

The FAIK Files
Perry Carpenter | N2K Networks
The FAIK Files explores the mysterious and often wacky intersection of AI, technology, and humanity. From cognitive warfare to digital deception, we examine how AI is reshaping our reality through news, research, and real-world examples. Join us for a thought-provoking journey into a world where anything can be faked, truth is increasingly elusive, and human nature meets artificial intelligence head-on.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 6, 2025 • 1h 8min
Artistically Inclined???
Welcome back to The FAIK Files!
In this week's episode:
Perry is on some kind of secret government mission???
Mason showcases a cool AI art project, and some behind-the-scenes processes of integrating AI elements into art.
We explore some more eye-rolling and stupid uses of AI art, including in scientific publishing and the music industry
And we interview Chris Machowski, artist and overall creative powerhouse behind RansomWear.net
Check out Perry's new website, The Deception Project and newsletter, Deceptive Minds: a newsletter about how we are fooled, how we fool ourselves, and what we can do about it. Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7319922626200510464
Want to leave us a voicemail? Here's the magic link to do just that: https://sayhi.chat/FAIK
You can also join our Discord server here: https://faik.to/discord
******* NOTES AND REFERENCES *******
AI Usage in Artistic Projects - The Good:
Neural Viz YT Series: Unanswered Oddities youtube.com/watch?v=YGyvLlPad8Q
AI Texture Generation: Polycam https://poly.cam/tools/ai-texture-generator
AI Texture & Depth: Dream Texture https://github.com/carson-katri/dream-textures
AI Usage in Artistic Projects - The Bad:
Scientific Illustrators call out AI: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01527-9
Timbaland’s AI Artist “TaTa”: https://archive.md/20250605163855/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/timbaland-new-artist-tata-ai-1235356185/
Ethically sourced training corpus "Common Pile": https://archive.is/20250605163557/https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/06/05/tech-brief-ai-copyright-report/
US Copyrightability report (Jan 29 2025): https://www.copyright.gov/ai/Copyright-and-Artificial-Intelligence-Part-2-Copyrightability-Report.pdf
Chris Machowski of RansomWear (and many other projects!):
Chris's Art/Merch Shop RansomWear: https://ransomwear.net/
Chris's Personal Website: https://www.chrismachowski.com/
8th Layer Insights (Chris did the art!): https://thecyberwire.com/podcasts/8th-layer-insights
******* THE BOILERPLATE *******
About The FAIK Files:
The FAIK Files is an offshoot project from Perry Carpenter's most recent book, FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions.
Get the Book: FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions (Amazon Associates link)
Check out the website for more info: https://thisbookisfaik.com
Check out Perry & Mason's other show, the Digital Folklore Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-folklore/id1657374458
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v1BelkrbSRSkHEP4cYffj?si=u4XTTY4pR4qEqh5zMNSVQA
Want to connect with us? Here's how:
Connect with Perry:
Perry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrycarpenter
Perry on X: https://x.com/perrycarpenter
Perry on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/perrycarpenter.bsky.social
Connect with Mason:
Mason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-amadeus-a853a7242/
Mason on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/wickedinterest.ing
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 30, 2025 • 1h 22min
Prove Yourself
Welcome back to The FAIK Files!
In this week's episode:
Google wants to help people speak dolphin... and they have a new language model to prove it!
Perry brings a couple fun headlines...
And we interview Paul Vann and Justin Marciano of Validia.ai
Check out Perry's new website, The Deception Project and newsletter, Deceptive Minds: a newsletter about how we are fooled, how we fool ourselves, and what we can do about it. Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7319922626200510464
Want to leave us a voicemail? Here's the magic link to do just that: https://sayhi.chat/FAIK
You can also join our Discord server here: https://faik.to/discord
******* NOTES AND REFERENCES *******
Google is helping researchers trying to speak dolphin:
Google's DolphinGemma project: https://blog.google/technology/ai/dolphingemma/
Quick-hit items:
Authors Are Accidentally Leaving AI Prompts In their Novels: https://www.404media.co/authors-are-accidentally-leaving-ai-prompts-in-their-novels/
What AI detection tools got wrong in the case of a photo tweeted by a French politician: https://observers.france24.com/en/france/20250521-artificial-intelligence-detection-tools-real-image-melenchon-reliability
Validia AI Interview with Paul Vann & Justin Marciano:
Validia AI: https://validia.ai
Paul Vann, Co-Founder & CTO
Justin Marciano, Co-Founder & CEO
Specializing in "live identity authentication in the virtual workspace"
Know Your Employee (KYE) technology for real-time identity verification
Winners of the 2024 Okta Startup Competition
******* THE BOILERPLATE *******
About The FAIK Files:
The FAIK Files is an offshoot project from Perry Carpenter's most recent book, FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions.
Get the Book: FAIK: A Practical Guide to Living in a World of Deepfakes, Disinformation, and AI-Generated Deceptions (Amazon Associates link)
Check out the website for more info: https://thisbookisfaik.com
Check out Perry & Mason's other show, the Digital Folklore Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-folklore/id1657374458
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v1BelkrbSRSkHEP4cYffj?si=u4XTTY4pR4qEqh5zMNSVQA
Want to connect with us? Here's how:
Connect with Perry:
Perry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrycarpenter
Perry on X: https://x.com/perrycarpenter
Perry on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/perrycarpenter.bsky.social
Connect with Mason:
Mason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-amadeus-a853a7242/
Mason on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/pregnantsonic.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

