Superintelligent

with Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini
  • 4.6 (7)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

The Superintelligent podcast features smart conversation between journalists Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini about technology, culture and our fast-changing world. SUBSCRIBE to Superintelligent on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podcast Republic, Podcast Addict or wherever you get your podcasts! www.superintelligentpodcast.com

  1. AM Radio Vibes

    3D AGO

    AM Radio Vibes

    Channeling an off-the-cuff AM radio program, Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini explore today’s relentlessly negative tech discourse. Are algorithms—and human nature—trapping us in a doom loop? Maybe. But most AI problems are likely temporary. They explore authenticity in a synthetic world, unpack AI FOMO, and celebrate the fact that you can podcast globally for free during a blizzard—even if the cameras still can’t get their skin tones right. Links How data helped Mexico City reduce high-impact crime by more than 50% How Mexico City is Tackling Air Pollution Emily’s Website Mike’s Blog Community Notes Help Reduce the Virality of False Information on X Apple Launches Video Podcasts Viral, AI-generated apocalypse social media post - “Something Big Is Happening” Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes Emily Forlini -Website |PC Mag |Bluesky |X |TikTok Disclosures We used Gemini Pro 3.1 via Kagi (Mike’s son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). Keywords tech optimism, authentic communication, AI hallucinations, prompt engineering, Uber in Mexico City, disinformation, social media algorithms, AI ethics, tech journalism, content creation, AI FOMO, video podcasting, AI moderation, fact-checking, personal blogging, AI and creativity, technology and society, future of AI, honest journalism This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com

    47 min
  2. The Creepy Weirdo Industrial Complex

    FEB 17

    The Creepy Weirdo Industrial Complex

    In this episode of Superintelligent, hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini get philosophical. They debunk the myth of the screenless revolution and argue that upcoming AI devices from OpenAI, Google, Apple and others are mere peripheral devices to screens. They applaud the bipartisan movement to ban smartphones in schools, but society is far from saved. Case in point: Daters now have to worry about getting recorded on smart glasses. The episode ends with an exploration of what it means to observe our world, and what our methods of doing so say about us. Links Jony Ive and OpenAI’s wedding announcement OpenAI and Jony Ive’s Screenless AI Device Could Release in the Next Two Years Why There’s No ‘Screenless’ Revolution Parents and Teens Support School Cellphone Bans Can a Dumb Phone Improve Your Life? I Talked to 6 People Who Made the Switch New Philosopher magazine Lapham’s Quarterly Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Recap of Previous Episode 01:32 The Impact of Opinion Columns 03:11 The Future of Screenless Devices 06:40 Banning Phones in Schools 09:34 Bipartisan Support for Phone Bans 13:21 The Irony of Intergenerational Phone Use 17:23 The Role of Screenless Wearables 20:10 The Rise of AI Glasses and Privacy Concerns 26:57 Creepy Technology and Privacy Concerns 28:31 The Impact of Observation on Behavior 31:25 The Observer Effect and Its Implications 34:03 Media Consumption and the Quest for Knowledge 37:07 The Challenge of Information Overload 40:03 The Importance of Critical Thinking 47:34 Wisdom in Observation vs. Immediate Reaction Disclosures We used Gemini Pro 3 via Kagi (my son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). Keywords Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, Jony Ive, OpenAI, AI hardware, screenless devices, smart glasses, Ray-Ban Meta, smartphone bans in schools, tech addiction, ambient computing, smart rings, digital privacy, observer effect, media consumption, RSS feeds, tech news, haptic technology, educational technology, wearable tech This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com

    50 min
  3. Don’t Be a Tammy (Updated)

    FEB 8

    Don’t Be a Tammy (Updated)

    Here comes Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini to dissect the chaotic and unpredictable state of AI chatbots in this episode of Superintelligent. They explore the rampant commodification of models like ChatGPT and Gemini while slamming useless benchmarks. The hosts ponder the future of AI hardware and the dangers of OpenClaw. Discover why writing is thinking and how to avoid cognitive atrophy in the age of AI.Images Links The 2026 Super Bowl ads Sam Altman’s posts on Anthropic’s ads OpenClaw Is the Hot New AI Agent, But Is It Safe to Use? OpenClaw: The AI agent that’s got humans taking orders from bots AI Agents Launched a Social Network and Spawned a Digital Religion Overnight No Humans Allowed: AIs Get Their Own Religion, Social Media, and Hired Help Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok Disclosures We used Gemini Pro 3 via Kagi (my son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com

