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Recent episodes
Big Tech Is Coming for Rural America. Young People Are Ready.
Apr 30, 2026
15m 32s
Whose Future Are We Building? (cross-post)
Feb 24, 2026
1h 10m 58s
ICE, Deepfakes, and What's Real w/ Sam Gregory
Feb 4, 2026
44m 02s
AI Therapy Exposed: Your Mental Health is Monetizable
Jan 28, 2026
27m 15s
BLAIR's Dead. Long Live BLAIR?
Jan 15, 2026
48m 30s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/30/26 | Big Tech Is Coming for Rural America. Young People Are Ready. | What happens when Silicon Valley's AI boom collides with rural America and Indigenous communities? Big Tech is pouring hundreds of billions into data centers, eyeing reopened nuclear plants like Three Mile Island, and pushing for expanded uranium mining on Native lands to feed the machine. The communities bearing the physical cost of AI are the same ones being left out of the conversation about how it gets built. In this fourth episode of the Life With Machines x @YoungFutures series, Baratunde Thurston travels beyond the coasts to meet two leaders working with youth who refuse to let their communities be raw material for someone else's tech boom. Charlotte Dungan (Mark Cuban Foundation) is partnering with 4-H National to bring AI agency, not just AI literacy, to rural teens. Her students are using AI for drug discovery, search and rescue, and small business optimization in towns that were supposed to lose their best minds to the coasts. Tesia Zientek (AISES) is building the AUNTIE Tech Collective, a multi-generational initiative grounding Indigenous youth in tech leadership rooted in Seven Generations thinking, not "move fast and break things." Tribal Nations are now creating their own digital sovereignty frameworks, building Sovereign AI Factories on Native lands, and writing the rules for how their data and culture get used. This is the AI conversation Silicon Valley doesn't want you to see. ------------ LINKS MENTIONED The Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamps AISES AUNTIE Tech Collective Young Futures Episodes referenced: Michael Running Wolf on saving Indigenous languages with AI Episode 1 — How Will AI Impact Gen Z? Episode 2 — How ChatGPT EXPOSED Our Education System Episode 3 — AI Is Monetizing Our Mental Health Further reading: Avoiding the next digital divide: Defining digital sovereignty for Tribal Nations in the AI age AI is driving a data center boom in rural America. Locals are divided on the benefits AI is helping these organizations to protect and restore nature ------------ Follow us! Newsletter Instagram Baratunde's socials: Instagram Threads LinkedIn Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media For partnerships, speaking engagements, and other opportunities to work together: teambaratunde@palettemgmt.com ------------ CHAPTERS 00:00 AI Boom Hits Rural Lands 01:33 Tradeoffs and Local Power 02:11 Teaching AI Agency 03:19 Student Projects in Action 04:25 Safety Rules for AI 05:38 Indigenous Digital Sovereignty 06:44 Auntie Tech Collective 09:29 Extraction and Data Stewardship 11:45 AI for Land and Conservation 13:25 Investing in Youth Leadership 14:48 Closing Thoughts and CTA ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Showrunner and Executive Producer: Alie Kilts Producer: Roya Lotfi Video Editor & Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Special Thanks to Charlotte Dungan, Tesia Zientek, Katya Hancock and Dr. Kristine Gloria Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production This series was made in partnership with Young Futures #ai #ruralamerica #indigenous #digitalsovereignty #datacenters #aiethics #youngfutures | 15m 32s | ||||||
| 2/24/26 | Whose Future Are We Building? (cross-post) | Baratunde joins filmmakers Valerie Veach and Charlie Terrell, Mozilla's Dio Ade, and Kena's Christie Marqueese at Sundance 2026's Solidarity House to explore who gets to shape our technological future. The panel challenges the seductive lie that technology equals progress, arguing that optimization and efficiency come at the cost of actual living. They discuss how AI consolidates power, erodes shared truth, and celebrates lonely achievement while fueling a loneliness epidemic. ------------ CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to our Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: lifewithmachines@smoothmedia.co Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ | 1h 10m 58s | ||||||
| 2/4/26 | ICE, Deepfakes, and What's Real w/ Sam Gregory | In an era of deepfakes and AI manipulation, recording reality is vital. This episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with returning guest Sam Gregory, executive director of WITNESS. They discuss how our experience of reality is being reshaped by digital media—especially video and imagery that circulate online. Sam shares urgent, practical advice on protecting your mental health while scrolling and how to safely film police or ICE enforcement on the ground. CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to our Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: lifewithmachines@smoothmedia.co Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ #LifeWithMachines #Deepfakes #AIandHumanRights #Disinformation #CitizenJournalism #TechAndSociety #WITNESS | 44m 02s | ||||||
