US — The Verge

JB Pritzker thinks AI could help us live to 100 — or threaten us like nukes

PolicyOctober 19, 20261 min read

The Verge's Nilay Patel interviewed Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on the Decoder podcast. They talked about AI, tech, privacy, and the upcoming midterm elections, and the Chicago Bears too.

What happened

Verge editor Nilay Patel talked with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker on his podcast, Decoder. Patel said a big political shift may be happening, driven by issues like AI, tech, and privacy. The talk came just before the midterm elections, when many people were already voting early. Patel also asked whether the Chicago Bears football team would stay in Illinois.

Why this talk is part of a bigger story

Patel thinks AI and tech are changing how people vote and what they expect from government. He points to a case in California. There, Governor Gavin Newsom's state sued the Ellison family's company Paramount over its Warner Brothers merger. Paramount threatened to leave the state. The state then settled the lawsuit, and the Ellisons said they would never leave California. Patel asked Pritzker if he sees the same pattern with the Bears: how government should deal with big business.

Why it matters

This talk shows that AI and tech are no longer just business topics. They are now election topics. Voters and leaders are asking how much power the government should have over big companies. Pritzker says some problems are too big for one state to solve alone, so government has to act together on a large scale.

What to watch

The November midterm elections, where AI and tech may be important issues.
Whether the Chicago Bears stay in Illinois, which Pritzker says is being discussed with the team and the NFL.
Whether Patel's idea of a new political split over big business and tech is right.

Glossary

AI: Artificial intelligence: computer systems that can do tasks that usually need human thinking, like writing or recognizing pictures.
Decoder: A tech and business podcast hosted by Nilay Patel of The Verge.
The Verge: A news website that covers technology, science, and culture.
Paramount: A major U.S. media company that makes movies and TV shows.
NFL: National Football League, the top professional American football league in the United States.

Same story, different eyes

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