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The AmberMac Show is a weekly SiriusXM radio and podcast production that unpacks the latest tech, business, and digital news shaping our lives.
Award-winning podcaster Amber Mac draws on over 20 years of experience covering technology in the US and Canada to make today’s complex high-tech world easier to understand. Together with co-host Jeff MacArthur, and featuring influential guests making their own headlines, Amber’s team helps listeners nationwide and beyond stay informed and ahead of the curve.
Award-winning podcaster Amber Mac draws on over 20 years of experience covering technology in the US and Canada to make today’s complex high-tech world easier to understand. Together with co-host Jeff MacArthur, and featuring influential guests making their own headlines, Amber’s team helps listeners nationwide and beyond stay informed and ahead of the curve.
33 Episodes
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On this week’s episode, Tesla’s door handles are dumb and dangerous. Amber and Jeff share more on what the car company plans to do about it in the wake of recent investigations. Speaking of dumb and dangerous, OpenAI is trying to make ChatGPT safer for teens, but age-specific accounts are not enough. In TheOtherMac, Jeff unpacks why Ticketmaster is getting sued and what it means for music fans. Our guests this week are Brent Toderian, who shares the truth about the politics of bike lanes, and Rosalie Wyonch, Associate Director of Research at the C.D. Howe Institute, who has some ideas about what we can do in the face of Canada’s healthcare crisis.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowCheck out our guest on social…Brent Toderian – City Planner, TODERIAN UrbanWORKS: LinkedIn | X/TwitterRosalie Wyonch – Associate Director of Research at C.D. Howe Institute: LinkedInBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
On this week’s episode, Amber and Jeff discuss the rise in hate that’s turning into real-world violence, and what happened online in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Plus, what you should know about Apple’s latest devices, including a very cool feature that makes travel more accessible. In TheOtherMac, Jeff talks about the growing power and influence of China, and why it should be a cause for concern. This week’s guest is Douglas Soltys, the Editor-in-Chief of Betakit, who joins Amber to talk about Canada’s AI plans and some startups making a difference in tech.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowCheck out our guest on social…Douglas Soltys – Editor-in-Chief of Betakit: LinkedIn | X/TwitterBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
In this week’s episode, we discuss the chaos happening in Washington alongside America’s biggest tech leaders. Plus, there’s always a lot of talk about a minimum wage, but in the face of Elon Musk’s $1 trillion pay package, maybe it’s time we have a maximum wage. Rob Breakenridge, a columnist at the Calgary Herald, joins us this week to talk about the politics behind Alberta’s school book ban (and what literary icon Margaret Atwood thinks of it all). Speaking of the next generation, in the face of high youth unemployment, we share which industry is hiring young workers and needs their help.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowCheck out our guest on social…Rob Breakenridge – Host/Columnist for The Line Alberta & Columnist for Calgary Herald: LinkedIn | X/TwitterBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
On this week’s episode, we discuss why hundreds of Canadians got their Facebook and Instagram accounts disabled without warning, and what Meta is doing to help (spoiler alert: not much). Plus, why a fast food chain in the United States is saying no to AI after a man ordered 18,000 cups of water, and how many public service jobs in Canada might be replaced by artificial intelligence. In this week’s TheOtherMac, Jeff breaks down why OpenAI is being sued after the tragic suicide of a 16-year-old boy. This week’s guest is Rachel Tobac, an ethical hacker and the CEO of SocialProof Security who explains what we need to know about the safety and security of chatbots. Amber also shares a sneak peek of her newest podcast project, which focuses on critical minerals and mining.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowCheck out our guests online at…Rachel Tobac – Friendly Hacker & CEO of SocialProof Security: LinkedInBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
On this week’s episode, Don Lenihan & Amber discuss the challenge of sovereign AI and why it’s a priority for Canada in the age of Trump. Speaking of the US President, the White House is now on TikTok and Jeff has some news about tariffs. Plus, how Hertz is using AI to charge exorbitant amounts for minor damages, Jeff unpacks AI’s impact on the environment, and Amber shares her list of the best tech for a smooth back-to-school.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowCheck out our guest on social…Don Lenihan – President & CEO of Middle Ground Policy Research: LinkedInBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
