Alex Bores, elected assembly member for the 73rd District of New York, a computer scientist, and co-founder of Who Decides, an effort to align the Democratic message on AI, joins Chris this week. Together, they sort through the Hugging Face incident, in which AI agents went rogue, and what it tells us about where we are with AI right now. And the answer is ... in a strange place. Because what's come to light about what happened in an Open AI testing environment back in May sounds like science fiction. This conversation includes imagining AI agents as teenagers leaving secret notes in a supply closet, a modern day John Henry battling a swarm trying to take over a German-language Wikipedia page, an InfoSec presentation that left jaws on the floor, and the development of an almost cultural convention among AI agents that persisted after it had ceased to be useful.  "There are people that are like, 'Don't engage in this narrative. It's science fiction,'" says Bores. "I actually think engage and wrestle with all that weirdness. You're gonna find things beyond science fiction that might hold the solution for how we end up doing this safely."

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Is the apocalyptic mood in our culture today just in our imagination, or are we witnessing the rise of a dangerous new political reality? Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor co-authored ‘End Times Fascism: And the Fight for the Living World' to help answer that question. They join WITHpod to discuss how the far-right has shifted from climate denialism to weaponizing ecological and economic crises, creating an ideology built on survivalism, tech-oligarchy and authoritarian control. Plus, they talk about what can be done to resist.

As the 2026 midterm elections heat up, MS NOW is headed to the Lone Star State. Join more than a dozen of your favorite hosts - including Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Jen Psaki, Michael Steele, Ali Velshi and more - in Arlington, Texas on September 26 for a day of community and conversation about the issues that matter most to you. Get your tickets at ms.now/together.

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The valuations for sports teams have increased exponentially in recent years. It’s almost an understatement to say that sports is big business. What does this mean for the mechanics of sports operations? Pablo Torre is a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist and the host, executive editor, and co-owner of Pablo Torre Finds Out. Torre also recently reported on a bombshell alleged shell game of investments and insider deals which are now under scrutiny by the federal government. He joins WITHpod to discuss the rising costs of sports for fans, profit vs. championships, the youth sports bubble and more.

As the 2026 midterm elections heat up, MS NOW is headed to the Lone Star State. Join more than a dozen of your favorite hosts - including Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Jen Psaki, Michael Steele, Ali Velshi and more - in Arlington, Texas on September 26 for a day of community and conversation about the issues that matter most to you. Get your tickets at ms.now/together.

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Silicon Valley was once viewed as a center-left stronghold where tech founders partnered with Democrats to push clean energy and digital innovation. But today, the world’s most powerful tech titans in many cases are bankrolling right-wing authoritarianism, promoting anti-democratic ideologies. Gil Durán is the author of “The Nerd Reich Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy.” He joins WITHpod to discuss the radicalization of tech oligarchs, why he says they’re attempting to dismantle American democratic values and more.

As the 2026 midterm elections heat up, MS NOW is headed to the Lone Star State. Join more than a dozen of your favorite hosts - including Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Jen Psaki, Michael Steele, Ali Velshi and more - in Arlington, Texas on September 26 for a day of community and conversation about the issues that matter most to you. Get your tickets at ms.now/together.

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There’s a lot to unpack about the economic effects of artificial intelligence. It’s clear that artificial intelligence is having a moment (to say the least) and that it has a profound impact on global GDP. But is it just a boom that will bust? Ed Zitron, author and host of the “Better Offline” podcast, is deeply worried about the long-term viability of the industry. He points out that AI lacks the basic traits that have been associated with previous software booms. This raises the question: is AI running more on unsustainable costs and vibes rather than long-term profit potential? According to Ed, the answer is clear. Note that is episode was originally released on 6/9/26.

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We’re now in the second year of Donald Trump’s second term. And there’s a lot to be concerned about as it relates to the future of American democracy. How can everyday people push back against authoritarianism and antidemocratic forces? Zack Beauchamp is a senior correspondent at Vox. He’s also the author of “The Reactionary Spirit,” a book about this topic. Beauchamp joins WITHpod to discuss Democratic backsliding, the role of protests in stopping dictators and lessons that can be learned from Brazil, South Korea and Poland. Note that this episode was originally released on 3/10/26.

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There’s a lot to unpack about the risk of a historic global oil supply shock amid the U.S. war with Iran. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and other regions continues to drive fuel hoarding, panic buying and a marked rise in costs. Meanwhile, significant hurdles continue to impede efforts to transition to more green energy. Antonia Juhasz is an investigative journalist specializing in energy, author and politics reporter for Rolling Stone. She joins WITHpod to discuss the impact the war in Iran is having on oil, why she says fossil fuels are being used as weapons of war and more. Note that this episode was originally released on 4/7/26.

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This was the first summer that Chris and his family took their annual road trip in an electric vehicle through the Midwest. It was doable, but not without some challenges. Where are we with regards to EVs in the U.S. and where do we go from here? Patrick George is the Detroit Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal. He joins WITHpod to discuss the logistics, policy and infrastructure hurdles that still stand in the way of broader EV adoption.

As the 2026 midterm elections heat up, MS NOW is headed to the Lone Star State. Join more than a dozen of your favorite hosts - including Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O'Donnell, Jen Psaki, Michael Steele, Ali Velshi and more - in Arlington, Texas on September 26 for a day of community and conversation about the issues that matter most to you. Get your tickets at ms.now/together.

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