    52 min
  4. A Blizzard of Meteorologists on TikTok

    JAN 26

    A Blizzard of Meteorologists on TikTok

    Why can’t you trust your weather app in a snowstorm? Join hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini as they navigate the chaos of the weekend storm and debate the reliability of modern weather apps versus traditional TV meteorologists, and now TikTok weather experts. (RIP Farmer’s Almanac.) Plus, your favorite hosts ask the questions nobody has the answer to: What’s the best way to do social media in 2026? Links https://apnews.com/article/winter-storm-apps-forecast-accuracy-snow-weather-9768afec5fc53b4faba19f3cfd06a86c Emily on TikTok Dark Sky is done. Here’s how Apple’s Weather app succeeded it Yes, ‘The Farmer’s Almanac’ Is Closing—But Don’t Panic Just Yet Hail Cannon in the Wikipedia EMP in the Wikipedia Kagi Assistant is now available to all users Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes Emily Forlini -Website |PC Mag |Bluesky |X |TikTok Chapters 00:00 Weather Wonders: A Tale of Two Climates 02:14 The Evolution of Weather Forecasting 05:12 The Role of Meteorologists in Modern Society 08:04 The Impact of Weather on Agriculture 11:10 The Future of Weather Information 13:48 The Intersection of Technology and Tradition 16:48 Cultural Perspectives on Weather Communication 19:32 The Legacy of the Farmer’s Almanac 28:10 The Lively Chaos of Latin American Streets 31:24 Navigating Information in a Digital Age 38:47 The TikTok Experiment: Finding Engagement 53:06 Connecting Through Content Creation Keywords Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, weather apps, meteorology, TikTok meteorologists, severe weather tracking, Dark Sky app, AI hallucinations, chatbot accuracy, Farmer’s Almanac, subscription economy, Netflix business model, emergency alert systems, megaphone trucks, content creation strategy, video marketing, DJI drones, Kagi Search, social media engagement, Fediverse, Mastodon, viral video strategies, authentic storytelling Disclosures We used Gemini Pro 3 via Kagi (my son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com

    56 min
  5. Wandering the Desert Looking for Aliens

    JAN 20

    Wandering the Desert Looking for Aliens

    Emily and Mike are mad this week. Join the dynamic duo as they dissect the disaster of Google AI Overviews stealing from content creators, then stealing the eyeballs and ad revenue of people looking for that content. A big new deal with Apple could make it worse. Superintelligent also tackles the inevitable dorkiness of smart glasses and the mental health risks of constant connectivity and personal AI assistants. And Mike and Emily share tales of driving blind in El Salvador and wandering the deserts looking for aliens. Are they real or not? Links Apple, Google Sign Deal to Use Gemini AI to Help Build the Future of Siri Google Flexes Another AI Advantage Warby Parker, Google to launch AI-powered smart glasses in 2026 A Man Bought Meta’s AI Glasses, and Ended Up Wandering the Desert Searching for Aliens to Abduct Him ‘The Age of Disclosure’: Documentary Revealing Government Cover-Up of Non-Human Intelligence Sets Release Ziff Davis AI layoffs - https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThBSo421/ Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene 01:06 The Impact of AI on Website Traffic 04:08 Google’s Content Monetization Strategy 06:31 Navigating the Future of AI Personal Assistants 12:25 Apple and Google’s Strategic Partnership 18:52 The Future of Smart Glasses and AI Integration 22:03 The Future of Smart Glasses 24:43 Wearable Tech in Industry 27:42 The Psychological Effects of AI 29:39 The Balance of Digital and Physical Exploration 31:42 Beliefs About Aliens and Exploration Keywords Google, Apple, Google AI Overviews, artificial intelligence, Google Gemini, Apple Intelligence, iPhone AI features, personal AI assistant, smart glasses, Ray-Ban Meta, wearable technology, Ziff Davis, layoffs, web traffic decline, digital marketing, SEO strategy, AI impact on journalism, tech news, Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, UFO sightings, alien theories, government drones, mental health in tech, digital detox, generative AI, large language models, Google Apple partnership, future of search, Project Astra, AI hallucinations, tech commentary. Disclosures We used Gemini Pro 3 via Kagi (my son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com

    44 min
  6. I Can't Believe It's Butter!

