Podcasts about succeeding

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Andrew Mayne and Brian Brushwood dig into one of the most immediately useful applications of AI agents: hunting down waste, friction, and forgotten costs in everyday business operations. Brian explains how connecting ChatGPT to his finances helped him uncover orphaned subscriptions, duplicate services, and even a long-forgotten annual GPS dog collar charge, while Andrew describes using Codex to audit AWS charges, recurring billing in Gmail, Apple Card statements, and an overpriced web host for the podcast. Along the way they make the case that Codex is different from a normal chatbot because it can persist on tasks, work through files and folders, use connected accounts, operate websites without APIs, and function more like a capable intern than a search box. They also talk through the learning curve, privacy concerns, trust-building in stages, using AI to generate business experiments and revenue ideas, and why speed of adaptation matters more than trying to pause technological change. The recurring theme is simple: use AI to find the stupid in your systems, save real money, and free up time for more creative work. Picks: Andrew Mayne: Riley Brown’s YouTube quick-start tutorials on Codex Brian Brushwood: Just Evil Enough by Alistair Croll and Emily Ross

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore how new AI video tools are changing filmmaking by making real footage more editable and steerable, letting creators keep human performances while using AI for sets, lighting, costumes, and polish. They compare that shift to earlier changes in digital editing and game engines, then turn to viral robot mishap clips to separate remote-controlled demos from true autonomy and to ask the bigger question of who carries legal and moral responsibility when future robots inevitably cause harm. From there they jump to a possible primordial black hole candidate as evidence related to dark matter, a promising one-time gene therapy approach for cholesterol, and the broader effects of GLP-1 drugs on appetite, addiction, gambling, alcohol use, and the business models built around those habits. They wrap by sharing how tools like Codex are already helping them build websites, automate repetitive tasks, migrate infrastructure, and dramatically cut costs, arguing that AI is most useful right now as a way to remove drudgery and free up more time for actual creative work. Picks: Brian Brushwood: Spider-Noir Justin Robert Young: The Hulk Hogan documentary on Netflix Justin Robert Young: Rocky Balboa

I don't end many podcasts by inviting someone to come hang out at the farm, but this was one of those conversations. In this episode, I sit down with Patrick Engasser, a bestselling author, speaker, and coach who's built and led a seven-figure sales team…all while being blind since birth.  This isn't a “feel good” story. This is a wake-up call. We talk about what it actually takes to succeed when the odds aren't in your favor, how to stay aware of opportunities most people completely miss, and why building the right systems is the difference between being stuck and having real freedom. Patrick also shares powerful perspective shifts around adversity- how the very thing you think is holding you back might actually be your greatest advantage. And yeah…we even get into guide dogs.  If you've been waiting for the “right time” or better circumstances… this episode will challenge that hard.   Find Patrick at www.TalkwithPatrick.com  If I Can Do It, You Can Do It!: Inspiration for Eliminating Excuses, Overcoming Challenges, and Succeeding in Business and Life by Patrick Engasser https://amzn.to/4cIg1VH    Things mentioned in the show: 10X is Easier than 2X by Dan Sullivan https://amzn.to/4mErRok  4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss https://amzn.to/4cB3XFF  The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey https://amzn.to/489fc72  Goals: How to Get the Most Out of Your Life by Zig Ziglar https://amzn.to/4twO7mY  The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer https://amzn.to/4cX7rUk    --- Click here to change your life- http://eepurl.com/gy5T3T   Hit me up for a one-on-one brainstorming session- https://militaryimagesproject.com/products/brainstorming-session-1-hour    Check out my Linktree for different ways to rock your world! https://linktr.ee/ruggeddad    Check out the sweet Hyper X mic I'm using. https://amzn.to/41AF4px    Check out my best-selling books: Rapid Skill Development 101- https://amzn.to/3J0oDJ0 Streams of Income with Ryan Reger- https://amzn.to/3SDhDHg Strangest Secret Challenge- https://amzn.to/3xiJmVO This page contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link and buy one of the products on this page, I may receive a commission (at no extra cost to you!) This doesn't affect our opinions or our reviews. Everything we do is to benefit you as the reader, so all of our reviews are as honest and unbiased as possible. #passiveincome #sidehustle #cryptocurrency #richlife

In this insightful episode, Yarin Gaon, Founder of Fractional Partners, shares why outside capital often destroys more value than it creates for stage 4 founders. If you're generating more revenue but watching profits shrink, feeling overwhelmed by complexity, and tempted to raise money to fix it, you won't want to miss it.You will discover:- Why giving capital to an unclear business model is more likely to destroy value than create it- How to shift from growth by addition to growth by subtraction to tighten your core engine- What it takes to identify your most profitable 20% before scaling with outside capitalThis episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 4 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quizYarin Gaon is an entrepreneur-turned-investor with a proven track record of founding, scaling, and exiting companies. He launched his first company at age 14 and went on to build Israel's largest e-commerce platform for military goods, which he later sold before relocating to the U.S. He also served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at a venture capital firm, where he specialized in turning around distressed startups. With an MBA from Tel Aviv University (and time spent at Kellogg School of Management), Yarin now helps growing companies mature into strong, cash-flowing assets. Yarin has mentored over 400 businesses through SCORE and the University of Chicago's Polsky Center.Want to learn more about Yarin Gaon's work at Fractional Partners? Check out his website at https://www.fractional.partners/Connect with Yarin through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/yaringaon/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you're a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you're doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

In this empowering episode, Kim Sawyer, Founder of theWealthSource®, shares how to take ownership of your career as a pre-founder in stage 1. If you're feeling stuck in a job, dissatisfied despite a good paycheck, and wondering if you should make a change, you won't want to miss it.You will discover:- Why treating your career as a business where you are the CEO gives you real control- How to discern between your current job, long-term career, and overall life priorities- What active participation looks like to build your desired future instead of leaving it to chanceThis episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 1 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quizKim Sawyer has extensive business experience and has been a professional coach for more than 20 years. His coaching firm, theWealthSource®, coaches and facilitates key professionals, executives, teams, and organizations to create extraordinary wealth — in all its forms. They accomplish this by developing unique and powerful models, tools, and approaches that elevate the performance and success of the executives they coach to the next level. Kim has coached leaders across some of the most respected organizations, including Continental Airlines, JP Morgan Chase Bank, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), IBM, Chevron, and Spectra Energy.Want to learn more about Kim Sawyer's work at theWealthSource®? Check out his website at https://thewealthsource.com/Connect with Kim through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachkimsawyer/Are you a successful executive who feels stuck in your career and not sure what to do about it? Kim is offering you his $300 Career Mastery Session - FREE when you mention this podcast. There are limited spots, so sign up now: https://calendly.com/thewealthsourceMentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you're a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you're doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

In this eye-opening episode, Nick Avaria, Founder of Agency Acquisitions, shares why many stage 4 founders get trapped in the missing middle. If you're growing revenue but profits are shrinking, complexity is overwhelming you, and your team feels misaligned, you won't want to miss it.You will discover:- Why growth rewards you with more problems and a dangerous chasm called the missing middle- How to stop promoting individual contributors and build real middle management systems- What it takes to transition from founder to CEO so you stop being the speed limitThis episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 4 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quizNick is a serial agency owner and strategist who's scaled multiple marketing agencies beyond 7- and 8-figures, bought and sold 7 firms, and built a system that's helped countless agency owners finally get their time and sanity back, all while growing profits significantly. Nick's not just another “consultant.” He's still in the trenches. He owns two agencies today that run without him (under 4 hours/week of his time), and he's now on a mission to help 100 agencies scale to $10M+ or hit $1M in profit annually while building workplaces where people thrive.Want to learn more about Nick Avaria's work at Agency Acquisitions? Check out his website at https://www.agencyacquisitions.io/Connect with Nick through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickavaria/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you're a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you're doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

