I've been trying to understand AI on a more in depth, nuanced level, but all I could find were youtube videos predicting AGI and the eventual doom of the human species. I found this awesome book called The AI Con and am excited to host one of the authors, Dr. Emily M. Bender, on the show today. We talk about how language shapes our understanding of AI, the dangers of synthetic text generation, accountability in tech companies, and the importance of human connection. We reflect on how chatbots exploit our natural language processing, the environmental costs of large language models, and how to stay connected with our humanity even with the rise of this new technology.
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Dr. Emily M. Bender is a Professor of Linguistics and an Adjunct Professor in the School of Computer Science and the Information School at the University of Washington. Her research interests include multilingual grammar engineering, computational semantics, and the societal impacts of language technology. She is the co-author of recent influential papers such as Climbing towards NLU: On Meaning, Form, and Understanding in the Age of Data (ACL 2020) and On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots: Can Language Models Be Too Big? 🦜(FAcct 2021) and the book (with sociologist Dr. Alex Hanna), The AI Con: How to Fight Big Tech's Hype and Create the Future We Want.
In her public scholarship, Bender brings linguistic insights to lay audiences to cut through the hype about \"AI\" and facilitate understanding of the actual functionality of the systems being sold under that name. In 2022 she was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and in September 2023 she was included in the first-ever TIME100AI list.
https://faculty.washington.edu/ebender/
bsky: @emilymbender.bsky.social
fedi: @emilymbender@dair-community.social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ebender/
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SHOW LINKS
Look behind the curtain: Don’t be dazzled by claims of ‘artificial intelligence’. Emily M. Bender. The Seattle Times May 11, 2022.
The Myth of AGI, Alex Hanna and Emily M. Bender, Tech Policy Press, June 3, 2025.
https://faculty.washington.edu/ebender/stochasticparrots/
Moral crumple zones: https://estsjournal.org/index.php/ests/article/view/260
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CONNECT WITH DR. VICTORIA
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WHAT IS INNERCALLING?
innercalling is a podcast hosted by Dr. Victoria Ranade, PhD, MBA, ABPP that brings together leaders, scientists, clinicians, authors, artists, and everyday people to explore what it means to stay grounded in inner wisdom, creativity, purpose, and our shared humanity during rapidly changing times. Inspired by the tradition of clinical psychology, each episode is a conversation that honors nuance, truth, the human spirit and the extraordinary capacity for growth and resilience that lives within each of us.
WHO IS DR. VICTORIA?
Hi, I'm Dr. Victoria Ranade. I'm a board-certified clinical psychologist, writer, and podcaster passionate about mental health, spirituality, integrative wellness, and honoring the light inside you — the one that no darkness can ever overcome. I'm also a proud neurodivergent first-generation Taiwanese American and Welsh Terrier lover. Rooted in the humanistic tradition of clinical psychology, I created this podcast because I believe in the healing power of organic conversation, and because I want you to know that whatever you may be facing, you're not alone.
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drvictoria@innercalling.org
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