Utopian Wasteland

Sean and Cody

Welcome to the Utopian Wasteland. Here we discuss the convergence of AI, Robotics, Automation, and more. We’re looking at the big picture. How will all this change our lives in the next 5 to 20 years? (spoiler alert: immensely! Good and bad.) We work to stay factual yet also analytical. Everyone needs to know this info. You can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. You can’t just look at AI alone and make predictions. You also have to look at robots, automation systems, self-driving vehicles, medical advances, energy tech advances, and more. They are all connected. As an example, yes, AI will eliminate X number of jobs. But then, you add in jobs replaced by robots, then automation, etc. and the number grows exponentially. After that you see medical advances curing aging and creating a population that may well live to 200 or 300 years old, potentially. Maybe, maybe, much older yet still healthy as a person in their 20’s. You see the complexity? Will we be living in a utopia, or a wasteland? The more we know now, the more prepared we can be for inevitable change. You need to know. Your friends and family need to know. Our government leaders really need to know and be called to action to prepare. This has been called the fastest moving technological advance period in history. The world is not ready for it. We’re Shawn Barit and Cody Barit, a father / son team looking at these changes from the perspective of two generations. We gather news from all over and then put it together into short podcasts for you to think about a little at a time. We are a mix of straight news and very casual conversation. Maybe too casual. You can find links to every source we use in our YouTube posts of these episodes so you can come to your own conclusions. Learn more about us and find our links at www.utopianwasteland.com Please support us at https://www.patreon.com/UtopianWasteland Patrons get extra videos in the form of a behind the scenes randomness and a more in depth, after the podcast, “Further Discussion”. Oh, you can see the video of us recording the podcast there too. At higher tiers, we also offer merch. We have a millionaire and billionaire challenge too. So… if you ARE one or KNOW one… please check it out. Most of all, please tell everyone what you learn here and encourage them to listen. Seriously, everyone needs to know.

Episodes

  1. 08/01/2025

    Episode 10: Big Picture | Recap

    This is our tenth episode and we thought we’d take this one to look at the big picture presented by our first 9 episodes. A bit of a recap so far, then a little look at what it might mean all together. Until our next episode, remember, you can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. Reference links: See links for the first 9 episodes on our YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@Utopian_Wasteland Wikipedia: Artificial General Intelligence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_general_intelligence Wikpedia: Artificial Super Intelligence https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superintelligence#Feasibility_of_artificial_superintelligence Amazon Press Release: Amazon launches a new AI foundation model to power its robotic fleet and deploys its 1 millionth robot https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/operations/amazon-million-robots-ai-foundation-model NBC: Layoffs and slow hiring have job seekers worried about AI. Here's what's happening. Experts say the current era of AI is affecting the job market in more roundabout ways that are not entirely about swapping humans for machines. https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/is-ai-taking-jobs-which-industries-at-risk-what-to-know-rcna215579 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Can you trust your media sources? It’s hard to know anymore. If you’re willing to put your personal bias aside and want to know more about the media source you get your information from, then try searching the sources below. All use a balance of left / center / right leaning evaluators. Some use international teams to evaluate media outlets. Notably, most of the media watchdog groups reach very similar conclusions. Media Bias / Fact Check (See their Methodology page below to learn how they evaluate media outlets.) https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/ Media Bias Fact Check: Methodology https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/methodology/ Background video by tommyvideo on Pixabay (not AI) https://pixabay.com/users/tommyvideo-3092371/

    Episode 10: Big Picture | Recap
  2. 07/16/2025

    Episode 9: Aging and Medical Advances

    Who wants to live forever? According to survey’s, only about ⅓ of Americans. However, many would like to live longer or at least live healthier. What if you could do both, and in time, maybe for hundreds of years or more? Today we’ll talk about medical technology advances that are trying to not just extend life, but cure aging as if it’s a disease. Remember, you can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. Please find us and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Utopian_Wasteland Here you’ll find links to all the articles we use. If you REALLY like what we're doing, or you just have pity for us, please become a patron through our Patreon page. Starting at just $5 a month you'll get extra weekly videos, merch, and more. To find all of our links to Patreon, social media, etc... visit our website at www.UtopianWasteland.com Reference links: The Harvard Crimson (campus newspaper): Fifteen Questions: David Sinclair on Age Reversal, Exercise, and Immortal Yeast Cells (this is a great interview article) https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2025/2/7/david-sinclair-fifteen-questions/ The Washington Post: Inside the scientific quest to reverse human aging March 6, 2025 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/03/06/cellular-reprogramming-longevity-reverse-aging/ The Sinclair Lab of Harvard University (a number of scientific publications) https://sinclair.hms.harvard.edu/publications Anti-ageing jabs – they can rejuvenate mice, but will they work on humans? https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/feb/08/anti-ageing-jabs-they-can-rejuvenate-mice-but-will-they-work-on-humans Times of India Humans will be immortal by 2030, futurist Ray Kurzweil predicts—here’s how technology could make it happen Updated: May 26, 2025 https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/humans-will-be-immortal-by-2030-futurist-ray-kurzweil-predictsheres-how-technology-could-make-it-happen/articleshow/121376877.cms NY Post Immortality is attainable by 2030: Google scientist Published March 29, 2023 https://nypost.com/2023/03/29/immortality-is-attainable-by-2030-google-scientist/

