AI UNHINGED

Dr. Calvin Lawrence
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  • Technology

AI Unhinged is where artificial intelligence meets the real world, without the hype, fearmongering, or polished corporate talking points. Hosted by Dr. Calvin D. Lawrence, a Distinguished Engineer, technologist, author, and pioneering leader in artificial intelligence, the show is grounded in decades of real-world experience at the intersection of technology, innovation, and leadership. Dr. Lawrence holds the distinction of being the first Black person to earn a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence, bringing a rare combination of historical perspective, technical expertise, and lived experience to conversations about where AI is taking us next. AI Unhinged explores how artificial intelligence is already reshaping the way we work, learn, lead, create, communicate, and make decisions. From education and business to ethics, culture, careers, bias, and the future of human connection, each episode tackles the questions people are thinking about but may not be asking out loud. Through candid conversations with educators, executives, innovators, technologists, and thought leaders, Dr. Lawrence pushes beyond what AI can do to examine what its rapid evolution means for people, institutions, industries, and society. The technology is moving fast. The stakes are getting higher. And nothing is off limits. This is AI Unhinged.

Episodes

  1. Oct 27

    EP. 10 | AI Is Already Violating Human Rights

    Artificial intelligence is already changing our world. But is it advancing humanity or putting our fundamental rights at risk? Recorded at the United Nations ahead of the General Assembly, this episode of AI Unhinged brings together host Dr. Calvin Lawrence and Dr. Erica George, a Boston University School of Law professor and human rights scholar, for a powerful conversation about AI, corporate accountability, racial bias, and the future of human dignity. Dr. George makes a bold argument: AI is already a human rights issue. From facial recognition and predictive policing to hiring discrimination, autonomous weapons, and the growing threat of job displacement, the consequences of artificial intelligence are not just theoretical. They're affecting real people and real communities today. But who should be responsible when AI causes harm? The developers? The executives? The corporations profiting from the technology? Or the organizations deploying it? Dr. Lawrence brings decades of experience designing and developing AI systems to a discussion that challenges the idea that technological progress should come at any cost. In this episode, we explore: Why AI is already a human rights concernWho should be legally accountable when AI causes harmHow historical racism and discrimination can become embedded in AI systemsThe tension between corporate profits and ethical responsibilityWhy AI-driven job displacement threatens economic securityWhether artificial intelligence needs its own Bill of RightsThe importance of transparency, explainability, and fairnessWhy the biggest AI threat may not be killer robots, but the gradual erosion of humanityWhy Black communities must move beyond consuming AI and start shaping its futureOne of the most powerful takeaways? Don't believe the hype. Don't sit on the sidelines. And don't settle for being a consumer of technology when you can help shape what comes next. This isn't just a conversation about artificial intelligence. It's about power, responsibility, and who gets to benefit from the future we're creating. ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr. Erica George is a professor at Boston University School of Law and the author of Incorporating Rights: Strategies to Advance Corporate Accountability. Her work explores business, human rights, corporate responsibility, and the legal implications of emerging technologies. JOIN THE CONVERSATION Should corporations be held legally responsible when their AI systems violate human rights? And should there be limits on what AI companies are allowed to build? Share your thoughts in the comments. Subscribe to AI Unhinged for conversations exploring artificial intelligence, ethics, accountability, and the real-world consequences of emerging technology. #AIUnhinged #ArtificialIntelligence #HumanRights #AIEthics #AIBias LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  2. Oct 21

    EP. 9 | AI Can Predict Crime. But Who Is Watching the Police? (Part 2)

    What happens when police departments invest millions in artificial intelligence systems that may not actually understand the communities they're supposed to protect? In Part 2 of this AI Unhinged conversation, Dr. Calvin Lawrence continues his discussion with Keith Meadows, former Chief of Police for the City of South Fulton, about the future of AI in law enforcement and the consequences of getting it wrong. Drawing from their experience working together on policing technology, they examine why many predictive policing systems rely on oversimplified models of criminal behavior, how those systems can contribute to over-policing, and why human intelligence should never be replaced by an algorithm's recommendation. Chief Meadows reveals how his approach to crime data often challenged the recommendations of automated systems and why understanding the circumstances behind a crime matters more than simply counting incidents on a map. The conversation also exposes a growing challenge within the technology industry: companies marketing AI solutions that may not deliver what they promise, police departments purchasing systems without fully understanding them, and leaders failing to establish the policies and training necessary for responsible implementation. But the discussion doesn't stop at policing. Dr. Lawrence and Chief Meadows explore the future of data integration, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and the growing demand for technology that can analyze increasingly complex information. The question is no longer just what AI can do. It's what we should allow it to do, who gets to make those decisions, and what happens when those decisions are wrong. Listen to Episode 9 of AI Unhinged as two professionals with firsthand experience developing and implementing policing technology challenge the industry to think beyond algorithms, profits, and promises. This is Part 2 of the two-part conversation with former Police Chief Keith Meadows. Listen to Part 1 for their discussion on facial recognition, predictive policing, racial bias, and accountability. LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  3. Oct 20

