Podcast appearances and mentions of Andrew Mayne

Imagine for a second that Eckhart Tolle wasn't a spiritual teacher, but a deep cover operative with a gun to his head. And just for a second, pretend that Tolle’s Power of Now wasn't a way to find peace, but a survival mechanism used to slow down time when your reality is collapsing. And your memory has been utterly destroyed by forces beyond your control. Until a good friend helps you rebuild it from the ground up. These are the exact feelings and sense of positive transformation I tried to capture in a project I believe is critical for future autodidacts, polymaths and traditional learners: Vitamin X, a novel in which the world’s only blind memory champion helps a detective use memory techniques and eventually achieve enlightenment. It’s also a story about accomplishing big goals, even in a fast-paced and incredibly challenging world. In the Magnetic Memory Method community at large, we talk a lot about the habits of geniuses like Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. We obsess over their reading lists and their daily routines because we want that same level of clarity and intellectual power. But there's a trap in studying genius that too many people fall into: Passivity. And helping people escape passive learning is one of several reasons I’ve studied the science behind a variety of fictional learning projects where stories have been tested as agents of change. Ready to learn more about Vitamin X and the various scientific findings I’ve uncovered in order to better help you learn? Let’s dive in! Defeating the Many Traps of Passive Learning We can read about how Lincoln sharpened his axe for hours before trying to cut down a single tree. And that's great. But something's still not quite right. To this day, tons of people nod their heads at that famous old story about Lincoln. Yet, they still never sharpen their own axes, let alone swing them. Likewise, people email me every day regarding something I've taught about focus, concentration or a particular mnemonic device. They know the techniques work, including under extreme pressure. But their minds still fracture the instant they're faced with distraction. As a result, they never wind up getting the memory improvement results I know they can achieve. So, as happy as I am with all the help my books like The Victorious Mind and SMARTER have helped create in this world, I’m fairly confident that those titles will be my final memory improvement textbooks. Instead, I am now focused on creating what you might call learning simulations. Enter Vitamin X, the Memory Detective Series & Teaching Through Immersion Because here's the thing: If I really want to teach you how to become a polymath, I can't just carry on producing yet another list of tips. I have to drop you into scenarios where you actually feel what it's like to use memory techniques. That's why I started the Memory Detective initiative. It began with a novel called Flyboy. It’s been well-received and now part two is out. And it’s as close to Eckhart Tolle meeting a Spy Thriller on LSD as I could possibly make it. Why? To teach through immersion. Except, it's not really about LSD. No, the second Memory Detective novel centers around a substance called Vitamin X. On the surface, it's a thriller about a detective named David Williams going deep undercover. In actuality, it's a cognitive training protocol disguised as a novel. But one built on a body of research that shows stories can change what people remember, believe, and do. And that's both the opportunity and the danger. To give you the memory science and learning research in one sentence: Stories are a delivery system. We see this delivery system at work in the massive success of Olly Richards’ StoryLearning books for language learners. Richards built his empire on the same mechanism Pimsleur utilized to great effect long before their famous audio recordings became the industry standard: using narrative to make raw data stick. However, a quick distinction is necessary. In the memory world, we often talk about the Story Method. This approach involves linking disparate pieces of information together in a chain using a simple narrative vignette (e.g., a giant cat eating a toaster to remember a grocery list). That is a powerful mnemonic tool, and you will see Detective Williams use short vignettes in the Memory Detective series. But Vitamin X is what I call ‘Magnetic Fiction.’ It's not a vignette. It's a macro-narrative designed to carry the weight of many memory techniques itself. It simulates the pressure required to forge the skill, showing you how and why to use the story method within a larger, immersive context. So with that in mind, let's unpack the topic of fiction and teaching a bit further. That way, you'll know more of what I have in mind for my readers. And perhaps you'll become interested in some memory science experiments I plan to run in the near future. Illustration of “Cafe Mnemonic,” a fun memory training location the Memory Detective David Williams wants to establish once he has enough funds. Fiction as a Teaching Technology: What the Research Says This intersection of story and memory isn't new territory for me. Long before I gave my popular TEDx Talk on memory or helped thousands of people through the Magnetic Memory Method Masterclass, live workshops and my books, I served as a Mercator award-winning Film Studies professor. In this role, I often analyzed and published material regarding how narratives shape our cognition. Actually, my research into the persuasion of memory goes back to my scholarly contribution to the anthology The Theme of Cultural Adaptation in American History, Literature and Film. In my chapter, “Cryptomnesia or Cryptomancy? Subconscious Adaptations of 9/11,” I examined specifically how cultural narratives influence memory formation, forgetting, and the subconscious acceptance of information. That academic background drives the thinking and the learning protocols baked into Vitamin X. As does the work of researchers who have studied narrative influence for decades. Throughout their scientific findings, one idea keeps reappearing in different forms: When a story pulls you in, you experience some kind of “transportation.” It can be that you find yourself deeply immersed in the life of a character. Or you find your palms sweating as your brain tricks you into believing you're undergoing some kind of existential threat. When such experiences happen, you stop processing information like you would an argument through critical thinking. Instead, you start processing the information in the story almost as if they were really happening. As a result, these kinds of transportation can change beliefs and intentions, sometimes without the reader noticing the change happening. That's why fiction has been used for: teaching therapy religion civic formation advertising propaganda Even many national anthems contain stories that create change, something I experienced recently when I became an Australian citizen. As I was telling John Michael Greer during our latest podcast recording, I impulsively took both the atheist and the religious oath and sang the anthem at the ceremony. All of these pieces contain stories and those stories changed how I think, feel and process the world. Another way of looking at story is summed up in this simple statement: All stories have the same basic mechanism. But many stories have wildly different ethics. My ethics: Teach memory improvement methods robustly. Protect the tradition. And help people think for themselves using the best available critical thinking tools. And story is one of them. 6 Key Research Insights on Educational Fiction Now, when it comes to the research that shows just how powerful story is, we can break it down into buckets. Some of the main categories of research on fiction for pedagogy include: 1) Narrative transportation and persuasion As these researchers explain in The Role of Transportation in the Persuasiveness of Public Narratives, transportation describes how absorbed a reader becomes in a story. Psychologists use transportation models to show how story immersion drives belief change. It works because vivid imagery paired with emotion and focused attention make story-consistent ideas easier to accept. This study of how narratives were used in helping people improve their health support the basic point: Narratives produce average shifts in attitudes, beliefs, intentions, and sometimes behavior. Of course, the exact effects vary by topic and the design of the scientific study in question. But the point remains that fiction doesn't merely entertain. It can also train and persuade. 