Stop Trying To Make A.I. Trendy
Slate Debates
Slate Podcasts
4.6 • 3K Ratings
🗓️ 15 October 2025
⏱️ 44 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Candice Lim and Kate Lindsay get into tech’s latest effort to turn A.I. into a status symbol. Anthropic has been pushing “Thinking” caps into the trendy streets of New York. OpenAI has been handing out awards for power users akin to YouTube subscriber plaques. But one of the worst offenders is Friend, a $129 wearable necklace that spent a million dollars to infiltrate subway stations and bus stops. Why are A.I. companies trying so hard to be trendy? And how are people revolting against them? Finally, we have some news.
Get more of ICYMI with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of ICYMI and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the ICYMI show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/icymiplus for access wherever you listen.
This podcast is produced by Vic Whitley-Berry, Daisy Rosario, Candice Lim, and Kate Lindsay.
Need to set up your Slate Plus feed? If you subscribed through Slate.com, check out our FAQ at slate.com/podcastfaqs for easy instructions. Members subscribed via Apple Podcasts get automatic access—no setup required.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Every supermarket has a premium range, but there's only one number one from Waitrose, |
| 0:05.0 | with products like the number one Wagyu Topside seasoned roasting joint, naturally marbled and meltingly tender. |
| 0:12.0 | Or the number one sticky cinnamon bun pudding? |
| 0:15.0 | Buttery, rich and perfectly spiced. |
| 0:17.0 | And the number one smoked silver fox cheddar, 18-month matured, oaky and creamy. |
| 0:23.5 | Food worth getting the fancy plates out for. Waitrose, the home of food lovers. Selected |
| 0:28.8 | stores subject to availability. Sean has had some good ideas over the years, but using Canva |
| 0:36.5 | was a really good one. |
| 0:38.6 | Sean designed some social posts to promote his friend's car boot sale. |
| 0:43.7 | They looked good. |
| 0:45.9 | Really, really good. |
| 0:48.2 | Next thing he knows, someone came and bought the lot, including the car. Now Sean doesn't know how he's going to get home. |
| 0:57.0 | Thanks, Canva. |
| 1:00.0 | Hey, I'm Candace. Hey, I'm Candace Lamb. |
| 1:14.9 | And I'm Kate Lindsay. |
| 1:16.2 | And you're listening to I-C-Y-M-I. |
| 1:18.2 | In case you missed it. |
| 1:20.0 | Slate's podcast about internet culture. |
| 1:22.9 | And Candice, count yourself lucky that you are a Los Angeles. Is that what they say? Do they say that? |
| 1:31.2 | Yeah, sure. Los Angelinos. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Because there is a cursed object that has descended on the streets of New York City. |
| 1:40.9 | Okay, is it a Waymo car? Is it one of those boxy robots that deliver your food? |
| 1:46.6 | Not yet, but I've heard Waymo's are coming. And my God, good luck to them. All the luck in the world. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Slate Podcasts, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Slate Podcasts and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.