Friday Focus: Iran's window of maximum leverage and a new AI model puts financial systems at risk

The U.S. and Iran are locked in a long-term stalemate over the Strait of Hormuz. With the midterms looming, the Iranians view the next few weeks as the window of maximum leverage. If the strait stays closed into the summer months people will start to feel the pain in a very real way that could tip into a global recession. The consequences of this high stakes game of poker are getting much more serious as both parties are digging in. Who blinks first? In the second half of the show Rudyard and Janice turn to Mythos, a new AI model from Anthropic which allows users to find and exploit vulnerabilities in major operating systems. This new software will give malignant actors access to private information that could cripple our financial institutions. We did not learn our lesson from social media and the laissez faire attitude we have taken towards AI will lead to a very real and dangerous Y2K moment. Become a Munk Donor ($50 annually) to get 72-hour advanced access to the full length editions of Friday Focus. Go to to sign up.

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Friday Focus: Iran's window of maximum leverage and a new AI model puts financial systems at risk is an episode from The Munk Debates Podcast by iHeartRadio Podcasts.

This episode is 18:20 long.

This episode was published on May 1, 2026.

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