The Behavioral Design Podcast

Understanding AI Risks with Peter SlatteryIn this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline and Samuel are joined by Peter Slattery, behavioral scientist and lead researcher at MIT’s FutureTech lab, where he spearheads the groundbreaking AI Risk Repository project. Together, they dive into the complex and often overlooked risks of artificial intelligence—ranging from misinformation and malicious use to systemic failures and existential threats.Peter shares the intellectual and emotional journey behind categorizing over 1,000 documented AI risks, how his team built a risk taxonomy from 17,000+ sources, and why shared understanding and behavioral science are critical for navigating the future of AI.This one is a must-listen for anyone curious about AI safety, behavioral science, and the future of technology that’s moving faster than most of us can track.--LINKS:Peter's LinkedIn ProfileMIT FutureTech Lab: futuretech.mit.eduAI Risk Repository--Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more.Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business. Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Dive into how AI is transforming behavioral design from discovery to testing. The hosts explore insights from LinkedIn polls about AI's role and human expertise. They analyze various AI tools for literature reviews, weighing their strengths against potential pitfalls. Discussions highlight the importance of maintaining human oversight, as AI outputs can lack depth. Plus, get excited about upcoming innovations from an AI Lab and a case study on Peloton that combines AI and behavioral insights to enhance user experiences!

When to AI, and When Not to AI with Eric Hekler"People are different. Context matters. Things change."In this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, Aline is joined by Eric Hekler, professor at UC San Diego, to explore the nuances of AI in behavioral science and health interventions. Eric’s mantra—emphasizing the importance of individual differences, context, and change—serves as a foundation for the conversation as they discuss when AI enhances behavioral interventions and when human judgment is indispensable.The discussion explores just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAI), the efficiency trap of AI, and the jagged frontier of AI adoption—where machine learning excels and where it falls short. Eric shares his expertise on control systems engineering, human-AI collaboration, and the real-world challenges of scaling adaptive health interventions. The episode also explores teachable moments, the importance of domain knowledge, and the need for AI to support rather than replace human decision-making.The conversation wraps up with a quickfire round, where Eric debates AI’s role in health coaching, mental health interventions, and optimizing human routines.LINKS:Eric Hekler:TIMESTAMPS:02:01 Introduction and Correction05:21 The Efficiency Trap of AI08:02 Human-AI Collaboration11:04 Conversation with Eric Hekler14:12 Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions15:19 System Identification Experiment28:27 Control Systems vs. Machine Learning39:44 Challenges with Classical Machine Learning43:16 Translating Research to Real-World Applications49:49 Community-Based Research and Context Matters59:46 Quickfire Round: To AI or Not to AI01:08:27 Final Thoughts on AI and Human Evolution--Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more.Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business. Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Sci-Fi and AI: Exploring Annie Bot with Sierra GreerIn this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline and Samuel dive into the ethical, emotional, and societal complexities of AI companionship with special guest Sierra Greer, author of Annie Bot. This thought-provoking novel explores AI-human relationships, autonomy, and the blurred line between artificial intelligence and the human experience.Sierra shares her inspiration for Annie Bot and how sci-fi can serve as a lens to explore real-world ethical dilemmas in AI development. The conversation covers the concept of reinforcement learning in AI and how it mirrors human conditioningThe gender dynamics embedded in AI design, and the ethical implications of AI companions. The discussion also examines real-life cases of people forming deep emotional bonds with AI chatbotsThe episode rounds out with a lively quickfire round, where Sierra debates whether AI should replace lost loved ones, act as conversational assistants for introverts, or intervene in human arguments.This is a must-listen for fans of sci-fi, behavioral science, and those fascinated by the future of AI companionship and emotional intelligence.LINKS:Sierra Greer websiteAnnie Bot – Official Book PageGoodreads ProfileTIMESTAMPS:01:43 AI Companions: A Controversial Opinion05:48 Exploring Sci-Fi and AI in Literature07:42 Introducing Sierra Greer and Her Book09:12 Reinforcement Learning Explained15:47 Diving into the World of Annie Bot23:17 Power Dynamics and Human-Robot Relationships32:31 Humanity and Artificial Intelligence41:31 Autonomy vs. Agreeableness in Relationships43:20 Reinforcement Learning in AI and Humans46:13 Ethics and Gaslighting in AI48:57 Gender Dynamics in AI Design57:18 AI Companions and Human Relationships01:06:45 Quickfire Round: To AI or Not to AI01:12:39 Final Thoughts and Controversial Opinions--Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more.Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business. Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Laura de Molière, a behavioral scientist with extensive experience in public policy, shares her insights from her time at the UK Cabinet Office. She discusses the innovative use of AI in enhancing decision-making and the challenges of balancing AI's capabilities with human biases. Laura reveals her transformative moment with large language models and their potential in behavioral insights. The conversation dives into synthetic users for testing interventions, plus playful debates on AI applications like tax optimization and gamified urinals. It's an engaging mix of policy, science, and humor!

