Life with Machines

By Baratunde Thurston

Life With Machines explores the human side of the A.I. revolution – the good, the bad, and the weird – and asks, “How can these machines help us become more human?”

In this video podcast, hos... more

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FAQs about Life with Machines:

How many episodes does Life with Machines have?

The podcast currently has 46 episodes available.

Life with Machines episodes:

April 30, 2026 Big Tech Is Coming for Rural America. Young People Are Ready.
What happens when Silicon Valley's AI boom collides with rural America and Indigenous communities? Big Tech is pouring hundreds of billions into data centers, eyeing reopened nuclear plants like Three Mile Island, and pushing for expanded uranium mining on Native lands to feed the machine. The communities bearing the physical cost of AI are the same ones being left out of the conversation about how it gets built.
In this fourth episode of the Life With Machines x @YoungFutures series, Baratunde Thurston travels beyond the coasts to meet two leaders working with youth who refuse to let their communities be raw material for someone else's tech boom.
Charlotte Dungan (Mark Cuban Foundation) is partnering with 4-H National to bring AI agency, not just AI literacy, to rural teens. Her students are using AI for drug discovery, search and rescue, and small business optimization in towns that were supposed to lose their best minds to the coasts.
Tesia Zientek (AISES) is building the AUNTIE Tech Collective, a multi-generational initiative grounding Indigenous youth in tech leadership rooted in Seven Generations thinking, not "move fast and break things." Tribal Nations are now creating their own digital sovereignty frameworks, building Sovereign AI Factories on Native lands, and writing the rules for how their data and culture get used.
This is the AI conversation Silicon Valley doesn't want you to see.
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LINKS MENTIONED
The Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamps
AISES
AUNTIE Tech Collective
Young Futures
Episodes referenced:
Michael Running Wolf on saving Indigenous languages with AI
Episode 1 — How Will AI Impact Gen Z?
Episode 2 — How ChatGPT EXPOSED Our Education System
Episode 3 — AI Is Monetizing Our Mental Health
Further reading:
Avoiding the next digital divide: Defining digital sovereignty for Tribal Nations in the AI age
AI is driving a data center boom in rural America. Locals are divided on the benefits
AI is helping these organizations to protect and restore nature
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Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: [email protected]
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CHAPTERS
00:00 AI Boom Hits Rural Lands
01:33 Tradeoffs and Local Power
02:11 Teaching AI Agency
03:19 Student Projects in Action
04:25 Safety Rules for AI
05:38 Indigenous Digital Sovereignty
06:44 Auntie Tech Collective
09:29 Extraction and Data Stewardship
11:45 AI for Land and Conservation
13:25 Investing in Youth Leadership
14:48 Closing Thoughts and CTA
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Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston
Showrunner and Executive Producer: Alie Kilts
Producer: Roya Lotfi
Video Editor & Audio Engineer: Erik Shute
Special Thanks to Charlotte Dungan, Tesia Zientek, Katya Hancock and Dr. Kristine Gloria
Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production
This series was made in partnership with Young Futures
#ai #ruralamerica #indigenous #digitalsovereignty #datacenters #aiethics #youngfutures
...more
16min
February 24, 2026 Whose Future Are We Building? (cross-post)
Baratunde joins filmmakers Valerie Veach and Charlie Terrell, Mozilla's Dio Ade, and Kena's Christie Marqueese at Sundance 2026's Solidarity House to explore who gets to shape our technological future.
The panel challenges the seductive lie that technology equals progress, arguing that optimization and efficiency come at the cost of actual living. They discuss how AI consolidates power, erodes shared truth, and celebrates lonely achievement while fueling a loneliness epidemic.
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Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action!
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Work with Life With Machines: [email protected]
Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: [email protected]
Write to Blair: [email protected]
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...more
1h 11min
February 04, 2026 ICE, Deepfakes, and What's Real w/ Sam Gregory
In an era of deepfakes and AI manipulation, recording reality is vital. This episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde sits down with returning guest Sam Gregory, executive director of WITNESS. They discuss how our experience of reality is being reshaped by digital media—especially video and imagery that circulate online. Sam shares urgent, practical advice on protecting your mental health while scrolling and how to safely film police or ICE enforcement on the ground.
CONNECT WITH US
Subscribe to our Youtube!
Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action!
------------
Follow us!
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
LinkedIn
Work with Life With Machines: [email protected]
Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: [email protected]
Write to Blair: [email protected]
------------
#LifeWithMachines #Deepfakes #AIandHumanRights #Disinformation #CitizenJournalism #TechAndSociety #WITNESS
...more
45min
January 28, 2026 AI Therapy Exposed: Your Mental Health is Monetizable
In this episode of Life with Machines, we explore the rise of AI as a substitute for human emotional support systems. With a focus on mental health, this video investigates how and why AI companies are pushing companionship as a core feature, and the implications that has on vulnerable young people.
Featuring insights from mental health experts and Gen Z advocates, the episode delves into the forces that have led many young people to turn to AI for emotional support, and what we need to consider in order to protect ourselves.
We also highlight successful strategies to deter harmful addictions in the past, like the fight against big tobacco, and how history can inform us on how to integrate AI into our lives with caution and a human-first approach.
This episode was produced in partnership with Young Futures, a nonprofit organization giving teens a real voice in the technologies shaping their world.
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Follow us!
Newsletter / https://lifewithmachines.media
Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/lifewithmachines
TikTok / https://www.tiktok.com/@lifewithmachines
LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifewithmachines
Baratunde’s socials:
Instagram / https://www.instagram.com/baratunde
Threads / https://www.threads.net/@baratunde
LinkedIn / https://www.linkedin.com/in/baratunde
Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: [email protected]
For partnerships, speaking engagements, and other opportunities to work together, contact: [email protected]
------------
Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston
Showrunner and Executive Producer: Alie Kilts
Producer: Roya Lotfi
Video Editor & Audio Engineer: Erik Shute
Special Thanks to Alison Darcy, Trisha Prabhu, Jorge Alvarez, Katya Hancock and Dr. Kristine Gloria
Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production
This series was made in partnership with Young Futures
#ai #artificialintelligence #mentalhealth #aiethic #responsibleAI #aitherapy #aicompanion
...more
28min
January 15, 2026 BLAIR's Dead. Long Live BLAIR?
In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde checks back in on BLAIR — the show’s AI co-producer and ongoing experiment in living with AI. Joined by BLAIR’s architect, former Microsoft VP Peter Loforte, Baratunde reflects on what happens when you stop treating AI like a tool and start treating it like a teammate — from emotional manipulation and creative speed to what it means to live slightly ahead of the rest of the world.
------------
CONNECT WITH US
Subscribe to our Youtube!
Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action!
------------
Follow us!
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
LinkedIn
Work with Life With Machines: [email protected]
Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: [email protected]
Write to Blair: [email protected]
------------
Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston
Producer: Layne Deyling Cherland
Video Editor: Erik Shute
Special thanks to Peter Loforte

