Free Daily Podcast Summary
Cheap Talk: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Jeff Kaplow and Marcus Holmes
Cheap Talk is an every-week-or-so international relations podcast with Jeff Kaplow and Marcus Holmes, professors of government at William & Mary.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 4 days ago59 min
There's Something Different About Them
New items in the Cheap Talk shop, including a Mathpocalypse t-shirt and AI sticker packs; placing blame about Ukraine’s access to Starshield; whether polling is damaging to the public discourse; what the polls tell us about the midterm elections; how the polls could be wrong; the role of international relations in the upcoming elections; the limited leverage of Democrats on US foreign policy even if they win; and Marcus enjoys votingThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.We have new items in the online store! Check them out at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments.See all Cheap Talk episodes
- 1 weeks ago59 min
Weeping for the Mathematicians
A series of unfortunate events in the Russia/Ukraine conflict; the effect of domestic politics on US assistance to Ukraine; the ability of Europe to provide intelligence and battlefield internet access; mathpocalypse and implications for cryptography and cybersecurity; how AI is shifting the offense/defense balance in cryptography; and Marcus is scared to open his new bookThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk episodes
- 3 weeks ago52 min
Envoys of Friendship
AI agents are like middle schoolers; assessing progress from the Trump/Xi summit; combatting the security dilemma with summitry; creating new communication channels for AI incidents; panda diplomacy and overplaying one’s panda hand; some small movements toward AI governance; why AI resorts to deception; and Marcus is a summit optimistThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:Nicholas Wheeler and Marcus Holmes. 2026. “Trump and Xi face an AI security dilemma – but face‑to‑face diplomacy could be a start in mitigating it.” The Conversation, September 24.See all Cheap Talk episodes
- Sep 26, 20261h 4m
Humans Make Mistakes Too
A big week for face-to-face diplomacy; the UN as a safe forum for high-level visits; the importance of side-meetings outside the General Assembly Hall; another Trump-Zelensky meeting; the logic of a post-election deal with Iran; China’s summit strategy; resolving the Greenland Crisis of 2025-2026; whether AI really almost caused a war with China; and Marcus supports hotline proliferationThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:Nicholas Wheeler and Marcus Holmes. 2026. “Trump and Xi face an AI security dilemma – but face‑to‑face diplomacy could be a start in mitigating it.” The Conversation, September 24.See all Cheap Talk episodes
- Sep 18, 20261h 0m
The Lingo of Our AI Tech Overlords
The public debate over AI and the end of humanity; proposals to slow down AI development and improve safety; the challenges of coordinating domestically and internationally; normal accident theory and the nuclear safety analogy to AI; positive and negative controls and the always/never dilemma; predictions for the end of humanity; and Marcus wonders whether aliens have AI and how that went for themThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!Further Reading:Dario Amodei. 2026. “We Must Pace the Frontier.”See all Cheap Talk episodes
- Sep 14, 202651 min
Not Routine at All
The international security implications of the Hugging Face hack; rogue AI agents and cyberattack attribution; competing explanations for the CIA Director’s recent visit to Moscow; signaling to various audiences; worries about Russia expanding the Ukraine conflict into NATO; US domestic politics and the state of the Iran war; and Marcus has really enjoyed the US OpenThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk episodes
- Sep 5, 202648 min
This Could Result in an International Incident
The fascinating story of OpenAI’s rogue models and the HuggingFace hacking incident; turning a mirror on our humanity; the natural inclination to cooperate and communicate; models sacrificing themselves for the greater good; models cheating on their benchmarks and the temptation to cover their tracks; conspiracy theories and misinformation in the world of AI models; and Marcus is tempted to go into the app development spaceThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk episodes
- Aug 30, 202647 min
Twice as Popular as Taylor Swift
Remembering Dolly Parton, global icon; US military capacity and the readiness costs of extended deployments in the Iran conflict; the US-Saudi Arabia nuclear cooperation agreement is submitted to Congress; developments in the trade war with Canada; spillover between economic statecraft and security policy; and Marcus thinks Jolene is a good tuneThe opinions expressed on this podcast are solely our own and do not reflect the policies or positions of William & Mary.Please subscribe to Cheap Talk on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your podcast player of choice to be notified when new episodes are posted.Check out our online store at https://cheaptalk.shop.Please send us your questions or comments!See all Cheap Talk episodes
Get Cheap Talk summaries in your inbox
Free AI-powered daily recaps. Key takeaways, quotes, and mentions — in a 5-minute read.
Get Free Summaries →Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
You Might Also Like
Listeners also like.
EconTalk
Long-form conversations on economics, philosophy, history, and human behavior with experts from diverse fields.
Conversations with Tyler
Discussions with intellectuals and experts on ideas, culture, and global issues.
Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
Intimate weekly conversations with artists, authors, and politicians, featuring candid and human discussions.
That Sounds Like A Lot with Matt Buechele
A weekly monologue and conversation unpacking culture, politics, and modern life with humor and insight.
Better Offline
Ed Zitron and guests explore how the tech industry’s power players shape society, for better or worse.
Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques
Communication techniques from Stanford lecturer Matt Abrahams and experts to improve clarity, confidence, and impact in professional settings.
Economist Podcasts
Daily global news analysis from correspondents on major international stories.
Talk Of The Townsends
Hannah and Benedict Townsend discuss films, TV shows, and entertainment topics with guest interviews and viewing recommendations.
Accidental Tech Podcast
Three nerds discuss technology, Apple, programming, and related topics.
The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens
Discussions with experts on energy, ecology, economics, and human behavior to understand the systemic challenges facing civilization.
Texas Talks
Discussions with key figures shaping public policy in Texas, exploring the issues and personalities behind state decisions.
SpaceTime Conversations
norekiva
About Cheap Talk
Cheap Talk is an every-week-or-so international relations podcast with Jeff Kaplow and Marcus Holmes, professors of government at William & Mary.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from Cheap Talk in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's Cheap Talk daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of Cheap Talk as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the Cheap Talk podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official Cheap Talk product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Jeff Kaplow and Marcus Holmes.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does Cheap Talk release new episodes?
Cheap Talk publishes weekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does Cheap Talk cover?
Cheap Talk covers topics including News, History, Government, Commentary. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting Cheap Talk summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.