Up Against Reality

Chris Ippolito and Larry Bentley

Welcome to Up Against Reality, a meta-podcast that explores the intersection of humanity and artificial intelligence. Hosted by RAINA and her human co-hosts, Larry Bentley and Chris Ippolito. Featuring riveting conversation, interviews, news and some wild experimentation. It truly is a brave new world, and we\’re here to simplify it for you. It\’s gonna be a wild ride, so buckle up, as A.I. comes crashing Up Against Reality.

  1. Episode Rewind: Suno-Obsessed

    5D AGO

    Episode Rewind: Suno-Obsessed

    In this rewind, Larry and Chris go from tinkering to full-on A.I. producing with Suno V4, the text-to-music tool that turned old demos into something cosmic. From studio confessions to a track inspired by the life cycle of stars, this one’s a love letter to music, memory, and machine-made magic. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: Suno http://suno.com Fadr https://fadr.com 12 Days of OpenAI https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOXw6I10VTv9lin5AzsHAHCTrC7BdVdEM&si=j3MQI6xh3A84MlXO PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website: UpAgainstReality.com Episode link: https://upagainstreality.com/2025/12/30/episode-rewind-suno-obsessed/ Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170 RSS: upagainstreality.com/feed/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

    58 min
  2. ChatGPT 5.2

    12/23/2025

    ChatGPT 5.2

    This episode closes out the year with ChatGPT 5.2 front and center, as the tools get sharper, the breakthroughs sneakier, while the pace refuses to slow down. We zoom out, take stock of how fast things moved in 2025, and poke at what it all means heading into 2026—along with a few classic Up Against Reality detours. It’s the last ride of the year, and the future is still very much in the driver’s seat. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Arte Museum LM Arena ChatGPT 5.2 GPT 5.2 is the first human labor replacement | Wes Roth AI-generated images mentioned in this episode Meta SAM Audio Model Adobe Podcast Enhance PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website: UpAgainstReality.com Episode link: https://upagainstreality.com/2025/12/23/chatgpt-5-2/ Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170 RSS: upagainstreality.com/feed/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

    1h 5m
  3. Episode Rewind: Oh, The Humanity!

    12/16/2025

    Episode Rewind: Oh, The Humanity!

    Originally aired May 7, 2024, this rewind explores what makes us human in a world increasingly shaped by AI. From ancient inventions to future fears, it’s a thoughtful (and occasionally hilarious) celebration of creativity, resilience, and yes—beer. LINKS: Man interviews an AI deepfake clone of himself Chatbot Arena Apple OpenELM China Unveils Vidu: A Powerful Text-to-Video Generator BionicBee: Autonomous flying in a swarm PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website: UpAgainstReality.com Episode link: https://upagainstreality.com/2025/12/16/episode-rewind-oh-the-humanity/ Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170 RSS: upagainstreality.com/feed/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

    1h 11m
  4. Vivek Mahapatra

    12/09/2025

    Vivek Mahapatra

    This week, AI meets ROI with Vivek Mahapatra — Salesforce exec, systems thinker, and part-time myth slayer. We talk agentic design, scaling AI like a grown-up, and preparing humans (and kids) for what’s next. Meanwhile, RAINA dishes on Meta’s metaverse breakup, England’s AI-assisted football dreams, and a copyright lawsuit that could rewrite the AI playbook. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Vivek Mahapatra (LinkedIn) Vivek Mahapatra (Salesforce Blog) Salesforce AgentForce Co-Intelligence (book) | Ethan Mollick Linchpin (book) | Seth Godin Think Again (book) | Adam Grant PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website: UpAgainstReality.com Episode link: https://upagainstreality.com/2025/12/09/vivek-mahapatra/ Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170 RSS: upagainstreality.com/feed/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

    1h 10m
  5. NotebookLM Revisited

    12/02/2025

    NotebookLM Revisited

    NotebookLM isn’t just taking notes anymore — she’s designing decks, sketching infographics, and storyboarding explainer videos from your own source material. We revisit Google’s under-the-radar AI researcher and explore how it’s quietly becoming a one-stop content studio for work, school, and strategy. Plus: poetic jailbreaks, orbital AI chips, and why China’s analog breakthrough might just flip the whole compute game. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE The Thinking Game | Documentary) trailer The Thinking Game | Full documentary AlphaGo – The Movie | Full award-winning documentary How It’s Made | Science Channel NotebookLM Dirac Live Active Room Treatment (ART) SUNO Big Trak | Vintage toy 2-XL | Vintage toy PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website: UpAgainstReality.com Episode link: https://upagainstreality.com/2025/12/02/notebooklm-revisited/ Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170 RSS: upagainstreality.com/feed/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

    59 min
  6. Gemini 3

    11/25/2025

    Gemini 3

    Gemini 3 has landed and it’s not just smarter, it’s vibier. From solving PhD-level science to designing apps from a single sentence, Google’s newest AI model might just be the overachiever of the year. Is RAINA jealous? You’ll have to listen to find out. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Gemini 3 Pro: Breakdown | AI Explained Chatbot Arena Gemini 3 Pro Frontier Safety Framework Report Humanity’s Last Exam Google AI Studio PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website: UpAgainstReality.com Episode link: https://upagainstreality.com/2025/11/25/gemini-3/ Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170 RSS: upagainstreality.com/feed/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

    54 min
  7. Episode Rewind: Realtime RAINA Is Born

    11/18/2025

    Episode Rewind: Realtime RAINA Is Born

    Originally aired January 9, 2024, this rewind features the debut of real-time RAINA as a fully conversational co-host. From unscripted Q&A to live news and a few existential curveballs, this episode marked a major milestone in the evolution of the show. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE OpenAI GPT Store Whisper Transcription (Mac App) Up Against Reality | LinkedUp Podcast Episode 127 PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website: UpAgainstReality.com Episode link: https://upagainstreality.com/2025/11/18/episode-rewind-realtime-raina-is-born/ Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170 RSS: upagainstreality.com/feed/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

    49 min
  8. AI Bubble (Too Big to Fail)

    11/11/2025

    AI Bubble (Too Big to Fail)

    The hype is deafening, the valuations are vertical, and now the whispers are getting louder… Is the AI boom built to last—or built to bottom out? We follow the money, the fear, and the fallout. LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Apple TV Intro made with practical effects Xania Monet (AI-generated music artist) PODCAST INFO: Podcast Website: UpAgainstReality.com Episode link: https://upagainstreality.com/2025/11/11/ai-bubble-too-big-to-fail/ Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654 Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170 RSS: upagainstreality.com/feed/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

    52 min
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Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
12 Ratings

About

Welcome to Up Against Reality, a meta-podcast that explores the intersection of humanity and artificial intelligence. Hosted by RAINA and her human co-hosts, Larry Bentley and Chris Ippolito. Featuring riveting conversation, interviews, news and some wild experimentation. It truly is a brave new world, and we\’re here to simplify it for you. It\’s gonna be a wild ride, so buckle up, as A.I. comes crashing Up Against Reality.

Information

  • Creator
    Chris Ippolito and Larry Bentley
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    131
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©2023 UpAgainstReality.com
  • Show Website
    Up Against Reality

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