About this episode
In the age of AI, do you feel that your future is more uncertain? 💌Join 7,500+ people getting our takeaways and favourite moments from this episode in our weekly newsletter - http://bit.ly/45NyQDy In today’s Academy of Imperfection, we’re joined by Dr Joel Pearson; a neurofuturist, whose work centres around predicting how AI will impact every aspect of our lives from now on. While many of us (us included) first and foremost imagine the impacts of AI in a tech-revolution-y, robot butler-y, terminator-adjacent way, this episode goes deeper. Joel discusses how young people are forming attachments with AI companions and how we might see, perhaps the first generation in known history with a lower IQ than the one beforehand. We talk about the tangible and interconnected mental health impacts that this major societal disruption will have, and Hugh and Josh ask how in the world can we broach this topic with our kids? BUT, this episode isn’t all doom and gloom. Joel is a tech-optimist, after all. We talk to Joel about how we can foster human connection, and continue to develop our critical thinking skills, whilst not turning away from AI altogether. Joel, this has been invaluable. If you want to watch this full video on YouTube, follow this link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPGa6heppjE 0:00 – The episode we’ve been putting off 10:10 – The only certainty is disruption 14:15 – Impact of AI on the brain 21:23 – Rewards and moral responsibility 27:11 – A scary mental health spiral 30:31 – Think of the children 35:10 – You may now kiss the AI 45:06 – Purposeful Utopia 58:42 – Seeing is no longer believing 1:02:21 – The Roadmap to AI 1:11:35 – Finding Motivation in Limbo 1:18:15 – Let’s Stack Some Habits 🫖Imperfects episodes mentioned in this episode Dr Emily - Acceptance, That’s Radical - (1:22:53) - https://bit.ly/4dW7Bfa Dr Emily - The Certainty of Uncertainty - (1:22:53) - https://bit.ly/3RTAjVl James Clear - Down The Habit Hole - (1:22:00) - https://bit.ly/4wIg5xV 📖 Things to read The Intuition Toolkit by Dr Joel Pearson - (3:18) - https://bit.ly/4v5NnFM Matt Shumer App Development Industry Blog - (27:11) - https://bit.ly/4uo65rY 💻Things to check out Joel’s website - https://bit.ly/4upBURa Tristan Harris’ Center for Human Technology - (1:25:40) - https://bit.ly/4wGrFJZ Figure Three Robotics - (42:51) - https://bit.ly/42J2Uiz Joel's work at the University of NSW as Deputy Director of Human Readiness UNSW AI Institute - https://bit.ly/4nPA89G 📺 Things to watch House of Dynamite - (26:21) - https://bit.ly/4uw5PYg 🩷To host your own Vulnerabilitea House, purchase here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuWz 🩵To purchase our journal (or your novel) My Imperfect Life, click here - http://bit.ly/4lyuuW 🩵To join our subscriber community, A Little More Imperfects, follow this link - http://bit.ly/4mqunxu 🩷 AND you can subscribe to A Little More Imperfects through Apple Podcasts too, here - http://apple.co/theimperfects The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a healthcare professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.
Listen to this episode in English to learn English
Podcast episodes are one of the highest-density ways to absorb English at native pace. Joel Pearson - I Think, Therefore AI from The Imperfects gives you natural dialogue, unscripted speech, and vocabulary that actually appears in real conversations.
In the Hinto app, every word in the transcript is tappable. Tap an unknown word, see the translation in your language instantly, and keep listening without breaking flow.
Episodes to Learn English
- Beginning For Beginners with Hamish Blake & James van Cuylenburg Nov 1, 2026
- How To Audit Your Mental Load with Prof. Leah Ruppanner Oct 25, 2026
- “MND Took Everything” Matt Nable on Grief, Depression & What Really Matters Oct 18, 2026
- Zoë Foster Blake - Perimenopause, ADHD & Everything That Helped with Dr Fatima Khan Oct 11, 2026
- How OCD Hijacks Your Brain with Angie Greene Oct 4, 2026
- Luke Bateman - Gambling With My Life Sep 27, 2026
- Dr Emily - The Phenomenon That Is Imposter Syndrome Sep 20, 2026
- Andy Lee - DO NOT Listen To This Episode! Sep 13, 2026
- Philippa Northeast - My Brilliant Career Took Years of Rejection Sep 6, 2026
- Matt D'Avella Tried No-Sleep-Parenting For 10 Months Aug 30, 2026
- How Childhood Cancer Motivated Josh Niland: One of the World’s Greatest Chefs Aug 23, 2026
- Dr Emily - Tough Love vs Shame Aug 16, 2026
- The Nature of Being Alone Aug 9, 2026
- Briggs - What Racism Feels Like (feat. Nazeem Hussain) Aug 2, 2026
- Sex for Normal People with Ita O'Brien Jul 26, 2026
- Our Phone Odyssey Begins Jul 19, 2026
- Dr Emily - You, Me & Jealousy Jul 12, 2026
- Joe Brumm & Hamish Blake - A Bluey-print For Dads Jul 5, 2026
- Janelle Booker & Hamish Blake - The ADHD Playbook for Parents Jun 28, 2026
- Jimmy Wales (Wikipedia) - In Trust We Trust Jun 21, 2026
- Dr Emily - You're Full of Grit Jun 14, 2026
- Ellyse Perry - It Starts With Trying Jun 7, 2026
- We're Doing a One-Off Live Show! Jun 2, 2026
- Ryan Holiday - A Stoic Life & Death May 31, 2026
- Dr Emily - What To Do With Envy May 17, 2026
- Reuben Williams - What Happened After My Sexual Assault May 10, 2026
- Jan Fran - Wars For Your Attention May 3, 2026
- Dr Edna Lekgabe - New Baby… New Brain… Matrescence. Apr 26, 2026
- Shane Jacobson - Permission To Laugh Apr 19, 2026
- Esther Perel - It’s Not Them, It’s You Apr 12, 2026