The Tea with Myriam Francois

https://www.theteanetwork.co

What if tech companies had more power over your life than your own government?

Big Tech isn't just business anymore. Silicon Valley now runs its own foreign policy. Over 60 countries have opened diplomatic missions there to negotiate with tech companies as if they were nation-states. AI CEOs sit at the same tables as world leaders. And the revolving doors between government and Big Tech are spinning faster than ever.

This week on The Tea, former diplomat Dr Jennifer Cassidy, Lecturer in Diplomacy and Technology at the University of Oxford, joins us to break down how Big Tech quietly became more powerful than the states meant to govern it — and why almost no one is stopping it.
Also in the show:

⚡ Trump's AI deepfakes: a tool of mass confusion
⚡ Big Tech: a techno-fascist takeover?
⚡ Digital sovereigns: how Big Tech became more powerful than governments
⚡ State embassies in Silicon Valley: the new corporate diplomacy
⚡ Government officials to Big Tech: revolving doors and the old boys' club
⚡ Why regulation keeps falling short
As our guest argues, tech companies wield power that fundamentally compromises our national security and sovereignty. States should force these companies to be transparent. Right now, they're not.

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#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #AI #BigTech #TechPolitics #Trump2026 #SiliconValley #TechPower #Surveillance #Diplomacy #Democracy #Technofeudalism #news #currentaffairs

AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Jennifer Cassidy
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadege Bizimungu & Iman Saleh
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Researcher: Constance Creswell
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An MPWR Productions show.

Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.

This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.

The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

https://www.theteanetwork.co

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.

#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #CoryDoctorow #AI #BigTech #OpenAI #SiliconValley ##AIBubble #News #CurrentAffairs #USPolitics #Surveillance #FutureOfWork

AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Cory Doctorow
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadege Bizimungu & Sanjna Selva
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Constance Creswell & Robyn Moffat
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An MPWR Productions show.

00:00:00 Introduction – Is the AI Apocalypse Really Coming?
00:03:16 Cory Doctorow on Technology, Surveillance and Corporate Power
00:06:34 How Big Tech Monopolies Took Over the Internet
00:09:29 Is AI the Latest Silicon Valley Bubble?
00:11:48 What Science Fiction Teaches Us About Technology
00:18:11 Why AI Doesn't Actually Understand Anything
00:24:13 Could AI Ever Become Conscious?
00:25:09 Why AI Insiders Believe Their Own Hype
00:30:32 The Psychology Behind Silicon Valley's AI Obsession
00:34:20 Are Rogue AI Agents Actually Dangerous?
00:41:29 The Real Technological Threat Isn't AI
00:48:38 Is AI Really Coming for Your Job?
00:56:30 Can AI Really Replace Doctors?
01:05:15 Why Cory Doctorow Thinks AI Is a Bubble
01:14:21 Why Big Tech Keeps Pouring Billions Into AI
01:20:59 What Actually Happens When the AI Bubble Bursts?
01:27:01 How Ordinary People Can Fight Back
01:28:37 Why Shopping Is Not Politics
01:32:06 Building Solidarity in an Age of Crisis

Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.

This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.

The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

https://www.theteanetwork.co

“The wound is the place where the light enters you.” You’ve probably seen those words plastered across a thousand sunset photos. What you certainly haven’t seen is the Islamic world that gave birth to them.

Rumi is the best-selling poet in America. Yet the Rumi embraced by the West is a very different figure from the Muslim mystic who wrote the poetry a Rumi detached from Islam and the Quran, stripped of the faith that shaped his work.
https://www.theteanetwork.co

This week on The Tea, we’re joined by leading Islamic scholar Omid Safi to reclaim the Rumi behind the Instagram quotes. We also explore what this erasure tells us about the West’s relationship with Islam—and the rising Islamophobia that shapes it.

