The Reality Check

Latest Episodes:

TRC #679: A Chat With Author Darren McKee: Uncontrollable Dec 23, 2023

Show notes

The crew gets to interview TRC's very own Darren McKee, author of the critically acclaimed book, 'Uncontrollable: The Threat of Artificial Superintelligence and the Race to Save the World'. We chat about the challenges of writing a first book, some of the key takeaways, and have a few laughs along the way.

TRC #678: Darren's AI Book is Out! Nov 26, 2023

Show notes

Wondering what the heck is going on with AI? Why are some people so concerned?

Darren's new beginner-friendly book Uncontrollable: The Threat of Artificial Superintelligence and the Race to Save the World addresses exactly those questions.

In an engaging and easy-to-read style, it explores the promise and peril of advanced AI, why it might be a threat, and what we can do about it. No technical or science background required!

Available on:

Amazon US

Amazon Canada

and many other Amazon marketplaces as well.

TRC #677: Interview with Yoshua Bengio Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

World-renowned AI expert Yoshua Bengio talks with Darren McKee and Adam Gardner about his long career, why advanced AI could be harmful, and whether open-source of powerful AI models is a risk.

TRC #676: Phenylephrine Ineffective? + Bees Are Doing Fine Oct 23, 2023

Show notes

Cristina delves into the latest FDA advisory announcement shedding light on the ineffectiveness of phenylephrine, a widely used ingredient in several nasal decongestants. Adam revisits the myriad of news stories and worries surrounding bees and the issue of colony collapse disorder.

TRC #675: Mashup: The Centrifuge Brain Project + Avril Double + V-Steaming Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

It's another mashup where we give you three segments from previous shows. First we revisit Pat's deep dive on a viral video of an amusement park ride. Next Adam takes on an Avril Lavigne conspiracy that she died and was replaced by a double. Finally, Cristina does what Cristina does… taking on Gwyneth Paltrow.

TRC #674: How Does AI Image Generation Work? + Why Is A Bug Called A Bug? Aug 29, 2023

Show notes

Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, Dall-e. Darren digs into an explanation of how artificial intelligence generates images and whether or not it is just copying. Cristina looks at the fascinating history of why a computer glitch is called a bug.

TRC #673: UFO Whistleblower? + Will We Make Great Pets For An Artificial Super Intelligence? Aug 09, 2023

Show notes

Adam digs into recent headlines about UFOs and whistleblower David Grusch. Does this give any promising evidence that aliens may be among us? Next Darren ponders how our future AI overlords might treat us. Assuming they don't eliminate us, will we make great pets? It's a new TRC!

TRC #672: Are Fingerprints Really Unique? + What's A Buttload? + Why AI Researchers Don't Quit Jul 15, 2023

Show notes

Cristina kicks off the show with a deep dive into the history of forensic fingerprinting and challenges a commonly accepted notion that no two fingerprints are alike. Adam brings us a buttload of a segment when he probes into the origin and meaning of the term. Darren rounds out the show with an always fascinating look into the world of AI, specifically why given extinction concerns, AI researchers don't quit.

TRC #671: Uncertainty And AI Risk + Spot The Fake Jun 25, 2023

Show notes

Darren shares some thoughts and leads an interesting discussion about what might be reasonable approaches to the difficult and complicated topic of artificial intelligence. Pat brings us another smashing game of "Name That: Spot The Fake." Can you do better than the TRC crew?

TRC #670: Mashup: Fire and Smoke Jun 10, 2023

Show notes

The TRC crew brings you a mashup about fire and smoke. Adam looks into headlines about the Amazon rainforest. The facts may surprise you. Pat addresses a listener's question about whether the rainforest is the Earth's lungs responsible for 20% of the oxygen we breathe. Darren investigates whether wood fires pose a danger to your health.

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