Is Big Tech’s domination of AI inevitable or are there different ways of organising our data to shift the power the dynamic? We discuss the RadicalXChange project with its new director, Jess Scully.   Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: Government blocks text and data mining Human Rights over our brain waves Sam Altman’s wank-bot To find out more about RadicalxChange go to: https://www.radicalxchange.org/   To discuss the issues raised in this episode join us in the Democracy Sandpit - https://civility.bettermode.io/welcome   Visit www.percapita.org.au for more on our research and events.Per Capita's podcasts are recorded and produced on Wurundjeri land.

AI is transforming our world at rapid speed, raising urgent questions about who benefits, who loses, and how we keep control of the future.  Panellists from the Burning Platforms podcast and guests, explore the promises and pitfalls of AI - and what’s at stake for all Australians. Panellists include:  Lizzie O’Shea: Human Rights Lawyer & Chairperson, Digital Rights Watch  Peter Lewis: Executive Director, Essential Media & Fellow, Per Capita  Dan Stinton: CEO and Managing Director, Healthengine  Rikki Hendon: Secretary of Unions WA  Kate Chaney MP: Federal Member for Curtin While the boosters of AI are rushing to transform the world, citizens are being left in the slipstream, with little chance to influence how this new technology takes shape. AI systems are built by harvesting the ideas and creations of others, often without consent, and are already eroding jobs and reshaping culture on the promise of future productivity. As the Luddites taught us, the way we adopt technology will be critical to whether it improves people’s lives or cuts a swathe through jobs for the benefit of the few. Many Australians perceive more risk than upside in this new technology, so why is it being pushed so hard, with so few guardrails or controls in place? This event is hosted by Digital Rights Watch with support from The Minderoo Foundation.

Is the rise of AI inevitable or just the latest cycle of hype for a sector that thrives on the vibes? The author of “Resisting AI’, Professor Dan McQuillan, joins the show to argue for a more fundamental response to Big Tech.   Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: the launch of AI’s new Sora video product the push to sell advertising inside GPTs and how consultants are embracing work slop   Join us for our live shows in capital cities around Australia Adelaide: https://shorturl.at/ojQRX Perth: events.humanitix.com/democracy-perth Brisbane: events.humanitix.com/democracy-brisbane Sydney: events.humanitix.com/democracy-sydney Melbourne events.humanitix.com/democracy-melbourne   To discuss the issues raised in this episode join us in the Democracy Sandpit - https://civility.bettermode.io/welcome

The co-author of ‘Conspiracy Nation’ takes us on his journey into the world of anti-vaxxers, wellness influencers and sovereign citizens.   Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: The call for AI Red Lines The rise of Work Slop And Murdoch’s Tik-Tok play.   In October we will beholding a series of live shows in capital cities and would love you to come along.   Adelaide: https://shorturl.at/ojQRX Perth: events.humanitix.com/democracy-perth Brisbane: events.humanitix.com/democracy-brisbane Sydney: events.humanitix.com/democracy-sydney Melbourne: events.humanitix.com/democracy-melbourne To discuss the issues raised in this episode join us in the Democracy Sandpit - https://civility.bettermode.io/welcome

The tech industry is pitching data mining and new infrastructure as the key to national prosperity. But will it deliver? And if so, for whom?   Tech Council of Australia CEO, Damian Kassabgi joins regular panelists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis for the latest episode of Burning Platforms.   The show also covers: fresh concerns over age verification the creepy rise of intimate AI companions And Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa’s address to the National Press Club   To discuss the issues raised in this episode join us in the Democracy Sandpit - https://civility.bettermode.io/welcome

“I’m concerned that AI and big tech – well, big tech with AI – has gone into a full-court press… particularly on the federal system...I’m concerned that without thinking it through clearly enough, policy makers won’t essentially subject the slogans to sufficient scrutiny.”   This week on Burning Platforms, we recorded our special briefing for cultural creators and those who value their work to discuss Big Tech’s push to mine our culture. Our panel discusses: How AI large language models have been built on the theft of the work of musicians, writers journalists and artists. What the productivity Commission’s proposal to give AI companies a ‘right to mine data’ will do to Australian performers How creatives and citizens can resist the attacks from AI   Featuring: AI expert and author Professor Toby Walsh Midnight Oil front man Peter Garrett Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea Australian Writers Guild CEO Claire Pullen To discuss the issues raised in this episode join us in the Democracy Sandpit - https://civility.bettermode.io/welcome

New Federal industry and science minister Tim Ayres shares his take on industry policy, AI's opportunities and risks, and how we could steer through the latest wave of tech change. With regular panellists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton, and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis To discuss the issues raised in this episode join us in the Democracy Sandpit - https://civility.bettermode.io/welcome  

Can Australia play a leading role in imagining a tech future that isn’t controlled by either the US or China?Johanna Weaver from the Tech Policy Design Institute expands on her recent essay ‘System Update - An Australian-led new deal for tech’ - https://www.australianforeignaffairs.com/essay/2025/06/tech-wars   Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis will also discuss: what the new Federal Parliament means for tech how Cloudflare could rewrite the game in copyright and the rise of Satanic Chat Bots   To discuss the issues raised in this episode join us in the Democracy Sandpit -  https://civility.bettermode.io/welcome

The Large Language Models are powered by stolen data but there are new and innovative ways to make the thieves pay. Professor Toby Walsh explains the tech-driven resistance to Big AI from data poisoning to responsible cloud computing. With panellists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Editor of the Sizzle Cam Wilson, and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis we also discuss: Qantas’ big data hack Victoria’s foray into AI policing and how Velvet Sunset’s fake music is bringing tears to Peter’s eyes To discuss the issues raised in this episode join us in the Democracy Sandpit - https://civility.bettermode.io/welcome