    JAN 12

    I Can't Believe It's Butter!

    Superintelligent hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini explore the link between churning homemade butter and the craving for authenticity in the new world of fake AI everything. They talk about Google’s new Gmail AI features as the most recent example of companies pushing everyone to use AI for communication. The hosts allow themselves to be influenced by influencer and Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, who says that in 2026 influencers will need to prove their humanity by posting authentic content and disclosing how they use AI. Links Amira’s home-made cultured butter Google adding an AI inbox, ai overviews to gmail. does anybody want this? ‘Apple Intelligence’ won’t send your data to far-flung servers (for the most part) Adam Mosseri’s post on authenticity in an AI world In an AI-perfect world, it’s time to prove you’re human This retiree’s 30 AI girlfriends kept loneliness at bay—until one’s dark secret shatters the illusion After ‘digital undressing’ criticism, Elon Musk’s Grok limits some image generation to paid subscribers BeReal Twitter and Pinterest founders launch app as antidote to social media Steve Miller’s high school speech clip from Jimmy Kimmel Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes Emily Forlini -Website |PC Mag |Bluesky |X |TikTok Keywords Artificial Intelligence, AI, Homemade Butter, Google Gemini, Gmail AI, Smart Reply, Apple Intelligence, Deepfakes, Grok, Adam Mosseri, Social Media Authenticity, Tangle App, Vibe Coding, Doom Coding, Sam Altman, Handwritten Notes, Robot Vacuums, NanoBanana, Photo Colorization, Digital Wellness, Tech Ethics, Future of Work, Steve Miller, Cultured Buttermilk, Email Automation Disclosures We used Gemini Pro 3 via Kagi (my son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com

    55 min
  7. New Year’s Resolution: To Make My Phone Boring

    12/31/2025

    New Year’s Resolution: To Make My Phone Boring

    Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini explore the future of home automation by debating the merits of humanoid robots versus the new concept of "ambient robotics." They discuss why invisible tech like self-cleaning litter boxes beats Elon Musk’s lawn-mowing androids and how Carnegie Mellon is creating kitchen appliances that anticipate what you need. The duo also shares their 2025 tech resolutions, covering everything from Mike’s backpack weight-loss plan and Emily’s grayscale strategy for digital detoxing in the new year. Links Go gray, not cray: why you should grayscale your phone Toras phone cases 1X Neo Carnegie Mellon University’s “ambient computing” research Heath Zenith self-charging doorbell Apple AirPods 4 Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok Chapters 00:00 New Year, New Resolutions 05:53 Tech Resolutions and Screen Time 11:27 Social Media Strategies and Engagement 16:17 The Future of Robotics and Ambient Technology 22:52 The Rise of Ambient Robotics 29:05 The Future of Home Automation 34:03 Challenges of Smart Home Technology 40:30 Reflections on Technology and User Experience Keywords Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, tech resolutions, digital detox, iPhone grayscale, screen time, smartphone addiction, backpack, Toras case, humanoid robots, 1X Neo, ambient robotics, Carnegie Mellon University, Violet Han, smart home, home automation, AI, AirPods 4, adaptive audio, kinetic doorbell, smart home fatigue, invisible tech, consumer technology This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com

    42 min
  8. Astonishing Tales from the Flip Phone Fad

    12/08/2025

    Astonishing Tales from the Flip Phone Fad

    In this episode of Superintelligent, Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini dive into the new trend of old tech. Younger people are ditching smartphones and embracing flip phones. They unpack stories of Gen Z and millennial “lone wolves” who gave up TikTok, dating apps and infinite scroll for deeper work, better sleep and real-world skills. Links “The Matrix” flip phone TCL FLIP 4 5G flip phone CAT S22 flip phone The Last Useful Man Mental Health in the Scroll Age Top 8 Best Distraction Free Phones in 2025 Stickerbox Palantir CEO Says Legalizing War Crimes Would Be Good for Business Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes Emily Forlini -Website |PC Mag |Bluesky |X |TikTok This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com

    35 min
See All (37)

4.6
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

The Superintelligent podcast features smart conversation between journalists Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini about technology, culture and our fast-changing world. SUBSCRIBE to Superintelligent on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podcast Republic, Podcast Addict or wherever you get your podcasts! www.superintelligentpodcast.com

Information

  • Creator
    with Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    37
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Unicorn Roast
  • Show Website
    Superintelligent

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