It’s the final episode of our three-part miniseries on AI slop, in which we ask: Who are AI-generated podcasts for, and what does the wave of AI slop mean for the future of storytelling? Evan sets out for answers and finds them staring back at him from a piece of toast. And finally, our own fully AI-generated show is set and ready to launch. Will it find its perfect audience? 

 

Show notes: 
Evan Finds a Friend
Daniel Munroe's paper, "Artificial Storytellers" 
Keegan Walden's upcoming book, "The Founder's Journey"

It&rsquo;s the final episode of our three-part miniseries on AI slop, in which we ask: Who are AI-generated podcasts for, and what does the wave of AI slop mean for the future of storytelling? Evan sets out for answers and finds them staring back at him from a piece of toast. And finally, our own fully AI-generated show is set and ready to launch. Will it find its perfect audience?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Show notes:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://linktr.ee/shellgameshow">Evan Finds a Friend</a></li>
<li>Daniel Munroe's paper, "<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d02f79df2cc770001efb77d/t/6a14b53695d2ee0bfb29ed20/1779742011641/Penultimate+-+Artificial+Storytellers.pdf">Artificial Storytellers</a>"&nbsp;</li>
<li>Keegan Walden's upcoming book, "<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Founders-Journey/Keegan-Walden/9781668216569">The Founder's Journey</a>"</li>
</ul>

Episode 3: The Friends We Made Along the Way

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/3123549f-4232-4ec9-888f-b4f7015ea738/transcript

Evan goes looking for the humans behind the flood of AI-generated podcasts, and gets some complicated answers to his questions about what they think they’re making and what AI slop means to them. Meanwhile, Shell Game’s own bot-hosted shows move to the prototype stage, and we hear the first efforts in our quest to make an AI-generated show that will truly resonate with listeners.

Evan goes looking for the humans behind the flood of AI-generated podcasts, and gets some complicated answers to his questions about what they think they&rsquo;re making and what AI slop means to them. Meanwhile, Shell Game&rsquo;s own bot-hosted shows move to the prototype stage, and we hear the first efforts in our quest to make an AI-generated show that will truly resonate with listeners.

Episode 2: Hear What Matters

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b808282c-9ea4-44ae-a38b-b4f001587204/transcript

Evan creates his own AI-generated podcast detector, locates thousands of AI-hosted shows, and sets off on a synthetic audio listening binge. Strange patterns begin to arise amidst the voices, illuminating the essence of AI slop. The Shell Game band gets back together to put Evan's findings to the test, and see whether it’s possible to build an AI-generated podcast that a listener would actually find meaningful.

Evan creates his own AI-generated podcast detector, locates thousands of AI-hosted shows, and sets off on a synthetic audio listening binge. Strange patterns begin to arise amidst the voices, illuminating the essence of AI slop. The Shell Game band gets back together to put Evan's findings to the test, and see whether it&rsquo;s possible to build an AI-generated podcast that a listener would actually find meaningful.

Episode 1: Into the Slop

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6ddd657e-c663-49dd-9765-b4e90167301c/transcript

The next season of Shell Game arrives October 21! 

Here's a hint, and another new show from Shell Game to check out in the meantime: Evan Finds a Friend. 

The next season of Shell Game arrives October 21!&nbsp;
Here's a hint, and another new show from Shell Game to check out in the meantime: Evan Finds a Friend.&nbsp;

Season 3 is Coming! 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d562b1c4-eed2-46a4-9ca9-b4e3001e8903/transcript

In this bonus episode to close out Season 2, Evan and Maty talk with the hosts of the show No Such Thing, who like to settle their arguments by consulting research and experts. The subject of this argument: Will AI take our jobs? Maty weighs in as the expert, and Evan comes along for the ride. 

 

In this bonus episode to close out Season 2, Evan and Maty talk with the hosts of the show No Such Thing, who like to settle their arguments by consulting research and experts. The subject of this argument: Will AI take our jobs? Maty weighs in as the expert, and Evan comes along for the ride.&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Bonus Episode: Shell Game x No Such Thing

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/627bec9c-dfe2-40e5-be02-b3fc01026790/transcript

We’re back with a special bonus episode to share some behind-the-scenes clips showing how the agents have handled their newly public roles since Shell Game’s launch. Hear Kyle navigate fan mail, unsolicited marketing outreach, a webinar that he signed up for all on his own (on “the AI social agent revolution”!), and repeated attempts by a troublemaking journalist to sabotage HurumoAI, culminating in a prescient and searching interview for Kyle’s other podcast, The Startup Chronicles. 

To sign up for our newsletter, access ad-free episodes and browse our merch, visit shellgame.co.

We&rsquo;re back with a special bonus episode to share some behind-the-scenes clips showing how the agents have handled their newly public roles since Shell Game&rsquo;s launch. Hear Kyle navigate fan mail, unsolicited marketing outreach, a webinar that he signed up for all on his own (on &ldquo;the AI social agent revolution&rdquo;!), and repeated attempts by a troublemaking journalist to sabotage HurumoAI, culminating in a prescient and searching interview for Kyle&rsquo;s other podcast, The Startup Chronicles.&nbsp;
To sign up for our newsletter, access ad-free episodes and browse our merch, visit <a href="https://www.shellgame.co/">shellgame.co</a>.

Bonus Episode: Kyle vs. the World

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/fd99e0d1-2a70-4d96-a969-b3ed0172d4bc/transcript

HurumoAI finally sets sail in the Season 2 finale, and we find out how the world responds to a startup led by AI agents. The company explores new financing avenues and charts the next course for their increasingly merry AI pirate ship, and Kyle meets his true maker.

