Discussed: Dion Lim’s “The AI Wildfire Is Coming”

• Key Points:

  • AI’s resource drain: Data center boom causing spikes in energy and RAM prices. (Framework raising RAM prices 50%.)
  • Comparison to past bubbles: Panelists compare current trends to .com and Bitcoin waves and debate whether an AI “pop” is imminent.

    "Whenever you see stuff like this going on, my instinctive reaction is, yeah, there’s going to be a market correction." (Ian, 31:10)

  • Small models as the future:
    • The boom was built on scaling large models, but a wave of small, task-specific AI is now taking off.

      “The real winners are the small models...they’re more efficient, much cheaper to run.” (Jason, 31:36)

    • Smaller models don’t need latest hardware, proven by Chinese innovation (DeepSeek).
  • Healthcare AI: Real-world examples of doctors and patients using AI (like Open Evidence for medical queries), showing immediate value.
    • AI now outperforms traditional research in diagnostic support when responsibly sourced and used by doctors.

• On Market Correction:

  • Long-term value deemed real, but expect volatility as hype subsides and efficient models scale.
  • Technology’s low cost curve: AI eventually will be “better, cheaper, faster.”

    "A forecast about technology based on current technology is always going to be wrong." (Owen, 41:25)

Segment 3: AI, Business & Geopolitics (62:53–70:46)

• Tim Wu’s Financial Times Essay: “Could America Win the AI Race but Lose the War?”

  • U.S. vs. China: U.S. spending dwarfs China, but China applies AI more efficiently and invests in batteries, EVs, and manufacturing.
  • Collateral: AI leaders in the U.S. use the China threat for lobbying and government money, but the biggest existential risk to startups is America’s own megacorps.

    "They want the government to back them. They’re using China as the threat." (Leo, 68:31)

  • OpenAI and Anthropic started as bulwarks against big tech, but now depend on out-competing giants directly.

• Regulatory Landscape:

  • Executive orders aim to prevent a patchwork of state laws; companies want a single national framework.
  • Concerns over “regulatory capture” where early movers like Anthropic set industry-friendly standards.

Segment 4: AI – Cultural Penetration and Social Backlash (51:05–61:49, 83:23–88:12)

• AI in Culture:

  • AI-generated Christmas content: Churches using AI for sermons and nativity scenes—drawing both shock and skepticism.

    "I do expect the vicar to put some work in at the end of the day." (Ian, 51:05)

  • Amazon’s AI-powered video/Kindle recaps: Notorious for mistakes and lack of author control; sparks debate over AI as a surrogate for real creativity.
  • Meta’s Ray Ban glasses used by border patrol, cruise lines banning smart glasses—privacy concerns grow as “surveillance wearables” become mainstream.

• Trust & Adoption:

  • Users more willing to trust Apple or Google over Meta or Amazon for privacy.
  • Anticipation around Google’s upcoming AI glasses—panelists optimistic about the hardware ecosystem for AI-driven wearables.

Segment 5: Regulation & Societal Experimentation (103:44–111:09)

• Australia’s Social Media Ban for Under-16s:

  • Enforcement challenges: Bans on Snap, Instagram, YouTube, X for teens; reliance on platform-based age verification sees teenagers circumvent via VPNs.
  • Broader implications: Loss of online anonymity; worries about driving youth to less safe, unregulated platforms (e.g., Telegram).

    "We're losing anonymity online, and that's a really big thing to lose." (Ian, 107:16)

• Age Gating & Privacy Risks:

  • All users may face biometric verification to access platforms.
  • Discouragement across the panel that governments can meaningfully enforce these rules.

Segment 6: U.S. Visa Waiver Scrutiny (112:02–117:48)

• New ESTA restrictions: Visitors may soon be required to provide five years of social media history, even possibly make accounts public.

• Concerns Raised:

  • Privacy and equity: “If you’re brown, you’re in trouble. If you’re white, you’re all right.” (Ian, 116:54)
  • Chilling effect on tourism and the broader message: U.S. is making entry harder for all but discourages the “wrong” people.