    EP. 8 | AI Can Predict Crime. But Who Is Watching the Police? (Part 1)

    AI is changing Policing. Are we Ready? Artificial intelligence is changing the way police investigate crimes, identify suspects, and decide where to deploy officers. But when technology starts influencing who gets investigated, who gets arrested, and which communities receive the most police attention, who is responsible for making sure it gets things right? In Part 1 of this two-part AI Unhinged conversation, Dr. Calvin Lawrence sits down with Keith Meadows, former Chief of Police for the City of South Fulton, whose 40-year law enforcement career includes three decades with the Atlanta Police Department. Having worked together on technology initiatives involving law enforcement, Dr. Lawrence and Chief Meadows bring two perspectives to the same conversation: the engineer building AI solutions and the police leader responsible for how those solutions are used in real communities. They explore the promises and dangers of facial recognition, predictive policing, behavioral profiling, and the growing reliance on artificial intelligence in criminal investigations. Chief Meadows shares his experience leading police departments, his approach to community policing, and why technology should never replace human judgment. The conversation also revisits the wrongful arrest of Robert Williams and examines what happens when an algorithm's recommendation becomes the foundation for a police investigation. Can AI help officers solve crimes faster without reinforcing racial bias? Can predictive policing improve public safety without over-policing already vulnerable communities? And how do we hold both technology companies and law enforcement accountable? The technology may be powerful, but the responsibility is still human. Listen to Episode 8 of AI Unhinged, Part 1 of this two-part conversation, as Dr. Lawrence and Chief Meadows examine the future of policing in an AI-driven world. Subscribe to AI Unhinged and stay tuned for Part 2. LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  4. Oct 20

    Ep. 7 | AI Said He Was Guilty. The Police Believed It. | Robert Williams

    What happens when artificial intelligence identifies you as a criminal, and the police believe the computer instead of the evidence? In this powerful episode of AI Unhinged, Dr. Calvin Lawrence sits down with Robert Williams, a Detroit-area father whose life was turned upside down after facial recognition technology incorrectly identified him as a suspect in a crime he did not commit. Williams shares his experience of being arrested in front of his family, spending time in detention, and fighting to clear his name. He also opens up about the emotional impact on his young daughter, the financial burden of defending himself, and the frustrating reality of trying to hold a system accountable for its mistakes. Drawing on his experience developing AI systems and working with law enforcement, Dr. Lawrence breaks down how facial recognition technology works, why algorithmic bias disproportionately affects Black communities, and how dangerous it becomes when investigators treat technology as unquestionable evidence. Together, they confront difficult questions about racial bias, policing, corporate responsibility, and the human cost of technological innovation without proper safeguards. This isn't a hypothetical conversation about what AI might do someday. It's a firsthand account of what has already happened. And as artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in law enforcement, Robert Williams has a warning everyone needs to hear: It could happen to you. Listen to AI Unhinged and discover why the future of AI accountability is about much more than technology. It's about people. LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  5. Sep 29

    EP. 6 | When AI Starts Policing You - Surveillance Is Not Safety

    DeKalb County has invested millions of dollars into a new Real-Time Crime Center and expanded Flock Safety technology across the county, with the goal of using cameras, license plate readers, data analytics, drones, and artificial intelligence to improve public safety. But does more surveillance automatically mean a safer community? In this episode of AI Unhinged, the conversation gets personal. Dr. Calvin Lawrence, artificial intelligence expert and former CTO of Ethical and Responsible AI and Smart Cities at IBM, joins the discussion to break down what can happen when AI enters the world of policing. Drawing from his research into AI, surveillance, and law enforcement systems, Dr. Lawrence explains how historical policing data can become the foundation for new algorithms and why existing bias can potentially be amplified rather than eliminated. The episode explores some difficult questions: How does AI actually work inside a Real-Time Crime Center? Can increased surveillance create a policing feedback loop where communities that are already heavily policed continue generating the data that tells algorithms to police them even more? What happens when a license plate is misread, a watchlist is outdated, or an AI system identifies the wrong vehicle? Should an AI alert ever be enough for police to stop, pursue, search, or arrest someone, or should it only be treated as an investigative lead that requires independent verification? Who has access to the data being collected, how long is it retained, and can information originally gathered for one purpose eventually be used for something entirely different? And perhaps most importantly, who is responsible when the technology gets it wrong? Dr. Lawrence argues that AI can be a valuable tool for helping law enforcement investigate and solve crimes, but technology alone cannot replace transparency, independent oversight, accountability, human judgment, and protections for the civil rights of the people being monitored. This is not simply a conversation about whether AI is good or bad. It is a conversation about what happens when artificial intelligence moves out of our phones and computer screens and begins influencing decisions that can have real consequences in the physical world. If AI is going to help keep communities safe, who is making sure the AI itself is safe? LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  6. Sep 21

