Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a philosophical journey, starting with a tribute to the late Daniel Dennett, whose work on consciousness and thought experiments left a profound impact on Andrew. The conversation then shifts to AI, with Facebook’s new Llama 3 model stirring the pot in the open-source community, and robotics, where Boston Dynamics’ new Atlas robot demonstrates terrifying agility. The episode wraps up with the discovery of a potentially record-breaking fossilized snake, sparking a mix of awe and existential dread among the hosts.

Picks:

Andrew Mayne: Consciousness Explained by Daniel Dennett

Brian Brushwood: Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

Justin Robert Young: House of the Dragon (HBO series)

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[podcast]https://weirdthingspodcast.com/uploads/20240423014053_2024-04-19-Weird_things_mixdown.mp3

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood explore the fascinating frontier of AI-generated music. They kick things off with a nod to AI’s role in creating a musical version of Doom, then pivot to discussing various AI music platforms like Sun AI and Audio, comparing their capabilities and outputs. The trio marvels at the potential for AI to revolutionize everything from personalized songs about daily itineraries to educational tunes about complex subjects like Broca’s area in the brain. Throughout, they maintain a blend of awe and skepticism, pondering the implications of AI’s rapid development on creativity, education, and personal expression.

Picks:

Brian Brushwood: Fallout TV series

Justin Robert Young: The Regime on HBO

Andrew Mayne: Shogun

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[podcast]https://weirdthingspodcast.com/uploads/20240415013154_2024-04-12-weird-things_mixdown.mp3

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a comprehensive exploration of artificial intelligence, discussing its current capabilities, future potential, and ethical considerations. From AI’s role in personal training and spam evolution to its application in coding and art generation, the hosts cover a broad spectrum. They highlight the efficiency and affordability of AI in creating content, including music and images, and ponder its impact on the creative industry. The conversation also touches on the regulatory landscape, with a particular focus on the EU’s approach to AI governance.

Picks:

Justin Robert Young: The Regime on HBO Max

Brian Brushwood: The Naked Gun

Andrew Mayne: sun.ai and cursor.sh

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[podcast]https://weirdthingspodcast.com/uploads/20240409222700_2024-04-05-Weird_things_mixdown.mp3

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood embark on a journey through a variety of topics, starting with a real-world disaster involving a boat crash and a collapsed bridge. They speculate on the implications of tainted fuel and the role of the National Transportation Safety Board in such incidents. The conversation then shifts to the potential for economic and infrastructural disasters, including the hypothetical use of nuclear weapons to disrupt GPS systems. The hosts also discuss the fragility of modern infrastructure and the importance of disaster preparedness. The conversation takes a turn into the realm of technology and security, with a focus on the challenges posed by AI and deepfakes in authenticating identity. They explore the idea of a secure, emergency communication system to verify callers during crises. Finally, the hosts share their picks, including a book recommendation and thoughts on the Netflix adaptation of ‘The Three-Body Problem’, noting its strengths and weaknesses.

Picks:

Brian Brushwood: ‘Super Communicators’ book

Justin Robert Young: ‘The Attention Factory’ book

Andrew Mayne: ‘The Three-Body Problem’ on Netflix

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[podcast]https://weirdthingspodcast.com/uploads/20240329204315_Weird-things_mixdown-2024-03-29.mp3

In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood dive into a variety of topics starting with Boom’s attempt to bring back supersonic flight, despite the historical and regulatory hurdles. They also touch on the story of a toxic cat in Japan that fell into a vat of chemicals, raising concerns about its whereabouts. The conversation shifts to the rapid advancements in AI, including its use in automating mundane tasks and its potential impact on various industries. The hosts share their excitement and concerns about the future of AI, emphasizing its role as a powerful tool rather than a wish-granting entity. The episode wraps up with discussions on the economic implications of AI and the importance of understanding its capabilities.

Picks:

Brian Brushwood: The Good Place

Justin Robert Young: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar

Andrew Mayne: Dune Part Two

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[podcast]https://weirdthingspodcast.com/uploads/20240323011940_2024-03-22-Weird-things_mixdown.mp3

Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood dive into a whirlwind of topics, starting with a unique birthday greeting from an internet celebrity to Justin, courtesy of Andrew. The conversation quickly shifts to the latest achievements in space exploration with SpaceX’s Starship making headlines. However, the meat of the discussion lies in the advancements in AI and robotics, particularly with a company integrating ChatGPT with robots to perform household tasks. The trio marvels at the rapid pace of technological advancements and speculates on the future implications for society, labor, and even off-world colonization. Amidst the awe, there’s a touch of concern about the societal adjustments required to embrace this new era.

Picks:

Brian Brushwood: Flash Gordon

Andrew Mayne: Cursor

Justin Robert Young: Dark Dive by Andrew Mayne

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In this episode, Andrew Mayne, Justin Robert Young, and Brian Brushwood kick things off with a chat about SpaceX’s upcoming Starship launch and the company’s approach to failure as a step towards innovation. They delve into the history of space travel, highlighting the Space Shuttle’s design compromises and the importance of testing. The conversation shifts to Apple’s VR headset, with Brian sharing his mixed feelings about its practicality and Apple’s missed opportunity to create compelling content for spatial computing. The trio then explores the ambitious project of resurrecting woolly mammoths by Colossal Biosciences, discussing the scientific and ethical implications. Lastly, they touch upon the intriguing possibility of naturally occurring hydrogen production within Earth, which could revolutionize energy sources.

Picks:

Andrew: Plasma Channel on YouTube

Brian: Dune Part Two

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[podcast]https://weirdthingspodcast.com/uploads/20240308211606_2024-03-08-Weird things_mixdown.mp3

https://weirdthingspodcast.com/uploads/20240308211606_2024-03-08-Weird things_mixdown.mp3

The boys discuss space, technology and where American monkeys came from.

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Download url: https://ia600202.us.archive.org/26/items/weird-things-030124/Weird%20Things030124.mp3

In an episode that could be mistaken for a cryptic message left by time travelers, Andrew offers a brief apology to the Weird Things audience for the recent lack of episodes. He assures listeners that while the episodes have been recorded, changes in the backend process have led to a temporary blackout. The episode ends with a promise of a return to normalcy, leaving listeners to ponder the mysteries of what these ‘backend changes’ could entail.

Picks:

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[podcast]https://weirdthingspodcast.com/uploads/20240302061939_weirdthings-message.mp3

Recorded 2/16/2024.

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Download url: https://ia800206.us.archive.org/13/items/2024-02-16-weird-things-mixdown/2024-02-16-Weird things_mixdown.mp3

[podcast]https://ia800206.us.archive.org/13/items/2024-02-16-weird-things-mixdown/2024-02-16-Weird%20things_mixdown.mp3

OHO! BEHOLD WHAT MYSTERIES LAY BEYOND IN THE REALITY WHERE BRIAN GETS TO TYPE THIS TEXT HERE! YES! THE EPISODES WILL BE CAUGHT UP! YES! PATREON WILL GET CURRENT!

…But most importantly: yes. Nobody can stop Brian from writing whatever he wants here. ?

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[podcast]https://ia601308.us.archive.org/24/items/untitled-session-2-mixdown_202402/Untitled%20Session%202_mixdown.mp3