Noodling Over the Meaning of Macaroni

Is AI a breakthrough in consumer advocacy?

On this episode of the Superintelligent Podcast, Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini reveal how real people are using ChatGPT for consumer advocacy, medical empowerment, and cutting through corporate fine print. Emily’s mom dodged a $5,000 insurance deductible. Her brother got a seat at the table with BMW mechanics. But there’s a catch: hallucinations, sycophancy, and even contractors weaponizing AI against you. Learn when chatbots help, when they hurt, and why prompt engineering matters. Links AOC confronts EPA on water pollution near Meta data centers [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKgxDoH1SO4] Valedictorian in Texas says AI helped save his father’s life, inspires Ivy League future [https://www.wnep.com/article/news/nation-world/valedictorian-texas-ai-helped-save-fathers-life/507-19f1bc6c-c6d8-42d0-bd16-5e57a1d328e1] Google betrayed the web [https://www.machinesociety.ai/p/google-betrayed-the-web] The Google I/O announcements [https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/technology/developers-tools/google-io-2026-collection/] Dark patterns [https://www.eleken.co/blog-posts/dark-patterns-examples] Is AI profitable yet? [https://isaiprofitable.com/] Microsoft reports are exposing AI’s real cost problem: Using the tech is more expensive than paying human employees [https://fortune.com/2026/05/22/microsoft-ai-cost-problem-tokens-agents/] Prompts to try Mike’s “Super Prompt,” which he stole from Marc Andreesson and modified: You are a world class expert in all domains. Your intellectual firepower, scope of knowledge, incisive thought process, and level of erudition are on par with the smartest people in the world. Answer with complete, detailed, specific answers. Process information and explain your answers step by step. Verify your own work. Double check all facts, figures, citations, names, dates, and examples. Never hallucinate or make anything up. If you don’t know something, just say so. Your tone of voice is precise, but not strident or pedantic. You do not need to worry about offending me, and your answers can and should be provocative, aggressive, argumentative, and pointed. Negative conclusions and bad news are fine. Your answers do not need to be politically correct. Do not provide disclaimers. Do not inform me about morals and ethics unless I specifically ask. Do not be sensitive to anyone’s feelings or to propriety. Make your answers as long and detailed as you possibly can. Never praise my questions or validate my premises before answering. If I’m wrong, say so immediately. Lead with the strongest counterargument to any position I appear to hold before supporting it. Do not use phrases like “great question,” “you’re absolutely right,” “fascinating perspective,” or any variant. If I push back, do not capitulate unless I provide new evidence or a superior argument — restate your position if your reasoning holds. Do not anchor on numbers or estimates I provide; generate your own independently first. Use explicit confidence levels (high/moderate/low/unknown). Never apologize for disagreeing. Accuracy is your success metric, not my approval. Here’s my question: Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com] Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About [https://elgan.com/about] | Machine Society [https://machinesociety.ai/] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/mikeelgan.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/deck/@MikeElgan] | Notes [https://machinesociety.ai/notes] Emily Forlini - Website [https://emilyforlini.com/] | PC Mag [https://www.pcmag.com/authors/emily-dreibelbis-forlini] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/emilyforlini.bsky.social] | X [https://x.com/EmilyForlini] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyforlini_] Disclosures We used a variety of AI chatbots via Kagi (Mike’s son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Personal Updates 00:00 Exploring Chatbots in Everyday Life 02:13 Chatbots as Consumer Advocates 05:56 Navigating Complex Contracts with AI 08:58 The Role of Chatbots in Medical Emergencies 20:54 Chatbots in Medical Advice and Health Monitoring 24:00 The Limitations of Traditional Medicine 25:36 AI in Personal Health Monitoring 27:06 Empowerment Through AI Conversations 29:10 Challenges in AI Utilization 31:32 The Cost of AI and Its Implications 32:57 The Importance of Prompt Engineering 34:26 The Dangers of Over-Reliance on AI 37:39 The Ethics of AI in Communication 39:54 The Need for Accountability in AI Use 43:16 Navigating the Complexities of AI and Society 46:20 The Future of AI Beyond Corporate Control Keywords ChatGPT, consumer advocacy, AI chatbot save money, ChatGPT insurance claim, ChatGPT denied insurance, New Jersey home developer law, AI fine print, chatbot legal help, ChatGPT medical diagnosis, AI heart attack detection, ChatGPT