Why can’t you trust your weather app in a snowstorm? Join hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini as they navigate the chaos of the weekend storm and debate the reliability of modern weather apps versus traditional TV meteorologists, and now TikTok weather experts. (RIP Farmer’s Almanac.) Plus, your favorite hosts ask the questions nobody has the answer to: What’s the best way to do social media in 2026?

Links

https://apnews.com/article/winter-storm-apps-forecast-accuracy-snow-weather-9768afec5fc53b4faba19f3cfd06a86c

Emily on TikTok

Dark Sky is done. Here’s how Apple’s Weather app succeeded it

Yes, ‘The Farmer’s Almanac’ Is Closing—But Don’t Panic Just Yet

Hail Cannon in the Wikipedia

EMP in the Wikipedia

Kagi Assistant is now available to all users

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Website: superintelligentpodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes

Emily Forlini -Website |PC Mag |Bluesky |X |TikTok

Chapters

00:00 Weather Wonders: A Tale of Two Climates

02:14 The Evolution of Weather Forecasting

05:12 The Role of Meteorologists in Modern Society

08:04 The Impact of Weather on Agriculture

11:10 The Future of Weather Information

13:48 The Intersection of Technology and Tradition

16:48 Cultural Perspectives on Weather Communication

19:32 The Legacy of the Farmer’s Almanac

28:10 The Lively Chaos of Latin American Streets

31:24 Navigating Information in a Digital Age

38:47 The TikTok Experiment: Finding Engagement

53:06 Connecting Through Content Creation

Keywords

Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, weather apps, meteorology, TikTok meteorologists, severe weather tracking, Dark Sky app, AI hallucinations, chatbot accuracy, Farmer’s Almanac, subscription economy, Netflix business model, emergency alert systems, megaphone trucks, content creation strategy, video marketing, DJI drones, Kagi Search, social media engagement, Fediverse, Mastodon, viral video strategies, authentic storytelling

Disclosures

We used Gemini Pro 3 via Kagi (my son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio).

Emily and Mike are mad this week. Join the dynamic duo as they dissect the disaster of Google AI Overviews stealing from content creators, then stealing the eyeballs and ad revenue of people looking for that content. A big new deal with Apple could make it worse. Superintelligent also tackles the inevitable dorkiness of smart glasses and the mental health risks of constant connectivity and personal AI assistants. And Mike and Emily share tales of driving blind in El Salvador and wandering the deserts looking for aliens. Are they real or not?

Links

Apple, Google Sign Deal to Use Gemini AI to Help Build the Future of Siri

Google Flexes Another AI Advantage

Warby Parker, Google to launch AI-powered smart glasses in 2026

A Man Bought Meta’s AI Glasses, and Ended Up Wandering the Desert Searching for Aliens to Abduct Him

‘The Age of Disclosure’: Documentary Revealing Government Cover-Up of Non-Human Intelligence Sets Release

Ziff Davis AI layoffs - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThBSo421/

Follow Us

Website: superintelligentpodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes

Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

01:06 The Impact of AI on Website Traffic

04:08 Google’s Content Monetization Strategy

06:31 Navigating the Future of AI Personal Assistants

12:25 Apple and Google’s Strategic Partnership

18:52 The Future of Smart Glasses and AI Integration

22:03 The Future of Smart Glasses

24:43 Wearable Tech in Industry

27:42 The Psychological Effects of AI

29:39 The Balance of Digital and Physical Exploration

31:42 Beliefs About Aliens and Exploration

Keywords

Google, Apple, Google AI Overviews, artificial intelligence, Google Gemini, Apple Intelligence, iPhone AI features, personal AI assistant, smart glasses, Ray-Ban Meta, wearable technology, Ziff Davis, layoffs, web traffic decline, digital marketing, SEO strategy, AI impact on journalism, tech news, Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, UFO sightings, alien theories, government drones, mental health in tech, digital detox, generative AI, large language models, Google Apple partnership, future of search, Project Astra, AI hallucinations, tech commentary.