    EP. 5 | Video Games Are Preparing Kids for What's Next

    What if the video games your child spends hours playing aren't just entertainment—but the beginning of a real skill set, career, or even an industry they could help build? In this episode of AI Unhinged, Dr. Lawrence sits down with Titus Walker, founder and CEO of the Ultimate End Gamers League (UEL), for a conversation about gaming, artificial intelligence, education, and the next generation. They challenge the idea that gaming is simply a distraction and explore the skills gamers are developing every day—from pattern recognition and strategy to spatial awareness, memorization, problem-solving, and adaptability. But the conversation goes much deeper than gaming. What happens when young people move from being consumers of technology to becoming its creators, builders, and owners? Are traditional STEM programs actually meeting kids where they are? And if AI and gaming are shaping the future, who gets to build that future? The conversation also tackles the concerns parents have about gaming, including online safety, predators, Roblox, screen time, and the responsibility adults have to understand the digital worlds their children already inhabit. This isn't a conversation about getting kids to stop playing games. It's about asking what becomes possible when we stop dismissing what they love—and start helping them build something with it. LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  7. Sep 14

    EP. 4 | What Is AI About to Do to Black America?

    This week on AI UNHINGED, the questions are rapid-fire, but the answers go much deeper. What’s the biggest lie we’re telling ourselves about AI? Are some of today’s so-called “AI experts” really experts—or just selling information anyone could get from ChatGPT? And while millions of people are learning how to use AI, who is actually learning how to build it, own it, and profit from it? Dr. Lawrence gets candid about what AI could mean for Black America, the growing digital wealth gap, and why simply teaching people how to prompt may not be enough. The conversation explores the difference between being an AI consumer, user, creator, and builder—and why that distinction could determine who benefits from the next technological shift. The episode also gets into education and a troubling question: What happens when some children are encouraged to rely on AI at an early age while others are being taught critical thinking, coding, and how the technology actually works? From jobs and economic inequality to algorithmic discrimination, civil rights, policing, surveillance, and privacy, this conversation asks the questions that often get left out of the AI hype. And finally: Could AI actually kill us—or are we so focused on a future AI apocalypse that we’re ignoring the harm AI can cause people today? No rehearsed answers. No safe talking points. Just an unfiltered conversation about who AI is really being built for—and what we need to do before the gap gets even wider. This is AI UNHINGED. Video Credit Dekalb County Gov: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZ-249X-iWc LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  8. Sep 7

    EP. 3 | Can AI Ever Be Ethical? | AI Bias, Safety & Regulation

    Can corporations be trusted to fix AI bias if there’s no money in fixing it? In this episode of AI Unhinged, Dr. Calvin D. Lawrence sits down with Dr. Seth Dobrin for a candid conversation about what actually drives responsible artificial intelligence inside corporate America. Dr. Lawrence introduces his “three R’s”: revenue, reputation, and regulation. His argument is simple: companies are far more likely to take AI safety seriously when ignoring it threatens their profits, damages their reputation, or puts them at regulatory risk. But Dr. Dobrin pushes the conversation further. They explore why responsible AI can itself become a business advantage, how privacy and consent can change the relationship between companies and consumers, and why corporations have a financial responsibility to think about both the opportunities and the risks created by AI. The discussion then moves into one of the most complicated questions in artificial intelligence: Who gets to decide what “bias” actually means? When global AI models are trained across cultures, whose values should determine what gets removed, corrected, or labeled harmful? And could attempts to make AI “safe” unintentionally impose one culture’s values on the rest of the world? From the EU AI Act and AI regulation to large language models, corporate responsibility, cultural bias, privacy, and what Dr. Dobrin calls technological colonialism, this conversation asks whether we can build responsible AI without slowing innovation — and who ultimately gets to define what responsible even means. LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  9. Aug 31