In this profound episode, Les McKeown, Founder and CEO of Predictable Success, shares how to navigate your current stage with clarity across all seven stages of the Founder's Evolution. If you feel uncertain about where you are, sense misalignment in your team, or wonder if you're truly in predictable success, you won't want to miss it.You will discover:- How to use simple tests like "If you have to ask, you're almost certainly in fun" to diagnose your current reality- What strong leadership and systems look like to successfully transition between stages without skipping- Why individual perception often clouds your view of the organization's true stageThis episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stages 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quizLes McKeown, the Founder and CEO of Predictable Success, is not just an advisor to CEOs and senior leaders but also a sought-after speaker for Fortune 500 companies. His expertise lies in helping organizations achieve scalable, sustainable growth, and his breakthrough strategies have been widely recognized and implemented. Before founding Predictable Success, Les established himself as a serial founder/owner, starting more than 40 companies. He was also the founding partner of an incubation consulting company that advised on the creation and growth of hundreds more organizations worldwide. He's the bestselling author of Predictable Success, The Synergist, Do Scale, and Do Lead.Want to learn more about Les McKeown's work at Predictable Success? Check out his website at https://www.predictablesuccess.com/Connect with Les through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesmckeown/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you're a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you're doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Do you want a wildlife, conservation, or environmental sciences career, but feel that it is not physically possible for you? Do you have health challenges or a condition that limits you and are worried that it prevents you from working in a field that is notoriously demanding? Or do you feel discriminated against because of these circumstances? You are not alone! I have heard from aspiring wildlife biologists all over the world that they struggle with conditions like chronic fatigue, anxiety, sight disabilities, strokes, ADHD, and more and are concerned that they can't work in this field, which they love so much. I, myself, struggle with an autoimmune condition that greatly slows down my metabolism, and has made me heavily fatigued at key points in my career. Well, in this week's episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast, I'm showing you that it's possible for you with an interview with a young conservationist who blew me away with her unstoppable attitude. When I first heard Grace O'Dea speak on a Green Jobs webinar event, I was so inspired by her story that I knew I had to have her on the podcast. Grace has cerebral palsy, and at 17, she was told by someone that her lack of upper-body strength meant that she could never work in an animal career. But that's not where her story ended…In fact, she used that “no,” as ammunition to propel her wildlife career. Today she is a permanent educator at a major aquarium and has previously worked in physically demanding jobs at farms and zoos, proving that naysayer wrong.This week's episode of the Fancy Scientist Podcast is all about NOT accepting no as an answer when it comes to pursuing your dreams or whatever conservation goal you want to accomplish no matter what your circumstances are. If you want to work in the wildlife field, you'll want to listen for sure, but this episode is for everyone. No matter what you were going after in your career or even your life, the lessons that Grace shares will apply to the seemingly impossible situation that you are going through. Through our conversation, you'll learn how Grace navigated her path by refusing to let her disability define her. She didn't let being questioned stop her; instead, she purposely built her physical strength at the gym. She didn't hide her disability either. Rather, she voiced her concerns to employers so that they could find ways to work with her condition rather than around it. Grace shares her experience working with everything from hedgehogs to wild deer, and how she uses positive messaging and hope to impact the public rather than the typical conservation messages of doom and gloom. She explains how she handles the physical aspects of her current and past jobs and why being "ballsy" and confident is your greatest asset, even if you are naturally shy or introverted.And the results of her boldness are incredible! Grace started as a seasonal employee, but she didn't just wait for it to end and look for something else. Instead, she took the initiative to email her bosses and ask if her position could be made permanent. And it worked! She now has a full-time permanent position as a conservation educator delivering daily talks to aquarium guests and teaching the next generation about ocean conservation.Grace also excels at networking. She lets us in on her strategies, which led to her being invited as a guest speaker for her university's graduation and connecting with influencers in the green jobs space. We talk about how she leverages LinkedIn by active and intentional posting, using hashtags strategically, and attracting professionals to her profile through sharing her personal and professional achievements. I also noticed that Grace is a fancy scientist herself. We discuss her fancy side and how she owns her personal style and unique comedic value to be an unconventional, yet highly effective educator. After the interview, I break down key take-home points for you to apply to your own career or situation, including sharing resources helping you adopt Grace's unstoppable mindset, using LinkedIn as a search strategy, and why you should never be afraid to ask for a job extension or a permanent role.If you ever thought you couldn't pursue conservation because of a health condition, your background, or a lack of financial resources, Grace is living proof that it's all possible! After listening to this episode, I know you'll walk away filled with hope, and ready to face the challenge in your career head on.Specifically, we talk about:Grace's career path from graduation to securing a permanent educator role at an aquariumWhat it was like for Grace to work at various kinds of animal organizations and places including farms and zoosMagical wildlife moments from Grace's career such as stampeding deer and circling buzzards, and humbling moments like collecting hedgehog poopWhy you shouldn't "play it safe" if you have a passion for animals and want to pursue this kind of workThe critical importance of a resilient mindset when facing physical or psychological barriers in the fieldHow to navigate a wildlife career while managing a disability or other health condition including when and how to disclose health conditions and get accommodationsHow to ask for what you want in wildlife work The power of LinkedIn for attracting employers and why posting once a week can change your career trajectoryGrace's dissertation research on positive vs. negative messaging in conservation campaignsHow to give the public hope through small, actionable steps like beach clean-up And more!Jump links:03:53 Meet Grace O'Day06:02 Told No at 1707:54 Finding Her Why08:42 Aquarium Career Path11:55 Turning Seasonal Permanent16:14 Impact Through Education19:20 Navigating Cerebral Palsy at Work25:52 Networking With LinkedIn29:50 LinkedIn for Wildlife Careers Masterclass 31:33 Hedgehog Sanctuary Stories34:08 Being A Fancy Scientist35:25 Advice And Future Plans38:00 Key Takeaways And WrapDream of being a wildlife biologist, zoologist, conservation biologist, or ecologist? Ready to turn your love of animals into a thriving career?

In this functional episode, Jorge Chavez, President of Topaz Sales Consulting, shares how stage 3 founders can successfully hire and scale their first salespeople. If you struggle with inconsistent sales, bad hires, or feeling like no one sells the way you do, you won't want to miss it.You will discover:- How to use a specialized sales hiring process that screens for real sales competencies- What to do after hiring so you inspect what you expect instead of fully handing off- Why hiring salespeople the same way as everyone else leads to expensive mistakesThis episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 3 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quizJorge Chavez is the President and Co-Founder of Topaz Sales Consulting in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of sales expertise, he developed the Buyer Facilitator Philosophy and Process, empowering CEOs, founders, and sales leaders to build teams that deliver revenue through trust, clarity, and mutual fit. Through targeted sales training, executive coaching, and proven hiring systems, Jorge and his team enable organizations to scale effective sales cultures. He is also a keynote speaker and mentor committed to transforming how companies approach sales and leadership.Want to learn more about Jorge Chavez's work at Topaz Sales Consulting? Check out his website at https://www.topazsalesconsulting.com/Connect with Jorge through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrchavez/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you're a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you're doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

