Modem Futura

Latest Episodes:

The Metaverse - A Stack of Reality Layers Nov 11, 2025

Show notes

In this mind-bending episode of Modem Futura, Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard dive deep into the metaverse—not as a corporate brand or sci-fi fantasy, but as a living, evolving stack of realities. Drawing on their immersive experiences with Apple’s Vision Pro, they explore what happens when the physical and digital worlds begin to merge—when the headset comes off but the virtual persists. The hosts unravel how layers of spatial, augmented, and extended reality form a “metaverse stack” that blurs the line between presence and simulation, raising profound questions about identity, memory, and the nature of reality itself. Along the way, they revisit Neil Stephenson’s Snow Crash, question whether AI-generated worlds make us NPCs in our own simulation, and debate whether sustainability must now include digital preservation. What does it mean to have a “totem” that anchors us to truth? How can foresight and responsible innovation help us design this new mixed-reality future before it designs us?

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

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Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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Through the lens: Spatial Computing with Apple Vision Pro Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

Recorded while actually wearing Apple Vision Pro headsets, Sean and Andrew go hands‑on with spatial computing to test what it’s good for today—and what it might become tomorrow. They compare “spatial” to VR and AR, unpack why Apple avoids the term “VR,” and explain pass‑through, eye/hand‑based interaction, and foveated rendering in plain English. The conversation moves from everyday use (multi‑monitor work setups, traveling with AVP, watching films and immersive video, viewing panoramas as if you’re back on location) to the human side: motion‑sickness thresholds, accessibility benefits, social norms and privacy (Ray‑Ban/Meta, the legacy of Google Glass), and whether head‑mounted tech solves real problems or just sells new ones. They reflect on hardware realities (comfort, straps, weight), chip refreshes and what they reveal about system bottlenecks, and why a stratified ecosystem (audio AR via earbuds, lightweight glasses, full “nerd helmets”) is more likely than “one device to rule them all.” The pair also imagine shared, synchronized spaces—identical tables/cafés worldwide—where remote collaborators feel truly co‑present, and close with a call for developers and AVP aficionados to experiment with Modem Futura’s spatial back‑catalog.

Modem Futura in Spatial Video - [web]

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Tech or Treat: A Haunted Futures Improv Special Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

It’s Halloween in the future — and things are getting weird. In this special Modem Futura mini-episode, Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard unleash a spooky edition of their improv game “Futures Improv: Tech or Treat.” Fueled by AI-generated prompts, the duo riffs on haunted algorithms, mirrors that remember, and nightmare-mode neural interfaces. What happens when defunct social-media bots resurrect long-dead posts to tag the living? Could a smart mirror one day show you not your reflection, but who you might have been in another timeline? And what if a brain-computer interface glitch traps you inside your worst fear?

Equal parts eerie and thought-provoking, this Halloween special blurs the line between speculative fiction and real emerging tech. From discussions of digital afterlives to emotional manipulation through neuro-stimulation, Sean and Andrew turn classic horror tropes into futures-thinking experiments — all with the trademark humor and curiosity that define Modem Futura. Whether you’re a technologist, futurist, or Halloween enthusiast, this bite-sized episode invites you to imagine what’s lurking just beyond the edges of innovation.

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Atlas, Higher Education, and How We Really Feel About AI Oct 28, 2025

Show notes

In this episode Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard dive deep into how people really feel about AI—drawing on the latest Pew Research Center global survey of 25 countries. From curiosity to concern, they unpack why so many remain unaware of AI’s everyday presence and what this says about our collective future. The hosts explore the widening gap between the technological elite and the majority who’ve “heard little or nothing” about artificial intelligence, asking what it means for democracy, governance, and participation in shaping our shared futures. The conversation then expands into questions of trust: why Americans express the highest levels of AI anxiety, how the EU’s regulatory approach differs from the U.S., and what this signals for the next decade of global tech policy.

