As an AI industry analyst who lives and breathes this transformative technology, podcasts are my "killer app" for staying on top of the relentless pace of change. Whether commuting or jogging, I‘m listening to illuminating conversations with researchers, executives and inventors shaping our AI-enabled future across industries.
These carefully curated podcast picks have expanded my expertise and networks since I first discovered them as a novice. Now I want to pay it forward by sharing my top five with you – whether you‘re an AI pro or just AI-curious! I‘ve also included my exclusive cheat sheet for finding the best AI podcast for your interests and needs.
Let‘s dive in and start satisfying your appetite for AI learning!
My Hand-Picked "AI 5" Podcast Recommendations
I‘ve racked up hundreds of hours listening to dozens of podcasts at the intersection of artificial intelligence, machine learning and data science. These 5 stand out from an extremely competitive field for their substance, production quality, breadth of topics and pure entertainment value.
| Podcast | Host(s) | Release Cadence | Episode Length | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| In Machines We Trust | Jennifer Strong | Twice monthly | 45-60 minutes | AI ethics & societal impact |
| This Week in ML & AI | Sam Charrington | Weekly | 30-45 minutes | Emerging innovations |
| Data Skeptic | Kyle Polich | Weekly | 30-60 minutes | Data science & related AI |
| Talking Machines | Katherine Gorman & Neil Lawrence | Twice monthly | 60-90 minutes | ML research & models |
| Linear Digressions | Ben Jaffe & Katie Malone | Ended in 2020 | 30-45 minutes | AI fundamentals |
Release frequency and episode lengths are approximate – they vary by season
Below I‘ll highlight what makes each of these podcasts "most listen-worthy" and share some all-time favorite episodes that left a serious impression.
For Staying on Top of AI‘s Societal Impacts: In Machines We Trust
Since its 2020 launch, MIT Technology Review‘s In Machines We Trust has rapidly risen to prominence under host Jennifer Strong‘s thoughtful guidance. Her journalistic style and diverse guest list cohere around illuminating how AI stands to transform industries, communities, ethics and policies globally. Recent episodes diving into AI emotion detection, the future of work, China‘s AI ambitions and algorithmic bias left me rethinking assumptions.
As AI permeates all facets of life, this podcast brings multi-disciplinary wisdom to anticipating challenges and opportunities. Interviews with psychologists like Emmanuel Maidenberg on human-machine trust particularly stick with me when I advise executive clients on AI strategy.
**PODCAST HIGHLIGHT****
Thought-provoking debate on frameworks for auditing algorithms and ensuring ethical, unbiased AI while still promoting innovation.
**PODCAST HIGHLIGHT****
For an accessible yet probing lens on our AI-centric future, look no further than In Machines We Trust!
For Cutting-Edge AI Developments: This Week in Machine Learning & AI
Veteran tech commentator Sam Charrington has his finger on the pulse of all things artificial intelligence and machine learning. I‘ve relied on his weekly dispatch of news and interviews since 2015 as rocket fuel for my analyst career. His growing list of high-profile guests like Amazon AI lead Swami Sivasubramanian clue me into emerging innovations I would never find in research papers!
Sam‘s skill at coaxing comprehensive yet understandable explanations from experts makes this podcast a powerful AI primer. At the same time, the way he delves into specific business use cases and technical approaches keeps me sharp and well-versed enough to engage C-level clients.
A standout episode was Sam‘s two-part discussion on the future of AI chips with Nigel Toon, CEO of Graphcore. Their examination of hardware constraints and innovations to enable next-gen intelligent applications blew my mind! It significantly shaped my perspective on investment opportunities.
Whether you‘re an enterprise leader strategic about AI or just want to sound smart at parties, TWIML AI has the inside track on what‘s coming down the pike.
For Data-Driven AI Perspectives: Data Skeptic
If I had to pick just one podcast to satisfy my AI curiosity as a novice years back, Data Skeptic would be it. Host Kyle Polich playfully yet critically explores how data and models impact society, business and research across 300+ episodes. His guests run the gamut from MIT neuroscientists to Facebook engineers to Harvard legal scholars.
