Humans in the Loop – Details, episodes & analysis

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Humans in the Loop

Seb Agertoft

Technology

Frequency: 1 episode/21d. Total Eps: 17

Humans in the Loop, hosted by Seb Agertoft, is a podcast for thoughtful technologists asking the hard questions at the intersection of technology and society. Guests include founders, investors, researchers, artists, policymakers and even a Zen Master, covering topics like the AI bubble debate, tech sovereignty, the Chinese tech industry, radicalisation and conspiracy theories, AGI, quantum computing, technology and democracy, the future of work, and much more. Seb is a coach to tech company founders and leadership teams. You can find out more about his work at www.theuncommonfounder.com

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🇫🇷 France - technology
06/07/2026
#90

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https://www.theuncommonfounder.com
14 shares
https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/
2 shares
https://www.interspecies.io/
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Score global : 38%

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Stochastic Parrots | Emily M. Bender - Professor of Computational Linguistics

Tuesday, July 14, 2026 • Duration 58:20

Few people understand language quite like today's guest. Emily M. Bender is a Professor of Computational Linguistics at the University of Washington.

She's also the person who coined the term 'Stochastic Parrots' in the now infamous paper that saw Google fire its Ethical AI lead; and the co-author of The AI Con, a book which is unflinching in its criticism of both AI boosterism and doomerism (in fact she objects to the term AI).

I sat down with Emily to discuss topics such as:

How language really works
What LLMs are actually doing
What Stochastic Parrots really means
Why doomers and boosters are two sides of the same, misleading coin

Where else you can listen

⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠ - https://www.youtube.com/@HumansintheLoopPod

⁠Apple podcasts⁠⁠⁠ - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/humans-in-the-loop/id1831285114

⁠Spotify⁠ - https://open.spotify.com/show/4BbslJR0KA5bfqrcYRhJER?si=b5a46211098b4f3e

Or wherever you get your podcasts!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to AI and Linguistics

02:54 Understanding Computational Linguistics

05:47 The Stochastic Parrots Paper

08:32 The Implications of AI Terminology

10:57 Skepticism Towards AI Claims

12:58 The Illusion of Intelligence in AI

15:55 The Dangers of AI in Professional Settings

18:33 Democratization and Distrust in AI Development

28:02 Doomers vs. Boosters: The AI Narrative

32:57 Skepticism in AI: A Personal Journey

36:30 The Rapid Evolution of AI: Are We Outdated?

40:13 The Role of Software Engineering in AI

48:14 Automation vs. Human Expertise: A Balancing Act

53:02 Geopolitical Narratives: The AI Arms Race

56:33 The Future of AI: Regulation and Ethical Use

57:44 Pride in Expertise: Understanding Our Value

Get in touch

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ - https://www.instagram.com/humansinthelooppod/

Email: ⁠seb@theuncommonfounder.com⁠

Website: ⁠https://www.theuncommonfounder.com

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The AI Bubble | Paul Kedrosky - Investor, Researcher, MIT Fellow

Tuesday, June 23, 2026 • Duration 56:40

I sat down with Paul Kedrosky - investor, researcher and one of the smartest voices out there on the economics of AI and the risks of a bubble.

Here are a few of the questions we talked about:

What is a bubble?
Is AI a bubble?
How does it compare to past bubbles?
What would cause the bubble to burst?
Why should the average person care?
Will we see a bull market in laser tag in all the abandoned data centres?
What needs to be true for AI to NOT be a bubble?

More info about Paul

Paul Kedrosky is an investor, writer, and researcher. He has been a regular on-air contributor at CNBC and Bloomberg, and has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and publications around the world.

Paul started as an engineer, became a quota-carrying salesperson, then a technology equity analyst on Wall Street, and eventually a venture capitalist. He has started companies, held academic positions in the U.S. and Canada, has a popular newsletter, and is a research fellow at MIT's Institute for the Digital Economy. His Ph.D. research focused on risk, adoption, and path dependence in finance and technology.

Where else you can listen

⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠ - https://www.youtube.com/@HumansintheLoopPod

Apple podcasts⁠⁠ - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/humans-in-the-loop/id1831285114

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4BbslJR0KA5bfqrcYRhJER?si=b5a46211098b4f3e

Or wherever you get your podcasts!

Kevin Kelly on Flounder Mode and Optimism

Tuesday, January 13, 2026 • Duration 55:29

How to describe Kevin Kelly?

