AI Unfiltered

Dive into a captivating podcast episode that weaves through an array of thought-provoking topics. Join Ian and Michael as they dissect the multifaceted role of AI, from its intriguing presence in Hollywood to its transformative impact on coding and testing, reshaping software development's landscape. Hold on as the discussion takes an unexpected turn into the realm of imagination: AI-generated fake film stars. The hosts then shift gears to provide an insightful report on alternatives to ChatGPT, opening a window into the dynamic world of AI evolution. Stepping into the literary world, they ponder the age-old question of classics versus contemporary reads, contemplating the relevance of timeless literature in our fast-paced era. (This description was generated with ChatGPT)

This week we explore Europe’s push for digital alternatives — from cloud infrastructure to software ecosystems — and ask what technological independence might realistically look like. The conversation moves between policy ambition and practical constraints. Along the way we detour into the everyday realities of Windows, Mac, and Linux, and what real choice actually means for users versus institutions. (This description was written with the help of AI)

This week Ian and Michael test the limits of “vibe coding” and find that it might actually work. From there, naturally, we drift into the idea of apps-on-demand, AI minions, and subscription creep, with detours into rainforest guilt, insecure software libraries, hallucinating language models, second-hand drinks cabinets, and the small question of superintelligence wiping us out. Along the way: The Fermi Paradox, universal basic income, and the possibility that in solving convenience we may be accelerating something rather less convenient. (This description was written with the help of AI)

Ian and Michael discuss the desire to automate and outsource or most unpopular and difficult decisions to AI as a means to deflect responsibility; I'd love to help, but my AI assistant decided otherwise... (This episode contains AI-generated speech)

Ian and Michael kick off the new season with a host of topics: the self-contained money merry-go-round of the AI industry, proposed social media bans, media consolidation, AI-generated “reality” shows, and the case for hoarding DVD players like it’s already the end times. A loose, opinionated start to the year and to season 5! (This description was written with the help of AI)

2025 is all but over! For the traditional New Year’s send-off, Ian and Michael look back on the year through the lens of “words of the year” from various dictionaries — and find plenty to be puzzled, amused, and mildly irritated by. From rage bait and parasocial relationships to vibe coding, AI slop, and the strange linguistic inventions of younger generations, the conversation drifts through language, technology, culture, and the growing feeling that everyone might be speaking a slightly different dialect now. Equal parts word nerdery, generational bewilderment, and end-of-year reflection, it’s a fitting way to wave goodbye to the season and stumble into the next one. (This description was created with the help of AI)AI Unfiltered will return with new episodes in 2026!

In the annual AI Unfiltered Christmas episode, Ian and Michael head north (seasonally and philosophically) to discuss visiting Santa Claus Village well outside the traditional festive window, the strange logistics of Christmas tourism without snow, and what happens when reindeer, capitalism, climate change, and children’s fantasies collide. Along the way there are thoughts on fake snow, mobile Santas, edible mascots, Finnish words for autumn glow, and whether Santa might need to relocate — or rebrand — sooner rather than later. Festive, meandering, and only mildly unhinged, as tradition demands. (This description was created with the help of AI)

Ian and Michael take a scenic tour through the modern world’s contradictions, starting with the widening gap between wealth and reality and the quiet, uncomfortable signs of inequality that everyone pretends not to notice - and the creeping sense that AI is only speeding things up in the wrong direction.From there, the conversation drifts into cultural territory: the fate of book series continued long after their original authors have died, the ethics of posthumous storytelling, and whether we should simply accept that some stories… end.There’s also time for a detour through sprawling film franchises, literary purism, the merits (or lack thereof) of late-era Bond and Bourne. A potpourri of societal decay, reading habits, and franchise exhaustion - in other words, a very normal episode of AI Unfiltered. (This description was written with the help of AI)

Ian and Michael wander through the fascinating world of moving city centres and what happens to the buildings left behind, especially churches. From the massive relocation of Kiruna to the quiet transformations of old sanctuaries into community halls, cafés, apartments, and places that feel spiritually familiar yet functionally unrecognisable, the hosts explore how history gets carried, rebuilt, or simply given new purpose. Along the way, they muse about cultural memory, architectural stubbornness, and what it means when societies literally reposition their landmarks. Plus, another instalment of Emma's Artificial Reflections! (This episode features AI-generated content and speech; this description was written with the help of AI)

