Is it possible for an AI to 'hasten the coming of Christ's return'?
What happens when theology and technology collide? There's a new tech startup dedicated to building a Christian AI. It's called Gloo, launched by ex-Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger, and they say it's going to 'hasten the coming of Christ's return'. Also, AI chat services are helping us speak to God. From innocent Bible chatbots to an AI priest that told people to baptise their babies in Gatorade, how seriously are people taking these technological embodiments of God? Plus, we go way back into the lore behind the Way of the Future church, a church devoted to worshipping AI. GUESTS:Rohan Salmond, producer of Soul Search and editor of the Modern Relics newsletterDr Declan Humphries, lecturer in cyber security and ethics at the University of the Sunshine Coast, and ABC Top 5 Humanities resident for 2025This episode of Download This Show was made on Gadigal land and on the land of the Kubi Kubi people.
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Self-driving taxis could be coming to Australia, but are we ready?
How well do you think the streets of Sydney would handle self-driving taxis? What about those same self-driving taxis navigating the Melbourne tram lines? Could you imagine it? Waymo is set to launch self-driving taxis and Ubers in Australia soon after talks with Transport NSW, and not everyone is happy with it. Also, Elon Musk has launched his very own version of the people's encyclopedia, Wikipedia, and Facebook Dating has been quietly dominating the online dating scene, and on both counts, we’re trying to figure out why. GUESTS:Dr Erica Mealy, senior lecturer in computer science at the University of the Sunshine Coast Professor Michael Cowling, lecturer and Director of the Apple Platform Hub for Innovation at RMIT This episode of Download This Show was made on Gadigal land, in Meanjin and in Naarm.
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Would you use ChatGPT now that it's in its horny era?
How much do you trust the AI chatbots you use on a day-to-day basis? Once you send your prompt off into cyberspace, how do you now no one is interfering with it somewhere in between? Prompt injections are an increasingly common vulnerability in generative AI services and they could be tricking you into giving away majorly sensitive information.Also, Google announced a breakthrough in quantum computing, the first ever algorithm to gain an actual quantum advantage on every day hardware. But again, what actually is quantum computing?Plus, ChatGPT is entering its horny era, and Labor has banned the tech giants from using copyrighted content to train AI.GUESTS:Sarah Moran, co-founder of AI Patient NotesJocelyn Brewer, psychologist and founder of Digital NutritionThis episode of Download This Show was made on the land of the Gadigal and the Dharawal people, and in Meanjin.Technical production by Craig Tilmouth and Brendan O'Niell.
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How did a global Amazon outage bring down almost 50 other major tech companies?
When a major outage hit Amazon Web Services this week, websites and apps started falling like dominoes -- from Square to Duolingo, Netflix, and Adobe, why do so many major players rely on a single company to host their data? And should we be calling time on these pseudo tech-monopolies? Also, we investigate whether its actually true that your iPhone slows down every time a new one is released, and what’s going to happen to the 400 million computers that are going to become obsolete thanks to the Windows 11 update. Plus, Instagram has announced new teen controls for parents, but will they have any impact in Australia after the teen social media ban comes into effect? GUESTS:David Braue, technology journalist at Cybercrime Magazine Alex Kidman, technology journalist at Alex Reviews Tech This episode of Download This Show was made on Gadigal land and in Naarm.Technical production by Craig Tilmouth and Matthew Sigley.
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What happens when you try to ban a generation from the internet?
The Online Safety Amendment Bill is the name on everyone’s lips this week and as the implementation date looms closer, we take a deep dive into some of the people most affected by the upcoming ban, and lay out all the info you need to know if you’re a parent or teen trying to duck and dodge this murky legislation. GUESTS:Leo Puglisi, teenager and Founder of 6 News Australia Nikita White, Amnesty International Campaigner Anne Hollonds, National Children’s Safety ComissionerThis episode of Download This Show was made on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation.Technical production by Richard Girvan.
Download This Show is your weekly guide to the world of media, culture, and technology. From social media to gadgets, streaming services to privacy issues. Each week Rae Johnston and guests take a fun, deep dive into how technology is reshaping our lives.