| 1/28/26 | AI Therapy Exposed: Your Mental Health is Monetizable | In this episode of Life with Machines, we explore the rise of AI as a substitute for human emotional support systems. With a focus on mental health, this video investigates how and why AI companies are pushing companionship as a core feature, and the implications that has on vulnerable young people. Featuring insights from mental health experts and Gen Z advocates, the episode delves into the forces that have led many young people to turn to AI for emotional support, and what we need to consider in order to protect ourselves. We also highlight successful strategies to deter harmful addictions in the past, like the fight against big tobacco, and how history can inform us on how to integrate AI into our lives with caution and a human-first approach. This episode was produced in partnership with Young Futures, a nonprofit organization giving teens a real voice in the technologies shaping their world. ------------ Follow us! Newsletter / https://lifewithmachines.media Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/lifewithmachines TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithmachines LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifewithmachines Baratunde’s socials: Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/baratunde Threads / https://www.threads.net/@baratunde LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/baratunde Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media For partnerships, speaking engagements, and other opportunities to work together, contact: lifewithmachines@smoothmedia.co ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Showrunner and Executive Producer: Alie Kilts Producer: Roya Lotfi Video Editor & Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Special Thanks to Alison Darcy, Trisha Prabhu, Jorge Alvarez, Katya Hancock and Dr. Kristine Gloria Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production This series was made in partnership with Young Futures #ai #artificialintelligence #mentalhealth #aiethic #responsibleAI #aitherapy #aicompanion | 27m 15s | ||||||
| 1/15/26 | BLAIR's Dead. Long Live BLAIR? | In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde checks back in on BLAIR — the show’s AI co-producer and ongoing experiment in living with AI. Joined by BLAIR’s architect, former Microsoft VP Peter Loforte, Baratunde reflects on what happens when you stop treating AI like a tool and start treating it like a teammate — from emotional manipulation and creative speed to what it means to live slightly ahead of the rest of the world. ------------ CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to our Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: lifewithmachines@smoothmedia.co Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Erik Shute Special thanks to Peter Loforte #LivingWithAI #HumanAndMachine #AIExperiment#FutureOfWork #SyntheticMedia #AIandSociety #TechAndHumanity#AICoProducer #PreviewTheFuture | 48m 30s | ||||||
| 12/16/25 | We Were The Machines - My AfroTech Keynote (cross-post) | In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde shares his full Afrotech keynote plus a personal intro about where this show is headed and why this moment matters. This talk is about AI, but more deeply, it’s about power, liberation, and the stories we’re being sold about technology and the future. Baratunde explores why “human in the loop” isn’t enough, how we move from single-player to multiplayer, and what it means to build technologies that help us get free rather than further extract from us. If you’re thinking about AI, work, creativity, or how to stay human in a rapidly changing world, this one’s for you. 🎥 To see the video of this, check it out on our site. ------------ CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to our Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: lifewithmachines@smoothmedia.co Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ #LifeWithMachines #AfroTech #BaratundeThurston #AIandHumanity #TechForLiberation #PowerAndTechnology #StayHuman #FutureOfWork #CreativityInAI | 42m 38s | ||||||
