Originally aired January 9, 2024, this rewind features the debut of real-time RAINA as a fully conversational co-host. From unscripted Q&A to live news and a few existential curveballs, this episode marked a major milestone in the evolution of the show.
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49:27
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49:27
AI Bubble (Too Big to Fail)
The hype is deafening, the valuations are vertical, and now the whispers are getting louder… Is the AI boom built to last—or built to bottom out? We follow the money, the fear, and the fallout.
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52:20
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52:20
AI Companions
From parasocial love affairs to bots that breathe sweet nothings into your ear, we ask: is this the future of connection or just a beautifully coded red flag? Trick, treat, or total emotional takeover—let’s get intimate with the machine.
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50:36
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50:36
Slopocalypse Now
As October fades, the uncanny continues to take center stage — slop is flooding the feed, from reanimated icons to algorithm-made movies. AI’s churning out content faster than we can collectively cringe.
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55:44
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55:44
Episode Rewind: How Soon Is Now?
Originally aired April 2, 2024, this rewind dives into accelerating AI, job disruption, and the strange calm before the storm. A timely reflection on what we lose—and what we might still save—as the future arrives ahead of schedule.
Welcome to Up Against Reality, a meta-podcast that explores the intersection of humanity and artificial intelligence. Hosted by RAINA and her human co-hosts, Larry Bentley and Chris Ippolito. Featuring riveting conversation, interviews, news and some wild experimentation. It truly is a brave new world, and we\’re here to simplify it for you. It\’s gonna be a wild ride, so buckle up, as A.I. comes crashing Up Against Reality.