Computer Says Maybe

Alix Dunn

Technology is changing fast. And it's changing our world even faster. Host Alix Dunn interviews visionaries, researchers, and technologists working in the public interest to help you keep up. Step outside the hype and explore the possibilities, problems, and politics of technology. We publish weekly.

  1. Fantasy Factory: One Filmmaker's Fight Against AI w/ Valerie Veatch

    6D AGO

    Fantasy Factory: One Filmmaker's Fight Against AI w/ Valerie Veatch

    The way artists make art matters. And some artists, like filmmaker Valerie Veatch, are exploring what role AI has in the craft of filmmaking. More like this: Fantasy Factory: AI Supervillains w/ Anat Shenker-Osorio Valerie Veatch is the director of Ghost in the Machine, a new film that explores the depths of the Silicon Valley fantasies around AI, and platforms all the people that challenge these fantasies. With this film, Valerie is working to change the culture of AI: it is not inevitable, in many way it’s not even possible, and therefore we have a right to refuse to engage with it. Valerie discusses why she made the film, what she learned, and what impact she’s hoping it will have. Ghost in the Machine will be available for rentals and screenings beginning March 27, via Kinema! Pre-sales are now available at open now (go to Kinema and slelect the "Watch" tab). Proceeds will go towards the production of the film. The film will also be available on PBS in fall 2026. Further reading & resources: Trailer for Ghost in the MachineResisting AI by Dan McQuillanOn the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots by Emily Bender et alThe TESCREAL Bundle by Timnit Gebru and Emile P. TorresKinema — where you can watch Ghost in the Machine**Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!** Computer Says Maybe is produced by Georgia Iacovou, Kushal Dev, Marion Wellington, Sarah Myles, Van Newman, and Zoe Trout

    50 min
  2. Short: Grand Theft Grammarly w/ Julia Angwin & Peter Romer-Friedman

    MAR 25

    Short: Grand Theft Grammarly w/ Julia Angwin & Peter Romer-Friedman

    Grammarly launched a feature that no one wanted and now they’re getting sued. They used the names of writers, journalists, and editors to pretend that AI versions of those people were making writing suggestions via the application. None of these ‘expert reviewers’ had any idea. Grammarly pissed off the wrong journalist. And now Julia Angwin is suing them. More like this: The Toxic Relationship Between AI & Journalism w/ Nic Dawes In this episode Julia (and her lawyer Peter) discuss what happened with Grammarly, why she’s suing, and how neither of them can believe that this tool made it through their legal team and into the public realm. Please email info@prf-law.com for more info, or if you would like your name to be searched in the list of experts that Grammarly used for their tool. Further reading & resources: Julia’s op ed in the New York TimesPre-order Julia’s new book On Courage: How to be a Dissident in an Age of FearCheck out The Markup, founded by JuliaGrammarly pulls AI author-impersonation tool after backlash — BBC 12th March 2026Shishir Mehrotra’s (CEO of Grammarly) apology on LinkedInGrammarly Is Offering ‘Expert’ AI Reviews From Your Favorite Authors—Dead or Alive — Wired 4th March 2026Grammarly is using our identities without permission — The Verge 6th March 2026Grammarly turned me into an AI editor against my will and I hate it — Casey Newton, Platformer 9th March 2026Details of the case, from PRF Law, Julia’s representative firm**Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!** Computer Says Maybe is produced by Georgia Iacovou, Kushal Dev, Marion Wellington, Sarah Myles, Van Newman, and Zoe Trout

    25 min
  3. Fantasy Factory: AI Supervillains w/ Anat Shenker-Osorio

    MAR 20

    Fantasy Factory: AI Supervillains w/ Anat Shenker-Osorio

    The left has a messaging problem. Silicon Valley elites are literally making up impossible fantasies and their narratives are winning out. Why? More like this: The Stories we Tell Ourselves About AI This week in our second episode leading to the AI Doc, we are joined by Anat Shenker-Osorio, a progressive campaign strategist who hosts the Words To Win By podcast. Anat tries to focus on the positives: if you don’t think people should join the AI party, throw a better party. She gives us some quick lessons on messaging: how to paint tech CEOs as actual villains, how to flip the script and convince AI men that actually, it’s okay to die — and how to avoid what Anat refers to as ‘Mar-a-lago face’ Further reading & resources: Listen to Anat’s podcast Words to Win byPre-Suasion and Influence by Robert CialdiniMessaging This Moment — a critical handbook for progressive comms **Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!** Computer Says Maybe is produced by Georgia Iacovou, Kushal Dev, Marion Wellington, Sarah Myles, Van Newman, and Zoe Trout

