Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000

Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna

Artificial Intelligence has too much hype. In this podcast, linguist Emily M. Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna break down the AI hype, separate fact from fiction, and science from bloviation. They're joined by special guests and talk about everything, from machine consciousness to science fiction, to political economy to art made by machines.

  1. 1 OCT

    Three Years of Ridicule as Praxis, 2025.09.19

    It's Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000's third birthday! To celebrate, Emily and Alex respond to listener questions about the show, and reflect on the past and future of AI hype. Topics range from how to talk to your kids about LLMs, to what the MAIHT3k birthday cake looks like. Artifacts referenced: AI and the Everything in the Whole Wide World Benchmark Data and its (dis)contents Stochastic Parrots Day Dr. Casey Fiesler on TikTok Dr. Nicole Holliday on TikTok Alex and Emily’s media appearances about The AI Con Emily and Alex on The Data Fix with Dr. Mél Hogan Emily’s interview with Dr. Carl Rhodes Stinking Rich: The Four Myths of the Good Billionaire October 21st event for The AI Con FAccT AI Workers’ Inquiry Panel Emily’s presentation at UNESCO Digital Learning Week — Paper version on pp.41-45 here A Teen Was Suicidal. ChatGPT Was the Friend He Confided In. Fresh AI Hell: Meet the Robot Using AI to Ink Your Next Tattoo Medicare Will Start Paying AI Companies a Share of Any Claims They Automatically Reject Bluesky post about Taco Bell AI drive-through Can AI doulas improve maternal health? Countries are struggling to meet the rising energy demands of data centers Bluesky post about Business Insider OpenAI has reportedly misjudged its cash burn by Check out future streams on Twitch. Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see. Our book, 'The AI Con,' is out now! Get your copy now. Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown. Follow us! Emily Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender Alex Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex Twitter: @alexhanna Music by Toby Menon. Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park. Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.

    56 min

  2. 11 SEPT

    The Robo-Therapist Will See You Now (with Maggie Harrison Dupré), 2025.08.18

    Talking to chatbots can have serious mental health consequences — fueling delusions and leading users away from consensus reality. Futurism writer Maggie Harrison Dupré joins us to unpack the hype around AI therapists, based on her groundbreaking reporting on "AI psychosis." Maggie Harrison Dupré is an award-winning tech journalist at Futurism who’s reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping media, information, humans, and our real and digital lives. References: How AI Is Expanding The Mental Health Market He Had Dangerous Delusions. ChatGPT Admitted It Made Them Worse. OpenAI: What we're optimizing ChatGPT for Also referenced: Gov Pritzker Signs Legislation Prohibiting AI Therapy in Illinois People Are Becoming Obsessed with ChatGPT and Spiraling Into Severe Delusions Stanford: New study warns of risks in AI mental health tools Fresh AI Hell: Bluesky post about DEI by chatbot How AI is being used by police departments to help draft reports Politico's recent AI experiments shouldn’t be subject to newsroom editorial standards, its editors testify UK Asks People to Delete Emails In Order to Save Water During Drought Sam Altman says 'yes,' AI is in a bubble Google's AI pointed him to a customer service number. It was a scam. Mastodon post about Dieter Roth's Literaturwürste Check out future streams on Twitch. Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see. Our book, 'The AI Con,' is out now! Get your copy now. Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown. Follow us! Emily Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender Alex Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex Twitter: @alexhanna Music by Toby Menon. Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park. Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.

    55 min

  3. 26 AUG

    Winning the Race to Hell (with Sarah Myers West and Kate Brennan), 2025.08.04

    Trump’s “AI Action Plan” is his latest attempt to turn AI hype into official national policy. Kate Brennan and Sarah Myers West, of the AI Now Institute, join us to dig through this pile of deregulatory gifts to Big Tech. Dr. Sarah Myers West is co-executive director of the AI Now Institute, and a former senior advisor on AI for the FTC. Dr. Kate Brennan is associate director of the AI Now Institute, where she spearheads their policy work, informed by a doctorate in law and years of experience in the tech industry. References: Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan Also referenced: People’s AI Action Plan Fresh AI Hell: Medical Pros Risk Malpractice Suits by Avoiding AI Innovation Google search’s next cash cow AI Is Coming for the Consultants. Inside McKinsey, ‘This Is Existential.’ The rise of AI tools that write about you when you die Amazon’s Alexa Fund Invests in ‘Netflix of AI’ Start-Up Fable, Which Launches Showrunner: A Tool for User-Directed TV Shows In federal lawsuit, students allege Lawrence school district’s AI surveillance tool violates their rights Check out future streams on Twitch. Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see. Our book, 'The AI Con,' is out now! Get your copy now. Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown. Follow us! Emily Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender Alex Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex Twitter: @alexhanna Music by Toby Menon. Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park. Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.