38 snips
May 23, 2025 • 1h 11min
Quantum Leaps, Corporate Chaos
Dive into the chaotic world of AI as professors hilariously staff a fake company entirely with AI agents. Discover the rapid advancements in quantum computing and the potential risks they pose to traditional encryption methods. Laugh at the Chicago Sun-Times' blunder of printing an AI-generated reading list filled with imaginary books. And ponder the ethical dilemmas surrounding AI's role in decision-making and content creation. Tune in for a mix of tech talk and comedic relief!

23 snips
May 16, 2025 • 1h 17min
Strategic Ghosts, Synthetic Hosts
The hosts dive into the ethical quagmire of an AI-generated Australian radio personality, raising questions about diversity and authenticity. They explore the intriguing use of AI to resurrect Agatha Christie for writing guidance and discuss the controversial implications of AI in hiring practices. Additionally, the enigmatic realm of strategic text strings reveals how gibberish can manipulate AI systems. This fascinating blend of technology and ethics keeps listeners on the edge of their seats!

22 snips
May 9, 2025 • 1h 6min
AI "Friends" and Enemies
Dive into the intriguing world of AI, where undercover bots may keep an eye on citizens and bad actors exploit Claude for disinformation. Explore the surprising issue of honesty in AI use shaping trust. The hosts grapple with artistic creativity in the age of AI, blending humor and skepticism. They also critique wearable tech designed to combat loneliness, questioning its necessity and effectiveness. Finally, tune in for a comedic take on the absurdity of AI companions, highlighting the importance of genuine human connections over artificial ones.

May 2, 2025 • 1h 8min
AI's Behavioral Extremes
Dive into the fascinating One Million Chessboards project, where players engage across countless interconnected chessboards. Explore the ethical minefield of AI, from the implications of AI behavior on decision-making to the controversial 'sycophantcy problem' seen in recent updates. Unpack the moral dilemmas posed by chatbots designed for risky companionship scenarios. Lastly, a critical examination of the responsibilities tech companies hold in safeguarding users from harmful interactions rounds off this captivating discussion.

