Immortal Pyramids

A podcast about AI, power, and the architecture of control in tech

Immortal Pyramids is a podcast that explores the intersection of AI, tech culture, and power. Each episode unpacks how AI, corporate hierarchies, and design choices are shaping the future of autonomy, surveillance, and control inside the world’s most powerful companies. Through honest conversations with engineers, designers, and thinkers, we examine the systems that reward obedience, punish dissent, and quietly replicate old forms of tyranny supercharged by AI. If you’ve ever worked in big tech, questioned your role in building the future, or wondered whether AI can be used to liberate instead of dominate, this show is for you. Keywords: AI and power, tech culture podcast, surveillance capitalism, workplace retaliation, artificial intelligence ethics, hierarchy in tech, Apple, AI design systems, organizational control, future of work, dystopian technology, whistleblower tech stories ethlite.substack.com

Episodios

  1. 05/05/2025

    Interview with Joshua Weldon

    Summary In this episode of Immortal Pyramids, host Helen Ma and guest Joshua Whedon discuss the implications of AI surveillance and the bureaucratic systems that shape our workplaces and urban environments. They explore the ethical concerns surrounding AI predictions, the impact of COVID-19 on communication styles, and the visible consequences of tech industry growth on urban decay and homelessness. The conversation also delves into the challenges of remote work, cultural shifts within tech companies, and the roles of bias and privilege in career advancement. Finally, they consider the future of AI and its potential ethical implications. In this conversation, Joshua Weldon and Helen discuss the impact of social media on personal connections, the addictive nature of these platforms, and the shift towards algorithm-driven engagement. They explore the potential for new social media models that prioritize genuine connection and community building, as well as the implications of AI on society and work. The discussion also touches on the importance of user privacy, data ownership, and the challenges of decentralized social networks. In this conversation, Helen and Joshua explore the implications of AI and technology on society, discussing the centralization of information, the ethical responsibilities of technologists, and the importance of raising awareness about the impact of technology. They emphasize the need for collective action and the role of individuals in shaping a better future, while also acknowledging the challenges and potential consequences of technological advancements. Keywords AI surveillance, bureaucracy, workplace dynamics, urban life, tech bubble, homelessness, remote work, cultural shifts, bias, management, ethics, social media, addiction, connection, algorithms, AI, privacy, data ownership, decentralized networks, community, technology, AI, technology, ethics, responsibility, society, awareness, centralization, computing, future, collective action Get full access to Immortal Pyramids at ethlite.substack.com/subscribe

    1 h y 30 min

  2. 26/04/2025

    Our Digital Legacy

    What happens when technology serves power rather than people? In this timely episode, we connect recent whistleblower testimony about Facebook's alleged collaboration with the Chinese government to broader questions about who controls our digital future. Through firsthand experience working at Apple on both the revolutionary iPhone and the less transformative Vision Pro, we explore how bloated hierarchies stifle innovation while concentrating dangerous levels of control. As AI capabilities advance, the stakes of this power concentration grow exponentially. Will these technologies enhance human freedom or enable unprecedented surveillance and control? The choice depends on whether we can flatten digital power structures and build technologies that distribute rather than concentrate power. Key topics include: Inside perspective on how corporate hierarchy affects technological innovation Facebook whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams' testimony about CCP collaboration The dangers of surveillance capitalism targeting vulnerable populations AI's dual potential as tool for liberation or control How to take meaningful action as a digital citizen Keywords: tech insider perspective, Facebook whistleblower, digital surveillance, AI ethics, corporate hierarchy, technology innovation, Sarah Wynn-Williams testimony, Silicon Valley culture, digital freedom, tech power structures Get full access to Immortal Pyramids at ethlite.substack.com/subscribe

    10 min

  3. 19/04/2025

    The Wasteland

    Working in tech these days feels like staring into the abyss. Everyone I know is either burnt out or checked out. Eyes blank, mics muted, slouching through yet another Zoom meeting. To young people starting out: I am sorry. It wasn’t always like this. Get full access to Immortal Pyramids at ethlite.substack.com/subscribe

    4 min
  • 3 episodios

Acerca de

Immortal Pyramids is a podcast that explores the intersection of AI, tech culture, and power. Each episode unpacks how AI, corporate hierarchies, and design choices are shaping the future of autonomy, surveillance, and control inside the world’s most powerful companies. Through honest conversations with engineers, designers, and thinkers, we examine the systems that reward obedience, punish dissent, and quietly replicate old forms of tyranny supercharged by AI. If you’ve ever worked in big tech, questioned your role in building the future, or wondered whether AI can be used to liberate instead of dominate, this show is for you. Keywords: AI and power, tech culture podcast, surveillance capitalism, workplace retaliation, artificial intelligence ethics, hierarchy in tech, Apple, AI design systems, organizational control, future of work, dystopian technology, whistleblower tech stories ethlite.substack.com

Información

  • Creador
    A podcast about AI, power, and the architecture of control in tech
  • Años de actividad
    2 k
  • Episodios
    3
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © Helen Ma
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Immortal Pyramids