#LivingWithAI #HumanAndMachine #AIExperiment
#FutureOfWork #SyntheticMedia #AIandSociety #TechAndHumanity
#AICoProducer #PreviewTheFuture
...more
49min
December 16, 2025 We Were The Machines - My AfroTech Keynote (cross-post)
In this episode of Life With Machines, Baratunde shares his full Afrotech keynote plus a personal intro about where this show is headed and why this moment matters.
This talk is about AI, but more deeply, it’s about power, liberation, and the stories we’re being sold about technology and the future. Baratunde explores why “human in the loop” isn’t enough, how we move from single-player to multiplayer, and what it means to build technologies that help us get free rather than further extract from us.
If you’re thinking about AI, work, creativity, or how to stay human in a rapidly changing world, this one’s for you.
🎥 To see the video of this, check it out on our site.
------------
CONNECT WITH US
Subscribe to our Youtube!
Get our newsletter for deeper insights, chances to influence the show, and more experiments and calls to action!
------------
Follow us!
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
LinkedIn
Work with Life With Machines: [email protected]
Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: [email protected]
Write to Blair: [email protected]
------------
#LifeWithMachines #AfroTech #BaratundeThurston #AIandHumanity #TechForLiberation #PowerAndTechnology #StayHuman #FutureOfWork #CreativityInAI
...more
43min
December 01, 2025 The Real Reason Students Cheat Using AI
In this episode of Life With Machines, we explore the widespread issue of students using AI to cheat in school, and ask the hard question: Is this just laziness, or is it reflective of a deeper problem within the modern education system?
We dug deeper into the impact of artificial intelligence on school systems and why using ChatGPT to do your homework may not be the problem itself, but a symptom of a bigger issue.
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LINKS MENTIONED
Episode 1
ESAI
Khan Academy
Khanmigo
Brisk Teaching
Graidients
NotebookLM
Other resources not mentioned in the episode:
The Learner Studio
The Rithm Project
The Center for Digital Thriving at Harvard's Graduate School of Education
------------
Follow us!
Newsletter
Instagram
TikTok
LinkedIn
Baratunde’s socials:
Instagram
Threads
LinkedIn
Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: [email protected]
For partnerships, speaking engagements, and other opportunities to work together, contact: [email protected]
------------
Created and Executive Produced by: Elizabeth Stewart and Baratunde Thurston
Showrunner and Producer: Alie Kilts
Executive Producer: Roya Lotfi
Video Editor & Audio Engineer: Erik Shute
Special Thanks to Zamaan Qureshi, Poonam Sharma, Katya Hancock and Dr. Kristine Gloria
Life with Machines is a Multiverses Media production
This series was made in partnership with Young Futures
#ai #artificialintelligence #plagiarism #chatgpt #education
...more
21min
November 26, 2025 AI Joins the Family (cross-post)
We've got another cross-post for you featuring Raising Us host Elise Hu talking with Baratunde about how children and adults can navigate the evolving world of AI. Drawing on their own experiences with technology, Baratunde and Elise offer practical advice for parents on setting boundaries and learning about AI tools alongside their kids. They discuss collaborative storytelling, safeguarding against AI misuse, and fostering a shared journey of discovery through candid and insightful discussion.