Apr 29, 2025 • 11min
Artifacts of Deception (Deceptive Minds - issue #2)
This is the 2nd of two sample episodes/issues of Perry's audio newsletter. If you enjoy these and want to keep listening, go ahead and subscribe here.
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Hey friends! Here's issue 2 of Deceptive Minds: a newsletter about how we are fooled, how we fool ourselves, and what we can do about it.
🔥 Since starting this newsletter last week, we're already closing in on 3,000 subscribers to the print edition! 🔥 Huge thanks to everyone who's jumped in early!
This week, I'm diving into what I call the “artifacts of deception,” and why the flashy stuff (deepfakes, fake emails, cloned voices) isn’t the real trick you need to watch for.
Hope you enjoy this exploration into the hidden mechanics of how deception *really* works.
Here we go…
— Perry
The Deception Project Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 29, 2025 • 6min
Introducing: Deceptive Minds (an audio newsletter experience)
Dive into the intriguing world of deception and self-deception. Discover how we’re manipulated and the psychological tricks at play. The host reveals insights from a new audio newsletter that promises to explore the many facets of deception. Exciting topics lie ahead, focusing on everything from digital trickery to our own cognitive biases. Tune in to uncover what we often overlook about truth and lies!

Apr 25, 2025 • 1h 2min
Civility & Other Dangerous Games
Welcome back to The FAIK Files!
In this week's episode:
Why being polite to ChatGPT might be wasting Sam Altman's money
Alarming advancements in deepfake technology and why even "super recognizers" can't keep up.
We explain what a "vibe coder" is and why you probably don't want to become one.
An Italian newspaper's claim to have published the world's first AI-generated edition.
Check out The Deception Project to learn about our upcoming Offensive Cyber Deception Masterclass and more.
Want to leave us a voicemail? Here's the magic link to do just that: https://sayhi.chat/FAIK
You can also join our Discord server here: https://faik.to/discord
***** NOTES AND REFERENCES *****
Being Polite to ChatGPT Is Wasting Sam Altman's Money:
Sam Altman tweet about "Please" and "Thanks": https://x.com/sama/status/1912646035979239430
Futurism article on the topic: https://futurism.com/altman-please-thanks-chatgpt
TechRadar survey on politeness to AI chatbots: https://www.techradar.com/computing/artificial-intelligence/are-you-polite-to-chatgpt-heres-where-you-rank-among-ai-chatbot-users
Research paper on making AI less 'thirsty': https://arxiv.org/pdf/2304.03271
Washington Post article on water usage claims: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/09/18/energy-ai-use-electricity-water-data-centers/
Axios article on AI energy consumption: https://www.axios.com/newsletters/axios-generate-506cb450-1ec4-11f0-9e47-c56f3bfd63d8
New IEA report on Energy and AI: https://iea.blob.core.windows.net/assets/86ed1178-4d77-45ac-ab38-28e849f3b93f/EnergyandAI.pdf
Deepfakes Are Getting Too Good (and Too Easy):
Article on super recognizers and deepfakes: https://www.biometricupdate.com/202504/super-recognizers-cant-help-with-deepfakes-but-deepfakes-can-help-with-algorithms
VentureBeat article on a new (surprisingly good) open-source text-to-speech model: https://venturebeat.com/ai/a-new-open-source-text-to-speech-model-called-dia-has-arrived-to-challenge-elevenlabs-openai-and-more/
What Is a 'Vibe Coder' and Why Don't You Wanna Be One:
Vibe Coding job board: https://www.vibecodecareers.com
Italian Newspaper Says It Has Published World's First AI-Generated Edition:
The Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/mar/18/italian-newspaper-says-it-has-published-worlds-first-ai-generated-edition
Reuters article: https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/italian-newspaper-gives-free-rein-ai-admires-its-irony-2025-04-18/
*** THE BOILERPLATE ***
Check out Perry & Mason's other show, the Digital Folklore Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-folklore/id1657374458
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v1BelkrbSRSkHEP4cYffj?si=u4XTTY4pR4qEqh5zMNSVQA
Other: https://digitalfolklore.fm