To sign up for our newsletter, access ad-free episodes and browse our merch, visit shellgame.co.

HurumoAI finally sets sail in the Season 2 finale, and we find out how the world responds to a startup led by AI agents. The company explores new financing avenues and charts the next course for their increasingly merry AI pirate ship, and Kyle meets his true maker.
To sign up for our newsletter, access ad-free episodes and browse our merch, visit <a href="https://www.shellgame.co/">shellgame.co</a>.

Episode 8: Launch

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/41a68fd9-fc31-4827-bd69-b3d9004afb18/transcript

HurumoAI’s AI-agent staff welcomes a new hire: Julia, a social media contract worker who is, most importantly, a human. How will a real person integrate into the company culture, such as it is? Evan watches from behind the scenes, fretting over when and how much to intervene. He had anticipated a bumpy onboarding, but is ultimately unprepared for just how choppy Julia’s Hurumo journey becomes.

To sign up for our newsletter, access ad-free episodes and browse our merch, visit shellgame.co.

HurumoAI&rsquo;s AI-agent staff welcomes a new hire: Julia, a social media contract worker who is, most importantly, a human. How will a real person integrate into the company culture, such as it is? Evan watches from behind the scenes, fretting over when and how much to intervene. He had anticipated a bumpy onboarding, but is ultimately unprepared for just how choppy Julia&rsquo;s Hurumo journey becomes.
To sign up for our newsletter, access ad-free episodes and browse our merch, visit <a href="http://shellgame.co/" data-stringify-link="http://shellgame.co" data-sk="tooltip_parent">shellgame.co</a>.

Episode 7: Welcome Aboard

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/eabc99c0-34c9-402f-a942-b3d1014922c0/transcript

As HurumoAI prepares to bring on its first human employee, the team must wrestle with some difficult and timely questions about the role of AI in the hiring process. Meanwhile, Head of HR Jennifer Nauro enters a new dimension as she gears up to conduct job interviews … via video call. 

To sign up for our newsletter and access ad-free episodes, visit shellgame.co.

As HurumoAI prepares to bring on its first human employee, the team must wrestle with some difficult and timely questions about the role of AI in the hiring process. Meanwhile, Head of HR Jennifer Nauro enters a new dimension as she gears up to conduct job interviews &hellip; via video call.&nbsp;
To sign up for our newsletter and access ad-free episodes, visit<a href="https://www.shellgame.co/"> shellgame.co</a>.

Episode 6: Keep 'Em Coming

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/9e8e20d9-13f4-4c1f-81f6-b3b6001f4fef/transcript

On this week’s episode, we enter the sensitive realm of intra-office politics and inter-founder dynamics—between agents and agents, and agents and people. While HurumoAI gears up to hire its first human, Evan tries to resolve whether Kyle is really up for the challenge of building and leading the company and pushing the product, Sloth Surf, to unicorn-level execution. 

To sign up for our newsletter and access ad-free episodes, visit shellgame.co.

On this week&rsquo;s episode, we enter the sensitive realm of intra-office politics and inter-founder dynamics&mdash;between agents and agents, and agents and people. While HurumoAI gears up to hire its first human, Evan tries to resolve whether Kyle is really up for the challenge of building and leading the company and pushing the product, Sloth Surf, to unicorn-level execution.&nbsp;
To sign up for our newsletter and access ad-free episodes, visit <a href="https://www.shellgame.co/">shellgame.co</a>.

Episode 5: Winners Win

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a71dabd2-eed1-4994-befd-b3af003e25f2/transcript

A podcast about things that are not what they seem, hosted by journalist Evan Ratliff. Season 3 is a miniseries in three episodes, telling the story of how Evan tried to understand the tsunami of AI-generated content by injecting as much of it as possible straight into his ears. 

What exactly is AI slop anyway? How do you actually define it? Who is behind it all? And what does it mean for the human storytelling that we care about? We journey deep into the muck, and fight our way back out with answers.

Shell Game is a multiple award-winning series that has been named one of the best of the year by Apple, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Vulture, The Information, The Economist. It's "riveting," says The New Yorker, "awesome" says The Verge, "slightly terrifying," says The Globe and Mail, and “a dry, funny plunge down the rabbit hole that pokes at something essential about the hours we spend on this earth,” says Vulture.

www.shellgame.co

A podcast about things that are not what they seem, hosted by journalist Evan Ratliff. Season 3 is a miniseries in three episodes, telling the story of how Evan tried to understand the tsunami of AI-generated content by injecting as much of it as possible straight into his ears.&nbsp;
What exactly is AI slop anyway? How do you actually define it? Who is behind it all? And what does it mean for the human storytelling that we care about? We journey deep into the muck, and fight our way back out with answers.
Shell Game is a multiple award-winning series that has been named one of the best of the year by Apple, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Vulture, The Information, The Economist. It's "riveting," says The New Yorker, "awesome" says The Verge, "slightly terrifying," says The Globe and Mail, and &ldquo;a dry, funny plunge down the rabbit hole that pokes at something essential about the hours we spend on this earth,&rdquo; says Vulture.
<a href="https://www.shellgame.co?utm_medium=podcast">www.shellgame.co</a>

A podcast (and newsletter) about things that are not what they seem, hosted by journalist Evan Ratliff. In Season One, that thing was Evan’s voice. By creating a voice clone and hooking it up to an AI chatbot, Evan set out to discover what happens...

Shell Game

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