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PODCAST

Life with Machines

Baratunde Thurston

Life With Machines explores the human side of the A.I. revolution – the good, the bad, and the weird – and asks, “How can these machines help us become more human?” In this video podcast, host Baratunde Thurston helps us understand our rapidly emerging future, and encourages us to shape it and laugh at the absurdity. Baratunde demystifies A.I. and makes it personal with a wide range of guests: entrepreneurs, artists, policymakers, technologists, business leaders, creators, educators, and

technology how to

All Episodes

70:58

Whose Future Are We Building? (cross-post)

Life with Machines ·

2026/02/24

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

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44:02

ICE, Deepfakes, and What's Real w/ Sam Gregory

Life with Machines ·

2026/02/04

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

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27:15

AI Therapy Exposed: Your Mental Health is Monetizable

Life with Machines ·

2026/01/28

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

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48:30

BLAIR's Dead. Long Live BLAIR?

Life with Machines ·

2026/01/15

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

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42:38

We Were The Machines - My AfroTech Keynote (cross-post)

Life with Machines ·

2025/12/16

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

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20:31

The Real Reason Students Cheat Using AI

Life with Machines ·

2025/12/01

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

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33:25

AI Joins the Family

Life with Machines ·

2025/11/26

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

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50:05

Who Tells Our Story in the Age of AI? (cross-post)

Life with Machines ·

2025/11/21

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

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42:36

When Machines Become Our Coworkers (cross-post)

Life with Machines ·

2025/11/05

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

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35:42

Every Parent Needs to Have “The AI Talk”

Life with Machines ·

2025/10/20

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

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72:05

Does Connecting with Our Humanity Require...

Life with Machines ·

2025/10/07

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

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50:36

Can Humor Save Us in the Age of AI and Political...

Life with Machines ·

2025/08/05

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

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83:24

The Shadow Workforce Powering AI | Advocate Milagros...

Life with Machines ·

2025/06/24

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

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67:57

Can AI Save Indigenous Languages? | Michael Running...

Life with Machines ·

2025/06/17

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

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69:36

Are We Ready For AI To Get a Face...and a Body? |...

Life with Machines ·

2025/06/10

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

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53:29

Are We Parenting AI, or Just Using It? Plus, BLAIR...

Life with Machines ·

2025/06/03

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

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69:53

When AI Gains Power...Will Humans Lose Control? |...

Life with Machines ·

2025/05/27

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

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90:55

Why Dictators Love AI & How To Fight Back | Sam...

Life with Machines ·

2025/05/20

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

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60:58

A Deepfake Stole My Face and Voice | Rich Roll (Ep. 20)

Life with Machines ·

2025/05/13

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

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78:32

How to Raise a Kid in an AI World | Dr. Avriel Epps...

Life with Machines ·

2025/05/06

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

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45 results

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