What is actually happening inside ChatGPT when you type a question? This episode explains how artificial intelligence really works — neural networks, large language models, and AI hallucinations — in plain language, no jargon, no maths.

Alex and Jordan open up the black box. You’ll learn how neural networks actually learn, what a large language model is really doing when it generates a response, why the “attention mechanism” changed everything, and — crucially — why these systems sometimes produce confident, fluent answers that are completely false.

Along the way: the 2023 case of a lawyer who trusted AI and ended up citing court cases that never existed, why bigger AI models don’t automatically mean less bias, and why the people who build these systems can’t always explain how they work.

By the end, you’ll understand AI well enough to use it more critically — and more powerfully.

What you’ll take away:

• How a neural network learns — explained with a simple analogy

• What really happens when you ask ChatGPT a question

• Why AI “hallucinates” — and why it can’t tell when it’s wrong

• How bias gets baked into AI, and why it’s so hard to remove

Open MAInd is an independent, educational podcast exploring artificial intelligence with an open mind — clearly, honestly, and without hype.

Produced with AI. Researched and reviewed by a human, with every fact checked against credible sources.

Follow Open MAInd so you don’t miss the next episode. New episodes every Wednesday.

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Open MAInd is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. While we strive for accuracy and verify against credible sources, we make no warranty that all content is error-free.