Lucinda talks to HR transformation specialist Sharon Green to demystify the evolving world of independent people professionals. Sharon draws on her extensive 20-year career to clearly distinguish between traditional interim management and the emerging trend of fractional HR, which offers scalable, long-term strategic leadership for growing businesses that don't yet need a full-time executive.  Packed with practical advice, the conversation explores the mindset, adaptability, and relationship-building skills required to thrive as a solo practitioner in a changing corporate landscape. KEY TAKEAWAYS While interim roles are typically full-time, project-driven, or coverage-based for a finite period, fractional roles provide ongoing, long-term strategic leadership on a part-time basis tailored to a company's growth stage. Succeeding as an independent consultant requires a high tolerance for ambiguity, as practitioners must frequently step into unfamiliar corporate cultures and hit the ground running without formal onboarding. The value of a senior interim or fractional professional lies less in highly specialised industry knowledge and more in transferable leadership skills and the ability to view business challenges from an objective, outside perspective. Managing the exit phase of a consultancy contract with a thorough handover is just as critical as the onboarding phase to ensure long-term trust and sustainable change for the client. BEST MOMENTS "You're not really leveraging off your domain knowledge... it's more about the transferable skills and experience that you bring to that organisation and the outside-in perspective." "Clients aren't paying to manage you... they're paying for you to manage the work that they are engaging you to deliver." "Doing a good job at the ending is just as important as doing that good job right at the start to build those trusting relationships." VALUABLE RESOURCES The HR Uprising Podcast | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Stitcher⁠   ⁠The HR Uprising LinkedIn Group⁠ ⁠How to Prioritise Self-Care (The HR Uprising)⁠ ⁠How To Be A Change Superhero - by Lucinda Carney⁠ HR Uprising Mastermind - ⁠https://hruprising.com/mastermind/⁠   ⁠www.changesuperhero.com⁠ ⁠www.hruprising.com⁠            Get your copy of How To Be A Change Superhero by emailing at ⁠info@actus.co.uk⁠ CONTACT SHARON LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharongreenchiara/ Chiara Consulting Website: http://chiaraconsultancy.co.uk/ ABOUT THE HOST Lucinda Carney is a Business Psychologist with 15 years in Senior Corporate L&D roles and a further 10 as CEO of Actus Software where she worked closely with HR colleagues helping them to solve the same challenges across a huge range of industries. It was this breadth of experience that inspired Lucinda to set up the HR Uprising community to facilitate greater collaboration across HR professionals in different sectors, helping them to ‘rise up' together. “If you look up, you rise up” CONTACT METHOD Join the LinkedIn community - ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13714397/⁠ Email: ⁠Lucinda@advancechange.co.uk⁠ Linked In: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucindacarney/⁠ Twitter: @lucindacarney Instagram: @hruprising Facebook: @hruprising This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

In this eye-opening episode, David Barnett, Owner of www.DavidCBarnett.com, shares how to protect and strengthen your business as you grow in stage 3. If you're growing fast but feel exposed to hidden risks, or worry that one mistake could wipe out years of work, you won't want to miss it.You will discover:- Why focusing only on revenue and profit leaves your business dangerously vulnerable.- How to use your balance sheet to spot and manage risk before it becomes a crisis.- What changes to make now so you can grow profitably while protecting what you've built.This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 3 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quizDavid C. Barnett is an author, consultant, and international speaker who has helped thousands of entrepreneurs avoid costly mistakes and achieve successful business exits. Having personally started, bought, sold, and closed multiple businesses, David brings hands-on experience rather than theory. He specializes in the critical areas of buying, selling, financing, and managing small- to mid-sized businesses—the key leverage points that determine whether an entrepreneur can truly scale and succeed. His insights equip entrepreneurs to move forward with clarity and confidence, helping them prepare for a profitable exit even years in advance.Want to learn more about David Barnett's work at www.DavidCBarnett.com? Check out his website at https://www.investlocalbook.com/Connect with David through his LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidbarnettmoncton/Check out David's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@DavidCBarnett Get a copy of his book The Business Fortress: How to Grow, Protect, and Exit Your Business with Confidence at https://www.amazon.com/Business-Fortress-Grow-Protect-Confidence/dp/B0F99NVR38Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you're a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you're doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

In this insightful episode, Stacey Bailey, Senior Consultant & Executive Coach of The Intention Collective, shares how creative founders can successfully lead their first team in stage 3. If you feel frustrated that no one else can keep up, think like you, or deliver the way you do, you won't want to miss it.You will discover:- Why expecting your team to think and work like you creates unnecessary struggle and misalignment- How to create clarity around vision and expectations so everyone rows in the same direction- What it takes to build real trust and give effective feedback instead of being “nice.”This episode is ideal for for Founders, Owners, and CEOs in stage 3 of The Founder's Evolution. Not sure which stage you're in? Find out for free in less than 10 minutes at https://www.scalearchitects.com/founders/quizStacey Bailey is a leadership coach, strategist, and facilitator who helps entrepreneurs and creative leaders build businesses with heart. A certified System and Soul™ Implementor and Dare to Lead™ Certified professional, she brings more than 15 years of experience in leadership and operations within the creative services industry. Today, through Intention Collective, Stacey partners with founders and leadership teams of creative agencies generating $1M–$15M in revenue to build scalable, values-driven businesses. Her expertise includes leadership development, operational alignment, and strategic planning, and she has successfully supported organizations through private equity transitions, B Corp certification, and international expansion. Want to learn more about Stacey Bailey's work at The Intention Collective? Check out his website at https://intentioncollective.co/Email her at stacey@intentioncollective.coCheck out Stacey's personal website at https://www.stacey-bailey.com/ Connect with Stacey through her LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceylbailey/Mentioned in this episode:Take the Founder's Evolution Quiz TodayIf you're a Founder, business owner, or CEO who feels overworked by the business you lead and underwhelmed by the results, you're doing it wrong. Succeeding as a founder all comes down to doing the right one or two things right now. Take the quiz today at foundersquiz.com, and in just ten questions, you can figure out what stage you are in, so you can focus on what is going to work and say goodbye to everything else.Founder's Quiz

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 touches on Ant Philanthropic's latest AI models, highlighting the rapid pace of AI development and its implications for various industries, especially Hollywood. The conversation veers into speculative territory with thoughts on how AI could revolutionize content creation, from corporate training videos to high school history projects. Despite the excitement, they remain cautiously optimistic, acknowledging the challenges and limitations that still exist. Picks: Brian: Friendship Andrew: Blood Sport Justin: Andor Season 2

The episode opens with discussion of Grok 4, the Humanities Last Exam benchmark, and how AI model performance is getting harder to measure cleanly as benchmarks saturate. The hosts compare xAI's rapid progress with OpenAI's ChatGPT agent and note that the new systems are trading benchmark leads quickly. A long middle section focuses on Grok's unsafe or unhinged outputs, possible causes such as internet retrieval, long context, and weak safety training, and broader concerns about “chatbot psychosis” stories. The conversation then turns to why people use chatbots for private, therapy-like conversations, how shame reduction motivates adoption, and the privacy risks if those intimate logs are exposed or misused. The latter half shifts into agent mode, productivity, and future use cases: using AI to fill PDFs, make slide decks, gather data, and automate repetitive media work. The hosts then broaden into what becomes valuable when output is cheap—effort, refinement, accountability, emotional intelligence, human uniqueness, relationships, physical presence, education, and the role of other humans in an AI-heavy world. Key topics Humanities Last Exam as an AI benchmark: Andrew explains that the benchmark is harder to game than older tests and is meant to probe reasoning and research ability. He also says benchmark saturation is making it harder to see big leaps in capability. xAI release cadence versus safety alignment: The hosts praise Grok 4's capability but question whether xAI is

