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If AI are our artificial children, what kind of parents are we?
In this mind-expanding episode, Shira Lazar sits down with De Kai — cognitive scientist, musician, and one of the original architects behind Google Translate — to explore how today’s algorithms are shaping culture, emotion, and power... and how we might raise better machines before they raise us.
As governments rush to regulate and tech giants push toward increasingly autonomous systems, Kai warns that the real crisis isn’t code—it’s character. With AI agents already influencing elections, mental health, and global conflict, he believes the stakes aren’t just technological, but moral. Can we teach empathy, curiosity, and cultural nuance to machines? Or are we too late?
This episode unpacks:
🔹 Why De Kai calls AIs our “artificial children” — and what that metaphor reveals
🔹 How AI’s emotional immaturity mirrors our worst online behaviors
🔹 The hidden influence of algorithmic censorship and unconscious filtering
🔹 Whether AIs should ever serve as therapists — and the risks of emotional dependence
🔹 What it will take to build AIs that are mindful, not just predictive
🔹 Why future AIs will raise the next generation of AIs — and why this generation is our last chance to get it right
🔹 How music, cognitive science, and ethics inform De Kai’s AI philosophy
🔹 Why energy use and “big dumb” transformer models could soon be replaced by leaner, smarter AI
🔹 How AI’s emotional immaturity mirrors our worst online behaviors
🔹 The hidden influence of algorithmic censorship and unconscious filtering
🔹 Whether AIs should ever serve as therapists — and the risks of emotional dependence
🔹 What it will take to build AIs that are mindful, not just predictive
🔹 Why future AIs will raise the next generation of AIs — and why this generation is our last chance to get it right
🔹 How music, cognitive science, and ethics inform De Kai’s AI philosophy
🔹 Why energy use and “big dumb” transformer models could soon be replaced by leaner, smarter AI
Whether you’re building tech or just living alongside it, this episode offers a powerful reframing of our role in the AI era.
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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
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.