Disclosures

We used Gemini Pro 3 via Kagi (my son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio).

Superintelligent hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini explore the link between churning homemade butter and the craving for authenticity in the new world of fake AI everything. They talk about Google’s new Gmail AI features as the most recent example of companies pushing everyone to use AI for communication. The hosts allow themselves to be influenced by influencer and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, who says that in 2026 influencers will need to prove their humanity by posting authentic content and disclosing how they use AI.

Links

Amira’s home-made cultured butter

Google adding an AI inbox, ai overviews to gmail. does anybody want this?

‘Apple Intelligence’ won’t send your data to far-flung servers (for the most part)

Adam Mosseri’s post on authenticity in an AI world

In an AI-perfect world, it’s time to prove you’re human

This retiree’s 30 AI girlfriends kept loneliness at bay—until one’s dark secret shatters the illusion

After ‘digital undressing’ criticism, Elon Musk’s Grok limits some image generation to paid subscribers

BeReal

Twitter and Pinterest founders launch app as antidote to social media

Steve Miller’s high school speech clip from Jimmy Kimmel

Follow Us

Website: superintelligentpodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes

Emily Forlini -Website |PC Mag |Bluesky |X |TikTok

Keywords

Artificial Intelligence, AI, Homemade Butter, Google Gemini, Gmail AI, Smart Reply, Apple Intelligence, Deepfakes, Grok, Adam Mosseri, Social Media Authenticity, Tangle App, Vibe Coding, Doom Coding, Sam Altman, Handwritten Notes, Robot Vacuums, NanoBanana, Photo Colorization, Digital Wellness, Tech Ethics, Future of Work, Steve Miller, Cultured Buttermilk, Email Automation

Disclosures

We used Gemini Pro 3 via Kagi (my son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio).

Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini explore the future of home automation by debating the merits of humanoid robots versus the new concept of "ambient robotics." They discuss why invisible tech like self-cleaning litter boxes beats Elon Musk’s lawn-mowing androids and how Carnegie Mellon is creating kitchen appliances that anticipate what you need. The duo also shares their 2025 tech resolutions, covering everything from Mike’s backpack weight-loss plan and Emily’s grayscale strategy for digital detoxing in the new year.

Links

Go gray, not cray: why you should grayscale your phone

Toras phone cases

1X Neo

Carnegie Mellon University’s “ambient computing” research

Heath Zenith self-charging doorbell

Apple AirPods 4

Follow Us

Website: superintelligentpodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes

Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok

Chapters

00:00 New Year, New Resolutions

05:53 Tech Resolutions and Screen Time

11:27 Social Media Strategies and Engagement

16:17 The Future of Robotics and Ambient Technology

22:52 The Rise of Ambient Robotics

29:05 The Future of Home Automation

34:03 Challenges of Smart Home Technology

40:30 Reflections on Technology and User Experience

Keywords

Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, tech resolutions, digital detox, iPhone grayscale, screen time, smartphone addiction, backpack, Toras case, humanoid robots, 1X Neo, ambient robotics, Carnegie Mellon University, Violet Han, smart home, home automation, AI, AirPods 4, adaptive audio, kinetic doorbell, smart home fatigue, invisible tech, consumer technology

In this episode of Superintelligent, Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini dive into the new trend of old tech. Younger people are ditching smartphones and embracing flip phones. They unpack stories of Gen Z and millennial “lone wolves” who gave up TikTok, dating apps and infinite scroll for deeper work, better sleep and real-world skills.

Links

“The Matrix” flip phone

TCL FLIP 4 5G flip phone

CAT S22 flip phone

The Last Useful Man

Mental Health in the Scroll Age

Top 8 Best Distraction Free Phones in 2025

Stickerbox

Palantir CEO Says Legalizing War Crimes Would Be Good for Business

Follow Us

Website: superintelligentpodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes

Emily Forlini -Website |PC Mag |Bluesky |X |TikTok

Mike and Emily challenge their bias that all AI relationships are bad using a real world example—with a scandalous twist. With companion chatbots becoming more common, how do people resist delusion? What’s the end point for simulated relationships?