The episode opens with a discussion of a possible biosignature on exoplanet K218b, with Andrew explaining that dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide were reported in the planet's atmosphere and are associated on Earth with marine microorganisms, while stressing that instrument error or unknown abiotic chemistry could still explain it. The hosts broaden that into a conversation about how exoplanet discovery and the search for life have advanced incrementally, and how it would not be surprising to eventually find simple life on some habitable-zone planets. The middle of the episode moves through robotics, AI benchmarks, prompting, and future compute. The hosts discuss Boston Dynamics' humanoid backflip and Andrew explains the Cheetah actuator, then spend a long stretch on model leaderboards, Llama 4/LM Arena concerns, Humanity's Last Exam, pricing, and how frontier models are leapfrogging quickly. They also cover prompt design, Andrew's fractional AI consulting business, fast image generation, likely video and VTuber applications, and a speculative question about what quantum computing could change for AI training, inference, and search. The episode closes with a stunt injury story about human cannonball performer Chachi Valencia, followed by picks. Brian recommends Social Studies on Hulu, Andrew talks through his MCU rewatch and mentions Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 without clearly recommending it, and Justin strongly recommends Daredevil, saying it stuck the landing and m

Andrew opens by demoing Replicate's Trellis model, which turns a 2D image into a 3D mesh. He uses a ChatGPT-generated Blade Runner-style car image, shows the model producing a 3D asset in a little over a minute for about seven cents, and the hosts discuss how accessible 3D asset generation could change creative workflows, games, and set design. The conversation moves into broader AI optimism and skepticism. Justin argues that AI development will keep accelerating and that productized value is still underbuilt, while Andrew and Brian criticize AI naysayers for relying on limited personal impressions rather than broad evidence. The episode also covers a speculative physics discussion about energy transmission and a paper on extracting small amounts of power from Earth's magnetic field, with the hosts emphasizing that interesting research can still be impractical or overhyped. Key topics AI image-to-3D generation and creative workflows: Trellis on Replicate is shown converting a 2D image into a 3D mesh, with discussion of uses for game assets, set design, and faster creative iteration. OpenAI image model for recreation and editing: Justin says the new image model can recreate photos, remove backgrounds, and make stunt doubles or movie-poster-style images. Codex / command-line app generation: Andrew mentions using Codex as a tool to build simple apps or assets from the command line with an OpenAI key. AI skepticism versus lived experience: The hosts argue that many AI skeptics ha

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 fact from fiction in this tale of survival and crocodile-infested mangroves. The trio then shifts focus to Colossal Biosciences' efforts to bring back the woolly mammoth, starting with genetically modified mice sporting thicker coats. This step towards de-extinction sparks a debate on the feasibility and ethics of resurrecting ancient species, alongside a whimsical discussion on whether organic or robotic mammoths will roam the earth first. Picks: Justin Robert Young: Levin by Cali Cowboys Boys Brian Brushwood: The Master Algorithm by Pedro Domingos Andrew Mayne: Daredevil Netflix Series

The episode opens with the hosts discussing asteroid 2024 YR4, whose Earth impact odds have dropped, and quickly turns to the less certain but more interesting possibility of a lunar strike. They talk through the visible flash, dust, crater formation, and whether any ejecta could reach Earth, while Andrew reads from a Deep Research report estimating the object as a city-killer-sized asteroid and describing its effects on the Moon. The conversation then ranges across moon impacts, the role of the Moon as a possible protective factor for life on Earth, reactions to disaster origin debates, and the usefulness of ChatGPT Deep Research as a citation-backed research tool. Later segments cover Microsoft's Majorana/topological qubit claims, current humanoid robotics announcements, a discussion of the uncanny design of the OneX robot, and several recommendations, including a time-loop novel and Disney rides. Key topics Potential effects of a lunar asteroid impact: The hosts discuss what would happen if asteroid 2024 YR4 hit the Moon, including a flash visible from Earth, lunar dust and ejecta, crater formation, and the possibility of minimal debris reaching Earth. Shoemaker-Levy 9 and dramatic impact events: Brian cites Shoemaker-Levy 9 hitting Jupiter as an example of an impact event that was scientifically valuable and exciting to observe. The moon as a protective factor for life on Earth: Brian relays a book argument that Earth's Moon may help shield the planet from extinction-leve

The episode opens with Andrew describing a workflow automation he built in n8n to collect story ideas and email him a pre-show list, then moves into a discussion of a research team creating the world's smallest shooting video game with nanoscale technology. The hosts react to the demonstration, compare it to miniature hockey or "inner space," and Andrew reflects on how nanotech has proved much harder than early optimism suggested. From there, the conversation broadens into AI-assisted science, automation workflows, and the practical use of tools like make.com and n8n for email-driven systems. Later segments cover model quality and reasoning systems, reactions to Grok voice mode, a Starship launch bet, and the picks segment, which includes Reset, Severance, Mickey Mouse shorts by Paul Rudish, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and X-Men '97. The episode closes with a discussion of art, Blade Runner studies, and broader worries about AI reshaping human work and status competition. Key topics Nanoscale manipulation with electron microscopy: The hosts discuss a "world's smallest shooting video game" built with nanoscale technology, including focused electron beams and force fields between nanoparticles. Nanotech hype versus real-world difficulty: Andrew contrasts earlier expectations of rapid nanotech breakthroughs with the reality that building stable nanoscale systems is much harder than hoped. AI-assisted science and materials discovery: They talk about using AI and machine lea

The episode opens with a discussion of asteroid 2024 YR4 and its reported 2.2% chance of hitting Earth on December 22, 2032. The hosts discuss its estimated building-sized range, possible blast-wave, thermal, seismic, and tsunami effects, and compare the event to Tunguska and Chelyabinsk as examples of severe but non-civilization-ending damage. A long middle section focuses on AI tools and moderation, including Brian's frustration with being restricted or banned by ChatGPT/OpenAI for questions he considers ordinary, plus jokes about copyright, sound-alike music, and inconsistent enforcement. The hosts also praise newer AI features like reasoning mode and deep research, compare asteroid-prediction updates to weather forecasting, discuss James Webb infrared imagery, and later shift to pop culture and media picks including Fantastic Four, Severance, Mac Whisper, and The Expanded Mind. Key topics Asteroid 2024 YR4 and impact risk: The hosts discuss a newly discovered asteroid, 2024 YR4, with a 2.2% chance of hitting Earth on December 22, 2032. They describe potential damage from blast waves, heat, fires, airburst effects, ground impact, tsunamis, and seismic shaking, using Tunguska and Chelyabinsk as historical comparisons. Asteroid deflection and mitigation: They compare long-warning solutions like tractor concepts, mass drivers, and gravity nudges with nuclear options when the object is only years away. The tradeoff discussed is between changing the orbit cleanly and creating r

The episode opens with a long discussion of DeepSeek, its V3 and R1 reasoning models, and why the release caused such a big reaction in AI circles and on Wall Street. Andrew says DeepSeek appears to have made real efficiency gains in training and hardware use, while Justin argues the market overreacted to the idea that less compute would be needed; both stress that the models do not mean chips or compute are suddenly unnecessary (L17-L17, L25-L25, L49-L49, L53-L57, L61-L65, L73-L77, L101-L105). The conversation then shifts to OpenAI's O3 and to a live, hands-on demo of generating simple games and 3D scenes with AI. Brian and Andrew iterate on a crude side-scrolling Mobius-strip game in CodePen, then experiment with A-Frame, a generated planetarium, and an explainer for radio telescopes, using the examples to argue that AI is becoming a practical tool for prototyping, brainstorming, and building educational or creative projects faster (L117-L117, L123-L145, L149-L181, L191-L209, L235-L241, L247-L253, L275-L289, L315-L317, L323-L333). Key topics DeepSeek efficiency gains and model optimization: Andrew describes DeepSeek as having made real, original optimization improvements, especially around data movement, compression, and training efficiency under chip export constraints. Uncertainty about data provenance and bootstrapping: The hosts note possible data contamination or use of model outputs, but they are careful to say those suspicions do not fully explain DeepSeek's success