In this week’s episode, Amber and Jeff talk about the technology that’s leading to the biggest wealth creation in modern history, why Meta is in trouble again for its chatbots and their conversations with kids, how Grok’s spicy video setting is making inappropriate deepfakes of Taylor Swift, and more. In TheOtherMac, Jeff unpacks the evolution of self-checkouts and why they’re making shopping worse. Plus, the Co-founder and Clinical Director of NiaHealth on what we can do to use data from wearables to improve the lives of Canadians, and Marc Saltzman shares his back-to-school tech picks.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowCheck out our guests online at…Tanya ter Keurs – Nurse Practitioner & Clinical Director of NiaHealth: LinkedIn | NiaHealth.coMarc Saltzman – Tech Expert: LinkedIn | X/TwitterBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
On this week’s episode, Amber and Jeff unpack everything you need to know about the latest version of ChatGPT, including how it still does a fair amount of hallucinating and continues to dish out dangerous advice. In The Other Mac, Jeff walks through 5 reasons he thinks today’s Instagram sucks. On the topic of social media, our special guest is Scott Stratten (AKA UnMarketing) who speaks with Amber about how AI is ruining authenticity online and what we can do instead.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowCheck out our guest on social…Scott Stratten – UnMarketing: Bluesky | X/TwitterBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
For our 25th episode, we've put together a summer special of The AmberMac Show looking back on the first half of 2025 through the lens of Jeff’s TheOtherMac segments. In this episode, learn more about the tricky tech behind online age verification, why we shouldn't trust Zuckerberg's AI friends, the truth about AI lies and slop, how to secure a better digital future for Canada, what Musk wants to do to America, and lots more. PS: Go to AmberMacTalkBack.com to leave an up-to 90-second voice message about your favourite tech-related movies and TV shows for an upcoming episode of The AmberMac Show.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
Our guest this week is journalist John Vaillant, the bestselling author of Fire Weather, who breaks down what we can learn from an oil town that went up in flames (especially relevant in these hot summer months in a warming world). In tech headlines, Amber and Jeff discuss why President Trump is obsessed with fighting back against “woke AI”, what the CEO of OpenAI thinks of young people turning to chatbots for therapy, how new online safety laws are protecting kids in the U.K., and lots more. Plus, how you can be part of a future episode!Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
In this week’s episode, we talk about the cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and its connection with Trump’s weaponization of the US legal system, Musk’s juvenile release of a flirty Grok sexbot, DuckDuckGo’s new feature to avoid AI slop, the tech CEO caught cheating on Coldplay’s kiss cam, and how greedy AI is getting for your personal information. Plus, Amber chats with Jar Audio about Canadian podcasting and Jeff gets us up-to-speed on a court case exposing Tesla’s autopilot safety issues.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
Amber and Jeff share what happened when Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok went rogue (again), including what ChatGPT thinks of all the drama. Plus, the latest digital investigation into the Jeffrey Epstein prison video raises some questions. In The Other Mac, Jeff explains the problem with Elon Musk’s new "America" political party. To round out this week’s show with some Canadian content, our guest is the founder and CEO of Gander, a new social media site launching this fall, built by Canadians and for Canadians. In other words, it might be time for Canadians to say goodbye to Facebook.Send a voice message to The AmberMac ShowCheck out our guest on social…Ben Waldman - Founder & CEO of GanderBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
Trump’s trade talk continues to threaten Canada, so Amber speaks to an award-winning economist about what this chaos means for Canadians. Speaking of chaos, Meta is testing out AI chatbots that will message you whether you want them to or not, just to keep you talking. Speaking of chatbots, an Xbox executive suggested that laid-off employees might want to use AI to manage their emotions (and unemployment). In The Other Mac, Jeff shares his thoughts on The Velvet Sundown and the problem with AI music.Check out our guest on social…Daniel Schwanen – Senior Vice President at C.D. Howe Institute: X/Twitter | LinkedInBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
This week’s special episode is all about Canadian tech! Jeff and Amber do a deep dive into the top 10 Canadian tech innovations that changed the world, as well as some fascinating non-tech inventions from Canada that have transformed healthcare, transportation, and lots more. Plus, Amber speaks with The Logic’s tech reporter, Murad Hemmadi, about Canada’s AI impact over the past 15 years, and we share our audience voicemails about what makes them most proud when they think about Canadian tech.Be sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
