Today in Tech IDG

While the technology job market remains vibrant and strong for many workers, people over the age of 50 are finding it more difficult to get a new job, or navigate past the layers of hiring with the institution of new AI screening tools. Keith talks with Christina Matz, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Boston Collee School of Social Work and director of the Center on Aging & Work, about why age discrimination still exists within much of the corporate world, including in the tech sector.

Between having an AI tool that recommends crazy suggestions like putting glue on pizza and a “leak” around how its search engine works, Google is facing lots of criticism about its technology and operations. Analyst Jack Gold joins the show this week to talk with the crew about Google’s issues, why general consumers are saying ‘meh’ to AI tools, and why the American worker is lonelier at work than ever before.

As computing has developed over the past four decades, we increasingly see products designed to be more ‘disposable’ rather than upgradeable or made to last longer. However, there are still bright spots within the ecosystem that allow consumers to get more out of their devices or extend their life. Keith chats with Larry O’Connor, founder and CEO of Other World Computing, about these issues, as well as how improving speeds through cables and connectors enabled more external products such as storage (and why Keith needs to backup his data more often).

Big Tech companies trying to roll out new AI tools face some blowback in recent weeks, whether it was OpenAI using a Scarlett Johannson-like voice (without her permission or licensing) to tout new voice AI features; or Microsoft hyping a new feature that takes screen shots of your computer every few seconds; or Google proudly announcing that AI overviews and paid sponsors will bury search results even further. Chris Shaw from NTT Research joins the show as guest co-host with the crew to discuss these and other top technology stories from the week.

Four years after most workers began using video calls for meetings, workers are discovering that we are still not good with the technology. In addition, a new survey suggests that video calls cause anxiety and fatigue. Keith chats with Sylvia Johnson, head of methodology at Preply, about the survey and how we can ease the anxiety around video calls.

OpenAI launches a new AI model that lets users have voice conversations with ChatGPT, creating the world of ‘Her’. With rumors of Apple creating a “better Siri” at some point, are we getting to a world with better AI voice assistants? Guest co-host Chris Shaw joins the crew to discuss these topics and also news around autonomous vehicles making a comeback, why solar storms disrupted tractors in the Midwest, and whether people just don’t want to work anymore.