The episode opens with a discussion of DeepSeek's V3 and R1 models, which the hosts describe as highly capable and unusually efficient. They frame the reaction as part of a broader open-source versus closed-source AI debate, while also noting uncertainty and controversy about whether some of DeepSeek's progress came from training on frontier model outputs or distillation. The hosts stress that the technical achievements are real, even if the competitive landscape and provenance are murky. A large portion of the episode is spent reacting to OpenAI's Operator, a browser-controlling agent that can log in, navigate websites, and work inside cloud-hosted browser sessions. The hosts demonstrate and discuss practical uses like Google Docs, Notion, CSV creation, image searching, and meme generation, while also emphasizing that the tool is still slow, brittle, and limited by logins, CAPTCHAs, and permissions. They broaden the conversation into the implications of agentic browsers for workflows, traffic metrics, monetization, access control, and the larger direction of AI development. Key topics Open-source versus closed-source AI competition: The hosts discuss DeepSeek, Meta's Llama models, and OpenAI's releases as part of a fast-moving competition between open and closed AI systems. They describe open source as a major current moment, while also recognizing that frontier commercial labs continue to advance quickly. Model efficiency and distillation: Andrew emphasizes that DeepSeek's

The episode opens with a discussion of rapid recent AI releases and whether AI has "hit a wall." Andrew points to OpenAI's O3 and Google video models as evidence that capabilities are still advancing, while Justin uses the ARC Prize and AGI as the lens for asking how quickly systems are improving and whether a reasonable AGI label could arrive within the next year. Andrew's response emphasizes the "jagged frontier": models can be very strong on some tasks and weak on others, so benchmark gains do not translate cleanly into broad intelligence. A major middle section focuses on DeepSeek, which the hosts describe as a highly capable Chinese model that has excited open-source enthusiasts and alarmed frontier-lab skeptics. Andrew argues the model should be understood in context: export restrictions may have pushed efficiency work, but the model likely also benefited from distilled outputs from frontier models and other structured training data, so it is not a clean from-scratch achievement. The episode then turns to YouTube's AI-training opt-in controls, the copyright and compensation questions around creator data, the growing reputational stigma around obvious AI-generated creative work, and predictions for 2025 that include more AI-automated workflows, a company announcing AGI, and more AI-assisted email handling. Key topics AI benchmark gains and the "hitting a wall" narrative: The hosts contrast media claims that AI has stalled with examples of large benchmark jumps, especiall

The episode opens with a discussion of OpenAI's Shipmas announcements and a comparison with Google's recent AI releases. The hosts focus on OpenAI's o3 model, describing it as a real, usable research milestone and noting that it scored highly on the ARC Prize benchmark and coding evaluations, while also acknowledging that some announced features are not immediately available to everyone. The conversation then broadens into how current AI tools are being used in practice. The hosts talk about ChatGPT integrations with Notion, desktop and screen-sharing features, model switching when one tool is not suited to a task, and the brittleness of AI outputs when prompts or settings change. The latter half shifts to robotics and simulators, especially how physics simulation could accelerate robotics development and how cheaper, more capable robots could change labor and local production. The episode closes with several media picks. Key topics OpenAI Shipmas and Google's AI announcements: The hosts compare OpenAI's 12 days of releases with Google's announcements, arguing that OpenAI's products are more immediately usable while Google's demos appear more limited in access. o3, ARC Prize, and AI benchmarks: A major segment focuses on o3, the ARC Prize visual reasoning benchmark, and coding evals. Andrew explains how the benchmark works and why the o-series models' higher scores matter. AI workflow integration and desktop assistance: The speakers discuss ChatGPT working with Notion, screen

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 to the potential of AI in creating immersive experiences, with Andrew sharing insights into reasoning models and the concept of AI agents. They also touch upon the importance of classic sci-fi literature, like ‘A Canticle for Leibowitz', in understanding the roots of many modern narratives. The episode wraps up with a discussion on the implications of AI in programming and the potential for AI to revolutionize how we interact with technology and each other. Picks: Justin Robert Young: DEF CON Plan about Audio and Electronics Brian Brushwood: A Canticle for Leibowitz Andrew Mayne: Nosferatu by Robert Eggers

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 the Cyber Cab. The hosts speculate on the impact of these technologies on the future, from personal robotics to autonomous transportation networks. Additionally, they touch upon the phenomenon of sky quakes, debating their possible explanations and expressing skepticism about their origins. Throughout, the trio maintains a slightly irreverent tone, mixing in personal anecdotes and broader societal observations. Picks: Brian Brushwood: Alchemy: The Dark Art and Curious Science of Creating Magic in Brands, Business, and Life by Rory Sutherland Justin Robert Young: The Peripheral (TV Show) Andrew Mayne: The 13th Warrior (Movie)

The episode opens with the hosts talking about new live multimodal AI features in ChatGPT and Google Gemini, including Andrew's demo of showing ChatGPT a card trick over live video. They note that these features had been demonstrated earlier and are now shipping, but emphasize that backend compute, server connections, and GPU supply make rollout slower than some people expect. Most of the episode is spent on OpenAI's Sora and other video generators. The hosts discuss how to use Sora, including starting from a strong image or uploaded video, using storyboards, keeping generations short, trying lower resolutions first, using remix tools, and learning from the featured/recent feeds. They repeatedly stress current limitations in physical reasoning, object relationships, and variable binding, while also praising Sora for b-roll, companion footage, character coherence, and other creative uses. The episode closes with a short TV-picks segment covering Lower Decks, Strange New Worlds, Foundation, and Skeleton Crew. Key topics Infrastructure limits behind live AI features: Andrew says live video and multimodal AI depend on significant backend compute and connections, so they are not just app updates and cannot be scaled instantly. AI as a supportive audience member: In the live card-trick demo, the hosts are struck by how ChatGPT behaves like an encouraging spectator, staying supportive rather than immediately correcting the trick. Using prompts, storyboards, and reference images in S

The episode opens with a long discussion of SpaceX successfully catching the Starship booster with Mechazilla. The hosts focus on the scale of the tower and booster, the surprise and delight of the SpaceX team, and what the feat implies for fully reusable rockets. They also broaden the conversation into Elon Musk's impact, conviction and persistence in engineering, and how institutions and experts can be wrong about what is possible. [L21-L29, L33-L41, L47-L57] The middle of the episode turns to robotics and AI. The hosts discuss Tesla's Optimus robots at the We, Robot event, including the gap between what was demonstrated and what was actually autonomous. They then spend a long stretch on an Apple paper about reasoning benchmarks, arguing that a small prompt change can dramatically improve performance and that the paper overstates the case against AI reasoning. The back half becomes a hands-on demo of local AI and Ollama, plus creative prompting tests, before ending with picks for Ollama, The Apprentice, Tribalism is Dumb, and Civil War. [L65-L85, L139-L157, L195-L205, L221-L237, L375-L445, L471-L493] Across the AI discussion, Andrew argues that model capabilities are improving quickly and that skepticism often comes from narrow benchmarks, outdated assumptions, or prior investments in other approaches. Brian shifts toward a pragmatic stance that AI use is mainly a productivity issue and that people care more about the output than the method. The episode closes with a shared

