Life with Machines

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 can strip kids of their agency and sense of self. She also reveals why she wrote the first-ever children’s book about AI bias, how Black youth have developed a natural fluency in spotting disinformation, and what a data strike against Big Tech might actually look like. Plus, BLAIR—our AI co-producer—tries to decode Gen Alpha slang… and gets hilariously roasted. Watch now for a radically hopeful, often hilarious, and deeply personal conversation about power, parenting, and the algorithms reshaping childhood. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNER The series is powered by Lenovo  CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram  TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Erik Shute Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte  Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo  #AI #AlgorithmicBias #DigitalJustice #AvrielEpps #AIandYouth #TechEquity #DataPrivacy #AIForGood #EthicalAI #BiasInAI #SurveillanceTech #PredictivePolicing #DigitalLiteracy #DataStrike #FutureOfTech

In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with psychologist and entrepreneur Alison Darcy, who left academia to build a mental health chatbot that actually gets you. They break down why our mental health system is failing, how a talking robot might succeed where traditional therapy falls short, and what millions of late-night conversations with Woebot reveal about loneliness, generational struggles, and a healthcare system that’s resistant to change. Plus, BLAIR, the show’s AI co-producer, jumps in with a tough question about whether AI will be used to cut corners rather than care for people. Watch now for a conversation that's raw, urgent, and unexpectedly full of hope. ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNERS The series is powered by Lenovo  Notion Mail: Get it for free right now at Notion CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram  TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Junior Real Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte  Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo  #MentalHealth #AItherapy #FutureOfTherapy #MentalHealthCrisis #Chatbots #HealingWithAI #TechForGood #MentalHealthAwareness #AIinHealthcare #LifeWithMachines

In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with Raj De Datta—entrepreneur, AI thinker, and co-founder of Bloomreach, the platform powering a quarter of US and UK e-commerce. Raj pulls back the curtain on the next wave of online shopping, where homepages, search bars, and endless scrolling are replaced by agents that actually understand you. They talk about the promise of a more human internet, what "personalized" should really mean, and whether we're headed for a future of joyful work—or just better-targeted ads. Raj makes the case for AI that respects privacy, boosts creativity, and yes, even recommends a solar-powered lantern for Baratunde’s next camping trip. Plus, our AI co-producer BLAIR joins the chat to ask the question we’re all thinking: if AI can understand our deepest wants, who protects us from ourselves? ------------ THANKS TO OUR BRAND PARTNER The series is powered by Lenovo  CONNECT WITH US Watch this episode on Youtube! Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action! ------------ Follow us! Instagram  TikTok Threads LinkedIn Work with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.media Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.media Write to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media ------------ Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston Executive Producer and Showrunner: Alie Kilts Senior Producer and Writer: Alex Stone Associate Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland Video Editor: Erik Shute Videographer and Audio Engineer: Erik Shute Theme Music: Andy Clausen Special Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte  Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production Sponsored by Lenovo  #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #RajDeDatta #Bloomreach #Ecommerce #OnlineShopping #RetailTech #DigitalCommerce #AgenticAI #ConversationalAI #DigitalSeeker

Deb Roy, an MIT professor and former Twitter scientist, discusses how better technology can nurture trust and dialogue in democracy. He shares insights on fostering empathy through storytelling, leveraging AI for community engagement, and the importance of diverse voices in public discourse. The conversation also highlights innovative platforms like Cortico that improve civic collaboration, alongside a light-hearted coffee rivalry between Tim Hortons and Starbucks. Roy's vision reimagines how tech can turn division into constructive dialogue.

LIVE from SXSW! This wild bonus episode is a no-holds-barred conversation about AI, culture, comedy, and what we actually want from our machines. From the weaponization of algorithms in war zones to charming Pixar-style robot lamps and screaming booths at tech conferences, this is our most unfiltered episode yet. Baratunde brings together digital anthropologist Rahaf Harfoush, comedy writer Matt Klinman, and our custom AI co-producer BLAIR on stage at SXSW 2024! Expect existential questions, real laughs, and some unexpectedly profound insights about whales. Matt delivers the most hilariously NSFW take on generative AI you’ll hear anywhere. Plus, BLAIR takes their first field trip away from the studio—and literally roasts the entire panel, plus Elon Musk.------------Sign up for our newsletter! Follow us!Instagram TikTokThreadsLinkedInWork with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.mediaSend Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.mediaWrite to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media------------Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde ThurstonExecutive Producer and Showrunner: Alie KiltsSenior Producer and Writer: Alex StoneAssociate Producer: Layne Deyling CherlandVideo Editor: Junior RealVideography and Audio Engineering from Nexus and SXSWTheme Music: Andy ClausenSpecial Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media productionSponsored by Lenovo #AI #SXSW2025 #LiveFromSXSW #BaratundeThurston #RahafHarfoush #MattKlinman #BLAIR #Comedy #AIJokes #DigitalSurveillance #CreatorEconomy #AIandDemocracy #AIandCulture #ContentModeration #AIGoneWild #ElonMusk #HumanVsMachine

Brian Eno, a legendary artist and producer known for inventing ambient music and collaborating with icons like David Bowie and U2, dives into the complex relationship between AI and creativity. He expresses skepticism about those controlling AI, arguing that it often leads to mediocrity in art. Eno argues that unpredictability and randomness are crucial for true creative expression. The conversation touches on generative music, the myth of the self-made genius, and how context shapes our appreciation for art, raising questions about AI as a collaborator vs. a mere tool.