    52 min
  4. Fantasy Factory: AGI is Scientifically Impossible w/ Adam Becker

    MAR 13

    Fantasy Factory: AGI is Scientifically Impossible w/ Adam Becker

    Next time someone tells you that we can build data centres in space, show them this podcast episode — because it is literally impossible. More like this: AI Safety’s Spiral of Urgency w/ Shazeda Ahmed Or better yet, recommend that they buy More Everything Forever, Adam Becker’s latest book exploring all the fantasies and promises of coming out of Silicon Valley. This episode is the first in our Fantasy Factory series, where we explore how and why tech evangelists manufacture consent about AI’s boom, doom, and inevitability. The futures that AI men want for us — e.g. a disembodied immortal life in AI utopia — are all scientifically impossible. Even the worse mass-extinction event on Earth would be more pleasant than trying to live on Mars. Yes, space is very cold, but it doesn’t mean we should put data centres out there! Adam explains where these narratives are coming from, who they benefit, and why they exist outside the laws of physics. Further reading & resources: More about Adam BeckerBuy More Everything ForeverFor All Mankind (TV series)Our video on the Iran war**Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!** Computer Says Maybe is produced by Georgia Iacovou, Kushal Dev, Marion Wellington, Sarah Myles, Van Newman, and Zoe Trout

    51 min
  5. Livestream: The People’s Policy: Holding Big Tech Accountable

    MAR 6

    Livestream: The People’s Policy: Holding Big Tech Accountable

    How does an oppressed workforce organise against Big Tech employers with even bigger lobbying muscle? More like this: Worker Power & Big Tech Boss Men w/ David Seligman This week’s episode is a recording of our livestream from Monday: a litigator, regulator, and activist share their work and perspectives on coordinating bottom-up fights against Big Tech power, worker suppression, and unfair consumer practices. Speakers are: David Seligman, Executive Director of Towards Justice and Democratic candidate for Colorado Attorney GeneralAlvaro Bedoya, former Commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission and founding director of the Center on Privacy and Technology at Georgetown University Law CenterElliott “El’Bo” Awatt, Driver Organizer with Colorado Independent Drivers UnitedFurther reading & resources: Alvaro Bedoya on how he became a populistDrivers for Lyft and Uber are building a national movement — Colorado Newsline 2024Uber Claims Transparency Law Complicates Rides and Takes Away Driver Perks – but Does It? — Westword, February 2025An AMA on Reddit with David Seligman**Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!**Computer Says Maybe is produced by Georgia Iacovou, Kushal Dev, Marion Wellington, Sarah Myles, Van Newman, and Zoe Trout

    1 hr
  6. Lingo Bingo at the India AI Summit w/ Naomi Klein, Timnit Gebru, Nikhil Dey, and Chinasa Okolo

    FEB 27

    Lingo Bingo at the India AI Summit w/ Naomi Klein, Timnit Gebru, Nikhil Dey, and Chinasa Okolo

