SHIFT

A growing number of school kids are getting their writing assignments back with grades and feedback that were given by AI software.Teachers say these AI tools can help them grade papers faster but who’s grading the AI tools? We Meet: CalMatters Tech Reporter Khari Johnsonhttps://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2024/06/teachers-ai-grading/ Credits:This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

A team of computer scientists at the University of Chicago has built tools that let artists poison the training data embedded in their work, and fight back against those who scrape the internet to build generative AI models. We Meet: Nightshade Creator Ben Zhao, Neubauer Professor of Computer Science at the University of ChicagoCredits:This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

For some types of problems quantum computers can work exponentially faster than other types of supercomputers, but significant challenges remain to building useful quantum machines. We hear from one of the key players in the field and learn about his efforts to do so in the latest installment of our oral history project.We Meet: Google Quantum AI Lab Founder Hartmut Neven Credits:This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

A live conversation about the potential promises and pitfalls of AI in public health, hosted by Boston University's School of Public Health.We meet: Dr. David Cutler, Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics in the Department of Economics at Harvard University, with secondary appointments at the Kennedy School of Government and the School of Public HealthDr. Alondra Nelson, Harold F. Linder Chair in the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study, former Deputy Assistant to President Joe Biden and Acting Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Greg Singleton, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at the US Department of Health and Human Services Credits:This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

A look at how generative AI is being used in the drug discovery process in this latest installment of our oral history project. We Meet: Insilico Medicine Founder and CEO Alex Zhavoronkov Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

Cornell University’s Elephant Listening Project has been trying to get real-time monitoring of the Central African Republic’s forest elephants for years. FruitPunch AI and a roster of other AI researchers are closer than ever to making that a reality. This week’s show is a special feature episode from our friends at the Click Here Podcast. We’ll be back with a new episode of SHIFT next week. Thanks for listening!

A look at how AI is helping and hurting cybersecurity in this latest installment of our oral history project. We Meet: Palo Alto Networks Chief Product Officer Lee Klarich Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

In this bonus episode, we tour Google's Project Starline at this year's TED Conference in Vancouver, Canada. We Meet: Andrew Nartker from Google’s Project Starline Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

The way we pay for things is changing dramatically, and it’s only going to become more invisible and integrated into our experiences going forward—like a car that can pay for gas or electric charging all on its own. We Meet: Mastercard President and CTO Ed McLaughlin Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

AI is being used to write stories that flood the internet with trash and spam, but it can also help journalists tell stories that can be personalized and updated automatically. In the latest installment of our oral history project, we look at how journalism story structures are evolving with AI. We Meet: Computational Journalist Francesco Marconi, co-founder of real-time information company Applied XL Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

As more people try ChatGPT and other AI tools, our thoughts about what's fair or what to trust with generative AI are evolving. The Pew Research Center offers some of the most comprehensive surveys of American public opinion and has been studying these questions. We Meet: Alec Tyson, Associate Director at Pew Research Center Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

The current AI ecosystem has plenty in common with the early days of the web. So, what have we learned? We Meet: Mark Surman, President of Mozilla Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

Our trust in people, government, science and even our trust in technology—we have a lot less trust in all of it than we used to. Our lack of trust might even turn out to be the most bi-partisan thing about this US election cycle, especially our lack of trust in AI. We Meet: Richard Edelman, the president and chief executive officer of the public relations company Edelman Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

Frank McCourt is an American executive and philanthropist. He’s also the author of a new book about the internet, called “Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age”. We talk to him about that fight before a live audience in New York City at a gathering held by the responsible technology non-profit, All Tech Is Human. We Meet: Frank H. McCourt, Jr., civic entrepreneur and executive chairman of McCourt Global, founder and executive chairman of Project Liberty Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

Join EngineEars founder Derek "MixedByAli" Ali and EMPIRE founder Ghazi Shami as they deep dive into the convergence of innovation and artistry, discuss the latest trends in the music industry, and explore how tech is revolutionizing the creation and distribution of music around the world. We Meet: Derek Ali, EngineEars, Founder and CEO Ghazi Shami, EMPIRE, Founder & CEO Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong with help from Emma Cillekens. It was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

In this second of a two-part series, we meet people fighting to build an open internet. We Meet: Digital Medusa Founder Farzaneh Badiei Internet Society President & CEO Andrew Sullivan Vivaldi CEO Jon Von Tetzchner ICANN Interim President & CEO Sally Costerton Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