Predictions for 2025: AI, AGI, and the Future of Behavioral Science with Jared Peterson In this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, host Samuel is joined by Jared Peterson, a behavioral scientist and expert in decision science at Nuance Behavior. Together, they explore some of the most pressing questions and exciting developments at the intersection of AI, behavioral science, and the future of human-centered design. The conversation highlights key advancements from 2024, including the rise of multimodal AI, breakthroughs in AI agents, and the transformative use of AI in scientific research. Samuel and Jared share bold predictions for 2025, tackling questions like: Will AI agents become trusted coworkers? Can AI revolutionize science? And how should we navigate the hype surrounding artificial general intelligence (AGI)? The discussion is packed with hot takes, nuanced perspectives, and thoughtful reflections, including Jared’s controversial prediction about the future of AI in predicting research replicability. This episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about the rapidly evolving AI landscape and its implications for behavioral science, creativity, and society at large. For questions or comments - email samuel@nuancebehavior..com LINKS: Jared's website Jared's linkedin The Science of Context A Failure to Disagree TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Meet Jared Peterson: Behavioral Scientist and AI Expert 01:01 – Reflections on 2024: Key Breakthroughs and Predictions 03:36 – The Multimodal Evolution of AI 10:06 – AI Surpassing Human Benchmarks 21:25 – The Rise of AI Agents and Synthetic Content 35:18 – Musical Turing Test: AI vs. Eurovision 43:26 –Predictions for 2025: AI Coworkers and Beyond 44:06 – AI Coworkers: The Future of Work? 51:11 – AI in Science: Revolutionizing Research 01:05:56 – The Hype and Reality of AGI 01:10:42 – Adoption Challenges and Future Predictions 01:25:40 – Final Thoughts and Controversial Predictions -- Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more. Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business.  Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Sandra Matz, an Associate Professor at Columbia Business School and expert in psychological targeting, shares insights on how digital footprints shape personalized marketing and decision-making. She dives into the ethical implications surrounding the use of AI and big data, especially in light of the Cambridge Analytica controversy. The discussion also touches on the use of personality profiles in understanding consumer behavior and the evolving role of tools like ChatGPT in generating tailored content, sparking debates on data privacy and individual empowerment.

Behavior Change Score with Roos van Duijnhoven In this special episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, host Samuel continues the mini-series featuring expert practitioners from the Nuance Behavior team. This week’s guest is Roos van Duijnhoven, a behavioral scientist with a deep passion for designing human-centered digital solutions that drive meaningful behavior change. Samuel and Roos explore a wide range of topics, including the Behavior Change Score Framework, strategies for improving onboarding and retention in digital health products, and the importance of focusing on real-world behavior (‘big E’ engagement) versus in-app behavior (‘little e’ engagement). They also dive into insights from Nuance Behavior’s ‘Behavior Change Score Report,’ which evaluates fitness apps and provides actionable lessons for designing more effective digital interventions. This episode offers a treasure trove of insights for anyone interested in applying behavioral science to digital product design and health interventions! LINKS: ⁠⁠Roos's LinkedIn⁠ The Behavior Change Score Report ⁠Nuance Behavior Website⁠ Engagement with Heather Cole-Lewis TIMESTAMPS 00:36 Meet Roos van Duijnhoven 01:06 Recap of Susan Murhpy episode 07:31 Insights from the Behavior Change Score Report 20:14 Big E vs. Little e Engagement: Real-World vs. In-App Behavior 26:31 Controversial Opinions: Electric Bicycles 29:32 Conclusion and Farewell -- Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at hello@nuancebehavior.com or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more. Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business.  Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠podcast@habitweekly.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

Susan Murphy, a Harvard professor specializing in statistics and computer science, explores the innovative intersection of AI and behavioral science. She discusses her pioneering work on micro-randomized trials and just-in-time adaptive interventions, which tailor behavior change to individual contexts. The conversation touches on the complexities of algorithm design, ethical challenges, and the necessity of maintaining user engagement in digital interventions. A fun quickfire segment adds a lighthearted twist as they delve into the future of AI and its role in everyday life.

In this engaging discussion, Hassan Aleem, a behavioral practitioner and neuroscientist with a Ph.D., dives into the fascinating intersections of AI and behavioral science. He explores the benefits and limitations of AI-powered chatbots in user research, emphasizing the importance of human expertise. The conversation also touches on the intriguing concept of synthetic users and their potential biases. Finally, they ponder whether AI can truly understand beauty, shedding light on the balance between technology and individuality in aesthetic judgment.