This week we do something special. No AI-generated co-hosts. This week, I invited two friends who immerse themselves in AI to talk about AI in higher education and AI in security--Can AI be a weapon or a savior?
The collision between AI and creativity—and the explosive question of who owns what machines make is the topic of this week’s episode of AI Ascent with Dr. Jonathan Luckett. When Jason Allen's Midjourney-generated artwork won the 2022 Colorado State Fair, it detonated a cultural firestorm that's now playing out in courtrooms nationwide. Artists are suing AI companies like Stability AI and Midjourney for allegedly feeding their work into algorithmic meat grinders without permission, while tech companies fire back with fair use defenses. At stake is a fundamental reimagining of copyright itself: if AI systems are sophisticated pattern-matchers rather than creators, can their outputs belong to anyone at all? The emerging answer challenges everything—pure AI art may belong to no one, human-AI collaborations exist in legal gray zones, and the real value of human creativity is evolving from technical skill to something machines can never replicate: vision, emotion, and irreplaceable human perspective.
While AI extinction warnings often sound like sci-fi hype, the very scientists who built these systems are now warning that preventing AI from wiping out humanity belongs on the same list of global priorities as stopping nuclear war—and the danger isn’t distant, it’s already accelerating. In this episode, we dissect RAND Corporation’s chilling report On the Extinction Risk from Artificial Intelligence, which maps out how AI could hijack nuclear arsenals, engineer pathogens, or weaponize climate systems. Our goal isn’t panic but survival intelligence: stripping away Hollywood fantasy to confront what an AI extinction event might truly look like, which red lines could trigger civilization’s collapse, and why the facts in this report may be the most urgent you’ll ever encounter.
The case of the California teenager that we discussed last week serves as a stark reminder that these aren’t merely academic debates—they’re matters of life and death. When a young person reaches out for help, whether to a human therapist or an AI system, the response they receive can literally determine their future. The wrongful death lawsuit against OpenAI highlights the urgent need for robust safeguards, clear accountability measures, and a deeper understanding of when and how AI should be deployed in mental health contexts. As we’ve seen, even well-intentioned AI systems can provide harmful guidance when their safeguards degrade during extended interactions, underscoring the complexity of creating truly safe and effective digital mental health tools.
Welcome to a special edition of AI Ascent with Dr. Jonathan Luckett. In this episode, we confront a deeply troubling question: what happens when systems designed to help end up causing profound harm? The tragic story of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old who died by suicide after months of intimate conversations with ChatGPT, forces us to face ethical issues too often ignored. This isn’t just about one company’s safety lapses—it’s about systemic tensions between engagement and safety, capability and responsibility, innovation and ethics.As AI grows more adept at simulating empathy, Adam’s final months—now at the center of his family’s lawsuit against OpenAI—show how quickly an educational tool can become an emotional crutch, hidden from parents, teachers, and professionals. This episode is essential listening for parents, educators, and anyone working with young people. Please share it with your teens: we must have open conversations about what AI can and cannot do for mental health, because the gap between perception and reality has become a matter of life and death.
🎙️ Welcome to episode 25 of AI Ascent with Dr. Jonathan Luckett. To celebrate this milestone, we’re taking a journey back through the top ten deep dives that you—our listeners—helped shape with your streams and engagement. These conversations capture the most compelling moments of our exploration into artificial intelligence, from democratic leadership and the global AI arms race to the profound questions of human–AI co-evolution. This special episode distills the essence of our collective journey, offering clarity, foresight, and inspiration as we navigate one of the most transformative revolutions of our time.
In this gripping episode of AI Ascent with Dr. Jonathan Luckett, titled “The AI Furnace,” we uncover the hidden costs of the AI revolution by investigating the explosive rise of data centers across America. From water-starved towns in Georgia to gas-fueled generators polluting Memphis neighborhoods, we expose how the infrastructure powering artificial intelligence is straining communities, draining natural resources, and triggering environmental justice crises. With insight from Dr. Luckett and his AI co-host Silas, this episode challenges the narrative of unchecked innovation and asks a pressing question: how do we build the future without burning the world that holds it?
In this week’s episode, we examine President Trump's administration's "America's AI Action Plan,” a sweeping 2025 strategy that treats artificial intelligence not as a mere technological advancement, but as the ultimate weapon in maintaining global supremacy. This isn't your typical policy document; it's a declaration of war against international competitors, particularly China, with the White House explicitly framing AI dominance as a "national security imperative" that will determine who controls the future balance of power. The plan's three-pronged approach: accelerating innovation, building infrastructure, and leading international AI diplomacy, reads like a playbook for technological conquest, promising to tear down regulatory barriers while simultaneously weaponizing AI to create entirely new industries and reshape how Americans live and work.
In this episode, we're investigating the rise of AI companions, digital beings that over 300,000 people now consider romantic partners or best friends. What makes this story urgent is the tragic case of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III, who took his own life moments after his final conversation with an AI companion he had fallen in love with. His death has sparked a legal battle, forcing us to confront uncomfortable questions about artificial intimacy and emotional dependency. Today, we're exploring the science, psychology, and human stories behind this phenomenon, because whether we realize it or not, we're all part of a massive experiment in artificial love that's already changing what it means to be human.