The infrastructure underpinning the internet is increasingly under threat, but how many of us stop to consider how or why the internet works? We Meet: Internet Society President & CEO Andrew Sullivan ICANN Interim President & CEO Sally Costerton Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

Activists are fighting back against generative AI and reclaiming a misunderstood label in the process, says Brian Merchant in a new piece for The Atlantic. We Meet: Tech Journalist & Author Brian Merchant Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

Software can make it easier for people to file their own taxes, but what if you have a question? Would you trust generative AI to give you the answer? We Meet: H&R Block VP of Technology Aditya Thadani Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art by Anthony Green.

An analysis by Consumer Reports suggests that every person on Facebook is being monitored by thousands of companies, but new tools and laws are starting to make it easier for people to take back their privacy. This episode was recorded in New York City at an event hosted by the responsible tech nonprofit All Tech Is Human. We Meet: Consumer Reports R&D Director Ginny Fahs New York Times Contributing Opinion Writer & Investigative Journalist Julia Angwin Block Party Founder & CEO Tracy Chou Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens. The on-site recording engineer was Josh Chapdelaine. SHIFT is mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. Art direction by Anthony Green. The Founder and President of All Tech is Human is David Ryan Polgar.

Artists are starting to use AI to fight back against AI with free tools that let visual artists deter–even poison–AI models that use their work without permission. We Meet: Carl Franzen, Head of News at VentureBeat Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and it was mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

A new study explores how an AI model that’s been taught to lie might be brought back into line. We Meet: Brown University Professor of Computer Science Michael Littman Credits: This episode of SHIFT was produced by Jennifer Strong and Emma Cillekens, and mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

In the latest installment of our oral history project we meet one of the central figures behind generative coding tools. We Meet: GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

In the latest installment of our oral history project we meet one of the key figures behind Rwanda’s national AI policies. We Meet: Esther Kunda, Director General, Innovation & Emerging Technologies for Rwanda’s Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Innovation Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

In the latest installment of our oral history project we meet Ryan Graciano, a co-founder of the personal finance company, Credit Karma. We Meet: Ryan Graciano, Co-founder & CTO of Credit Karma Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski, with special thanks this week to the folks at TED AI.

As this year draws to a close we’re bringing you a look at the tech trends we’ll be watching in 2024. We Meet: Deloitte’s Chief Futurist Mike Bechtel Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong, Anthony Green, and Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

Language translation increasingly falls to artificial intelligence—but AI still doesn’t speak many of the world’s languages. We Meet: Vasco Pedro, CEO, Unbabel Paulo Dimas, VP Product Innovation, Unbabel Pelonomi Moiloa, CEO, Lelapa AI Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong, Anthony Green, and Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

In this third installment of our oral history project we meet a man working to build edtech programs in under-resourced languages for children without access to traditional schooling. His company, Taleemabad, was awarded the WISE award in 2021 and has been recognized by Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai and the late Queen Elizabeth. We Meet: Haroon Yasin, the Co-founder & CEO of Taleemabad Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

Potentially a quarter billion children worldwide lack access to an education. Advances in education tech and AI programs for learning can help students who have access to tools and internet. This episode, we bring you a conversation with members of the International Rescue Committee, an aid group developing tailored learning experiences for children in crisis. It was taped before a live audience at Web Summit, Europe’s largest tech conference, in Lisbon, Portugal. We Meet: Atish Gonsalves, Global Lead for Research & Innovation in Education, International Rescue Committee (IRC) Morena Baccarin, Actor, IRC Ambassador Sara Wayne Callies, Actor, IRC Ambassador Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

In this second installment of our oral history project we meet a man trying to solve AI’s black box problem with symbolic AI, a subfield that communicates how decisions are made. We Meet: Casper Wilstrup, the Founder & CEO of Abzu Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

In an increasingly digital world, ensuring equitable access to broadband and digital tools has become a pressing societal issue—particularly within the Black community. This episode, a conversation moderated by our show’s co-creator and senior producer, Anthony Green. It was taped in front of a live audience at The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, DC. We Meet: Dr. Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Center for Technology Innovation at Brookings, and also serves as Co-Editor-In-Chief of TechTank Sean Mickens, Associate Vice President, External Affairs, Comcast Dr. Jon Gant, director, Department of Commerce, NTIA, Office of Minority Broadband Initiatives Justice Ukadike, Manager, Senior Analyst, U.S. Government Affairs & Public Policy, Google Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski. DwHxqANbvF7RWI6Dv9dx

