The AI Download

How Paige Piskin’s AR designs captivated 300 billion views and what’s next for the future of augmented reality and AI-driven storytelling. This episode is sponsored by HiveLighter.  https://www.hivelighter.ai/ On this episode of The AI Download, Shira Lazar welcomes renowned XR and VFX artist Paige Piskin. With over 300 billion views and 1.3 billion shares on her AR designs, Paige has redefined what it means to create immersive digital experiences. Shira and Paige dive deep into the evolution of AR, the ethical implications of AI in digital art, and how brands are integrating these technologies for massive engagement.They also explore the surreal: AI-powered avatars testifying in court, AI's growing influence in the Vatican, and even Elon Musk's controversial chatbot that shocked the internet. Paige shares her secrets to building viral AR filters and how she’s pushing boundaries with AI in stop-motion film.Whether you’re a creator, digital artist, or just fascinated by the future of immersive tech, this episode is your backstage pass to the intersection of AI, AR, and digital storytelling.This episode covers:🔹 How Paige Piskin built viral AR filters with 300 billion views🔹 Why AI-powered avatars could soon testify in courtrooms🔹 AR glasses and the next wave of immersive storytelling🔹 Elon Musk's chatbot scandal and its implications for privacy🔹 How brands are leveraging AR for authentic audience engagement🔹 The ethics of using copyrighted content for AI training🔹 Runway’s Gen-4: A new frontier in video creation🔹 Creating AI-driven short films with gothic clay aesthetics🎙 Guest: Paige Piskin Follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat for the latest in AR and digital art.https://www.paigepiskin.com/ Paige Piskin (@paigepiskin) Official | TikTok https://www.youtube.com/@paigepiskinaiar https://www.linkedin.com/in/paigepiskin/ https://www.facebook.com/paigejpiskin/ Love the episode?Follow, rate, and review The AI Download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows. 📺 Watching on YouTube? Like, subscribe, and hit the bell for updates.📩 Stay in the loop: Subscribe to Shira’s newsletter: https://shiras-newsletter.beehiiv.comFollow Shira:http://x.com/shiralazarhttp://instagram.com/shiralazarhttps://tiktok.com/@shiralazarhttp://linkedin.com/in/shiralazarhttps://www.youtube.com/shiralazarSponsored by:👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter  —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories. Just click this Hivelighter link to explore more.CreditsThis episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.

 Can AI pitch better than a publicist? In this episode, we find out.This episode is sponsored by Hivelighter.On this episode of The AI Download, Shira Lazar is joined by PR innovator and CEO of PRophet.ai, Aaron Kwittken, for a high-energy conversation that pulls no punches. From industry disruption to ethical meltdowns at Meta, Kwittken shares his unfiltered take on how AI is transforming public relations, media trust, and the future of influence.He also breaks down why marketers must balance pathological optimism with responsibility—and how AI tools can elevate (or obliterate) your communications strategy depending on how you use them.Whether you’re a brand builder, crisis manager, startup founder, or someone just trying to make sense of AI’s impact on human connection—this episode is your playbook.This episode covers:🔹 How AI is transforming PR, pitching, and media targeting🔹 Why Aaron says “never DNF”—and what endurance mindset has to do with entrepreneurship🔹 Meta’s chatbot scandal and why transparency is non-negotiable in AI🔹 What not to automate: apology statements, crisis comms, and your values🔹 Data privacy, regulation, and what marketers must ask their AI vendors🔹 The rise of synthetic voices and why voice cloning ethics matter🔹 Why AI won’t replace publicists—but it will expose lazy ones🔹 Falcon, Rosebud, and the AI tools you should try this week🔹 What “communications engineering” looks like in the next 2 years🔹 Why the PR industry must embrace technology—or get left behind🎙 Guest: Aaron Kwittken Founder & CEO of PRophet.ai Follow him on LinkedInLove the episode?Follow, rate, and review The AI Download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows. 📺 Watching on YouTube? Like, subscribe, and hit the bell for updates.📩 Stay in the loop: Subscribe to Shira’s newsletter: https://shiras-newsletter.beehiiv.comFollow Shira:http://x.com/shiralazarhttp://instagram.com/shiralazarhttps://tiktok.com/@shiralazarhttp://linkedin.com/in/shiralazarhttps://www.youtube.com/shiralazarSponsored by:👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter  —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories. Just click this Hivelighter link to explore more.CreditsThis episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.

