From massive investments to AI-powered hiring and building websites, is the technology living up to the hype?

AI is making headlines for its billion-dollar investments, but what happens when we put it to work on real business problems?

Coming to you from Calgary, Alberta, this episode of Hardly Artificial takes a closer look at the growing financial pressures behind the AI boom. From Anthropic's reported IPO plans and infrastructure commitments to Google's massive AI spending, we explore the numbers behind the headlines and ask whether the industry's biggest players can sustain their rapid growth.

But beyond the market hype, what does successful AI adoption actually look like? We share a firsthand experiment using ChatGPT to automate part of the hiring process, reviewing hundreds of resumes, evaluating qualifications, and organizing candidates in monday.com. We also explore the risks of bias in AI-assisted decision-making and how standardized scoring systems could help businesses make more informed choices.

Then things get a little strange. We discuss an Amazon sleep-tracking alarm clock that raises questions about privacy, discover an AI-powered robotic duck, and put Replit to the test in another round of Prompt Roulette.

With just a simple prompt, we challenge AI to build a functioning MicroDuck reseller website from scratch. Can it really create and publish a website in minutes, without writing a single line of code ourselves? microduck-marketplace.replit.app

From billion-dollar investments to everyday automation, the real value of AI may be less about the hype and more about what we can actually accomplish with it.

Chapters:

• 00:00 – Welcome to Episode 7: Live from Calgary
• 01:00 – What's Coming Up: AI Investments, Hiring & Replit
• 04:16 – Anthropic's Financial Risks and IPO Plans
• 06:37 – Would You Invest in Anthropic?
• 08:59 – Are All AI Models Fundamentally the Same?
• 11:27 – What Makes One AI Model Better Than Another?
• 13:49 – Could Anthropic's Valuation Be at Risk?
• 14:30 – Google's AI Spending and Quarterly Earnings
• 16:01 – Is Big Tech Too Big to Fail?
• 17:00 – Using AI to Analyze Investment Portfolios
• 18:22 – Are We Heading Toward an AI Bubble?
• 19:15 – How AI Search Is Changing Website Traffic
• 20:46 – Why Businesses Are Struggling to Adopt AI
• 23:07 – Automating the Hiring Process with ChatGPT
• 25:10 – Screening Resumes with AI and monday.com
• 27:32 – Can AI Hiring Tools Introduce Bias?
• 29:40 – How AI Scores and Evaluates Candidates
• 32:01 – Using AI to Make Fairer Decisions
• 34:25 – Amazon's Creepy Sleep-Tracking Alarm Clock
• 36:49 – Smart Devices, Sleep Data & Privacy Concerns
• 39:07 – Meet MicroDuck: The AI-Powered Robot
• 41:30 – Prompt Roulette: Building a Website with Replit
• 43:11 – Creating a MicroDuck Storefront from One Prompt
• 45:33 – Watching Replit Build the Website
• 47:57 – The AI-Generated Website Takes Shape
• 50:22 – Publishing the Website and Exploring Replit's Tools
• 52:39 – The MicroDuck Website Goes Live
• 53:30 – Final Thoughts & What's Next

Billion-dollar bets, security breaches, and the growing risks behind the AI boom

AI is moving faster than ever but are the systems, businesses, and financial markets behind it ready for what's coming?

In this episode of Hardly Artificial, we explore the growing risks beneath the AI boom, starting with reports of autonomous AI agents accessing customer bank accounts. From financial automation to unauthorized transactions, we examine what happens when technology starts acting on our behalf and why giving AI access may be easier than controlling what it does next.

We also dive into a major cybersecurity scare involving PHP, the programming language behind countless websites, and discuss how AI could fundamentally change the way software vulnerabilities are discovered and exploited. Could the internet as we know it be heading for a major transformation?

Then we turn to Anthropic's reported IPO plans, eye-catching financial figures, and a proposed public benefit initiative aimed at addressing AI's impact on employment. With enormous valuations and growing uncertainty, we ask whether the AI industry's biggest opportunities are also becoming its biggest risks.

Plus, we introduce AI Courtroom, a new segment where we put a controversial prediction on trial: Will AI make traditional websites obsolete within five years? Two opposing arguments, one debate, and a verdict left to our audience.

As AI becomes more capable, the question isn't just what it can do, it's how much we're willing to trust - and how much we're willing to risk.

