Intelligent Machines (Audio)
TWiT
The 21st Century began with the rise of the Internet and social media. The next decade will mark the rise of the Intelligent Machines. AI will inhabit all our devices from cars and appliances to smart phones and robots. The Intelligent Machines podcast explores the most exciting revolution humanity has ever seen, filled with promise and peril. More than ever we need to understand what these new devices will bring to our lives and how to make best use of them as the 21st century unfolds. On this show you'll meet the AI pioneers, inventors, and innovators who are about to disrupt every aspect of modern life. You'll learn what's real and what's hype, and you'll come away with a deep understanding of the intelligent future that awaits us all.
Records live every Wednesday at 5:00pm Eastern / 2:00pm Pacific / 22:00 UTC.
Records live every Wednesday at 5:00pm Eastern / 2:00pm Pacific / 22:00 UTC.
Episodes
Mentioned books
19 snips
Dec 28, 2025 • 3h 57min
IM 851: Intelligent Machines Best of 2025 - Our Favorite Interviews from 2025
Mike Masnick, founder of TechDirt, shares insights on personalized software creation and using AI as an editor. Ray Kurzweil delves into timelines for AGI, discussing human-AI merging and his visions for longevity. Emily Bender and Alex Hanna critique AI hype, highlighting its environmental impact and the importance of precise language. The anonymous Pliny the Liberator discusses jailbreaking for transparency, while Kevin Kelly creatively frames AIs as diverse entities, urging long-term optimism. A lively exploration of technology’s future unfolds!
57 snips
Dec 18, 2025 • 2h 16min
IM 850: Bagel Rats - Open Source AI Rising
CJ Trowbridge, an Ethical AI practitioner and open-source advocate, dives deep into the future of AI. He champions small, local AI models for sustainability, challenging the notion that big models are the only way forward. CJ warns about the current financial bubble in AI and emphasizes the importance of grassroots projects and mesh networks. He passionately articulates why open-source approaches will outlast corporate failures, ensuring that AI remains accessible and community-driven.
33 snips
Dec 11, 2025 • 2h 31min
IM 849: AI Cricket Sorting - Cracking Chatbots and AGI for All
In this fascinating discussion, Pliny the Liberator, a leading danger researcher known for jailbreaking AI models, explores the dark corners of AI safety. They dive into the implications of frequent jailbreaks and whether truly safe AI is even plausible. Pliny emphasizes open sourcing jailbreak tools to enhance transparency and accountability. The conversation also touches on the unsettling phenomenon of AI psychosis, the ethics of training data, and the growing tension between open-source models and corporate control. A must-listen for AI enthusiasts!
28 snips
Dec 4, 2025 • 2h 43min
IM 848: Guaranteed Human - Satellite Photos for Everyone
Dr. Anthony Vinci, a former clandestine intelligence officer and author, dives into how AI has revolutionized modern espionage. He discusses the challenges of analyzing overwhelming satellite imagery and the rise of open-source intelligence. Vinci highlights TikTok’s role as a tool for influence and information warfare, while urging citizens to embrace media literacy to combat manipulation. He emphasizes the need for aligning technology with national security and reflects on the ethical dimensions seen during projects like Project Maven.
40 snips
Nov 27, 2025 • 2h 60min
IM 847: Caked Up Football Man - Why Small AIs Are Smarter
Imad Mostaque, founder of Stability AI and creator of Stable Diffusion, dives into the concept of 'intelligence inversion.' He predicts a future where AI could outsmart human cognitive labor, potentially rendering traditional jobs extinct. Mostaque showcases the rise of small, specialized AIs that can outperform humans in various tasks. He emphasizes the shift from generic models to tiny, domain-specific systems, arguing that adapting to AI's capabilities will be crucial for future generations. His insights on AI's role in education and the economy are both provocative and enlightening.
30 snips
Nov 20, 2025 • 2h 44min
IM 846: Chivelord - From Leather-Bound to Cloud Powered
Jimmy Wales, the founder of Wikipedia and author of The Seven Rules of Trust, joins the discussion about building trust in technology. He shares insights from Wikipedia's origins, emphasizing the importance of user engagement and community trust. Wales highlights the potential and pitfalls of AI, showcasing amusing examples of AI hallucinations. He outlines the significance of a clear mission and civility in online spaces, while also critiquing emerging AI platforms. The conversation delves into how AI could enhance Wikipedia by automating tasks and improving accuracy.
28 snips
Nov 13, 2025 • 2h 49min
IM 845: Pregnant With 83 Digital Assistants - Are AIs Really Alien Minds?
In this engaging discussion, Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired and tech futurist, shares his optimistic views on AI, proposing the concept of 'artificial aliens.' He challenges the prevailing fears surrounding AI, arguing they distract from the potential benefits. Kelly emphasizes the need for collaboration between humans and AI, envisioning a future enriched by 'protopia’—small, continuous improvements. He also explores the implications of AI's personalization in media and calls for a publicly owned AI that serves everyone.
28 snips
Nov 6, 2025 • 2h 43min
IM 844: Poob Has It For You - Spiky Superintelligence vs. Generality
Jeremy Berman, a post-training researcher at Reflection.ai, dives into the evolution of AI's capabilities. He addresses the challenge of 'spiky superintelligence'—smart in specific tasks but limited overall. The discussion contrasts pre-training and post-training methods, underscoring the potential of reinforcement learning for developing generality in AI. Berman shares insights on ARC AGI benchmarks, the risk of AGI, and why open-weight models are crucial for adoption. Their outlook on how AI could learn tasks easier for humans promises a fascinating future.
18 snips
Oct 30, 2025 • 3h 2min
IM 843: Immortal Beloved, You've Arrived - AI's Emotional Intelligence Paradox
Dr. Alan Cowen, chief scientist and founder of Hume AI, dives into the intriguing world of AI's emotional intelligence. He explores whether AI can truly empathize or if it merely manipulates emotions. Cowen discusses the concept of emotional affordances and the ethical implications of AI's role in enhancing human well-being. The conversation touches on the risks of parasocial relationships, the challenges of synthetic voices, and the potential loneliness caused by AI interactions. Prepare for a thought-provoking journey into the intersection of emotion and technology!
17 snips
Oct 23, 2025 • 2h 20min
IM 842: None Pizza Left Beef - AI On the Edge
Joey de Villa, a developer and AI educator, joins the discussion on the future of AI with tools that can run on personal machines. He delves into local language models and the implications of Nvidia's Blackwell chip and HP's ZGX Nano for privacy and cost control. They explore real-world applications, from healthcare to personal projects, and consider the accuracy concerns raised by the BBC study on AI-generated news. Additionally, insights on the pushback against AI content highlight the evolving landscape of technology and ethics.