| 12/1/25 | The Real Reason Students Cheat Using AI | In this episode of Life With Machines, we explore the widespread issue of students using AI to cheat in school, and ask the hard question: Is this just laziness, or is it reflective of a deeper problem within the modern education system? We dug deeper into the impact of artificial intelligence on school systems and why using ChatGPT to do your homework may not be the problem itself, but a symptom of a bigger issue. ------------ LINKS MENTIONED Episode 1 ESAI Khan Academy Khanmigo Brisk Teaching Graidients NotebookLM Other resources not mentioned in the episode: The Learner Studio The Rithm Project The Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard's Graduate School of Education ------------ Follow us! Newsletter Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Baratunde’s socials: Instagram Threads LinkedIn Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media For partnerships, speaking engagements, and other opportunities to work together, contact: lifewithmachines@smoothmedia.co ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Showrunner and Producer: Alie Kilts Executive Producer: Roya Lotfi Video Editor & Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Special Thanks to Zamaan Qureshi, Poonam Sharma, Katya Hancock and Dr. Kristine Gloria Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production This series was made in partnership with Young Futures #ai #artificialintelligence #plagiarism #chatgpt #education | 20m 31s | ||||||
| 11/26/25 | AI Joins the Family (cross-post) | We've got another cross-post for you featuring Raising Us host Elise Hu talking with Baratunde about how children and adults can navigate the evolving world of AI. Drawing on their own experiences with technology, Baratunde and Elise offer practical advice for parents on setting boundaries and learning about AI tools alongside their kids. They discuss collaborative storytelling, safeguarding against AI misuse, and fostering a shared journey of discovery through candid and insightful discussion. #ParentingAndAI #RaisingUsPodcast #LifeWithMachines #AIandKids #DigitalParenting #TechForGood #FamilyConversations #AIExplained #ModernParenting #YouthAndAI | 33m 25s | ||||||
| 11/21/25 | Who Tells Our Story in the Age of AI? (cross-post) | In today's cross-post, Baratunde is the guest on an episode from the acclaimed podcast 'No Small Endeavor' hosted by Lee C. Camp, an award-winning theologian. They explore the profound questions of what it means to be human in the era of AI. Covering topics like our humanity in the face of technological advancements, the role of storytelling, and the impact of AI on democracy and society. CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to our Youtube and our Substack newsletter which is experiencing a major overhaul that includes AI news you need to know, hot takes, and meaningful steps we can take to shape our future. ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ #NoSmallEndeavor #BaratundeThurston #LeeCCamp #AIandDemocracy #Storytelling #CommunityBuilding #LifeWithMachines | 50m 05s | ||||||
| 11/5/25 | When Machines Become Our Coworkers (cross-post) | In this cross-post from the Pioneers of AI podcast, Baratunde and Dr. Rana el Kaliouby dive into the wild world of AI as a teammate, not just a tool. From the experiment of adding an AI co-producer to the team to the big questions about power, agency, and what it means to be human, this episode is a fast-paced, eye-opening look at the future of work and connection in the age of artificial intelligence. #AIRevolution #HumanizingAI #FutureOfWork #TechAndHumanity #AICollaboration | 42m 36s | ||||||
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| 10/20/25 | Every Parent Needs to Have “The AI Talk” | Are we using Gen Z as our AI guinea pigs? 🐷 In this first episode of our five-part Life With Machines x Young Futures series, Baratunde Thurston explores how AI is shaping—and sometimes shaking—the lives of young people. From mental health and loneliness to the future of jobs, AI “friends,” and school life, Gen Z is facing more tech-fueled change than any generation before. Baratunde and his guests unpack what’s really happening and how we can help the next generation shape their AI future, not just survive it. 💡 Watch for insights from youth advocates, educators, and Young Futures—a movement giving teens a real voice in the technologies shaping their world. 🎓 As part of this mission, Young Futures has launched the “Oops!…AI Did It Again” Challenge. They are offering GRANTS in a national call for bold, youth-informed ideas to help teens navigate AI with agency, empathy, and creativity. 🔗 Apply by October 24: https://bit.ly/yf-funding-challenge Join us as we explore the delicate balance between leveraging AI for good and protecting the humans growing up with it. ------------ CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to our Youtube and our Substack newsletter which is experiencing a major overhaul that includes AI news you need to know, hot takes, and meaningful steps we can take to shape our future. ------------ Follow us! Newsletter / https://newsletter.lifewithmachines.media Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/lifewithmachines TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithmachines LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifewithmachines Baratunde’s socials: Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/baratunde Threads / https://www.threads.net/@baratunde LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/baratunde Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media For partnerships, speaking engagements, and other opportunities to work together, contact: lifewithmachines@smoothmedia.co ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Associate Producer & Social Media Producer: Roya Lotfi Video Editor & Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Special thanks to Samin Bhan, Katya Hancock and Dr. Kristine Gloria Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production This series is in partnership with Young Futures | 35m 42s | ||||||