Can AI help us feel more, not less?This episode is sponsored byHivelighter.On this episode of The AI Download, Shira Lazar is joined by tech futurist and “Godmother of the Metaverse” Cathy Hackl  for a refreshingly real conversation about the emotional and ethical layers of artificial intelligence. From dating experiments at TED to climate-saving snow leopard alerts, Hackl reveals how AI is already shaping our most personal and planetary decisions.They unpack everything from automation disasters in customer service to the emerging wave of multimodal AI, and why the soft skills—like creativity, empathy, and systems thinking—are the real future-proof superpowers. Cathy also introduces her latest concept: the Tech Intimacy Scale, a framework for understanding how tech impacts love and connection.Whether you’re building tech, navigating career shifts, or just trying to make sense of this moment—this episode is for the curious, the creative, and the reinventors.This episode covers:🔹 Customer service gone rogue: AI hallucinations and liability risks🔹 How AI is helping protect endangered species like the snow leopard🔹 Simulation and forecasting for climate resilience🔹 Why creative thinking now beats technical skills🔹 The role of emotional intelligence in future leadership🔹 The future of dating: from matchmaking algorithms to IRL connection🔹 Redefining family with tech, robots, and virtual presence🔹 Multimodal AI, spatial computing, and new hardware on the horizon🔹 Why niche communities will drive influence in the next era🔹 How to reinvent yourself—and why you’ll need to🔗 Connect with Cathy Hackl: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathyhackl https://www.journey.world/https://lovable.dev/https://cluely.com/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/techmagic-with-cathy-hackl/id1586989316Love the episode? Follow, rate, and review The AI Download on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows. 📺 Watching on YouTube? Like, subscribe, and hit the bell for updates.📩 Stay in the loop: Subscribe to Shira’s newsletter: https://shiras-newsletter.beehiiv.comFollow Shira: http://x.com/shiralazar http://instagram.com/shiralazar https://tiktok.com/@shiralazar http://linkedin.com/in/shiralazarhttps://www.youtube.com/shiralazarSponsored by:👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter  —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories. Just click this Hivelighter link to explore more.Credits-This episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.

What if the future of filmmaking wasn’t just AI-powered—but artist-first?This episode is sponsored by Hivelighter.What if the future of filmmaking wasn’t just AI-powered—but artist-first?On this week’s AI Download, Shira Lazar sits down with futurist and creative technologist Don Allen III, Creative AI Pipeline Director at Asteria, one of the first ethical AI film studios. From robot rights and a new religion to clean data models, they explore how creators and studios can embrace AI without sacrificing artistic integrity—or jobs?This episode covers: 🔹 What James Cameron really thinks about AI in film 🔹 Why “clean models” could redefine animation 🔹 The quiet takeover of AI in CGI and production pipelines 🔹 How to spot real innovation vs. AI-washing 🔹 Why updating your bio might be more important than your résuméWhether you're a creator, founder, or future-focused human—this episode invites you to rethink creativity in the age of machines.Love the episode? Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your shows. Watching on YouTube? Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for updates.Connect with Don Allen III:https://www.linkedin.com/in/donalleniiiinstagram.com/donalleniiihttps://www.asteriafilm.com/  📩 Stay in the loop: Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: https://shiras-newsletter.beehiiv.comFollow Shira: http://x.com/shiralazar http://instagram.com/shiralazar https://tiktok.com/@shiralazar http://linkedin.com/in/shiralazarSponsored by:👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter  —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories. Just click this Hivelighter link to explore more.Credits-This episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.