Links

Joi.ai

Blade Runner 2049’s Joi

Ready for the ‘torment nexus’?

Her

Follow Us

Website: superintelligentpodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes

Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok

Chapters

00:00 Exploring AI Companionship

03:53 The Story of Jim: A Case Study

08:24 The Impact of AI on Human Relationships

14:48 The Dangers of Delusion in AI Interactions

20:38 Exploring Human Connection and Loneliness

23:02 The Reality of Digital Relationships

25:09 The Impact of AI on Human Emotions

27:09 The Future of Virtual Companionship

30:34 The Dystopian Vision of Technology

32:56 The Need for a Utopian Approach to Technology

Keywords

AI companionship, emotional impact, loneliness, rural America, digital relationships, technology addiction, virtual reality, human connection, AI relationships, social isolation

Your favorite podcast hosts clock in to tech’s 996 work culture. That means working 9 AM to 9 PM, six days a week, a concept that moved from China to Silicon Valley. Emily unpacks the particulars of the 996 phenomenon, revealing the burnout, competition, and absurd expectations at some of the world’s biggest tech companies. Mike shares his own ‘workaholic’ past. Plus, the Superintelligent hosts offer Superintelligent ideas about how low-tech can improve your work and life in a high-tech world.

Links

Why the ‘996’ schedule is capturing the interest of Silicon Valley leadershiphttps://www.npr.org/2025/10/26/nx-s1-5567995/why-the-996-schedule-is-capturing-the-interest-of-silicon-valley-leadership

Influencers in the Wild (social media virality and sociology)https://www.instagram.com/influencersinthewild

The power of low-tech in a high-tech worldhttps://www.computerworld.com/article/4086115/the-power-of-low-tech-in-a-high-tech-world.html

Rosalía “Berghain”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htQBS2Ikz6c

Follow Us

Website: superintelligentpodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes

Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to 996 Work Culture

00:52 The Impact of Workaholism in Tech

03:19 Cultural Perspectives on Work Hours

05:45 The Role of AI in Work Culture

08:25 Personal Experiences with Workaholism

09:27 The Future of Work and Burnout

12:04 Conclusion and Reflections on Work Culture

15:46 Cultural Perspectives on Work Ethic

18:59 The High-Tech World and Its Implications

22:33 The Importance of Traditional Skills

25:58 AI and Human Dependency

29:39 Embracing Language and Culture

33:12 Pop Culture Reflections and Closing Thoughts

Keywords

996 work culture, burnout, workaholism, AI impact, work-life balance, technology in work, cultural work ethic, low-tech solutions, intellectual growth, creativity

Hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini take a hard look at humanoid hardware, those overpriced mechanical houseguests we’ve all seen in science fiction and self-driving cars that cant quite drive themselves.

Mike shuts down the humanoid delusion, while Emily calls out the anthropomorphic marketing ruse tech titans pull to appease pro-natalist narcissist types.

Also: The hosts get personal, sharing practical, analog tips for surviving in a hyper-digital world.

Links

Breaking the Humanoid Robot Delusionhttps://www.computerworld.com/article/4082113/breaking-the-humanoid-robot-delusion.html

NEO The Home Robothttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTYMWadOW7c

Amazon CEO Blames ‘Culture’ for Mass Layoffs, Not AIhttps://www.pcmag.com/news/amazon-ceo-mass-layoffs-were-not-due-to-ai-but-culture

Fed Chair Not Worried About an AI Bubble. Here’s Why It Differs From the ‘90shttps://www.pcmag.com/news/fed-chair-jerome-powell-ai-bubble-why-its-different-90s-dotcom-era

After Teen Suicide, Character.AI (http://character.ai/) to Bar Kids Under 18 From Unlimited Chatshttps://www.pcmag.com/news/after-teen-suicide-characterai-to-bar-kids-under-18-from-unlimited-chats

Follow Us

Mike Elgan - About (https://elgan.com/about) | Machine Society Newsletter (https://machinesociety.ai/)

Emily Forlini - Website (https://emilyforlini.com/) | PC Mag Articles (https://www.pcmag.com/authors/emily-dreibelbis-forlini)

Email: [email protected]

Superintelligent Podcast (https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com/)

The latest episode of the Superintelligent podcast, hosted by Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini, dives into the technology angle on the mafia using NBA players and coaches to run gambling scams, the absurdity of AI opinion polarization, and a comprehensive look at “currant” scone matters.