While not strictly an AI podcast, Kyle frequently intersects with machine learning topics in applying skepticism to hype. As research shows models amplifying real-world biases, I appreciate his push for transparency and testing assumptions. Standout episodes include "Racist Robots" examining prejudice embedded in algorithms and "Artificial Neural Nets" demystifying foundational AI.
For technologists working at the data-AI nexus or just keen for an entertaining education, Data Skeptic delivers. The archives alone could keep you learning for months!
For Hardcore AI Researchers & Practitioners: Talking Machines
When I need to stretch beyond industry news into the depths of bleeding-edge research and models fueling innovation, Talking Machines rarely disappoints. Katherine Gorman steers technical-yet-lively discussions with eminent scholars like Microsoft Research‘s Jennifer Chayes and Google Brain‘s Ian Goodfellow.
Hot topics span robotics advancements, optimizing neural networks for complex tasks, causality challenges and controlling bias. The episodes can verge on dense for the uninitiated but offer treasure troves of insights for seriously strengthening AI expertise. As Amy Zhang quipped regarding her work on prediction uncertainty: "AI is fundamentally very hard to do right."
Talking Machines reveals all the inspiring experimentation and setbacks behind incredible headline-grabbing accomplishments like AlphaGo. This rare insider access aids me tremendously in contextualizing capabilities for clients. It‘s also just scintillating for pure nerds!
For An Enthusiastic AI Primer: Linear Digressions
It‘s bittersweet that Katie Malone and Ben Jaffe ended their beloved Linear Digressions podcast in early 2020 after nearly 300 episodes. Their playful chemistry and skill at banishing fear of the technical made them my gateway drug into the world of ML, neural networks and beyond as a student.
Unlike many exclusionary AI communities, Katie and Ben empowered complete newcomers to see themselves in this space with beginner-friendly series like "Data Science at Home." Their propensity for digging into disasters like Microsoft‘s Tay chatbot and Apple‘s credit card algorithm debacle brought salience and humor to important concepts.
While episodes have ceased, the archives remain a treasure trove for igniting one‘s AI journey the way they did mine. Ben and Katie‘s vibe of intellectually curious friends made even the most complex algorithms feel fun and worth demystifying together.
Finding Your Fit: An AI Podcast Cheat Sheet
Do any of these podcasts resonate with your interests? Fantastic! I guarantee they‘ll level up your AI IQ. But I realize one size doesn‘t fit all learners and goals.
Here‘s my cheat sheet of key criteria for dialing in on your perfect AI podcast match:
For Business Leaders
- The AI Podcast with Lex Fridman – cutting-edge research translated into strategic insights
- AI Today Podcast – use case-focused, practical guidance on implementation
For Software Engineers/App Developers
- Software Engineering Daily – popular episodes on ML Ops, AI chips, deep learning deployment
- O‘Reilly Data Show – focused on data infrastructure, analytics engineering
For Law & Policy Wonks
- AI Now Institute – specialized on AI ethics, racial justice, labor etc.
- Stanford‘s AI Index Podcast – tracks AI progress and benchmarking globally
For Data Scientists
- Partially Derivative – news/techniques in data science and adjacent fields
- The End of Show Podcast – DS interview practice and career advice
For Linguistics Nerds
- AI with AI – futurist Lex Fridman‘s deep dives into natural language
- Clinically Applied AI – focused slice on healthcare NLP advancements
For Newcomers Seeking a Foundation
- AI 101 – back catalog covering broad AI topics clearly
- Your Undivided Attention – accessible examinations of AI behavior
Start Satisfying Your AI Curiosity!
I don‘t know about you, but I‘m ready to fill my ears with some fascinating AI knowledge! Whether you‘re looking to level up your career, find a new passion or simply sound more informed at parties, insightful podcasts are a can‘t-miss medium.
Hopefully this guide serves you well in discovering audio resources tailored to your goals. Here‘s to the joys of learning about how artificial intelligence stands to reshape our collective future!
What podcast gems am I missing? What shows light up your mind on topics like machine learning ethics, computer vision breakthroughs or possible AI existential risk? I‘m always hunting for compelling new voices and perspectives across this fast-moving landscape.
Image credit: Andrii Vodolazhskyi/Shutterstock.com