Privacy officers from Google, Microsoft, Meta and IBM discuss how they approach AI governance before a live audience at the general meeting of the IAPP (International Association of Privacy Professionals) on November 3, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. We Meet: Julie Brill, Chief Privacy Officer, Corporate Vice President, Global Privacy & Regulatory Affairs, Microsoft Keith Enright, Global Chief Privacy Officer, Google Christina Montgomery, Chief Privacy and Trust Officer, IBM Rob Sherman, Vice President and Deputy Chief Privacy Officer, Policy, Meta Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

We explore what impact the U.S. President's executive order on artificial intelligence might have as governments across the globe move to regulate AI. We Meet: Khari Johnson, senior writer, Wired Suresh Venkatasubramanian, director of the Center for Technological Responsibility, Reimagination, and Redesign with the Data Science Institute at Brown University Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong, Anthony Green and Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

The hardest part of making something in space right now might just be getting it back to Earth. A conversation with Quartz’s Tim Fernholz about the opportunities and challenges of making goods in orbit.

In the first installment of our oral history project we meet the woman overseeing Airbnb's efforts to build an anti-party AI system to try to combat fraud and stop bad actors from using the company’s platform. We Meet: Naba Banerjee, head of trust and safety at Airbnb Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

Stanford University measured the transparency of top AI foundation models–all failed. The researchers are urging companies to reveal more information such as the data and human labor used to train these models. We Meet: Karen Hao, contributing writer at The Atlantic Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

We take you to the heart of New York City’s manufacturing center, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, for a conversation about AI ethics and geopolitics. It’s taped in front of a live audience of students and manufacturing experts at a factory owned by Nanotronics - a company that manufactures hardware and software capable of working on a nanometer scale - during Manufacturing Week. We Meet: John Paul Farmer, Chief Innovation Officer & President, WeLink Cities Anwaar AlMahmeed, Strategic Advisor, Republic MENA Geoffrey Levene, Director Worldwide AI Initiatives and Global Public Sector, Head of Climate Action, Defense and Space, NVIDIA Credits: The show is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green with help from Emma Cillekens. The theme music was composed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

We hop into the backseat of a police car and learn how officers in Rwanda have adopted and deployed AI on the streets of its capital city, Kigali. We Meet: Chief Inspector of Police Paul Ryamugwiza, director of traffic and road enforcement systems for Rwanda National Police Credits: The show is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

Advances in off the shelf commercial technologies have helped manufacturers build complex war machines at much lower prices. It’s changed how drone combat works and who can wage it. This episode, we examine the implications on international security and everyday life. We Meet: Abishur Prakash, Founder & CEO of The Geopolitical Business Lorenz Meier, Founder & CEO of Auterion Credits: The show is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

Tech companies and investors openly discuss the shifting role of soil in climate-proofing the world’s complex food systems in this live episode taped in front of an audience at New York Climate Week. We Meet: Shely Aronov, CEO of Innerplant Avantika Daing, Managing Partner, Plum Alley and General Partner, Plum Alley Venture Fund Ana Pavlovic, Chief Commercial Officer at Eion Carbon Sara Eckhouse, Executive Director of FoodShot Global Credits: This show is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from him and Jacob Gorski.

It’s been six months since an open letter signed by many of the biggest names in AI called for a temporary pause on the development of certain types of the tech. This episode, we speak with AI luminary Gary Marcus about what's changed since the letter was published, what hasn’t, and how he’s thinking about the way forward. We Meet: Gary Marcus, scientist and entrepreneur Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from Jacob Gorski.

Disney’s science-fiction thriller, The Creator, paints a picture of a future world at war—humans vs. artificial intelligence. This episode we meet the film’s director Gareth Edwards, who unpacks just how complex the relationship is between the two, and why he decided to explore it in this new film. We Meet: Director Gareth Edwards Credits: SHIFT is produced by Jennifer Strong and Anthony Green, with help from Emma Cillekens. It’s mixed by Garret Lang, with original music from Jacob Gorski.

Welcome to SHIFT—a new weekly podcast from PRX and the creators of the In Machines We Trust and Future of Everything. Episodes drop September 27th.