    Episode 9: Aging and Medical Advances
  3. 07/12/2025

    Episode 8: AI and the government / CEO's and the military

    So, this week is some recent news that concerns the US government use of AI and questions about what they are planning. Then we look at some AI CEO's working directly with the US Army. Remember, you can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. Please find us and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Utopian_Wasteland Here you’ll find links to all the articles we use. If you REALLY like what we're doing, or you just have pity for us, please become a patron through our Patreon page. Starting at just $5 a month you'll get extra weekly videos, merch, and more. To find all of our links to Patreon, social media, etc... visit our website at www.UtopianWasteland.com Reference links: White House: Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos - Executive Orders - March 20, 2025 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/stopping-waste-fraud-and-abuse-by-eliminating-information-silos/ Semafor: ‘Destroy the Ring’: Trump’s Palantir deal alarms Hill Republicans https://www.semafor.com/article/06/05/2025/destroy-the-ring-trumps-palantir-deal-alarms-hill-republicans New York Times: Trump Taps Palantir to Compile Data on Americans https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html CNBC: Palantir CEO Karp says AI is dangerous and ‘either we win or China will win’ https://www.cnbc.com/2025/06/05/palantir-karp-ai-dangerous-china.html New York Post: GOP deal to limit state AI rules in ‘big, beautiful’ bill collapses - June 30th, 2025 https://nypost.com/2025/06/30/us-news/republican-senators-cut-deal-to-limit-state-ai-rules-in-big-beautiful-bill/ Army.mil: Army Launches Detachment 201: Executive Innovation Corps to Drive Tech Transformation https://www.army.mil/article/286317/army_launches_detachment_201_executive_innovation_corps_to_drive_tech_transformation Military.com: Tech Executives Commissioned as Senior Army Officers Won't Recuse Themselves from DoD Business Dealings https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/06/27/tech-executives-commissioned-senior-army-officers-wont-recuse-themselves-dod-business-dealings.html

    Episode 8: AI and the government / CEO's and the military
  4. 07/12/2025

    Episode 7: Video Game Industry News and the growing AI Debate

    Please subscribe / follow / like /SUBMIT!! Oh, sorry, I got carried away. Today, a special two part episode. First, Cody will dig into some video game industry news. Next, Sean will take a look at some of the debates building in the AI industry between the industry leaders. Remember, you can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. If you like this podcast please subscribe, like, and follow. Please find us and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Utopian_Wasteland Here you’ll find links to all the articles we use. If you REALLY like what we're doing, or you just have pity for us, please become a patron through our Patreon page. Starting at just $5 a month you'll get extra weekly videos, plus the "recorded live" version of this vodcast where you'll get to see our ruggedly handsome faces ( or was that faces made for radio? ). Starting at $10 a month you get some fun, quarterly, merchandise in our loyalty program. We also have millionaire and billionaire challenges, if you happen to be one of those. (I know, we're broke too, it's ok.) To find all of our links to Patreon, social media, etc... visit our website at www.UtopianWasteland.com Where do we get our info? Are we geniuses? Probably not, we just do research. Here's what we used for this episode. Just a few Reference links (the rest are on our YouTube post): Reference links: Cody’s Segment https://gamerficial.com/2025/05/30/gearbox-ceo-apologizes-for-controversial-80-price-comment-on-borderlands-4/ https://x.com/DuvalMagic/status/1927802548326650365 https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-revises-user-agreement-and-if-you-break-it-nintendo-reserves-the-right-to-brick-your-switch Sean’s Segment Gary Marcus wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Marcus Sam Altman wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Altman Futurism: Sam Altman Goes Off on Skeptic (June 11, 2025) https://futurism.com/sam-altman-ai-skeptic Futurism: Nvidia’s Jensen Huang says he disagrees with almost everything Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei says (June 11, 2025) https://fortune.com/2025/06/11/nvidia-jensen-huang-disagress-anthropic-ceo-dario-amodei-ai-jobs/ Axios: Behind the Curtain: A white-collar bloodbath (May 28, 2025) https://www.axios.com/2025/05/28/ai-jobs-white-collar-unemployment-anthropic