The duo also turn the spotlight on higher education’s role—arguing that universities must become transparent, experimental “living laboratories” that test and share both the successes and failures of emerging technologies. And just when things get heavy, Futures Improv returns with a hilarious twist on memory economies, and digital extinction events. Equal parts foresight and fun, this episode captures Modem Futura’s trademark blend of curiosity, creativity, and play.

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Sora, Slop, and the AI Economy: When ChatGPT Meets Walmart Oct 21, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Modem Futura, Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard dive into a wide-ranging and characteristically lively discussion that spans the launch of Andrew’s new book AI and the Art of Being Human, the rise of OpenAI’s Sora 2video platform, and the surprising partnership between Walmart and ChatGPT that could reshape the economics of online retail. They explore how AI is eroding traditional search and ad models, speculate on whether we’re living inside an “AI bubble,” and ask what happens when an entire digital economy is built on venture debt rather than real profit. Along the way, they unpack themes from the book—how to thrive with AI without losing your humanity—and debate open-source models like Nous Research, guardrails, and the tension between fact and truth in AI’s age of persuasion. The conversation then turns reflective and irreverent, from “pod-slop” fatigue and synthetic media burnout to a tongue-in-cheek Futures Improv segment imagining subscription-based immortality and AI-powered nightclubs. Equal parts thoughtful and hilarious, the episode captures the heart of Modem Futura: exploring how technology, culture, and curiosity shape what it means to be human in a world racing toward its algorithmic future.

Andrew's new book: AI and the Art of Being Human [Amazon]

PEW Research Center: How People Around the World View AI [Web]

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We Turned One - plus Liquid Media, Work Slop, and the Road Ahead Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

We celebrate a full year of Modem Futura with an open, in‑studio debrief on what’s worked, what’s changed, and why we double‑down on being a relational—not transactional—podcast. Sean and Andrew look back on 52+ weekly episodes that turned the studio into a “living laboratory,” where listeners pull up a chair to conversations spanning AI and AGI, simulation hypotheses, autonomous mobility (including a ride in a Waymo), radical creativity, robots and bio‑hybrids, space futures, media theory, education, and more. We unpack how care became a guiding frame for our topics and tone; why parasocial dynamics matter when you’re building community; and how year‑one feedback—from teams using episodes to spark discussion to a certain astronaut’s seal of approval—shaped the show. Then we fast‑forward: “liquid media,” NotebookLM → Hux and 24/7 AI radio streams, the risks of “work slop” and extra cognitive load in organizations, and the line between helpful AI tools and losing the human voice. A playful “Futures Improv” lightning round tackles AI pets, brain‑to‑brain headbands, meditation‑mandating robotaxis, and (naturally) Jurassic Park…on the Moon. We close with what’s next—Vision Pro, Meta’s new glasses, and Andrew’s new book AI and the Art of Being Human—plus a nudge to rate/review so more people can join the conversation.

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AI and the Art of Being Human: How to Thrive with AI Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

This week, Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard welcome venture capitalist and AI Salon founder Jeffrey Abbott to launch the new book AI and the Art of Being Human—a practical, hands‑on guide to thriving with AI while rediscovering what matters most. Together, they unpack where the idea came from, why they fast‑tracked the project, and how they co‑created with AI (moving from ChatGPT to Anthropic’s Claude) using a “shared compass,” voice training, and a living “lore book” to keep characters and story arcs consistent. Instead of dry case studies, the book uses vivid, cinematic global vignettes and 21 simple tools (from reflection prompts to the “conductor triangle” of data–context–intuition) to help readers shift away from competing with AI and toward value rooted in relationships, meaning, and personal dharma. The team also explores the four‑posture compass—Curiosity, Clarity, Intentionality, and Care—and how compassion and responsible innovation thread through every chapter (right down to a physical pocket card). Beyond writing, the episode pulls back the curtain on indie publishing (Waymark Works), the realities of e‑book production, and why the book is available via Amazon and mainstream book channels—alongside a call to grow intentional communities through AI Salon’s 70+ chapters worldwide. It’s an honest, practical, and hopeful conversation about building protopian futures with AI—without losing yourself.

