Shane Smith Has Questions

Shane Smith Has Questions is a dynamic, apolitical podcast hosted by Shane Smith dedicated to getting to the bottom of prominent instances of misinformation and disinformation while revealing the fascinating fundamental truths (if there are any?) of the most interesting and convoluted social and political issues of our time. For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com    We want to make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4   Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy   

  1. 6d ago

    The AI Dilemma: War, Jobs, Power & Humanity | w/ Aza Raskin

    What happens when artificial intelligence becomes more powerful than the institutions meant to govern it?Shane Smith sits down with Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, creator of Infinite Scroll, and one of the leading voices on AI ethics, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of AI, warfare, work, politics, and humanity itself. This conversation is a starting point, not a conclusion. Explore additional perspectives, research, and open questions about the future of AI in our Adobe Acrobat PDF Space: https://adobe.ly/SSHQFresh off a trip with the U.S. Army, Shane shares what he saw: autonomous vehicles, AI-enabled systems, and drones that felt like the beginning of a new era of warfare. Together, he and Aza explore the biggest questions facing society as AI rapidly advances. They discuss: Autonomous weapons and the future of war Why AI has become a global arms race The race between the U.S. and China Whether governments understand what's coming AI's impact on jobs and the economy Social media, Infinite Scroll, and digital addiction The future of regulation and governance Earth Species Project and using AI to understand animal communication Dark matter, intelligence, and human perception Is AI humanity's greatest tool—or our greatest challenge? Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to http://www.quo.com/shane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 18m
  2. May 28

    Autonomous Warfare Has Arrived | African Lion 2026 Exclusive with Gen. Anderson & Lt. Gasparri

    How is AI changing modern warfare? And are we already entering the age of autonomous war? Shane Smith and VICE News travel to Morocco for African Lion 2026 — one of the largest military exercises in the world — to get an inside look at the technologies rapidly transforming the battlefield. From AI-assisted targeting systems and autonomous combat vehicles to suicide drones, robotics, quantum computing, and next-generation military communications, Shane embeds with U.S. AFRICOM and the young soldiers building the future of warfare in real time. In this episode of Shane Smith Has Questions, Shane speaks with General Davin R.M. Anderson, Commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and 1st Lt. Vincent Gasparri, Innovation Team Lead 173rd Airborne Brigade, who leads a new generation of military innovators developing drone systems inspired by lessons from Ukraine, Iran, and modern asymmetric warfare. The conversations explore: AI on the battlefield Autonomous weapons systems Drone warfare and counter-drone tech Robotics and future combat Quantum computing and encryption The ethics of AI warfare Terror threats in Africa How Ukraine changed military strategy The future of the U.S. military As wars become increasingly automated, Shane asks the question everyone is thinking: Are we prepared for a future where AI helps run wars? Subscribe to VICE News here: ⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News⁠⁠⁠ Check out VICE News for more: ⁠⁠⁠http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    54 min
  3. May 21

    Iran Speaks Out: Inside Tehran’s Response to Trump, Israel & War | Shane Smith Has Questions

    As tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran continue to escalate, Shane Smith travels to Tehran for a rare interview with Esmail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry.Esmail Baghaei has been in the news today, confirming that Iran is examining the U.S. response to Iran’s latest peace proposal, delivered through Pakistan. As a potential deal to end hostilities hangs in the balance, we gave the Iranian government representative the opportunity to respond directly to accusations about its nuclear program, President Trump’s claims that Iran is “begging” for a deal, the Strait of Hormuz crisis, sanctions, regional escalation, and the growing fear of a wider war in the Middle East.The spokesperson argues that Iran has been unfairly targeted by the U.S. and Israel for decades, blames the U.S. and Israel for escalating the conflict, and warns that continued military pressure could destabilize the entire region. Shane pushes back throughout the interview, asking why Iran continues pursuing nuclear energy despite mounting international pressure, whether peace is realistically possible, and what the Iranian government believes Americans fundamentally misunderstand about Iran.Topics include: Iran’s response to Trump and U.S. military pressure Israel’s role in the conflict The Strait of Hormuz and global energy fears Nuclear weapons accusations Sanctions and frozen Iranian assets Regional escalation and Gulf states The collapse of diplomacy after the JCPOA Why Iran says it does not want war Recorded in Tehran. Subscribe to VICE News here: ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News⁠⁠ Check out VICE News for more: ⁠⁠http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    25 min
  4. May 7

    Don’t Let Iran Become Another Afghanistan w/ Former Inspector General John Sopko

    What happens when America never learns the lessons of its longest wars? Former Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko joins Shane Smith for a brutally honest conversation about Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Ukraine, corruption, contractors, the military-industrial complex, and the trillion-dollar cycle of endless war. After overseeing more than 700 investigations into waste, fraud, and abuse during the 20-year war in Afghanistan, Sopko explains how America spent trillions, empowered corruption, radicalized populations, and repeated the same mistakes over and over again — while contractors, bureaucracies, and political interests kept the machine running. The conversation dives into: The real legacy of Afghanistan Why “nation building” failed How war spending fuels the contractor economy Why Iran could become another endless conflict The “Iron Triangle” between Congress, the Pentagon, and defense contractors Ukraine, Gaza, AI warfare, and drones Why America struggles to stop wars once they begin The dangerous consequences of weak oversight and bad advisors Sopko also warns that future wars will look nothing like Iraq or Afghanistan — and says the U.S. government is dangerously unprepared for the realities of drone warfare and artificial intelligence. This is one of the clearest insider accounts yet of how modern wars actually work — and who benefits from them. Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

    1h 1m

Shows with Subscription Benefits

STUDIO71 PREMIUM

Listen Ad-Free and Get Early Access to Episodes!

$2.99/mo or $19.99/yr after trial

4.6
out of 5
95 Ratings

About

Shane Smith Has Questions is a dynamic, apolitical podcast hosted by Shane Smith dedicated to getting to the bottom of prominent instances of misinformation and disinformation while revealing the fascinating fundamental truths (if there are any?) of the most interesting and convoluted social and political issues of our time. For advertising opportunities please email PodcastPartnerships@Studio71us.com    We want to make the podcast even better, help us learn how we can: https://bit.ly/2EcYbu4   Privacy Policy: https://www.studio71.com/terms-and-conditions-use/#Privacy%20Policy   

More From Studio71

You Might Also Like