    Episode 7: Video Game Industry News and the growing AI Debate
  5. 07/12/2025

    Ep 6: Farm Robots

    When you think of farming, you may not think of high tech things, like AI, robots, self driving vehicles, drones, and such. You’d be mistaken though. These technologies have been making some their earliest practical appearances in the farming industry. Today, we’ll talk about that. Tech is changing farming as we know it, for better or worse. It will make farming much less expensive in the long run, but will also reduce the number of people needed for farming. Yet, with the rural population shrinking at the rate it is, this may be just in time. Remember, you can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. If you like this podcast please subscribe, like, and follow. Please find us and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Utopian_Wasteland Here you’ll find links to all the articles we use. If you REALLY like what we're doing, or you just have pity for us, please become a patron through our Patreon page. Starting at just $5 a month you'll get extra weekly videos, plus the "recorded live" version of this vodcast where you'll get to see our ruggedly handsome faces ( or was that faces made for radio? ). Starting at $10 a month you get some fun, quarterly, merchandise in our loyalty program. We also have millionaire and billionaire challenges, if you happen to be one of those. (I know, we're broke too, it's ok.) To find all of our links to Patreon, social media, etc... visit our website at www.UtopianWasteland.com Where do we get our info? Are we geniuses? Probably not, we just do research. Here's what we used for this episode. Just a few Reference links (the rest are on our YouTube post): Reference links: Share of the world's population living in urban or rural areas from 1960 to 2023 https://www.statista.com/statistics/1262483/global-urban-rural-population/ Urbanization in the United States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urbanization_in_the_United_States Farm Producers - USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/2024/Census22_HL_FarmProducers_FINAL.pdf How AI and Robotics are Driving Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability https://developer.nvidia.com/blog/how-ai-and-robotics-are-driving-agricultural-productivity-and-sustainability/?utm_source=chartr&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=chartr_20250108 Driverless tractors: Which manufacturer is leading the race? https://www.fwi.co.uk/machinery/technology/driverless-tractors-which-manufacturer-is-leading-the-race 16 Agricultural Robots and Farm Robots You Should Know https://builtin.com/robotics/farming-agricultural-robots

    Ep 6: Farm Robots
  6. 07/12/2025

    Episode 5: Job Losses - Is your job one that will maybe disappear in 10 to 15 years?

    Big Picture: There is so much truly great tech coming our way that will improve our lives in ways we can't even fully imagine yet. However, this same tech has a high likelihood of replacing most jobs currently done by humans. This could, could, happen in the next 10 to 15 years. Maybe sooner. Maybe a little longer. Is your job on the list? In this episode we look at what jobs are already being replaced and those most likely to be replaced the soonest. Then we look at some long term replacements as well. At this point, it's almost a given that most jobs will be taken over by AI, or robots, or automation, or a combination of all. So, the the BIG question is, what will we do about it? How do we prepare? The time to start planning is now. Remember, you can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. If you like this podcast please subscribe, like, and follow. Please find us and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Utopian_Wasteland Here you’ll find links to all the articles we use. If you REALLY like what we're doing, or you just have pity for us, please become a patron through our Patreon page. Starting at just $5 a month you'll get extra weekly videos, plus the "recorded live" version of this vodcast where you'll get to see our ruggedly handsome faces ( or was that faces made for radio? ). Starting at $10 a month you get some fun, quarterly, merchandise in our loyalty program. We also have millionaire and billionaire challenges, if you happen to be one of those. (I know, we're broke too, it's ok.) To find all of our links to Patreon, social media, etc... visit our website at www.UtopianWasteland.com Where do we get our info? Are we geniuses? Probably not, we just do research. Here's what we used for this episode. Just a few Reference links (the rest are on our YouTube post): Reference links: Anthropic CEO: AI Will Be Writing 90% of Code in 3 to 6 Months - Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com/anthropic-ceo-ai-90-percent-code-3-to-6-months-2025-3 No Surgeons, No Chefs: Bill Gates Reveals the Only 3 Jobs AI Won’t Replace (For Now) https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/02/no-surgeons-no-chefs-bill-gates-reveals-the-only-3-jobs-ai-wont-replace-for-now/ AI Agents Are Coming For Your Industry: Here's Who's First In Line https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2025/02/11/ai-agents-are-coming-for-your-industry-heres-whos-first-in-line/ White-collar jobs are increasingly being exposed to AI https://www.techradar.com/pro/white-collar-jobs-are-increasingly-being-exposed-to-ai

