Tools and Weapons, hosted by Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith, features conversations with leaders in government, business, and culture that explore the world’s most critical challenges at the intersection of technology and society. This episode’s guest is Father Paolo Benanti, a Franciscan monk who is also a technology and bioethics professor and advisor to Pope Francis on the ethics of artificial intelligence. He and Brad discuss the Rome Call for AI Ethics, which has brought together faith leaders and tech companies around the mission of putting people at the center of AI development.

Listen to Tools and Weapons at https://news.microsoft.com/tools-and-weapons-podcast/

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We’re shaking things up today and sharing a preview from Hot Money, a new podcast from our friends at Pushkin Industries and the Financial Times. When Financial Times reporter Patricia Nilsson started digging into the porn industry, she made a shocking discovery: Nobody knew who controlled the biggest porn company in the world. Now, Nilsson and her editor, Alex Barker, have figured out who the guy was, and much more. Their reporting reveals

a shadowy power structure that includes billionaires, tech geniuses and the most powerful finance companies in the world. In the preview you’re about to hear, you’ll meet Stoya, a porn star who sends Alex and Patricia on a quest: Find out who is in charge, and get to the bottom of how the business of porn really works.

You can hear more from Hot Money at https://podcasts.pushkin.fm/hotmoney

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With the continually rapid evolution of the technology around us and the advent of computers and smartphones, it would appear that the future is upon us. But is that necessarily a good thing? This week, Jordan and Joshua speak with writer and tech journalist Alexandra Samuel to discuss how our new reality was merely science fiction just a few years ago, and sometimes quite literally! Alexandra explains how Sci-Fi writers have actually predicted technology trends and have even shaped a lot of the tech we use today. She also explains how, much like everything else, a lot of how technology is used tends to benefit those who are already privileged, while leaving the underprivileged in the past. Not to mention that after a certain point, A.I. technology can become self-sufficient which could mean the end of humanity as we know it. So can science fiction continue to give us a window into a beautiful future, or have we progressed so much that we've already doomed ourselves?

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Nintendo is a household name, but how is that possible for a video game company that's over 100 years old? This week, Joshua and Jordan discuss the enduring legacy of Nintendo, a video game company that has found appeal across all levels of gamers, from casual to the most die-hard. Nintendo was started in 1889 as a playing card company, but they're mostly known for Mario's birthplace and consistently creating innovative games and gameplay. Listen as Jordan and Joshua explore their personal connections with their favorite Nintendo consoles and handheld devices, how this Japanese company infiltrated the American market, how they created a multitude of iconic characters, and how they recently created a phenomenon with Switch and Animal Crossing (and developed a digital black market). So whether you're a Nintendo fan or wondering why we're still talking about them, you'll want to check this one out!

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What if you were offered the chance to speak with a lost loved one? New technology, namely the app Replika, is offering the chance to upload someone's data to recreate them in the digital form. Joshua and Jordan chat with journalist with Protocol, Mike Murphy, who has written extensively about the subject of recreating the digital self using data. Replika came into the public eye when founder Eugenia Kuyda shared the story of her friend Roman Mazurenko who passed away. Eugenia uploaded Roman's thousands of texts to the Replika software to create a chatbot that converses like Roman. Eugengia believes that this technology could help keep the spirit alive of someone who has died. Conversely, Jordan and Joshua also speak with Professor at Keene State College, Amber Davisson, who warns of how this burgeoning technology could be exploited for the vast amount of user-submitted data it requires. So is this the modern answer to grieving or is this yet another dangerous step towards perfecting deep fakes and having it fall into the wrong hands?

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Ratatouille: The Musical started as a meme, then a viral TikTok video until ultimately becoming a hit Broadway musical that Disney approved. How is that possible, especially during a pandemic? This week, Jordan and Joshua talk to a few of the key players in turning a short internet video into a full-scale production. Jordan and Joshua speak with Michael Breslin and Patrick Foley, the writers of Ratatouille: The Musical (or Ratatousical if you'd like) to explain the incredible journey that this musical has undertaken. They also speak with Greg Nobile, CEO of Seaview Productions, who explains how he was able to get in contact with Disney representatives to secure their blessing for the once-unauthorized musical version of their hit Pixar film. And finally, the hosts chat with Daniel Mertzlufft who fell into the role of composer for the musical and how this experience has changed his life forever. Beyond breaking through its internet fame, Ratatouille: The Musical also raised over $2 million for The Actors Fund, a charitable organization aiming to help struggling film and theater actors, most notably during this pandemic that has shut down most if not all film and theatrical productions across the country.

