Apple’s Next Chapter, SpaceX and Cursor Strike a Deal, and Palantir’s Controversial Manifesto

A striking development has emerged in artificial intelligence. Brian Barrett Zoë Schiffer Leah Feiger Business Apr 23, 2026 3:26 PM Apple’s Next Chapter, SpaceX and Cursor Strike a Deal, and Palantir’s Controversial Manifesto In this week’s episode of Uncanny Valley , we talk about Tim Cook’s legacy as CEO at Apple and what his long-rumored departure means for the future of one of the world’s biggest companies. Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty Images Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story This week on Uncanny Valley , the team discusses what’s next for Apple as Tim Cook steps down from his role as CEO. They also go into the reasoning behind SpaceX and Cursor’s surprising deal, and why Palantir’s self-published manifesto drew a lot of heat online.

Also, we discuss why some conspiracy theorists are leaving Trump’s side, and how a scammer created an AI-generated woman to attract and grift MAGA men. Articles mentioned in this episode: Tim Cook’s Legacy Is Turning Apple Into a Subscription MAGA Is Starting to Look Beyond Trump This Scammer Used an AI-Generated MAGA Girl to Grift ‘Super Dumb’ Men You can follow Brian Barrett on Bluesky at @brbarrett , Zoë Schiffer on Bluesky at @zoeschiffer , and Leah Feiger on Bluesky at @leahfeiger . How to Listen You can always listen to this week's podcast through the audio player on this page, but if you want to subscribe for free to get every episode, here's how: If you're on an iPhone or iPad, open the app called Podcasts, or just tap this link .

Technical Details

You can also download an app like Overcast or Pocket Casts and search for “uncanny valley. ” We’re on Spotify too. Transcript Note: This is an automated transcript, which may contain errors.

Brian Barrett: Hey, it's Brian. Zoë, Leah, and I have really enjoyed being your new hosts these past few weeks, and we want to hear from you. If you like the show and have a minute, please leave us a review in the podcast or app of your choice.

It really helps us reach more people, and for any questions and comments, you can always reach us at . Thank you for listening. Leah Feiger: Zoë, welcome back.

Industry Implications

Zoë Schiffer: Thank you. Leah Feiger: I missed you so much. Brian Barrett: And I missed you the exact same amount.

Brian Barrett: It's not a contest. Zoë Schiffer: Oh, my gosh. I'm going to go away more often.

Absence makes the heart go fonder, as we all know, and I'm thrilled to be here. Welcome to WIRED's Uncanny Valley . I'm Zoë Schiffer, director of business and industry.

This advance offers important signals about the future of the sector, and the tech world is watching closely.