Links

FBI Busts Mob, NBA Players for Gambling Scheme: Here’s the Tech They Used

https://www.pcmag.com/news/fbi-busts-mob-nba-players-for-gambling-scheme-heres-the-tech-they-used

[I Ate] Scones, jam and clotted cream in the Cotswolds

https://www.reddit.com/r/food/comments/1oe1lkw/i_ate_scone_jam_and_clotted_cream_in_the_cotswolds/

Follow Us

Mike Elgan - About (https://elgan.com/about) | Machine Society Newsletter (https://machinesociety.ai/)

Emily Forlini - Website (https://emilyforlini.com/) | PC Mag Articles (https://www.pcmag.com/authors/emily-dreibelbis-forlini)

Email: [email protected]

Superintelligent Podcast (https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com/)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

00:54 The Gambling Scandal Unveiled

05:01 Technology’s Role in Modern Crime

07:13 The Cultural Impact of NBA Players

09:19 The Evolution of Organized Crime

14:43 AI’s Dual Nature: Benefits and Risks

22:28 The Future of AI and Shopping Technology

31:23 The Future of AI Beyond Chatbots

32:18 Exploring Alternative AI Applications

33:41 Ethics and AI in Media Creation

35:49 The Dystopian Nature of AI Fabrication

37:05 The Shallow Discourse of the Tech Industry

37:28 Digital Detox: A City’s Initiative

41:24 The Impact of Technology on Society

41:47 Coping with Technology Overload

47:44 Cultural Insights on Food and Language

Hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini talk about how people might adapt to a world of AI content. Will people lower their standards and just not care? Or will the trend trigger a backlash and demand for the real world and content created by people?

This Superintelligent episode tackles the whole media ecosystem, what’s wrong with it and how it can be saved for the benefit of all.

Links

Here Comes the AI-Content Backlash!https://machinesociety.ai/p/the-ai-content-backlash-has-begun-b02

How Distributed Computing Makes This Stunning New Immersive Art Exhibition Possiblehttps://www.pcmag.com/articles/artechouse-submerge-exhibition-distributed-computing

How Terry Gross Readshttps://www.youtube.com/shorts/YyUNspQJQX

Follow Us

Mike Elgan - About (https://elgan.com/about) | Machine Society Newsletter (https://machinesociety.ai/)

Emily Forlini - Website (https://emilyforlini.com/) | PC Mag Articles (https://www.pcmag.com/authors/emily-dreibelbis-forlini)

Email: [email protected]

Superintelligent Podcast (https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com/)

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Hosts

01:25 The Backlash Against AI Content

04:35 The Comic Book Industry’s Stance on AI

07:12 Demand for Realism in Film

09:48 The Concept of Higher Taste

13:58 The Decline of Quality in Content

17:10 Libraries and AI-Generated Content

20:15 The Role of Disclosure in AI Content

22:41 The Future of AI Content and Quality

27:45 The Impact of AI on Human Thought

31:08 Dreaming and Visualization through AI

31:37 The Influence of AI on Creativity

34:11 The Changing Landscape of Reading and Content Consumption

38:30 The Evolution of Storytelling in Modern Media

42:18 The Need for Authenticity in Content

49:46 Navigating Technology and Wellbeing

Keywords

AI content, backlash, human creativity, comics, music, higher taste, media quality, censorship, libraries, thought, reality, content consumption, technology#AIcontent #backlash #humancreativity #comics #music #highertaste #mediaquality #censorship #libraries #thought #reality #contentconsumption #technology