Ayush Prakash Podcast

Dr. Matthew Guzdial joins the podcast to break down how (and if!) AI is reshaping video game design, and why the gap between what's being promised and what's actually shipping is bigger than anyone wants to admit. We also get into VR as a cautionary tale; basically what happens when hype outruns infrastructure, why that pattern is playing out again, and what it means for anyone building or...

Nick Hunt joins the podcast to break down why the stories our civilisation tells itself are broken, why progress is one of the most limiting and overlooked myths holding humanity back, and what it means that most of us are sleepwalking through a collapsing world. We also get into the uncivilised frameworks that can expand the way you think and feel, and what Nick believes it will take for humanity...

Adam Dickinson joins the podcast to break down what intuition actually is, why logic alone is one of the most limiting and overlooked barriers to human potential, and what it means that most of us are operating from only a fraction of our true consciousness. We also get into the spiritual frameworks that can expand the way you think and feel, and what Adam believes it will take for humanity to evo...

David Roberts of Mara Labs joins the podcast to break down what microplastics are, why air is one of the biggest and most overlooked sources of exposure, and what it means that most of us are consuming the equivalent of a credit card's worth of plastic every week. We also get into concrete lifestyle changes you can make right now to reduce your intake, and what Mara Labs is building to tackle...

For this episode, I'm joined by Professor Matthew Taylor, an Amii Fellow and Canada CIFAR AI Chair at Amii and a Professor of Computing Science at the University of Alberta. He is the Director of the Intelligent Robot Learning (IRL) Lab and a Principal Investigator at the Reinforcement Learning & Artificial Intelligence (RLAI) Lab, both at the University of Alberta. In this episode, we basical...

For this episode, I'm joined by Rick Tumlinson, co-founder of the Space Frontier Foundation and one of the most influential figures in the commercial space industry.  In this episode, we slice the conversation into four categories: the social history of the space movement and how we got here; the business of space and the astropolitics shaping who controls the final frontier; the genetics and ethi...

For this episode, I’m joined by Alex Hernandez Garcia, a core academic member at Mila (the Quebec AI Institute) and a professor at the Université de Montréal. In this episode, we move past the hype to expose the friction between corporate monopolies and open science, the massive disconnect between research progress and commercial deployment, and why current tech policies are failing to address our...

For this episode, I’m joined by Alistair Alexander, a researcher specializing in the ecologies of technology.  In this episode, Alistair and I discuss the underlying physical architecture of AI—specifically how the digital world isn't ethereal, but a massive industrial system bound by the hard limits of energy, physics, and planetary boundaries. Connect with Alistair:  LinkedIn: https://www.li...

I'm joined by Dr. David Alter, a clinical health psychologist and neuropsychologist who's spent over 30 years studying the intricate connections between mind, brain, and body.  Dr. Alter reveals the underlying architecture of human experience, specifically how chaos and unity aren't opposing forces but fundamental patterns that shape everything from our neural networks to our relational dynamics a...

Dr. Karl Friston is Professor of Neuroscience at UCL and one of the most cited scientists alive. His work on the free energy principle has transformed our understanding of the brain, consciousness, and intelligence. Probably the coolest thing that's happened to me, the world's most influential neuroscientist talked about my book, AI for Gen Z, and interviewed me on it. We ended up in this wild con...

I’m joined by Zoltan Istvan, the world’s most influential transhumanist and candidate for Governor of California.  Zoltan reveals the radical, high-stakes shifts occurring in the minds of the world's most powerful disruptors as they prepare for a world where biology is no longer the limit. We dive into Zoltan’s vision for a post-scarcity world where Universal Basic Income becomes the foundation of...

How is the boardroom actually preparing for the year 2026? I’m joined by Shashank Tiwari, the CEO of Uno. AI and a seasoned Silicon Valley executive. We discuss the massive transition from the "AI experimentation" phase of 2024 to the "operational reality" of 2026, and he reveals the high-stakes conversations happening behind closed doors in the world’s most influential C-suite...

