The Vergecast

Everyone in AI is talking about open-weight models right now. Some see them as the ticket to faster, more efficient development; others see them as an economic threat; they're either a security risk or the only security solution, depending who you ask. The Verge's Robert Hart explains how open-weight models work, why they're suddenly at the center of discussions about AI safety, and whether the only way to stop a bad guy with AI is a good guy with AI.

Further reading:

The next Xbox could play every Xbox game ever made

Microsoft is bringing Xbox 360 games to PC

Apple briefly yanked Telegram from the App Store over CSAM violations

These trackable batteries could help you locate a missing camera

OpenAI’s rogue AI agent didn’t stop at hacking Hugging Face

We’re running out of reasons to ignore AI safety

Anthropic says Claude accidentally hacked real companies too

China’s Alibaba takes another swipe at America’s AI supremacy

OpenAI’s biggest threat may just be open AI

Nvidia, Microsoft launch open AI security alliance — without OpenAI, Google, or Anthropic

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For the last few years, the trend in wearables has been all about screens. As many of them as possible. But now, companies like Whoop, Fitbit, and Garmin are creating new products that ditch the display entirely. The Verge's Victoria Song explains why no-screen is the new flex, why even the most quantified athletes might not want a display on their wrist, and whether Whoop and the Whoop Dupes are a sign of a broader trend

Further reading:

Spider-Man and The Odyssey are splitting up IMAX screens after a record-breaking weekend)

Truth Social’s priority access subscription goes live and raises corruption concerns. | The Verge

Google’s Pixel 11 specs and price leak showing the impact of RAMageddon | The Verge

Lenovo Googlebook leaks reveal a laptop and 2-in-1 tablet | The Verge

The Fitbit Air takes a smarter approach to the AI health dumpster fire

Garmin’s new screen-free fitness tracker doesn’t require a subscription

Whoop wants everyone to give a whoop about the new Whoop 5.0

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It's a big week for new ideas about computers, so David and Nilay spend some time on Samsung's vision for foldables and Mark Zuckerberg's vision for AI agents that do absolutely everything. Then they talk about the fallout from last week's OpenAI Hugging Face hack, and whether all this talk about AI safety will actually amount to anything. Finally, it's time for Brendan Carr is a Dummy, the vertical video takeover, and the smashing success of the Ferrari Luce.

Further reading:

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 feels like the future

Apple launches ‘Upgrade’ program to lease new devices

What’s the catch with the Apple Upgrade program?

Mark Zuckerberg is planning a big push into personal AI agents

Mark Zuckerberg wrote an op-ed about AI for the WSJ.

We’re running out of reasons to ignore AI safety

OpenAI reportedly didn’t notice its AI agent hacking Hugging Face until a week later.

Nvidia, Microsoft launch open AI security alliance — without OpenAI, Google, or Anthropic

OpenAI’s rogue AI agent didn’t stop at hacking Hugging Face

AI leaders sign a statement asking the government to do something about automated AI

Former FCC chairs blast Carr’s early renewal of ABC licenses as an ‘assault on free speech.’

ABC demands FCC drop its ‘punitive’ early license renewal of its stations

Qualcomm is raising phone chip prices starting September 1st

The Ferrari Luce reportedly already hit its 2026 sales target

Samsung’s smartphone biz posts first ever loss, but profit still soars 1,300 percent on RAM.

Facebook considers giving up and becoming TikTok

YouTube Premium will include Peacock starting next year

HBO Max is putting on vertical shorts

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.

We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.

(Timestamps are approximate.)

00:00:00 Intro

00:03:00 Baby Announcement

00:06:00 Galaxy Z Fold

00:12:00 Apple Leasing Program

00:15:00 Kill Switch Concerns

00:19:00 Zuck Agent Future

00:34:00 AI Safety Week Recap

00:42:00 Regulation Versus China

00:49:00 Winning AI Race

00:53:00 Security Arms Race

00:57:00 Brendan Carr Is a Dummy

01:07:00 Facebook Becomes TikTok

01:12:00 Ramageddon Price Hikes

01:16:00 HBO Max Shorts

01:23:00 Ferrari Luce Buzz

01:26:00 Wrap Up and Plugs
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A new study from the Oversight Board found that leading AI systems are less likely to criticize authoritarian governments than democratic ones. It's a wild finding — but wait? Why is the Oversight Board studying systems from OpenAI and Anthropic in the first place? Suzanne Nossel, who sits on the board, joined us to discuss the findings and why the Oversight Board's future might involve looking at more than just Meta.

Further reading:

Zoox can now charge for rides in its steering-wheel-free robotaxis

Spotify Running Mode helps match tunes to tempo

Friend re-launches its AI pendant with a speaker that talks to you, for twice the price

⁠How Facebook undercut the Oversight Board⁠

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.
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The wide foldable is here, and it's glorious. The Verge's Dominic Preston has been reviewing Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8, and joins the show to explain what this shorter, wider device gets right, what it's still missing, and why this looks like the right kind of foldable for most people. (Once the price comes down, anyway.) With a similar foldable iPhone likely coming soon, it's shaping up to be a fun year of foldables.

Further reading:

OpenAI’s rogue AI agent didn’t stop at hacking Hugging Face | The Verge

The US is banning foreign robots | The Verge

DoorDash is going airborne with new drone delivery division

Willie Nelson is pushing back against data centers in his hometown.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 feels like the future

Huawei beats Samsung and Apple to market with the first wide foldable

A wide foldable iPhone dummy emerges amid rumors of a delay

So long, small phones

Subscribe to The Verge for unlimited access to theverge.com, subscriber-exclusive newsletters, and our ad-free podcast feed.We love hearing from you! Email your questions and thoughts to vergecast@theverge.com or call us at 866-VERGE11.
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