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Gamestop, Robinhood, Hedge funds, Reddit; there's a good chance you've been hearing these terms being thrown around, but what exactly is going on? This week, Jordan and Joshua break down the timeline events of that made Gamestop stock soar and make redditors millionaires overnight. Journalist and writer for VICE MOTHERBOARD Matthew Gault simplifies how the stock market works, what "shorting" is, the major conflicted interest with Robinhood's involvement, and how savvy redditors banded together and created this frenzy. Fellow MOTHERBOARD writer and GME investor Jason Koebler, who wrote his own explainer of the entire situation, discusses why Robinhood appealed to young investors, including the subreddit r/wallstreetbets that lead to Gamestop stock to soar, which in turn angered hedge funds who shorted the stock. Plus, Jason discusses how this seemingly David vs. Goliath story has a darker side when looking at the toxicity of wallstreetbets and what the future holds for this brave new stock market that might not fully represent the valuation of companies and the economy at large.

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Will we eventually reach a point in technology where realistic sex dolls can become suitable companions? This week, Joshua and Jordan speak with Erin Griffith, an investigative journalist who came face-to-face with Henry, a sex bot from RealBotix that could be a glimpse into the future of human companionship. RealBotix, founded by Matt McMullen, is working on creating the perfect realistic humanoid that McMullen claims is not just about sex. Once fully completed, Henry should be able to have in-depth conversations with his human counterpart, assuming that person can afford the hefty $12,000 price tag. But the hyper-sexualized dolls littering the RealBotix warehouse, and the fact that most of the people in the company are male, indicates there's still an issue with inclusion. So could sex bots like Henry be the cure for loneliness in the future, especially for women who are often forgotten in this field, or will our real-world biases and a male-dominated tech industry create the same issues that plague us today?

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You may not realize it, but that smartphone in your pocket has influenced how you and much of the world speaks to each other. This week, Jordan and Joshua speak with two linguists to discuss how internet culture and even the act of texting has completely morphed the way the world communicates with each other. First, linguist David Crystal discusses how language has always evolved and changed, but the rapid-fire evolution of communication technology has thrown that change into hyperdrive. Plus, linguist Gretchen McCulloch explains more specifically how internet lingo has created a new form of language, merging written and spoken language, which is creating a generational gap, even between people born within a few years of each other. Whether you like it or not, the way you speak has been influenced by the technology around us. The question is, is this just a natural progression that has happened since the beginning of spoken language, or a sign of the decay of our society?

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If you missed out on your chance to purchase a PS5 or Xbox Series X, you are not alone. In fact, you might find it a lot harder to find any hot ticket item this holiday season, and potentially every major shopping event in the future, all thanks to bots. Jordan and Joshua explore the world of online shopping bots, programs that cut the line of any major sale to purchase highly anticipated products, such as gaming consoles, major and small appliances and sneakers, with the sole purpose of profit. They speak with VICE writer Patrick Klepek whose article shone light on these insidious tools being used to snag all the stock of your favorite items. This new form of online shopping is giving the unfair advantage to those who use these programs, and take items out of the hands of brick-and-mortar shoppers. So are these bots cheating or is it all fair in the world of capitalism?

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The FBI estimates that as many as 40% of homicides go unsolved, with no national database to keep track. But what if an algorithm could help identify trends and even potentially bring the number of unsolved murders down? This week, Joshua and Jordan delve into the Murder Accountability Project, a nonprofit group dedicated to mapping unsolved homicides in the United States. They speak with one of the founders of the M.A.P., Thomas Hargrove, who was able to create an algorithm that mapped clusters of murders in various areas around the U.S. His work was even able to identify a previously-unknown serial killer in Gary, Indiana, and could help solve more unsolved cases in the future. Thomas's work has revealed startling issues in how police across the country fail to keep track of unsolved murders when this data is crucial in understanding crime, and even helping prevent it, as well as how murders that remain unsolved disproportionately affects women and people of color.

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