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Download This Show is your weekly guide to the world of media, culture, and technology. From social media to gadgets, streaming services to privacy issues. Each week Rae Johnston and guests take a fun, deep dive into how technology is reshaping our lives.

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All Episodes

0:29:05

Is it possible for an AI to 'hasten the coming of...

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2025/11/14

What happens when theology and technology collide? There's a new tech startup dedicated to building a Christian AI. It's called Gloo, launched by ex-Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger, and they say it's going to 'hasten the coming of Christ's return'. Also, AI chat services are helping us speak to God. From innocent Bible chatbots to an AI priest that told people to baptise their babies in Gatorade, how seriously are people taking these technological embodiments of God? Plus, we go way

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0:29:06

Self-driving taxis could be coming to Australia, but...

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2025/11/07

How well do you think the streets of Sydney would handle self-driving taxis? What about those same self-driving taxis navigating the Melbourne tram lines? Could you imagine it? Waymo is set to launch self-driving taxis and Ubers in Australia soon after talks with Transport NSW, and not everyone is happy with it. Also, Elon Musk has launched his very own version of the people's encyclopedia, Wikipedia, and Facebook Dating has been quietly dominating the online dating scene, and on

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0:29:06

Would you use ChatGPT now that it's in its horny era?

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2025/10/31

How much do you trust the AI chatbots you use on a day-to-day basis? Once you send your prompt off into cyberspace, how do you now no one is interfering with it somewhere in between? Prompt injections are an increasingly common vulnerability in generative AI services and they could be tricking you into giving away majorly sensitive information.Also, Google announced a breakthrough in quantum computing, the first ever algorithm to gain an actual quantum advantage on every day

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0:29:06

How did a global Amazon outage bring down almost 50...

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2025/10/24

When a major outage hit Amazon Web Services this week, websites and apps started falling like dominoes -- from Square to Duolingo, Netflix, and Adobe, why do so many major players rely on a single company to host their data? And should we be calling time on these pseudo tech-monopolies? Also, we investigate whether its actually true that your iPhone slows down every time a new one is released, and what’s going to happen to the 400 million computers that are going to become obsolete

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0:29:04

What happens when you try to ban a generation from...

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2025/10/17

The Online Safety Amendment Bill is the name on everyone’s lips this week and as the implementation date looms closer, we take a deep dive into some of the people most affected by the upcoming ban, and lay out all the info you need to know if you’re a parent or teen trying to duck and dodge this murky legislation. GUESTS:Leo Puglisi, teenager and Founder of 6 News Australia Nikita White, Amnesty International Campaigner Anne Hollonds, National Children’s Safety ComissionerThis

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0:29:18

We've got tonnes of space waste orbiting our Earth,...

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2025/10/10

There are over 170 million pieces of space junk orbiting Earth right now, and that number is only growing as space orbit becomes more accessible. How are we going to deal with this astronomical littering problem, while keeping up with our satellite-hungry tech needs?Also, an increase in light and radio pollution is making it harder for astronomers to study the stars. How can space tech companies, governments, and even you do something about it?Plus, we check in with the latest from

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0:28:59

If 'simulated gambling' is banned in kids games, why...

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2025/10/03

You step up to a box full of prizes, and knowing that there is a chance you may not win anything, you give it your real-life money anyway. No, this isn't a game at the casino, it's a video game that children as young as four are playing in their spare time. Last year, Australia introduced classification to prevent things like this from happening, so why are we still seeing Loot Boxes show up in kids games?Also, one of the largest video game companies in the world, Electronic Arts

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0:28:58

Is it true that AI is going to add $60 billion to...

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2025/09/26

The Australian Finance Industry Association has modelled AI's contribution to economic growth in the years ahead. It found that "scaling", or expanding, the use of AI could add up to $60 billion to GDP over the next decade. But who is actually going to benefit from this, and where are we getting these numbers from?Also, we explain the blossoming $100 billion bromance between Nvidia and OpenAI, and how Gen Z elected their new PM via the gaming app Discord amidst a wave of

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0:29:04

How fanfiction took over the world (and stayed free)

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2025/09/19

Fanfiction has gone from photocopied zines traded at conventions to millions of stories shared online. From smut-filled Harry Potter ships to the fic that birthed Fifty Shades of Grey, we explore fanfiction's growth, its influence on writing and culture, and how Archive of Our Own has stayed free and fan-run in an internet that charges for almost everything.GUESTS:Danielle Binks, fanfiction (and regular fiction) writer, literary agent, and lecturer in Creative Writing at RMIT

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0:29:04

How did an Australian team make the biggest video...