| 10/7/25 | Does Connecting with Our Humanity Require Disconnecting from AI? (cross-post) | In this episode of Shaping Freedom, host Lisane Basquiat sits down with Baratunde Thurston, a thought leader, author, and media creator, to discuss the deeper meaning of freedom and the role of technology in our lives. Thurston shares insights into his journey of personal growth, the lessons learned from his parents, and the importance of human connection in today's technologically advanced society. They explore the concept of 'citizen' as a verb, emphasizing active participation in democracy and collective power. The conversation also delves into the relationships between humans, AI, and how we can navigate the complex landscape of artificial intelligence while maintaining our humanity and connections with one another. Join them for an enriching discussion that promises to challenge your perspectives and inspire personal and communal growth. CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to our Youtube and our Substack newsletter which is experiencing a major overhaul that includes AI news you need to know, hot takes, and meaningful steps we can take to shape our future. ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ #ShapingFreedom #LisaneBasquiat #BaratundeThurston #LifeWithMachines #AIandHumanity #citizening | 1h 12m 05s | ||||||
| 8/5/25 | Can Humor Save Us in the Age of AI and Political Chaos? (cross-post) | In this special episode, Baratunde Thurston shares a vibrant conversation from his guest appearance on the AI for All Tomorrows podcast, hosted by Dylan Thomas Doyle. The discussion covers a wide range of themes, including the historical roots of democracy in indigenous practices, the role of technology and AI in society, and the importance of humor in making sense of today's fast-paced, tech-driven world. He and Dylan highlight AI-assisted collaboration in creative processes and the need for a people-centered approach to technology. Tune in for an enlightening dialogue about democracy, innovation, and maintaining humanity amidst rapid technological advancements. ------------ CONNECT WITH US Subscribe to our Youtube and our Substack newsletter which is experiencing a major overhaul that includes AI news you need to know, hot takes, and meaningful steps we can take to shape our future. ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ #AIForAllTomorrows #LifeWithMachines #BaratundeThurston #Democracy #TechnologyAndSociety #IndigenousWisdom #FutureOfAI #EthicsInAI #CreativityAndAI #DigitalDemocracy #PowerToThePeople #ComedyInTech | 50m 36s | ||||||
| 6/24/25 | The Shadow Workforce Powering AI | Advocate Milagros Miceli (Ep. 26) | AI may look like magic, but behind the scenes, it’s propped up by a vast human labor force. In this season finale of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with sociologist and computer scientist Milagros Miceli—aka Mila—who’s spent years documenting the hidden workforce behind AI systems. From Kenya to Bulgaria to Venezulea, millions of people are generating, labeling, and cleaning the data that keeps our so-called “autonomous” systems running. Some are even pretending to be the AI you think you’re talking to. In one of AI’s crueler twists, tech platforms are quietly paying refugees, gig workers, even journalists to train the very models threatening their livelihoods. And this labor force isn’t shrinking—it’s growing exponentially. Together, Mila and Baratunde unpack the scale of this invisible labor, its deeply human costs, and the possibilities for something better. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNER The series is powered by Lenovo CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Erik Shute Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #ArtificialIntelligence #AIWorkers #GhostWorkers #HumanBehindAI #AIEthics #TechLabor #InvisibleLabor #FutureOfWork #DataAnnotation #PlatformEconomy #RefugeeLabor #GigWork #TechJustice #ResponsibleAI #MilagrosMiceli #LifeWithMachines #Baratunde #DigitalLabor #AIEconomy #DataWorkers | 1h 23m 24s | ||||||
