What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future
What Next: TBD, produced by Slate Podcasts and hosted by Lizzie O'Leary, is a weekly show on technology, power and the future, covering AI, algorithms, platforms and the tech industry. It has 697 episodes and publishes weekly on Fridays, with a median episode length near 28 minutes. Estimated downloads per episode are 20,000 to 50,000 (estimated), with a rate of about $360 to $1,250 per episode. Its Apple Podcasts rating average is 4.4 from 234 ratings.
A weekly tech-power show with a 4.4 Apple rating and a Slate news audience
- Hosted by Lizzie O'Leary, with 697 episodes and a steady weekly Friday release since 2017.
- Episodes run about 28 minutes, long enough for a host-read mid-roll with room for a clear message.
- Topics like AI, data and platform power suit tech, security, fintech and productivity brands.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- interview, solo monologue, narrative
- Tone
- analytical, conversational
- Language
- English
- Production
- Studio production
- Typical length
- 25 to 40 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- Slate PodcastsAcast
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- No
No sponsor mentions found in the feed; the feed names Acast as hosting platform and the Acast privacy page is linked, but no ad or sponsor copy appears in the last 20 episode titles or description.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Family friendly
Episode titles cover politics and the midterms ("Can the Midterms Withstand Prediction Markets?", "Trump's Only Friend") and AI risk, but no explicit flag is set and no adult or violent content appears.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | slate.com/podcasts/what-next-tbd |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1302281912 |
| RSS feed | feeds.acast.com/public/shows/69612d9223ce58f1461… |
Benchmark score: 85 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| How Hormones Took Over Your Feed | 2026-10-16 | 25 min |
| The Making of Elon Musk | 2026-10-09 | 39 min |
| ChatGPT Doesn't Love You | 2026-10-02 | 31 min |
| Is the A.I. Race Real? | 2026-09-25 | 28 min |
| But HOW Might A.I. Kill Us All? | 2026-09-18 | 30 min |
| A.I-pocalypse Now? | 2026-09-11 | 28 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 3 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.
Every Friday, Slate’s popular daily news podcast What Next brings you TBD, a clear-eyed look into the future. From fake news to fake meat, algorithms to augmented reality, Lizzie O’Leary is your guide to the tech industry and the world it’s creating for us to live in. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future
What Next: TBD is a weekly podcast from Slate Podcasts, hosted by Lizzie O'Leary, that looks at technology, power and the future. The feed describes it as a clear-eyed guide to the tech industry, covering topics such as AI, algorithms, fake news and augmented reality. The show has 697 episodes, releases on Fridays and has a median episode length of about 28 minutes, according to the feed and metrics.
The show holds a 4.4 average rating from 234 ratings on Apple Podcasts. Listeners are estimated, not measured, and the estimate is roughly 20,000 to 50,000 downloads per episode, mostly from the United States. The feed shows no sponsor mentions in recent episodes, so the show appears to run ad-free on the surface.
Brands in software, cybersecurity, fintech and business services are the most natural fit. A host-read mid-roll at estimated audience levels would be priced at roughly $360 to $1,250 per episode, based on the Starbooked rate rule.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future
How much does What Next: TBD charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Starbooked estimates a host-read mid-roll at about $360 to $1,250 per episode, based on an estimated 20,000 to 50,000 downloads at $18 to $25 per 1,000. Actual pricing is set by the show.
What is What Next: TBD about?
What Next: TBD is a weekly Slate podcast hosted by Lizzie O'Leary that covers technology, AI, algorithms and the power of the tech industry, with episodes around 28 minutes.
How do I contact What Next: TBD about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80, and boosted shows can be booked through Starbooked.
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