James O´Donnell points to the podcast Overthink as a standout. Hosted by Ellie Anderson and David Peña-Guzmán, the show features hour-long episodes that draw unexpected philosophical connections between facets of modern life. Episodes have covered topics from mommy issues to animal justice and include sharp segments on tech-adjacent subjects such as biohacking and the relationship between Artificial Intelligence and art. O´Donnell praises the hosts for unearthing historical thinkers who anticipated today’s dilemmas, calling the podcast a treat to listen to.
On film, O´Donnell recommends Mountainhead, a darkly funny movie by Jesse Armstrong, the creator of Succession. The film follows four unlikable tech founders as they watch the world collapse amid political turmoil and violence caused by Artificial Intelligence deepfakes. A reporter familiar with conversations among Artificial Intelligence movers and shakers found the film unnervingly realistic. From their remote mountain mansion the founders debate topics such as Artificial Intelligence accelerationism, utilitarian ethics, uploading consciousness to the cloud, and liberating humanity to other planets—conversations O´Donnell says are common among the tech elite that has influenced the current administration.
Music rounds out O´Donnell´s list. While reporting last winter on how far Artificial Intelligence-generated music has come, he reflected on his own background as a lifelong musician who plays guitar, bass, and drums. He found songs produced by models trained on artists’ discographies—work that has led to lawsuits over uncompensated training—to be convincingly human and deeply uncomfortable. That experience has renewed his zeal for live shows where real people in punk bands or jazz trios do things that Artificial Intelligence is not capable of, and he notes Sophie Truax as a recent favorite.