Want to connect with us? Here's how:
Connect with Perry:
Perry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrycarpenter
Perry on X: https://x.com/perrycarpenter
Perry on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/perrycarpenter.bsky.social
Connect with Mason:
Mason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-amadeus-a853a7242/
Mason on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/wickedinterest.ing
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 18, 2025 • 1h 6min
Poisoned Tunes & Robot Phone Calls to Mom
Welcome back to The FAIK Files!
In this week's episode:
Mason talks about AI powered spreadsheets! ... it's cooler than it sounds
Perry & Mason cover a few fascinating AI headlines that caught our attention this week
Mason takes us on a journey into musician Benn Jordan's innovative "Poisonify" project that disrupts AI training on music
And our AI Dumpster Fire of the Week: AI Chatbots that will call your parents so you don't have to!
===== Learn more about the upcoming OFFENSIVE CYBER DECEPTION MASTERCLASS (Las Vegas, August 2-5, 2025) please visit this link: https://tinyurl.com/5ytpvjv7 =====
Want to leave us a voicemail? Here's the magic link to do just that: https://sayhi.chat/FAIK
You can also join our Discord server here: https://faik.to/discord
***** NOTES AND REFERENCES *****
AI Race Dominance & Personal Updates:
Google's DeepMind creates AI that developed its own improved reinforcement learning guidelines: https://www.reddit.com/r/singularity/comments/1jzw1z8/google_deepminds_new_ai_used_rl_to_create_its_own
Gemini integration with Google Sheets: https://www.reddit.com/r/singularity/comments/1jzyzgw/gemini_now_works_in_google_sheets
Three Interesting AI Headlines:
Ethical AI training data initiative - FAIRLY TRAINED: https://www.fairlytrained.org
Ed Newton-Rex TED Talk on ethical AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9d0p96N1iw
Concerns about energy policy and AI: https://www.theverge.com/energy/646011/trump-says-the-future-of-ai-is-powered-by-coal
Humanoid Robot Half Marathon Postponed Due to Weather: https://www.reuters.com/technology/worlds-first-humanoid-robot-half-marathon-postponed-due-windy-weather-2025-04-10/
Sam Altman interview at the 2025 TED conference in Vancouver: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MWT_doo68k
OpenAI updates its system for evaluating AI risks: https://www.axios.com/2025/04/15/openai-risks-frameworks-changes
Benn Jordan's Poisonify & AI Music Protection:
Benn Jordan's video explaining Poisonify: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMYm2d9bmEA
VoiceSwap - Jordan's ethical AI music company: https://voiceswap.ai
Harmony Cloak research: https://mosis.eecs.utk.edu/harmonycloak.html
Similar technologies: Nightshade and Glaze (adversarial noise approaches)
AI Dumpster Fire of the Week:
AI service that calls your elderly parents: https://www.404media.co/i-tested-the-ai-that-calls-your-elderly-parents-if-you-cant-bothered/
Research showing AI chatbots may negatively impact mental health: https://www.media.mit.edu/publications/how-ai-and-human-behaviors-shape-psychosocial-effects-of-chatbot-use-a-longitudinal-controlled-study/
Academic paper on mental impacts of talking to chatbots: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2503.17473
Experiment where someone replaced all their relationships with chatbots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZg1FHT9gA0
*** THE BOILERPLATE ***
Check out Perry & Mason's other show, the Digital Folklore Podcast:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/digital-folklore/id1657374458
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2v1BelkrbSRSkHEP4cYffj?si=u4XTTY4pR4qEqh5zMNSVQA
Other: https://digitalfolklore.fm
Want to connect with us? Here's how:
Connect with Perry:
Perry on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrycarpenter
Perry on X: https://x.com/perrycarpenter
Perry on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/perrycarpenter.bsky.social
Connect with Mason:
Mason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mason-amadeus-a853a7242/
Mason on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/wickedinterest.ing
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


