The AI Doc: Empty Theaters & Loud Warnings

The AI Doc: Empty Theaters & Loud Warnings

From Generative AI 101 by Emily Laird

April 1, 2026 · 13 min · Episode 274

About this episode

Emily Laird discusses the implications of AI literacy and its impact on society, inspired by the film 'The AI Doc'.

Host Emily Laird digs into The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist and the real gut-punch was not just the film, it was the empty seats. This episode breaks down why AI literacy still feels like an elective while the tech is already rewriting work, trust, and power behind the scenes. With sharp takes on jargon, hype, and doom-posting, Emily makes the case that AI is not sci-fi anymore, it is civic infrastructure with a marketing budget. Funny, sobering, and a little haunted, this one asks the question nobody can dodge much longer: why are so many people still looking away?Join the AI Weekly MeetupsConnect with Us: If you enjoyed this episode or have questions, reach out to Emily Laird on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for more insights into the evolving world of generative AI. And remember, you now know more about Emily's thoughts around the AI Doc or how she became an apocaloptimist. Connect with Emily Laird on LinkedIn

People in this episode

Host: Emily Laird

Topics covered

  • AI literacy
  • civic infrastructure
  • technology impact
  • work and power
  • public perception
  • media analysis

Keywords

  • AI
  • literacy
  • technology
  • civic infrastructure
  • media
  • public perception
  • apocaloptimist

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist

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