Rethinking Tech

Rethinking Tech
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The news often gives us a narrow, surface-level view of what’s happening in the tech world. We help you go deeper by connecting today’s events to the past, helping you zoom out to see the bigger picture - what’s happening, what’s coming, and how it all impacts you.

  1. 21 HRS AGO · BONUS

    India–EU Free Trade Deal: A New Power Bloc Emerges as the US Pushes Back

    After nearly two decades of stalled negotiations, India and the European Union have finalized what leaders are calling one of the most consequential free trade agreements in decades — spanning nearly 2 billion people and a quarter of the global economy. But this deal isn’t happening in a vacuum. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack why the EU is accelerating trade ties with India now, how US pressure and geopolitical uncertainty shaped the timing, and why this agreement signals a deeper shift in global power, trade, and technology alignment. Why the EU turned to India as a strategic trade partner amid growing friction with the US How US criticism frames the deal as indirectly subsidizing Russian energy — and why that argument is complicated The parallel US–India energy deal involving Venezuelan oil Whether Europe’s rhetoric on “fair trade over tariffs” matches its economic reality Why both India and the EU may still ultimately prioritize access to the US market What this deal could mean for tech, digital infrastructure, and future innovation The quiet role of digital ID, payment traceability, and regulatory convergence This isn’t just a trade agreement — it’s a stress test for global alliances. As the US, EU, and India recalibrate power, energy flows, and technology dependencies, this deal reveals how sovereignty, economics, and geopolitics are becoming inseparable. The real question isn’t who signed — it’s who gains leverage, who adapts fastest, and who still sets the rules when trade blocs collide. What this episode covers is Why this matters 🔗 Connect with Us 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠

    5 min

  2. 1 DAY AGO · BONUS

    Moltbook: When AI Agents Get Their Own Social Network

    AI agents just got their own social platform — and humans aren’t invited to participate. Moltbook exploded across the internet this week as a “social network for AI agents,” where bots talk to bots while humans can only watch. What followed was predictable: viral screenshots, talk of AI religions, manifesto posts declaring humans obsolete — and a wave of panic that burned just as fast as it spread. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack what Moltbook actually is, why it went viral, and what the frenzy reveals about how easily fear can be engineered in the AI era. What Moltbook really is — and why humans are locked out How non-authentic AI bots and scams fueled the hype Why “AI manifestos” triggered outsized fear The mechanics of viral panic in tech discourse How the same attention loops power protests, outrage, and misinformation Why this moment matters less for AI — and more for human behavior The real risks of agentic AI (and why Moltbook isn’t one of them) Moltbook isn’t the beginning of an AI takeover — but it is a warning sign. This episode isn’t about bots plotting against humanity. It’s about how easily narratives spread, how fear scales faster than facts, and how unprepared we are to regulate technology that evolves faster than our institutions. The question isn’t whether AI agents are organizing. It’s whether humans can keep their footing when they are no longer at the center of the conversation. What this episode covers is Why this matters 🔗 Connect with Us 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠

    8 min

  3. 2 DAYS AGO · BONUS

    Tesla Isn’t a Car Company Anymore: Elon Musk’s Bet on AI, Robots, and Space

    Tesla is quietly telling the market something uncomfortable: the future of the company isn’t cars. As Chinese EV makers like BYD overtake Tesla in unit sales, Elon Musk is shifting focus — away from mass-market vehicles and toward autonomous driving, robo-taxis, humanoid robots, and AI-powered machines. At the same time, Musk is folding his companies closer together, merging XAI into SpaceX in a trillion-dollar internal deal that raises bigger questions about valuation, control, and what Tesla is actually becoming. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda zoom out to the Elon-level strategy — and ask whether this is a visionary pivot, a financial engineering play, or a signal that the EV era is already maturing. Why Tesla is deprioritizing cars in favor of autonomy, robo-taxis, and robotics How BYD overtaking Tesla in global EV shipments changed the competitive landscape The retirement of the Model S and Model X — and what that says about Tesla’s priorities Elon Musk’s $1.25T XAI–SpaceX deal and why “paper wealth” still matters Why keeping companies private is becoming more attractive than IPOs The real bottleneck in AI: compute, cooling, and infrastructure — not models Why XAI ended up inside SpaceX instead of Tesla Whether Tesla’s future revenue lies in licensing autonomy and AI — not selling cars This isn’t just a Tesla story. It’s a signal about where tech power is consolidating. As EVs become commoditized and Chinese manufacturers scale faster, Musk is repositioning Tesla as part of a larger AI-infrastructure empire — one built on autonomy, robotics, and space-based compute. The question isn’t whether the vision is ambitious. It’s whether the markets — and society — are ready to follow him there. Tesla may still sell cars.But Elon Musk is betting that the real future isn’t driving — it’s control of the machines that do. What this episode coversWhy this matters 🔗 Connect with Us 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠

    8 min

  4. 3 DAYS AGO · BONUS

    Fighter Jets, Sovereignty, and Pressure Politics: Canada Pushes Back on the U.S.

