Exploring the complexities of human vs. computer-generated speech, the balance of AI in human conversations, challenges in communication precision, anthropomorphism, naming in design, ethical concerns around AI training, collective decision-making with bots, and designing effective conversations with a focus on cadence, pace, and conversational leadership.

Cathy Pearl, UX Lead on Google Bard and author of Designing Voice User Interfaces, joins hosts Robb and Josh to explore the changing nature of voice interfaces and conversational design. They discuss the evolution of conversational AI, reframing challenging situations, user abuse towards voice assistants, flexibility and context in design, diverse uses of AI systems, and the concept of co-creation.

AI researcher, author, and VP and Fellow at Google Research, Blaise Agüera y Arcas has contributed to research papers cited more than 20,000 times, including a seminal LaMDA paper from 2022. His new book, Who Are We Now?, explores how biology, ecology, sexuality, history, and culture have intertwined to create a dynamic “us” that's neither natural nor artificial. Blaise joins Robb and Josh for a philosophical exploration of identity, collective intelligence, and the ways AI might put us back into balance with nature. A frequent TED speaker and winner of MIT’s TR35 Prize, Blaise brings the perspective of a deeply forward-thinking researcher to our ongoing conversation about AI.

Despite the complexity and sensitivity innate to financial institutions, Morgan Stanley was able to partner with Open AI to create AI @ Morgan Stanley Assistant. Chief Analytics and Data Officer Jeff McMillan describes it as the most advanced personal assistant in the financial sector and he joins Robb and Josh to talk about the design process, which involved working closely with Sam Altman and the team at OpenAI. Jeff's experiences creating a sophisticated automated solution in a heavily regulated industry offer strategy and inspiration to other organizations hoping to make similar transformations.

Discussing systemic change with Sheryl Cababa, they explore educational challenges, algorithms in systems, technology's role in healthcare and education inequities, AI decision-making in systemic issues, and the importance of systems design in technology and design thinking.

In a moment when unprecedented amounts of money are flowing toward projects involving AI, Robb and Josh welcome Jake Saper for a lively exploration of the VC mindset. Since 2003, Emergence Capital has invested in companies collectively worth $450B+, including Salesforce, Box, Yammer, and Zoom. As a General Partner, Jake has embraced the transformative power of generative AI. This conversation explores many different ways these technologies are impacting investor thinking as software becomes cheaper and easier to create.

Brad Stulberg, bestselling author, discusses the impact of AI on individuals, organizations, and society. Topics include rugged flexibility mindset, adaptability in the face of new technologies, work as a source of meaning, core values in navigating change, and the impact of social media on human connectivity.

Cammy Crolic, Oxford Professor, researching human behavior, discusses hedonic escalation, anthropomorphization, and the impact of human-like bots on consumer behavior. She explores how complexity and personalization in conversational AI affect enjoyment and engagement. The podcast also delves into unintended consequences of diet composition, negative outcomes of anthropomorphizing chatbots, the use of anger in customer interactions, and the evolving expectations of consumers for chatbots.

Robb and Josh welcome Ben Goertzel for a deep exploration of the narrow AIs we are quickly growing accustomed to and our fraught transition to artificial general intelligence, or singularity. As the founder and CEO of SingularityNET, Ben has been working to democratize access to artificial intelligence through decentralization. He's also a leader of both the OpenCog Foundation and the AGI Society, having helped to popularize the term 'artificial general intelligence'. Topics in this episode include balancing design near-term design concerns—like anthropomorphization—against more consequential issues, such as who will control these systems and how they will interact with humanity.

Robb and Josh welcome David Bingham for an exploration of design and conversational AI, from our homes, to our workplaces, to industrial settings. David is a senior experience design executive who’s held positions at GE and Workday and is currently Director of User Experience at Schneider Electric (named one of Fortune’s Most Desirable Companies four years running and deemed the world’s most sustainable company in 2021). The trio discusses the uncanny valley in conversational AI, the true shape and purpose of digital twins, and updating CRUD (adding "seek" to create, read, update, and delete).