The Unicorn Roast podcast features sparkling conversation between journalists Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini about technology, culture and our fast-changing world. SUBSCRIBE to Unicorn Roast on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podcast Republic, Podcast Addict or wherever you get your podcasts!
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In this episode, Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini discuss the evolution of their podcast's name, the essence of podcasting, personal preferences in content, the current state of journalism, the importance of disagreement and diverse perspectives, the craft of writing, and monetization in podcasting (they're against it). Emily and Mike then talk about Apple's recent AI features (they suck) and their impact on user experience (it's bad). They explore the fate of iPhones in a future of emerging technologies like brain implants.
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Grok Goes Rogue
Friday, May 16, 2025 • Duration 41:26
In this episode, Mike and Emily explore strange goings on in the worlds of robotics and AI, including Amazon's touchy-feely robot and Grok's sudden interest in South African racial politics. Your favorite podcast hosts then turn to Perplexity's recent transformation into an assistant from the future, and Apple's recent interest in implanting an iChip in your iBrain. All this and so much more!
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Robotaxi Joy Ride
Friday, April 25, 2025 • Duration 01:00:25
In this conversation, Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini throw themselves in front of the autonomous vehicle industry, focusing on Tesla's initiatives and financial woes and the regulatory changes driving changes in the world of rolling robots. Then, your illustrious hosts politely explore the implications of proper etiquette when interacting with AI. They look at the environmental costs of AI interactions, and the necessity of good prompt engineering for effective outcomes. The conversation also touches on the future of AI in education.
27:40 Understanding the Value of Established Systems
28:08 Politeness in AI Interactions
29:02 The Role of AI in Social Networking
31:03 The Cost of Politeness to AI
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
So you want to be a slime-ball?
Saturday, April 19, 2025 • Duration 49:35
On this episode of the Unicorn Roast podcast, hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini obsess over Apple CEO Tim Cook’s obsession with smart glasses, Meta’s race to launch their Hypernova specs. The also talk about Google’s smart glasses plans, a conversation which devolves into a brutal takedown of Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Emily shares tales from the New York Auto Show, where electric vehicles are somehow thriving despite industry panic, and Mike recounts a Norwegian road trip in a Polestar, confirming that Norway is basically the EV promised land. Tesla, on the other hand, is having a rough year—sales are down, the Cybertruck ages about as well as an unrefrigerated fish, and Elon Musk seems more interested in AI and controversial tweets than making cars. The conversation veers into drones, with Mike explaining how Ukraine is booby-trapping them to slow Russian hackers, and why the best anti-drone tech might still be a shotgun. They wrap up with Blue Origin’s all-female space flight, which leads to more conspiracy theories than scientific breakthroughs.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
Unruly Teenage Chatbots
Friday, April 4, 2025 • Duration 49:16
Join Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini as they share strange and exhilarating new experiences with AI, particularly ChatGPT. They explore the reliability of AI responses, the evolution of AI tools, and the importance of prompt engineering in enhancing user experience. Mike and Emily then turn to the implications of AI on open access websites, and the challenges faced by platforms like Wikipedia resulting from AI spiders that raise the cost of being stolen from by AI companies, which often ignore restrictions on access. They then explore the environmental costs of AI, the limitations of OpenAI's computing power, and the need for better engineering practices in the industry.
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Tesla Vandalism Throws Trump Into Ludicrous Mode
Saturday, March 22, 2025 • Duration 51:44
In this week's thrilling episode of Unicorn Roast, hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini delve into the evolving landscape of language translation technology (coming soon to an ear canal near you). The conversation then shifts to the turmoil surrounding Tesla and Elon Musk's leadership, exploring the challenges the company faces and the potential consequences of Musk's actions on the brand's future, plus Trump's reaction to Tesla vandalism (which is ludicrous). Plus, they look at the companies teaching chatbots to stop lying, and ponder the future of Apple smart glasses and Siri.
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AI companies: PhDs are $20K, Podcasters $0
Episode 6
Tuesday, March 11, 2025 • Duration 55:40
Your favorite podcast hosts explore OpenAI's $20,000 PhD-level AIs, Russia's "LLM grooming" disinformation network, the doomed Microsoft Office products, and why it's weird to buy a house nowadays. And more!
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Vaping Tamagotchis
Sunday, March 2, 2025 • Duration 55:42
Join Mike and Emily on another exciting episode of Unicorn Roast! They explain why robots are wearing glasses (smart glasses for fast training, not for eyesight). They answer the question: Are Apple's $199 AirPods good for using as hearing aids? Plus, they explore the brand-new products and features designed to make AI chatbots like Tolan, Sesame, Perplexity Voice, Grok 3, and Amazon Alexa+ more “human.” Your favorite podcasters expose OpenAI's recent release of the not-ready-for-prime-time GPT-4.5. And more!
Links
• "There's a Vape With a Tamagotchi Inside It That Dies If You Stop Puffing" - Link
• "Why Fast-Learning Robots Are Wearing Meta Glasses" - Link
• "3 Fixes That Could Make Apple AirPods Pro a True Hearing Aid Replacement" - Link
• "Perplexity - Ask Anything on Google Play" - Link
• "OpenAI Launches GPT-4.5 But Limits It to Priciest Tiers After Running Out" - Link
Chapters
00:00 The Rise of Robot Training
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Self-Crashing Teslas
Monday, February 17, 2025 • Duration 56:24
Mike and Emily tackle the latest Tesla self-driving mishap – a Cybertruck versus a pole. Is it the driver's fault, a software failure, or false advertising by Elon Musk? They debate the safety of self-driving cars compared to human drivers and what it all means for the future of transportation. Then, they take a look at Apple's claim that their robot lamp feels emotions, and talk about how this kind of false claim is actually common in the industry. Finally, they unpack the shocking story of Kanye West's Super Bowl ad selling a swastika t-shirt. This leads to a conversation about AI-generated celebrity condemnations and Scarlett Johansson's fight against the misuse of her likeness.
11:53 Safety and Ethical Implications of Self-Driving Cars
12:56 The Challenges of Self-Driving Technology
18:44 The Emotional Intelligence of Robots
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit
The Pro-Lifelog Position
Sunday, February 9, 2025 • Duration 56:32
Hosts Emily Forlini and Mike Elgan tackle the ethics of recording conversations with AI devices without permission, the implications of DEI policies in tech companies, and the impact of political agendas on electric vehicle infrastructure. They also touch on Elon Musk's influence and actions, government overreach, and the importance of maintaining perspective in a stressful media landscape.
