Open Season with Simon Kriss

The CEO of the Gradient Institute on the emerging risks of agentic AI and how playing dumb might be the smartest move. Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: should we get AI out of schools? what do the big Canva job cuts mean? will the US midterms impact AI in Australia? For show notes go to: https://burningplatforms.substack.com/ Join us in Canberra on November 25 - https://events.humanitix.com/what-s-your-poison-live-show-last-drinks-for-2026? Celebrate Digital Rights Watch’s 10th birthday on December 9 - https://events.humanitix.com/digital-rights-watch-10th-birthday-party

The founder of UTS’s Ultimo Institute on the political economy of the largest float in history, AI lab Anthropic’s IPO. Panellists Australian Writers Guild CEO Claire Pullin, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss. the crash of Elon Musk’s ‘yuck truck’ how people are using AI to manage their health the tech bro’s embrace of ‘cognitive mercantilism’ For transcript, cuts and curios go to https://burningplatforms.substack.com/  

  The AI scientist and author on his rising concerns about existential risk and the false inevitability of the hyper-scalers.   Panellists ABC AI correspondent Ca, Wilson, Tech Policy Design Institute co-director Zoe Jay Hawkins and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: the ad-powered cyber-attacks on Australian institutions the Digital Duty of Care laws enter the Parliament Meta’s new terms of trade and plans for AI domination For show notes go to https://burningplatforms.substack.com/

The CEO of the new Australian Council on AI Strategy on the big decisions and competing trade-offs facing Australia and where scientists fit in the conversation. Panelists Australian Writers Guild CEO Claire Pullen, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss.  is the Parliamentary Inquiry AI actually worth it? should AI be in your fridge? And whether mathematics is dead. For background material go to https://burningplatforms.substack.com/

The co-founder of Indicator on how lies have taken over the internet and what we can all do to build a better information ecosystem.    Also this week: Culture wars over digital duty of care AI as an intellectual hot dog and what the Firmus flop could mean for datacentres For show notes go to: https://burningplatforms.substack.com/

As Open AI apologises to Australia the CEO of Sovereign AI takes us through the relative merits of open weight, open source and closed AI models.   Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinong and Pert Capita’s peter Lewis also discuss the downsides of live-streaming amateur basketball Anthropic’s consultations with God and the rapid release of consumer agents For show notes go to Burning Platforms on substack - https://burningplatforms.substack.com/

As Australia confronts the Open AI hack on Medicare we are joined by an expert in strategic foresight to explore how we can confront  the AI revolution with the benefit of hindsight. Panellists Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, ABC national AI reporter Cam Wilson and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: whether AI models can get drunk is it time for an AI Pause? and Audrey Tang’s call for a citizen jury to guide AI For show notes go to Burning Platforms on substack - https://burningplatforms.substack.com/  

The Sydney University scholar explains how people can train their algorithms to get a better online experience and what it means to the Digital Duty of Care. Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: Frontier Tech’s global reckoning Open AI’s massive content heist and the Australian bros building a global slop empire For cuts and curios from this week’s show go to Burning Platforms on Substack

The CEO of the Alannah and Madeline Foundation gives her verdict on  the government’s new Digital Duty of care laws. Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: the AI hyperscaler’ cry for help Apple’s creepy new release and the surveillance legacy of 9/11. For show notes go to https://burningplatforms.substack.com/

The independent MP on her community-driven plan for AI, working with government from the cross-bench and pushing the pace of reform. Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: GetUp’s big Palantir win Rogue AI latest salvo and the Digital Duty of Care laws For show notes go to: https://burningplatforms.substack.com/