AI Overlords

Would AI do a better job than the humans running the systems we rely on?In this episode of Neurotypicals Don't Juggle Chainsaws, AI Overlords, Nic King and Kate Fox explore that uncomfortable question through their experiences of disability benefits, education support, inaccessible paperwork and trying to get a straight answer.They discuss how AI can help neurodivergent people navigate processes that ask far too much of them, from making sense of complicated documents to challenging an incorrect energy bill. They also consider who’s accountable when AI gets things wrong, whose biases shape it and why safeguards matter.Along the way, there’s a conversation about creativity, the pressure to defend using AI and what happens when the choice is between getting help to share your voice or not being heard at all.An honest, occasionally exasperated discussion, with very human hosts and Kate’s ongoing fondness for Claude.

There’s a lot being said about neurodivergent people at the moment, and not all of it is easy to hear. In this episode, Kate and Nic talk about what happens when the wider conversation starts to feel hostile, whether that’s around autism, ADHD, self-identification, support, diagnosis or the way neurodivergent people are represented. Rather than getting stuck in everything happening outside of our control, they focus on the things that are still ours. Knowledge of ourselves, understanding what helps and what doesn’t, finding people who get it, and building community around us. 

Summer might be lovely for some people, but for many neurodivergent people it can bring an entirely different set of challenges.In this episode, Kate and Nic explore what the recent heatwaves have been like through a neurodivergent lens. From sensory overwhelm and disrupted routines to medication affected by high temperatures, reduced capacity and the simple reality of having no escape from the heat, they discuss why "it's just a bit warm" can feel like so much more.Kate shares a month that seemed determined to test every sensory limit imaginable, while Nic talks about managing chronic pain medication during prolonged hot weather and the practical adjustments her family have had to make.Together they reflect on the importance of recognising your own needs, communicating them to the people around you, and giving yourself permission to adapt when your usual capacity simply isn't there.Sometimes the most neuroaffirming thing you can do is say, "I'm struggling today."

We're back with Part 2 of our live podcast from Gosforth Civic Theatre, and this time the audience takes centre stage.Together, we play a game of Neurodiversity Bingo, sharing the phrases so many neurodivergent people have heard, the moments that helped us recognise ourselves, and the sensory joys that make life that little bit brighter.From "You can't be autistic because..." to stories about self-identification, waiting lists, family traits and the importance of community, this episode is packed with laughter, recognition and plenty of "it's not just me!" moments. Along the way, the audience also shares everything from favourite textures and comfort shows to the very specific ways they eat Kit Kats, proving once again that no two neurodivergent people are exactly alike.A huge thank you again to everyone who joined us at Gosforth Civic Theatre and helped make these live episodes so special. Your stories, honesty and humour made this a brilliant evening, and we can't wait to do it again.If you've got an idea for a future podcast topic, we'd love to hear from you. Get in touch and you might inspire a future episode of Neurotypicals Don't Juggle Chainsaws.

We're back with the first part of our recent live episodes recorded at Gosforth Civic Theatre, and this one is all about giving yourself permission to stop doing things that make life harder than it needs to be.From supermarkets and recycling systems to forms, handshakes, Christmas dinner and social expectations, Kate, Nic and the audience share their own personal "just don't" moments. It's a funny, honest conversation about sensory needs, executive function, masking, and the small acts of rebellion that can make everyday life a bit easier.A huge thank you to everyone who came along and made the evening such a brilliant event. The audience played a big part in this episode and you'll hear plenty of their stories throughout.We've got Part 2 coming soon, and we'd love to hear your ideas for future podcast topics. If there's something you'd like us to explore, let us know.Recorded live at Gosforth Civic Theatre.

How many things do you do every day without realising they might actually be stims?   In this episode, Kate returns from running a neurodivergent writing retreat in Scotland after accidentally blowing everyone’s minds with a session on language stims. What starts as a chat about repeating words quickly turns into a much bigger conversation about humming, echolalia, accents, family phrases and all the small things people do to regulate themselves without even noticing.   Kate and Nic talk about the ways stimming gets misunderstood through a diagnostic lens, why so many people grow up hiding it and how certain phrases, songs and repeated words can become their own form of comfort.   There’s also a genuinely brilliant detour into musicals as communication, the phrase “hydrate or die straight”, and an unexpected history lesson on the gin crisis.   If you’ve ever repeated a word because it sounds satisfying, communicated entirely through song lyrics or suddenly realised your family all hum, whistle or bounce in their seats… this one might feel very familiar.

A quick note before this one: this episode was originally recorded as the April podcast for Autism Acceptance Month, but due to an upload error, it’s now landing in May. So if you hear Nic and Kate referring to “this month”, that’s why.   They also kick things off with a reminder that their live show is happening this Thursday, 21st May at Gosforth Civic Theatre, where you can see them in the flesh!  This episode tackles the growing conversations around overdiagnosis, “profound autism” and whether the spectrum has become “too wide.” Kate and Nic unpack why these debates can feel so exhausting for the neurodivergent community and why dividing autistic people into smaller and smaller categories helps systems far more than it helps actual people.   At the heart of this episode is a simple message: autistic people are not boxes. They’re people. 

🎤 Live show news! Kate and Nic are bringing Neurotypicals Don’t Juggle Chainsaws to the stage for a live podcast recording at Gosforth Civic Theatre on Thursday 21 May 2026. ⁠You can book your tickets here!⁠After spotting a Department for Education video claiming to show an “inclusive classroom”, Kate and Nic unpack what inclusive education actually looks like versus what systems say it looks like. From SEND funding structures and EHCP realities to home education fears, tribunal delays and impossible academic expectations, this episode explores the gap between policy language and lived experience for neurodivergent young people and their families. This isn’t a doom-and-gloom episode though. Alongside the realities, they also explore what is within people’s control: community, knowledge, self-understanding and support networks and why those things may matter more than any official system.

Moving house has sent Kate into a deep, all-consuming hyperfocus on getting rid of stuff. Not the moving part – the chucking part.In this episode, Kate and Nic talk about why letting go of objects can be surprisingly hard for neurodivergent people, from sentimentality and anthropomorphising things, to executive function, recycling rules, inherited scarcity thinking and the sheer logistics of “doing the thing”.They explore hoarding versus minimalism, ADHD deadlines, Swedish death cleaning, archive boxes (yes, archive boxes), and why knowing something is there can be just as stressful as seeing it.Along the way, they share practical reflections, gentle validation, and a few new mantras for life, including:If in doubt, hoy it out.If you don’t know, let it go.As ever, this isn’t about doing decluttering “right”. It’s about being kind to yourself while navigating change, overwhelm, and the complicated emotional lives of objects.

It’s 2026, Kate is in a teddy bear onesie, and we are asking a big question: am I actually ill, or is this burnout in disguise? In this episode, Nic and Kate talk about that fuzzy overlap between being physically unwell and being completely out of spoons. Kate shares how a virus forced her to confront her own ideas about rest, why staying in bed with comfort TV can still feel like a battle, and how Claude the AI ended up giving very sensible sick day advice. If you have ever wondered whether you are allowed to stop, or felt guilty for not being “ill enough”, this one is for you.