Superintelligent

In this solo edition of the Superintelligent Podcast, Mike Elgan unpacks the rise of AI addiction among AI power users, vibe coders, and “tokenmaxxers” who can’t stop burning through company AI budgets. From Andrej Karpathy’s 16-hour vibe coding marathons to Disney’s runaway Claude usage and Meta’s Clotonomics leaderboard, Mike explores dopamine-driven feedback loops, AI psychosis, sad AI wives, cyborg cognition, and the corporate gamification of AI tools. He also shares practical detox strategies.

Links
Anthropic and OpenAI engineers delegated 100% of their work to AI
Y Combinator’s CEO says he ships 37,000 lines of AI code per day. A developer looked under the hood
Meet the Sad Wives of AI
Uber Torches Entire 2026 AI Budget on Claude Code in Four Months
Top Indeed exec details why they’ll never have a ‘Tokenmaxxing’-esque leaderboard
One Disney employee calls Claude 51,000 times a day. Internal docs reveal how the Mouse House is using AI.

Follow Us
Website: superintelligentpodcast.com
Email: [email protected]
Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes
Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to AI Addiction
00:55 The Rise of Power Users
03:42 The Dopamine Effect of AI
06:41 Corporate Enablers of AI Addiction
11:32 The Future of AI and Cyborgs
18:13 Coping with AI Addiction
29:30 Conclusion and Future Insights

Disclosures
We used a variety of AI chatbots 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
AI addiction, AI power users, vibe coding, token maxing, AI-pilled, tokenmaxxers, tokenmaxxing, AI psychosis, cyber psychosis, Andrej Karpathy, Gary Tan, Simon Willison, Sewell Setzer, Eugene Torres, Kashmir Hill, sad wives of AI, Alessandra Ram, Wired magazine, OpenAI MIT study, dopamine feedback loop, AI dopamine, Claude Code, Anthropic bill, Uber AI budget, Indeed AI spend, Disney Claude usage, Meta Clotonomics, Swann AI, minimum token quotas, AI FinOps, AI thin ops, token leaderboards, AI gamification, attachment economy, AI chatbots, sycophantic chatbots, AI detox, 20 minute rule, AI Sabbath, role prompting, AI prompting tips, AI glasses, Meta Ray-Ban Display, smart glasses, AI cyborgs, prosthetic memory, cognitive offloading, AI critical thinking decline, AI brain rot, long-form reading, Substack, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, Superintelligent Podcast, AI podcast, generative AI addiction, AI mental health, AI overuse, corporate AI spending, enterprise AI costs


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

Hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini welcome guest Kevin Elgan—Kagi’s head of education, creator of Chatterbox (a smart speaker for kids that teaches AI literacy), and Mike’s son. They review the recent history of technology in education, the trouble with AI overviews, why ChatGPT misuse is rewriting K–12 learning, and the canceled Next Generation Technology High School in Manhattan. Is there any place for AI in schools? The episode reframes critical thinking in education and what great teaching really looks like.

Links
Chatterbox
Kagi
NYC Cancels Plans for AI-Focused School, Upper West Side Schools
The Untold Story Behind the Struggles of L.A. Unified’s iPad Program
Gemini for Education
“Sold a Story” podcast
Lex
Anthropic’s “Who’s in Charge?” paper
NotebookLM
Two-Sigma Tutoring: Separating Science Fiction from Science Fact
WIRED’s “5 Levels”
Jaron Lanier’s “There Is No A.I.”
AI chatbots need ‘deception mode’
The Attachment Economy
California STAR standardized testing

Follow Us
Website: superintelligentpodcast.com
Email: [email protected]
Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes
Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to AI in Education
02:10 The Disconnect in AI and Education
05:16 Teachers’ Perspectives on Technology
08:10 The Role of AI in Schools
11:22 Current AI Tools in Education
14:29 The Importance of Critical Thinking
17:21 Future Scenarios for AI in Education
20:23 Evaluating AI Outputs
23:23 AI Literacy in Schools
33:36 The Future of Education: Rethinking Assessment Methods
35:33 Inspiration and Lifelong Learning in Education
37:21 The Role of AI in Environmental Education
39:59 Optimizing Education: The Role of AI and Friction
43:00 AI as a Tool for Learning: Balancing Speed and Understanding
46:05 Scaffolding Knowledge: Using AI to Simplify Complex Concepts
50:02 The Purpose of Education: Beyond Test Scores
53:47 AI’s Potential to Transform Education
56:17 The Illusion of Learning: Confidence vs. Knowledge
59:50 AI and Human Interaction: The Balance of Technology and Relationships

Disclosures
We used a variety of AI chatbots 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).


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

Mike and Emily are back on the Superintelligent podcast! In this special episode, the hosts talk about Emily’s TikTok series about the backstories of top tech leaders like Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Jensen Huang. This episode dives deeply into the bizarre trivia, accusations and gossip about these innovators, from Altman’s doomsday prepping and Musk’s childhood bullies to Huang founding Nvidia at a Denny’s.

