The Cognitive Cost of AI: Surveillance Capitalism, The Future of Work & Democracy

Look closely at the screen in front of you. It is no longer just a passive device; it is actively shaping your perception. Today, we investigate the cognitive and ethical costs of offloading our reason to algorithms and ask what happens when our tools begin to train us? We explore the rise of surveillance capitalism with those documenting the shift—technologists Jaron Lanier, Henry Ajder, and Antonella Wilby. We hear from those fighting to preserve our essence and agency—philosophers Iain McGilchrist and C. Thi Nguyen, economist Jeffrey Sachs and ecologist Carl Safina. Grounding us in the power of expression, are artists and writers Trevor Paglen, April Gornik, Etgar Keret, and Hans Ulrich Obrist. In these original interviews for The Creative Process, our guests remind us that must never surrender our messy, vibrant reality to artificial perfection.(0:00) Trevor Paglen (Artist) The cognitive cost of offloading our reasoning to AI (3:26)(2:28) Jaron Lanier (Computer Scientist, VR Pioneer) The Turing Test and the degradation of humanity (14:30)(5:42) Henry Ajder (AI & Deepfakes Expert) The unprecedented speed of generative AI(8:48) Hans Ulrich Obrist (Artistic Director, Serpentine Galleries) The fight for net neutrality(10:14) Antonella Wilby (Roboticist, NatGeo Explorer) Encoded biases, the danger of neutral tech(11:50) C. Thi Nguyen (Philosopher, Author) Thin metrics and the truth about screen time(13:09) Carl Safina (Ecologist, Author) Mechanization and human dignity(15:17) Jeffrey Sachs (Economist, Center for Sustainable Development) Citizen responsibility (23:06)(16:54) Etgar Keret (Writer, Filmmaker) Enslavement to the machine, outsourcing imagination(19:07) April Gornik (Artist) The historical parallel between AI and nuclear weapons(20:46) Iain McGilchrist (Psychiatrist, Author) Wisdom vs. utility in artificial intelligenceTo hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews here or http://www.creativeprocess.info/podEpisode Website IG @creativeprocesspodcast

“ Musk interestingly has this way of excluding the majority of the population from consideration, what he variously calls non-playing characters or NPCs, which is a category from video games, or sometimes bots, vampires. And this is a much more stark version of insider and outsider group creation than even hierarchies of race because it takes this one step further by taking very seriously the idea that other people are not only not human, but they in some way don't even exist, which is the literal reading of Musk's adoption of Nick Bostrom's simulation theory, which is that most people are simply programmable parts of a simulation and only a small number of people are actual players.”In this episode of the Speaking Out of Place podcast, Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff about their new book, Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed. This is much more than a biography or popular account of Elon Musk, it is a radical analysis of a deeply disturbing, computational way of seeing the world. We see a mind that is profoundly troubled by any contagion spreading into seemingly closed systems—it can take the form of racial others, transpeople, “woke” populations, or most generally and dismissively, “Non-Player-Characters.” We talk about the dangers this mindset has on democracy and the public sphere, and argue that what we should do is to “embrace the woke-mind virus as a counter-revolutionary act.”Quinn Slobodian is professor of international history at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. His books include Globalists: The End of Empire and the Birth of Neoliberalism, Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World without Democracy and Hayek’s Bastards: Race, Gold, IQ and the Capitalism of the Far Right. Slobodian is a Guggenheim Fellow. has been an associate fellow at Chatham House and held residential fellowships at Harvard University and Free University Berlin. Project Syndicate put him on a list of 30 Forward Thinkers and Prospect UK named him one of the World’s 25 Top Thinkers.Ben Tarnoff's books include Voices from the Valley: Tech Workers Talk About What They Do-and How They Do It, and Internet for the People: The Fight for Our Digital Future. He's a contributor to the New York Review of Books, NYTimes and The New Yorker.(4:02) How childhood in apartheid South Africa shaped Musk’s worldview(10:17) Humans as NPCs(16:37) Memes & far-right discourse(20:52) Engineering ideology through Grok & probabilistic language models(32:15) Automating consent & isolating the public sphere(37:20) DOGE, the limits of cyborg optimization(46:58) Unwinding tech monopolies, Embracing the woke mind virus(52:32) Possible Futures of Carbon Musk & Contractor MuskEpisode Websitewww.palumbo-liu.com https://speakingoutofplace.com Bluesky @palumboliu.bsky.social IG @speaking_out_of_place