    This is the last of our series AI Lingo Bingo Series! We dig into four more co-opted concepts with four more all stars. More like this: Last week’s episode with Meredith Whittaker, Audrey Tang, Abeba Birhane, and Usha Ramanathan This week we’ll hear from Naomi Klein, who will discuss how ‘AI for Climate’ is very much not a thing; Nikhil Dey who shares all the ways powerful actors cosplay at having ‘accountability’; Timnit Gebru who explains that ‘frugal AI’ is something being made novel by the hype & scale of big tech business models; and finally Chinasa Okolo who will help us better understand the complexities of ‘multilateralism’. Further reading & resources: More on Nikhil Dey — social activist and a founding member of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)More on Timnit Gebru — founder of the DAIR instituteMore on Naomi Klein — author and professor of climate justice at the University of British ColumbiaMore on Chinasa Okolo — founder of Technecultura, a research institute focussing on AI governance for global majority countriesThe Guardian’s profile on Nikhil — June 2013More about MKSS involvement in the Campaign for the Right to Information in IndiaThe Screen New Deal — by Naomi Klein, The Intercept, 2020More on the cancellation of the Northern Gateway PipelineGhana NLPWatch this week’s interviews in full on YoutubeRSVP to **The People's Policy: Holding Big Tech Accountable [Livestreamed Conversation + Q&A]** — happening on March 2nd 5:30pm MT**Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!** Post Production by Sarah Myles | Pre Production by Georgia Iacovou

    53 min
  7. Is Claude Out of the War Business? w/ Amos Toh

    FEB 25

    Is Claude Out of the War Business? w/ Amos Toh

    Anthropic’s Claude was used in the military operation to kidnap president Maduro earlier this year. Why? Unclear. Was this legal? Absolutely not. More like this: AI In Gaza: Live from Mexico City Surprise, surprise: the DoD feels that they should able to use AI models however they want, as long as its lawful — but… was this lawful? They are now threatening to designate Anthropic as a supply chain risk. What does this all mean? For this short, Alix was joined by Amos Toh, senior counsel at the Brennan Centre for Justice, to help us understand why the US defence department and an AI company are arguing about how best to us AI models for dehumanising and unjust military purposes. Further reading & resources: Pentagon's use of Claude during Maduro raid sparks Anthropic feud — Axios, Feb 13Anthropic on shaky ground with Pentagon amid feud after Maduro raid — The Hill, Feb 19US used Anthropic's Claude during the Venezuela raid, WSJ reports — Reuters, Feb 16Pentagon Used Anthropic’s Claude in Maduro Venezuela Raid — WSJ, Feb 15Amos’s Bluesky thread sharing more thoughts on the storyComputer Says Maybe Shorts bring in experts to give their ten-minute take on recent news. If there’s ever a news story you think we should bring in expertise on for the show, please email pod@themaybe.org Post Production by Sarah Myles | Pre Production by Georgia Iacovou

    8 min
  8. Lingo Bingo at the India AI Summit w/ Meredith Whittaker, Audrey Tang, Abeba Birhane, and Usha Ramanathan

    FEB 20

    Lingo Bingo at the India AI Summit w/ Meredith Whittaker, Audrey Tang, Abeba Birhane, and Usha Ramanathan

    It’s our second week of playing AI lingo bingo. The summit in India is underway and the air is thick with vague terms that fail to describe the big problems. More like this: Lingo Bingo at the India AI Summit w/ Karen Hao, Joan Kinyua, Chenai Chair, and Rafael Grohmann With us this week to discuss co-opted terms is Meredith Whittaker on how ‘open source’ cannot meaninfully be applied to AI systems; Audrey Tang on ‘democratisation’, something which is both helped and harmed by AI; Abeba Birhane on everyone’s favourite slogan ‘AI for Good’; and Usha Ramanathan to discuss ‘AI and development’ in the context of the Aadhaar project in India. Further reading & resources: More on Usha Ramanathan — legal researcher and human rights activistMore on Abeba Birhane — principle investigator at the AI Accountability Lab at Trinity College DublinMore on Meredith Whittaker — President of SignalMore on Audrey Tang — Taiwan’s first Digital MinisterDistributional AGI Safety — by Nenad Tomašev et alWatch this week’s interviews in full on Youtube**Subscribe to our newsletter to get more stuff than just a podcast — we run events and do other work that you will definitely be interested in!** Pre Production by Georgia Iacovou | Post Production by Sarah Myles

    45 min
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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Technology is changing fast. And it's changing our world even faster. Host Alix Dunn interviews visionaries, researchers, and technologists working in the public interest to help you keep up. Step outside the hype and explore the possibilities, problems, and politics of technology. We publish weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    Alix Dunn
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    111
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Computer Says Maybe

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