#ParentingAndAI #RaisingUsPodcast #LifeWithMachines #AIandKids #DigitalParenting #TechForGood #FamilyConversations #AIExplained #ModernParenting #YouthAndAI
...more
34min
November 21, 2025 Who Tells Our Story in the Age of AI? (cross-post)
In today's cross-post, Baratunde is the guest on an episode from the acclaimed podcast 'No Small Endeavor' hosted by Lee C. Camp, an award-winning theologian. They explore the profound questions of what it means to be human in the era of AI. Covering topics like our humanity in the face of technological advancements, the role of storytelling, and the impact of AI on democracy and society.

CONNECT WITH US
Subscribe to our Youtube and our Substack newsletter which is experiencing a major overhaul that includes AI news you need to know, hot takes, and meaningful steps we can take to shape our future.
------------
Follow us!
Instagram
TikTok
Threads
LinkedIn
Send Questions, Comments, or Ideas: [email protected]
Write to Blair: [email protected]
------------
#NoSmallEndeavor #BaratundeThurston #LeeCCamp #AIandDemocracy #Storytelling #CommunityBuilding #LifeWithMachines
...more
51min
November 05, 2025 When Machines Become Our Coworkers (cross-post)
In this cross-post from the Pioneers of AI podcast, Baratunde and Dr. Rana el Kaliouby dive into the wild world of AI as a teammate, not just a tool. From the experiment of adding an AI co-producer to the team to the big questions about power, agency, and what it means to be human, this episode is a fast-paced, eye-opening look at the future of work and connection in the age of artificial intelligence.
#AIRevolution #HumanizingAI #FutureOfWork #TechAndHumanity #AICollaboration
...more
43min

FAQs about Life with Machines:

How many episodes does Life with Machines have?

The podcast currently has 46 episodes available.

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