On this episode of The Zach Show, Andrew Iliadis explains how companies like Palantir, Anduril, and SpaceX are reshaping warfare, surveillance, and state power by building autonomous defense technologies faster than governments can regulate them. He traces the roots of this shift to post-9/11 defense expansion, cloud computing, and Silicon Valley’s deep ties to military funding. By analyzing Palantir’s patents and products, Iliadis argues these firms don’t just analyze data, they define reality through “ontology,” shaping who is watched, predicted, detained, or targeted. When prediction becomes policy and private tech sets the agenda, democratic oversight struggles to keep up. Guest bio: Andrew Iliadis is an Associate Professor of Media Studies and Production at Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication. His research examines how data science, AI, and digital infrastructure are reshaping media, governance, and power, with a focus on surveillance, automated decision-making, and national defense. He is the author of Semantic Media and the forthcoming Autonomous Defense (UC Press, 2026), and serves on multiple editorial boards. Subscribe to The Zach Show 2.0 to gain early access to all future episodes, exclusive AMAs, the ability to suggest guest questions, bonus content, and more: https://thezachshow.supercast.com/ Clarification: As noted by Andrew, Intel and Fairchild Semiconductor were founded after World War II and emerged from a Silicon Valley ecosystem shaped by WWII-era defense research and military contracting (e.g., Fairchild Camera, HP, Varian, and Stanford’s wartime mobilization). ANDREW ILIADIS LINKS: Website: https://andrewiliadis.com/ CV: https://andrewiliadis.com/cv/ Publications: https://andrewiliadis.com/publications/ Autonomous Defense (Book) Coming Soon on UC Press: https://bit.ly/4t37uEa THE ZACH SHOW LINKS: The Zach Show 2.0: https://thezachshow.supercast.com/ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3zaS6sP YouTube: https://bit.ly/3lTpJdj Website: https://www.auxoro.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/auxoro TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thezachshowpod If you’re not ready to subscribe to The Zach Show 2.0, rating the show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts is free and massively helpful. It boosts visibility, helps new listeners discover the show, and keeps this chaos alive. Thank you: Rate The Zach Show on Spotify: https://bit.ly/43ZLrAt Rate The Zach Show on Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/458nbha