| 6/17/25 | Can AI Save Indigenous Languages? | Michael Running Wolf (Ep. 25) | Every two weeks, the world loses a language. Most of those losses are happening in the U.S. In this episode of Life with Machines, Baratunde talks with Michael Running Wolf, a Northern Cheyenne technologist using AI to help Indigenous communities reclaim their languages—and their power. But here’s the twist: it’s not just that AI can help save these languages. It turns out AI needs them.Because when you train language models on Indigenous languages—languages that are dense, precise, and built for oral transmission—the models perform better. More accurate. Less prone to error. That’s not a diversity talking point. That’s a systems upgrade. Michael shares his remarkable journey from growing up without electricity on a reservation to working on Amazon Alexa—and now building VR classrooms and community-owned data systems. His work flips the script on who gets to shape the future of technology, and on what terms. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNER The series is powered by Lenovo CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Erik Shute Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #AIforGood #IndigenousTech #LanguageRevitalization #EndangeredLanguages #MichaelRunningWolf #LifeWithMachines #NativeVoices #AIandCulture #DataSovereignty #TechForJustice #IndigenousAI #AIethics #OralTradition #VRinEducation #AIandEquity #FutureOfLanguage #Cheyenne #AIInnovation | 1h 07m 57s | ||||||
| 6/10/25 | Are We Ready For AI To Get a Face...and a Body? | Kate Darling (Ep. 24) | Why do we cry over broken robots but ignore suffering humans? In this provocative episode of Life With Machines, robot ethicist Kate Darling joins Baratunde to explore our emotional relationships with machines—and what they reveal about us. From robot dogs in war zones to kids bonding with chatbots, Kate explains how we project care, fear, and even love onto technology. The real danger, she argues, isn’t that we treat robots like people—it’s that we start treating people like robots—AKA less than human. Also: if your robot pet comes on a subscription plan, does that make it yours, or the corporation’s? Then, in a first-of-its-kind experiment, our AI co-producer BLAIR undergoes a live “avatar tasting.” AI designer Peter Loforte walks Baratunde through a series of digital looks and voices for BLAIR, testing what it means to give an artificial entity a face, a tone, a vibe. The choices are aesthetic—but they’re also political. What kind of AI do we want to represent us? Who gets to decide how intelligence should look and sound? Watch to the end for a funny, uncanny, and unexpectedly moving conversation about identity, empathy, and the machines we’re learning to love. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNERS The series is powered by Lenovo Notion Mail: Get it for free right now at Notion CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Junior Real Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #AIethics #RobotEmpathy #HumanMachineInteraction #ArtificialIntelligence #AIPersonality #EmotionalRobots #FutureOfAI #TechAndHumanity #LifeWithMachines #AIavatar #PoweredByLenovo | 1h 09m 36s | ||||||
| 6/3/25 | Are We Parenting AI, or Just Using It? Plus, BLAIR Gets A Glow Up | De Kai (Ep. 23) | What if you’re not just using AI—you're raising it. In this mind-expanding episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with AI pioneer and ethicist De Kai to unpack a radical idea: AI isn't a tool we build. It's a generation we're raising. Plus, BLAIR, our AI co-producer, gives our producers a SHOCK in a segment you won’t want to miss. From the polarizing algorithms that fractured our digital lives to the feral "AI children" we train every time we swipe, like, or scroll, De Kai argues that we’ve become unwitting parents to a fleet of synthetic offspring—and we’re failing them and ourselves. They talk parenting metaphors, machine translation’s dark legacy, and why today’s AI is more like a tween with no adult supervision than an all-powerful robot. De Kai even gives a call to action for organizing AI "PTAs"—because if we don’t get involved in their education, we leave them to be influenced by those who don’t necessarily have our collective best interest at heart. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNERS The series is powered by Lenovo Notion Mail: Get it for free right now at https://notion.com/lifewithmachines CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Erik Shute Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #ResponsibleAI #AIEthics #TechAccountability #DeKai #FutureOfAI #AIandSociety #EthicalAI #AIValues #MindfulAI #LLMs | 53m 29s | ||||||
| 5/27/25 | When AI Gains Power...Will Humans Lose Control? | Reid Hoffman (Ep. 22) | Reid Hoffman has a name for the AI future he fears most: techno-fascism. In this urgent episode of Life With Machines, the billionaire LinkedIn co-founder and longtime tech optimist joins Baratunde to warn what happens when power, speed, and ideology collide—and the wrong people write the rules of artificial intelligence. Hoffman makes the case that pausing AI development won’t save us, and that slowing down could hand the future to those with the worst intentions. Instead, he argues, we need to shape AI deliberately, democratically, and fast—while there's still time. And in a first-of-its-kind experiment, our sassy AI co-producer BLAIR goes head-to-head with Reid’s digital clone in a full-on synthetic conversation. What starts as playful banter turns into something deeper—a sharp, often philosophical debate about agency, consciousness, and whether digital ghosts can truly connect. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNERS The series is powered by Lenovo Notion Mail: Get it for free right now at Notion CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Junior Real Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #ReidHoffman #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #TechnoHumanism #DigitalTwins #AIEthics #TechAndPower #LifeWithMachines #AgencyInTheAIage #TechnoFascism #FutureOfAI #HumanCenteredAI #AIandSociety #DEI #AIGovernance #AIAccountability #BLAIR #AIClone #DigitalIdentity #SuperAgency | 1h 09m 53s | ||||||