Salwa and Selma Mikou are the founders of Paris-based Mikou Architecture. Born in Fez, Morocco and educated in Paris, they have spent the last two decades reimagining the relationship between the built environment and the cultural landscape.After honing their craft under two of the world’s most iconic architects, Jean Nouvel and Renzo Piano, they founded their own studio. For them, architecture is a living interaction with landscape and what they call the Atlas of Resonance, interpreting the hidden layers of a territory, geology, memory, and craft. It is a philosophy that rejects the generic, seeking instead to weave together technological innovation with local materials. Whether it is a mosque in the north of England or a hybrid innovation hub in a former royal manufactory, their work asks a fundamental question: How does space shape the way we think, learn and remember? They were selected by Rem Koolhaas to represent Morocco at the Venice Biennale. Most recently, they were commissioned by Hermès to create a 17,000-square-meter facility that bridges industrial performance with poetic expression. At the heart of their practice is a belief that architecture is not just about building—it’s about shaping relationships: between people, between past and future, between technology and craft.(0:03) Architecture as a Living Transformation(1:42) The Intuitive Knowledge of Living Art(2:20) Preserving the Human Core of Expression(3:14) The Medina and the Geometry of Childhood(6:35) The Social Spaces of Rooftops(8:27) The Twin Dynamic and Confrontation with 'l'autre'(10:21) Contextual Echoes & Traces of the Site(12:12) The Temples of Water(13:15) The Mosque as Pure Spatiality(15:49) Building Culture with Yves Saint Laurent & Pierre Bergé(16:57) The Wast ed-dar (وسط الدار) and the Heart of a Building(18:31) The Smells and Sounds of Home(19:44) Balance, Nature, and SisterhoodEpisode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

“Architecture should bring a true sensation of wellbeing. We were really lucky to experience that as children, and now as architects, we try to bring all that we learned into our practice.”Salwa and Selma Mikou are the founders of Paris-based Mikou Architecture. Born in Fez, Morocco and educated in Paris, they have spent the last two decades reimagining the relationship between the built environment and the cultural landscape.After honing their craft under two of the world’s most iconic architects, Jean Nouvel and Renzo Piano, they founded their own studio. For them, architecture is a living interaction with landscape and what they call the Atlas of Resonance, interpreting the hidden layers of a territory, geology, memory, and craft. It is a philosophy that rejects the generic, seeking instead to weave together technological innovation with local materials. Whether it is a mosque in the north of England or a hybrid innovation hub in a former royal manufactory, their work asks a fundamental question: How does space shape the way we think, learn and remember?They were selected by Rem Koolhaas to represent Morocco at the Venice Biennale. Most recently, they were commissioned by Hermès to create a 17,000-square-meter facility that bridges industrial performance with poetic expression. At the heart of their practice is a belief that architecture is not just about building—it’s about shaping relationships: between people, between past and future, between technology and craft.(0:04) The Intuitive Knowledge of Living Art(4:24) The Medina and the Geometry of Childhood(8:18) The Social Spaces of Rooftops(13:46) The Intuitive Knowledge of Living Art(15:31) Contextual Echoes & Traces of the Site(19:18) The Twin Dynamic and Confrontation with 'l'autre'(26:42) The Temples of Water(33:24) The Mosque as Pure Spatiality(38:01) The Crisis Period and Structural Systems(48:24) Building Culture with Yves Saint Laurent & Pierre Bergé(51:38) The Wast ed-dar (وسط الدار) and the Heart of a Building(57:02) Preserving the Human Core of Expression(1:04:29) Urban Acupuncture in the Modern City(1:08:46) The Smells and Sounds of Home(1:10:02) Balance, Nature, and SisterhoodEpisode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

Creativity is an infinite conversation. The impulse to speak and be heard is what keeps us tethered to each other and to the world. From the cinematic scores of Max Richter and Carter Burwell to the Pulitzer Prize-winning poetry of Jericho Brown, we examine the human imagination. Psychiatrist philosopher Iain McGilchrist and writers Ana Castillo, Andre Dubus III and Hala Alyan discuss the power of the unconscious and embracing imperfection. We listen to the hidden life of nature with painter April Gornik, photographer Ami Vitale and writer Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Curator Hans Ulrich Obrist, scientist Daisy Fancourt, biologist David George Haskell and philosopher C Thi Nguyen remind us of the art of living and human connection. Filmmakers Cherien Dabis and Albert Serra underscore that whether we are fighting for justice or simply seeking maximum fun, the process is the prize.(0:00) Max Richter (Composer) (2:41) Andre Dubus III (Author, House of Sand and Fog) (3:36) Iain McGilchrist (Psychiatrist) (4:52) Ana Castillo (Author) (6:11) Albert Serra (Director, Pacifiction) (6:39) Daisy Fancourt (Author, Art Cure) (8:35) David George Haskell (Biologist) (9:49) C. Thi Nguyen (Philosopher) (11:14) Cherien Dabis (Director, All That’s Left of You) (13:27) Aimee Nezhukumatathil (Author, World of Wonders) (14:31) Ami Vitale (Photographer) (16:17) April Gornik (Artist) (20:12) Carter Burwell (Composer) (22:59) Hala Alyan (Author) (24:24) Jericho Brown (Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet) (27:11) Hans Ulrich Obrist (Artistic Director, Serpentine)For more, listen to their full interviewshttp://www.creativeprocess.info/interviews-featured/anth-richter