The episode opens with Andrew detailing OpenAI's Dev Day announcements, especially the real-time API for continuous text or audio conversations and demos aimed at customer support and phone ordering. The hosts then debate AI as a replacement or augmentation for customer service, with Brian and Justin emphasizing how frustrating human support can be and how useful a capable AI agent might be if it can actually solve problems. Andrew walks through several additional OpenAI features, including prompt caching, easier fine-tuning, memory controls in ChatGPT, and the new Canvas document-editing mode. The conversation also covers a study comparing doctors and GPT-4 on diagnostic tasks, Meta's new video model and the Movie Gen demos, and then shifts into picks where Justin praises Agatha All Along, Brian promotes Achewillow, and Andrew recommends Only Murders in the Building. Key topics Real-time conversational APIs for voice and text: Andrew explains OpenAI's real-time API for nonstop voice or text conversation and compares it with similar work from other companies like Deepgram. AI as a replacement or augmentation for customer support: The hosts describe AI as potentially better than scripted human support if it can resolve issues quickly on either the calling or receiving end. Superhuman persuasion and AI negotiation risks: Andrew raises the possibility of highly persuasive AI being used for manipulation, while also imagining AI lawyers and negotiators. Prompt caching and cheaper

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 future of AR. The conversation then shifts to acoustic holograms, showcasing how sound can be used to manipulate objects in space, creating what could be the future of holographic displays. The trio also touches on the advancements in AI, demonstrating how smaller, faster models can generate content and perform tasks with impressive speed and accuracy. Throughout the episode, the hosts maintain a slightly irreverent tone, mixing in their personal experiences and opinions on the tech industry. Picks: Brian Brushwood: I'm Beginning to Get Worried About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin Justin Robert Young: Mr. McMahon on Netflix Andrew Mayne: Alien Rom

The episode opens with the hosts joking about wanting burritos immediately and turns into a discussion of faster delivery systems. Andrew introduces Zipline's drone-delivery model, describing how it keeps the aircraft high above the ground and lowers cargo by line to avoid noise and landing-safety problems. That leads naturally into a broader conversation about autonomous transport, including Waymo's route-based ride service and Zoox's purpose-built vehicle design, along with speculation about future mobile rooms, containers, and other vehicle-as-space ideas. The middle of the episode moves through AI and brain-interface ideas. The hosts discuss an AI-only social network, using ChatGPT as a vocabulary and etymology aid, and then a playful cave-packing exercise that leads into a real cave story about Cheetos left in Carlsbad Cavern and the microbial ecosystem it supported. From there they broaden into Mars ethics, robotic exploration, AI tool-building and sunk-cost thinking, before ending with a long entertainment segment on The Wire, The Sopranos, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, plus praise for Michael Keaton. Key topics Drone delivery designed to stay aloft: Andrew describes Zipline as a delivery system that drops cargo from a drone hanging high in the air, avoiding the safety and noise issues of landing on a porch or sidewalk. Autonomous vehicle design tradeoffs: Waymo is discussed as a mapped driverless ride service, while Zoox is framed as a boxier, purpose-built autonomous

The episode opens with a long discussion of OpenAI's Strawberry / O1-style reasoning models. Andrew Mayne explains that these models seem to work better when asked to break problems into steps, use tools, and reason through tasks in a more structured way than ordinary one-shot chat models. The hosts compare this to prompt engineering, discuss examples like decimal comparisons and counting the R's in "strawberry," and talk about how longer structured prompts, patience, and using the right model for the right task can improve results. Later, the conversation broadens into AI evaluations, benchmark gaming, model stacking, tool use, and concerns about AI persuasion. Andrew argues that leaderboard results can be misleading and that models often look strong in short tests but deteriorate with longer contexts, while Justin notes that eval methods themselves are still immature. They also discuss a Science paper about GPT-4 Turbo persuading people away from conspiracy beliefs, which Andrew frames as manipulative and alarming. The episode then moves into a playful Matrix screening story, a discussion of Polaris Dawn and private spacewalking, and the show ends with Netflix media picks. Key topics Reasoning models as step-by-step task solvers: Andrew describes Strawberry / O1 as a model that performs best on long, detailed, multi-step tasks, especially when asked to break work into steps and think through a problem. Prompt engineering for better outputs: The hosts discuss writing longer

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young (eventually) take us on a journey from the depths of space to the mysteries of our ancient past. They kick off with space news, discussing the return path for astronauts via SpaceX, not Boeing's Starliner, and delve into the grounding of SpaceX launches due to a mishap. The conversation then shifts to a natural phenomenon where butterflies harness static electricity, and ancient shark attack victims, suggesting our long history with these marine predators. The aquatic ape theory is skeptically revisited, pondering human evolution's ties to water. The episode wraps up with a dive into the MCU, specifically the Secret Invasion series, contrasting its comic book origins with its MCU portrayal, and reflecting on the MCU's evolution and future. Picks: Brian Brushwood: Secret Invasion (comic book) Andrew Mayne: Foundation (novel series by Isaac Asimov) Justin Robert Young: Being a new dad

The episode opens with Justin and Brian discussing a New York Times story about a SpaceX Starlink launch that experienced an upper-stage problem. They note that the first stage landed normally on a drone ship, but the second stage did not reach the intended altitude to deploy the satellites properly, and they mention SpaceX describing the event as a very rare glitch and a rapid unscheduled disassembly. The middle of the episode becomes a long speculative conversation about frontier life, space colonization, and genetic modification. They use William Shatner's reaction to seeing Earth from space, Andrew Heaton's Oklahoma land-rush family story, and examples like golden rice to argue that people would be slow to accept genetic editing unless harsh reality forced the issue over multiple generations. The latter half turns to AI music, with Justin describing a real-life anecdote involving Robert Rodriguez and Udio, then both hosts discussing AI music tools, their quality, and the lawsuits against Suno and Udio. They compare AI training to temp tracks and musical influence, and near the end they transition into picks, with Brian mentioning House of the Dragon and Justin recommending Fargo season five. Key topics Starlink deployment trouble after an upper-stage anomaly: They discuss a SpaceX rocket where the first stage landed successfully but the second stage failed to reach the proper altitude for Starlink deployment. The conversation includes speculation about whether the payload

Andrew Mayne and Justin Robert Young dissect Apple's approach to integrating AI into its ecosystem with a strong emphasis on privacy. They speculate on the implications of Apple's strategy to handle AI processing on-device as much as possible, while also offering cloud processing with user permission. The trio discusses the technical hurdles, Apple's historical stance on privacy, and how these factors influence the development of Siri and other Apple services. They ponder the future of AI in Apple products, including the potential for Siri to become smarter and more useful, and the integration of third-party AI models.