2) Entertainment-Education (EE) EE involves deliberately embedding education into popular media, often with pro-social aims. In another health-based study, researchers found that EE can influence knowledge, attitudes, intentions, behavior, and self-efficacy. Researchers in Brazil have also used large-scale observational work on soap operas and social outcomes (like fertility). As this study demonstrates, mass narrative exposure can shape real-world behavior at scale within a population. Stories can alter norms, not just transfer facts from one mind to another. You’ll encounter this theme throughout Vitamin X, especially when Detective Williams tangles with protestors who hold beliefs he does not share, but seem to be taking over the world. 3) Narrative vs expository learning (a key warning) Here's the part most “educational fiction” ignores: Informative narratives often increase interest, but they don't automatically improve comprehension. As this study found, entertainment can actually cause readers to overestimate how well they understood the material. This is why “edutainment” often produces big problems: You can wind up feeling smarter because you enjoyed an experience. But just because you feel that way doesn't mean you gain a skill you can reliably use. That’s why I have some suggestions for you below about how to make sure Vitamin X actually helps you learn to use memory techniques better. 4) Seductive details (another warning) There's also the problem of effects created by what scientists call seductive details. Unlike the “luminous details” I discussed with Brad Kelly on his Madness and Method podcast, seductive details are interesting but irrelevant material. They typically distract attention and reduce learning of what actually matters. As a result, these details divert attention through interference and by adding working memory demands. The research I’ve read suggests that when story authors don't engineer their work with learning targets in mind, their efforts backfire. What was intended to help learners actually becomes a sabotage device. I've done my best to avoid sabotaging my own pedagogical efforts in the Memory Detective stories so far. That's why they include study guides and simulations of using the Memory Palace technique, linking and number mnemonics like the Major System. In the series finale, which is just entering the third draft now, the 00-99 PAO and Giordano Bruno's Statue technique are the learning targets I’ve set up for you. They are much harder, and that’s why even though there are inevitable seductive details throughout the Memory Detective series, the focus on memory techniques gets increasingly more advanced. My hope is that your focus and attention will be sharpened as a result. 5) Learning misinformation from fiction (the dark side) People don't just learn from fiction. They learn false facts from fiction too. In this study, researchers found that participants often treated story-embedded misinformation as if it were true knowledge. This is one reason using narrative as a teaching tool is so ethically loaded. It can bypass the mental posture we use for skepticism. 6) Narrative “correctives” (using story against misinformation) The good news is that narratives can also reduce misbelief. This study on “narrative correctives” found that stories can sometimes decrease false beliefs and misinformed intentions, though results are mixed. The key point is that story itself is neither “good” or “bad.” It's a tool for leverage, and this is one of the major themes I built into Vitamin X. My key concern is that people would confuse me with any of my characters. Rather, I was trying to create a portrait of our perilous world where many conflicts unfold every day. Some people use tools for bad, others for good, and even that binary can be difficult for people to agree upon. Pros & Cons of Teaching with Fiction Let’s start with the pros. Attention and completion: A good story can keep people engaged, which is a prerequisite for any learning to occur. The transportation model I cited above helps explain why. The Positive Side of Escapism Entering a simulation also creates escapism that is actually valuable. This is because fiction gives you “experience” without real-world consequences when it comes to facing judgment, ethics, identity, and pressure-handling. This is one reason why story has always been used for moral education, not just entertainment. However, I’ve also used story in my Memory Detective games, such as “The Velo Gang Murders.” Just because story was involved did not mean people did not face judgement. But it was lower than my experiments with “Magnetic Variety,” a non-narrative game I’ll be releasing in the future. Lower Reactance Stories can reduce counterarguing compared with overt persuasion, which can be useful for resistant audiences. In other words, you’re on your own in the narrative world. Worst case scenario, you’ll have a bone to pick with the author. This happened to me the other day when someone emailed to “complain” about how I sometimes discuss Sherlock Holmes. Fortunately, the exchange turned into a good-hearted debate, something I attribute to having story as the core foundation of our exchange. Compare this to Reddit discussions like this one, where discussing aspects of the techniques in a mostly abstract way leads to ad hominem attacks. Now for the cons: Propaganda Risk The same reduction in counterarguing and squabbling with groups that you experience when reading stories is exactly what makes narratives useful for manipulation. When you’re not discussing what you’re reading with others, you can wind up ruminating on certain ideas. This can lead to negative outcomes where people not only believe incorrect things. They sometimes act out negatively in the world. The Illusion of Understanding Informative narratives can produce high interest but weaker comprehension and inflated metacomprehension. I’ve certainly had this myself, thinking I understand various points in logic after reading Alice in Wonderland. In reality, I still needed to do a lot more study. And still need more. In fact, “understanding” is not a destination so much as it is a process. Misinformation Uptake People sometimes acquire false beliefs from stories and struggle to discount fiction as a source. We see this often in religion due to implicit memory. Darrel Ray has shown how this happens extensively in his book, The God Virus: How Religion Infects Our Lives and Culture. His book helped explain something that happened to me after I first started memorizing Sanskrit phrases and feeling the benefits of long-form meditation. For a brief period, implicit memory and the primacy effect made me start to consider that the religion I’d grown up with was in fact true and real. Luckily, I shook that temporary effect. But many others aren’t quite so lucky. And in case it isn’t obvious, I’ll point out that the Bible is not only packed with stories. Some of those stories contain mnemonic properties, something Eran Katz pointed out in his excellent book, Where Did Noah Park the Ark? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhQlcMHhF3w The “Reefer Madness” Problem While working on Vitamin X, I thought often about Reefer Madness. In case you haven’t seen it, Reefer Madness began as an “educational” morality tale about cannabis. It's now famous largely because it's an over-the-top artifact of moral panic, an example of how fear-based fiction can be used to shape public belief under the guise of protection. I don’t want to make that mistake in my Memory Detective series. But there is a relationship because Vitamin X does tackle nootropics, a realm of substances for memory I am asked to comment on frequently. In this case, I'm not trying to protect people from nootropics, per se. But as I have regularly talked about over the years, tackling issues like brain fog by taking memory supplements or vitamins for memory is fraught with danger. And since fiction is one of the most efficient way to smuggle ideas past the mind's filters, I am trying to raise some critical thinking around supplementation for memory. But to do it in a way that's educational without trying to exploit anyone. I did my best to create the story so that you wind up thinking for yourself. What I'm doing differently with Vitamin X & the Memory Detective Series I'm not pretending fiction automatically teaches. I'm treating fiction as a delivery system for how various mnemonic methods work and as a kind of cheerleading mechanism that encourages you to engage in proper, deliberate practice. Practice of what? 1) Concentration meditation. Throughout the story, Detective Williams struggles to learn and embrace the memory-based meditation methods of his mentor, Jerome. You get to learn more about these as you read the story. 2) Memory Palaces as anchors for sanity, not party tricks. In the library sequence, Williams tries to launch a mnemonic “boomerang” into a Memory Palace while hallucinatory imagery floods the environment. Taking influence from the ancient mnemonist, Hugh of St. Victor, Noah's Ark becomes a mnemonic structure. Mnemonic images surge and help Detective Williams combat his PTSD. To make this concrete, I've utilized the illustrations within the book itself. Just as the ancients used paintings and architectural drawings to encode knowledge, the artwork in Vitamin X isn’t just decoration. During the live bootcamp I’m running to celebrate the launch, I show you how to treat the illustrations as ‘Painting Memory Palaces.’ This effectively turns the book in your hands into a functioning mnemonic device, allowing you to practice the method of loci on the page before you even step out into the real world. Then there’s the self-help element, which takes the form of how memory work can help restore sanity. A PTSD theme runs throughout the Memory Detective series for two deliberate reasons. First, Detective Williams is partly based on Nic Castle. He's a former police officer who found symptom relief for his PTSD from using memory techniques. He shared his story on this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast years ago. Second, Nic's anecdotal experience is backed up by research. And even if you don't have PTSD, the modern world is attacking many of us in ways that clearly create similar symptom-like issues far worse than the digital amnesia I've been warning about for years. We get mentally hijacked by feeds, anxiety loops, and synthetic urgency. We lose our grip on reality and wonder why we can't remember what we read five minutes ago. That's just one more reason I made memory techniques function as reality-tests inside Vitamin X. 3) The critical safeguard: I explicitly separate fiction from technique. In Flyboy's afterword, I put it plainly: The plot is fictional, but the memory techniques are real. And because they're real, they require study and practice. I believe this boundary matters because research shows how easily readers absorb false “facts” from fiction. 4) To help you practice, I included a study guide. At the end of both Flyboy and Vitamin X, there are study guides. In Vitamin X, you'll find a concrete method for creating a Mnemonic Calendar. This is not the world's most perfect memory technique. But it's helpful and a bit more advanced than a technique I learned from Jim Samuels many years ago. In his version, he had his clients divide the days of the week into a Memory Palace. For his senior citizens in particular, he had them divide the kitchen. So if they had to take a particular pill on Monday, they would imagine the pill as a giant moon in the sink. Using the method of loci, this location would always serve as their mnemonic station for Monday. In Vitamin X, the detective uses a number-shape system. Either way, these kinds of techniques for remembering schedules are the antidote to the “illusion of understanding” problem, provided that you put them to use. They can be very difficult to understand if you don't. Why My Magnetic Fiction Solves the “Hobbyist” Problem A lot of memory training fails for one reason: People treat it as a hobby. They “learn” techniques the way people “learn” guitar: By watching a few videos and buying a book. While the study material sits on a shelf or lost in a hard drive, the consumer winds up never rehearsing. Never putting any skill to the test. And as a result, never enjoying integration with the techniques. What fiction can do is create: emotional stakes situational context identity consistency (“this is what I do now”) and enough momentum to carry you into real practice That's the point of the simulation. You're not just reading about a detective and his mentor using Memory Palaces and other memory techniques. You're watching what happens when a mind uses a Memory Palace to stay oriented. And you can feel that urgency in your own nervous system while you read. That's the “cognitive gym” effect, I'm going for. It's also why I love this note from Andy, because it highlights the exact design target I'm going for: “I finished Flyboy last night. Great book! I thought it was eminently creative, working the memory lessons into a surprisingly intricate and entertaining crime mystery. Well done!” Or as the real-life Sherlock Holmes Ben Cardall put it the Memory Detective stories are: …rare pieces of fiction that encourages reflection in the reader. You don’t just get the drama, the tension and the excitement from the exploits of its characters. You also get a look at your own capabilities as though Anthony is able to make you hold a mirror up to yourself and think ‘what else am I capable of’? A Practical Way to Read These Novels for Memory Training If you want the benefits without the traps we've discussed today: Read Vitamin X for immersion first (let transportation do its job). Then read it again with a simple study goal. This re-reading strategy is important because study-goal framing will improve comprehension and reduce overconfidence. During this second read-through, actually use the Mnemonic Calendar. Then, test yourself by writing out what you remember from the story. If you make a mistake, don't judge yourself. Simply use analytical thinking to determine what went wrong and work out how you can improve. The Future: Learning Through Story is About to Intensify Here's the uncomfortable forecast: Even though I’m generally pro-AI for all kinds of outcomes and grateful for my discussions with Andrew Mayne about it (host of the OpenAI Podcast), AI could make the generation of personalized narratives that target your fears, identity, and desires trivial. That means there’s the risk that AI will also easily transform your beliefs. The same machinery that can create “education you can't stop reading” can also create persuasion you barely notice. Or, as Michael Connelly described in his novel, The Proving Ground, we might notice the effects of this persuasion far more than we’d like. My research on narrative persuasion and misinformation underscores why this potential outcome is not hypothetical. So the real question isn't “Should we teach with fiction?” The question is: Will we build fiction that creates personal agency… or engineer stories that steal it? My aim with Flyboy, Vitamin X and the series finale is simple and focused on optimizing your ability: to use story as a motivation engine to convert that motivation into deliberate practice to make a wide range of memory techniques feel as exciting for you as they are for me and to give your attention interesting tests in a world engineered to fragment it. If you want better memory, this is your challenge: Don't read Vitamin X for entertainment alone. Read it to see if you can hold on to reality while the world spins out of control. When you do, you'll be doing something far rarer than collecting tips. You'll be swinging the axe. A very sharp axe indeed. And best of all, your axe for learning and remembering more information at greater speed will be Magnetic.

