Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000
Artificial Intelligence has too much hype. In this podcast, linguist Emily M. Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna break down the AI hype, separate fact from fiction, and science from bloviation. They're joined by special guests and talk about everything, from machine consciousness to science fiction, to political economy to art made by machines.
Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000
State of Emergency, 2026.06.29
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Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna
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Episode 81
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AI boosters want to hand off emergency services to the bullshit generators. And horrifyingly, some medical professionals want to help them! Join Emily and Alex for a deep dive on the latest automated horrors threatening our collective health and safety.
References:
- "The role of large language models in emergency care: a comprehensive benchmarking study"
- "Seattle uses AI to help triage, divert 911 medical calls"
- Also referenced: MAIHT3k newsletter on Seattle's 911 automation
- "FDA approves early warning system for sepsis"
- Also referenced: Underlying research paper on this system
Fresh AI Hell:
- Family business stops shipping due to automated delivery nonsense
- Google CEO Sundar Pichai says people aren't "evolved" enough to understand AI
- "California judges are testing a new AI clerk, and you won't know if it’s looking at your case"
- Nonconsensual "AI monitors" for memory care
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says the goal is Star Trek computer and/or R2D2
- "A little surveillance break, as a treat"
- "Virtual child" chatbot company
- Chaser: Festus, MO residents vote out council members who approved data center
Check out future streams on Twitch. Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see.
Find our book The AI Con here, and MAIHT3k merch here.
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Emily
- Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social
- Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender
Alex
- Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social
- Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex
- Twitter: @alexhanna
Music by Toby Menon.
Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park.
Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.
