Air Date: 10-19-2025

Robber Barons™ of The Gilded Age™ told themselves stories about how they were ushering in progress for all which is why, they argued, they shouldn't be constrained by things like safety regulations or worker unions - impoverishing millions while injuring and killing thousands in the process. It took a stock market crash, the Great Depression, WWII, and The New Deal to finally wrench the power away and redistribute it for the sake of building a middle class that could work in relative safety in the US. Today's Robber Barrons™ ushering in techno-feudalism under the banner of AI-For-All are no different but with even higher stakes in the balance.

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: We're in Our AI Slop Era Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-7-25

KP 2: What AI Means for Your Money, Music and Love Life Part 1 - Here & Now Anytime - Air Date 9-26-25

KP 3: AI Slop Part 1 - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 6-23-25

KP 4: Family Accuses ChatGPT of Helping Their Son Commit Suicide - The Briefing - AIr Date 8-30-25

KP 5: The REAL Reason Trump and Big Tech Want AI in Our Schools - More Perfect Union - Air Date 10-2-25

KP 6: AI and the Demise of College Writing Part 1 - Adam Walker - Close Reading Poetry - Air Date 7-15-25

KP 7: AI, Energy, and Climate Data Center Water Use Alexis Abramson, Julio Friedmann and Angela Yuan Part 1 - The DSR Network - Air Date 10-7-25

(00:56:20) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On the pattern of capitalism's social costs

DEEPER DIVES

(01:05:22) SECTION A: AL SLOP

A1: AI Slop Part 2 - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 6-23-25

A2: What AI Means for Your Money, Music and Love Life Part 2 - Here & Now Anytime - Air Date 9-26-25

A3: Hollywood Outrage EXPLODES After AI 'Actor' Tilly Norwood Reveals Massive Problem - The Damage Report - Air Date 10-5-25

A4: We're in Our AI Slop Era Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-7-25

A5: Trump Posts Insane AI Fake News Clip Of Himself Spreading 'Medbed' Conspiracy - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 9-29-25

A6: What Mark Zuckerberg Is Hiding About His AI Chatbots Part 1 - More Perfect Union - Air Date 9-25-25

A7: AI Fascism How Trump & the Far Right Turned AI Into a Weapon Against Democracy - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 5-12-25

(02:05:43) SECTION B: SOCIAL ASPECTS

B1: The U.N. Aims For Global AI Guardrails Part 1 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 9-30-25

B2: What Mark Zuckerberg Is Hiding About His AI Chatbots Part 2 - More Perfect Union - Air Date 9-25-25

B3: Virtual Love - How Dangerous Are AI Relationships - DW Documentary - Air Date 8-12-25

B4: What to Know About AI Psychosis and the Effect of AI Chatbots on Mental Health - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 8-31-25

B5: The U.N. Aims For Global AI Guardrails Part 2 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 9-30-25

(02:47:46) SECTION C: LABOR AND EDUCATION

C1: 2025 AI+Education Summit AI's Impact on Education – A Visionary Conversation Part 1 - Stanford Hai - Air Date 3-3-25

C2: AI and the Demise of College Writing Part 2 - Adam Walker - Close Reading Poetry - Air Date 7-15-25

C3: 2025 AI+Education Summit AI's Impact on Education – A Visionary Conversation Part 2 - Stanford Hai - Air Date 3-3-25

C4: Will AI Kill Your Job w/ Brian Merchant Part 1 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 9-5-25

C5: AI-generated Models Shake up the Fashion Industry and Raise Concerns - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 8-16-25

C6: AI Fight The Working Class Is at a Crossroads W Prof. Wolff - The Socialist Program w/ Brian Becker - Air Date 10-6-25

C7: Will AI Kill Your Job w/ Brian Merchant Part 2 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 9-5-25

(03:46:34) SECTION D: DATA CENTERS

D1: AI's Environmental Footprint w/ Ashley Dawson Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 10-8-25

D2: AI, Energy, and Climate Data Center Water Use Alexis Abramson, Julio Friedmann and Angela Yuan Part 2 - The DSR Network - Air Date 10-7-25

D3: AI's Environmental Footprint w/ Ashley Dawson Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 10-8-25

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: AI-generated image of robot hands holding up a small globe against a desolate dessert background.

Credit: “ai-generated-robot-earth” via geralt, Pixabay | Pixabay License 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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