When promises feel fragile and hope feels distant, this message reminds us that Christmas is built on a promise making and promise keeping God. Tracing the story of salvation from Genesis to Jesus, we see that rescue is bigger than any one moment. It's God restoring what was broken through His presence and His way. In Jesus, salvation has come, not just for eternity, but for life right now as God keeps pursuing, healing, and making all things new.This has been a message from our Ormeau Campus. Gateway Baptist Church meets across five locations in South-East Queensland and also online. For over 90 years, we've been committed to guiding people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.Learn more about us at ⁠https://gatewaybaptist.com.au

If AI can do everything from writing novels to designing proteins, what remains that only humans can do? What's the human advantage in a world where machines can outperform us at almost any measurable task? What does any of this have to do with Stephen King’s nightmares, Tom Cruise’s stunts, the first shoeshine caught on camera, the shortage of air conditioner repairmen, and why hyper-capable AI might actually increase the demand for unexpected jobs? Today we speak with author and technologist Andrew Mayne.

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick off the episode with a discussion on the latest AI model updates, including Google’s Nano Banana and OpenAI’s GP 5.1. They explore the implications of AI personality and its impact on user experience. The conversation shifts to a group chat feature with ChatGPT, enhancing collaboration and […]

When sharing your faith feels intimidating, and you're tempted to think God only uses “spiritual experts,” Jonah 3 offers a different picture. In this message, we see how God takes Jonah's reluctant five-word sermon and sparks revival in Nineveh, not because Jonah is impressive but because God is gracious and already at work. We're invited to lay down our “not me, not them, not now” excuses and step into simple acts of obedience, trusting that God can use even small words to join His big mission.Gateway Baptist Church meets across six locations in South-East Queensland and also online.For over 90 years, we've been committed to guiding people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.Learn more about us at ⁠https://gatewaybaptist.com.au

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a journey through the conceptualization of Handful, a fictional restaurant where gravy is served directly into patrons’ hands. The discussion evolves into the realm of AI-generated content, exploring the implications of AI in creative processes and content distribution. The hosts share insights into the rapid […]

In a world obsessed with progress and novelty, we can easily overlook the wisdom of those who've gone before us. This message in the Honour series explores what it means to honour wisdom — the lived experience, faith, and insight carried by older generations. Drawing from Proverbs and Ephesians, it reminds us that wisdom is more than knowledge; it's a way of life learned through listening, humility, and walking well-worn paths together. When we honour those who have gone before, we don't just respect their years; we receive the gift of their wisdom, helping us walk the road of faith with greater understanding and grace.Gateway Baptist Church meets across six locations in South-East Queensland and also online.For over 90 years, we've been committed to guiding people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.Learn more about us at ⁠https://gatewaybaptist.com.au

In this episode, Andrew Mayne and Brian Brushwood embark on a philosophical journey through the realms of storytelling, AI’s burgeoning role in creative processes, and the enigmatic app SO’s contribution to communal humor and creativity. They explore Stephen King’s insights on storytelling, the magic of indirect evidence in magic tricks, and the importance of showing […]

In this message, Andrew Mayne explores what it means to value and affirm one another as members of the body of Christ. Looking at Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, we see how God calls us not to compare but to compliment each other, to treat every person with dignity and worth, and to live as contributors rather than consumers in His church. True honour flows from humility - lifting others up, celebrating their wins, and sharing their burdens so that together we flourish and Jesus' name is lifted high.

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young discuss the recent launch of the Soar app by OpenAI, its features, and how it quickly became a platform for both creating AI-generated videos and a new form of social media. They explore the app’s cameo feature, which allows users to create digital avatars […]

Kick starting our Honour series, Andrew Mayne explores what it means to value and affirm one another as members of the body of Christ. Looking at Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, we see how God calls us not to compete but to compliment each other, to treat every person with dignity and worth, and to live as contributors rather than consumers in His church. True honour flows from humility - lifting others up, celebrating their wins, and sharing their burdens so that together we flourish and Jesus' name is lifted high.If you need prayer, we're here for you. Reach out at ⁠www.gatewaybaptist.com.au/prayerSubscribe for more content to help you grow as a fully devoted follower of Jesus: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/GatewayBaptistChurchAus?sub_confirmation=1Key ScriptruresRomans 12:3–101 Corinthians 12:12–27Psalm 139:14Proverbs 25:6–7Matthew 23:5–12________________________Gateway Baptist Church meets across six locations in South-East Queensland and online.For over 90 years, we've been committed to guiding people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.Learn more about us at ⁠https://gatewaybaptist.com.au⁠ or join us on Sundays at ⁠gtwy.au/live#churchunity #bodyofchrist #HonourOneAnother #Gospel #Salvation #Jesus #Faith #Christian #Church #Churchonline #GatewayOnline #JasonElsmore #andrewmayne

Join us for this episode where Ps Andrew Mayne teaches us about The Alpha and Omega in the book of Revelation.Take your next stepReceive prayer - https://gatewaybaptist.com.au/prayerLearn more about Jesus - https://gatewaybaptist.com.au/alphaGet Baptised - https://gatewaybaptist.com.au/next-st...You can join us every Sunday live in-person or online. Visit https://gtwy.au for more information about times and locations.

