949: Why AI Keeps Failing Society, with Stanford professor Alex “Sandy” Pentland

949: Why AI Keeps Failing Society, with Stanford professor Alex “Sandy” Pentland

Author: Jon Krohn December 16, 2025 Duration: 55:28
Alex “Sandy” Pentland, Toshiba Professor of Media Arts & Science at MIT and Fellow at Stanford, speaks to Jon Krohn about his new book, Shared Wisdom, why he attributes AI to the collapse of the Soviet Union, and why those risks to society could still be relevant today. We can only achieve better system performance, Alex says, when we build tools that keep step with the way that people make decisions. Listen to the episode to hear Alex talk about how he is helping make AI agents work for individuals rather than the companies that develop them, and his work in making sure that systems operate consistently and fairly across the world. This episode is brought to you by the⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Dell⁠⁠⁠, by⁠ ⁠⁠Intel⁠⁠⁠, by ⁠Fabi⁠, and by ⁠Airia⁠. Additional materials: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.superdatascience.com/949⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Interested in sponsoring a SuperDataScience Podcast episode? Email natalie@superdatascience.com for sponsorship information. In this episode you will learn: (02:19) About Alex Pentland’s new book, Shared Wisdom                     (16:00) About loyalagents.org (28:36) Why we need data unions (34:02) The governance of AI (41:24) How to measure the social impact of AI projects

Hosted by Dr. Jon Krohn, Super Data Science: ML & AI Podcast with Jon Krohn is a deep and accessible exploration of how artificial intelligence and machine learning are reshaping our world. Each episode features conversations with leading researchers, engineers, and entrepreneurs from both academia and industry, breaking down complex ideas into something tangible and relevant. You'll hear firsthand about emerging techniques, practical applications, and the evolving landscape of data-driven careers. The sheer volume of data in our world is growing at a staggering rate, and this podcast serves as a guide to understanding that expansion and finding your place within it. Rather than offering abstract theory, these discussions focus on real-world impact, from cutting-edge algorithms to the human stories behind major breakthroughs. Tune in for a thoughtful, nuanced look at the tools and trends that are defining the future, all through the lens of experts who are building that future every day. Whether you're actively working in the field or simply curious about the forces driving technological change, this podcast provides a consistent source of insight and inspiration, demystifying the science that is quietly transforming every aspect of our lives.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Super Data Science: ML & AI Podcast with Jon Krohn
Podcast Episodes
945: AI is a Joke, with Joel Beasley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:11
Is there humor in data? Joel Beasley, host of Modern CTO, tells Jon Krohn how he used AI to turn his sights to stand-up comedy. He also shares his tips on tech leadership that he learned from his popular podcast, Modern…
944: Gemini 3 Pro: Google’s Back on Top [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:21
Google is steaming ahead with launching its top-league new Gemini 3 Pro model across their product suite, from Google Search to Vertex AI cloud services. The multinational tech company is also letting eager early adopter…
943: Creative Machines: AI in Music and Art, with Prof. Maya Ackerman [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:38
Creative human-AI partnerships and AI-generated music: WaveAI CEO and co-founder Maya Ackerman speaks with Jon Krohn about learning to see – and accept – AI’s potential as a creative partner in a human-centric, AI-forwar…
941: Multi-Agent Human Societies, with Dr. Vijoy Pandey [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:14
Vijoy Pandey imagines a bold new society in which agents and humans make scientific discoveries and complete physical tasks together, and he tells Jon Krohn about his work at AGNTCY, Cisco’s open-source platform for the…
940: In Case You Missed It in October 2025 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:27
Jon Krohn curates a selection of clips from the month that was. Hear from the orchestrators of an expanding AI universe in this episode of In Case You Missed It, with news, views and groundbreaking ideas from Sheamus McG…
937: How to Design AI-First Products, with Marc Dupuis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:32
AI tools won’t eliminate but elevate data scientists, says Marc Dupuis. The CEO of fabi.ai talks to Jon Krohn about the new wave of AI-driven platforms that integrate workflows within popular work tools like Slack and em…
936: LLMs Are Delighted to Help Phishing Scams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:07
How much power – and risk – do we carry around with us in our pockets? A Reuters investigation about how easily LLMs can be utilized for online phishing scams is the subject of this week’s Five-Minute Friday with Jon Kro…