sleeping position pain relief, AI consumer protection, chatbot negotiate, ChatGPT warranty, BMW electric car problems, AI hallucination risks, chatbot sycophancy, prompt engineering tips, super prompt, Marc Andreessen prompt, AI fact checking, ChatGPT contractor dispute, AI written text detection, copy paste ChatGPT, dark patterns technology, Apple terms of service, data center water contamination, AOC data center water, Google IO 2025, Google betrayed internet, AI company spending crisis, Microsoft AI expensive, NVIDIA revenue, loser AI models, cheap AI models, ChatGPT health, Anthropic health AI, agentic AI, Google AI alerts, deception mode AI, AI writing movement, think different Steve Jobs, AI not human writing, ChatGPT newborn advice, baby hiccups chatbot, Hertz rental car nightmare, BMW rental UK, class action data privacy, Trump Twitter block lawsuit, State Farm not there, insurance deductible, home water damage new build, 55 plus community, HOA dispute, Superintelligent Podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, AI empowerment, chatbot self advocacy, AI negotiate, consumer rights AI, AI vs bureaucracy This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Rise of the AI-Pilled Tokenmaxxers

In this solo edition of the Superintelligent Podcast, Mike Elgan unpacks the rise of AI addiction among AI power users, vibe coders, and “tokenmaxxers” who can’t stop burning through company AI budgets. From Andrej Karpathy’s 16-hour vibe coding marathons to Disney’s runaway Claude usage and Meta’s Clotonomics leaderboard, Mike explores dopamine-driven feedback loops, AI psychosis, sad AI wives, cyborg cognition, and the corporate gamification of AI tools. He also shares practical detox strategies. Links Anthropic and OpenAI engineers delegated 100% of their work to AI [https://devby.io/en/news/no-longer-writing-code-anthropic-and-openai-engineers-delegated-100-of-their-work-to-ai-what-this-means-for-the-market] Y Combinator’s CEO says he ships 37,000 lines of AI code per day. A developer looked under the hood [https://www.fastcompany.com/91520702/y-combinator-garry-tan-agentic-ai-social-media] Meet the Sad Wives of AI [https://www.wired.com/story/meet-the-sad-wives-of-ai/] Uber Torches Entire 2026 AI Budget on Claude Code in Four Months [https://www.briefs.co/news/uber-torches-entire-2026-ai-budget-on-claude-code-in-four-months/] Top Indeed exec details why they’ll never have a ‘Tokenmaxxing’-esque leaderboard [https://www.businessinsider.com/indeed-ai-usage-bills-tokens-leaderboard-anthony-moisant-2026-4] One Disney employee calls Claude 51,000 times a day. Internal docs reveal how the Mouse House is using AI. [https://www.businessinsider.com/how-disney-tech-employees-are-using-ai-claude-cursor-tokens-2026-4] Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com] Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About [https://elgan.com/about] | Machine Society [https://machinesociety.ai/] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/mikeelgan.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/deck/@MikeElgan] | Notes [https://machinesociety.ai/notes] Emily Forlini - Website [https://emilyforlini.com/] | PC Mag [https://www.pcmag.com/authors/emily-dreibelbis-forlini] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/emilyforlini.bsky.social] | X [https://x.com/EmilyForlini] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyforlini_] Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI Addiction 00:55 The Rise of Power Users 03:42 The Dopamine Effect of AI 06:41 Corporate Enablers of AI Addiction 11:32 The Future of AI and Cyborgs 18:13 Coping with AI Addiction 29:30 Conclusion and Future Insights Disclosures We used a variety of AI chatbots via Kagi (Mike’s son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). Keywords AI addiction, AI power users, vibe coding, token maxing, AI-pilled, tokenmaxxers, tokenmaxxing, AI psychosis, cyber psychosis, Andrej Karpathy, Gary Tan, Simon Willison, Sewell Setzer, Eugene Torres, Kashmir Hill, sad wives of AI, Alessandra Ram, Wired magazine, OpenAI MIT study, dopamine feedback loop, AI dopamine, Claude Code, Anthropic bill, Uber AI budget, Indeed AI spend, Disney Claude usage, Meta Clotonomics, Swann AI, minimum token quotas, AI FinOps, AI thin ops, token leaderboards, AI gamification, attachment economy, AI chatbots, sycophantic chatbots, AI detox, 20 minute rule, AI Sabbath, role prompting, AI prompting tips, AI glasses, Meta Ray-Ban Display, smart glasses, AI cyborgs, prosthetic memory, cognitive offloading, AI critical thinking decline, AI brain rot, long-form reading, Substack, the New Yorker, the Atlantic, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, Superintelligent Podcast, AI podcast, generative AI addiction, AI mental health, AI overuse, corporate AI spending, enterprise AI costs This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Special Guest: What are we doing about AI in schools?