    58 min

  4. 13 AUG

    Vibe Coding: Four Security Nightmares in a Trenchcoat (with Susanna Cox), 2025.07.21

    After many months of making fun of the term "vibe coding," Emily and Alex tackle the LLMs-as-coders fad head-on, with help from security researcher Susanna Cox. From one person's screed that proclaims everyone not on the vibe-coding bandwagon to be crazy, to the grandiose claim that LLMs could be the "opposable thumb" of the entire world of computing. It's big yikes, all around. Susanna Cox is a consulting AI security researcher and a member of the core author team at OWASP AI Exchange. References: My AI Skeptic Friends Are All Nuts LLMs: the opposable thumb of computing A disastrous day in the life of a vibe coder Also referenced: Signal president Meredith Whittaker on the fundamental security problem with agentic AI The "S" in MCP stands for security Our Opinions Are Correct: The Turing Test is B******t AI Hell: Sam Altman: The (gentle) singularity is already here What do the boosters think reading is, anyway? Meta's climate model made up fake CO2 removal ideas Ongoing lawsuit means all your ChatGPT conversations will be saved "Dance like you're part of the training set" Some Guy tries to mansplain Signal to…Signal's president WSJ headline claims ChatGPT "self-reflection", gets dunked Check out future streams on Twitch. Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see. Our book, 'The AI Con,' is out now! Get your copy now. Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown. Follow us! Emily Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender Alex Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex Twitter: @alexhanna Music by Toby Menon. Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park. Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.

    59 min

  5. 30 JUL

    Et Tu, American Federation of Teachers? (with Charles Logan), 2025.07.14

    The chatbot boosters are looking for educators to play brand ambassador for more intrusion of so-called "AI" into the classroom. From the American Federation of Teachers' new partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft for a "national academy for AI instruction" to yet more articles extolling the alleged time-saving and future-proofing virtues of LLM-powered ed tech, the hype can feel relentless. Charles Logan joins Alex and Emily for a critical look at the latest propaganda for "AI" in the classroom. Charles Logan is a former English teacher and current PhD candidate in Learning Sciences at Northwestern University. References: Welcome to Campus. Here’s Your ChatGPT. AI isn’t replacing student writing – but it is reshaping it AFT to Launch National Academy for AI Instruction with Microsoft, OpenAI, Anthropic and United Federation of Teachers  Also referenced: Tressie McMillan Cottom on "predatory inclusion" Daniel Greene's "The Access Doctrine" The Group Chats that Changed America Fresh AI Hell: Missouri AG investigating why chatbots don’t like Trump Gig workers calling ICE on other undocumented gig workers Tech billionaire Trump adviser Marc Andreessen says universities will ‘pay the price’ for DEI USF makes a PTSD detector...trained on children People falling in love with Replika chatbots Elon Musk thirsting over xAI anime construct Check out future streams on Twitch. Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see. Our book, 'The AI Con,' is out now! Get your copy now. Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown. Follow us! Emily Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender Alex Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex Twitter: @alexhanna Music by Toby Menon. Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park. Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.

