For this episode, I’m joined by Alistair Alexander, a researcher specializing in the ecologies of technology. 

In this episode, Alistair and I discuss the underlying physical architecture of AI—specifically how the digital world isn't ethereal, but a massive industrial system bound by the hard limits of energy, physics, and planetary boundaries.

Connect with Alistair: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistair-alexander-4a488170/

Substack: https://reclaimedsystems.substack.com

Podcast Info: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhG

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37W

Connect: 

Website: https://ayushprakash.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ 

Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficial

Books: 

AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135

I'm joined by Dr. David Alter, a clinical health psychologist and neuropsychologist who's spent over 30 years studying the intricate connections between mind, brain, and body. 

Dr. Alter reveals the underlying architecture of human experience, specifically how chaos and unity aren't opposing forces but fundamental patterns that shape everything from our neural networks to our relational dynamics and spiritual lives. 

Connect with Dr. Alter: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdavidalter/

Podcast Info: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhG

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37W

Connect: 

Website: https://ayushprakash.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ 

Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficial

Books: 

AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135

Dr. Karl Friston is Professor of Neuroscience at UCL and one of the most cited scientists alive. His work on the free energy principle has transformed our understanding of the brain, consciousness, and intelligence.Probably the coolest thing that's happened to me, the world's most influential neuroscientist talked about my book, AI for Gen Z, and interviewed me on it. We ended up in this wild conversation spanning the free energy principle, how Gen Z's relationship with technology is fundamentally different from previous generations, the nature of time and prediction, and why understanding AI might require completely rethinking how we understand minds in the first place.Podcast Info: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhGApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37WConnect: Website: https://ayushprakash.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficialBooks: AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135

I’m joined by Zoltan Istvan, the world’s most influential transhumanist and candidate for Governor of California.  Zoltan reveals the radical, high-stakes shifts occurring in the minds of the world's most powerful disruptors as they prepare for a world where biology is no longer the limit.

We dive into Zoltan’s vision for a post-scarcity world where Universal Basic Income becomes the foundation of society as AI and robots take over the burden of labor. He discusses the shifting human experience—what we actually do with our lives once work is optional—and outlines his platform for Governor of California, focusing on how both the younger generation and the elderly can navigate this radical transition. Finally, we explore his core perspective on transhumanism, specifically his belief that death is a solvable technical problem and his predictions for how the future of our species will unfold. If you’ve ever wondered what the world's most radical thinkers are really planning for the next handful of years, this episode is your blueprint.

Connect with Zoltan: 

Website: http://zoltanistvan2026.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoltan-istvan-78aa2964/

Podcast Info: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhG

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37W

Connect: 

Website: https://ayushprakash.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ 

Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficial

Books: 

AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135

How is the boardroom actually preparing for the year 2026?

I’m joined by Shashank Tiwari, the CEO of Uno.AI and a seasoned Silicon Valley executive. We discuss the massive transition from the "AI experimentation" phase of 2024 to the "operational reality" of 2026, and he reveals the high-stakes conversations happening behind closed doors in the world’s most influential C-suites.

In this episode:

We start by looking at the 2026 playbook for large-scale enterprises. We start by deconstructing the 2026 roadmap for large-scale enterprises. Shashank pulls back the curtain on how boards are moving away from AI hype and toward "operational reality"—where AI agents handle core business logic without human "babysitting." We dive into the specific anxieties of the C-suite, and why the most studied aspect in the boardroom of 2026 is not simply AI integration, but human comprehension. We explore the neurological and sociological impacts of living in an AI-native world and how leaders can navigate the blur between human intuition and machine precision. If you’ve ever wondered what the world's most powerful companies are really planning for the next 24 months, this episode is your blueprint.

Timestamps: 

0:00 Prediction for 2025

3:20 Shashank’s background

6:09 Will 2026 be a different year for the AI industry? 

12:36 What are the large enterprises thinking? 

20:13 Lifestyles with AI 

30:22 What do we want AI to be? 

36:02 Where are humans going with AI?

39:30 AI addiction?

42:19 Hiring in AI

49:55 AI in 2026

55:06 Shashank’s resources

Connect with Shashank: 

Website: uno.ai

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tshanky/

Podcast Info: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhG

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37W

Connect: 

Website: https://ayushprakash.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ 

Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficial

Books: 

AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135

How has the internet actually changed humanity? 

In this episode, I’m joined by digital anthropologist Giles Crouch to go deep into the "Human-Tech Intersect." Giles has spent over 20 years decoding the invisible cultural forces that dictate how we buy, believe, and belong.

We discuss the massive shift of humanity living in two worlds at once (the physical and the digital) and how the internet has evolved from a simple tool into an environment that rewires our rituals and social structures.

In this episode: 

We start by looking at how the internet moved from being an "information superhighway" to a digital ecosystem that now dictates much of our behavior. Giles explains why digital platforms often strip away the context of our cultural rituals and what that loss means for real human connection. We also dive into the limits of modern technology, specifically why AI can reflect our past data but remains incapable of understanding the deeper "why" behind human behaviour.

As we move toward a future where technology and biology are increasingly blurred, Giles shares why "cultural intelligence" is the only way to navigate the shift from physical communities to digital echo chambers. If you’ve ever felt like our tools are changing our intuition and memory, this episode will help you understand the neurological and sociological patterns at play.