Founder of Wired Magazine.
Writer of industry defining essays like '1000 true fans' - https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/
Co-chair of The Long Now Foundation encouraging people to think on civilisational timescales
Passionate traveller and photographer whose travelled remote parts of Asia for the last 50 years - https://kevin2kelly.myshopify.com/products/colors-of-asia-a-visual-journey
The subject of the brilliant term, coined by Brie Wolfson - Flounder Mode https://joincolossus.com/article/flounder-mode/
And a dream podcast guest

Kevin is known for many things, not least his optimism, but Kevin's flavour of optimism is what we calls 'protopian not utopian' - an acknowledgement that new technology creates major new problems but that over time we find ways to solve them

Chapters

00:00 The Hollywood Approach to Career Paths

05:20 Pursuing Interesting Projects

07:46 Influence and Unique Contributions

10:38 Radical Optimism Explained

13:38 The Choice of Optimism

16:28 The Reality of Progress

19:05 Wrestling with Counter Narratives

21:54 Building Better Technology

28:18 Navigating Technology's Strengths and Weaknesses

30:54 The Ethics of Technology Creation

33:14 The Role of Corporations in Technology

36:04 The Necessity of Innovation in Addressing Problems

The Soft Technologies of Democracy with Ed Gillespie

Tuesday, December 16, 2025 • Duration 50:57

Ed has spent his career thinking systemically about the future and consulting with governments and corporations on topics as varied as the environment, politics, healthcare and education.

He's also the co-host of hit podcast 'Jon Richardson and the Futurenauts' alongside comedian Jon Richardson and fellow Futurenaut Mark Stevenson.

Given Ed's varied expertise I wasn't quite sure where this conversation would go, but I needn't have worried. What unfolded was a great chat about climate, politics, and the soft technologies of technology that we need to make better use of to solve our toughest problems.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Ed's Work

04:22 The Role of a Futurist

07:17 Asking the Right Questions

10:23 The Politicization of Climate Change

13:12 The Transition to Renewable Energy

16:01 Motivations Behind Climate Action

18:57 The Economic Case for Renewables

22:01 The Challenge of Unburnable Carbon

25:17 Exploring Economic Models: Degrowth vs. Abundance

29:59 Grassroots Perspectives on Climate Action

34:43 Bystander Leadership: The Call for Courage

40:20 Finding Hope Amidst Challenges

46:41 Envisioning a Future of Bio-Regionalism

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Creative courage in big tech with Ben Lehnert, fmr design leader Microsoft and SAP

Tuesday, December 2, 2025 • Duration 01:02:01

Benedikt Lehnert is former design leader at Microsoft and Chief Design Officer at SAP. He's had a seat at the top table in big tech and brings his own clear-eyed perspective based on that experience.I really enjoyed the conversation with Ben as we discussed the role of the designer in this current moment, the moral responsibilities of building business and technology, the hype cycles and weird incentives at play with the AI hyperscalers, and Ben's view that we should simply focus on adding more than we take.

Chapters

00:00 The Evolution of a Designer

05:38 Navigating the Startup Journey

10:03 Transforming Microsoft: A Design Perspective

14:45 The Role of Chief Design Officer at SAP

20:14 Shifting Focus: From Big Tech to Teaching and Ethics

30:07 The Human Condition in Technology

38:35 AI and Humanistic Considerations

43:17 Learning from Poets and Thinkers

58:37 A Hopeful Vision for the Future

Ben hosts the Poets and Thinkers podcast and you can find out more about him here: https://benediktlehnert.github.io/

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Talking to animals with Kate Armstrong

Tuesday, November 18, 2025 • Duration 53:53

Summary

In this conversation, I speak to Kate Armstrong, the Executive Director of InterSpecies Internet, about the latest advancements in how we communicate with animals through technology.

Kate emphasizes the importance of planetary kinship and the responsibility humans have as advanced toolmakers to create beneficial tools for other species.

The discussion also touches on real-world applications of interspecies communication, the complexities of wild animal communication, and the need for legal frameworks to protect animal rights. Throughout the conversation, Kate shares insights into the future of this field and the resources available for those interested in learning more.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Interspecies Internet

03:47 The Journey to Interspecies Communication

06:59 The Origin Story of Interspecies Internet

11:21 Understanding Interspecies Communication

14:19 The Importance of Interspecies Communication

17:17 Technological Applications in Interspecies Communication

19:52 Frontiers of Interspecies Communication

22:50 The Role of AI in Animal Communication

25:40 Exploring Communication Across Species

28:24 Anthropocentrism in Animal Communication

30:39 The Magic of Interspecies Communication

32:11 Domestic Animals as Communication Pioneers

36:18 Ethical Considerations in Animal Communication

Rewiring Democracy with Godfather of Cybersecurity and public interest technologist, Bruce Schneier

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 • Duration 57:45

This episode features an OG in the world of internet security, the Godfather of Cybersecurity, Bruce Schneier.

Bruce describes himself as a public interest technologist, and has done many things under that banner - run companies, lectured at Harvard, testified before Congress, authored over a dozen books, and written a blog for over 20 years that has more than 250k regular readers - to name just a few.