    EP. 2 | Would You Trust AI With Your Life? | AI in Healthcare

    AI is changing healthcare—but what happens when the technology inherits the same biases already embedded in the system? In Episode 2 of AI Unhinged, Dr. Calvin D. Lawrence sits down with Dr. Stacey Denise Moore, a physician, surgeon, and AI consultant whose work brings together medicine, technology, systems, and the human experience. The conversation explores what happens when artificial intelligence moves beyond convenience and begins influencing decisions that can directly affect people’s health and quality of life. From bias in healthcare technology and the experiences of Black patients to patient trust, automation, and the responsibility of the people building these systems, Dr. Lawrence and Dr. Moore examine a question that is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore: Can we use AI to improve healthcare without allowing it to reproduce the very inequities we are trying to solve? This is not a conversation about whether AI is coming to healthcare. It’s already here. The question is whether we are building it with the right people in mind. Welcome to Episode 2 of AI Unhinged. LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  10. Aug 26

    Ep. 1 | Why I Left Corporate and Started AI UNHINGED

    Welcome to the inaugural episode of AI Unhinged. Executive Producer Angel Forte sits down with host Dr. Calvin D. Lawrence for a candid introduction to the man behind the mission and the experiences that shaped his perspective on artificial intelligence. Dr. Lawrence takes us from earning a master’s degree in artificial intelligence in 1993 to becoming a Distinguished Engineer, corporate technology leader, author, and practitioner who has spent decades actually building AI systems. But this conversation goes far beyond credentials. Dr. Lawrence opens up about the experiences that changed the way he viewed the technology he helped create, including the realization that AI systems built without the right guardrails can create very different outcomes for Black communities and other vulnerable populations. He discusses the inspiration behind his book, Hidden in White Sight, the difficult decision to challenge an industry he had spent his career inside, and why walking away from corporate America allowed him to approach AI differently. They also explore bias in facial recognition, AI in policing, the lack of Black voices in corporate technology spaces, the personal cost of speaking up, and why simply telling companies to stop building AI is not the answer. For Dr. Lawrence, the mission is clear: AI is going to be built. The question is whether we are willing to build it better. This episode introduces the purpose behind AI Unhinged: giving a voice to people affected by artificial intelligence, challenging those building it, and creating honest conversations about what happens when technology leaves the lab and enters our lives. LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  11. Season 1 Trailer

    AI UNHINGED TRAILER

    Artificial intelligence is already shaping who gets hired, who gets watched, who gets believed, who gets left behind, and who holds the power. AI Unhinged, hosted by Dr. Calvin D. Lawrence, goes beyond the hype to expose what AI is really doing to people, institutions, and communities. Dr. Lawrence is a former IBM Distinguished Engineer, former Chief Technology Officer for Responsible AI at IBM, bestselling author, and builder of AI systems used around the world. He has worked in artificial intelligence since the 1990s and became the first Black person to earn a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence. He has been in the boardrooms where technology decisions are made and in the communities where the consequences are felt. Each episode confronts the issues others sanitize or avoid, including algorithmic bias, surveillance, automation, education, law enforcement, identity, trauma, human oversight, and the growing influence of AI on everyday life. Because artificial intelligence is not neutral. It reflects power. It encodes priorities. And without accountability, it can deepen the very inequalities it promises to solve. Listen. Join the conversation. Challenge what you have been told. Subscribe to AI Unhinged. LEARN MORE ABOUT DR. LAWRENCE: calvindlawrence.com FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: @aiunhingedpodcast PRODUCED BY: ORGANIZED MOVEMENTS

  • 1 Trailer
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Trailer

About

AI Unhinged is where artificial intelligence meets the real world, without the hype, fearmongering, or polished corporate talking points. Hosted by Dr. Calvin D. Lawrence, a Distinguished Engineer, technologist, author, and pioneering leader in artificial intelligence, the show is grounded in decades of real-world experience at the intersection of technology, innovation, and leadership. Dr. Lawrence holds the distinction of being the first Black person to earn a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence, bringing a rare combination of historical perspective, technical expertise, and lived experience to conversations about where AI is taking us next. AI Unhinged explores how artificial intelligence is already reshaping the way we work, learn, lead, create, communicate, and make decisions. From education and business to ethics, culture, careers, bias, and the future of human connection, each episode tackles the questions people are thinking about but may not be asking out loud. Through candid conversations with educators, executives, innovators, technologists, and thought leaders, Dr. Lawrence pushes beyond what AI can do to examine what its rapid evolution means for people, institutions, industries, and society. The technology is moving fast. The stakes are getting higher. And nothing is off limits. This is AI Unhinged.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr. Calvin Lawrence
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 AI UNHINGED
  • Show Website
    AI UNHINGED