Ian and Michael meander through the quirks, confusions, and small joys of language learning. The conversation ambles across pronunciations, past tenses, and all the little linguistic oddities that trip people up. There’s a healthy dose of nostalgia for how languages used to be taught, musings on what actually helps people learn, and the occasional tangent into dictionary rabbit holes. And yes, somewhere along the way, the perfect name for a punk band is discovered. (This description was written with the help of AI; this episode contains AI-generated speech)

In this harrowing instalment of AI Unfiltered, Ian and Michael venture deep into the treacherous world of L1 interference: the subtle, sinister force that causes second-language mishaps, awkward phrasing, and, in Michael’s case, one truly unforgivable linguistic blunder committed live on air. The consequences? Tragic. Catastrophic. Entirely self-inflicted.From grammar gremlins to cross-lingual chaos, the hosts unpack how native-language patterns sneak into speech — and why some mistakes echo far beyond the recording studio. Listener discretion advised: contains scenes of grammatical violence. (This description was written with the help of AI)

Ian and Michael dig into the new world of agentic browsers, and the idea of a browser that not only searches but shops, books flights, and does chores for you. They debate whether handing an agent the keys to your cart is convenience or surveillance, grumble through browser nostalgia from Mosaic to Chrome, and worry about the economics and resource costs behind AI. (This description was - yes, we see the irony - written with the help of AI)

Ian and Michael unfold (literally) the future of tech — from Apple’s rumored foldable phone and the disappearing crease, to the strange evolution of how we work, present, and design in a world obsessed with “new” for its own sake. They dive into the stagnation of business tools, the fantasy of the “AI presenter,” and the growing absurdity of constant multitasking in the age of screens that follow you from room to room. (This description was generated with AI)

Ian and Michael jump from Tron to reality TV, flying cars, and innovation that might have already peaked. A meandering mix of nostalgia, skepticism, and the usual unfiltered wit. (This description was generated with the help of AI)

Ian and Michael unpack the newly coined term workslop, the kind of messy, half-baked output that happens when people use AI to make their lives easier and their coworkers’ lives harder. From lazy automation to the myth of “efficiency,” they rant their way through human shortcuts, failing AI projects, and our growing appetite for convenience. Along the way, the discussion drifts into shoplifting, delivery drones, and the creeping future where even grocery runs are automated. As always, it’s part tech talk, part social commentary, and part existential sigh. (This description was generated with AI)

In this episode, Ian and Michael get tangled up in word games: from guessing connections and spelling oddities to debating what words really mean and where they come from. It’s part linguistics, part confusion, and part infotainment as they wander through language quirks, cultural mix-ups, and the occasional AI twist. Proof, perhaps, that even words can be unfiltered. (This description was generated with the help of AI; this episode contains AI-generated speech)

Ian and Michael discuss whether Green AI is an oxymoron and whether AI can ever be green, and how the future has been depicted in literature of the past. Plus, AI-generated contributor Emma Williams returns a new Emma's Artificial Reflections! (This episode contains AI-generated content and speech)

Ian and Michael bounce between topics as only they can: from the absurdity of QR codes on roadside advertisements to car tech and pop-up ads, from Jay Leno’s car-collector persona to podcasting’s strange evolution into video. Along the way, they detour into social media, nom-dom millionaires, and what future historians will think if they were to come across this very podcast. A freewheeling mix of rants, rabbit holes, and reflections. (This episode description was generated with the help of AI)

Ian and Michael kick things off with an unexpectedly passionate discussion about printers—planned obsolescence, cartridges, and the absurdities of home office tech. From there, they pivot to music in the age of AI: debating the value of “completely human-made” artistry, questioning how much talent matters when technology can do the heavy lifting, and unpacking the bizarre case of The Velvet Sundown—a completely AI-generated band that racked up streams on Spotify. It’s part rant, part reflection, and entirely unfiltered. (This description was generated with the help of AI)

Ian and Michael let loose with an unfiltered tirade about the state of things—consumerism, news media, society, and all the everyday absurdities that grind the gears. Less structured discussion, more cathartic venting, this one’s exactly what the episode title promises: a general rant about the world as it is.Plus, our AI-generated contributor Emma returns with a fresh instalment of Emma's Artificial Reflections! (This episode contains AI-generated content and speech; this description was written with the help of AI)