Learn more about the book:

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AI in Elementary Education: Teaching Tech to Our Youngest Learners Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Modem Futura, Sean and Andrew sit down with veteran educator Tara Menghini to explore how artificial intelligence is shaping the formative years of K–6 learning. Tara brings over 25 years of classroom experience and a passion for helping young learners build healthy technology habits from the very start. Together, they discuss the growing comfort children have with iPads compared to pencils and scissors, the tension between hands-on physical learning and digital fluency, and the importance of teaching balance rather than banning screen time. Tara shares vivid classroom examples—from coding without screens to design-thinking projects—that cultivate creativity, resilience, and judgment while preparing kids for a future in which AI is ever-present. The conversation also dives into the myths of “digital natives,” how children imagine AI as robots or companions, and why it’s crucial to guide them in understanding both the promises and perils of new technologies. Along the way, the group touches on privacy concerns, digital citizenship, group chat anxieties, and the role parents must play in AI literacy. It’s a thoughtful, often funny, and deeply human look at what it means to introduce the next generation to technology that will define their world.

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Sloppy Clankers: Is This AI’s Frankenfood Moment? Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

In this lively milestone episode of Modem Futura, Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard dive into the strange cultural moment where AI hype collides with social backlash. The conversation begins with Apple’s latest tech updates—live translation in AirPods and cinematic filmmaking features in the iPhone 17 Pro—before shifting gears into the growing online phenomenon of the term “clanker.” Originally a Star Wars slur for battle droids, “clanker” has become a pejorative for AI systems—and increasingly, for people who use them. Sean and Andrew unpack how this meme-like insult is evolving into a marker of distrust, frustration, and resistance toward generative AI tools.

Drawing comparisons to the 1990s “Frankenfood” moment, when public sentiment turned sharply against GMOs, they explore whether “clanker” could become AI’s equivalent trigger for social pushback. The hosts discuss the psychology of labeling, from Non-GMO food stickers to potential “Non-AI” labels on creative work, and how signals of authenticity—or lack thereof—shape public trust. They also dig into deeper risks: what happens when personal relationships, workplace trust, and even grief are outsourced to AI-generated messages? Along the way, they introduce the sister term “slopper”for low-quality AI content, debate whether AI-literate etiquette is keeping pace with use, and preview looming copyright battles, including Anthropic’s $1.5B settlement with authors.

As always, Sean and Andrew bring a mix of humor, cultural critique, and futures thinking, asking what these small linguistic shifts reveal about the possible, probable, and preferable futures of human-AI coexistence.

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Futures Thinking: Foresight You Can Use Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

Stuck in traffic and daydreaming about an eVTOL escape, Sean and Andrew use “flying cars” (and a new Blackmagic URSA spatial camera that gobbles terabytes) to make a larger point: tech doesn’t fix congestion—or much else—without a systems view that includes people, policy, and behavior. From there, they unpack futures thinking as a mindset, not fortune‑telling: exploring possible, probable, and preferable futures to make better choices today. You’ll hear how horizon scanning (signals, trends, megatrends), scenario building, and backcasting turn uncertainty into actionable paths—while avoiding “used futures,” reducing future shock, and stress‑testing for unintended harms, especially to vulnerable communities and the planet. The conversation ranges from SimCity lessons and Mars‑city thought experiments to risk innovation, protopian versus dystopian frames, and why the plural “futures” matters. They dig into where foresight lives in organizations (embedded roles and external consultancies), why every team needs it, and how to infuse K–12 without piling on: layer a futures lens into existing subjects and use pop culture (e.g., The Moviegoer’s Guide to the Future) as safe space for tough ideas. The episode closes on agency—concrete ways anyone can start practicing futures today—plus a timely reminder that we’re living in a moment of extraordinary promise and peril.

Strategic Foresight Toolkit [Copenhagen Institute for Future Studies]

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