Naomi Klein has spent her career studying political movements — and she thinks progressives are doing better than we think. Because the fascists are scared.

More like this: To be Seen and not Watched w/ Tawana Petty

In her forthcoming book, End Times Fascism, Klein and co-author Astra Taylor take stock of the history of fascism and the collective power that has been brought to bear to fight it. This time is different. Tech titans accumulated tremendous power and wealth, and are firmly on the side of the fascists. And our information environment is flooded and disoriented. While that might portend a dark outcome, Klein has a different diagnosis. Fascist powers seem angrier and more aggressive than ever; but Klein thinks this is a sign that we are winning.

Further reading & resources:

• The Rise of End Times Fascism by Astra Taylor & Naomi Klein
• On Tyranny by Timothy Snyder
• More about Naomi & Astra’s upcoming book End Times Fascism and the Fight for the Living World.
• In 2026, We Are Friction-Maxxing by Kathryn Jezzer-Morton, The Cut, Jan 2026
• Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism by Yanis Varoufakis
• Walter Benjamin’s Concept of History
• UN expert says world has given Israel ‘licence to torture Palestinians’ — Al Jazeera quoting Francesca Albanese, March 2026
• How The 'Free Helicopter Rides' Meme Went Viral — The Progressive Magazine, September 2023
• Safe or Just Surveilled?: Tawana Petty on the Fight Against Facial Recognition Surveillance — Logic(s) Magazine 2020

**Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!**

Computer Says Maybe is produced by Georgia Iacovou, Kushal Dev, Marion Wellington, Sarah Myles, Van Newman, and Zoe Trout

The way artists make art matters. And some artists, like filmmaker Valerie Veatch, are exploring what role AI has in the craft of filmmaking.

More like this: Fantasy Factory: AI Supervillains w/ Anat Shenker-Osorio

Valerie Veatch is the director of Ghost in the Machine, a new film that explores the depths of the Silicon Valley fantasies around AI, and platforms all the people that challenge these fantasies. With this film, Valerie is working to change the culture of AI: it is not inevitable, in many way it’s not even possible, and therefore we have a right to refuse to engage with it. Valerie discusses why she made the film, what she learned, and what impact she’s hoping it will have.

Ghost in the Machine will be available for rentals and screenings beginning March 27, via Kinema! Pre-sales are now available at open now (go to Kinema and slelect the "Watch" tab). Proceeds will go towards the production of the film. The film will also be available on PBS in fall 2026.

Further reading & resources:

• Resisting AI by Dan McQuillan
• On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots by Emily Bender et al
• The TESCREAL Bundle by Timnit Gebru and Emile P. Torres
• Kinema — where you can watch Ghost in the Machine

**Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!**

Computer Says Maybe is produced by Georgia Iacovou, Kushal Dev, Marion Wellington, Sarah Myles, Van Newman, and Zoe Trout

Grammarly launched a feature that no one wanted and now they’re getting sued. They used the names of writers, journalists, and editors to pretend that AI versions of those people were making writing suggestions via the application. None of these ‘expert reviewers’ had any idea. Grammarly pissed off the wrong journalist.

And now Julia Angwin is suing them.

More like this: The Toxic Relationship Between AI & Journalism w/ Nic Dawes

In this episode Julia (and her lawyer Peter) discuss what happened with Grammarly, why she’s suing, and how neither of them can believe that this tool made it through their legal team and into the public realm.

Please email info@prflaw.com for more info, or if you would like your name to be searched in the list of experts that Grammarly used for their tool.

Further reading & resources:

• Julia’s op ed in the New York Times
• Pre-order Julia’s new book On Courage: How to be a Dissident in an Age of Fear
• Check out The Markup, founded by Julia
• Grammarly pulls AI author-impersonation tool after backlash — BBC 12th March 2026
• Shishir Mehrotra’s (CEO of Grammarly) apology on LinkedIn
• Grammarly Is Offering ‘Expert’ AI Reviews From Your Favorite Authors—Dead or Alive — Wired 4th March 2026
• Grammarly is using our identities without permission — The Verge 6th March 2026
• Grammarly turned me into an AI editor against my will and I hate it — Casey Newton, Platformer 9th March 2026
• Details of the case, from PRF Law, Julia’s representative firm

**Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!**

Computer Says Maybe is produced by Georgia Iacovou, Kushal Dev, Marion Wellington, Sarah Myles, Van Newman, and Zoe Trout