From Tinder’s AI love assistant to the copyright chaos of generative content, this episode of The AI Download dives into how artificial intelligence is reshaping our personal and professional lives. Creative AI technologist Taryn Southern joins Shira Lazar for a deeply human look at how AI is transforming creativity, careers, and connection.This episode is sponsored by Hivelighter.In this episode, Shira Lazar is joined by filmmaker, technologist, and digital storyteller Taryn Southern to explore the rapidly changing world of AI and its emotional, ethical, and professional implications. From Tinder’s new AI dating features to AI’s role in legal access and healthcare, the conversation is a mix of practical insight and philosophical reflection.From the rise of generative tools to the ethical minefields of AI content and dating bots, this episode blends practical tools with big-picture questions—and Taryn shares the exact ways she uses AI to build workflows, boost creativity, and even filter brand deals.🔹 Can AI enhance creativity—or just replicate it?🔹 How do we protect originality in an AI-saturated world?🔹 Will AI empower individuals—or erase their jobs?🔹 And can an AI truly know you well enough to help you find love?Taryn shares her own journey navigating AI as a creative professional, including lessons from her AI Bootcamp, how she uses tools like Zapier and ChatGPT in her daily life, and why mental health awareness and adaptability are more essential than ever.Love the episode?Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.Watching on YouTube? Like, subscribe and turn on notifications so you don’t miss what’s next.Connect with Taryn Southern: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarynsouthern https://www.tarynsouthern.cominstagram.com/tarynsouthern Maven Bootcamp Connect with Shira Lazar: https://www.instagram.com/shiralazar https://www.linkedin.com/in/shiralazar https://www.youtube.com/@shiralazarSponsored by:👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter  —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories. Just click this Hivelighter link to explore more.Credits-This episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.

From Studio Ghibli-style AI art that broke ChatGPT to fashion models being cloned—and owned—by AI, this episode dives into the wild ethical frontier of generative tech. Sandy Carter joins to explore what we’re getting right, what we’re missing, and how to stay human in an AI-first world.This episode is sponsored by Hivelighter.In this powerful episode, Shira Lazar is joined by Sandy Carter (COO of Unstoppable Domains) and co-host Nadia G. to explore some of the biggest—and most personal—questions in AI today.From the backlash over ChatGPT’s Studio Ghibli-inspired art to H&M’s digital clones to Apple’s rumored AI health coach, the trio digs into what it means to be human in an increasingly automated world.🔹 Is AI stealing creativity—or just remixing it?🔹 Can digital clones empower creators—or exploit them?🔹 Will AI help us live better—or track us harder?🔹 Are we teaching kids to think critically—or just prompt faster?This episode blends ethics, innovation, emotion, and real-world tools for navigating the future of AI—with humanity at the center.Love the episode?Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Watching on YouTube? Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for updates.Connect with Sandy Carter: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-carter/Buy her book, AI First, Human Always on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Machine-Merge-Embracing-AI-First-Limitless/dp/1394189826📩 Stay in the loop: Subscribe to my weekly newsletter: https://shiras-newsletter.beehiiv.com/Follow on: http://x.com/shiralazar http://instagram.com/shiralazar https://tiktok.com/@shiralazar http://linkedin.com/in/shiralazarhttp://youtube.com/shiralazar Sponsored by:👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter  —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories. Just click this Hivelighter link to explore more.Credits-This episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.

From Nvidia’s robot revolution to AI-powered dating profiles and fast food drive-thrus run by bots—AI is taking over. But what does that mean for our jobs, love lives, and ethics?This episode is sponsored by Hivelighter.In this jam-packed conversation, Shira Lazar is joined by producer Nadia G. and AI educator Nate Jones to break down the biggest AI headlines and what they really mean. From the Vatican weighing in on ethics to California’s bold new AI regulation roadmap, the trio explores how AI is shaking up industries and reshaping how we live and work.🔹 Is AI coming for your job—or making it better? 🔹 What happens when AI enters the dating pool? 🔹 Can California set the gold standard for AI regulation? 🔹 What does the Vatican have to do with machine learning? 🔹 And yes… will AI be taking your fast food order soon?Plus: Nate shares his wild ride into AI content creation, how AI tools are transforming creator workflows, and why he’s proud of his new Maven course on adapting to the AI-powered future.This one’s got ethics, edge, and even a few laughs.Connect with Nate Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natebjones/ Love the episode?Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Watching on YouTube? Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for updates.Subscribe to Shira’s newsletter:  📩 https://shiras-newsletter.beehiiv.com/Follow Shira: 🐦 http://x.com/shiralazar 📸 http://instagram.com/shiralazar 🎵 https://tiktok.com/@shiralazar 💼 http://linkedin.com/in/shiralazarSponsored by:👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter  —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories. Just click this Hivelighter link to explore more: https://www.hivelighter.com/the_ai_download/ep4-from-dating-to-drive-thrus-how-ai-is-changing-everything CreditsThis episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.

