He let AI agents run a start-up—and things got weird fast

He let AI agents run a start-up—and things got weird fast

Author: Scientific American May 6, 2026 Duration: 23:45
In this episode of Science Quickly, journalist Evan Ratliff joins Kendra Pierre-Louis to discuss his audacious experiment: launching a start‑up staffed entirely by autonomous artificial intelligence agents. Ratliff shares what happened when these agents tried to build a product, manage a human intern, pitch investors and even operate on LinkedIn—sometimes with surprising competence and sometimes with outright fabrication. Recommended Reading: Listen to Evan Ratliff’s podcast Shell Game E-mail us at sciencequickly@sciam.com if you have any questions, comments or ideas for stories we should cover! Discover something new everyday: subscribe to Scientific American and sign up for Today in Science, our daily newsletter. Science Quickly is produced by Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Sushmita Pathak and Jeff DelViscio. This episode was hosted by Kendra Pierre-Louis and edited by Alex Sugiura, with fact-checking by Shayna Posses and Aaron Shattuck. Our theme music was composed by Dominic Smith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever feel like you want to stay on top of the latest science news but don't have hours to dig through journals? That's the space where Science Quickly lives. Each episode is a compact, engaging conversation designed to fit into your daily routine, whether you're commuting or just taking a break. Host Rachel Feltman brings her sharp curiosity and a journalist's eye to every topic, joined by other seasoned reporters from Scientific American who are out there talking to the researchers on the front lines. You'll hear more than just headlines; this podcast delves into the how and why behind fascinating discoveries, from quirky animal behaviors to groundbreaking climate tech and the inner workings of the human brain. The tone is conversational and often witty, making complex ideas accessible without oversimplifying them. It’s a variety show in the best sense, meaning you might explore a deep dive on neutrino detection one day and the science of a perfect cookie the next. Tuning in regularly feels like having a direct line to the most interesting developments, explained by people who are genuinely excited to share them. For anyone with a budding interest in how the world works or a long-time science enthusiast looking for a efficient update, this series from Scientific American consistently delivers substance and surprise in a manageable format.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Science Quickly
Podcast Episodes
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Lewis, Clark and America’s first great science mission [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Almost all of us know someone who suffers from an autoimmune disease. Or maybe you do yourself. Autoimmune diseases are common: only cancer and cardiovascular diseases are more prevalent. So how do you fight a body that…
Summer Reading Challenge: Quantum queerness, Pompeii and plant horror [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Science Quickly’s summer reading series continues! Host Rachel Feltman chats with Scientific American books editor Bri Kane about the magazine’s Summer Reading Challenge and swaps recommendations—from queer physics memoi…
Your summer reading list starts here [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Kick off Scientific American’s first-ever Summer Reading Challenge with book recommendations from our editors, including mind-bending fiction, ecohorror and fascinating nonfiction. Host Rachel Feltman and editor Bri Kane…
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In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman talks with author Rowan Jacobsen about new research on sun exposure and health. While too much sun increases skin cancer risk, moderate sunlight may offer surprisin…
Ebola update, World Cup heat risks, dad brains [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:10
In this episode of Science Quickly, we start with a quick update on the Ebola outbreak surging in parts of Africa. Host Rachel Feltman is then joined by Scientific American’s senior desk editor for life science Andrea Th…
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Duration: 15:34
In this episode of Science Quickly, one of SciAm’s Young American Scientists, biologist Jaye Gardiner, explores how common viral infections may raise cancer risk—not just through genetic mutations but by reshaping the bo…
The neuroscientist decoding how the brain learns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:22
In this episode, host Rachel Feltman interviews neuroscientist Kauê M. Costa, who is among Scientific American’s inaugural cohort of Young American Scientists honorees. Costa shares how being surprised by experiments has…
From aspiring actress to NASA astrophysicist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:50
In this episode of Science Quickly, host Rachel Feltman interviews NASA astrophysicist Erini Lambrides about her unconventional journey from pursuing the performing arts to studying supermassive black holes. Lambrides re…