Will AI Win the War for our Minds? Richard Ryan on Fighting Back Against Tech Manipulation

Today’s guest is Richard Ryan, a tech innovator, media executive, and digital pioneer with over 20 years of experience driving growth at the intersection of technology and creative strategy. 

An early mover in digital media, Richard developed a YouTube app four years before YouTube released its own and built FullMag into a channel with over 2.7 million subscribers and a digital footprint totaling more than 20 billion views. He also launched Rated Red with Verizon Media and Hearst, scaling it to over one million organic subscribers in its first year and is a co-founder of Black Rifle Coffee Company. Today, his focus is on privacy, algorithmic influence, and empowering consumers in the digital era.

In this episode, Jack and Richard dive into Richard’s book, THE WARRIOR'S GARDEN, and its call to cultivate awareness in a tech-dominated world. They explore the war for the mind in the attention economy, the role of algorithms in shaping behavior, and how authenticity and accountability can serve as antidotes to manipulation. The conversation touches on AI, deception online, and the dangers of outsourcing memory to devices—while also using nature as a metaphor for resilience and mental well-being. Richard shares his optimism for the future, the importance of reclaiming time, and his hope to inspire others to adapt and thrive in the digital age.

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