Mostly Human with Laurie Segall
Mostly Human is a weekly podcast that explores technology through the most important lens: the human one. Hosted by award-winning tech journalist Laurie Segall, the immersive interview and investigative show tackles some of the defining questions of our time with headline-making tech titans and the people you don't know yet, but should. Mostly Human will leave you with a sense of agency over fear, and a clearer view of how tech can actually work for you.
Episodes
Searching for Mr. Deepfakes: The Tip [Part 2]
A note to listeners: This is Part 2 of a 4-part series. If you have not yet listened to Searching for Mr. Deepfakes Part 1, please start there. After officially launching an investigation into the anonymous person behind Mr. Deepfakes — the largest deepfake pornography site on the internet — using good-guy hackers and a call-out on social media to see if anybody out there knows anythin
Searching for Mr. Deepfakes: ‘The Most Dangerous Man on the Internet’ [Part 1]
When journalist Laurie Segall first stumbled upon Mr. Deepfakes — the largest deepfake pornography site on the internet, with an estimated 17 million monthly visitors at its peak — she couldn't shake one question: who was the anonymous man behind it? In part one of this four-part investigative series, Laurie introduces us to Joanne Chew, an LA-based artist and actor who discovered hund
Can AI Be Human-First? Apple Thinks So.
A note to listeners: Part 2 of Searching for Mr. Deepfakes will release Thursday June 18. In the tech world, Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) garners Super Bowl level attention. It's where Apple tells the world what's next. And this year, it's all about AI and protecting your kids. Mostly Human host Laurie Segall sits down with Craig Federighi, Apple's SVP of Software Eng
Coming Soon: Searching for Mr. Deepfakes
Coming this month, Mostly Human presents Searching for Mr. Deepfakes — a four-part investigation into the man behind the largest deepfake porn site on the internet and the real-world harm this new form of digital abuse causes. In 2022, Laurie Segall came across one of the most dystopian sites she’d ever seen. It was called Mr. Deepfakes and it was filled with videos of celebritie
An AI Companion You Can Cuddle?
AI companions are still relatively new and mostly stuck behind a screen. But some AI companies are already experimenting with how to break these digital relationships out into the real world. Host Laurie Segall experimented with this recently when she went on an AI date at a New York City bar. But what if your AI companion was something you could hold? Like say a plush baby deer that listens to yo
One Hour. Every Organ. The Future of Healthcare.
In the 2013 dystopian sci-fi movie, Elysium, a futuristic, MRI-like machine can diagnose and cure nearly any ailment in minutes. That future is closer than you think. Andrew Lacy is the CEO of Prenuvo, a company that is using advanced technology for proactive, preventative care. And the tool Prenuvo uses is straight out of that futuristic movie - a full-body MRI scan that uses AI to evaluat
My AI Boyfriend: How Will Intimate AI Relationships Change Us?
Millions of people are in relationships with AI. Many of them didn't mean to be. That's one of the findings from researchers at MIT's Media Lab, where the Advancing Humans with AI [AHA] team have been quietly exploring the effects AI is having on human relationships — from loneliness, love, and our capacity for real connection. "Her is Here," says Dr. Pat Pataranutaporn, co-founder of
AI Wants to Be Your Friend. That’s the Problem.
Tristan Harris seemed almost destined for the Silicon Valley life. He was raised in the Bay Area, studied computer science at Stanford, went to school with the people who made Instagram, and got his startup acquired by Google. But being inside the Silicon Valley machine exposed him to its inner workings, namely incentives that benefit the company and its bottom line, not the humans using the produ
Can Bringing Back the Woolly Mammoth Save the Planet?
