SchadenFriday: Is the Pope Girlbossing AI?

SchadenFriday: Is the Pope Girlbossing AI?

Author: Slate Podcasts June 5, 2026 Duration: 7:16

It’s a bit of an overstatement to say “the Pope came out as anti-A.I.” with last week’s encyclical—after all, Anthropic’s cofounder was there for the release. So what did the Chicago Pope actually say, what was he doing with his encyclical, and what’s an encyclical anyway? 


Guest: Lizzie O’Leary, host of What Next TBD


This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.


Podcast production by Evan Campbell, Madeline Ducharme, Patrick Fort, Rob Gunther and Paige Osburn.




Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


Each day’s news cycle can feel like a flood, leaving us adrift in a stream of headlines without much understanding of what they truly mean or where they might lead. What Next | Daily News and Analysis, from Slate Podcasts, cuts through that noise with clarity and purpose. Instead of just recounting events, this daily podcast focuses on the crucial question that follows any major story: what happens now? The hosts delve into a single pressing issue-whether it’s a political shift, a cultural moment, or a policy change-and unpack its implications with expert interviews and thoughtful commentary. You’ll hear analysis that goes beyond the initial shock or spectacle, exploring the real-world consequences and the potential paths forward. Released each weekday morning, the episodes are concise and designed to fit into your routine, offering a meaningful pause for reflection amid the chaos. It’s a resource for anyone who wants to move past mindless scrolling and toward genuine comprehension. For listeners who want even more, Slate Plus offers ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content, deepening the engagement with the day’s most important topics. This isn’t just another news recap; it’s a guide for navigating the aftermath and understanding what comes next.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Podcast Episodes
The Bethlehem Project: Democrats battle over their party’s future [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:28
Thanks for joining us during the holidays. While our team is taking a break, we want to share a podcast with you that we think you’ll love. It’s called The Bethlehem Project. It’s a special series from the Financial Time…
Can Patreon Build a Better Internet? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:22
The promise of an “internet for niche communities” and “the empowered independent creator” has been taking a beating as the web has become less open and increasingly dominated by a few platforms and players. But does it…
Is FEMA Heading Towards Disaster? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:12
When Cameron Hamilton testified to Congress that he did not believe “it is in the best interest of the American people to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency,” he was fired from his job as FEMA’s acting adm…
Pour One Out for Stephen Colbert [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:06
The late-night show is a staple of network television—maybe even one that has held on past its era. Still, that doesn’t mean The Late Show with Stephen Colbert had to end like this. Guest: Adam Conover, comedian and host…
A Tale of Two Weenies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:20
With his approval rating dropping to its lowest point yet this term, why are politicians still giving in to Donald Trump? As Senator Bill Cassidy found out, Trump still has enough juice to sink a Republican in a primary.…
ICE Dragged Her from Her Car. She Says, See You In Court. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:36
On her way to a doctor’s appointment in January, a Minneapolis woman was surrounded by ICE agents who smashed her car’s window, cut her seat belt and dragged her out, while she tried to explain that she was disabled. Now…
TBD Tries…Roblox [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:01
Under fire for what critics say is inadequate protection of its young user base, Roblox nevertheless remains incredibly popular. Are the company’s new ballyhooed protections up for the task of keeping kids safe? Or is th…
SchadenFriday: Ben Shapiro’s Short—as in Abrupt—Decline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:04
Once a rising star of the New Right via New Media, Ben Shapiro and his Daily Wire have spent the second Trump administration in precipitous decline. Is it simply a case of bad business decisions running into their belove…
Trump Visits the First World [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:09
Between artificial intelligence, the Iran War, and the future of Taiwan, there’s a lot for the United States and China to hash out—not least of which being the pecking order.Guest: Josh Chin, senior global correspondent…
How "Tax the Rich" Went Mainstream [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:43
As wealth disparity continues to grow, politicians in New York and California have suggested raising revenue through taxes that are aimed at their wealthiest residents. But the rich didn’t get that way by just letting th…