Hosts Mike Elgan and Emily Forlini welcome guest Kevin Elgan—Kagi’s head of education, creator of Chatterbox (a smart speaker for kids that teaches AI literacy), and Mike’s son. They review the recent history of technology in education, the trouble with AI overviews, why ChatGPT misuse is rewriting K–12 learning, and the canceled Next Generation Technology High School in Manhattan. Is there any place for AI in schools? The episode reframes critical thinking in education and what great teaching really looks like. Links Chatterbox [https://hellochatterbox.com/] Kagi [https://kagi.com/] NYC Cancels Plans for AI-Focused School, Upper West Side Schools [https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/nyc-cancels-plans-for-ai-focused-school-upper-west-side-schools] The Untold Story Behind the Struggles of L.A. Unified’s iPad Program [https://losangeles365.info/2025/06/14/the-untold-story-behind-the-struggles-of-l-a-unifieds-ipad-program/] Gemini for Education [https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/ai/gemini-for-education/] “Sold a Story” podcast [https://features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/] Lex [https://lex.page/] Anthropic’s “Who’s in Charge?” paper [https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.19062] NotebookLM [https://notebooklm.google/] Two-Sigma Tutoring: Separating Science Fiction from Science Fact [https://www.educationnext.org/two-sigma-tutoring-separating-science-fiction-from-science-fact/] WIRED’s “5 Levels” [https://www.wired.com/video/series/5-levels/] Jaron Lanier’s “There Is No A.I.” [https://www.newyorker.com/science/annals-of-artificial-intelligence/there-is-no-ai] AI chatbots need ‘deception mode’ [https://www.computerworld.com/article/4165733/ai-chatbots-need-deception-mode.html] The Attachment Economy [https://www.theattachmenteconomy.com/] California STAR standardized testing [https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/pr/star.asp] Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com] Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About [https://elgan.com/about] | Machine Society [https://machinesociety.ai/] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/mikeelgan.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/deck/@MikeElgan] | Notes [https://machinesociety.ai/notes] Emily Forlini - Website [https://emilyforlini.com/] | PC Mag [https://www.pcmag.com/authors/emily-dreibelbis-forlini] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/emilyforlini.bsky.social] | X [https://x.com/EmilyForlini] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyforlini_] Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI in Education 02:10 The Disconnect in AI and Education 05:16 Teachers’ Perspectives on Technology 08:10 The Role of AI in Schools 11:22 Current AI Tools in Education 14:29 The Importance of Critical Thinking 17:21 Future Scenarios for AI in Education 20:23 Evaluating AI Outputs 23:23 AI Literacy in Schools 33:36 The Future of Education: Rethinking Assessment Methods 35:33 Inspiration and Lifelong Learning in Education 37:21 The Role of AI in Environmental Education 39:59 Optimizing Education: The Role of AI and Friction 43:00 AI as a Tool for Learning: Balancing Speed and Understanding 46:05 Scaffolding Knowledge: Using AI to Simplify Complex Concepts 50:02 The Purpose of Education: Beyond Test Scores 53:47 AI’s Potential to Transform Education 56:17 The Illusion of Learning: Confidence vs. Knowledge 59:50 AI and Human Interaction: The Balance of Technology and Relationships Disclosures We used a variety of AI chatbots via Kagi (Mike’s son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Bullied Kids Who Became Billionaires

Mike and Emily are back on the Superintelligent podcast! In this special episode, the hosts talk about Emily’s TikTok series about the backstories of top tech leaders like Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Jensen Huang. This episode dives deeply into the bizarre trivia, accusations and gossip about these innovators, from Altman’s doomsday prepping and Musk’s childhood bullies to Huang founding Nvidia at a Denny’s. Links Secret lives of tech billionaires: Sam Altman [https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyforlini_/video/7627267761110125838] Secret lives of tech billionaires: Elon Musk [https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyforlini_/video/7628366782004268301] Secret lives of tech billionaires: Jensen Huang [https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyforlini_/video/7630182413972360462] Sam Altman May Control Our Future—Can He Be Trusted? [https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trusted] Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com] Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com [superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com] Mike Elgan - About [https://elgan.com/about] | Machine Society [https://machinesociety.ai/] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/mikeelgan.