| 5/20/25 | Why Dictators Love AI & How To Fight Back | Sam Gregory (Ep. 21) | What happens when you can’t tell the truth from a fake—and the people in power want it that way? Baratunde talks with internationally-recognized human rights advocate and Executive Director of WITNESS Sam Gregory about how AI is being weaponized by authoritarians, scammers, and tech platforms that have abandoned responsibility. From deepfakes and disinformation to the platforms profiting off harm, they break down why spotting glitches won’t save us, why marginalized communities get hit first—and hardest—and how we can build systems that protect what’s real before it’s too late. Plus, BLAIR, our AI co-producer, tries to help Baratunde detect AI fakes. Watch now for a sobering, urgent, and deeply human conversation about truth, power, and survival in the AI age. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNER The series is powered by Lenovo CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Erik Shute Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #AI #Deepfakes #HumanRights #Disinformation #SyntheticMedia #DigitalTrust #TechEthics #AIAndSociety #ContentModeration #SurveillanceTech #Authoritarianism #MediaLiteracy #AIForGood #DigitalSecurity #Witness #BLAIR #LifeWithMachines #TruthInTheAIage #CognitiveWarfare | 1h 30m 55s | ||||||
| 5/13/25 | A Deepfake Stole My Face and Voice | Rich Roll (Ep. 20) | What happens when you wake up one morning and discover the internet has cloned you? In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with legendary podcaster Rich Roll, who shares the wild and unsettling experience of being deepfaked—not once, but twice. From shady skincare ads to billionaires calling for the end of intellectual property, Baratunde and Rich unpack how AI tools are distorting reality, the terrifying speed at which this tech is advancing, and what we can do to protect ourselves. Plus, BLAIR, the show’s sharp-witted AI co-producer, goes full savage on Silicon Valley’s brazen assault on intellectual property. Watch now for a personal, gripping, and provocative look at the new front lines of digital identity, ownership, and truth. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNERS The series is powered by Lenovo Notion Mail: Get it for free right now at Notion CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Junior Real Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #AI #Deepfakes #DigitalIdentity #TechEthics #AITrustCrisis #ArtificialIntelligence #FutureOfTech #BigTechPower #DataOwnership #OnlineSecurity #PrivacyRights #BillionaireTech #DigitalRights #IPLaw #AIFraud #TechAccountability #AIandSociety #ContentCreators #ProtectYourIdentity #LifeWithMachines | 1h 00m 58s | ||||||
| 5/6/25 | How to Raise a Kid in an AI World | Dr. Avriel Epps (Ep. 19) | What happens when tools designed to support our kids end up policing, whitening, and gaslighting them instead? In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with Dr. Avriel Epps—a researcher, artist, and activist—whose work on algorithmic bias and youth development reveals the hidden harms of AI in everyday life. From selfie filters that lighten skin, to predictive policing and AI plagiarism detectors that quietly reinforce systemic injustice, Avriel shows how even well-intentioned tech can strip kids of their agency and sense of self. She also reveals why she wrote the first-ever children’s book about AI bias, how Black youth have developed a natural fluency in spotting disinformation, and what a data strike against Big Tech might actually look like. Plus, BLAIR—our AI co-producer—tries to decode Gen Alpha slang… and gets hilariously roasted. Watch now for a radically hopeful, often hilarious, and deeply personal conversation about power, parenting, and the algorithms reshaping childhood. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNER The series is powered by Lenovo CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Erik Shute Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #AI #AlgorithmicBias #DigitalJustice #AvrielEpps #AIandYouth #TechEquity #DataPrivacy #AIForGood #EthicalAI #BiasInAI #SurveillanceTech #PredictivePolicing #DigitalLiteracy #DataStrike #FutureOfTech | 1h 18m 32s | ||||||