This message begins our Revelation series with John's vision of Jesus on Patmos, revealing Him as the Alpha and Omega; the One who was, who is, and who is to come.We are reminded that the God "who was" is bigger than we think, eternal over all of history and worthy of awe and wonder.The God "who is" is alive and present with us now, calling us into our royal vocation as a kingdom of priests who bring glimpses of heaven to earth.And the God "who is to come" fills us with hope and anticipation, assuring us that Jesus wins, His kingdom will one day be all in all, and our lives today are to be lived in light of that victory.Gateway Baptist Church meets across six locations in South-East Queensland and also online.For over 90 years, we've been committed to guiding people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.Learn more about us at ⁠https://gatewaybaptist.com.au

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood delve into NASA’s recent announcement about potential biosignatures found on Mars by the Perseverance rover. The conversation then shifts to the future of humanoid robots on Mars, with speculation on when the first robotic step might occur. They also touch upon the rapid advancements […]

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore the rapid advancements in AI technology and its implications for the future of work and personal dependence on tech. They discuss the introduction of AI in various sectors, the potential for AI to replace human jobs, and the importance of adapting to and […]

Join us for this episode where Gateway's Lead Campus Pastor, Andrew Mayne, as he uses Joshua 1:7-9 as a springboard to remind us to respond to the struggles of life with faith, prayer, grace and courage.

What drives your desire to be great—recognition or purpose?In this message, Andrew Mayne explores the tension between personal ambition and spiritual calling. Using the story behind the Hardy Boys and the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon, Andrew draws a compelling parallel to the church: many individuals working under one name, not for personal fame, but for a greater purpose.Through personal stories and biblical reflection, this message challenges us to examine our motivations and invites us to live for the name above all names—Jesus.Key Scripture: Philippians 2:5–8"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus... he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant..."---- Gateway Baptist Church meets across six locations in South-East Queensland and online. For over 90 years, we've been committed to guiding people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus. Learn more about us at ⁠https://gatewaybaptist.com.au⁠ or join us on Sundays at ⁠gtwy.au/live#Healing #freedom #Gospel #Salvation #Jesus #Faith #Christian #Church #Churchonline #GatewayOnline #AwakenSeries #JasonElsmore #WakeUpChurch #SpiritualAwakening #PrayerLife #RevivalAustralia #prayer #committed #AndrewMayne #servanthood #ego #humility #name

What drives your desire to be great—recognition or purpose?In this message, Andrew Mayne explores the tension between personal ambition and spiritual calling. Using the story behind the Hardy Boys and the pseudonym Franklin W. Dixon, Andrew draws a compelling parallel to the church: many individuals working under one name, not for personal fame, but for a greater purpose.Through personal stories and biblical reflection, this message challenges us to examine our motivations and invites us to live for the name above all names—Jesus.Key Scripture: Philippians 2:5–8"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus... he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant..."---- Gateway Baptist Church meets across six locations in South-East Queensland and online. For over 90 years, we've been committed to guiding people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus. Learn more about us at ⁠https://gatewaybaptist.com.au⁠ or join us on Sundays at ⁠gtwy.au/live#Healing #freedom #Gospel #Salvation #Jesus #Faith #Christian #Church #Churchonline #GatewayOnline #AwakenSeries #JasonElsmore #WakeUpChurch #SpiritualAwakening #PrayerLife #RevivalAustralia #prayer #committed #AndrewMayne #servanthood #ego #humility #name

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence, particularly focusing on the recent advancements in AI models and their implications for creative writing and podcasting. They discuss the introduction of open-source AI models, the nuances of AI-generated content, and share their personal experiences with […]

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young tackle the whirlwind of AI news, starting with Google’s I/O announcements, particularly their impressive V O 3 image generation model. They then shift to OpenAI’s advancements and discuss the intriguing, yet mysterious, hardware collaboration between OpenAI and Johnny Ive’s design firm. The trio also […]

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a journey through the latest in AI, discussing the release of GPT-4, MH-X AI, Elon Musk’s contributions, and the introduction of ChatGPT’s Agent Mode. They explore the potential of AI to revolutionize tasks from filling out PDFs to creating slide decks, while also touching on […]

Andrew Mayne is an Army Veteran and endurance athlete with an amazing comeback story. Drew's life has taken him from addiction to recovery by becoming a voice in mental health advocacy and a testament to resilience.Connect with Drew on Instagram @maynedrew and Linkedin @andrewmayne. You can find all of his race accomplishments at UltraSignUp.Thank you to our sponsor Honor The Brave.Want more The On Purpose Podcast?Find full episodes and more!Check in on Instagram, FacebookConnect with Jerrod!Linkedin, InstagramGet My Book!

CEO of Cloudflare, Matthew Prince, stated in an Axios article that search traffic referrals have plummeted as people increasingly rely on AI. Meta announced new Oakley smart glasses starting at $399. We talk to Andrew Mayne about his interview with OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman. And its Friday we test your knowledge of shave headed tech CEOs. Starring Sarah Lane, Tom Merritt, Robb Dunewood, Andrew Mayne, Len Peralta, Roger Chang, Joe. To read the show notes in a separate page click here! Support the show on Patreon by becoming a supporter!

