Vox

The AI election | America, Actually - September 26, 2026 - Vox
A recent New York Times/Siena poll found that less than 1 percent of voters view artificial intelligence as a top priority this election cycle. But is that really the case? Will Lawrence, a progressive congressional candidate in Michigan, is betting his campaign on the opposite. The co-founder of the environmental group Sunrise Movement has pivoted from climate and housing activism to taking on Big Tech.
Vox’s Astead Herndon talks with Lawrence about how AI fits into the wider progressive movement, and whether panic over the rapidly advancing technology represents something deeper about who will ultimately control the future of the US economy.
00:00 Why AI panic is spreading
02:41 From activist to congressional candidate
04:47 Why AI became a campaign issue
05:53 The backlash against data centers
07:42 Should America hit pause on AI?
09:05 Is AI a bubble or a revolution?
10:13 The fight over AI surveillance
11:52 What happens if AI replaces jobs?
15:35 How the Progressive Movement changed
19:50 Why Trump won Michigan
20:29 Lawrence responds to controversial remarks
23:07 Can AI become a bipartisan issue?
23:49 Is AI really the crisis of our time?
26:16 Takeaways
America, Actually publishes video episodes every Saturday tackling key issues in politics, culture, and the economy. Subscribe to Vox’s YouTube channel to get them. Listen to episodes of America, Actually on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app.
If you enjoy our reporting and want to learn more, sign up for Astead’s weekly newsletter, Midterms, Actually. Just go to www.vox.com/midtermsactually to learn more, and get in-depth analysis about this year’s election right to your inbox.
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The AI double squeeze: job loss and predatory debt | The Gray Area - September 25, 2026 - Vox
Inside the financial double squeeze of AI job loss.
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In today's episode, Vox senior reporter and producer Miles Bryan talks with writer Daniel Kolitz about his piece for The Baffler, "Paid Phones." Kolitz explains what it felt like to be among the first wave of workers displaced by generative AI. The two of them talked about how fintech payday loan apps use hidden fees and subscriptions to profit off of desperate borrowers, and how an online community on Reddit is organizing a quiet resistance against predatory lenders.
00:00 Intro
04:17 The golden age of SEO ghostwriting
09:39 The arrival of ChatGPT and job displacement
15:16 Entering the world of “friendly” cash advance apps
24:37 The Reddit ACH revocation community
31:59 The economic outlook of AI job loss
36:24 Climbing out of debt
Guest Host: Miles Bryan, Vox Senior Producer and Reporter
Guest: Daniel Kolitz, author of Paid Phones
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What the media gets wrong about Israel | America, Actually - September 21, 2026 - Vox
Mehdi Hasan says his MSNBC show being canceled was the greatest thing that could have happened to him. As the founder of Zeteo, he argues that independent journalism gives him the freedom to speak plainly about topics traditional newsrooms struggle to cover, and that the media’s approach to Israel and Gaza has damaged its credibility with audiences.
In this episode of America, Actually, Vox’s Astead Herndon talks with Hasan about public trust in the news, how journalists respond to President Donald Trump’s attacks on the press, and the relationship between independent media and rising progressive candidates. They also discuss why Israel has become more than a foreign policy issue for some voters, and what those tensions mean for the Democratic Party.
America, Actually publishes video episodes every Saturday tackling key issues in politics, culture, and the economy. Subscribe to Vox’s YouTube channel to get them. Listen to episodes of America, Actually on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app.
If you enjoy our reporting and want to learn more, sign up for Astead’s weekly newsletter, Midterms, Actually. Just go to www.vox.com/midtermsactually to learn more, and get in-depth analysis about this year’s election right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our channel! http://goo.gl/0bsAjO
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
Watch our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on Facebook: http://goo.gl/U2g06o
Or Twitter: http://goo.gl/XFrZ5H