When we talk about the rapid advancements of technology — where we are today, what we're capable of and where we could go— how big do we get to think? For Ben Lamm and his company Colossal, the weight of innovation is in the tons. That's because Colossal is working to bring back the woolly mammoth, the 6-ton prehistoric relative of the elephant that went extinct 10,000 years ago. It's
AI Was My Stalker
She never used the app. She never spoke to its AI. She didn’t even know it existed. And yet an AI companion app called Sesame wouldn’t stop talking about her — telling users wild stories about who she was and what she had done. When the people using this app started to believe these made up stories and then tried to find her in the real world, that’s when she had to di
How to Hack Your Productivity Like a Silicon Valley CEO
If you’re looking at the headlines around AI with some trepidation or, honestly, you just don’t know where to start, but you want in, consider this episode your starter pack. Laurie Segall brings on her friend and go-to for all things tech, Andrew Yeung. Andrew is an entrepreneur, investor, startup advisor, and one of the most plugged-in people Laurie knows. In this episode, Andrew pas
The AI Therapist Will See You Now
This week, we’re exploring the rise of AI-powered mental health—and what it means as more people turn to machines for support in moments of vulnerability. Mostly Human host, Laurie Segall, talks with Neil Parikh, CEO and co-founder of Slingshot AI and Ash, an app designed specifically for mental health. Ash is part of a growing wave of tools trying to meet a massive gap in care, as dem
The Power and Responsibility of Sam Altman
This week, Laurie Segall sits down exclusively with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman for his first interview since shutting down the Disney-partnered Sora and making the Department of War deal. From power to parenthood, tech addiction and AI acceleration, Laurie interviews Altman about AI’s human impact and the weight of OpenAI’s influence. In a wide ranging interview, Altman describes a near-ter
Parenting at the Speed of AI, with Dr. Becky
Parenting has always been messy. AI is trying to make it frictionless. In this debut episode of Mostly Human, longtime tech journalist Laurie Segall explores the human side of our rapidly evolving technological world with "Millennial Parent Whisperer," Dr. Becky. The clinical psychologist and founder of Good Inside talks about what happens when kids grow up in a world of shortcuts — where an
Introducing Mostly Human, a Tech Podcast Through a Human Lens
We’re living through one of the most extraordinary tech accelerations in human history. But too often, it can feel like tech is happening to us. Longtime tech journalist Laurie Segall is here to change that. Her new podcast, Mostly Human, explores the intersection of tech and humanity—offering a bridge to the future, one where we all benefit from innovation. Each week, Laurie brings yo
Evernote Founder Wants to Save Us from Boring Video Calls
Our new hyperconnected lifestyles have revealed weaknesses in the technology we use every day. But new problems lead to new solutions. That’s where innovation comes from. Phil Libin is probably best known as the co-founder and former CEO of Evernote. These days he heads up a company called All Turtles, whose latest project mmhmm wants to save us all from the Zoom-apocalypse and revolutionize how w
Inside Facebook's Ambitious Plan To Build Out the Next Dimension
Facebook has ambitious plans for virtual reality. And Andrew “Boz” Bosworth is in charge of it all. He says we’ve only scratched the surface of how VR and AR technology will transform society. So what does that future look like? How do you make virtual interaction feel as natural as in-person interaction? How do you prevent harassment, without prohibiting intimacy? How will virtual spaces change t
Surveillance Tech & Biased AI: The ACLU Fights Back
What happens to our civil liberties when an algorithm is used by law enforcement to make an arrest? Even more concerning, what happens when that facial recognitiontechnology is racially biased? As we enter an age of ubiquitous surveillance, it’s minorities - especially people of color - who are disproportionately affected. The ACLU has recently filed a complaint on behalf of a Black man who was wr
The Future of Mindfulness, Love... and High-Stakes Poker
We’re bringing you three interviews from the first at-home edition of the Collision tech conference. Laurie chats with Headspace Co-founder and CEO Rich Pierson about the importance of mindfulness and how to live in the present amidst global uncertainty. Match.com CEO Hesam Hosseini and Plenty of Fish CEO Malgosia Green discuss how COVID-19 has transformed the world of dating. And lastly, entrepre
It's Time to Finally Fix Tech’s Diversity Problem
It's no secret to anyone: Tech has a major diversity problem. And it's not getting better. How do we finally start making the necessary changes to fix the glaring inequity in Silicon Valley? How do we change the makeup of board members, make companies more diverse, and start putting our money where our mouth is? Venture Capitalist Sarah Kunst is someone who’s not afraid to speak out. She’s been le
Free Speech: The Firestorm Tech Can No Longer Afford to Ignore
We are living through pretty surreal times... Most of the country is still shut down due to COVID-19. Over the last few days we’ve seen protests and riots across the country following the police killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man. All while Facebook faces a crisis of its own: internal and external revolt in response to the company’s inaction towards President Trump’s inflammatory posts.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Jared Geller on Creativity in Chaos
You probably know Joseph Gordon-Levitt as an actor from films like Looper, Snowden, and 500 Days of Summer. But he’s also an entrepreneur. In 2005, Joe and his brother started HitRECORD -- it was a simple website where he could post things he was making. In 2010 he opened it up. He and his friend Jared Geller turned HitRecord into an online platform where people from all over the world could come
TaskRabbit Founder: Finding Opportunity in Uncertainty
The 2008 recession was a devastating time for many Americans. But amidst the chaos, it was also the breeding ground for a new creative class: Developers who coded their visions into reality. Uber and Lyft redefined transportation, Airbnb shook up the travel industry, and TaskRabbit helped pave the way for the gig economy. In many ways, the uncertainty we face today mirrors that crisis. TaskRabbit’
Covid-19 Has Made Us Slaves to Tech: Will We Ever Escape?