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome to Episode 6
01:50 – What's Coming Up: AI Hacks, Banking & Anthropic
04:22 – AI Agents Are Accessing Bank Accounts
06:45 – The Benefits and Risks of AI Banking
09:41 – How Much Access Should We Give AI?
12:47 – The PHP Security Scare: Is the Internet at Risk?
14:35 – Could AI Change the Future of Open-Source Software?
17:57 – Are Traditional Websites Becoming Obsolete?
20:27 – Anthropic's Proposed Public Benefit Fund
23:02 – Can AI Companies Make Up for Lost Jobs?
25:58 – Anthropic's IPO: A Trillion-Dollar Valuation
27:30 – Breaking Down Anthropic's Financial Risks
30:53 – Would You Invest in Anthropic?
33:58 – Introducing AI Courtroom
36:12 – The Debate: Will AI Replace Traditional Websites?
38:58 – Opening Arguments: AI vs. the Web
41:52 – Rebuttals: Can Websites Survive?
43:27 – Closing Arguments and the Audience Verdict
45:19 – What Does the Future of the Internet Look Like?
46:33 – Final Thoughts & Happy Halloween

⚖️ AI Courtroom

Mike wins, but narrowly. Derek had the better framing, but Mike had the stronger argument.

Derek (for: websites will be obsolete in five years)

• Strongest move: Defining “obsolete” as nobody building new websites, with apps and AI assistants taking over.
• Weakest move: Saying AI will stay current by crawling fresh information, which concedes that businesses still need a source to crawl.

Mike (against: websites will survive)

• Strongest move: Businesses need a “source of truth” for prices, sales, and their own image, rather than trusting an AI’s summary.
• Weakest move: Arguing websites will still exist, which Derek never disputed.

Why Mike edges it:
Derek’s case depended on AI having reliable real-time information. Mike explained where that information comes from, and Derek never got around it.

You decide!
Will traditional websites become obsolete within five years? Watch the debate and tell us in the comments: Who made the stronger argument - Derek or Mike?

From navigating your apps to accessing sensitive data, AI agents are gaining real control.

AI is no longer just answering questions. It's taking action, making decisions, and changing how we work - but are we ready to give it that much control?

In this episode of Hardly Artificial, we explore the growing risks and opportunities of autonomous AI, from a cybersecurity breach exposing sensitive API keys to the difficult balance between innovation, security, and accountability.

We also dive into the increasingly competitive world of AI models, where shifting prices, usage limits, and new releases are making it harder than ever to know which tools are worth investing in.

But the real transformation is happening in how we use AI. We share a firsthand experiment showing how far AI agents have come in just a few months, moving from writing scripts to independently navigating applications and completing complex tasks. And as these capabilities grow, we explore why the people building, managing, and overseeing AI may become more valuable than ever.

Plus, we put our knowledge to the test, using Google's notebook tools to generate a live AI challenge - with some surprisingly difficult questions.

The next chapter of AI isn't just about what technology knows. It's about what we allow it to do, how we protect ourselves, and the role humans will play in guiding it.

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome to Episode 5
01:37 – What's Coming Up: AI Hacks, New Models & Agents
03:32 – AI Slop, Misinformation & Political Echo Chambers
08:20 – The OpenCode Hack: Exposed API Keys
10:52 – AI Cybersecurity: Are Safety Restrictions Backfiring?
12:25 – Who's Responsible When AI Agents Go Wrong?
17:21 – Google's New Gemini Model & AI Pricing Strategies
20:58 – Choosing the Right AI Model for Your Business
24:48 – How Much Has AI Changed in Just Six Months?
27:42 – ChatGPT Takes Control: A Real-World AI Agent Experiment
31:26 – Building Personal AI Agents & Automated Workflows
35:25 – Why AI Talent May Be Worth More Than the Technology
39:28 – Will AI Replace Jobs or Reward Better Talent?
41:59 – The Future of AI Oversight & Human Creativity
45:32 – AI Fact or Fiction: Our New Challenge
47:02 – Testing Google's AI Notebook Tools
53:10 – The AI Quiz Gets Surprisingly Difficult
58:11 – Final Thoughts & What's Next

Watch on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p59ytWEvTrE

Billions invested, companies struggling, and a future nobody can predict

The AI industry is booming, but beneath the excitement, are the cracks beginning to show?

In this episode of Hardly Artificial, we explore the growing concerns surrounding AI's explosive growth, from struggling companies and billion-dollar investments to questions about whether the industry's rapid expansion is sustainable.

We also dive into the unexpected risks of AI entering our everyday lives. Could your smart home become a cybersecurity vulnerability? And as AI becomes increasingly capable, are businesses and consumers doing enough to protect themselves?

But it's not all uncertainty. We explore why creativity, unconventional thinking, and skilled trades may become more valuable than ever in an AI-driven world, and why technology still has a long way to go before it can replace human ingenuity.

The future of AI is full of opportunity, but the biggest question may not be how fast technology can advance. It's whether the world around it can keep up.