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young dive into a variety of topics, starting with the potential signatures of life on the exoplanet K2-18b, thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope’s findings. The conversation shifts to the rapid advancements in AI, including the evolution from hydraulic to electric motors in robotics and the implications […]

In this episode of Weird Things, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young explore the fascinating pace of AI development, demonstrating with a live example how a 2D image can be transformed into a 3D model. They discuss the potential of AI in creating new entertainment and gaming experiences, and the implications of job […]

Tom talks with Andrew Mayne about why Fidji Simo would leave INstacrt to take a product role at OpenAI and how that might change how you think about OpenAI. Starring Tom Merritt and Andrew Mayne.Andrew Mayne founder of AI deployment firm Interdimensional.https://interdimensional.ai/https://attentionmechanismpodcast.com/https://openai.com/index/leadership-expansion-with-fidji-simo/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-08/openai-recruits-instacart-ceo-fidji-simo-to-lead-app-developmenthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidji_Simo https://www.linkedin.com/in/fidjisimo/

Have you ever thought of your life being a billboard for God? In this message from our Colossians series, Andrew Mayne unpacks Paul's passionate prayer for the church — a call to live with wisdom, maturity, endurance, and joyful gratitude as citizens of the Kingdom of Light. As we ask God to fill us with His Spirit's wisdom and understanding, we are strengthened to live lives that bear fruit and please Him in every way. If you need prayer, we're here for you. Reach out at ⁠www.gatewaybaptist.com.au/prayerSubscribe for more content to help you grow as a fully devoted follower of Jesus: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/GatewayBaptistChurchAus?sub_confirmation=1Key Scriptures:Colossians 1:3–6Colossians 1:9–14Hebrews 5:12–14Matthew 5:44Luke 6:27–28 Matthew 6:21________________________Gateway Baptist Church meets across six locations in South-East Queensland and online.For over 90 years, we've been committed to guiding people to become fully devoted followers of Jesus.Learn more about us at ⁠https://gatewaybaptist.com.au⁠ or join us on Sundays at ⁠gtwy.au/live#Colossians #JesusIsKing #ChristianLiving #Salvation #Jesus #Faith #Christian #Church #Churchonline #GatewayOnline #JasonElsmore

In this exciting episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon have the pleasure of chatting with the phenomenal best-selling author, Andrew Mayne.Join us as Andrew Mayne takes us on an incredible journey through his captivating career – from mesmerizing audiences as an illusionist on cruise ships, starring in A&E's hit show “Don't Trust Andrew Mayne,” designing a groundbreaking stealth suit for diving with Great White sharks on Discovery Channel's Shark Week, being a Prompt Whisperer and Science Communicator for Open AI, and now a celebrated best-selling author.In his latest thrilling novel, Mr. Whisper, Andrew masterfully unites his four iconic characters from his previous series. He shares the intriguing challenges he faced in writing from multiple perspectives and how the theory of mind played a crucial role in his storytelling. And he reveals how he uses virtual reality technology to go “on location” as he scouts locales for his books.Discover the secrets behind Andrew's path to success and how his magician's skills have influenced his writing style, particularly the art of “showing, not telling” in crafting edge-of-your-seat thrillers.Andrew reveals the powerful feedback loop he employed while writing his first books and how his dedication led him to write an astonishing ten books in one year as a practice.Andrew delves into the concept of survivorship bias and its impact on the success stories of those who have “made it.” We explore why this might not hold true for future generations as the world continues to evolve.This podcast is packed with insights that we have pondered long after recording. Andrew's critical thinking skills, honed through designing his “shock magic” illusions, offer valuable perspectives for various other pursuits.As a bonus, Andrew shares a fantastic tip on teaching critical thinking to young kids, which we found equally applicable to adults.In this captivating interview, Andrew shares one of our new favorite quotes: “When you are okay with being fooled, you unlock a new kind of wonder.” Embrace the mystery, not just in thrillers, but in life itself.Get ready to be enthralled by the fascinating and thought-provoking discussions on magic and writing with the brilliant Andrew Mayne.We know you'll love it.Links for this post:Episode 112 show noteshttps://andrewmayne.com/Mr. Whisper by Andrew Mayne on Amazonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218134959-mr-whisper"Don't Trust Andrew Mayne" on A&E: "...features the wildly innovative, mischief-loving magician Andrew Mayne as he sets out to reinvent revenge. His illusions are mind-blowing, but what he loves most is helping people get even."From the hosts:Vicki's book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/Wynne's book about her beloved father: Finding My Father's Faith; Blog: https://wynneleon.com/

In this exciting episode, Vicki Atkinson and Wynne Leon have the pleasure of chatting with the phenomenal best-selling author, Andrew Mayne.Join us as Andrew Mayne takes us on an incredible journey through his captivating career – from mesmerizing audiences as an illusionist on cruise ships, starring in A&E's hit show “Don't Trust Andrew Mayne,” designing a groundbreaking stealth suit for diving with Great White sharks on Discovery Channel's Shark Week, being a Prompt Whisperer and Science Communicator for Open AI, and now a celebrated best-selling author.In his latest thrilling novel, Mr. Whisper, Andrew masterfully unites his four iconic characters from his previous series. He shares the intriguing challenges he faced in writing from multiple perspectives and how the theory of mind played a crucial role in his storytelling. And he reveals how he uses virtual reality technology to go “on location” as he scouts locales for his books.Discover the secrets behind Andrew's path to success and how his magician's skills have influenced his writing style, particularly the art of “showing, not telling” in crafting edge-of-your-seat thrillers.Andrew reveals the powerful feedback loop he employed while writing his first books and how his dedication led him to write an astonishing ten books in one year as a practice.Andrew delves into the concept of survivorship bias and its impact on the success stories of those who have “made it.” We explore why this might not hold true for future generations as the world continues to evolve.This podcast is packed with insights that we have pondered long after recording. Andrew's critical thinking skills, honed through designing his “shock magic” illusions, offer valuable perspectives for various other pursuits.As a bonus, Andrew shares a fantastic tip on teaching critical thinking to young kids, which we found equally applicable to adults.In this captivating interview, Andrew shares one of our new favorite quotes: “When you are okay with being fooled, you unlock a new kind of wonder.” Embrace the mystery, not just in thrillers, but in life itself.Get ready to be enthralled by the fascinating and thought-provoking discussions on magic and writing with the brilliant Andrew Mayne.We know you'll love it.For show notes and more great inspiration https://sharingtheheartofthematter.comLinks for this episode:https://andrewmayne.com/Mr. Whisper by Andrew Mayne on Amazonhttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218134959-mr-whisper"Don't Trust Andrew Mayne" on A&E: "...features the wildly innovative, mischief-loving magician Andrew Mayne as he sets out to reinvent revenge. His illusions are mind-blowing, but what he loves most is helping people get even."From the hosts:Vicki's book about resilience and love: Surviving Sue; Blog: https://victoriaponders.com/Wynne's book about her beloved father: Finding My Father's Faith; Blog: https://wynneleon.com/

