The AI Download


From audiobook narration to poetry at MoMA, this episode goes inside the real creative shift happening right now. Recorded live at the Aspen Ideas Economy Conference.

Welcome back to The AI Download with host Shira Lazar. This episode was recorded live at the Aspen Institute’s Aspen Ideas Economy in Newark, where Shira sat down for a powerful conversation about the new frontier of creativity in the age of AI.
Joining Shira on stage are two trailblazers approaching AI from very different angles:  Bob Carrigan, CEO of Audible and Sasha Stiles,  AI poet and multimedia artist featured at MoMA.  

Together, they explore how AI is reshaping art, authorship, storytelling, and the creator economy. This is not a conversation about fear or replacement. It is about evolution, opportunity, access, and how artists and companies can use these tools in ways that expand imagination rather than limit it.
If you care about where creativity is going next, this is one of those discussions you will feel long after it ends.

WHY THIS MATTERS
AI is changing the way we create, consume, distribute, and value creative work.
Yet most of the public narrative focuses on anxiety rather than possibility.
This conversation reframes the moment we are in.
Not as an ending, but a new chapter.

WHAT WE COVER
• Why companies that replace humans with AI are missing the real opportunity
• How Audible is using AI to expand access to audiobooks worldwide
• Why artists like Sasha Stiles are embracing AI as a poetic collaborator
• How voice models can empower narrators rather than replace them
 • The tension between originality, sampling, and training data
 • What it means to create in a world shaped by both human and non human intelligence
 • Why we are at a Gutenberg level shift in how ideas travel

KEY TAKEAWAY
AI does not erase creativity.
AI expands the canvas.
The real question is not whether technology will change art…It already has.
The question is…How will we choose to make art now.


GUESTS:
Bob Carrigan, CEO of Audible   | LINKEDIN   |   X 
Sasha Stiles -  AI poet and multimedia artist featured at MoMA   | A Living Poem | X 
Subscribe to What’s Trending for smart, accessible coverage of AI, digital culture, and the future of creativity.

 → Shira’s Newsletter on Beehiiv  https://shiras-newsletter.beehiiv.com 

Follow Shira:
 x.com/shiralazar
 instagram.com/shiralazar
 tiktok.com/@shiralazar
 linkedin.com/in/shiralazar
 youtube.com/shiralazar


🎬Visit mussomedia.com for storytelling that connects.

SPONSORS : 👉 HiveLighter – Your AI reading assistant for smart, personalized summaries. Explore our curated AI Download Collection: https://www.hivelighter.ai

Credits

This episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.

Creators and Guests

Host
Shira Lazar
Shira Lazar is an Emmy-nominated host and interviewer covering social media, emerging tech and the future of well-being. Her content focuses on informing, inspiring and empowering the world to take action in their lives, and is infused with her own style of positivity and humor!

What is The AI Download ?

– AI News with a Human Touch

AI is transforming how we work, create, and connect—but what does that mean for the future of content, business, and creativity?

Hosted by Emmy-nominated digital pioneer Shira Lazar, The AI Download is your go-to source for sharp insights, expert interviews, and real-world discussions on AI, emerging tech, and the creator economy.

Each week, we break down the biggest AI trends, explore its impact on creativity and business, and bring you candid conversations with industry leaders, innovators, and disruptors shaping the future.

Whether you're a creator, entrepreneur, or just AI-curious, this podcast deciphers what’s next—and why it matters.

🔹 New episodes every week
🔹 Featuring top experts & thought leaders
🔹 Where AI meets culture, creativity, and business

Stay ahead of the curve!

This episode of The AI Download is hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive production by Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Design Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Unicorn Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.