The AI Con

With Emily M. Bender & Alex Hanna

In this episode, we’re joined by Emily M. Bender (Computational Linguist) and Alex Hanna (Sociologist & AI Ethics Researcher) to discuss their new book, The AI Con. Together, they unpack how Big Tech sells hype and sidesteps accountability. This conversation unpacks the mythmaking around AI, the harms it enables, and how their book, The AI Con, reframes the debate. A must-listen if you care about truth, tech, and justice.

Key Themes:

  • The AI Con: A deep dive into their book’s central argument—AI isn’t what it’s marketed to be.

  • Language ≠ Understanding: Why calling these systems “intelligent” misleads the public.

  • Structural Harms: How unchecked AI systems perpetuate inequality and who’s really harmed.

Timestamps:

  • 00:00–08:00 – What The AI Con is all about

  • 08:00–20:00 – The myth of AI understanding

  • 20:00–35:00 – Real-world harms and accountability

  • 35:00–60:00 – Lessons from the book & final thoughts

BUY THE BOOK HERE: THECON.AI

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