In this episode, Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini discuss the evolution of their podcast's name, the essence of podcasting, personal preferences in content, the current state of journalism, the importance of disagreement and diverse perspectives, the craft of writing, and monetization in podcasting (they're against it). Emily and Mike then talk about Apple's recent AI features (they suck) and their impact on user experience (it's bad). They explore the fate of iPhones in a future of emerging technologies like brain implants.• Emily Dreibelbis Forlini on PCMag• Mike Elgan on ComputerworldChapters00:00 Podcast Name Evolution02:03 The Essence of Podcasting05:01 Personal Preferences in Podcasting08:05 The Balance of Personal and Informative Content11:00 The State of Journalism Today14:04 Disagreement and Diverse Perspectives17:05 The Craft of Writing and Communication19:59 Monetization in Podcasting23:11 Apple's AI Plans and Insights26:46 Navigating AI in Communication29:18 Apple's AI Features and Consumer Expectations31:14 The Future of iPhones and Emerging Technologies36:25 Brain Implants: The Next Frontier39:24 The Ethics of Brain Technology46:24 The Future of Human-Technology Interaction#podcasting #journalism #personalbranding #monetization #AI #communication #writing #contentcreation #Apple #iPhone #brainimplants #technology #ethics #future #innovation This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unicornroast.com
-------- Â
54:44
--------
54:44
Grok Goes Rogue
In this episode, Mike and Emily explore strange goings on in the worlds of robotics and AI, including Amazon's touchy-feely robot and Grok's sudden interest in South African racial politics. Your favorite podcast hosts then turn to Perplexity's recent transformation into an assistant from the future, and Apple's recent interest in implanting an iChip in your iBrain. All this and so much more!Links1. Amazon invents another robot, this time with feeling2. Grok AI: Rogue employee told me to post about white genocide in South Africa3. Perplexity AI's quiet coup4. Apple partners with Synchron to develop brain-computer interface5. Teens, Social Media, and Technology 20246. Trump attacks Digital Equity Act, rural internetChapters00:00 Introduction and Cat Talk00:10 Amazon's Robotics Revolution08:35 The Grok AI Controversy15:19 The Role of AI in Misinformation18:17 Shifting from Search to Direct Answers22:13 The Rise of Perplexity and AI Assistants26:45 The Future of Smart Glasses and AI31:03 Dystopian Futures: Brain Chip Implants36:19 The Impact of Constant Connectivity40:04 riverside_emily_& mike _ may 17, 2025 001_the_department of p.mp441:22 unicorn_roast_sonic-branding.mp3Keywords#AI #robotics #Amazon #Grok #technology #automation #ElonMusk #chatbots #coffeeTechnology #misinformation #searchEngines #Perplexity #smartGlasses #brainImplants #connectivity #socialMedia #futureOfTech #Apple #Google This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unicornroast.com
-------- Â
41:26
--------
41:26
Robotaxi Joy Ride
In this conversation, Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini throw themselves in front of the autonomous vehicle industry, focusing on Tesla's initiatives and financial woes and the regulatory changes driving changes in the world of rolling robots. Then, your illustrious hosts politely explore the implications of proper etiquette when interacting with AI. They look at the environmental costs of AI interactions, and the necessity of good prompt engineering for effective outcomes. The conversation also touches on the future of AI in education.Links• Feds Relax Self-Driving Car Regulations Ahead of Tesla Robotaxi Launch• How to Win Fake Friends and Influence Fake People• Why Being Polite to ChatGPT Is Costing OpenAI Millions and Wasting ElectricityChapters00:00 The Rise of Autonomous Vehicles02:26 Regulatory Changes and Their Implications07:06 The State of Self-Driving Technology10:13 Tesla's Controversial Approach15:03 The Future of Transportation18:14 Elon Musk: A Psychological Profile26:16 Narcissism and Leadership27:40 Understanding the Value of Established Systems28:08 Politeness in AI Interactions29:02 The Role of AI in Social Networking31:03 The Cost of Politeness to AI32:11 The Nature of AI: Alive or Not?34:31 Prompt Engineering: The Key to Better AI Responses38:22 Becoming a Skillful Prompt Engineer40:22 Conscious AI Usage and Environmental Impact42:20 The Importance of Distinguishing AI from Humanity44:40 The Future of AI in Education48:23 The Role of AI in K-12 Education52:02 The Challenges of AI in the Education System01:00:48 unicorn_roast_sonic-branding.mp3Keywords#AI #AutonomousVehicles #Tesla #ElonMusk #Regulations #SelfDrivingCars #Technology #Transportation #Psychology #Innovation #Politeness #PromptEngineering #Education #HumanInteraction #SocialNetworking #EnvironmentalImpact #FutureOfAI #K12 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unicornroast.com
-------- Â
1:00:25
--------
1:00:25
So you want to be a slime-ball?
