logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2018
52m 53s

Techstuff Classic: The Sad Tale of Hitch...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

What was HitchBot all about and what happened to it? From hitchiking across Canada to a violent end in Philadelphia, we tell the robot's story. Scott Benjamin guest hosts.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Aug 22
Week in Tech: Chips are the New Oil
How will we send memes when the world ends? This week, Oz and Karah recap the first ever World Humanoid Robot Games – the Olympics for Androids. Then, Oz explains why the US might be putting secret tracking devices inside shipments of advanced microchips. Karah explains a texting ... Show More
30m 41s
Aug 20
The Story: Inside a Couples Retreat for AI Companions
This week we go on a romantic getaway for people who are in love with AI. Karah talks with Sam Apple, an author and journalist who wrote an article for Wired about a couples retreat he organized for people with AI companions. We’ll discuss how the weekend unfolded, whether AI rom ... Show More
29m 52s
Aug 15
Week in Tech: If Versailles Could Talk
Is technology actually good for older people? This week, Oz and Karah explore the French palace of Versailles by talking to a statue-turned-chatbot. Then, Oz gives an update on Apple’s new make-or-break Siri overhaul. Karah weighs whether everyday use of technology is rotting our ... Show More
34m 18s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
The Killer Robot Future Is Already Here
The killer robots are here and they’re not going away.  We’ve all seen footage of the cute robot dogs stumbling around with weapons strapped to their back, and loitering munitions (or so-called “suicide drones”) have become a fixture on the battlefield in Ukraine. There’s a gener ... Show More
42m 2s
Apr 2021
Punish the Machine, Part 2
What will we do when robots and artificial intelligences break the law? In this episode of Stuff to Blow Your Mind, Robert and Joe discuss the issue of robot moral and legal agency. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listene ... Show More
1h 4m
Apr 2020
From the Vault: Flatus Ex Machina, Part 2
Why is it so hilarious when robots and artificial intelligence fail? What does it reveal about comedy itself and our technological anxiety? Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick explore in this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter. (originally published 3/28/2019) Learn more about your ad- ... Show More
41m 57s
Apr 2020
Invention Playlist: A Motion Picture Mystery
As the Invention podcast ends, discussions of techno-history become part of STBYM again. So let's explore some past episodes of Robert and Joe's other series. Here's their sidebar with Scott Benjamin about a mysterious death in the history of motion picture technology... Learn mo ... Show More
54m 51s
Mar 2023
Mon. 03/20 – Robots All The Way Down
New bots to make video from text prompts. Fending off the bots from biting your style. Falling in love with the bots. In the streaming wars, the ad supported experiments are working, and pricing power is a thing. And the startup that says it’s about to introduce humanoid bots. Re ... Show More
16m 56s
Nov 2023
Decoder: Barack Obama on AI, Free Speech, and the Future of the Internet
Happy Thanksgiving! While Kara and Scott take a break after a crazy week of news, enjoy this episode of Decoder, featuring Nilay Patel's interview with former President Obama on AI, free speech, regulation, and more. Kara and Scott will return next week! Learn more about your ad ... Show More
50m 29s
Jul 2023
Barbenheimer, AI in the Newsroom, and Scott Doubles Down
Kara's got the latest from the Barbie premiere, where YES she saw Mr and Mrs. Gaetz. Scott has some more thoughts on who the real enemy is in the Hollywood strikes (and it's not him!) The government has Big Tech in its crosshairs with the latest proposed M&A guidelines, Google pi ... Show More
50m 26s
May 2024
The Chaos of AI Voice Cloning
What happens when voices can be copied so well they can fool friends, family… and voters? Staff writer Charlie Warzel has followed the explosion of AI technology with a mix of fascination and fear. DALL-E, Midjourney, Chat-GPT. New leaps in AI tech seem to happen every month now. ... Show More
33m 20s
Mar 2019
Flatus Ex Machina, Part 2
Why is it so hilarious when robots and artificial intelligence fail? What does it reveal about comedy itself and our technological anxiety? Robert Lamb and Joe McCormick explore in this Stuff to Blow Your Mind two-parter. In this second episode, the joke's on us.  Learn more abou ... Show More
41m 29s
May 2019
Sleepwalking
Welcome to the A.I. revolution that is already transforming our lives, for good and evil. But what exactly are we sleepwalking into? We start by investigating the connections between online dating, terrorism, and screen addiction.In this episode we hear from: Tristan Harris of th ... Show More
33m 43s