Professor Insight Podcast - AI, Science and Business

Is artificial intelligence the next master persuader? In this episode of Professor Insight Podcast, we dig into one of the most fascinating questions of the digital age: can AI agents actually out-persuade humans? Drawing on a landmark 2023 meta-analysis from the Journal of Communication, we explore the world of AI-powered chatbots, recommendation engines, and digital advisors, asking whether these technologies are quietly winning ...

In this episode, we delve into one interesting findings in the world of AI and science communication. A new study published in Royal Society Open Science, authored by Uwe Peters and Benjamin Chin-Yee, reveals a systematic problem in how large language models summarise scientific research. Even when prompted for accuracy, many LLMs, including the latest versions of ChatGPT, Claude, and DeepSeek, consistently overgeneralise research...

What happens to your brain when you let AI do the thinking for you? In this episode, we explore a fascinating and widely discussed study out of the MIT Media Lab titled Your Brain on ChatGPT: Accumulation of Cognitive Debt when Using an AI Assistant for Essay Writing Task. This research takes us deep into the cognitive consequences of using large language models like ChatGPT for academic work. Using EEG headsets to monitor brain a...

Is using generative AI more acceptable when you do it yourself than when someone else does it? According to a new study from the Rotterdam School of Management, most of us think so. This episode dives into the fascinating research behind the paper “Acceptability Lies in the Eye of the Beholder”, which explores how we judge AI-assisted work differently depending on who is using the tech. The authors conducted nine studies with near...

Generative AI has captured the world's attention for its power to create, accelerate, and enhance—but what happens when these same tools are misused? In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we turn the spotlight to the darker side of GenAI. Drawing on a groundbreaking new paper from DeepMind titled Generative AI Misuse: A Taxonomy of Tactics and Insights from Real-World Data, we explore nearly 200 real-life cases where ge...

In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we explore what it really takes to build infrastructure capable of supporting generative AI at scale. Based on Google’s 2025 State of AI Infrastructure Report, this conversation cuts through the buzz to focus on the practical realities facing tech and business leaders. From adoption trends to infrastructure strategy, we look at how organizations are navi...

In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we take a closer look at how generative AI is fundamentally changing the way we search for information, products, and services online. With ChatGPT rolling out new shopping features and AI search tools gaining traction, it's clear we're entering a new era of digital discovery. But what does this shift mean for the businesses, marketers, and platforms tha...

In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we dive into the rapidly evolving intersection of artificial intelligence and the legal profession. Drawing from two powerful resources — Prompt Engineering for Lawyers, a joint publication by Microsoft and the Singapore Academy of Law, and the 2024 Future of Professionals Report by Thomson Reuters — we explore how AI is not just automating tasks but redefining the way legal profes...

In this episode, we return to the unfolding debate around AI’s so-called ability to “think.” Building on last week’s discussion of Apple’s controversial paper The Illusion of Thinking, we now explore the equally provocative rebuttal by Anthropic, the company behind Claude. Their paper, pointedly titled The Illusion of the Illusion of Thinking, argues that Apple’s findings say more about poor experimental design than any real limit...

Are today's most advanced AI models really capable of “thinking”? Or are we simply projecting human-like reasoning onto machines that are fundamentally limited in how they solve complex problems? In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we dive into a provocative new paper from Apple titled The Illusion of Thinking: Understanding the Strengths and Limitations of Reasoning Models. It explores how some of the most powerful ...

If you’ve listened to Episodes Five and Six of the Professor Insight Podcast, you’ll know we’ve already laid the groundwork on what Agentic AI is and why it matters. But this week, we’re taking it a step further. This episode is your practical guide to building AI agents—an extension of our earlier discussions, now grounded in real-world application. Based on OpenAI’s newly released Practical Guide to B...

In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we explore a fascinating and timely question: how is generative artificial intelligence beginning to reshape academic research itself? Drawing on a newly published academic paper from the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science (April 2025), we examine how large multimodal models like ChatGPT-4o could revolutionise the way marketing scholars generate...

In this second instalment of our two-part series on prompt engineering, we take things to the next level. If you have ever wondered how to get large language models to think more deeply, reason more clearly, or act more independently, this episode is for you. We explore advanced prompting techniques that unlock far more than simple question-and-answer interactions—techniques that help AI reason, plan, a...

Prompt engineering is quickly becoming one of the most valuable skills in the AI era, yet most people still treat it as trial and error. In this first episode of our special two-part series based on the Prompt Engineering resource authored by Lee Boonstra at Google, we break down what prompt engineering actually is, why it matters, and how understanding the mechanics behind large language models can dra...

In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we break down one of the most in-demand skills in today’s AI-powered world: prompt engineering. With more companies actively hiring prompt engineers and more people using tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude in their daily workflows, knowing how to craft effective prompts is no longer optional — it is essential. Drawing from my own deep dive into research papers, online courses, a...

Update (11 May 2025): Audio issues after 3min have been fixed. Thanks for your patience, and apologies for the inconvenience.

In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we take a closer look at one of the most talked-about developments in artificial intelligence: Agentic AI. After our last episode introduced the concept, many listeners a...

In this episode, we plunge into the groundbreaking realm of Agentic AI. These aren’t just smart assistants—they’re autonomous agents capable of making decisions, taking action, and learning on the fly with minimal human input. Agentic AI is no longer a distant future – it's happening now. Businesses across the globe are rapidly exploring and integrating this technology to gain a crucial competitive edge...

In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we move beyond the theory and take a grounded look at how artificial intelligence is impacting business and society right now. Drawing from the 2024 Artificial Intelligence in Action report by the World Travel & Tourism Council in partnership with Microsoft, we explore the real-world use of AI across sectors including education, tourism, and business...

In this episode of the Professor Insight Podcast, we explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the tourism sector, guided by insights from the OECD Tourism Paper on Artificial Intelligence and Tourism. AI is already being applied across tourism to enhance visitor experiences, streamline operations, improve sustainability, and strengthen data-driven policymaking. This episode highlights the opportunities AI presents for in...