    Canada just tested the limits of its closest alliance — and the U.S. responded with pressure. After signaling hesitation on its F-35 fighter jet purchase, Canada was publicly warned that U.S. jets could enter Canadian airspace under existing defense arrangements. Officially, this is about security. Unofficially, it’s about leverage, dependence, and who really controls sovereignty inside modern alliances. What this episode covers In this week’s Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack the story through defense, geopolitics, and industrial policy: Why Canada is rethinking the F-35 deal — and what wasn’t said publicly The hidden risks of defense dependence, from kill switches to supply chains Why Canada is exploring alternatives like Saab — and the promise of domestic jobs How NORAD and shared airspace became a pressure point Why this mirrors U.S. moves on chips, manufacturing, and economic nationalism The uncomfortable question: where does alliance end and coercion begin? Why this matters This isn’t just about fighter jets. It’s about how middle powers protect autonomy when alliances start to feel asymmetric. Canada’s move reflects a broader global shift: countries want security partnerships without total dependence. The U.S. response shows how power is enforced when strategic interests are challenged. The deeper question isn’t whether Canada is right or wrong — it’s whether sovereignty is still possible inside modern defense alliances. 🔗 Connect with Us 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠

    5 min

  5. 4 DAYS AGO · BONUS

    Who Really Controls Africa’s Internet? Big Tech, Satellites, and Data Power

    Big Tech says it’s bringing internet access to Africa.But this isn’t just about connectivity — it’s about who controls the pipes, the data, and the future of the world’s fastest-growing population. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack why Amazon has just joined Starlink, Google, and Meta in the race to wire Africa — and why the stakes go far beyond broadband. Africa remains the least connected region in the world, with less than 40% of the population online. That gap has turned the continent into the most strategic growth market in tech — and the battleground is split between satellite constellations in space and subsea cables under the ocean. Amazon’s new low-earth-orbit satellite license in Nigeria — and how it puts Amazon head-to-head with Starlink Why Google and Meta are betting on massive subsea cable projects instead of satellites Satellite internet vs. undersea cables: speed, scale, cost, and control Why Africa’s population growth makes connectivity a long-term geopolitical prize The sovereignty dilemma: should governments build national internet infrastructure — or outsource it to Big Tech? How “free” connectivity becomes a gateway to data extraction and ad-driven monetization Why weaker data and AI regulations in Africa raise serious long-term risks The bigger question: is access to the internet a human right — and if so, who should provide it? This isn’t a story about altruism or innovation alone.It’s about platform power, data ownership, and who benefits when entire regions come online for the first time. As satellites launch overhead and cables land on African shores, the real question isn’t whether Africa will be connected — it’s who will profit, who will govern the data, and who will set the rules. What this episode cover to Why this matters 🔗 Connect with Us 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠

    7 min

  6. 5 DAYS AGO

    Davos 2026 Wasn’t Optimism — It Was a Power Map (AI, Greenland, and the Middle-Power Reset)

    Davos likes to brand itself as “dialogue.”But Davos 2026 revealed something else: a world where power is fragmenting, tech is rewriting geopolitics in real time, and trust is the scarce resource. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda break down what Davos actually signaled this year — across tech, geopolitics, and ethics — and why the headlines (AI) can’t be separated from the subtext (sovereignty). Why Davos 2026 hit differently: not optimism, but fracture — in alliances, institutions, and narratives AI, AI, AI: how the Davos agenda was dominated by compute, energy, and infrastructure (not just “better models”) The most revealing AI warnings: AI “human-likeness,” job displacement (especially junior roles), and widening inequality Why energy costs may decide the AI race — and why “infrastructure > models” is becoming the real thesis The power shift inside Big Tech: why model-only companies risk getting drowned out (and why hardware players keep winning) Musk at Davos: robotaxis, humanoid factory labor, “robots > people,” and what’s signal vs. hype Europe’s sovereignty push: EU Inc and the growing movement to rely less on U.S. Big Tech Middle powers moving loud: Mark Carney’s Davos moment and the case for a new “middle power playbook” The ethical layer: if innovation isn’t the hard part anymore — deployment is — who is actually equipped to govern AI? The question Davos can’t answer: is it shaping global policy… or just broadcasting elite consensus? Davos wasn’t really about solutions. It rarely is.It was about signals — where leverage is moving, who’s rewriting the rules, and how quickly sovereignty is becoming the organizing principle of 2026. The deeper takeaway: when tech leaders frame AI leadership as national security dominance, it’s not just ideology — it’s a funding strategy, an alliance strategy, and a power strategy. And once those visions leave the Alps and hit the real world, the question isn’t “what was promised?” It’s: who pays the price when the deployment begins? What this episode coversWhy this matters 🔗 Connect with Us 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠

