We're sunsetting PodQuest on 2025-07-28. Thank you for your support!
Export Podcast Subscriptions
cover of episode "AI" Agents, A Single Point of Failure (with Margaret Mitchell), 2025.03.31

"AI" Agents, A Single Point of Failure (with Margaret Mitchell), 2025.03.31

2025/4/17
logo of podcast Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000

Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000

Shownotes Transcript

After "AI" stopped meaning anything, the hype salesmen moved on to "AI" "agents", those allegedly indefatigable assistants, allegedly capable of operating your software for you -- whether you need to make a restaurant reservation, book a flight, or book a flight to a restaurant reservation. Hugging Face's Margaret Mitchell) joins Emily and Alex to help break down what agents actually are, and what to actually worry about.

References:

PwC launches AI agent operating system to revolutionize AI workflows for enterprises)An Open-Source AI Agent for Doing Tasks on the Web)Scale AI announces multimillion-dollar defense deal, a major step in U.S. military automation)

Other references:

Why handing over total control to AI agents would be a huge mistake)

Fully Autonomous AI Agents Should Not be Developed)

Bender vs. Bubeck: The Great Chatbot Debate: Do LLMs Really Understand?)

Democratize art)

Fresh AI Hell:

DOGE suggests replacing workers with "AI" (of course))

Vape, or the tamagotchi gets it)

  • Via @maaikeverbruggen)

"AI" for psychotherapy, still bad, still hyped)

Biology (not) of LLMs)

Mark Cuban's grifty chatbot)

  • Via @Hypervisible)

Palate cleanser: "AI is the letdown"https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/27/tech/apple-ai-artificial-intelligence/index.html)

Comic relief: "Fortified with AI")

Check out future streams at on Twitch), Meanwhile, send us any AI Hell you see).Our book, 'The AI Con,' comes out in May! Pre-order now).Subscribe to our newsletter via Buttondown).

Follow us!Emily

  • Bluesky: emilymbender.bsky.social)
  • Mastodon: dair-community.social/@EmilyMBender)

Alex

  • Bluesky: alexhanna.bsky.social)
  • Mastodon: dair-community.social/@alex)
  • Twitter: @alexhanna)

Music by Toby Menon.Artwork by Naomi Pleasure-Park). Production by Christie Taylor.