Links
Secret lives of tech billionaires: Sam Altman
Secret lives of tech billionaires: Elon Musk
Secret lives of tech billionaires: Jensen Huang
Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted?

Follow Us
Website: superintelligentpodcast.com
Email: [email protected]
Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes
Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok

Disclosures
We used a variety of AI chatbots 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).

Chapters
00:00 Return of the Podcast
02:27 Emily’s New Journey: Motherhood and Content Creation
05:14 Sam Altman: The Controversial Figure
08:14 The Ethics of AI and Leadership
11:18 Personal Background: Sam Altman’s Life and Struggles
14:14 The Business of AI: OpenAI and Y Combinator
17:11 Doomsday Prepping: A Silicon Valley Trend
20:19 Media Coverage and Public Perception
23:15 The Impact of Wealth on Morality
26:10 Conspiracy Theories and Journalism
29:13 Final Thoughts on Sam Altman and AI Ethics
32:29 The Unfolding Drama of Annie Altman
33:14 Elon Musk: The Controversial Figure
35:10 Elon Musk’s Early Life and Challenges
37:04 Family Dynamics and Controversies
38:13 Elon Musk’s Move to North America
41:09 Jensen Huang: An Immigrant’s Journey
44:14 The Founding of Nvidia
49:54 Jensen Huang’s Dual Identity
52:55 The Future of Robotics and AI
55:56 Reflections on Success and Sacrifice


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

In this episode of Superintelligent, Mike Elgan goes solo (as co-host Emily Forlini takes maternity leave from the podcast), ponders why OpenAI suddenly killed its groundbreaking video generation tool, Sora, and addresses the growing backlash against “AI slop.” The backlash shows up when parents slam YouTube for strange videos made for kids, and when Coca-Cola’s reputation gets hammered from AI-generated holiday commercials.

Links
The ‘AI slop’ backlash kills Sora
Sora
The CAA talent agency’s statement on AI threatening actors
Tyler Perry’s canceles Atlanta film studio expansion
Disney’s billion-dollar deal with OpenAI
Nvidia’s DLSS5 gaming graphics tool and Jensen Huang’s related comments
The Undark publication article detailing careless AI-generated children’s videos

Follow Us
Website: superintelligentpodcast.com
Email: [email protected]
Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes
Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok

Disclosures
We used Claude 4.6 Opus 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
Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, OpenAI, Sora, Sora discontinuation, AI video generation, AI slop, OpenAI IPO, AI slop backlash, Meta AI video, Nvidia DLSS5, AI content farms, AI advertising, AI chatbots, Stanford AI study, AI relationship advice, sycophantic AI, generative AI, Comic-Con AI ban


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

Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini dive into the growing list of AI-related mental health conditions (and psuedo-mental health conditions). From AI psychosis and chatbot dependency syndrome to AI FOMO, LLM gaslighting, and dead internet despair, they unpack the real psychological toll of generative AI — just three years after ChatGPT launched. The hosts also debate remote work versus in-office flexibility, and explore how AI is empowering solo entrepreneurs through vibe coding.

Links
People Are Getting Sick of AI, Literally
Block lays off 4,000 workers citing AI. But how much does AI actually have to do with it?
Deep Work, by Cal Newport
CEOs Hate Remote Work, But This Nobel Prize Winner Says It’s a Win for Women
This Man’s True Love Is a Car? | My Strange Addiction: Still Addicted?
Rise of the Digital Ghost Industrial Complex
The Rolling Stones concert in Havana, Cuba
Thomas Jefferson’s Mac And Cheese Obsession

Follow Us
Website: superintelligentpodcast.com
Email: [email protected]
Mike Elgan - About | Machine Society | Bluesky | Mastodon | Notes
Emily Forlini - Website | PC Mag | Bluesky | X | TikTok

Disclosures
We used Claude 4.6 Opus 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
AI psychosis, chatbot psychosis, AI FOMO, AI anxiety, AI dependency syndrome, AI mental health, generative AI psychological effects, chatbot addiction, AI replacement dysfunction, job loss AI, vibe coding, OpenClaw, dead internet theory, dead internet despair, LLM gaslighting, AI dysphoria, parasocial bot attachment, AI relationships, death bots, AI grief technology, algorithmic loneliness, AI hallucinations, digital brain rot, cognitive atrophy, remote work vs office, hybrid work flexibility, deep work, Cal Newport, AI startup entrepreneur, Thomas Jefferson, mac and cheese, Yankee Doodle, automated ghosting syndrome, AI job replacement, Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, AI slop, bot-generated content, information utility burnout, digital darkness anxiety, AI impact on society, AI and mental health 2025, tech journalism, podcast


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