On this episode of the Unicorn Roast podcast, hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini obsess over Apple CEO Tim Cook’s obsession with smart glasses, Meta’s race to launch their Hypernova specs. The also talk about Google’s smart glasses plans, a conversation which devolves into a brutal takedown of Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Emily shares tales from the New York Auto Show, where electric vehicles are somehow thriving despite industry panic, and Mike recounts a Norwegian road trip in a Polestar, confirming that Norway is basically the EV promised land. Tesla, on the other hand, is having a rough year—sales are down, the Cybertruck ages about as well as an unrefrigerated fish, and Elon Musk seems more interested in AI and controversial tweets than making cars. The conversation veers into drones, with Mike explaining how Ukraine is booby-trapping them to slow Russian hackers, and why the best anti-drone tech might still be a shotgun. They wrap up with Blue Origin’s all-female space flight, which leads to more conspiracy theories than scientific breakthroughs.LINKS• Apple and Google Eye the Future of AI Glasses - Computerworld• Coolest Electric Cars at 2025 New York Auto Show - PCMag• Drones are the Future of Cybercrime - Computerworld• An Alarming Number of Gen Z AI Users Think It's Conscious - PCMagKEYWORDS#smartglasses #AItechnology #electricvehicles #techindustry #Apple #Meta #Google #innovation #travel #markettrends #Tesla #ElonMusk #drones #spacetourism #extraterrestriallife #dronecyberattacks This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unicornroast.com
-------- Â
49:35
--------
49:35
Unruly Teenage Chatbots
Join Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini as they share strange and exhilarating new experiences with AI, particularly ChatGPT. They explore the reliability of AI responses, the evolution of AI tools, and the importance of prompt engineering in enhancing user experience. Mike and Emily then turn to the implications of AI on open access websites, and the challenges faced by platforms like Wikipedia resulting from AI spiders that raise the cost of being stolen from by AI companies, which often ignore restrictions on access. They then explore the environmental costs of AI, the limitations of OpenAI's computing power, and the need for better engineering practices in the industry.LINKS:The Future of AI Search is Google’s to Lose https://www.computerworld.com/article/3951907/the-future-of-ai-search-is-googles-to-lose.html Recent OpenAI Launches Limited by GPU Shortages: Poor Planning or Wider Issue? https://www.pcmag.com/news/recent-openai-launches-limited-by-gpu-shortages-poor-planning-or-wider Alexa+ Takes a Page From Apple Intelligence With Staggered AI Rollout https://www.pcmag.com/news/alexa-plus-takes-a-page-from-apple-intelligence-with-staggered-ai-rollout Inside the War Between genAI and the Internet https://www.computerworld.com/article/3854642/inside-the-war-between-genai-and-the-internet.html AI Mode experiment in Search Labs https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/16011537CHAPTERS:00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates01:22 Exploring AI Interactions02:04 Using ChatGPT for Home Renovation Decisions05:10 Evaluating AI Responses and Reliability07:04 New AI Features and Tools09:49 The Evolution of AI Chatbots11:29 The Role of AI in Search and Information Retrieval13:20 Prompt Engineering and User Experience17:06 Learning Through AI Conversations21:09 The Future of AI and Its Implications24:28 Navigating Content Creation and AI26:15 The Impact of Open Access on AI28:45 The Dangers of AI Traffic30:59 Wikipedia's Struggles with AI32:52 The Bot Traffic Crisis35:52 OpenAI's Computing Power Limitations37:44 The Environmental Cost of AI40:07 Engineering Challenges in AI42:46 The Future of AI and Public PerceptionKEYWORDS:#chatbots #HVACsystems #heatpumps #tariffs #energyefficiency #AIhallucinations #ChatGPT #promptengineering #NotebookLM #AImode #generativeAI #Googlesearch #Kagi #Wikipedia #openaccess #scientificresearch #environmentalimpact #datacenters #consumertechnology #energypolicies This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unicornroast.com
The Unicorn Roast podcast features sparkling conversation between journalists Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini about technology, culture and our fast-changing world. SUBSCRIBE to Unicorn Roast on Spotify, Apple, YouTube, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podcast Republic, Podcast Addict or wherever you get your podcasts! www.unicornroast.com
USA