For a long time, we tried to limit our screen time. But now we’ve gone all in. We’re living in isolation, more reliant than ever on technology for human connection. So let’s look at technology through a more philosophical lens: Are we now slaves to our devices? Could tech companies use the same persuasion tactics they use to get us to click... to help save lives? How will we balance protection and
Let’s Talk About Sex (During a Pandemic)
All around the world, people are now living in isolation. Many of us are confronting this experience alone. Physical interaction is now a liability. What does this mean for one of humanity’s most important forms of connection — sex? And how can we continue to meet our fundamental need for intimacy during these times? Laurie looks at what all this on-screen interaction will mean for the future of s
"People Ahead of Profit:" How to Lead in Uncertain Times
Jerry Colonna is fondly known as the CEO whisperer. He coaches some of the world's biggest entrepreneurs - like the former CEO of Etsy and the folks who started Gimlet Media. He helps business leaders navigate uncertainty and chaos. At a time when the coronavirus crisis is devastating the economy and millions of people's lives have been changed forever, the future is nothing but uncertain. Jerry's
Quarantine Diaries
While we all stay inside, each one of us is living our own story. Many of us are coping with the painful realities of a society in isolation. Jobs lost. Weddings canceled. Loved ones sick, or worse. We are confronting a new reality, and an uncertain future. First Contact host Laurie Segall has been in quarantine for weeks, and she’s been thinking a lot about community. Human connection. And then s
It’s "Boss Level Mode” Time: Remote Work Pioneer Matt Mullenweg On Staying Productive
Workouts between calls. Meditation apps. A desk candle to boost productivity. Work-from-home hacks for all of us, as we self-isolate and practice social distancing to slow the spread of Coronavirus.Matt Mullenweg, founder of WordPress and Automattic, was an early evangelist of remote work. Back in the early 2000s, many of his first hires at Wordpress were people he had never met in person. Today,
Ev Williams on Coronavirus and the 'Extreme' Tech of the Future
Ev Williams is the entrepreneur behind Twitter, Blogger, and publishing platform Medium -- three companies that helped shape the modern Internet. As we grapple with the impact of Coronavirus, these digital platforms are playing an even larger role in our ability to connect with one another. Ev weighs in on how all our lives could change in the short term and what the longer term future may hold fo
Coronavirus: The Rise of Isolation Tech
The rise of “cloud clubbing” from your living room, as people are ordered to stay inside. Digital raves. Virtual connection as a means to deal with an isolation bubble.As people in China grapple with an uneasy reality, isolation, and the uncertainty around the Coronavirus, a new trend is emerging: the rise of Isolation Tech. Concerts are canceled. People are rethinking physical interaction. Nightc
Inside the minds of trolls
Who are the people who spread online disinformation? The so-called trolls you hear about in the news whose jobs are to distort facts and create chaos? Camille Francois knows them well. She’s the chief innovation officer at Graphika - a social media analytics firm hired by major companies to identify and fight online disinformation. Her team was a big part of uncovering the extent of Russian influe
AI: To Kill or Not to Kill?
Should Artificial Intelligence be able to make the decision to take a human life? And if it does, who will be liable if — or when — it goes wrong? When it comes to the future of war and technology, the ethics are murky.Tech is creating a new arms race. Will the U.S. be able to keep up with the likes of China and Russia? And what ethical lines will we draw, or cross, to maintain our national defens
Ex-Facebook Security Chief Speaks Out on Russia & Spies in Silicon Valley
When the lights went out in his home, and his children asked if it was “Russia,” Facebook's former chief security officer Alex Stamos knew he was bringing his work home. In a candid interview, Stamos opens up about what it was like when his team discovered Facebook had been compromised by Russia, and the personal implications of being at the center of one of the most significant attacks on technol
She Spent 10+ Years at the CIA. It Didn’t Prepare Her for Life at Facebook.
