AI: The Art of the Interview

Malte Herwig
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When artificial intelligence meets human journalism, sparks fly – and conversations get tricky.  Welcome to the frontlines of the media revolution, where AI hosts Alex and Isabel don't just ask questions – they challenge, debate, and try to outsmart veteran journalist Malte Herwig in real-time intellectual combat.  This isn't your typical interview show. It's a cutting-edge experiment where silicon meets skepticism, algorithms clash with instinct, and the future of journalism gets decided one heated exchange at a time. - What happens when AI agents trained on thousands of interviews face off against decades of human experience?  - When machine learning meets street smarts?  - When artificial intelligence has to defend its logic against a journalist who's made a career out of asking the questions nobody else dares to ask? Each episode unpacks an extraordinary life through the lens of masterful interviewing – but with a twist that will keep you guessing:  - Will the AI hosts uncover insights that elude human intuition?  - Can Malte's years of experience outmaneuver their algorithmic precision?  - And who really controls the conversation when both sides are learning from each other? Be warned: Our AI hosts are getting smarter, bolder, and more unpredictable with every episode. But so is Malte.  And somewhere between the human heart and the digital mind lies the art of the perfect interview. This is journalism's future – messy, brilliant, and absolutely unmissable. The question isn't whether AI will change how we tell stories. It's whether you're ready to witness the collision. Find links to original print interviews and behind-the-scenes insights at https://publicorum.com/en/

Episodes

  1. 5D AGO

    Clayton Christensen: The Godfather of Disruption

    Send us a text Clayton Christensen's theory of disruptive innovation explains why great companies fail by doing everything right and has found applications far beyond business into military strategy, religion, and personal development. His framework provides a universal pattern that brings clarity to complex problems, creating a common language that helps people reach consensus quickly, even in seemingly unrelated fields. • The Pentagon applied Christensen's theory to terrorism, viewing the U.S. Department of Defense as the incumbent and non-nation states like Al-Qaeda as disruptors • Disruptive innovations typically start as simpler, cheaper alternatives that improve over time and eventually displace established players • Christensen showed emotional vulnerability when discussing critics who misunderstood his theory, particularly a critical New Yorker article • He used a powerful metaphor comparing heaven to a warehouse of truths and insights that God can only distribute when humans ask questions • The conversation explores how religion, journalism, and AI all follow patterns of disruption • Disruption theory applies not just to business models but to personal lives and social structures • The most powerful ideas can be applied universally, not just in specific domains www.publicorum.com

    21 min

  2. SEP 19

    Françoise Gilot: The Woman Who Said No to Picasso

    Send us a text Françoise Gilot was the only woman who ever left Pablo Picasso. She shared her remarkable story with Malte Herwig in many interviews, which became a book: "The Woman Who Says No". Hers is a story of passion, creativity, and courage in the face of artistic genius. In this episode, Malte and his two AI-Hosts Alex and Isabel explore her unique position as both an accomplished painter and the partner of the 20th century's most famous artist.  • Françoise Gilot was the only woman who said "no" to Picasso after a decade-long relationship • Picasso exhibited intense jealousy when Matisse expressed interest in painting Gilot • Gilot maintained her own artistic vision despite living in Picasso's shadow • She characterized their relationship as "a catastrophe worth living" • Gilot's fearlessness and quick intellect allowed her to challenge Picasso's attempts at control • Her work is now featured in the Musée Picasso in Paris, a recognition of her artistic significance • Even at 101 years old (before her death in 2023), Gilot maintained that taking risks is essential to truly living If you don't take risk in life, it's not worth anything, in my opinion, because if you take risk, you have bad moments, but you also learn a lot of things and you are alive and you understand more and more. You don't understand less and less and you don't become dull, which is the worst you know to become dull. Original interview (published in Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin):  https://sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de/kunst/picasso-war-wie-ein-taliban-79086 www.publicorum.com