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2025/09/12

This week, an Australian video game called Hollow Knight: Silksong is the biggest video game in the world. It’s made by a small team out of Adelaide and has already sold millions of copies worldwide. What could this mean for our quietly successful games industry here in Australia? And why do we still have so much trouble seeing video games as a form of art? Also, new research is out that says up to a third of all women playing video games feel guilt-ridden about their hobby. While

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0:28:57

Why is Australia spending a billion dollars on a...

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2025/09/05

2025 is the 'International Year of Quantum Science and Technology', but what actually is quantum science? IBM and AMD are teaming up to champion 'quantum-centric supercomputing' – but what's the difference between a supercomputer and a regular computer? Will we ever see a supercomputer show up in our own homes? And why is Australia making a billion-dollar bet on a quantum computing facility in Brisbane? Plus, how and why did scientists develop a ‘biological qubit’, and could

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0:29:02

Wimbeldon broke 148 years of tradition to replace 300...

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2025/08/29

How much is human adjudication in sport worth, and how much more accurate is Wimbledon's new system? Plus, the CSIRO and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) have joined forces to research how AI can be used ethically and efficiently in sports.

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0:29:02

Wimbledon broke 148 years of tradition to replace 300...

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2025/08/29

How much is human adjudication in sport worth, and how much more accurate is Wimbledon's new system? Plus, the CSIRO and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) have joined forces to research how AI can be used ethically and efficiently in sports.

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0:29:06

How do you protect yourself against AI voice scams?

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2025/08/22

Explore the latest in technology, social media, consumer electronics, digital culture and more.

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0:29:02

How will ICE's deportation teams use iris scanning...

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2025/08/15

America’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued a notice they intend to purchase an iris scanning technology that can identify "suspects and inmates who try to hide their identity". Unsurprisingly, it’s raised some red flags.

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0:29:04

Would Cyberbrothel be more ethical than a traditional...

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2025/08/08

A sex doll brothel in Berlin is offering a combination of new VR and AI technologies in their plastic playmates. But the Cyberbrothel business falls outside traditional brothel regulations, raising questions how consent, sex work, and tech intersect.

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0:29:07

Is Snapchat’s My AI a safe space or a slippery slope...

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2025/08/01

Snapchat’s AI chatbot, My AI, is raising concerns among teens and parents — with questions about how it's used, what it says, and whether the platform is doing enough to keep young users safe. While there are parental controls available through Snapchat’s Family Centre, many parents may not know they can restrict access to the bot altogether. So, is this feature really as risky as it sounds?Also, major automakers are cancelling their upcoming electric vehicle launches in the US -

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0:29:05

ID, please? China’s new internet rules and what they...

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2025/07/25

Big Brother is getting new powers in China with a digital ID system eerily similar to that being proposed in the upcoming teen social media ban. What are the privacy risks involved in needing your government ID to use any old website on the internet? And could this tech be seen in Australia anytime soon?Teachers have been struggling to manage student use of generative AI for years, but maybe its time teachers were taught how to use AI themselves. Microsoft, OpenAI and Anthropic are

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0:28:35

How do we tell what's real and what's not, when the...

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2025/07/18

Do you think you can tell the difference between what's real and what's made by AI? What about writing? Or even music?More AI-generated content is making its way into what we hear, read, and write and it's getting harder and harder to tell the difference. And when we can't tell who's making the things we consume, we can't tell their intentions behind it either. This is true when AI is causing more Australian job losses, and when the UN decides to use an AI avatar in place of real

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0:28:36

With 9,000 new layoffs at Microsoft, is AI set to...

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2025/07/11

In recent years, like many other big technology firms, Microsoft has refocused its business towards developing AI, and this week the firm has announced it's slashing 9,000 jobs. A large chunk of these jobs are coming from its Xbox video gaming unit, with successful and longstanding titles like Elder Scrolls and Forza Motorport in the firing line. Why is Microsoft choosing AI over people? And what difference will this make for players of these games?Also, Nintendo has told

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