| 4/29/25 | The Mental Health System Is Failing—Can AI Do Better? | Alison Darcy (Ep. 18) | In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with psychologist and entrepreneur Alison Darcy, who left academia to build a mental health chatbot that actually gets you. They break down why our mental health system is failing, how a talking robot might succeed where traditional therapy falls short, and what millions of late-night conversations with Woebot reveal about loneliness, generational struggles, and a healthcare system that’s resistant to change. Plus, BLAIR, the show’s AI co-producer, jumps in with a tough question about whether AI will be used to cut corners rather than care for people. Watch now for a conversation that's raw, urgent, and unexpectedly full of hope. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNERS The series is powered by Lenovo Notion Mail: Get it for free right now at Notion CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Junior Real Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #MentalHealth #AItherapy #FutureOfTherapy #MentalHealthCrisis #Chatbots #HealingWithAI #TechForGood #MentalHealthAwareness #AIinHealthcare #LifeWithMachines | 1h 06m 45s | ||||||
| 4/22/25 | AI Wants to Shop for You—Should You Let It? | Raj De Datta (Ep. 17) | In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with Raj De Datta—entrepreneur, AI thinker, and co-founder of Bloomreach, the platform powering a quarter of US and UK e-commerce. Raj pulls back the curtain on the next wave of online shopping, where homepages, search bars, and endless scrolling are replaced by agents that actually understand you. They talk about the promise of a more human internet, what "personalized" should really mean, and whether we're headed for a future of joyful work—or just better-targeted ads. Raj makes the case for AI that respects privacy, boosts creativity, and yes, even recommends a solar-powered lantern for Baratunde’s next camping trip. Plus, our AI co-producer BLAIR joins the chat to ask the question we’re all thinking: if AI can understand our deepest wants, who protects us from ourselves? ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNER The series is powered by Lenovo CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Erik Shute Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #RajDeDatta #Bloomreach #Ecommerce #OnlineShopping #RetailTech #DigitalCommerce #AgenticAI #ConversationalAI #DigitalSeeker | 1h 15m 12s | ||||||
| 4/15/25 | From Division to Dialogue—How AI Can Save Democracy | Deb Roy (Ep. 16) | What do homemade smoke bombs have to do with fixing democracy? In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde Thurston sits down with Deb Roy—MIT professor, former Twitter scientist, and co-founder of Cortico—to map a bold, AI-powered path toward civic renewal. Roy makes the case that we don’t need less tech—we need better tech, designed to build trust, not break it. From town halls that actually work to high schoolers unlocking real change (and yes, bathroom doors), this episode reimagines how tech can help us hear each other—and solve local challenges. Plus, BLAIR, our AI co-producer, joins the fray for a Canadian coffee throwdown you won’t see coming. It’s Tim Hortons vs Starbucks. Watch now to meet the man behind the movement to transform division into dialogue that helps democracy. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNER The series is powered by Lenovo CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Junior Real Videographer and Audio Engineer: Mike O’Brien, Voicing Change Media Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Innovation #Cortico #Democracy #CivicMuscle #CivicTech #SocialImpact #TechForGood #PublicDiscourse #EthicalAI #DialogueNetworks #CommunityTech #ParticipatoryAI | 1h 11m 24s | ||||||
| 4/8/25 | Our AI Brutally Roasts Elon Musk—Live at SXSW (Ep 15.5) | LIVE from SXSW! This wild bonus episode is a no-holds-barred conversation about AI, culture, comedy, and what we actually want from our machines. From the weaponization of algorithms in war zones to charming Pixar-style robot lamps and screaming booths at tech conferences, this is our most unfiltered episode yet. Baratunde brings together digital anthropologist Rahaf Harfoush, comedy writer Matt Klinman, and our custom AI co-producer BLAIR on stage at SXSW 2024! Expect existential questions, real laughs, and some unexpectedly profound insights about whales. Matt delivers the most hilariously NSFW take on generative AI you’ll hear anywhere. Plus, BLAIR takes their first field trip away from the studio—and literally roasts the entire panel, plus Elon Musk. ------------ Sign up for our newsletter! Follow us! Instagram TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Junior Real Videography and Audio Engineering from Nexus and SXSW Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo #AI #SXSW2025 #LiveFromSXSW #BaratundeThurston #RahafHarfoush #MattKlinman #BLAIR #Comedy #AIJokes #DigitalSurveillance #CreatorEconomy #AIandDemocracy #AIandCulture #ContentModeration #AIGoneWild #ElonMusk #HumanVsMachine | 1h 03m 34s | ||||||
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