AI’s rise isn’t just disrupting industries—it’s draining energy grids, rewriting education, and igniting a Hollywood war. Are we prepared for the consequences?This episode is sponsored by Hivelighter.In this must-listen episode, AI expert Dr. Chris Mattmann (Chief Data & AI Officer at UCLA, former NASA CTO) breaks down the hidden environmental cost of AI, how universities are fighting to stay relevant, and whether we’re already living with AGI.🔹 Is AI’s energy demand spiraling into a crisis? 🔹 Will AI make college degrees obsolete? 🔹 Can Hollywood win the fight against AI-generated content? 🔹 Could AI already be self-aware?The future of AI is unfolding fast—this episode unpacks what comes next.Love the episode?Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Watching on YouTube? Like, subscribe, and turn on notifications for updates.Connect with Dr. Chris MattmannSubscribe to my weekly newsletter to stay up to date: 📩 Stay in the loop. Follow on: http://x.com/shiralazar http://instagram.com/shiralazar https://tiktok.com/@shiralazarhttp://linkedin.com/in/shiralazar  Sponsored by:👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter  —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories.Credits-This episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.

Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur and investor known for his role on Shark Tank, shares his insights on AI's monumental impact on industries, particularly healthcare. He discusses his venture Cost Plus Drugs aimed at making medications affordable. Cuban tackles the future of work, pondering whether AI will create more jobs or eliminate them. He also delves into social media ethics, emphasizing the need for moderation. Cuban highlights the importance of transparency in tech and shares what he's investing in next, including innovations in AI.

AI is rewriting the rules of journalism, creativity, and power. But who wins, and who gets left behind? Emmy-nominated storyteller Baratunde Thurston joins The AI Download to explore how AI is redefining media, shifting power in journalism, and challenging the future of storytelling.🔹 Sponsored by HivelighterAI is revolutionizing journalism, storytelling, and content creation—but at what cost? As AI billion-dollar startups boom, ethical dilemmas emerge, and independent voices struggle to compete, the future of media is at a turning point.This week on THE AI DOWNLOAD, host Shira Lazar sits down with Baratunde Thurston, Emmy-nominated storyteller, tech thought leader, and host of Life with Machines. Together, they unpack the power struggles, opportunities, and risks of AI’s takeover of media—and what it means for creators, journalists, and society.  What You’ll Learn in This Episode:🔹 The AI Power Grab – How billion-dollar AI startups are reshaping the industry.🔹 AI & Journalism’s Ethical Dilemma – Will AI make news better or break it?🔹 David vs. Goliath: The AI Power Struggle – Can small media companies survive?🔹 AI & Truth in the Age of Deepfakes – The battle between generative AI & authenticity.🔹 The Global AI Divide – Why underrepresented communities are adopting AI faster than elite institutions.🔹 The Role of AI in Storytelling – Can AI elevate creativity without replacing human voices?🔹 Life with Machines – Why Baratunde believes AI should be a collaborator, not a competitor.From newsroom ethics to the future of creative work, this must-listen conversation breaks down how AI is reshaping media, shifting who holds power, and redefining the way we tell stories.🔗 Connect with Baratunde Thurston:  linkedin.com/in/baratunde| (Personal) baratunde.com (Company) lifewithmachines.media(Blog) newsletter.baratunde.com Listen now and join the conversation. The future of AI isn’t just coming—it’s already here. Love the episode?Don’t forget to follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app. Watching on YouTube? Like, subscribe, and hit the 🔔 for updates!Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to stay up to date: https://shiras-newsletter.beehiiv.com/Follow on: instagram.com/shiralazarx.com/shiralazarhttps://tiktok.com/@shiralazarhttp://linkedin.com/in/shiralazar  Sponsored by:👉 Thanks to our sponsor, Hivelighter  —the AI-powered tool that supercharges your reading and research with personalized insights.Want to dive deeper? Check out The AI Download Collection, where we’ve curated the top highlights from this episode’s biggest AI stories. Just click this Hivelighter link to explore more.Credits-This episode of The AI Download was hosted, created, and executive produced by Shira Lazar. Executive Producer Michele Musso, with video and audio editing by the Musso Media team. Creative Director Nadia Giosia with Mint Labs. Music by PALA, Catalina Coastline (licensed under Boss Soundstripe Productions by BMI). Produced by Musso Media. © 2025 Musso Media. © 2025 Shira Lazar. All rights reserved.