Hello and welcome to 2026!

Join me for a quick current events update at the start, followed by a deep dive into some of the environmental, socio-cultural and cognitive impacts of artificial intelligence and social media and how these things have been passing through my existence recently.

Here's a quote from Vanessa Andreotti that I share near the end of the episode:

"Algorithmic modernity doesn't just control resources or power structures—it shapes attention itself. Algorithms are designed to harvest and monetize our focus, manipulating our neurobiology to seek rewards through the release of dopamine and oxytocin, the brain chemicals associated with pleasure and social bonding. This system feeds on our desire for validation, creating a feedback loop where our attention becomes a commodity, bought and sold in the marketplace of data. The result is not just an individual impact but a reshaping of collective realities and societal values.”

This episode brought to you by the Dodge Fugitive.

Further Reading

AI Research

Meta's Recent EU Breach