The Shoggoth in the Machine: AI, ARGs, and the Future of Play (w/ Reed Berkowitz)

The Shoggoth in the Machine: AI, ARGs, and the Future of Play (w/ Reed Berkowitz)

From Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff by Douglas Rushkoff

June 19, 2026 · 1h 4m

About this episode

Douglas Rushkoff and Reed Berkowitz discuss the intersection of AI, gaming, and the evolution of the internet.

How do we keep the machine from pulling us into another world, or escaping into ours? Rushkoff is joined by OG game designer, hacker, and Director of Curiouser Institute Reed Berkowitz to explore the liminal space between reality, fiction, and artificial intelligence. From the early days of late-80s text-based worlds and San Francisco’s cyberdelic rave culture to the complex modern landscape of AI development, Douglas and Reed compare notes on what they thought the internet would become - and what it actually grew into. ✨ Learn more about Reed’s work: http://www.curiouserinstitute.com 🌍 Your support keeps Team Human alive! Support the show to receive ad-free access to videos, livestream Q&As with Rushkoff, access to the community Discord and more: https://www.patreon.com/teamhuman 🤝 Team Human is proudly supported by Groucho. You can take 50% off your first month by using promo code "teamhuman": https://mygroucho.club/teamhuman Download Groucho: Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/groucho/id6756526142?ct=teamhuman&mt=8 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.trampoline.groucho&utm_source=website&utm_medium=landing&utm_campaign=teamhuman…

People in this episode

Host: Douglas Rushkoff

Guest: Reed Berkowitz

Topics covered

Sponsors

Groucho, BetterHelp

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Curiouser Institute

More episodes of Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff podcast page.