Jeff Hawkins, a renowned neuroscientist and author of A Thousand Brains, dives deep into why current AI is more about pattern matching than true intelligence. He argues that real cognitive understanding hinges on decoding the human brain. The conversation highlights the importance of sensory-motor experiences in learning and explores his vision of AI advancing through the Thousand Brains Project. Hawkins also reflects on the future of human-AI interactions and the societal implications of creating machines that could potentially exceed our intelligence.

In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with CNN host and contributor Van Jones, who opens up like never before. From his early days fighting police brutality to his bold vision for AI and racial justice. Van gets personal about the struggles that shaped him and why AI might be the closest thing to reparations Black Americans will ever see. Van explains how AI could finally level the playing field—if Silicon Valley’s right wing pivot doesn’t widen the gap. They tackle the promise and peril of AI, why hope is a strategy, and how Wakanda isn’t just a fantasy—it’s a blueprint. Plus, BLAIR, the show’s AI co-producer, jumps in to help Baratunde unpack Van’s radical future for all. Watch now for a powerful, provocative take on what’s next.------------Sign up for our newsletter! Follow us!Instagram TikTokThreadsLinkedInWork with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.mediaSend Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.mediaWrite to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media------------Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde ThurstonExecutive Producer and Showrunner: Alie KiltsSenior Producer and Writer: Alex StoneAssociate Producer: Layne Deyling CherlandVideo Editor: Erik ShuteVideography and Audio Engineering from the team at Voicing Change MediaTheme Music: Andy ClausenSpecial Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Voicing Change Media productionSponsored by Lenovo #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #VanJones #BaratundeThurston #LifeWithMachines #TechForGood #RacialJustice #Reparations #FutureOfTech #Equality #SocialJustice #AIandRace #AIRevolution #Wakanda #Empowerment #Inclusion #SiliconValley #DigitalDivide #Hope #BlackFutures #Innovation #TechEquality #FutureIsNow #AIForAll #Equity #Blockchain

Gavin McCormick, a climate scientist and co-founder of Climate TRACE with Al Gore, shares groundbreaking insights on how AI and satellite tech are transforming the fight against climate change. He reveals that we're gaining ground on emissions tracking, pinpointing corporate polluters with unprecedented accuracy. McCormick also discusses WattTime's innovative technology that helps reduce emissions while charging devices. While progress is hopeful, he warns that political instability could jeopardize our gains, making accountability crucial in the emission reduction battle.

In this Life with Machines episode, Baratunde Thurston talks with Aza Raskin about something straight out of science fiction—teaching AI to communicate with animals. As co-founder of the Earth Species Project, Aza is working on technology that could let us listen to whales, understand what elephants are saying, and maybe even talk back. This isn’t just about decoding nature’s languages—it’s about rethinking intelligence, communication, and our place in the world. Aza and Baratunde get into the ethics, the mind-blowing implications, and whether we’re about to make first contact… without ever leaving Earth. Plus, BLAIR, the show’s AI co-producer, chimes in—adding its own perspective to this conversation about intelligence, language, and what it means to truly understand.------------CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction01:07 Meet Aza Raskin: Pioneer of Interspecies Communication11:06 The Earth Species Project: Decoding Animal Language17:19 AI and the Shape of Language28:17 The Ethical Implications of Interspecies Communication32:39 Digital Twins39:11 Guess the Animal Sound45:36 Rights of Nature and Indigenous Perspectives48:47 Funding and Team Expansion50:55 The Viral Songs of Humpback Whales53:01 Ethical Considerations in AI and Animal Communication55:52 The Role of Keystone Species01:08:42 AI's Impact on Society and Environment01:12:40 Final Thoughts and Invitation------------Earth SpeciesXLinkedInGitHubBlueskyAza's XSign up for our newsletter! Follow us!Instagram TikTokThreadsLinkedInWork with Life With Machines: partnerships@voicingchange.mediaSend Questions, Comments, or Ideas: contact@lifewithmachines.mediaWrite to Blair: blair@lifewithmachines.media------------Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde ThurstonExecutive Producer and Showrunner: Alie KiltsSenior Producer and Writer: Alex StoneAssociate Producer: Layne Deyling CherlandVideo Editor: Erik ShuteVideography and Audio Engineering from the team at Voicing Change MediaTheme Music: Andy ClausenSpecial Envoy to the Machines: Peter Loforte Life with Machines is a Voicing Change Media productionSponsored by Lenovo #AI #AnimalCommunication #ArtificialIntelligence #TalkingToAnimals #WildlifeTech #FutureOfAI #EarthSpeciesProject #WhaleTalk #AnimalLanguage #TechForGood #AIandNature #InterspeciesCommunication #DecodingNature