Key topics:

- The need for better technical minds in policy making

- The implications of AI for democracy (not as bleak as you might expect - Bruce’s new book Rewiring Democracy goes deep on the emerging implications and he remains largely optimistic)

- Why the internet was not designed with security in mind

- Why prompt injection makes AI applications inherently insecure for high stakes tasks

- Threat modelling for personal security in an age of geopolitics

Chapters

00:00 What Bruce actually does

03:58 The Journey to Becoming a Public Interest Technologist

06:54 Understanding Cybersecurity and the Internet Today

09:36 Advice for Online Safety and Security

12:39 The Role of Governments in Data Privacy

15:41 Geopolitical Implications of Cybersecurity

18:35 Cyber-Physical Systems and Their Risks

21:49 The Impact of AI on Cybersecurity

24:27 Rewiring Democracy in the Age of Technology

30:08 The Evolving Landscape of Cybersecurity and AI

32:21 Understanding Prompt Injection Vulnerabilities

Granola AI Co-founder Sam Stephenson on designing for AI and Human Agency

Monday, September 8, 2025 • Duration 44:51

This episode features Sam Stephenson, co-founder of ⁠Granola⁠ - one of the standout UK success stories in AI product building.

Sam and I discussed his background as a designer, his journey to becoming a founder, the trajectory of the company so far, and shares his thoughts on designing for human agency and the future of work.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Granola and Its Purpose

02:33 Sam's Background and Design Journey

05:19 Influences from Communal Living

09:36 The Origin of Granola and Co-founder Dynamics

12:01 The Messy Process of Finding the Right Project

16:12 Simplicity in Product Design

19:11 Growth Trajectory and User Experience

21:45 Balancing Short-term and Long-term Goals

24:12 Navigating AI Development Challenges

26:50 Balancing Innovation and Practicality in AI

29:16 The Pressure of Rapid Growth in AI Startups

32:43 The Future of Work with AI Assistance

36:51 Reducing Coordination Complexity in Organizations

38:28 The Human Element in AI Interactions

41:01 Agency and Control in the Age of AI

43:31 Envisioning a High-Leverage Future with AI

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Artist founders and figuring out what AI is really for

Tuesday, August 5, 2025 • Duration 01:04:09

In this conversation, I speak to William Morgan and Sylvan Rackham, the Co-Founders of Restless Egg, an incubator for Artist Founders, about the intersection of art, technology, and innovation.

They discuss the concept of the 'artist founder', the challenges faced by creative technologists, and the need for a supportive infrastructure to foster their ideas. The conversation explores the role of institutions, funding sources, and the future of technology, particularly in relation to AI. They emphasize the importance of agency in technology and the potential for artist founders to create meaningful experiences that go beyond mere productivity enhancements.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Restless Egg

01:21 Artist founders

04:18 Discovering the Community of Creators

10:10 Key Players in the Artist Founder Ecosystem

14:37 The Role of Philosophy and Technology

20:31 Bridging Art and Technology

25:32 Defining the Artist Founder

28:24 The Future of AI and Experience

29:20 The Role of Artist Founders in E-commerce

32:41 Funding the Creative Frontier

36:58 The Shift in Investment Perspectives

41:03 The Future of Technology and Agency

44:29 AI: Tool or Evolutionary Break?

51:45 The Playful Nature of Innovation

58:59 Empowering Agency Through Technology

Where you can hear more from William and Sylvan

www.restlessegg.com

Epstein, Conspiracy and How Ideas Spread | Investigative Journalist James R Ball

Tuesday, June 9, 2026 • Duration 01:00:09

How do ideas, however crazy they might seem, spread?

Who's a true believer vs. a grifter following the money?

Can you talk about Epstein and QAnon without losing your rational mind?

How can investigative journalism move with the times?

These are just some of the questions I sat down to discuss with award-winning journalist and author James R Ball.

He has worked as the global editor of TBIJ, a special correspondent at BuzzFeed UK and special projects editor at The Guardian, where he played a key role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the NSA leaks by Edward Snowden, as well as the offshore leaks, HSBC Files, Reading the Riots and Keep it in the Ground projects. At WikiLeaks he was closely involved in Cablegate – the publication of 250,000 classified US embassy cables in 2010 – as well as working on two documentaries based on the Iraq War Logs.

James is the author of multiple books, including Post-Truth: How Bullshit Conquered The World and The Tangled Web We Weave: Inside The Shadow System That Shapes the Internet. His most recent book, The Other Pandemic: How Qanon Contaminated The World, was published by Bloomsbury in July 2023.

Where else you can listen

⁠Youtube⁠

⁠Apple podcasts⁠

Or wherever you get your podcasts!

Humans in the Loop – Details, episodes & analysis

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Humans in the Loop – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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Apple Podcasts

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