A Breath of Fresh Air With Brian Eno
The Ezra Klein Show
Agency: Are We Playing Technology or Is It Playing Us?
Eno and Ezra debate how technologies can shape human habits and the risk of surrendering agency to AI.
Brian Eno’s music opens up worlds I love to step into during trying times. And this conversation with Eno did the same thing.
Eno is a trailblazing musician and producer who’s worked on seminal records by U2, David Bowie, the Talking Heads and Coldplay, among others. But Eno isn’t just a great collaborator with other artists; he’s also a great collaborator with machines. He’s been experimenting with music technology for decades. Long before we started worrying about ChatGPT replacing human creativity, Eno was tinkering with generative systems to pioneer ambient music – a genre that has deeply influenced how we listen to music today. Eno’s use (and playful misuse) of technology has expanded the possibilities of what music and sound can be.
Many of you emailed in asking for a break from the news. Here it is.
This episode contains strong language.
Mentioned:
What Art Does by Brian Eno and Bette Adriaanse
East West Street by Philippe Sands
Silence by John Cage
Book Recommendations:
Printing and the Mind of Man edited by John Carter and Percy H. Muir
A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander
Naples ’44 by Norman Lewis
Music Recommendations:
“The Velvet Underground” by the Velvet Underground
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker, Kate Sinclair and Michelle Harris. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Rollin Hu, Kristin Lin, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Aman Sahota and Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. Transcript editing by Sarah Murphy. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. And special thanks to Alyssa Jane Moxley, Sophie Abramowitz, Geeta Dayal, Jack Hamilton and Victor Szabo.
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