Tag: Finland
-
#180: Convenience Now, Laurels Later
Ian and Michael discuss the ethical aspects of using AI-generated art instead of human artists, the use of AI and photo manipulation in marketing, and the dangers of resting on one's laurels after prolonged success. And, at long last, our AI-generated contributor Emma Williams returns with another instalment of Emma's Artificial Reflections!
-
#179: Star Wars and Other Bits and Bobs
This week, Ian and Michael begin with Rogue One and the practice of digitally resurrecting actors from the original Star Wars films. That leads to a broader discussion about AI-generated likenesses, the ethics of bringing performers back from the dead, and whether future films might simply recycle familiar faces indefinitely. Ever coherent and never prone to tangents, we also cover a host of other topics — including bachelor taxes, Finnish tourism and industry, and a brief excursion into Norse mythology. (This description was written with the help of AI)
-
#176: Remote Work, Coffee Machines, Germany
This week we start with a small complaint about remote work — or rather the claim that working from home might be bad for the economy because people aren’t out buying lunches, clothes, and after-work drinks. From there the conversation wanders into price levels and inflation. We also detour into coffee machines, office habits, and travels to Germany. (This description was written with the help of AI)
-
#167: The Xmas 2025 Episode
In the annual AI Unfiltered Christmas episode, Ian and Michael head north (seasonally and philosophically) to discuss visiting Santa Claus Village well outside the traditional festive window, the strange logistics of Christmas tourism without snow, and what happens when reindeer, capitalism, climate change, and children’s fantasies collide. Along the way there are thoughts on fake snow, mobile Santas, edible mascots, Finnish words for autumn glow, and whether Santa might need to relocate — or rebrand — sooner rather than later. Festive, meandering, and only mildly unhinged, as tradition demands. (This description was created with the help of AI)
-
#164: Modals of Obligation is Not a Punk Band
Ian and Michael meander through the quirks, confusions, and small joys of language learning. The conversation ambles across pronunciations, past tenses, and all the little linguistic oddities that trip people up. There’s a healthy dose of nostalgia for how languages used to be taught, musings on what actually helps people learn, and the occasional tangent into dictionary rabbit holes. And yes, somewhere along the way, the perfect name for a punk band is discovered. (This description was written with the help of AI; this episode contains AI-generated speech)
-
#163: The Mistake-Doing Episode: A Tale of L1 Interference
In this harrowing instalment of AI Unfiltered, Ian and Michael venture deep into the treacherous world of L1 interference: the subtle, sinister force that causes second-language mishaps, awkward phrasing, and, in Michael’s case, one truly unforgivable linguistic blunder committed live on air. The consequences? Tragic. Catastrophic. Entirely self-inflicted.
From grammar gremlins to cross-lingual chaos, the hosts unpack how native-language patterns sneak into speech — and why some mistakes echo far beyond the recording studio. Listener discretion advised: contains scenes of grammatical violence. (This description was written with the help of AI) -
#147: Anti-Clickbait, One Minute Reviews
Ian and Michael rage against clickbait and social media, and create a new review format: one minute reviews!
-
#146: Business Ideas and Niches, Metal Bands, Collectible Vinyls
Ian and Michael discuss some recent novel business ideas, like opening a chain of burrito restaurants in India, or a book store in Somerset focusing solely on books on ecology and the environment. Plus, a discussion on the resurgence of vinyls as a format for distributing music and their value as collectibles in the digital era. Last, but least, how many metal bands can Ian name that Michael hasn't heard of? Tune in to find out!
-
#145: The Ragebait Episode
Prepare to be outraged! Or not; Ian and Michael discuss the concept of ragebait, rather than produce anything particularly ragebaity.
-
#144: Dating Dates and Standardising Standards
Ian and Michael discuss date formats and dialectal differences in English, health and diet, and standards organisations, inventing a podcasting standards organisation in the process!