Podcasts
Decoder
Decoder is a show from The Verge in which editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to innovators and policymakers about business and technology.
By Jordan Metzner & Sam Nadler · Facts checked against each show's own listings · Updated October 2026
Decoder with Nilay Patel is a podcast from The Verge in which Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to innovators and policymakers at the frontiers of business and technology. It is distributed by the Vox Media Podcast Network, publishes two to three times a week (about 30 episodes in the last 90 days, as of October 2026) and episodes usually run about 57 minutes.
| Hosts | Nilay Patel (Verge editor-in-chief) |
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| Network or producer | The Verge; Vox Media Podcast Network |
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| Schedule | Two to three times a week (about 30 episodes in the last 90 days), as of October 2026 |
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| Typical length | about 57 minutes |
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| Episodes in feed | 984 |
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| Latest episode | October 22, 2026 |
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| Feed goes back to | July 2015 |
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| Where to listen | Apple Podcasts and theverge.com |
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What Decoder covers
Decoder is an interview show about big ideas and other problems, per its description, with Nilay Patel talking to a diverse cast of innovators and policymakers about what keeps them up at night and what it all means for our shared future.
The latest episodes show the mix: Bill Gates on AI disruption, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker on AI and privacy, a telecom analyst on SpaceX and cell service, Benn Jordan on surveillance, and Warner Bros. with Peter Kafka. The feed holds 984 episodes going back to July 2015, and some weeks it republishes an earlier conversation as a "Rewind."
Who it's for
Our take: people who follow technology, policy and the business of media and want long, structured interviews with executives and officials. If you already read The Verge, the show adds an interview format to that coverage.
Best Decoder episodes to start with
- Can Cloudflare save the web from AI? (September 26, 2026, 78 minutes): Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince on bots, AI and the future of the web.
- The SaaSpocalypse that wasn't, with Atlassian's CEO (September 28, 2026, 76 minutes): Atlassian co-founder and CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes on the "SaaSpocalypse."
- Adam Schiff on AI regulation, free speech, and impeaching Trump one more time (October 5, 2026, 58 minutes): Senator Adam Schiff on AI regulation and free speech.
- How Utah locals fought Kevin O'Leary's AI data center (October 1, 2026, 44 minutes): Josh Dzieza of The Verge on the Utah data center fight.
- OpenAI has a Muse problem (October 8, 2026, 45 minutes): Hayden Field of The Verge on consumer-friendly AI agents.
We have no YouTube view data for this show, so these are recent full interviews from its feed that show the range of guests and topics.
Latest episodes
- October 22, 2026: Bill Gates says to prepare for 20 years of ‘tumultuous’ AI disruption
- October 19, 2026: JB Pritzker thinks AI could help us live to 100 — or threaten us like nukes
- October 17, 2026: Why Elon Musk wants to sell you cell service
- October 15, 2026: Benn Jordan thinks the surveillance problem is much bigger than Flock
- October 12, 2026: Rewind: Ronan Farrow on Sam Altman’s ‘unconstrained’ relationship with the truth
Where to listen
Podcasts like Decoder
If you like Decoder, these shows in our directory are worth a listen:
- Hard Fork: New York Times journalists on the latest in technology.
- The Vergecast: The Verge's other flagship show, on gadgets and Big Tech, with Nilay Patel and David Pierce.
- Big Technology Podcast: Alex Kantrowitz interviews tech insiders and outside agitators.
- Pivot: Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway on tech and business news.
- Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson: Andrew Sharp and Ben Thompson on how tech works and changes the world.
- Built This Week (our show, with Jordan Metzner and Sam Nadler): Decoder is long-form interviews on tech and policy; ours is a weekly show where the hosts build something with AI every week, test new AI tools, interview a founder or operator and cover AI news.
More shows to compare are in our best tech podcasts list and the full best podcasts directory.
Sources
Show details on this page come from the public listings and feeds below, checked on October 24, 2026.
FAQ
Who hosts Decoder?
Nilay Patel, editor-in-chief of The Verge, hosts Decoder.
How often does Decoder release new episodes?
Two to three times a week (about 30 episodes in the last 90 days), as of October 2026.
How long are Decoder episodes?
Episodes usually run about 57 minutes, based on the median in the show's feed.
What are the best Decoder episodes?
We have no YouTube view data for Decoder; recent full episodes include Atlassian CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes, Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince on the web and AI, and Senator Adam Schiff on AI regulation.
What podcasts are like Decoder?
Similar shows in our directory include Hard Fork, The Vergecast, Big Technology Podcast, Pivot and Sharp Tech.
