Just How Big is the AI Bubble?

(11 Sept. 2026) Is the AI apocalypse real or is Silicon Valley selling us a story?

We're told AI could destroy jobs, outsmart humanity and even turn against us. At the same time, it's cracking 50-year-old scientific problems and pushing new drugs into human trials.

So are we living through a genuine technological revolution that could transform humanity or is apocalyptic rhetoric fueling one of the biggest bubbles in tech history?

This week on The Tea, we're joined by bestselling author Cory Doctorow to cut through the AI hype. In his latest book, The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI, Cory argues that AI isn't gonna replace us, but it'll trap us into serving machines instead of being served by them.

Also in the show:
Big Tech surveillance: they spy on us because we let them
AI psychosis and the mythology of Silicon Valley
OpenAI's agent "revolt" — bad code, or something bigger?
Will AI take our jobs, or just make us babysit the machines?
The hidden bubble behind the AI growth story
How do we actually change the balance of power?

As Cory argues, shopping our way out of corporate power isn't politics. Real change can only come from organising, building solidarity and becoming citizens rather than consumers.

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