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick things off with a nod to the anniversary of GPT-4, reflecting on its impact and the rapid pace of AI development. The conversation takes a historical detour to the Ramree Island crocodile attack during World War II, with Andrew using AI to sift […]

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick things off with a cosmic sigh of relief as the chances of an asteroid hitting Earth decrease. They ponder the implications of a moon impact, drawing parallels to sci-fi scenarios and historical events. The conversation then shifts to Microsoft’s announcement of a quantum […]

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young, with a special appearance by Bella, embark on a journey through the latest in nano technology, showcasing a nano-scale video game that could revolutionize biomedical engineering and nanotechnology. They explore the advancements in AI, particularly in workflow automation and the challenges of nano-tech. The conversation shifts to […]

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young tackle the rapid advancements in AI, focusing on DeepSeek’s R1 model and its cost-effective training methods. They discuss the skepticism and excitement surrounding DeepSeek’s claims and the broader implications for AI development and compute needs. The conversation shifts to OpenAI’s release of the O3 […]

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore the rapid advancements in AI, particularly highlighting the Chinese AI model Deep Seek and OpenAI’s latest creation, Operator. They discuss the technical achievements and controversies surrounding Deep Seek, its implications for the AI community, and the groundbreaking capabilities of Operator in controlling a browser to perform […]

Plus, Andrew Mayne goes deep on the DeepSeek hype.Starring Jason Howell and Tom Merritt.Link to the show notes can be found here.

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young dive into the latest in AI advancements and the philosophical and practical implications of artificial general intelligence (AGI). They start with a discussion on recent developments from OpenAI and Google, segue into a Wall Street Journal article questioning if AI has hit a developmental wall, and then […]

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood discuss the recent flurry of AI announcements from OpenAI’s Shipmas event and Google’s AI developments. They explore the implications of advanced AI models like GPT-3 and OpenAI’s O3, touching on their potential to revolutionize coding, problem-solving, and even the future of robotics and labor. […]

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood take listeners on a fascinating exploration of entertainment’s past, present, and future. They kick off with a nostalgic look at how theme parks like Universal Studios have evolved, highlighting the technological advancements in attractions such as the Born Stunt Spectacular. The conversation then shifts […]

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick things off with a brief chat about the latest addition to Justin’s family and the implications of raising a child in today’s tech-saturated world. The conversation quickly shifts to Elon Musk’s recent showcase of Tesla’s advancements in robotics, including the Optimus robot and […]

In this episode of Weird Things, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore the cutting edge of AI technology. Andrew kicks things off with a magic trick performed for an AI, showcasing the interactive capabilities of current AI models. The trio discusses the recent advancements in AI, including live video features and the […]

In this episode of Weird Things, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young tackle the advancements in AI, marvel at SpaceX’s successful catch of the Starship’s first stage, and ponder the future of robotics, including Tesla’s Optimus. They discuss the implications of these developments and share their excitement for what this means for the […]

I'm diving deeper into DeButts. Yes friends, there's been a crack in the DeButts case. To recap, on December 3rd, Anna Navarro tweeted that Hunter DeButts, the brother-in-law of Woodrow Wilson, was pardoned. This is not true. There is no historical record of a Hunter DeButts connected to Woodrow Wilson, and Wilson certainly did not pardon him. Navarro later admitted this was incorrect, blaming a ChatGPT search result. However, nobody could recreate the exact hallucination she posted, and the citation icons in her screenshot resembled an outdated ChatGPT interface.Curious, I discussed this with Andrew Mayne, my co-host on The Attention Mechanism, a podcast about AI. I also asked listeners to try replicating Navarro's prompt in ChatGPT. Shortly after, I received an email from a listener named Bret, who provided screenshots showing that while he got the same initial answers Navarro referenced—Bill Clinton pardoning Roger Clinton and Donald Trump pardoning Charles Kushner—Hunter DeButts was nowhere to be found.Brett's search led to a site called living.alot.com, which featured a listicle titled “Five Presidents and Governors Who Have Pardoned Family Members.” Interestingly, this article was last edited on the same day Navarro tweeted. My next move was to contact the article's supposed author, Ron Winkler. However, the author photo appeared unmistakably AI-generated, suggesting the entire article was likely created by a generative AI model.Investigating further, I found that living.alot.com is owned by Inuvo.com, an ad-tech company specializing in AI-driven marketing solutions. This suggested that the hallucination might not have come from ChatGPT itself but from living.alot.com, an AI-generated listicle site, possibly due to SEO optimization targeting AI-driven search engines. If ChatGPT search pulled from this listicle, it would explain the strange result Navarro saw.Speculating further, it seems plausible that Inuvo.com, focused on generating ad revenue, might have tweaked its content after seeing traffic driven by the controversy to avoid being de-ranked or blacklisted by search algorithms. Bret's recreation of almost the exact same search result strengthens this theory.If anyone at OpenAI working on ChatGPT Search is reading, I recommend a hard look at de-ranking or blacklisting the alot.com suite of sites. The credibility of search-powered AI depends on filtering out such low-quality content. In the end, the mystery of Hunter DeButts appears to be a hallucination generated by an ad-tech company leveraging AI-driven SEO tactics. Navarro's strange ChatGPT result wasn't directly ChatGPT's fault—it was fed a falsehood generated by a content-churning AI. And with that, the Hunter DeButts saga is solved. All's well that ends well.Chapters & Time Codes* (00:00:00) Introduction: Media, Politics & New Ventures* (00:01:20) Unmasking the Hunter DeButts Hoax* (00:15:01) Political Shifts: Murkowski and Ocasio-Cortez* (00:17:27) Government Shutdown Negotiations* (00:20:26) Chris Cillizza This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