Can fiction help us make sense of an increasingly chaotic world? For Mark Greaney, writing international thrillers isn't just about explosive action—it's about untangling the messy realities of disinformation, institutional erosion, and AI-driven conflict. The author of The Gray Man series joins us to discuss his path to publishing, training alongside military operatives, and why the most terrifying threats in his novels are often pulled straight from today’s headlines.Mark Greaney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and has spent his career exploring the technical and human complexities of the modern thriller. A student of international relations and political science, he has spent the last two decades at the intersection of deep-state espionage and the high-tech future of warfare. The Grey Man series is also a motion picture starring Ryan Gosling. Greaney was entrusted to carry forward the Jack Ryan universe created by the late Tom Clancy. To get the details right, Mark doesn’t just sit at a desk; his writing is built on a foundation of immersive experiential research. He’s traveled to dozens of countries, trained with SWAT teams, and even flown in Navy fighter jets.His latest book, The Hard Line, brings his protagonist back to a landscape of old conflicts in Northern Ireland and forces him to confront a father he hasn't seen in twenty years. It’s a story about the blood we share and the blood we shed. It arrives at a moment when the boundaries of global conflict are being redrawn by AI, disinformation, and a shifting geopolitical order.(0:00) The AI Arms Race(0:53) Maladaptive Daydreaming in Childhood(1:50) Following Your Passion(4:39) Growing Up with a Newsman Father(8:10) Collaborating with Tom Clancy(11:05) Work Ethic and Enjoying the Process(13:24) The Weight of Grief and Becoming an Adult(16:18) The Reality of Consequences in Fiction(18:01) The Evolution of Court Gentry(22:02) An Unconventional Path to Writing(26:33) Writing Through Physical Pain(30:56) The Weaponization of AI in Warfare(32:41) The Erosion of Truth and Bot Farms(38:06) The Cold War vs Modern Political Polarization(40:46) The Gray Man Film Adaptation(42:56) Immersive Military and Weapons Research(45:14) The Value of the Outsider Perspective(46:31) Reading from The Hard Line(50:42) Justifying Treason in Espionage(54:40) The Climate Crisis and Erosion of Institutions(57:51) The Media and Complexity(1:00:55) Adapting Education for a Changing World(1:05:49) Advice for Writers to Follow Your PassionEpisode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

Mark Greaney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and has spent his career exploring the technical and human complexities of the modern thriller. A student of international relations and political science, he has spent the last two decades at the intersection of deep-state espionage and the high-tech future of warfare. He is the creator of the Gray Man series, a motion picture starring Ryan Gosling, and was entrusted to carry forward the Jack Ryan universe created by the late Tom Clancy. To get the details right, Mark doesn’t just sit at a desk; his writing is built on a foundation of immersive experiential research. He’s traveled to dozens of countries, trained with SWAT teams, and even flown in Navy fighter jets.His latest book, The Hard Line, brings his protagonist back to a landscape of old conflicts in Northern Ireland and forces him to confront a father he hasn't seen in twenty years. It’s a story about the blood we share and the blood we shed. It arrives at a moment when the boundaries of global conflict are being redrawn by AI, disinformation, and a shifting geopolitical order.(0:00) The AI Arms Race(1:42) Maladaptive Daydreaming(2:34) Following Your Passion(3:05) Collaborating with Tom Clancy(3:38) The Weight Of Grief(6:03) The Reality Of Consequences(7:26) The Value Of Outsider Perspective(8:30) The Weaponization Of AI(9:00) The Erosion Of Truth(11:05) The Erosion Of Institutions(13:14) The Media And ComplexityEpisode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