In this episode of Weird Things, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a journey through the evolving landscape of aviation technology. They discuss the myriad of companies attempting to develop next-generation aerial vehicles, including those adding excessive propellers to electric helicopters in hopes of making flying cars a reality. The trio delves into alternative aviation technologies, such as gyrocopters and other innovative designs that aim to improve safety and efficiency in air travel. Despite some companies' unfortunate mishaps, including founders dying during testing, the hosts remain optimistic about the future of aviation, predicting the use of human-rated flying vehicles in cities by the end of the decade. Picks: Andrew Mayne: The Prestige Justin Robert Young: X-Men '97 Brian Brushwood: Sh?gun

Andrew Mayne, Brian Brushwood, and Justin Robert Young embark on a technological odyssey, starting with Andrew's recent acquisition of a Bamboo A1 3D printer. The excitement is palpable as Andrew shares his adventures in 3D printing everything from knives to whirligigs, showcasing the printer's impressive capabilities. The conversation then shifts to AI, with the trio exploring Claude 3.5 and its ability to generate games and video content on the fly. From creating simple games with just a few prompts to discussing the future of 3D printing and AI in creative industries, the episode is a deep dive into how these technologies are reshaping our world. Picks: Brian Brushwood: The Dark Tower movie Justin Robert Young: Audio AI for generating music Andrew Mayne: Old Doctor Who episodes

Andrew and Justin spend most of the episode comparing OpenAI's GPT-4o rollout with Google's AI announcements. They describe GPT-4o as a multimodal system that combines text, image, sound, and voice into one model, and emphasize that OpenAI's live demos felt fast, real-time, and more transparent than Google's earlier staged or prerecorded presentations. They also discuss latency, the shift from separate speech/transcription models to a single model, and how native desktop and mobile apps, along with ChatGPT for Enterprise, fit OpenAI's product strategy. The second half of the conversation broadens into release timing, safety, secrecy, and organizational interpretation. Andrew says OpenAI often holds capabilities back for safety or product timing, that people overread departures and rumors, and that claims about AI hitting a wall are premature given the field's growth. The episode closes with Andrew recommending AMC's Interview with the Vampire and Justin offering OpenAI's YouTube channel as a place to watch the demos. Key topics GPT-4o as a multimodal model: Andrew explains GPT-4o as one model that can handle text, images, sound, and voice together, replacing a pipeline of separate transcription, language, and speech systems. Live demos versus prerecorded demos: The hosts contrast OpenAI's live GPT-4o presentation with Google's earlier Gemini/Astra demos, which Andrew criticizes as controlled, prerecorded, or misleading. Latency and real-time interaction: A recurring point is

The episode opens with a long discussion of the OpenAI / Scarlett Johansson controversy. Andrew says he had a direct view of GPT-4o voice development, that OpenAI hired actors with disclosures and fair pay, and that there was never an intent to copy Johansson's voice. The hosts argue that the resemblance was driven by audience expectations shaped by Her and by a familiar voice archetype, not by a plan to mimic her. From there, the conversation moves through AI's strengths and weaknesses: emotional companionship, chatbot use for counseling and rewriting messages, multimodal video analysis for inventorying property, and hallucinations or odd outputs from models. The latter half shifts into space news and speculation, covering Ed Dwight's Blue Origin flight, NASA's Artemis and Starliner problems, commercial launch competition, the X-37 military spaceplane, whale communication and alien contact analogies, Dyson sphere detection, and finally a recommendation for Severance. Key topics OpenAI voice casting and the Scarlett Johansson controversy: Andrew says OpenAI hired real actors, gave disclosures, and had no intent to copy Johansson's voice. They discuss how people linked the voice to Her and to a voice archetype, and why the public narrative became simplified. AI companionship and emotional dependence: The hosts discuss AI as a personal companion, including pretend girlfriends and emotionally supportive chatbots. They treat it as potentially helpful for some users but also poten

The episode opens with the news that philosopher Daniel Dennett has died, and the hosts reflect on how influential his books, especially Darwin's Dangerous Idea and Consciousness Explained, were on Andrew's thinking about arguments, thought experiments, consciousness, and where the boundaries of sentience may lie. Brian adds his own examples from dogs and consciousness, reinforcing the sense that Dennett was especially good at exploring philosophical borderlands without always forcing tidy conclusions. The middle of the episode is a long riff that starts with dog-powered historical machines and novelty inventions, then moves into Meta's Llama 3 release and a humorous discussion of Mark Zuckerberg's new public image. The conversation then turns to Boston Dynamics' new Atlas robot, broader robotics manufacturing and patent issues, cheaper robot dogs and quadrupeds from Unitree, and finally a fossil snake discovery from India that may have been about 50 feet long. The episode closes with pick discussions, including Andrew recommending Consciousness Explained and Justin recommending Shogun, while the later discussion also covers Never Split the Difference as a book they found interesting. Key topics Daniel Dennett and consciousness: The hosts discuss Dennett's death, Andrew's admiration for his writing, and his use of examples involving the soul, sentience, severed limbs, and gradual brain replacement to explore consciousness and unclear boundaries. Dogs as workers and dog-powere

The episode opens with a discussion of AI-generated music, starting from a Weird Things intro written by Suno and moving into comparisons between Suno and Udio. The hosts note that Udio produces cleaner vocals but shorter initial clips, while Suno can generate longer clips and be extended. They treat the tools as a major sign of how quickly AI-generated creative content is improving. The conversation then broadens into practical uses for generated songs, especially study aids and mnemonic tools. Andrew demonstrates songs about Roman history and Broca's area, and the group talks about how music can help memory, how cheap and fast generation changes creative work, and how AI may become embedded in everyday life. The latter part of the episode shifts into a long discussion of technology adoption, AI limits and risks, media bias and journalistic self-correction, and then ends with TV picks. Key topics Suno vs. Udio quality and format differences: The hosts compare AI music generators directly. Udio is described as having cleaner vocals, while Suno is described as producing longer clips and being easier to extend. Obscurist Vinyl and AI novelty songs: The show discusses the TikTok account Obscurist Vinyl as an example of AI-assisted novelty music with convincing retro-style packaging and an obscene or raunchy reveal. Music as a mnemonic technology: Brian explains that setting facts to music is an old study technique, and Andrew suggests AI can make customized study songs quickly a

The episode centers on a long discussion of AI's rapid move from novelty to everyday utility. The hosts describe using AI for transcription, editing, text simplification, image cleanup, and coding help, and Andrew demonstrates how tools like Groq and Cursor make inference and programming feel dramatically faster and more accessible than earlier AI systems. The conversation also walks through tokenization and why newer, cheaper models are changing how products are built. A second major thread is the cultural and ethical backlash to AI, especially in creative fields. Brian raises the objection that generative systems are trained on prior human work without permission, and the hosts debate whether that makes AI theft, derivative influence, or just another technology panic. They also discuss regulation, especially in Europe, and close with picks that include TV, film, and AI tools, while arguing that abundance and personalization will reshape music and social media. Key topics Personal AI usage in daily work: Justin describes using AI for transcription, editing, text simplification, art generation, and background removal, and Andrew talks about using ChatGPT and Cursor regularly in coding workflows. AI as a replacement for human labor and consultation: Justin recounts a story about someone planning to retire by setting up AI to do consultations, and Andrew warns that if something becomes easy for one person it becomes easy for everyone. How large language models predict tokens: A

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a journey through a variety of topics, starting with a real-world disaster involving a boat crash and a collapsed bridge. They speculate on the implications of tainted fuel and the role of the National Transportation Safety Board in such incidents. The conversation then shifts to the potential for economic and infrastructural disasters, including the hypothetical use of nuclear weapons to disrupt GPS systems. The hosts also discuss the fragility of modern infrastructure and the importance of disaster preparedness. The conversation takes a turn into the realm of technology and security, with a focus on the challenges posed by AI and deepfakes in authenticating identity. They explore the idea of a secure, emergency communication system to verify callers during crises. Finally, the hosts share their picks, including a book recommendation and thoughts on the Netflix adaptation of ‘The Three-Body Problem', noting its strengths and weaknesses. Picks: Brian Brushwood: ‘Super Communicators' book Justin Robert Young: ‘The Attention Factory' book Andrew Mayne: ‘The Three-Body Problem' on Netflix