-

Connect with Giles: 

Website: https://www.gilescrouch.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gileswcrouch/

Podcast Info: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhG

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37W

Connect: 

Website: https://ayushprakash.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ 

Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficial

Books: 

AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135

Alexandra Goldwell, MA, RCC, is a therapist, clairvoyant healer, and consciousness educator with over 35 years of experience bridging Western psychology with ancient wisdom traditions. In a world where technology is rewiring human consciousness at unprecedented speed, where children and young people are experiencing neurological ruptures from constant digital stimulation, and where humanity's relationship with screens has created a crisis of disconnection from embodied presence and subtle energy awareness, how do we reclaim our innate capacities for perception, intuition, and energetic coherence?In this episode, we cover:What clairvoyance actually isHow technology is altering neural development in youth, creating patterns of dysregulation and fragmented attentionWhy humanity's accelerating dependence on external technology may be atrophying our internal technologies—intuition, energetic sensitivity, and direct knowingHow parents and individuals can recognize and address the neurological and energetic impacts of technology on themselves and their childrenWhy rebalancing our relationship with technology and reconnecting with our subtle perceptual capacities might be essential for individual healing-Connect with Alexandra: Website: https://www.alexandragoldwell.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/askalexandra/Podcast Info: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhGApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37WConnect: Website: https://ayushprakash.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficialBooks: AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135

Dr. Maya Ackerman is a world-renowned AI researcher, generative AI pioneer, and CEO and Co-Founder of WaveAI. She is an Associate Professor at Santa Clara University and the author of "Creative Machines: AI, Art & Us." 

In a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming every creative domain, from music and visual art to writing and design, and where fear about AI replacing human artists has reached fever pitch, how do we understand what machines can actually create versus what only humans can imagine, and what does this technological shift reveal about the nature of creativity itself?

In this episode, we cover:

What creativity and hallucinations really are

What the actual capabilities and limitations of creative AI systems reveal about both machine and human intelligence

How generative AI exposes the hidden assumptions, biases, and blind spots embedded in human society

Why AI-generated art, music, and writing are fundamentally mirrors that reflect human ingenuity, cultural values, and collective unconscious back at us rather than representing truly independent machine consciousness

How creative professionals can use AI as a tool to enhance rather than replace their work, and what frameworks exist for maintaining human agency and artistic vision while leveraging computational capabilities

What the rise of generative AI means for the future of creative industries, the economics of art-making, and whether machines expanding creative accessibility democratizes creativity or devalues it

Why fixing AI ethics alone is insufficient

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Connect with Maya: 

Website: https://maya-ackerman.com

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Creative-Machines-Future-Human-Creativity/dp/1394316267

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackerma/

Podcast Info: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhG

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37W

Connect: 

Website: https://ayushprakash.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ 

Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficial

Books: 

AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135

Jamie Meyer is the founder of Nine Carat, a social architect, and a dear, dear friend. This is episode 150 of the Ayush Prakash Podcast. 

What a run it's been. And we shall continue! 

In this episode, we cover: 

- What is attachment vs love? 

- The grey areas between attachment and detachment

- Understanding spiritual growth and figuring out the best course of action

- Late-stage capitalism and the pursuit of the external

- Why humans stopped pursuing the internal

- What is utopia? 

- Why utopia will not solve all of our problems

- Jamie's theory of the soul being finished

Connect with Jamie:

Website: https://www.ninecarat.net

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiemeyer-ent/

This podcast is genuinely a piece of connective art. What I mean is that my short story, Utopia, talks about this exact podcast. All I can say is, Lisa, wherever you are, I hope you find value in this. 

Read Utopia: https://ayushprakash.com/short-stories/

Podcast Info: 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhG

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37W

Connect: 

Website: https://ayushprakash.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ 

Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficial

Books: 

AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135

Dr. Ashleigh Rankin holds a doctorate in psychology. Recently, she’s been diving into how new technologies, AI included, are shaping the ways Gen Z and the rest of us understand ourselves, relate to others, and navigate an increasingly digital world. Her perspective brings together human behavior, financial wellbeing, and the everyday impact of technology.In this episode, we cover:Why vulnerable minds—including children, adolescents, and those with existing mental health conditions—are particularly susceptible to AI's psychological impacts and what makes them different from the general population in their responses to AI systemsHow AI is rewiring our neurological reward systems through constant dopamine hits, infinite scroll mechanisms, and algorithmic content delivery that exploits the brain's evolutionary vulnerabilitiesWhat the relationship is between neurological states (how our brains physically respond to stimuli) and psychological states (our emotional and mental wellbeing), and why understanding this connection is critical for navigating AI healthilyHow people can establish boundaries with AI systems to prevent psychological dependency, addiction patterns, and the erosion of critical thinking skills that occurs with over-reliance on algorithmic decision-makingWhy the way we interact with AI now is creating long-term neurological patterns that may fundamentally alter human cognition, attention spans, and our capacity for deep work and sustained focusWhat practical frameworks individuals can implement to use AI as a tool rather than allowing it to become a psychological crutch or replacement for human judgment and connectionHow parents, educators, and mental health professionals can identify early warning signs of unhealthy AI relationships and intervene before psychological harm becomes entrenchedConnect with Ashley: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ponderosa_kw/Book: https://www.amazon.com/Tillys-Toolbox-Emotions-Ashleigh-Rankin/dp/B0F2B2RW18Podcast Info: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ILhje5HSua1FEOlTyFAhGApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3qXL37WConnect: Website: https://ayushprakash.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-ayush/ Instagram: instagram.com/ayushprakashofficialBooks: AI for Gen Z: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0981182135