THE DREAM HOTEL with LAILA LALAMI

THE DREAM HOTEL with LAILA LALAMI

Author: The Creative Process Original Series: Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Innovation, Engineering, Robotics & Internet of Things June 22, 2025 Duration: 41:38

What happens when the state, with the pretext of protecting public safety, can detain indefinitely certain individuals whose dreams seem to indicate they may be capable of committing a crime?  Set in a precarious world where sleep-enhancing devices and algorithms provide the tools and formulae for making one’s unconscious a witness to one’s possible waking life, this novel touches on a myriad of political, philosophical, and moral concerns as they particularly connect to issues of gender, race, ethnicity, privacy, and the security state.

In this episode of Speaking Out of Place podcast Professor David Palumbo-Liu talks with award-winning novelist Laila Lalami about her new novel, The Dream Hotel. Laila Lalami is the author of five books, including The Moor’s Account, which won the American Book Award, the Arab-American Book Award, and the Hurston / Wright Legacy Award. It was on the longlist for the Booker Prize and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. Her novel The Other Americanswas a national bestseller, won the Joyce Carol Oates Prize, and was a finalist for the National Book Award in Fiction. Her books have been translated into twenty languages. Her essays have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, The Nation, Harper’s, the Guardian, and the New York Times. She has been awarded fellowships from the British Council, the Fulbright Program, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the Radcliffe Institute at Harvard University. She lives in Los Angeles.

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Photo credit: Beowulf Sheehan


The conversation about our technological future is often dominated by headlines and hype, leaving little room for nuance. AI & The Future of Humanity moves beyond the soundbites to explore the profound questions shaping our collective tomorrow. This podcast delves into the intricate landscape of artificial intelligence, automation, and emerging fields like quantum computing and nanotechnology, examining not just their potential but their real-world implications. Each episode features in-depth discussions with a diverse range of voices-from scientists and engineers to philosophers, activists, and policy experts. Listeners will hear thoughtful analysis on the ethical dilemmas of algorithmic bias, the societal shifts prompted by automation and the future of work, and the creative possibilities within virtual and augmented reality. We grapple with how big data and the Internet of Things are reshaping daily life, and critically assess the promises and perils of generative AI. The goal is to foster a deeper understanding of how these powerful tools are developed and deployed. By focusing on the roles that individuals, organizations, and governments can play, the series aims to cut through the noise, offering a grounded perspective on how we can steer innovation toward outcomes that benefit all of humanity. It’s a space for meaningful dialogue about the design choices we face today that will define the world we inhabit tomorrow. Tune in for a necessary and nuanced exploration of the forces that will shape the coming decades.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 142

AI & The Future of Humanity:  Artificial Intelligence, Technology, VR, Algorithm, Automation, ChatBPT, Robotics, Augmented Reality, Big Data, IoT, Social Media, CGI, Generative-AI, Innovation, Nanotechnology, Science, Quantum Computing: The Creative Proce
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