    1h 1m

  6. 7 JUL

    Why "AI" Is a Con: Our Book Launch! (with Vauhini Vara), 2025.05.08

    It's finally here! The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want hit the shelves in May. In this special bonus episode, Alex and Emily speak to tech journalist Vauhini Vara at one of the book's online launch events, where they covered the misleading nature of the term "artificial intelligence," why the use of tools like ChatGPT will only ever cheapen human labor and enrich the already powerful, and how people can fight the narrative that these technologies are inevitable. Vauhini Vara is a technology reporter and writer. Her journalism has been honored by the Asian American Journalists Association, the International Center for Journalists, the McGraw Center for Business Journalism, and others. Her latest book is Searches: Selfhood in the Digital Age, a work of journalism and memoir about how big technology companies are exploiting human communication — and how we’re complicit in this. References Everyone is cheating their way through college (with ChatGPT) The Last Human Job: The Work of Connecting in a Disconnected World by Allison Pugh Te Hiku Media Resisting AI: An Anti-fascist Approach to Artificial Intelligence by Dan McQuillan Refusing Generative AI in Writing Studies Pennsylvania's SEIU Local 668 wins a victory against AI Elon Musk's xAI is polluting Black Memphis residents Possible Futures: An Internet for Our Elders Better Images of AI The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) Check out future streams on Twitch. Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see. Our book, 'The AI Con,' is out now! Get your copy now. Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown. Follow us! Emily Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender Alex Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex Twitter: @alexhanna Music by Toby Menon. Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park. Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.

    1h 17m

  7. 20 JUN

    "Like Magic Intelligence in the Cloud", 2025.05.26

    Because Sam Altman hates opening his laptop, OpenAI is merging with iPhone guy Jony Ive's design firm in the name of some mysterious new ChatGPT-enabled consumer products: Alex and Emily go full Mystery Science Theater and dissect the announcement video. Plus how tech billionaires like Sam Altman mythologize San Francisco while their money makes it less livable for everyone else. References: Sam Altman and Jony Ive are merging (Video) Emplacedness, real estate, and gentrification in San Francisco Anthropic? More like anthropomorphic Karen Hao on her new book "Empire of AI" in conversation with Alex and Emily Fresh AI Hell: Don't use ChatGPT to summon demons AI prompts accidentally left in novels "AI" tutors are teaching fentanyl recipes xAI's data center polluting Memphis with unpermitted methane generators Gemini's on Bluesky - block it Family uses "AI" generated avatar to give victim impact statement The market for "AI friends"? Lonely losers No, LGBTESCREAL isn't a thing ***** You can check out future streams at on Twitch, and send us any AI Hell you see for future episodes. Our book, The AI Con, is out! Get your copy now. Follow Emily: Bluesky/Mastodon Follow Alex: Bluesky/Mastodon Music: Toby Menon.  Production: Christie Taylor.  Graphic Design: Naomi Pleasure-Pa Check out future streams on Twitch. Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see. Our book, 'The AI Con,' is out now! Get your copy now. Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown. Follow us! Emily Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender Alex Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex Twitter: @alexhanna Music by Toby Menon. Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park. Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.

    1 hr

  8. 28 MAY

    The "AI"-Enabled Immigration Panopticon (with Petra Molnar), 2025.05.05

    This week, Alex and Emily talk with anthropologist and immigration lawyer Petra Molnar about the dehumanizing hype of border-enforcement tech. From hoovering up data to hunt anyone of ambiguous citizenship status, to running surveillance of physical borders themselves, "AI" tech is everywhere in the enforcement of national borders. And as companies ranging from Amazon, to NSO Group, to Palantir all profit, this widening of automation threatens a future of faceless human rights violations with no attempts at accountability of any kind. Petra Molnar is associate director of York University's Refugee Law Lab, and a faculty associate for the Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. She's also the author of the book The Walls Have Eyes: Surviving immigration in the age of artificial intelligence. References: Department of Homeland Security: Robot Dogs Take Another Step Towards Deployment at the Border Leaked: Palantir’s Plan to Help ICE Deport People Athens prepares to host DEFEA 2025, a major hub for international defence cooperation Fresh AI Hell: Meta served teen girls beauty product ads whenever they deleted selfies Dating app/luxury surveillance leaks personal info "AI" for subway crime prediction CA used "AI" to make bar exam questions CA using "AI" tool to bypass building permit process Wildly unethical "AI persuasion" research on Reddit users AI makeup to retouch Holocaust images Check out future streams on Twitch. Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see. Our book, 'The AI Con,' is out now! Get your copy now. Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown. Follow us! Emily Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender Alex Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex Twitter: @alexhanna Music by Toby Menon. Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park. Production by Ozzy Llinas Goodman.

    1h 2m
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About

Artificial Intelligence has too much hype. In this podcast, linguist Emily M. Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna break down the AI hype, separate fact from fiction, and science from bloviation. They're joined by special guests and talk about everything, from machine consciousness to science fiction, to political economy to art made by machines.

Information

  • Creator
    Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    64
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000
  • Show Website
    Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000

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