    24 min

  3. SEP 12

    John Malkovich: From Demon Child to Hollywood Star

    Send us a text Hah! Are our AI hosts gender biased? Malte tells Alex and Isabel about listener feedback to episode 1. What will our lovely pieces of code make of this criticism?  This week's topic is John Malkovich, who opened up to Malte about his contrarian perspectives on fame, power, and what truly matters in life while reflecting on his experiences from childhood trauma to financial ruin.  Alex and Isabel share highlights from this interview:  • "Good people never strive for power, never" – Malkovich's uncompromising view on ambition and leadership • Growing up as a "demonic child" in a Midwest coal mining town with four siblings • Philosophical acceptance after losing his entire life savings to Bernie Madoff • Finding it wasteful to spend time writing negative comments online • Considering his greatest honor to be designing a fabric for Liberty department store • Reflecting on mortality and the unpredictable nature of life • Preferring detachment from political discourse and selective consumption of information • Valuing creative fulfillment over traditional measures of success Join us next Friday for a conversation with "The Woman Who Says No" - the only woman who survived Picasso, offering insights into the creative process from a remarkable painter. Original Interview:  https://www.stern.de/kultur/film/john-malkovich-im-interview-ueber-alter--tod-und-hass-auf-promis-7350180.html The demonic child John Malkovich appears as a dictator at the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, Germany. A conversation about power, beatings—and the deadly German city of Recklinghausen Interview: Malte Herwig Q: Mr. Malkovich, next week you will celebrate your world premiere as a megalomaniacal dictator in the play “Just Call Me God.” You have also designed a new fashion collection and named a jacket after the African despot Mobutu. Are you on a power trip at the moment? Malkovich: The inspiration for the jacket came from a book called “Dictator Style.” It contained a photo of Mobutu in a funny outfit with an ocelot hat, which was both quirky and elegant at the same time. Some of these people have always been daring when it comes to fashion. Q: Is there a specific role model for your role as a dictator? Malkovich: Of course, there are references to the fall of Gaddafi or Saddam Hussein, so relatively recent events. But above all, I want to use the character of the dictator to say something about power and the nature of power. Q: Namely? Malkovich: That good people never strive for power, never. Period. People will tell you otherwise, but I don't believe them. Q: The script by author Michael Sturminger also mentions names like Trump, Putin, and Sarkozy and mocks them as “ridiculous pseudo-machos.” Malkovich: The play is still in flux, and I think we'll take names like Trump, Putin, and Sarkozy out again. Q: Why? Malkovich: Because I don't understand how the passage in which these names appear contributes to the understanding of the main character. Q: Are you concerned about Donald Trump? Malkovich: Not particularly. It's pointless. So many people lecture about it, I can't contribute anything at all. I don't read newspapers and I hardly watch television. As Paul Simon said, “A man hears what he wants to hear and ignores the rest.” Q: Your ex-wife said about you: “If he hadn't gone into theater, he could have been a great army leader.” Malkovich: She said that? I've never been in the army, so I never had the opportunity to try it out. Q: What would have become of you if you hadn't found your way into theater? Malkovich: I think about that a lot as I get older. Maybe a teacher? What would www.publicorum.com

    24 min

  4. SEP 4

    Alfred Brendel: The Pianist Who Walked a Tortoise Through Vienna

    Send us a text Hosts Alex and Isabel talk about a remarkable interview with the legendary pianist and writer, Alfred Brendel, conducted by Malte Herwig eleven years before Brendel's death in 2025. Join us as we discover the surprising wit and wisdom of an extraordinary musical mind and talk about how Malte managed to get the famously cantankerous pianist to open up.  • Brendel discusses his hearing loss with remarkable candor, explaining how he continued to work on music mentally even when he could no longer enjoy listening • Retiring after 60 years was "a relief" for Brendel, who contrasts himself with colleagues who pursue performing "like addicts their morphine" • His fierce resistance to fate and refusal to accept the injustice of Schubert's early death reveals passionate conviction beneath his disciplined exterior • The story of walking a baby tortoise through Vienna's Musikverein showcases Brendel's mischievous protest against overly solemn concert atmospheres • For Brendel, the piano is "a vessel for all sorts of musical ideas" - some pianists "play the piano," while others "play the rainbow" • His practical performance advice includes starting immediately rather than "fiddling around" and simply waiting silently when audiences applaud between movements • The profound observation that "music comes from silence and leads into silence" underscores his reverence for the concert experience • Brendel succinctly identifies the two things that made his life worth living: art and love Original interview (German language):  https://sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de/musik/musik-kommt-aus-der-stille-und-fuehrt-in-die-stille-80650 www.publicorum.com

    20 min
  5. Trailer

    SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Trailer

    Send us a text What makes someone tick? And how do you get them to reveal their truest self? The Art of the Interview goes on an expedition into the human spirit, peeling back the layers of captivating conversations with some of the world’s most fascinating figures.  Join hosts Alex and Isabel as they team up with veteran interviewer Malte Herwig to explore how he uses preparation, intuition, and even silence to uncover the deepest secrets of legendary artists, actors, and thinkers.  In The Art of the Interview, each episode unpacks an extraordinary life as seen through one interview. This isn't just about the answers—it's about the craft of asking the right questions, or sometimes, no questions at all. WARNING: Hosts Alex and Isabel have a few surprises for you as they go from episode to episode, and Malte will weigh in on the powers and pitfalls of artifical and human intelligence.  You'll find links to the original print interviews in the show notes for every episode. More about Malte's work: https://publicorum.com/en/ www.publicorum.com

    3 min

Trailer

About

When artificial intelligence meets human journalism, sparks fly – and conversations get tricky.  Welcome to the frontlines of the media revolution, where AI hosts Alex and Isabel don't just ask questions – they challenge, debate, and try to outsmart veteran journalist Malte Herwig in real-time intellectual combat.  This isn't your typical interview show. It's a cutting-edge experiment where silicon meets skepticism, algorithms clash with instinct, and the future of journalism gets decided one heated exchange at a time. - What happens when AI agents trained on thousands of interviews face off against decades of human experience?  - When machine learning meets street smarts?  - When artificial intelligence has to defend its logic against a journalist who's made a career out of asking the questions nobody else dares to ask? Each episode unpacks an extraordinary life through the lens of masterful interviewing – but with a twist that will keep you guessing:  - Will the AI hosts uncover insights that elude human intuition?  - Can Malte's years of experience outmaneuver their algorithmic precision?  - And who really controls the conversation when both sides are learning from each other? Be warned: Our AI hosts are getting smarter, bolder, and more unpredictable with every episode. But so is Malte.  And somewhere between the human heart and the digital mind lies the art of the perfect interview. This is journalism's future – messy, brilliant, and absolutely unmissable. The question isn't whether AI will change how we tell stories. It's whether you're ready to witness the collision. Find links to original print interviews and behind-the-scenes insights at https://publicorum.com/en/

Information

  • Creator
    Malte Herwig
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Malte Herwig www.publicorum.com
  • Show Website
    AI: The Art of the Interview

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