    Episode 5: Job Losses - Is your job one that will maybe disappear in 10 to 15 years?
  7. 07/10/2025

    Episode 4: Quantum Computers - What are they? What do they do?

    This episode we're taking a look at what's new in the development of Quantum computers. You've probably heard the term, we'll explain briefly what they are and what they are doing. In short, they are faster than any kind of computing we've ever seen. Remember, you can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. If you like this podcast please subscribe, like, and follow. Please find us and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Utopian_Wasteland Here you’ll find links to all the articles we use. If you REALLY like what we're doing, or you just have pity for us, please become a patron through our Patreon page. Starting at just $5 a month you'll get extra weekly videos, plus the "recorded live" version of this vodcast where you'll get to see our ruggedly handsome faces ( or was that faces made for radio? ). Starting at $10 a month you get some fun, quarterly, merchandise in our loyalty program. We also have millionaire and billionaire challenges, if you happen to be one of those. (I know, we're broke too, it's ok.) To find all of our links to Patreon, social media, etc... visit our website at www.UtopianWasteland.com Where do we get our info? Are we geniuses? Probably not, we just do research. Here's what we used for this episode. Reference Links: Microsoft Newsletter: Microsoft’s Majorana 1 chip carves new path for quantum computing https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/innovation/microsofts-majorana-1-chip-carves-new-path-for-quantum-computing/ Interesting Engineering: Microsoft unveils million-qubit quantum chip with matter never seen before https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/microsoft-quantum-processor-million-qubits University of California: ‘We have created a new state of matter’: New topological quantum processor marks breakthrough in computing https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/we-have-created-new-state-matter-new-topological-quantum-processor-marks-breakthrough Google Blog: Meet Willow, our state-of-the-art quantum chip https://blog.google/technology/research/google-willow-quantum-chip/ The Quantum Insider: Chinese Team Officially Report On Zuchongzhi 3.0, Claims Million Times Speedup Over Google’s Sycamore https://thequantuminsider.com/2025/03/04/chinese-team-officially-report-on-zuchongzhi-3-0-claims-million-times-speedup-over-googles-willow /

    Episode 4: Quantum Computers - What are they? What do they do?
  8. 07/10/2025

    Episode 3: Robots

    If you haven't noticed, we have jumped over the line separating science fiction from science fact. In this episode, another example... the large number of bipedal robots that are either already in production and for sale, or will be within a year or so. These are, of course, in addition to the large number of both rolling and stationary mounted robots that have been in work places for years now. This episode is a bit of a laundry list of just some of the bipedal robots entering our workplaces and homes soon, very soon. Many of these are called "General Purpose" robots, capable of doing many different tasks. We'll see robots ranging from factory and warehouse work to retail store work. While prices vary, there are certainly some that are cheaper than an automobile. Let's talk about it. Remember, you can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. If you like this podcast please subscribe, like, and follow. Please find us and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Utopian_Wasteland Here you’ll find links to all the articles we use. If you REALLY like what we're doing, or you just have pity for us, please become a patron through our Patreon page. Starting at just $5 a month you'll get extra weekly videos, plus the "recorded live" version of this vodcast where you'll get to see our ruggedly handsome faces ( or was that faces made for radio? ). Starting at $10 a month you get some fun, quarterly, merchandise in our loyalty program. We also have millionaire and billionaire challenges, if you happen to be one of those. (I know, we're broke too, it's ok.) To find all of our links to Patreon, social media, etc... visit our website at www.UtopianWasteland.com Where do we get our info? Are we geniuses? Probably not, we just do research. Here's what we used for this episode. Just a few Reference links (the rest are on our YouTube post): The Robot Report https://www.therobotreport.com/category/news/ Hyundai to buy ‘tens of thousands’ of Boston Dynamics robots https://www.therobotreport.com/hyundai-purchase-tens-of-thousands-boston-dynamics-robots/ Sanctuary AI Deploys First Humanoid General-Purpose Robot Commercially https://www.sanctuary.ai/blog/sanctuary-ai-deploys-first-humanoid-general-purpose-robot-commercially Figure Plans To Ship 100,000 Humanoid Robots Over Next 4 Years https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkoetsier/2025/01/30/figure-plans-to-ship-100000-humanoid-robots-over-next-4-years/ Mercedes-Benz testing Apollo humanoid https://www.therobotreport.com/mercedes-benz-testing-apollo-humanoid/