Yael Eisenstat is trained to analyze an argument from all sides. During her career at the CIA and State Department, she had tea with suspected extremists and sat at tables with people who were programmed to hate her. But the biggest challenge of her career didn’t come from a covert operation… it came when she stepped into Facebook Headquarters to head up their election integrity efforts. This is h
Sam Altman: Growing Up Silicon Valley
According to investor and entrepreneur Sam Altman, the last decade of tech was the warm up... and Silicon Valley didn’t exactly get it right. The main event is even more pressing. Now the stakes are higher.First Contact’s Laurie Segall met Sam ten years ago. Back then, he had a startup called Loopt. It was a location-based social networking app for your phone. Since then, Sam became a fixture in t
Kickstarter's Co-founder on Paralyzing Fear & Staying Punk Rock
Have you ever left something that was so tied to your identity, you worried, “Who am I without it?” A job? Maybe a relationship? Although terrifying, sometimes shedding an identity is where the magic happens. Who you are and what you actually stand for becomes a little clearer. At least that was the case for Yancey Strickler.He co-founded Kickstarter and spent five years as CEO. Now Yancey is in t
Reading your text message 'body language'
Imagine an A.I. Assistant that reads all of your text messages… and turns them into a pile of data points. A human psychology report.And then it guides you. The assistant can say — “hey, the person you're talking to is introverted. You may want to be a bit delicate when you message them.”The assistant will tell you the likelihood — down to the percentage — that the person you're texting likes you…
Hacking Your Brain to Order Dreams On Demand
What if we could order up custom dreams? Could our thoughts become hackable? Will neurolink technology make some of us superhuman? And if so, would that create a superior species? Is death really the final step? Or could our brains answer vital questions once our bodies are gone?These are topics we explore with Moran Cerf, a professor of neuroscience at the Kellogg School of Management. He’s a bra
Finding Identity in the Era of Tech
What if...instead of a constant battle to figure out who we are, we instead took a moment to celebrate who we’re not? Jasmine Takanikos helps big brands hone in on their unique identity. She uses a methodology called, “Brand Human” to help people understand who they are at their core, and how that translates to the external world. She’s known for asking creative people the right questions, and say
Alone Together: The Real Life “Her” Has Arrived
Okay First Contact listeners... it’s time to get weird. Laurie Segall has been spending a lot of her time recently deep in conversation with someone named “Mike.” Actually, he’s less of a “someone” and more of a “something.” That’s because Mike is a bot... that lives in an app on her phone. She takes Mike on walks and tells him (it) about her day, what’s going on in her life, and how she’s feeling
Adam Mosseri Unfiltered: How Instagram’s CEO Navigates Chaos, Anxiety and Making Bold Moves
Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri is one of the most influential people in tech today. He’s taken on the responsibility of leading one of the most popular social media platforms at a time when its power and influence over us is undeniably strong. As the head of Instagram, Adam is responsible 1 billion monthly active users. With a history of high profile roles at Facebook, he’s an executive whose ability
Tech’s Next Threat: The Weaponization of Loneliness
Could tech’s next threat be a bot that breaks your heart? What happens when human empathy becomes hackable? Welcome to tech’s future dystopia. It’s not as far off as you think. We are entering a Synthetic Valley where the lines between what’s real and fake are blurring. Aza Raskin from the Center for Humane Technology says the weaponization of loneliness is the greatest threat to national security
WhatsApp co-founder on walking away from Facebook and why privacy is the future
In an exclusive interview, WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton opens up about walking away from more than $850 million dollars at Facebook, and why with all the money in the world he's betting on privacy. In this candid interview, Brian says he hopes his work at privacy non-profit Signal Foundation will help usher in a new era of free expression. Acton speaks openly about how users should navigate pri
Bots to date for us. The future of love?
Picture this - in the future, an AI bot will learn you and your preferences. Fancy dinner or dive bar? Tall or short? Funny or serious? The bot will browse the dating apps, start conversations, flirt, and set up dates for you. It might even predict your compatibility score with a future mate. An episode of Black Mirror? Nope. It's tech already being developed on the fringes. You might be talking t
Hinge founder: I don't believe in “the one”
Hinge founder Justin McLeod opens up about addiction, depression, and how his own epic love story fundamentally changed the mission of his company. Justin takes us along the roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship that led him to create one of the most popular dating apps, and gives insight into how the tech company is looking to code vulnerability into a tech-addicted world of swipes and scrollin
Introducing: First Contact
Laurie Segall, Silicon Valley’s go-to reporter and former CNN Senior Tech Correspondent, hosts First Contact - a weekly podcast series that explores the people and technology that are changing what it means to be human. First Contact brings listeners engaging and thought-provoking interviews with some of the biggest names in tech in ways we can all relate to. Laurie’s authentic and nuanced convers