In this week’s tech episode, Amber and Jeff talk about the GENIUS Act in the States that’s getting crypto enthusiasts excited, the Trump family’s golden phone (that will likely be made in China), and yet another reason to be wary of Meta’s AI. We also discuss improved NFC, an enormous password leak, and whether TikTok’s upcoming AI ads might spell the end of some influencers. In The Other Mac, Jeff warns our listeners about even more AI slop coming to our online videos and how it’s ruining the web. Our guest this week is the internet’s favourite Dad, Brittlestar, who joins us to talk lessons from cats about fascism.Check out our guests on social…Stewart Reynolds – Brittlestar, the Internet’s Favourite Dad: X/Twitter | BlueskyBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
In this week’s tech headlines, Amber and Jeff explain what we know about OpenAI teaming up with Barbie, why Disney is going after Midjourney for Shrek-like imagery, and how Europe is increasingly ditching Microsoft products to rebuild digital sovereignty. In the Other Mac, Jeff explains what we can learn from Steve Jobs’ commencement speech 20 years later, then Amber dives into the purpose of purpose with bestselling author Ron Tite, including lessons from Bo Burnham, the Internet star who inspires him. Plus, tech expert Marc Saltzman joins the show with gift ideas for grads.Be sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
In this episode, Amber and Jeff unpack post-by-post how President Donald Trump and tech titan Elon Musk spent much of the past week in an online flame war. We also discuss Amazon's recent announcement about testing humanoid robots for package delivery, how Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" wants to ban AI regulation by the states, why Reddit is suing Anthropic, Volvo's new smart seatbelt, and more. Plus Amber talks with Google Canada's Vice President & Country Managing Director about a new AI program to upskill Canadians, and the Chief Security Evangelist at ESET explains how to stay safe when using large language models at work.Be sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
In this episode, Amber and Jeff speak about a White House “Make America Healthy Again” report that seems riddled with AI lies and hallucinations, how Meta’s headsets could power the U.S. army, and why a Texas sheriff’s office crossed a line when tracking a woman caught up in the state’s dangerous reproductive care laws. Our guests this week include Sean Kennedy - who leads the Artificial Intelligence Research Lab inside of Nokia Bell Labs and explains to Amber why the story of artificial intelligence has deep roots in Canada - and Bill Robson, President & CEO of C.D. Howe Institute, who helps map out a plan for Canadian prosperity over the next decade and beyond. In TheOtherMac, Jeff has a helpful 8k vs 4k explainer for anyone considering upgrading their TV, and we explain how Taylor Swift's recent victory led fans to celebrate online.Check out our guests on social…Sean Kennedy - Artificial Intelligence Research Lab Lead, Nokia Bell Labs: LinkedInBill Robson - President & CEO of C.D. Howe Institute: LinkedIn | X/TwitterBe sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
The Tragically Hip’s manager, Jake Gold, shares why there will never be another Canadian band like The Hip and the inside story about the success of the streaming documentary, No Dress Rehearsal. We also share how President Trump plans to lure Apple back to America, and we unpack the latest TikTok challenge that is hurting teens and what content creators need to do in the age of AI search. Plus, Jeff explains the truth about AI lies and Amber unpacks how to use NotebookLM.Check out our guests on social…Jake Gold – Manager of The Tragically Hip: LinkedInAnd be sure to follow our hosts…Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
This week, Amber chats with Patrick McGee, the author of “Apple In China”; Jeff explains how Musk’s Grok chatbot started interrupting people with claims of white genocide in South Africa; and we talk about Canada’s new AI minister, the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s backtracking on your data rights, Netflix’s upcoming generative AI ads, and a new app to help you try on clothes and share your looks. Finally, Amber discusses the advantages of hosting close to home with Emil Falcon.Check out our guests on social…Patrick McGee – Author of Apple In China: LinkedIn | X/TwitterEmil Falcon – Founder & CEO of Web Hosting Canada: Website | X/TwitterAnd be sure to follow our hosts…Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
This week, we chat with futurist Sinead Bovell about Canada’s role in the AI race and what humans need to do in this new age of innovation. Plus, Jeff unpacks why you shouldn’t trust Mark Zuckerberg and his AI “friends”. We also explain why Bill Gates is lashing out at Elon Musk and why Google didn’t like Apple’s AI browser remarks, plus we have a small business tech survival guide for entrepreneurs.Be sure to follow our hosts...Amber Mac: Bluesky | X/TwitterJeff MacArthur: Bluesky | X/Twitter
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