"I thought old people got scammed. And actually young people are at greater risk because they have more confidence in dealing [with things] online." This week on Burning Platforms, the team learns how the financial scam industry has become an enthusiastic early adapter of AI and how the banks are working around the clock to ensure they aren’t the ones liable for the ensuing harm.  With our regular panelists Digital Rights Watch Chair, Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton, Per Capita’s Peter Lewis, who are joined by co-founder of Scams Victims Alliance, Alex Brooks.  To discuss the issues raised in this episode join us in the Democracy Sandpit. (https://civility.bettermode.io/welcome) For more about Scams Victims Alliance go to: https://scamvictimalliance.org.au/ 

"What could things have become? You could imagine if the baton had been passed from the Obama administration to a Clinton administration... an American public much more ready... for the turns in AI that we are facing now."   On this week's Burning Platforms, our panel spends some quality time with the architect of the Biden Administration’s AI executive order, Dr Alondra Nelson.   With regular panelists Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton, and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis.   Join the conversation. Get involved with the Burning Platforms community in the Democracy Sandpit - https://civility.bettermode.io/

  Burning Platforms struggles to make sense of white genocide, design unicorns and the all-seeing Apple Eye. E-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant joins regular panellists Digital Rights Watch founder Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis for our regular dive into the world of tech and politics. Don't forget to subscribe to The Town Crier, the official newsletter of the Centre for the Public Square and Burning Platforms podcast: https://the-town-crier-2.ghost.io/

Good things come in threes and this week’s Burning Platforms looks at the inspiration behind the new Pope’s decision to name himself Leo, the critical changes to the Labor Government’s front bench and Mark Zuckerberg maximum number of friends.   Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis and joined by Professor Dan Angus from QUT’S Digital Research Centre.

With a federal election within days, Burning Platforms looks at the lack of discussion about tech and whether that is a good or bad thing.   With Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Per Capita’s Peter Lewis and special guests, Editor of The Sizzle, Cam Wilson and Dr Rys Farthing from Reset Australia.   Don't forget to subscribe to The Town Crier, the official newsletter of the Centre for the Public Square and Burning Platforms podcast: https://the-town-crier-2.ghost.io/   Support our guests by checking out their content and work. Subscribe to The Sizzle! - https://thesizzle.com.au/ Reset Australia's work on the Child Online Privacy Code - https://au.reset.tech/news/welcoming-a-children-s-privacy-code/

As the world teeters on the brink of whatever comes after globalisation we dive deep into the way AI is transforming film-making with the director of the iconic Australian film Kenny, Clay Jacobson.   Our regular panel of Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss: The theory that the Trump Tariffs were cooked up by a chatbot The growing chance that the FTC anti-trust case against Meta is history; and  The backlash against Chat GPT’s appropriation of Studio Ghibli’s acclaimed work. Don't forget to subscribe to The Town Crier, the official newsletter of the Centre for the Public Square and Burning Platforms podcast: https://the-town-crier-2.ghost.io/

On this week's episode of Burning Platforms, the gang looks at global efforts to force Big Tech to pay their share of tax with special guest Dr Mark Zirnsak from the Tax Justice Network.   With our regular panelists Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis.   Don't forget to subscribe to The Town Crier, the official newsletter of the Centre for the Public Square and Burning Platforms podcast: https://the-town-crier-2.ghost.io/

  This week on Burning Platforms, we dive deep into a new initiative to understand the role of Trust in the relationship between society and technology with special guest, Professor Terry Flew.   With regular panelists Per Capita’s Peter Lewis,  Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea and Health Engine Dan Stinton, we'll also look at:  Data Centre Diplomacy will Google’s AI search eat itself? and Digg’s reboot   Don't forget to subscribe to The Town Crier, the official newsletter of the Centre for the Public Square and Burning Platforms podcast: https://the-town-crier-2.ghost.io/

Burning Platforms is back for 2025. With the tech overlords in the ascendant, particularly following the US election, we take stock of the impending inferno with our regular panel Per Capita’s Peter Lewis, Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine Dan Stinton, and special guest, fresh from the Paris AI Summit, Professor Nick Davis from UTS’ Human Technology Institute. Don't forget to subscribe to The Town Crier, the official newsletter of the Centre for the Public Square and Burning Platforms podcast: https://the-town-crier-2.ghost.io/  

In our final episode of 2024 we unpack the recent Senate Report into the Adoption of AI in Australia with Committee Chair Senator Tony Sheldon.   We also look at: Woolworth's industrial dispute over workplace surveillance Why Meta is building a deep sea cable to India How TikTok was gamed to deliver an election boil over in Romania   With regular panellists Digital Rights Watch chair Lizzie O’Shea, HealthEngine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita's Peter Lewis.   Visit the Centre of the Public Square for more on our work around technology policy.   Don't forget to subscribe to The Town Crier, the official newsletter of the Centre for the Public Square and Burning Platforms podcast.

Burning Platforms dives deep into the common ground between national security and individual privacy with cybersecurity expert Miah Hammond-Errey, host of the Technology and Security podcast.   Also this week: * Bunnings wrapped over facial recognition * Trump’s crypto bonanza * and could the Social Media Ban have a silver lining?   Panelists: * Digital Rights Watch chair, Lizzie O’Shea,  * Health Engine CEO, Dan Stinton * and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis   Visit the Centre of the Public Square for more on our work around technology policy.   Support Miah at the TS podcast.   Don't forget to subscribe to The Town Crier, the official newsletter of the Centre for the Public Square and Burning Platforms podcast.