This episode includes a serious, hour-long discussion with Ryan McBeth on Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Israel and everything in between. ANDWe dive deep into this tweet…Of course, on December 24, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson issued the controversial pardon for his brother-in-law, Hunter DeButts, convicted of arms smuggling during World War I. DeButts, married to Wilson's sister-in-law, Alice, was sentenced to 15 years after British intelligence exposed his fraudulent shipping scheme. Though furious, Wilson faced mounting political pressure amid war preparations. The White House cited new evidence suggesting DeButts was manipulated by foreign spies, and critics accused Wilson of nepotism, while supporters framed the pardon as holiday clemency. After his release, DeButts vanished from public life, reportedly living quietly in Cuba until his death in 1933.Except. Wait a minute. What you just read, isn't true. I fabricated it by directing ChatGPT using Model 4o with the Mac app to make up a fictional reason why Hunter DeButts received a pardon from Woodrow Wilson. Because Hunter DeButts never received a pardon from Woodrow Wilson. Hunter DeButts did not marry Wilson's sister. Nor did he receive a pardon. There are other Hunter DeButts involved with Wilson or that time in history.And yet, Anna Navarro tweeted about it. Upon a simple Google search Navarro wound up getting serially dunked on as people realized very quickly something wasn't accurate.And so Anna Navarro posted the following explanation:She blamed ChatGPT's hallucinations.Oh, well. We've all been there. But have we? While conservatives dunked on Navarro even further for believing ChatGPT, I am here to tell you, as a reporter through and through, I don't know if ChatGPT hallucinated this. And really, I am following the research of my friend, Andrew Mayne, who first sent this to me and said, he could not replicate the Hunter DeButts answer on any ChatGPT model. Not 4o, not any model that is available, and specifically was available to Navarro on December 2nd.Now, here's something that you guys might not know about large language models: they are fairly replicable. You can get similar answers based on similar questions. It's not exact, but a hallucination is something that you should be able to recreate. It would be odd if you couldn't.And my friend Andrew should know. He worked at OpenAI. He was a science communicator. He made a lot of videos that demonstrated OpenAI products up to and including ChatGPT itself and is known as the first prompt engineer for that company. He spent a lot of time with these models.And with that, I went down my own reporting rabbit hole. Because one of the other things is that the screen grab that Anna Navarro showed was a ChatGPT search that had web results.See those little brackets with quotes in between them. Those would be annotations. Theoretically, you could click on them and they would bring you to a webpage that would show you where ChatGPT got this information.What's odd about it is that those are not the annotations that ChatGPT uses now. And they certainly were not used on December 2nd when Anna Navarro said that she did this search.So where'd she get it? What version of ChatGPT is she using? And what large language model is going to be the origin story of dear sweet DeButts?I had a theory. Let's say you're not particularly tech-savvy, if you don't know exactly what ChatGPT is or OpenAI is, then it is very easy, as ChatGPT has become more and more popular, to just go into the iOS app store and find a lot of — I'm going to call them copycats.What they really are are other apps that are using the ChatGPT API, but they do a skin on top of it and they often charge you a subscription service. Do not use them. But I did because my theory was that Ana Navarro was using one of these apps, one of these apps that are not using similar if not exact user interface the official ChatGPT app is. Maybe they are using those old annotations?All is revealed!We get to the bottom of DeButts, on this episode of the Politics Politics Politics. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

How does holiday pricing work and what motivates sellers to drop prices during the holiday shopping season? Big Jim explains. Plus the media is warning that AI development has reached its peak, but is it true? Andrew Mayne cuts through the FUD. And The Information says the iPhone 17 “Air” rumored to be coming next year will be between 5 and 6 millimeters thick compared to the iPhone 16 at 7.8 mm.Starring Tom Merritt, Nica Montford, Andrew Mayne, James Thatcher, Roger Chang, Joe.Link to the Show Notes.

How does holiday pricing work and what motivates sellers to drop prices during the holiday shopping season? Big Jim explains. Plus the media is warning that AI development has reached its peak, but is it true? Andrew Mayne cuts through the FUD. And The Information says the iPhone 17 “Air” rumored to be coming next year will be between 5 and 6 millimeters thick compared to the iPhone 16 at 7.8 mm. Starring Tom Merritt, Nica Montford, Andrew Mayne, James Thatcher, Roger Chang, Joe. To read the show notes in a separate page click here! Support the show on Patreon by becoming a supporter!

Explore how AI enhances memory. Andrew Mayne, OpenAI podcast host, joins me to reveal powerful ways to improve your Memory Palace techniques.

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick things off with a chat about the weather before diving into the world of augmented reality and virtual reality. They discuss the limitations of Apple’s Vision Pro and the potential of Facebook’s Project Orion, comparing the two and expressing their hopes for the […]

This week, Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young explore the forefront of AI technology, from OpenAI’s Dev Day revelations to Meta’s video AI marvels. They discuss the practical applications and implications of these advancements, such as customer service bots and AI-assisted video production, while also pondering the ethical and professional impacts on fields […]

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood dive into a discussion that starts with Justin’s craving for a burrito and evolves into a conversation about the future of delivery services, including drones and autonomous vehicles like Waymo and Zoox. They explore the implications of AI advancements for space exploration, particularly on […]

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young kick off the episode with a dive into AI advancements, particularly focusing on OpenAI’s new model, Strawberry. Andrew shares a personal anecdote about attending a Matrix screening that turns into a surprise adventure, highlighting the unpredictability of life and the importance of choosing the ‘red pill’ moments. […]