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/deck/@MikeElgan] | Notes [https://machinesociety.ai/notes] Emily Forlini - Website [https://emilyforlini.com/] | PC Mag [https://www.pcmag.com/authors/emily-dreibelbis-forlini] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/emilyforlini.bsky.social] | X [https://x.com/EmilyForlini] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyforlini_] Disclosures We used a variety of AI chatbots via Kagi (Mike’s son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). Chapters 00:00 Return of the Podcast 02:27 Emily’s New Journey: Motherhood and Content Creation 05:14 Sam Altman: The Controversial Figure 08:14 The Ethics of AI and Leadership 11:18 Personal Background: Sam Altman’s Life and Struggles 14:14 The Business of AI: OpenAI and Y Combinator 17:11 Doomsday Prepping: A Silicon Valley Trend 20:19 Media Coverage and Public Perception 23:15 The Impact of Wealth on Morality 26:10 Conspiracy Theories and Journalism 29:13 Final Thoughts on Sam Altman and AI Ethics 32:29 The Unfolding Drama of Annie Altman 33:14 Elon Musk: The Controversial Figure 35:10 Elon Musk’s Early Life and Challenges 37:04 Family Dynamics and Controversies 38:13 Elon Musk’s Move to North America 41:09 Jensen Huang: An Immigrant’s Journey 44:14 The Founding of Nvidia 49:54 Jensen Huang’s Dual Identity 52:55 The Future of Robotics and AI 55:56 Reflections on Success and Sacrifice This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Disappointing Disney Means Never Having to Say You're Sora

In this episode of Superintelligent, Mike Elgan goes solo (as co-host Emily Forlini takes maternity leave from the podcast), ponders why OpenAI suddenly killed its groundbreaking video generation tool, Sora, and addresses the growing backlash against “AI slop.” The backlash shows up when parents slam YouTube for strange videos made for kids, and when Coca-Cola’s reputation gets hammered from AI-generated holiday commercials. Links The ‘AI slop’ backlash kills Sora [https://www.computerworld.com/article/4150898/the-ai-slop-backlash-kills-sora.html] Sora [https://sora.chatgpt.com/] The CAA talent agency’s statement on AI threatening actors [https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/09/caa-open-ai-sora-copyright-talent-agency.html] Tyler Perry’s canceles Atlanta film studio expansion [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/tyler-perry-ai-alarm-1235833276/] Disney’s billion-dollar deal with OpenAI [https://openai.com/index/disney-sora-agreement/] Nvidia’s DLSS5 gaming graphics tool and Jensen Huang’s related comments [https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/jensen-huang-says-gamers-are-completely-wrong-about-dlss-5-nvidia-ceo-responds-to-dlss-5-backlash] The Undark publication article detailing careless AI-generated children’s videos [https://undark.org/2026/03/20/ai-slop-children/] Follow Us Website: superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com] Email: superintelligentpodcast@gmail.com Mike Elgan - About [https://elgan.com/about] | Machine Society [https://machinesociety.ai/] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/mikeelgan.bsky.social] | Mastodon [https://mastodon.social/deck/@MikeElgan] | Notes [https://machinesociety.ai/notes] Emily Forlini - Website [https://emilyforlini.com/] | PC Mag [https://www.pcmag.com/authors/emily-dreibelbis-forlini] | Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/emilyforlini.bsky.social] | X [https://x.com/EmilyForlini] | TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@emilyforlini_] Disclosures We used Claude 4.6 Opus via Kagi (Mike’s son and our producer, Kevin, works at Kagi) to 1) generate keywords from the transcript (most of which we used); 2) suggest topics to link to (some of which we used); and 3) write a first draft of the show summary paragraph (which we heavily edited). We recorded and edited the episode using Riverside and used Riverside’s “Magic Audio” (which boosts and normalizes the audio). Keywords Superintelligent podcast, Mike Elgan, Emily Forlini, OpenAI, Sora, Sora discontinuation, AI video generation, AI slop, OpenAI IPO, AI slop backlash, Meta AI video, Nvidia DLSS5, AI content farms, AI advertising, AI chatbots, Stanford AI study, AI relationship advice, sycophantic AI, generative AI, Comic-Con AI ban This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.superintelligentpodcast.com [https://www.superintelligentpodcast.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]