Also in the show:
⚡ Rising Islamophobia: the double standards applied to Muslims and Islam
⚡ The self-help industrial complex: when ancient spirituality becomes a wellness commodity
⚡ The Filton 4: what happens when corporate property is treated as sacred, but human life is not?
⚡ Gen Z and the crisis of hope: is the future still salvageable?
⚡ Trump and Hegseth: when religion serves power
⚡ Radical love: when spirituality becomes a force for social justice
As Omid argues, the question is bigger than any one politician. If we don’t confront the systems that produce them, there will always be another Trump, another charlatan.
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🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts

#TheTeawithMyriamFrancois #Rumi #Islam #Sufism #Spirituality #Islamophobia #Religion #Gaza #Palestine #politics #Trump2026 #currentaffairs

AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Omid Safi
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadège Bizimungu
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Constance Creswell
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An MPWR Productions show.

Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.

This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.

The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

https://www.theteanetwork.co

Who really rules the world?

For decades, the global order had a clear centre. After the Cold War, the United States emerged as the world’s sole superpower while liberal democracy was proclaimed history's final destination. That story is now dead.
As Western power cracks and the global economy reels from the fallout of the Iran war, the real winners are hiding in plain sight — mega-corporations more powerful than the states that host them. They profit from war no matter who wins. They're not just close to power, they're fused with it. And in some cases, they're not new players at all — just empire, rebranded.
This week on The Tea, Professor and award-winning author Kojo Karam joins us to expose the rise of corporate power, the decolonisation project that was never finished, and whether the old empire has really disappeared — or simply changed shape.

Also in the show:
⚡ Britain’s Iran Playbook — the 1950s colonial blueprint still shaping Iran today
⚡ The New War Profiteers — Saudi Aramco, BP and the Trump family: who’s cashing in?
⚡ Corporations vs States — are mega-corporations becoming more sovereign than governments?
⚡ BRICS & the Global South — a genuine shift in power, or the same interests in new places?
⚡ Reparations and the empire-nostalgia comeback
⚡ The end of the War on Drugs — A new corporate gold rush?

👉 Subscribe for independent, unfiltered conversations
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts

AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Kojo Koram
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadège Bizimungu
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Constance Creswell, Iman Saleh
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An MPWR Productions show.

Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.

This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.

The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

https://www.theteanetwork.co

For decades, China was presented as the authoritarian rival to the West: censored, controlled and fundamentally opposed to liberal democracy. But that story is now more complicated.
As trust in US leadership declines, China's technology and culture are gaining influence worldwide. Is China challenging the West — or quietly shaping its future?

This week on The Tea, we're joined by journalist and bestselling author Yi-Ling Liu, founding China editor of Rest of World. In her debut book, The World Dancers: Searching for Freedom and Connection on the Chinese Internet, she breaks down the contradictions behind the way China is often portrayed — and the complex reality behind the headlines.

Also in the show:
⚡ Inside China’s censorship (and self-censorship) system
⚡ Why China’s rise is exposing America’s weaknesses
⚡ The contradictions Western media often miss about China
⚡ The hidden costs behind China’s economic miracle
⚡ Behind “China-maxxing” trend
⚡YouTube influencers and the one-dimensional story about China
⚡The AI arms race: real threat or Silicon Valley narrative?

As Yi-Ling argues, China defies simple labels. It is a technological powerhouse, a deeply capitalist society — and a country still shaped by state control.
👉 Subscribe for independent, unfiltered conversations
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts
#TheTeaWithMyriamFrancois #YiLingLiu #China #AI #capitalism #TikTokChina #ChinaMaxxing #Politics #news #currentaffairs

AUDIO CREDITS
Presenter–Producer: Dr. Myriam François
Guest: Yi-Ling Liu
Senior Producer: Sara Farolfi
Producer: Nadège Bizimungu
Assistant Producer: Poppy Jacobs
Research: Constance Creswell, Iman Saleh
Video Editor: Max Bubnov
An MPWR Productions show.

Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed by the guest(s) on The Tea YouTube series and podcast are their own and do not reflect those of MPWR Productions or its licensees. The appearance of this YouTube programme and podcast on social media platforms does not imply endorsement by MPWR Productions. MPWR Productions disclaims any liability for damages arising from the use of the podcast and its recordings to the fullest extent permissible by law.

This video is intended for informational and commentary purposes only and reflects the personal opinions of the guest and creators. The inclusion of public figures or journalists is based on publicly available information and does not imply guilt or wrongdoing.

The views in this video do not establish a professional relationship with viewers and do not constitute legal, professional, or personal advice. Viewer discretion is advised.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.