Being More Human: An Interview With Graham Brown - Part 2

“All this machine learning is dehumanizing a lot of our interactions, and I say that as an AI graduate, very passionate about AI. Machine learning, pandemic data is very much dehumanizing a lot of what we do, everything from the chatbot to the less personal interaction with people." -- Graham Brown

This week my interview with Graham Brown continues as we discuss machine learning, podcasting, and finding your ideal listener.

Artificial Voices

The second part of our interview begins with a deeper discussion of machine learning, advances like the OpenAI project and Google's MUM library, and the impact that it's having on everything from content writing to the voiceover industry. How will this affect artists and content creators? Can a machine ever really capture the human experience? "You can mimic a voice," Graham says, "but you can't mimic a conversation. That's the difference."

Your Ideal Listener

Next, we delve into the reasons for podcasting, whether it's just artistic expression, connecting with an audience, or promoting a brand. Graham tells us about the value of figuring out your ideal listener, the person you're really speaking to. "That's the difference," he explains, "between doing a podcast and talking to someone and projecting your voice into the ether," as he considers whether podcasting might become as widespread as resumes.

The Human Touch

We wrap up the episode with a look into the future of social audio in the era of Zoom meetings and remote work, and how audio balances the demands of professional efficiency with the need for an authentic human touch. “Storytelling should always be about re-framing narratives,” he tells us, “and if you think storytelling can be positive and negative, you can change the way people see things, events, history, other people, in a positive way.”

Episode Summary