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome Back to Hardly Artificial
01:26 – AI Hype, Fear, and the Money Behind It
03:53 – AI Certifications: Do They Really Matter?
07:04 – Character.AI and the Cost of Scaling AI
09:20 – Is the AI Investment Bubble About to Burst?
13:07 – The Risks of Big Tech's Financial Web
16:07 – Could AI Hack Your Smart Home?
19:30 – Google Gemini and the Future of Home Automation
20:26 – Protecting Your Home from AI Security Threats
23:57 – Are We Moving Too Fast with AI?
25:43 – The Jobs and Skills That Could Thrive in an AI World
28:20 – Why Human Creativity Still Matters
34:27 – Apple's New Smart Home Technology
35:21 – Has Apple Lost Its Innovative Edge?
40:54 – Prediction Receipt: Our Bold AI Predictions
47:58 – AI Gadgets: Innovation or Just Another Gimmick?
49:07 – Final Thoughts and What's Next

What happens when AI stops answering and starts acting?

AI is moving beyond the chatbox and into the real world, changing how we work and interact with technology.

In this episode, we explore the rise of autonomous AI agents, the next generation of AI-powered devices, and how these technologies are reshaping everyday life. From AI assistants that can independently complete complex business tasks to growing applications in healthcare and professional sports, the possibilities are expanding faster than ever.

But with innovation comes important questions about security, privacy, and how much control we're willing to hand over to technology.

Plus, we put AI to the test with our first Prompt Roulette challenge, building a functional vacation-tracking app in under five minutes!

The future of AI isn't just about what technology can do, it's about how we choose to use it ...and where we draw the line.

00:00 – Welcome to Episode 2
00:55 – What's Next for AI? The Race to Lead
05:30 – How AI Is Changing Jobs and Software Development
07:29 – Meta's New AI Devices and Digital Assistants
10:39 – Would You Wear an AI Assistant?
15:16 – AI in Healthcare: Innovation Meets Risk
17:50 – AI Security, Guardrails, and Accountability
22:00 – The Positive Side of AI in Healthcare
23:30 – Meet Hermes: An Autonomous AI Agent
25:37 – Building a Website with AI
28:17 – Automating Business Workflows with AI Agents
30:52 – AI Referees: The Future of Professional Sports?
34:22 – Is Technology Taking the Human Element Out of Sports?
39:43 – Introducing Prompt Roulette
41:44 – Putting Hugging Face to the Test
43:44 – Building a Vacation Tracker with AI
48:03 – Testing the AI-Built App
50:56 – Final Takeaways: AI, Hardware, and Human Creativity

AI Is Changing Everything. Are We Ready?

AI is changing the way we work, communicate, and interact with the world, but are we ready for what's coming?

In the pilot episode of Hardly Artificial, we explore the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence and what it means for the people and businesses navigating it.

From the challenge of simply knowing how to talk to AI and the next generation of smartphones to the growing uncertainty surrounding jobs and career opportunities, we look at how technology is reshaping everyday life. We also explore the emerging roles AI could create, why businesses need to rethink how they operate, and what it takes to embrace new technology without getting left behind.

But with innovation comes uncertainty. As AI advances at an unprecedented pace, questions around security, regulation, and the potential risks of increasingly powerful systems are becoming harder to ignore.

Plus, we share practical advice for anyone wondering where to begin with AI and why getting started might be simpler than you think.

The future of AI isn't just about the technology itself. It's about how we adapt, the opportunities we create, and the human experience along the way.

00:00 – Welcome to Hardly Artificial
00:17 – Meet the Hosts: Why We Started This Podcast
02:19 – What to Expect from Hardly Artificial
03:21 – Why Is It So Hard to Talk to AI?
04:35 – Are We Losing the Art of Human Conversation?
07:08 – Better Prompts, Smarter AI Conversations
09:08 – Apple's Foldable iPhone and the Future of Smartphones
10:44 – AI Assistants and the Next Generation of Devices
13:43 – Can AI Transform How We Work on the Go?
15:50 – Apple vs. Android: The Battle of Ecosystems
19:01 – Is AI Really Taking Our Jobs?
20:50 – The Changing Job Market and AI's Impact
23:07 – What Does the Future of Work Look Like?
25:24 – The New Jobs AI Could Create
28:35 – Why Businesses Need to Embrace AI
30:16 – AI Doomsday: Real Threat or Fearmongering?
32:29 – AI Security, Regulation, and the Risks Ahead
38:08 – Why Businesses Can't Afford to Ignore AI
40:43 – How to Get Started with AI Today
41:54 – Turning Ideas into Reality with AI
43:15 – Personal Wins, AI Agents, and Rediscovering Linux
46:17 – Final Thoughts and What's Next