A small Chinese tech company called Deepseek has upended the world of AI.  Deepseek recently released a large language model that rivals ChatGP called R1 and it shot almost immediately to #1 on the app charts. 

The interesting thing about it is that the company built their model really cheap and that has called into question this narrative that you need an endless supply of chips and data centres and money to develop AI.

On today’s show we’re speaking to WIRED’s senior tech writer Zeyi Yang about the deepening AI cold war between the US and China and the lingering questions about where AI is headed and what it’s good for?

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

On his first night back in the Oval Office, US President Donald Trump signed a series of sweeping executive orders that effectively dismantle federal diversity, equity and inclusion programs, and revoke a landmark Civil Rights-era anti-discrimination rule.

This comes as major American companies, from McDonald’s to Walmart to Meta, have been rolling back their own diversity policies, which have recently faced growing legal and cultural backlash.

Does this spell the end of DEI? And what could that mean, in the US and beyond?

Today Washington Post business reporter Julian Mark joins us to break it all down.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Liberal leadership candidate Karina Gould was elected as the member of Parliament for Burlington in 2015 at the age of 28, but it didn't take long before she ended up in cabinet. In fact she was the youngest ever woman named to cabinet and the first ever active minister to take maternity leave.

Gould has played a number of roles for the Liberal's during their decade in government… including Minister of Democratic Institutions, Minister for International Development, followed by Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, all before becoming the Government House leader.

Today, Gould makes her case why should lead the Liberal party, and if she wins, fight the next election.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

The Liberal leadership race really got underway this week. Mark Carney wracked up endorsements from current cabinet ministers, while Chrystia Freeland pitched herself as running against the "Ottawa establishment".

Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling an early election on Wednesday in hopes of shoring up another strong mandate, and capitalize on his visibility during the tariff fight.

Vandana Kattar is a former advisor to Justin Trudeau, and a political strategist. Dennis Matthews is the President of the a national advertising agency Creative Currency, a conservative strategist and former advertising director for Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Mélanie Richer is Principal at Earnscliffe Strategies and former Director of Communications for the NDP and Jagmeet Singh. They join host Jayme Poisson to talk about it all.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Kaitlyn Braun, a pregnant young woman in crisis, takes dozens of birth workers through an escalating series of disasters – rape, baby loss, and even a coma. One by one, the doulas struggle to support her and grieve with her, and even save her life as they’re led down a distressing path. And then the truth comes out.

In this six-part true crime series, Sarah Treleaven untangles a complex web of lies and deception to ask who Kaitlyn really is and why she did the things that she did. Cases like these puzzle legal experts and raise intricate moral and ethical questions. This is not your average con. Kaitlyn is not your usual scammer.

Kaitlyn's Baby is Season 2 of The Con — a podcast exposing the art of deception — from CBC and the BBC World Service. Season 1 - the critically acclaimed catfishing quest, Love, Janessa, launched in January 2023.

Content warning: The latest season of The Con contains references to medical emergencies, including baby loss. We also deal with sexual assault and there is some strong language.

More episodes are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/UrgPYM

On Monday night, tech billionaire Elon Musk spoke at President Trump's inauguration rally in Washington. In the middle of that speech, he slammed his right hand onto the left side of his chest and thrust it out into the air in a straight line. Then he turned around, and made the gesture again.

The backlash was immediate, with many people accusing Musk of making a Nazi salute. 

But the Anti-Defamation League, an organization founded to combat anti-semitism disagreed, and came to Musk's defence, calling it "an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute" on X. Its defence of Musk would have been nearly unthinkable even a year and a half ago, when Musk threatened to sue the group for defamation. 

Mari Cohen has been covering this evolving relationship between Musk and the ADL for Jewish Currents. She spoke to host Jayme Poisson about that, and how it fits into ongoing criticisms the organization is facing.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

There’s been a ton of buzz around Mark Carney throwing his hat into the Liberal leadership race. Many Liberals see Carney — the former head of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, and a former advisor to the Trudeau government — as the best hope of reversing their party’s dire fortunes. 

This is Carney’s first foray into party politics. So what do we know about his track record and his beliefs? Is he really, as he claims, an “outsider?” 

And, in a time of rising populism on the right and left — when many believe big, global financial institutions have made their lives worse — can a man like Carney meet the moment?

Today, a documentary looking at Carney’s life, work, and views.

Speaking from a cabinet retreat Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the case for why the Trump administration should divert from the trade war collision course they’re currently on. His comments come just a day after Donald Trump was inaugurated as US president and mused about slapping 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports starting Feb. 1st.

The Prime Minister went on to say that while the country will continue to negotiate - there are also preparations to fight back including considering dollar for dollar tariffs on American products coming into Canada.

Today we are talking to Canadian economist Jim Stanford about the carrot and stick arguments Canadian officials are making to Americans. Stanford is director of the Centre for Future Work and recently published a report asking the question “Who’s Subsidizing Whom?” when it comes to the Canada-U.S. trade relationship.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Yesterday, Donald Trump was sworn in for the second time as President of the United States.

In his inaugural address and as he signed executive orders throughout the day, Trump made his priorities for his first days in office clear. He declared an emergency at the southern border, made it the official policy of the United States that "there are only two genders", said America was "taking back" the Panama Canal and much, much more.

Many of these moves are things that Trump has promised or threatened to do on "day one". Which is why on the eve of inauguration day we spoke to Tolu Olorunnipa, the Washington Bureau Chief with the Washington Post and co-author of the Pulitzer Prize winning book 'His Name is George Floyd' about what to expect in the coming days of the second Trump Presidency.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

For weeks, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has been talking about making Canada the 51st state. He’s even said that he’d look to use economic force to ‘get rid’ of the border between the two countries.

Canadian businessman Kevin O’Leary has been pushing the potential benefits of an ‘economic union’ with the U.S. He explained his case in a feature interview with host Jayme Poisson on Sunday.

For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

On Drugs looks through the lenses of history, pop culture and personal experience to understand how drugs have shaped our world. Because even if it’s just caffeine or ibuprofen, there’s a good chance you’re on drugs right now. More episodes of On Drugs are available at: https://link.mgln.ai/aRCxzV