This week Ginny Deerin does something she rarely does — she brings on a guest. She sat down (at the pickleball court, naturally) with Rob Fowler, one of the Lowcountry's best-known meteorologists, to talk about how AI is quietly reshaping the weather forecast. They get into the new AI hurricane models, why AI still can't stand on its own without real-world data, the local experience no model can replace — and, because they're both a little obsessed, pickleball.

In AI in the News, two stories for the 65-plus crowd. First, close to home: Charleston wants to expand its AI-powered traffic cameras — which watch the flow and adjust the signals in real time — to the Crosstown and Folly Road, part of a trend playing out in cities across the country. Then, one for the grandparents: OpenAI's new "ChatGPT for Teens," a more protected version with content blocks, no romantic chit-chat, regular reminders that it's a machine, a study mode, and parental controls — along with Ginny's healthy dose of skepticism.

In AI for Good, two hopeful ones: USC researchers using AI to read a brain MRI voxel by voxel to spot the early signs of Alzheimer's, and a featherweight, AI-powered knee brace from the Beijing Institute of Technology that helps older legs take on stairs and ramps. Ginny's recommendations: give pickleball a try, listen to Ezra Klein's conversation with AI-governance expert Helen Toner, and read Cory Doctorow's sobering new book — even if, like Ginny, you usually land in the optimist's camp.

Pull up a chair and join us for episode 51 — and thank you for being here.

SHOW LINKS

🔗 "Charleston may expand use of AI to more high-traffic intersections across city" (The Post and Courier, Kailey Cota, Aug. 18, 2026): https://www.postandcourier.com/news/charleston-artificial-intelligence-cameras-folly-crosstown/article_0f013a7b-f746-4e19-b15c-32b59f49114b.html

🔗 "OpenAI Introduces 'ChatGPT for Teens' as Safety Concerns Grow" (The New York Times) / "OpenAI debuts ChatGPT for Teens" (Axios, Ina Fried, Aug. 18, 2026): https://www.axios.com/2026/08/18/openai-chatgpt-for-teens

🔗 "New AI Could Detect Alzheimer's Earlier" (Dataconomy, Aug. 4, 2026 — USC study): https://dataconomy.com/2026/08/04/new-ai-could-detect-alzheimers-earlier/

🔗 "New lightweight knee exoskeleton helps older adults walk more easily" (News-Medical, Aug. 18, 2026 — Beijing Institute of Technology): https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260818/New-lightweight-knee-exoskeleton-helps-older-adults-walk-more-easily.aspx

🔗 The Ezra Klein Show, "The A.I.s Are Already Out of Control" (Aug. 18, 2026 — guest Helen Toner): https://youtu.be/locKEKxG3os?si=RrzrwXCc2q4mLsrh

🔗 Cory Doctorow, "The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI" (2026): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/245645195-the-reverse-centaur-s-guide-to-life-after-ai

🔗 Rob Fowler's pickleball podcast, The Rob Lob (WCBD+): https://www.counton2.com/video/the-rob-lob-episode-1/10965393/

🔗 Dill Dinkers Pickleball: https://app.courtreserve.com/Online/Portal/Index/17630

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Episode 51

02:06 AI Traffic Cameras

05:43 ChatGPT for Teens

08:57 AI for Good Highlights

09:31 Alzheimer's Early Detection

11:06 Knee Brace Exoskeleton

12:31 Rob Fowler Interview

14:33 AI in Forecasting

16:27 Forecasting Mistakes

17:40 Autonomy Blindness

18:38 Pickleball Obsession

21:32 Recommendations Segment

24:11 Wrap Up and Takeaways

aiGED: AI for the 65+ crowd