The Internet is Crack

David Rodnitzky offers an insider's look at Silicon Valley's culture, power dynamics, and what shapes success in the tech world.

This week’s guest, Maribeth Rauh, formerly of Google DeepMind, breaks down why so many people treat AI like a person. She explains how that illusion can distort judgment and lead to real-world harm.

Brenda Sauter of the legendary bands The Feelies and Wild Carnation talks music, piracy, and the internet's influence on creativity.

Vanessa Briscoe Hay, lead vocalist of "Pylon Reenactment Society" and formerly of the legendary Athens, Georgia band "Pylon" joins "The Internet is Crack" to talk about the intersection of technology and music. From the evolution of music to the rise of AI, we discuss how artists adapt to technology, and we even create an AI-generated song together.

This week, we sit down with Professor Taha Yasseri to discuss how AI shapes the data we see and the ways we interpret it. We explore how small changes in data and design can create major real-world outcomes, from chatbot gender to data privacy.

This week, we sit down with Dr. Aram Sinnreich to talk about AI’s viability in a world increasingly dominated by corporate interests. Our conversation examines how powerful institutions influence and control this transformative resource, and how ordinary people can challenge and push back against overwhelming systems.

This week, we sit down with Anita Say Chan and discuss the past, present, and future of the use and misuse of data, along with the ethical lapses that have happened, are happening now, and will continue to emerge. We also talk about the sense of superiority this misuse fosters and the marginalization of groups who are most harmed by it.

This week, we sit down with Dr. Michael Zimmer to discuss data ethics: who has your data, and what they’re doing with it. We also dive into the Zuckerberg Files and the ethical challenges of studying digital data.

This week, we sit down with Jillian York, Director for International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF). We discuss her work defending digital rights and the EFF’s broader mission to keep the internet free, open, and accessible for people around the world.

This week we sit down with Professor Luke Stark and discuss how humans interpret and make sense of digital technology, the ways we calculate and often miscalculate what these systems can actually do. Our conversation explores the messy, human side of digital life.

This week, we sit down with Professor Sarah T. Roberts of UCLA and discuss how Big Tech has twisted the internet into a tool for profit and control.  Our conversation asks what it means to push back and reclaim a web that serves people, not just powerful corporations.

This week, we sit down with Glen Reynolds, a veteran producer’s rep who has helped countless independent films find their way to audiences. With experience spanning production, sales, and distribution, Glen shares insights from every corner of the indie film business.

This week, we sit down with Professor Michael Littman of Brown University to break down the basics of AI and reinforcement learning. He does a brilliant job of explaining how it works, why it works, and whether AI is actually intelligent or just really good at faking it.

 

This week, we sit down with acclaimed author Daniel Kraus and discuss his new book, Angel Down. We talk about AI, the internet, and writing and creativity in the digital era.

This week, we sit down with Dr. Michael Nuccitelli, founder of iPredator, to talk about the dark side of online behavior. From cyberstalking to internet trolling, he walks us through the disturbing ways people weaponize the web.  

This week, we sit down with Karen Woodward, a Digital  Marketing Consultant. We talk AI, the internet, and everything in between and how it all shapes the way we live, work, and think.

This week, we sit down with Dr. Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Professor at Brown University and co-author of the AI Bill of Rights, to talk about AI, fairness, accountability, and the future of algorithmic decision-making.

This week, we sit down with the amazing Jason Jenn to talk about art, AI, the Internet, and how technology is transforming creativity. Can there even be art without a human artist behind it?

Dr. Dustin Weissman joins "The Internet is Crack" to discuss the addictive nature of gaming, pornography, and online gambling. He shares insights on how to use the internet as a tool rather than becoming trapped.