The Vergecast

What's behind the Google AI shakeupGoogle underwent a big AI shakeup this week, leaving a lot of people wondering whether there are big problems on team Gemini. David and Nilay start the show by discussing what's next for Jeff Dean and Demis Hassabis, before diving into the ways in which Google and Reddit have become existentially, problematically dependent on one another. After that, we talk through Disney's plan to turn Disney Plus into an everything app, and all the reasons we think that's a terrible idea and a sign of big problems in the streaming biz. Finally, in the lightning round, Brendan Carr is still a dummy, Snapchat wants AI out of your feed, and BMW has a Spider-Man to sell you. Further reading: The messy politics behind Google’s big AI shakeup | The Verge Google just announced a major shakeup of its top AI leadership Google Assistant will disappear from your phone next month Can Reddit fend off a new wave of AI SEO spam? Reddit is introducing a new moderator: AI Reddit says it plans to “make changes” to old Reddit Bluesky CEO Toni Schneider wants to grow the platform and the protocol Disney says it’s ‘exploring’ adding a free tier to Disney Plus Disney gives TikTok creators official access to Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar characters Despite Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s success, the MCU is on shaky ground Disney Plus is about to go beyond streaming Paramount and WBD’s antitrust trial is set for March 2027 David Ellison promises he’s not going to ruin CNN. Almost half of HBO Max subscribers watch with ads. | The Verge Federal Communications Commission scraps limit on broadcast TV ownership SpaceX is barely Space and mostly X SpaceX is coming for T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon BMW’s in-car Spider-Man ad is villain behavior X product chief Nikita Bier is leaving after one year | The Verge Snapchat will no longer recommend ‘wholly AI-generated videos’ in its vertical video feed Snap reports 971 million monthly active users ahead of its Specs launch event on September 16th Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11. 0:00 Cold Open01:05 Google AI Shakeup Explained03:24 Gemini Product Mess05:29 Demis Hassabis and the AGI Split14:06 Is Google Actually Behind?15:29 AI Overviews Fail Parade18:12 Gemini Users and Distribution20:55 Google Plus Warning Signs24:14 Reddit as Search Lifeline27:35 AI Slop and Dead Internet29:32 Google Buys Reddit Theory33:51 Reddit Earnings Reality Check35:40 Smoking Community Vibes38:20 Disney Everything App44:25 Time Spent Arms Race47:39 Free Tier and Ads52:08 Paramount Warner Deal Drama01:00:23 Brendan Carr is a Dummy01:11:51 Nikita Bier Leaves X01:13:53 SpaceX Telecom Dreams01:20:15 Snapchat Versus AI Slop01:25:26 BMW In Car Ads01:31:19 Wrap And Subscribe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1048|1T 38M

It's time to panic about AI safetyIt's a big week for new ideas about computers, so David and Nilay spend some time on Samsung's vision for foldables and Mark Zuckerberg's vision for AI agents that do absolutely everything. Then they talk about the fallout from last week's OpenAI Hugging Face hack, and whether all this talk about AI safety will actually amount to anything. Finally, it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, the vertical video takeover, and the smashing success of the Ferrari Luce. Further reading: Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 feels like the future Apple launches ‘Upgrade’ program to lease new devices What’s the catch with the Apple Upgrade program? Mark Zuckerberg is planning a big push into personal AI agents Mark Zuckerberg wrote an op-ed about AI for the WSJ. We’re running out of reasons to ignore AI safety OpenAI reportedly didn’t notice its AI agent hacking Hugging Face until a week later. Nvidia, Microsoft launch open AI security alliance — without OpenAI, Google, or Anthropic OpenAI’s rogue AI agent didn’t stop at hacking Hugging Face AI leaders sign a statement asking the government to do something about automated AI Former FCC chairs blast Carr’s early renewal of ABC licenses as an ‘assault on free speech.’ ABC demands FCC drop its ‘punitive’ early license renewal of its stations Qualcomm is raising phone chip prices starting September 1st The Ferrari Luce reportedly already hit its 2026 sales target Samsung’s smartphone biz posts first ever loss, but profit still soars 1,300 percent on RAM. Facebook considers giving up and becoming TikTok YouTube Premium will include Peacock starting next year HBO Max is putting on vertical shorts Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed. We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11. (Timestamps are approximate.) 00:00:00 Intro 00:03:00 Baby Announcement 00:06:00 Galaxy Z Fold 00:12:00 Apple Leasing Program 00:15:00 Kill Switch Concerns 00:19:00 Zuck Agent Future 00:34:00 AI Safety Week Recap 00:42:00 Regulation Versus China 00:49:00 Winning AI Race 00:53:00 Security Arms Race 00:57:00 Brendan Carr Is a Dummy 01:07:00 Facebook Becomes TikTok 01:12:00 Ramageddon Price Hikes 01:16:00 HBO Max Shorts 01:23:00 Ferrari Luce Buzz 01:26:00 Wrap Up and Plugs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1043|1T 29M

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