Episodes

I am skeptical regarding the notion that there will be a specific date that artificial general intelligence (AGI) will become available. Open AI is trying to tell us we have reached AGI.(With their latest model of course) Meanwhile, a plumber underneath a house, attempting to get to a fitting installed by someone who probably did not anticipate it would ever require repairs. To the plumber, how meaningful is the AGI announcement? More of my thoughts on this in this episode.

The Funny Thing about Intelligence and Power We have spent centuries treating cognitive ability as a sacrament, using it to justify hierarchies and decide who deserves a seat at the table. But as intelligence becomes a commodity, the foundations of that power are shifting. This episode explores what happens when we stop performing expertise and start prioritizing presence. Key Reflections The End of the Intelligence Cult: For generations, we used degrees and abstract thought as measures of hu...

Dr. Stephanie Bennett is a professor of communication and media ecology at Palm Beach Atlantic University. For over two decades, she has explored the "invisible architecture" of our digital lives. A fellow traveler in the tradition of Neil Postman, Dr. Bennett’s work examines how our technological environment shapes the soul. She is the author of several books, including Silence, Civility, and Sanity: Hope for Humanity in a Digital Age and her newest release, Relationships on the Run. Key Discu...

Episode Summary: In this episode, we move beyond the common debate of whether technology is "good" or "bad" to explore a more fundamental reality: technology is no longer just a tool we pick up; it is the environment we inhabit. Drawing on the prophetic work of French sociologist Jacques Ellul, Bob explores how we have migrated from a natural wilderness defined by seasons and storms to a "silicon wilderness" defined by algorithms and efficiency. We look at the anxiety of the disconnected screen...

In this episode of The Human Voice, Bob Hutchins sits down with Baratunde Thurston—Emmy-nominated host, writer, comedian, and creator of the podcast Life With Machines. From his roots in Washington, D.C., shaped by a mother who was a computer programmer and activist, through Harvard philosophy and a decade of stand-up, Baratunde has built a career at the intersection of culture, technology, and storytelling. Their conversation ranges from the everyday signals of progress—like coffee shop Wi-Fi ...

Or find me on LinkedIn → Let’s keep asking better questions. —Bob Hutchins

In this thought-provoking episode, Bob Hutchins explores a radical possibility: that we may be witnessing the beginning of the end of humanity's 500-year relationship with the written word. Drawing from media theorists Walter Ong and Harold Innis, Bob examines how generative AI might fundamentally transform not just how we communicate, but how we think and connect as human beings. Since Gutenberg's printing press, we've been compressing the entirety of human experience into alphabetic symbols—a...

🎧 Show Notes (The Human Voice with Bob Hutchins): In this special episode, Bob Hutchins sits down with Dr. Tom Cooper—media ethicist, scholar, and former assistant to Marshall McLuhan—to unpack the lives and legacies of two of the most influential (and often misunderstood) thinkers in media history: Harold Innis and Marshall McLuhan. Dr. Cooper shares insights from his new book Wisdom Weavers, offering rare stories from his time at the University of Toronto, reflections on the inner lives of bo...

🧠 Episode Overview: As someone who works at the intersection of AI, media psychology, and leadership, I’m not just interested in tech—I’m interested in the human behind the tech, and those who think similar. My guest is Faisal Hoque, a three-time founder, Deloitte Technology Fast 500 winner, and author of the deeply timely and thoughtful book Transcend: Unlocking Humanity in the Age of AI. We explore what it really means—not just to be human, but to stay human—as artificial intelligence reshap...

This is a read of my latest article- The Soul in the Machine: A Spiritual Reflection on Articficial Intelligence. https://bobhutchins.substack.com/p/the-soul-in-the-machine-a-spiritual The following reflection is taken from my latest Substack piece, The Soul in the Machine, A spiritual reflection on AI. Lately, I’ve been sitting with some deeper questions—ones that don’t always make the headlines but seem to live just beneath them. We’re in a strange, significant moment. AI is evolving fast, ye...