    Episode 3: Robots
  9. 07/09/2025

    Episode 2: AI

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a term thrown around A LOT today. You've no doubt heard of it, but do you know what it is? Do you know what it is not? Sean and Cody will take a beginners guide look at some of the different kinds of AI and what it means to you. Is it coming for your job? Join us while we talk about it. Remember, you can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. If you like this podcast / vodcast... please subscribe, like, and follow. Please find us and subscribe on YouTube at youtube.com/@Utopian_Wasteland Here you’ll find links to all the articles we use. (click read more, you should be able to see links here too.) If you REALLY like what we're doing, or you just have pity for us, please become a patron through our Patreon page. Starting at just $5 a month you'll get extra weekly videos, plus the "recorded live" version of this vodcast where you'll get to see our ruggedly handsome faces ( or was that faces made for radio? ). Starting at $10 a month you get some fun, quarterly, merchandise in our loyalty program. We also have millionaire and billionaire challenges, if you happen to be one of those. (I know, we're broke too, it's ok.) To find all of our links to Patreon, social media, etc... visit our website at www.UtopianWasteland.com Where do we get our info? Are we geniuses? Probably not, we just do research. Here's what we used for this episode. Reference links: Understanding the different types of artificial intelligence https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/artificial-intelligence-types An AI Model Has Officially Passed the Turing Test https://futurism.com/ai-model-turing-test Anthropic website https://www.anthropic.com/ A Stunning New AI Has Supposedly Achieved Sentience https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/robots/a60606512/claude-3-self-aware/ Can you trust your media sources? It’s hard to know anymore. If you’re willing to put your personal bias aside and want to know more about the media source you get your information from, then try searching MBFC below. They use a balance of left / center / right leaning evaluators and work very hard to prevent their own bias. Media Bias / Fact Check (See their Methodology page below to learn how they evaluate media outlets.) https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/ Media Bias Fact Check: Methodology https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/methodology/ July 10, 2024 - MediaBiasFactCheck.com as a Tool for Lateral Reading https://newsliteracy.psu.edu/news/mediabiasfactcheck-com-as-a-tool-for-lateral-reading

    Episode 2: AI

About

Welcome to the Utopian Wasteland. Here we discuss the convergence of AI, Robotics, Automation, and more. We’re looking at the big picture. How will all this change our lives in the next 5 to 20 years? (spoiler alert: immensely! Good and bad.) We work to stay factual yet also analytical. Everyone needs to know this info. You can ignore technology, but it won’t ignore you. You can’t just look at AI alone and make predictions. You also have to look at robots, automation systems, self-driving vehicles, medical advances, energy tech advances, and more. They are all connected. As an example, yes, AI will eliminate X number of jobs. But then, you add in jobs replaced by robots, then automation, etc. and the number grows exponentially. After that you see medical advances curing aging and creating a population that may well live to 200 or 300 years old, potentially. Maybe, maybe, much older yet still healthy as a person in their 20’s. You see the complexity? Will we be living in a utopia, or a wasteland? The more we know now, the more prepared we can be for inevitable change. You need to know. Your friends and family need to know. Our government leaders really need to know and be called to action to prepare. This has been called the fastest moving technological advance period in history. The world is not ready for it. We’re Shawn Barit and Cody Barit, a father / son team looking at these changes from the perspective of two generations. We gather news from all over and then put it together into short podcasts for you to think about a little at a time. We are a mix of straight news and very casual conversation. Maybe too casual. You can find links to every source we use in our YouTube posts of these episodes so you can come to your own conclusions. Learn more about us and find our links at www.utopianwasteland.com Please support us at https://www.patreon.com/UtopianWasteland Patrons get extra videos in the form of a behind the scenes randomness and a more in depth, after the podcast, “Further Discussion”. Oh, you can see the video of us recording the podcast there too. At higher tiers, we also offer merch. We have a millionaire and billionaire challenge too. So… if you ARE one or KNOW one… please check it out. Most of all, please tell everyone what you learn here and encourage them to listen. Seriously, everyone needs to know.