Air Date 10/19/2025

Robber Barons™ of The Gilded Age™ told themselves stories about how they were ushering in progress for all which is why, they argued, they shouldn't be constrained by things like safety regulations or worker unions - impoverishing millions while injuring and killing thousands in the process. It took a stock market crash, the Great Depression, WWII, and The New Deal to finally wrench the power away and redistribute it for the sake of building a middle class that could work in relative safety in the US. Today's Robber Barrons™ ushering in techno-feudalism under the banner of AI-For-All are no different but with even higher stakes in the balance.

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Full Show Notes

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: We're in Our AI Slop Era Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-7-25

KP 2: What AI Means for Your Money, Music and Love Life Part 1 - Here & Now Anytime - Air Date 9-26-25

KP 3: AI Slop Part 1 - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 6-23-25

KP 4: Family Accuses ChatGPT of Helping Their Son Commit Suicide - The Briefing - AIr Date 8-30-25

KP 5: The REAL Reason Trump and Big Tech Want AI in Our Schools - More Perfect Union - Air Date 10-2-25

KP 6: AI and the Demise of College Writing Part 1 - Adam Walker - Close Reading Poetry - Air Date 7-15-25

KP 7: AI, Energy, and Climate Data Center Water Use Alexis Abramson, Julio Friedmann and Angela Yuan Part 1 - The DSR Network - Air Date 10-7-25

(00:56:20) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On the pattern of capitalism's social costs

DEEPER DIVES

(01:05:22) SECTION A: AL SLOP

(02:05:43) SECTION B: SOCIAL ASPECTS

(02:47:46) SECTION C: LABOR AND EDUCATION

(03:46:34) SECTION D: DATA CENTERS

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: AI-generated image of robot hands holding up a small globe against a desolate dessert background.

Credit: “ai-generated-robot-earth” via geralt, Pixabay | Pixabay License

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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