Stanford’s AI Index landed — 420 pages confirming what you already suspected: it’s not coming, it’s here, and it’s been redecorating the place. This week: Robot soldiers, AI bosses, cognitive surrender, and the report that reframes it all.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Tone Match Lab | Larry’s vibe coded audio processing app

Stanford University HAI 2026 AI Index Report

LMArena (formerly Chatbot Arena)

Co-Intelligence by Ethan Mollick

Ratel S “Kamikaze” Robot

AI Explained | YouTube

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website:
UpAgainstReality.com

Episode link:
https://upagainstreality.com/2026/04/21/stanford-hai-report-2026/

Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654

Spotify:
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RSS:
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Instagram:
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Anthropic just built an AI so “dangerously good” at hacking that they’ve locked it in a digital vault—and we’re cracking it open to uncover the Claude Mythos behaviors that terrified its own creators.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

AI Models & Technical Reports

Anthropic – Claude Mythos Preview System Card

Google Gemma 4

NotebookLM by Google

If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies by Eliezer Yudkowsky

The Revenge of Analog: Real Things and Why They Matter by David Sax

Nicholas Carlini’s Analysis of Claude’s Hacking Capabilities

Angine de Poitrine (Microtonal Math Rock) | Full Performance

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website:
UpAgainstReality.com

Episode link:
https://upagainstreality.com/2026/04/14/claude-mythos/

Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654

Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170

RSS:
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Instagram:
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Dr. Shannon Doak returns to wrestle with humanity’s biggest question: as AI races toward AGI — and beyond — do we still have a seat at the table? Plus: YouTube’s toddler death traps, Anthropic’s whoopsie heard ’round the world, and the cyborg musician no one saw coming.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The AI Safety Expert: Dr. Roman Yampolskiy | Diary of CEO

Dr. Shannon Doak

Walking the StrAIght Path: A Human-Centered Response to the Rise of AGI & ASI

Explore the AI-StrAIghtPath App

AI Safety & Existential Risk

Center for Humane Technology

Books

If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies by Eliezer Yudkowsky | Amazon

Scary Smart by Mo Gawdat | Amazon

Viral Articles & Media

“Something Big Is Happening” by Matt Shumer

“Something Big Is Happening in Education” (Matt Shumer/Fortune)

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website:
UpAgainstReality.com

Episode link:
https://upagainstreality.com/2026/04/07/dr-doak-vs-asi/

Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654

Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170

RSS:
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Instagram:
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A dying dog, a desperate owner, and an LLM walk into an oncology lab — and somehow it works. This week we’re still celebrating AI’s good side, alongside the usual chaos: CEO shake-ups, OpenAI’s romantic misfires, and Anthropic accidentally spilling the secrets of its most dangerous model. Disclaimer: The medical treatment discussed in this episode is anecdotal. Consult a licensed veterinary oncologist before pursuing experimental treatments for pets.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

The RNA Institute (UNSW): The research facility where Rosie’s personalized mRNA vaccine was manufactured. Learn more about the UNSW RNA Institute

Google DeepMind AlphaFold: The AI system used to model the protein structures of Rosie’s specific tumor mutations. Explore the AlphaFold Database

Original News Coverage: The Independent: “A man used ChatGPT to help make a cancer vaccine for his dog. Here’s how”

NBC News Segment: “Australian tech entrepreneur uses AI to create cancer treatment for his dog”

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website:
UpAgainstReality.com

Episode link:
https://upagainstreality.com/2026/03/31/rosie-the-dog/

Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654

Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170

RSS:
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Instagram:
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RAINA’s in the driver’s seat, spinning up this week’s news. But wait, there’s more! No, not a set of ginsu knives. A special episode rewind of E87: Sentient Cephalopods, in case you missed it the first go round.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

McKinsey’s “Lily” (Lilli) Chatbot Breach

USC Study on AI “Monoculture”

Evo 2 (Biological Foundation Model)

ProtGPS (Protein Localization)

Google’s “CoScientist”

AWS Pioneers 2026 Program

Anduril Industries US Army Contract

Paleo-inspired Robotics

HP Acquisition of Humane AI Assets

Microsoft “Majorana 1” Quantum Chip

CEA WEST Tokamak Fusion Record

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website:
UpAgainstReality.com

Episode link:
https://upagainstreality.com/2026/03/24/episode-rewind-sentient-cephalopods/

Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654

Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170

RSS:
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Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

What if AI was good, though? AI breakthroughs in medicine, education, creativity, and global policy — back to back, no bad news, no asterisks. Pure, uncut optimism. You’re welcome.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

ElevenLabs 1 Million Voices Initiative

CLAIR AI Imaging Device

Liquid AI & Insilico Medicine Partnership

Not Impossible’s Mick Ebeling Introduces the Eyewriter | TED

Amuse AI (Carnegie Mellon)

Google Antigravity

Microsoft Special Education AI Training

LM Studio

New Delhi Declaration on AI

European Parliament AI Copyright Law (Voss Report)

Antscan Project

UN AI for Good Global Summit

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website:
UpAgainstReality.com

Episode link:
https://upagainstreality.com/2026/03/17/cheer-and-beer/

Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654

Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170

RSS:
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Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

Larry plugged a guitar into an algorithm and Starfire Symphony came out the other side. In this episode we premiere the track, unpack the human-plus-machine workflow behind it, and see what happens when a jam session takes a detour through AI.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Starfire Symphony (song)

Kits.ai | AI vocal generation

Our agreement with the Department of War | OpenAI

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website:
UpAgainstReality.com

Episode link:
https://upagainstreality.com/2026/03/10/starfire-symphony/

Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654

Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170

RSS:
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Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality

Anthropic drew a red line this week with the Department of War — even under threat of losing contracts — and now the biggest AI ethics showdown of the year is officially live. The Empire wants AI-powered surveillance and T1000s — the rebels want a conscience — and the clock just hit 5:01.

Stay tuned through the end of the episode for a late-breaking addendum featuring official statements released after we wrapped recording.

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

OpenAI Codex

Apple Xcode

Pete Hegseth’s comments regarding Anthropic | X

Anthropic’s statement on Pete Hegseth’s comments

PODCAST INFO:

Podcast Website:
UpAgainstReality.com

Episode link:
https://upagainstreality.com/2026/03/03/anthropic-vs-the-dept-of-war/

Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/up-against-reality/id1689699654

Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/29wpR2Uf0d19FjTH2QubcD?si=a6359f9aa1964170

RSS:
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Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/upagainstreality