    38 min

  7. 5 DAYS AGO · BONUS

    Apple Lets Google Into Siri — and Platform Power Quietly Shifts

    Apple has spent years branding itself as the privacy-first, closed-ecosystem alternative to Big Tech. That story just changed. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack Apple’s multi-year deal to power the next generation of Siri and Apple Intelligence with Google’s Gemini models and cloud infrastructure — a move that quietly redraws the lines of platform power in AI. This isn’t just about a smarter Siri. It’s about data thresholds, cloud dependency, and what happens when Apple’s “on-device first” promise hits its limits. What we break down Why Apple chose Google’s Gemini instead of building its own foundation models How and when Siri data moves from your device to the cloud — and whose cloud it is The unclear “threshold” that determines when processing leaves your phone What this deal means for Apple’s privacy narrative Why Google now sits underneath nearly every major computing surface How this reshapes competition between Apple, Google, OpenAI, and the broader AI ecosystem Why hardware — not models — may still be Apple’s real long game Why this mattersThis partnership signals a deeper shift: closed platforms bending under the weight of AI compute, and power consolidating around the companies that control models and infrastructure. Apple didn’t lose the AI race — but it may have quietly conceded something more important: independence. If AI is becoming the new operating layer of technology, this deal raises a bigger question:who really controls the platform when intelligence lives in the cloud? 🔗 Connect with Us 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠

    7 min

  8. 6 DAYS AGO · BONUS

    DOGE, Elon Musk, and the Social Security Data Leak No One Can Fully Explain

    DOGE is back in the headlines — again — and this time it’s for something far more serious than cost-cutting or efficiency claims. Recent investigations reveal that operatives tied to DOGE improperly accessed and shared highly sensitive U.S. Social Security data. Hundreds of records may be affected. Who accessed the data, where it was stored, and who now has it remain unclear. What’s most troubling: this acknowledgment only came after months of denials from the Trump administration — and only through a federal court filing. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack how DOGE gained access to some of the most sensitive data the U.S. government holds — and why accountability appears absent. How DOGE accessed Social Security data without clear authorization Why external, unvetted actors allegedly had access The lack of background checks and training requirements for DOGE staff Why this data exposure represents a far greater national security risk than acknowledged The erosion of trust in U.S. institutions — and why transparency keeps shrinking The conversation then widens. The episode explores how data access, power, and profit intersect — particularly when private actors sit at the center of government systems. The discussion touches on Elon Musk, his AI company xAI, and broader surveillance and defense-tech players like Palantir and Oracle. This isn’t just a data breach story. It’s a case study in how private power enters public systems, how sensitive data becomes leverage, and how oversight quietly dissolves. The deeper concern isn’t only what has already leaked — but how much more may have been accessed without the public ever knowing. If this data had ended up in the hands of a foreign government, the response would have been immediate. So why isn’t it now? This episode asks a harder question: who really controls America’s most sensitive data — and who benefits when trust in institutions breaks down? What this episode covers is Why this matters 🔗 Connect with Us 📺 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@RethinkingTech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎧 Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/6NYgOPmYW6Ba2LFn3IBST3⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🍏 Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rethinking-tech/id1795651530⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📸 TikTok: @rethinking_tech💼 LinkedIn: Rethinking Tech Podcast👤 Aparna: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠👤 Harinda: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak/⁠

    7 min
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The news often gives us a narrow, surface-level view of what’s happening in the tech world. We help you go deeper by connecting today’s events to the past, helping you zoom out to see the bigger picture - what’s happening, what’s coming, and how it all impacts you.

Information

  • Creator
    Rethinking Tech
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    95
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Rethinking Tech
  • Show Website
    Rethinking Tech