Human Connection, Societal Disparities & "Unbossing" with Shelby Ward

This episode of the podcast features Julie, Jason Padet, and their guest, Shelby Ward. The conversation begins with some lighthearted banter, including Julie recounting running out of gas and the setup of the recording equipment.

A significant portion of the episode revolves around artificial intelligence. The hosts and Shelby discuss the surprisingly low adoption rate of AI literacy and the lack of sign-ups for an AI workshop aimed at small businesses and nonprofits, despite the perceived value of AI. They also touch upon the recent trend of "Ghiblifying" photos using new AI image generation models, referencing Studio Ghibli's popularity and the reaction to the new technology.

The conversation then shifts to futuristic scenarios depicted in sci-fi movies, with Julie, Jason, and Shelby sharing their thoughts on which movies best represent potential positive and negative outcomes of technological advancement in the next 20 years. Movies like Fifth Element, Terminator, The Expanse, Revolution, and Blade Runner are discussed in this context. This leads to a related discussion about UAPs and the possibility of alien intervention in human evolution and the potential role of advanced AI in such scenarios.

The episode also delves into the future of content creation with AI and raises concerns about the potential negative impacts of AI on human connection, tactile skills, and increasing societal disparities. The concept of "unbossing" in the workplace and differing generational perspectives on workplace dynamics are explored. The participants also discuss the appropriate integration of AI in business processes while expressing reservations about replacing human interaction in crucial social and emotional support roles.

Towards the end, Jason announces his plan to create an "AGI weekly" summary of his recorded conversations using notebook LM. Shelby also promotes an upcoming AI literacy workshop for small businesses and nonprofits in the greater Lafayette area. The episode concludes with closing remarks and plans for future meetings.

Lafayette, IN 10-Session AI for Business Workshop Series:

https://www.phoenixsolutionsgroup.org/event-list