Segment 7: Media Consolidation & Future of Journalism (117:48–126:48)

• Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, and Netflix takeovers:
  • Massive merger discussions and rumored political meddling (promises to Trump to sway regulation).
  • Consensus: Media consolidation threatens plurality, but due to fractured audiences, the real impact of mergers is softened.
  • Rise of independent journalism bolstered ("Direct relationships, niche audiences"—Jason).
  • Loss of trust in large media institutions; direct engagement and specificity seen as the future.

Segment 8: Tech & Business Shorts (141:57–150:59)

• App Store Rulings:

  • Court upholds order against Apple’s restrictive app store cut and policies (“malicious compliance” criticized).

    “The Apple tax is dead in the U.S.—the beginning of true untaxed competition and payments worldwide on iOS.” (Tim Sweeney/Leo, 141:58)

  • Japan to ban third-party app-store blocks for Apple/Google imminently.

• Excel’s 40th Birthday:

  • Excel’s enduring dominance; anecdotes about corporate dependence on Excel even in a Google Workspace era.

• Bug Bounties:

  • Microsoft expands bug bounty programs in recognition of the vital defensive role hackers play.

    “Break our code, show us how it's done, and we'll pay you. Because we're not expecting you to do it for free.” (Ian, 152:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The real winners are the small models... they're more efficient, much cheaper to run." (Jason, 31:36)
• "Forecast about technology based on current technology is always going to be wrong." (Owen, 41:25)
• "Whenever you see stuff like this going on, my instinctive reaction is, yeah, there's going to be a market correction." (Ian, 31:10)
• "A cruise line just banned smart glasses... privacy concerns." (Jason, 87:12)
• "We're losing anonymity online, and that's a really big thing to lose." (Ian, 107:16)
• "If you're brown, you're in trouble. If you're white, you're all right. And that's fundamentally stupid." (Ian, 116:54)
• "The Apple tax is dead in the U.S.—the beginning of true untaxed competition and payments worldwide on iOS." (Tim Sweeney/Leo, 141:58)

Other Quick Hits and Lighter Notes

• SantaCon, cold winters, and local color: Discussion about San Francisco's social fabric, cold snap, and bar crawls (73:21).
• CES Preview: Anticipation for AI hardware and XR ("extended reality") innovations (79:06).
• Right to Repair (Military): Ongoing frustration that the military can’t repair its own gear without contractor involvement (134:42).
• Game Awards: French indie title Expedition 33 sweeps awards (164:29).
• Twitter Trademark Drama: Lawyers contest whether X has abandoned the Twitter name (167:03).

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Topic | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------------------|-------------| | Show & Panel Intro, Media Moves | 00:00–08:38 | | Time "Person of the Year" & AI Architects | 08:38–21:29 | | AI Wildfire: Resource, Bubble, and Social Impact | 21:29–46:44 | | AI & Data Centers: Small Models, Healthcare | 31:10–41:22 | | AI Regulation & Bubbles | 46:44–61:49 | | Geopolitics: US/China, AI Investment | 62:53–70:46 | | AI Wearables, Privacy, and Hardware | 83:23–88:12 | | Social Media Bans, Age Gating Discussions | 103:44–111:09| | U.S. Visa Waiver Scrutiny, Immigration | 112:02–117:48| | Media Consolidation, Journalism Future | 117:48–126:48| | App Store Rulings, Excel at 40, Bug Bounties | 141:57–150:59| | Game Awards & Twitter Trademark | 164:29–170:13|

Tone & Style

The show is relaxed, spontaneous, and occasionally irreverent, with banter and sidebars. The depth and context provided are incisive and authentic, reflective of veteran journalists steeped in decades of tech history.

Conclusion

The AI "wildfire" is burning across industries—from tech companies to hospitals, from data centers to Sunday sermons. This era is marked by real innovation, intense hype, looming corrections, and fundamental questions about regulation, business sustainability, privacy, and the future of information. Amidst all, the independent voice and direct audience relationship are now the gold standard, with the traditional monoliths facing a future as uncertain as the AI revolutions they’re chasing.