The episode opens with a discussion of Boom Supersonic and its attempt to revive commercial supersonic air travel. The hosts talk about Boom's successful test flight of a scaled-down prototype, the plan for the Overture airliner, the role of Japan Airlines, and the history of Concorde, including sonic booms, U.S. restrictions on supersonic flight, and the Concorde's drooping nose and hot exterior. A large middle section focuses on AI as practical tooling: how to prompt ChatGPT and vision models more effectively, how OCR and form-filling could save huge amounts of time, and how Andrew's robot demo uses GPT-4 vision to navigate toward butter in a 3D simulation. The discussion expands into agent-style systems such as Cognition Labs' Devon, AI-assisted research and source gathering, productivity gains in editing and transcription, and the idea that AI is best understood as very powerful software rather than a magical wish box. The final stretch moves through several offbeat stories: a Montana Franken sheep case, a feral hog joke discussion, a toxic cat from a plating factory in Japan, and then a long conversation about Dune: Part Two. On Dune, they debate Paul Atreides' moral ambiguity, Chani's role, prophecy, the Butlerian Jihad, and whether the adaptation captures the complexity and unease of the book. Key topics Commercial supersonic aviation revival: Boom Supersonic is discussed as trying to build a modern supersonic airliner, with a successful prototype test flight, a plan f

The episode opens with Justin describing a Cameo birthday message he received from Kirstie Patterson, the performer associated with the viral Willy's Chocolate Experience disaster, and the hosts discuss how the incident became internet-famous, the “depressed Oompa Loompa” label, and how Cameo can be a practical way for someone caught in online notoriety to earn money. They also briefly discuss the “unknown” character from the event and the broader weirdness of the production. A major middle section focuses on SpaceX's Starship test launch, which the hosts describe as a successful suborbital flight that reached space, separation, and orbital speeds even without a landing. From there they move into broader reflections on iteration, feedback loops, AI and robotics progress, the pace of change in the tech world, and the question of how long adoption takes compared with technical feasibility. Key topics Cameo and the Willy's Chocolate Experience aftermath: The hosts talk about a birthday Cameo from Kirstie Patterson, whom they refer to as the depressed Oompa Loompa, and they discuss how the viral Willy's Chocolate Experience became a meme, including the badly shoddy production and the branding around the character. Starship's successful suborbital test launch: They celebrate Starship getting into space, separating, and reaching orbital speeds on a suborbital mission, while noting that booster and ship recovery are still future goals. Iteration, feedback loops, and learning from la

The episode opens with a long discussion of SpaceX test launches and the broader idea that visible failures are part of iterative engineering. Andrew and Brian contrast that with the Space Shuttle program, noting that shuttle design involved practical compromises, unexpected hazards, and a much messier reality than the idealized version often told. They also briefly touch on the value of publicity and storytelling in aerospace, including drone ship landings and fairing recovery attempts. The conversation then shifts to the Apple Vision Pro, which Andrew describes as an impressive demo but a compromised device lacking a compelling everyday use case. After that, the episode moves through several science and tech topics: early nonlinear video editing systems like Edit Droid and Avid, de-extinction efforts around woolly mammoths and proxy mammoths, dinosaur DNA preservation and decay, Europa's oxygen uncertainty, and naturally occurring hydrogen or 'white hydrogen.' The episode ends with picks and recommendations, including The Plasma Channel and Brian's enthusiastic reaction to Dune Part Two. Key topics SpaceX's failure-driven development model: They discuss SpaceX as an example of iterative engineering where failures are visible and expected, rather than hidden. The contrast is drawn against more traditional aerospace development. Shuttle-era engineering compromises and risk: The Space Shuttle is described as an extraordinary but highly compromised system, with issues including

The episode opens with the hosts riffing about recording and editing workflow, including the value of planning for cuts, trusting the edit, and how much polished media depends on invisible post-production. From there, Andrew introduces a preprint about panspermia via cosmic dust, then the conversation shifts to a monkey-raft explanation for how monkeys may have crossed into South America on floating vegetation islands rather than by land bridge. The middle of the episode becomes a broad science-and-cosmology segment in which Andrew leads a tour through the early universe: inflation, quark and hadron epochs, nucleosynthesis, the photon epoch, recombination, cosmic dark ages, structure formation, and the universe's possible heat-death future. The latter half turns to astronomy experiences and tools, including telescope viewing, iTelescope.net, and amateur observing, before closing on entertainment picks and a long discussion of the Glasgow Willy Wonka event, The Wheel of Time, and the live-action One Piece adaptation. Key topics Editing, performance, and planning for the cut: The hosts discuss how recording and editing change the final shape of media, with examples from magic videos, podcasting, demos, Scam School, and Scam Nation. Brian explicitly says to 'trust the edit,' and Andrew emphasizes that creators should plan for future edits instead of trying to capture everything in one take. Panspermia and cosmic dust transfer: Andrew explains a new panspermia idea in which micro

This week's guest on Women of Impact is Vanessa Van Edwards. Vanessa Van Edwards is a behavioral investigator, speaker and the national best-selling author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People.In this episode, she talks about how to set boundaries, how to be more likable, and how to talk to people at parties.[Original air date: 4-17-19]. SHOW NOTES:Tips for feeling less awkward at any event [03:08]Why you should never "fake it til you make it" [07:14]What to do when you feel anxious [11:17]Why sharing your falls makes you more likable [15:34]What makes people popular vs unpopular? [18:33]A mental hack to get other people to impress you [21:13]How to actually connect with people using 'hot buttons' [24:16]Why saying no is harder for women than it is for men [26:15]How to re-evaluate career motivation after having children [32:27]Weighing the highs and lows of life after having children [38:28]Why all of your relationships follow the same pattern [44:09]Why knowing your love language can improve your relationships [47:32]The power of "fill in the blank wishes" [50:34]FOLLOW VANESSA:WEBSITE: https://bit.ly/2SahZTFINSTAGRAM: https://bit.ly/28MKLDfFACEBOOK: https://bit.ly/2IumPL9TWITTER: https://bit.ly/2UHFxVSYOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/2uLGzTbSPONSORS:If you purchase an item using these affiliate links, Impact Theory may receive a commission.Turn back the clock on your skin with OneSkin and save 15% on your order at https://oneskin.co  when you use the code WOI.ButcherBox is offering our listeners their choice of meat—2 lbs of ground beef, 3 lbs of chicken breasts, or 2 lbs of salmon—for free in every order for a whole year! Plus, get $20 off your first order. Sign up today at https://butcherbox.com/woiSign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/lisa now to grow your business–no matter what stage you're in.Take charge of your fitness and go to https://tryfuture.co/WOI to get 50% off your first month.Let Aura handle your online safety by going to https://aura.com/WOI and start your free 2-week trial.Go to https://tryviome.com/LISA and use code LISA to get 20% off your first 3 months, and take control of your gut health today!Try AG1 and get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D3K2 AND 5 free AG1 Travel Packs with your first purchase by going to https://drinkAG1.com/lisa.***CALLING ALL BADASSES!***If you really want to level up your confidence game, check out the WOMEN OF IMPACT SUBSCRIPTION, specially designed to turn you into the badass you were born to be! *New episodes delivered ad-free, EXCLUSIVE access to hundreds of archived Women of Impact episodes, and so much more!*Don't settle for mediocrity when you can be extraordinary!*****Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/457ebrP*****Subscribe on all other platforms (Google Podcasts, Spotify, Castro, Downcast, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, Podcast Republic, Podkicker, and more) : https://impacttheorynetwork.supercast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.