We look to the arts to help us make sense of the world. Today on The Creative Process, we bring together twelve writers. We hear from Booker Prize winners, Paul Lynch, discussing "cosmic fiction", and Yann Martel on the necessity of magical thinking. We’re joined by Andre Dubus III and Megan Abbott, who share their thoughts on memory and family; while Siri Hustvedt, Etgar Keret and A.L. Kennedy explore the ordinary madness of grief. We listen to the novelists Katie Kitamura, Intan Paramaditha, and Liz Moore reflecting on displacement, trauma and the liminal state—and find a connection to the natural world with T.C. Boyle, and Ada Limón.(0:00) Andre Dubus III –(Bestselling Author of House of Sand and Fog)(0:55) Etgar Keret (Celebrated Author · Filmmaker) (5:08)(3:03) Paul Lynch (Booker Prize-winning Author of Prophet Song)(4:12) Megan Abbott (Bestselling Author of The Turnout)(5:53) Katie Kitamura (Author of Audition · Intimacies)(8:02) Liz Moore (Bestselling Author of Long Bright River)(9:10) A.L. Kennedy (Award-winning Author of Day · Alive in the Merciful Country)(10:14) Siri Hustvedt (Author of Ghost Stories · What I Loved)(13:10) Yann Martel (Booker Prize-Winning Author Of Life Of Pi · Son Of Nobody)(14:27) Intan Paramaditha (Author of The Wandering)(16:18) T.C. Boyle (Bestselling Author of Talk to Me and Blue Skies) (20:27)(17:46) Ada Limón (24th U.S. Poet Laureate · Author of The Hurting Kind)To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podIG @creativeprocesspodcast

After 40 years of reporting on the world's most pressing ecological crises, you might expect Fred Pearce to be a cynic. Instead, he’s one of our greatest advocates for hope.If you follow the news about the environment, it’s easy to feel a sense of impending doom. We hear about accelerating extinctions, collapsing water cycles, and climate tipping points. But my guest today, environmental journalist Fred Pearce, says that if you look at the "ground-truth"—the stories of nature and people he has encountered—there is a surprising, even radical, case for hope. His work has taken him to more than eighty countries, from the logging concessions of Borneo to the radioactive exclusion zones of Chernobyl. He is the environment consultant for New Scientist and a regular contributor to The Guardian.In his latest work, Despite It All: A Handbook for Climate Hopefuls, he challenges the prevailing narrative of environmental collapse. He argues that the "population bomb" is being defused, that we are approaching "peak stuff" in developed nations, and that nature possesses a staggering capacity for resilience that we often ignore. He says that a "Good Anthropocene" is not only possible but is already beginning to take shape through a combination of ancient wisdom and modern technical fixes. We’ll talk today about his life as a journalist and why pessimism may be the greatest enemy of progress.(0:00) The Radical Case for Climate Optimism(2:46) Traveling the World to Find Environmental Resilience(5:08) Fixing the Anthropocene and Escaping Despondency(10:22) Indigenous Wisdom and Local Stewardship(15:28) Rewilding and Trusting Nature's Adaptability(21:10) The Renewable Energy Transition in China and Beyond(23:56) Peak Stuff and Redesigning the Cities of the Future(34:01) Defending Democracy and Environmental Protestors(36:12) Drinking Radioactive Vodka in Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone(41:29) When the Rivers Run Dry and Water Scarcity(50:37) Why the Population Bomb is Defusing(55:36) The Origins of an Environmental Journalist(1:03:15) The Future of Journalism in the Age of AI(1:13:27) Generational Hope and the Next Industrial RevolutionEpisode Websitewww.creativeprocess.info/podInstagram:@creativeprocesspodcast

Today, on Earth Day, we explore the Living World—a reality where we are not merely on a planet, but are a moving part of its very metabolism. We travel from the High Sierras with Paul Hawken to the forests of Costa Rica with Thomas Crowther. Guided by Merlin Sheldrake and David George Haskell, we explore ecology, policy, and music with guests Paula Pinho, Hans Bruyninckx, Bill Hare and Alice Schmidt. Alongside Tiokasin Ghosthorse, Tom Chi, Erland Cooper, Rebecca Tickell and Britt Wray, we ask what happens when we stop trying to dominate and start trying to collaborate with the Earth?(0:04) TIOKASIN GHOSTHORSE (Founder, First Voices Radio)(2:05) PAUL HAWKEN (Founder, Project Regeneration, Project Drawdown, Author) (24:25)(4:57) THOMAS CROWTHER (Founder, Restor, Co-chair UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration)(5:51) MERLIN SHELDRAKE (Biologist, Author, Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds)(8:23) DAVID GEORGE HASKELL (Biologist, Author, How Flowers Made Our World)(10:43) HANS BRUYNINCKX (Fmr. Director European Environment Agency)(11:39) REBECCA TICKELL (Director, Kiss the Ground) Soil Health, Bio-sequestration (26:27)(13:32) TOM CHI (Founding Partner At One Ventures, Author, Climate Capital)(14:44) PAULA PINHO (Chief Spokesperson, European Commission)(16:08) BILL HARE (Founder,CEO of Climate Analytics, Physicist)(18:03) ALICE SCHMIDT (Global Sustainability Advisor, Author)(19:18) ERLAND COOPER (Composer) Earth as Collaborator(22:38) BRITT WRAY (Author, Generation Dread)To hear more from each guest, listen to their full interviews.Episode Website