A star is born | Elon's Spies Ep4
12 November 2024 - 29 minsWhen Donald Trump declared victory in the US presidential election, he told an adoring crowd that "a star is born". He was referring to Elon Musk.
After months of reporting on the billionaire's use of private investigators, Alexi asks whether the insights he gained from that investigation reveal how Musk will operate in his new political era, and what that means for everything in his orbit.
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Series Episodes
Introducing... Spiral - Video Trailer
When The Observer’s Technology Editor, Patricia Clarke began investigating a new phenomenon initially dubbed ‘AI psychosis’, she found lives upended by long, intimate conversations with chatbots. But as she followed the evidence from a psychiatric ward in Bristol to the safety teams in Silicon Valley, a far darker story emerged. Guided by AI industry whistleblowers, grieving families and hundreds of pages of chatbot transcripts, Spiral exposes how big tech is running an unprecedented experiment on the human mind. Spiral is a six-part series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer, produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network. Reported by Patricia Clarke Produced by Katie Gunning Sound design by Hannah Varrall Development production by Jess Swinburne and Owen Thomas Artwork by Jon Hill and Michelle Thompson Narrative editor is Gary Marshall The executive producers are Jasper Corbett and Basia Cummings Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2 mins
27 October Finished
The dials of belief | Spiral Ep 1
Jim asks an AI chatbot a simple question about how to earn some extra cash. He ends up in a psychiatric ward. Patricia Clarke investigates how design choices made by AI labs can lead to human delusions. Reported by Patricia Clarke Produced by Katie Gunning Sound design by Hannah Varrall Development production by Jess Swinburne and Owen Thomas Artwork by Jon Hill and Michelle Thompson Narrative editor is Gary Marshall Executive producers are Jasper Corbett and Basia Cummings Spiral is a 4 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer. To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer. Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
42 mins
27 October Finished
Introducing... Spiral
When The Observer’s Technology Editor, Patricia Clarke began investigating a new phenomenon initially dubbed ‘AI psychosis’, she found lives upended by long, intimate conversations with chatbots. But as she followed the evidence from a psychiatric ward in Bristol to the safety teams in Silicon Valley, a far darker story emerged. Guided by AI industry whistleblowers, grieving families and hundreds of pages of chatbot transcripts, Spiral exposes how big tech is running an unprecedented experiment on the human mind. Spiral is a six-part series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer, produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network. Reported by Patricia Clarke Produced by Katie Gunning Sound design by Hannah Varrall Development production by Jess Swinburne and Owen Thomas Artwork by Jon Hill and Michelle Thompson Narrative editor is Gary Marshall The executive producers are Jasper Corbett and Basia Cummings Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 mins
22 October Finished
A One Way Mirror | Careless Ep 4
explicitAnother batch reveals childhood records dating back to when she was just three years old. Nkechi talks to the Children's Commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, and receives a long letter from Camden Council. Reported by Ashley John-Baptiste and Madeleine Parr Produced and written by Madeleine Parr Sound design by Simon Panayi Artwork by Jon Hill The editor is Jasper Corbett Careless is a 4 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer. To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer. Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
33 mins
20 October Finished
Live event | Careless
To culminate Careless, a new investigative series from The Observer, we invite you to join actor Nkechi Simms, broadcaster and Careless reporter Ashley John-Baptiste, and Observer producer Madeleine Parr for a special online event. Together, they’ll take you behind the scenes of the investigation, explore why so many care leavers are being denied access to their own histories, and answer your burning questions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
19 October Finished
You Can’t Unknow | Careless Ep 3
explicitAfter months of bureaucratic delays, Nkechi finally sits down with her care files. But is it always better to know? Ashley asks Baroness Lola Young, who grew up in care, about the impact of reading her care records. A social worker reveals the reality of how records are written. Reported by Ashley John-Baptiste and Madeleine Parr Produced and written by Madeleine Parr Sound design by Simon Panayi Artwork by Jon Hill The editor is Jasper Corbett Careless is a 4 part original series from Tortoise Investigates and The Observer. To binge listen to all episodes today, ad-free, subscribe to The Observer. Or subscribe to Observer+ on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to all our podcasts, including this one, without any ads. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
44 mins
13 October Finished
