WIRED’s Uncanny Valley: Week in Review—National Security, Tech Influence, AI Infrastructure, and Far-Right Rise

In this week’s episode of Uncanny Valley, hosts Zoë Schiffer (WIRED’s director of business and industry) and Jake Lahut (senior politics writer) dissect five critical stories shaping politics, technology, and national security. Below is a condensed, professionally structured recap of their discussion, preserving key details and analysis.

1. DHS’s Years-Long DNA Collection of US Citizens Sparks Oversight Concerns

Dell Cameron reported that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has quietly collected DNA from at least 2,000 individuals—including American citizens—over the past four years, uploading this data to CODIS (the FBI’s national crime database). A Georgetown University analysis found the program operates outside statutory boundaries and lacks adequate oversight, with 95% of sampled individuals never formally charged. Experts warn the unregulated collection could undermine civil liberties and erode public trust in law enforcement.

2. Tech Billionaire Larry Ellison Emerges as Trump’s “Shadow President”

Jake Lahut’s reporting reveals tech billionaire Larry Ellison’s deepening influence over the Trump White House, earning him the nickname “shadow president” from sources familiar with their relationship. Once a moderate donor, Ellison has pivoted sharply right, aligning with Trump’s hardline pro-Israel and anti-establishment stances. His strategic ties—including courting Trump’s inner circle and leveraging his wealth to shape policy—position him as a silent kingmaker, controlling media and data infrastructure (e.g., via Oracle’s server business and potential CNN acquisition).

3. OpenAI’s Stargate AI Data Centers: A New Era of Tech Nationalism

Zoë Schiffer and colleagues reported OpenAI’s partnership with Oracle and SoftBank to build five massive data centers (7 gigawatts of capacity, equivalent to seven large nuclear reactors) under its “Stargate” initiative. While the project dates to the Biden era, Trump’s team is now touting it as a “core infrastructure priority.” Local communities, however, face backlash over energy consumption and job trade-offs, with red-state politicians largely endorsing the initiative for economic gains.

4. Viral “Find My Parking Cops” Website Highlights SF’s Bureaucracy

Reece Rogers chronicled a brief but impactful moment in San Francisco: a viral website, “Find My Parking Cops,” scraped public data to map parking enforcement locations, parodying Apple’s “Find My” app. The site, created by Riley Walz, quickly went viral, only to be shut down by SF authorities hours later for violating data privacy laws—a stark illustration of public frustration with bureaucratic inefficiencies.

5. Far-Right Influencer Nick Fuentes: Mainstreaming Post-Charlie Kirk

David Gilbert’s reporting details the rise of Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist influencer and “Groypers” leader, whose following surged after the assassination of Charlie Kirk (his former rival). Fuentes, known for antisemitic, anti-Israel, and incel-adjacent rhetoric, leveraged the tragedy to solidify his base, growing his X following by 175,000 and Rumble audience by 100,000. His appeal lies in authenticating niche far-right views in a fragmented online landscape, with analysts warning of broader political implications.

Interview: The Future of Far-Right Influence and Tech-Politics

In a deeper dive, Schiffer and Lahut analyzed the paradox of Fuentes’ ascent: his “edge Lord” online persona, communal engagement with followers, and ability to tap into Trump’s base. Lahut noted Fuentes’ “unhinged” rhetoric (e.g., framing Kirk’s death as a “Holy War”) mirrored Trump’s own brand of “truth-telling,” while Schiffer highlighted the role of live-streaming and meme culture in amplifying fringe voices.

Lahut also emphasized Ellison’s unique influence: “He doesn’t need to say things to Trump—he’s already embedded in the machinery, controlling data and media narratives.” For Schiffer, the DNA scandal underscored a broader trend: “When institutions operate without checks, we lose accountability—whether it’s CBP or the White House.”

Closing Notes

This week’s episode underscores how national security, tech monopolies, and online extremism intersect in shaping policy and public trust. For the full transcript and show notes, visit [wired.com/uncanny-valley].

Produced by Sam Eagan and Mark Leyda; mixed by Amar Lal; executive produced by Kate Osborn. Automated transcript may contain errors.

Key Takeaway: The “Uncanny Valley” of modern media—where technology, politics, and extremism collide—demands urgent scrutiny.