How has the internet actually changed humanity?  In this episode, I’m joined by digital anthropologist Giles Crouch to go deep into the "Human-Tech Intersect." Giles has spent over 20 years decoding the invisible cultural forces that dictate how we buy, believe, and belong. We discuss the massive shift of humanity living in two worlds at once (the physical and the digital) and how the internet has...

Alexandra Goldwell, MA, RCC, is a therapist, clairvoyant healer, and consciousness educator with over 35 years of experience bridging Western psychology with ancient wisdom traditions. In a world where technology is rewiring human consciousness at unprecedented speed, where children and young people are experiencing neurological ruptures from constant digital stimulation, and where humanity's rela...

Dr. Maya Ackerman is a world-renowned AI researcher, generative AI pioneer, and CEO and Co-Founder of WaveAI. She is an Associate Professor at Santa Clara University and the author of "Creative Machines: AI, Art & Us."  In a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming every creative domain, from music and visual art to writing and design, and where fear about AI repla...

Jamie Meyer is the founder of Nine Carat, a social architect, and a dear, dear friend. This is episode 150 of the Ayush Prakash Podcast.  What a run it's been. And we shall continue!  In this episode, we cover:  - What is attachment vs love?  - The grey areas between attachment and detachment - Understanding spiritual growth and figuring out the best course of action - Late-stage capitalism an...

Dr. Ashleigh Rankin holds a doctorate in psychology. Recently, she’s been diving into how new technologies, AI included, are shaping the ways Gen Z and the rest of us understand ourselves, relate to others, and navigate an increasingly digital world. Her perspective brings together human behavior, financial wellbeing, and the everyday impact of technology. In this episode, we cover:Why vulnerable...

Jeff Burningham is a tech entrepreneur, investor, and author of the book "The Last Book Written by a Human: Becoming Wise in the Age of AI." In a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly advancing to outperform humans at nearly every measurable task, threatening to render human creativity, labor, and even consciousness itself obsolete, how do we reclaim what truly makes us human before we ha...

Brian Sachetta is an author, anxiety recovery advocate, and someone who has personally navigated the debilitating cycles of panic and fear. He is the author of the book "Get Out of Your Head: Stop Letting Anxiety Run Your Life." In this episode, we cover: - Why millions of people suffer from anxiety and panic attacks by spending too much time trapped in their own heads trying to "solve" feelings t...

Alex Rosalez is an AI/ML product executive with over 25 years of experience in tech. He is the host of the incredible podcast, "Transformational Journeys," where he explores how to get people to their most authentic selves.  In this episode, we cover:  - Why society's rigid categories around sexual orientation and relationship structures are being challenged and redefined in the 21st century.  - H...

Joe is the host of the podcast Salty Ginger Talk.  In this episode, we discuss:  - Why the crisis of modern masculinity is creating widespread confusion and anxiety among men of all ages.  - How masculinity and femininity are not opposing forces but complementary energies that exist within all people regardless of gender.  - Why the old paradigms of dominance, stoicism, and emotional suppression a...

Epiphany Jordan is a caregiver, and nurturer by nature and profession. She is the author of the book "Somebody Hold Me: The Single Person’s Guide to Nurturing Human Touch." In a world where isolation and disconnection have become epidemic, leaving countless individuals starving for genuine human connection and nurturing touch, how do we reclaim the fundamental healing power of compassionate physic...

Alisa Gracheva is a licensed mental health counselor and spiritual integration specialist who has dedicated her career to bridging the gap between traditional therapy and ancient healing wisdom.  In a world where mental health crises are reaching epidemic proportions and conventional treatments often fall short, how do we address the deeper spiritual disconnection that underlies many psychological...

Dr. Ran Anbar is a pediatric pulmonologist and hypnosis expert who has helped over 8,000 children harness their inner power to overcome mental and physical health challenges.  In a generation facing unprecedented levels of anxiety, depression, and social media-driven isolation, how do we empower teenagers to take ownership of their own wellness and tap into their inherent resilience? This conversa...

Arik Brueckner is the CEO of Choice, a pioneering global online booking platform for paid companionship and intimacy. In a world grappling with what his company calls "the global pandemic of loneliness," how do we address the growing disconnect between technology's promise of connection and our deepest human needs? This conversation explores how one entrepreneur is attempting to de-s...