Online conversations have become a battleground—cheering certain words, booing others. Ideas and nuance are lost to labels that divide and dehumanize. When did we start trading dialogue for definitions? In "The War of Words: Why Our Labels are Destroying Our Humanity," I explore how we've replaced genuine communication with tribal jargon and reactive outrage. More than ever, it's crucial to reclaim empathy, curiosity, and humility to bridge divides rather than deepen them. The words we choose ...

Christopher Summerfield, Oxford Neuroscientist & Former DeepMind Researcher Episode Summary: In this episode, I sit down with Christopher Summerfield, an Oxford neuroscientist and former DeepMind researcher who has spent his career studying how human brains work and how AI models can replicate cognitive processes. His new book, These Strange New Minds: How AI Learned to Talk and What It Means, explores the evolution of AI from early chatbots to today's advanced language models. We discuss the ...

In this episode, I sit down with Shideh Doerr, a natural connector and networking ambassador with over 25 years in healthcare. Shideh’s journey took a turn when she co-founded JabberYak, a company designed to make networking more organic and meaningful. We explore her Persian-American roots, her transition from healthcare to entrepreneurship, and how JabberYak is revolutionizing human connection in business and education. Key Takeaways: 🔹 The Power of Connection – Growing up in a Persian househ...

Guest Spotlight: David Whitesock, founder of Commonly Well and creator of the Recovery Capital Index, discusses his mission to bring data-driven insights to addiction recovery and mental health. From Struggle to Innovation: David shares his personal journey from addiction and incarceration to law school, leading him to develop a measurable approach to recovery. Beyond Sobriety Metrics: Commonly Well challenges traditional recovery models by integrating behavioral analytics, long-term strategy,...

In his third appearance on The Human Voice, media theorist and science fiction author Paul Levinson shares a fascinating conversation about the timeless relevance of media ecology, technology’s role in human progress, and the myths surrounding information overload. Paul reflects on his seminal 1996 article On Behalf of Humanity and its argument that the issue isn’t too much information but a lack of organizational tools. Drawing connections between historical innovations and today’s AI landscap...

Chris Dauphin is an 18-year marketing and communications veteran, professional musician, sports fan, father, son, and human. And he's a close friend. This was a fun interview that surfaced some deep truths about life, work, and the meaning of it all. Enjoy!

Some of my thoughts from an article I wrote for my Substack Newsletter about how we are all interconnected more than we know through this thing called the internet, technology, and AI. And we are mimicking what Obi-Wan was sensing. “I felt a great disturbance in the Force as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.” -Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars

This is a reading of my Substack Article-  The Lost Art of Questioning: Can AI Bring It Back? AI's evolving abilities highlight the humanness woven through good questions. (Prompts) As AI gets smarter, might it even start teaching us back by...

Kendra Jones is a Futurist.  With a rich history in high-tech strategic operations at Apple, and a strong academic foundation from MIT and the University of Houston, Kendra blends practicality with visionary thinking. Her endeavors span from...

Alex Kantrowitz is a veteran journalist who's interviewed some of the world’s top CEOs, including Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, and Jack Dorsey. His company, Big Technology, serves more than 100,000 newsletter subscribers and tens...

Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc is President of Southern New Hampshire University, the nation's largest nonprofit provider of online higher education. Under his leadership since 2003, SNHU has grown from 2,800 to over 220,000 learners. He has served as Senior...

Jon Ricketts is a man of many talents, with a back ground that includes medical devices, aviation, and tech start-ups. He has a knack for innovation and a passion for making life better, one venture at a time.  We talk about the Ai start-up...

CJ is a writer and media producer. He leads a messaging & production studio called and an award-winning kids media project called . He’s had the privilege of traveling the world speaking to creative professionals at venues like Creative...

Paul Levinson returns just in time to discuss the release of Robots through the Ages, published by Blackstone Publishing, it includes stories from some of the best writers of science fiction, both old and new. This anthology, with an introduction...