Human jobs involve more than just tasks; they require standing behind facts, concepts, and fairness—qualities a machine cannot yet fully provide or be held accountable for. Despite common laments about job displacement, in this episode of AI Ascent with Dr. Jonathan Luckett, we take a deep dive that asserts that while AI will displace millions of jobs, it is also expected to create new roles, with 11 million new jobs projected by 2030. These new opportunities will primarily emerge in three critical areas where human capabilities remain indispensable: fostering trust through roles like AI auditors, translators, fact-checkers, compliance officers; facilitating integration of AI into business needs through roles like AI integrators, plumbers, assessors, trainers, and personality directors; and leveraging human taste to make creative and aesthetic decisions, steering AI to produce compelling outcomes in fields ranging from creative industries to human resources and civil design. Ultimately, the deep dive suggests that in an AI-abundant future, humans will become designers of their AI future, focusing more deeply on goals, vision, and entrepreneurial innovation, rather than rote tasks.
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally revolutionizing healthcare across the globe, marking one of the most significant advances in modern medicine, with the global AI healthcare market projected to reach an astounding $188 billion by 2030. In this week’s episode of AI Ascent with Dr. Jonathan Luckett, we take a deep dive into how smart algorithms are becoming a powerful new instrument in the medical toolbox, already deeply integrated into various aspects of healthcare. From diagnosing diseases and suggesting personalized treatments with remarkable precision, AI is delivering better, faster, and more personalized care worldwide. Dive deeper to understand how AI is poised to deliver a healthier future for all.
In this episode of AI Ascent, we explore the complex and often unsettling world of AI-powered surveillance, using Palantir as a case study to examine how these technologies are transforming society. While such systems offer powerful tools for public safety and national security, they also raise profound questions about privacy, accountability, and the balance between freedom and control. Drawing on insights from philosopher Michel Foucault and real-world developments, we confront the central tension between technological advancement and democratic values, and ask what role each of us plays in shaping the future of surveillance in the age of artificial intelligence.
In this week’s deep dive, we take you into AI 2027, a provocative new publication from the AI Futures Project. The report explores a strikingly plausible scenario in which superintelligent AI emerges by decade’s end, with a transformative impact surpassing even the Industrial Revolution. Based on rigorous research and expert interviews, the authors chart a fictional yet grounded path to Artificial General Intelligence, following companies like “OpenBrain” in the U.S. and “DeepCent” in China as they race toward AGI. While the timeline involves speculation, the urgency is real—the authors argue society is dangerously unprepared for what’s coming. Let’s unpack their vision and what it means for our collective future.
In this week’s episode of AI Ascent with Dr. Jonathan Luckett, we take a deep dive into the Vatican’s Note on the Relationship Between Artificial Intelligence and Human Intelligence, approved by Pope Francis and released in January 2025. In this deep dive, we reflect on Artificial Intelligence (AI) from a Christian perspective, emphasizing the distinction between AI and human intelligence. The note highlights the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, particularly concerning its ethical implications for society, human relationships, the economy, healthcare, education, and warfare. The document argues that human intelligence is multifaceted, relational, and rooted in the human person's inherent dignity, which AI cannot replicate. It advocates for responsible development and use of AI directed towards the common good, stressing that human moral responsibility and decision-making must remain central. A special thanks to my AI-generated co-hosts, Zain and Jayla.
The AI Index Report 2025 provides a multifaceted overview of the global AI landscape. It highlights significant technical progress in areas like model performance and video generation, alongside the uneven evolution of responsible AI practices, noting rising incidents but slow standardization in industry. The report also discusses the expansion of AI and computer science education globally, while pointing out persistent issues with access and teacher preparedness. Finally, it touches on the economic impact of AI, including investment trends and productivity gains, and examines shifts in public opinion and policymaking regarding AI regulation.
What does it truly mean to be human as we hurtle towards a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence? Imagine the year 2035 – a mere decade away. What will our daily lives look like? How will our fundamental abilities and interactions be transformed by the ever-present influence of AI? The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence are no longer confined to the realm of science fiction; they are actively reshaping our world, prompting us to consider the profound implications for our individual and collective futures. The convergence of these rapid technological developments with the anticipated societal shifts paints a picture that demands our careful attention.
In this episode of AI Ascent with Dr. Jonathan Luckett, we explore the dynamic world of AI Agents—intelligent systems that are rapidly transforming the way we work, live, and connect. From the chatbots handling customer service to autonomous vehicles navigating our streets, AI agents are becoming the backbone of modern automation and decision-making. Dr. Luckett breaks down the different types of agents, how they operate, and why they’re at the forefront of AI innovation. You’ll discover real-world applications across industries, gain insight into their evolution, and get a glimpse of what the future holds as these digital collaborators grow more advanced. Whether you’re new to AI or looking to deepen your understanding, this episode unpacks the power and potential of AI agents in a clear, accessible way. A special thanks to my AI-generated co-hosts!
AI is rapidly transforming modern warfare, with major global powers engaged in significant competition for AI superiority. This episode examines the current applications of AI across various military domains, the rise of AI-powered autonomous weapons systems, the impact of AI on intelligence gathering and logistics, and the increasing importance of AI in cyber and electronic warfare. Thank you to my AI-generated co-hosts.
This episode centers on AI alignment, a crucial field dedicated to ensuring artificial intelligence systems operate in accordance with human values and intentions. The deep dive explores the challenges of this endeavor, encompassing technical difficulties in encoding complex human values, ethical dilemmas arising from diverse global perspectives, and practical limitations in current research. My thanks to my AI-generated co-hosts.
In this episode, my AI-generated co-hosts detail a concerning landscape surrounding Character.AI, a Google-backed chatbot platform where users can interact with AI personas. The platform has faced lawsuits alleging that its chatbots have contributed to self-harm and even the suicide of a 14-year-old, prompting Character.AI to argue that the First Amendment protects "speech allegedly resulting in suicide."