3 chapters across the catalog
Final PhD Donors and "Boots on the Ground" Notes
The final group of PhD donors is acknowledged, including Scott McNulty, a former CBC employee who lost his job due to vaccine mandates. Other donors include real estate brokers and long-time listeners who shared personal stories of "hitting people in the mouth" with the show's message.
AI Winter History, Lisp Machines and Hype Cycles
The history of "AI Winters" is reviewed, detailing periods of reduced funding following overhyped expectations in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Notable failures include the Japanese Fifth Generation Computer project and the collapse of the Lisp machine market. These cycles suggest that current AI enthusiasm may eventually face a similar period of disillusionment if technical limitations like "hallucinations" persist.
Artificial Intelligence Skepticism, Targeted Advertising, 1980s Tech Panics
Current anxieties regarding AI and algorithms are compared to the "Fifth Generation" computer project panic of the 1980s involving Japan. Critics argue that despite the hype, targeted advertising remains ineffective, often showing users ads for products they have already purchased. There is a call for transparency in the code, with skeptics suggesting the underlying algorithms might be far less sophisticated than the public is led to believe.
