This week, Dr. Mike Brooks joins host Peter Smart to dissect how rapid AI advancements stand to impact the human psyche. As a clinical psychologist, Dr. Brooks lends his expertise on core human drives for connection, anthropomorphizing, and the tribal limits of our evolutionary capacity. They explore capitalism’s role in satisfying loneliness through “more human than human” chatbots, potentially creating an evolutionary mismatch.

Mike Brooks, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and a licensed specialist in school psychology in Austin, Texas. He has expertise in positive psychology, life balance, the needs of children and teens, and effective parenting practices. He also uses wisdom traditions, including Buddhist psychology and Stoic philosophy, to help clients live richer, fuller lives. With a long-standing interest in how technologies such as video games, smartphones, and social media affect our daily lives, Brooks is also the lead author of Tech Generation: Raising Balanced Kids in a Hyper-Connected World.

Dr Mike Brooks and host Vinny Vallarine discuss the urgent need for humanity to prepare for the impending Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution.  They explore the existential crisis posed by AI, the exponential growth of its intelligence, and the unique nature of this technological revolution that could give birth to a new species. The discussion also touches on the paradox of progress, the implications of AI on human intelligence, and the intersection of AI with free will and autonomy. Ultimately, they emphasize that the future is not predetermined and that humanity has the power to shape its destiny in the face of these challenges.  Mike and Vinny explore the profound effects of technology on human psychology, the challenges posed by rapid advancements in AI, and the importance of fostering meaningful connections in a hyperconnected world. They discuss the concept of 'psychological climate change' and the attention economy's detrimental impact on well-being. The dialogue emphasizes the need for a collective approach to address societal issues and introduces a massive project aimed at leveraging AI for collaborative problem-solving.

Host John Sherman talks with Dr. Mike Brooks, a Psychologist focusing on kids and technology. The conversation is broad-ranging, touching on parenting, happiness and screens, the need for human unity, and the psychology of humans facing an ever more unknown future.

In this episode of Unlatched Mind, Vinny and Mike Brooks discuss the importance of realism over optimism when it comes to AI and the need for regulatory measures.  They explore the concept of evolutionary mismatch and how our brains are ill-equipped to handle the rapid advancements of AI due to our hunter-gatherer evolutionary history.  The exponential growth of technology is highlighted as a key factor that contributes to the lack of concern or understanding about the potential risks of AI.  Mike Brooks shares his series of blog posts that aim to raise awareness and initiate crucial conversations about AI's impact on society.  They emphasize the need for a balanced approach, combining hope and realism, to ensure the development and regulation of AI align with our values and long-term well-being.

Dr Mike Brooks and Vinny Vallarine follow up from a previous episode to share updates to the One Unity Project.   In this conversation, Vinny and Mike explore the implications of artificial intelligence, particularly the arrival of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and its alignment with human values. They discuss the One Unity Project, a collective initiative aimed at harnessing AI for the greater good, and the importance of introspection in determining what humanity wants from AI. The conversation also touches on the need for education to evolve in the age of AI, the role of truth and reality in guiding interactions with technology, and the potential for AI to help foster compassion and collaboration among humans.

This conversation culminates in a call to action for listeners to participate in one of the most important and grandest experiments in human history.  The One Unity Project is a massive endeavor aimed at uniting humanity and AI through shared goals and values.

With a rapidly increasing number of artificial intelligence software applications and devices populating the world, existential questions become even more pressing. This week on Self-Improvement Atlas: The Personal Science Insights Podcast, host Dina Sargeant consults psychologist Dr. Mike Brooks to examine the philosophical implications of AI and more.

Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and big tech driving society towards a race to the bottom?  Mike Brooks, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and a licensed specialist in school psychology in Austin, Texas, joins Unlatched Mind to discuss.  The conversation includes the rapid pace of technological evolution, particularly focusing on AI's impact on society and individual well-being. They delve into issues like the overwhelming amount of digital content, the concept of 'want saturation', and the ethical considerations surrounding AI development and deployment. They express concerns about AI's optimization for profit over societal benefit and the potential for technology to exacerbate social divides and misinformation. The dialogue also touches on human adaptation to technological changes and the balance between technological advancement and human values.

What happens when our ancient brains collide with modern technology? Dr. Mike Brooks, psychologist and author of "Tech Generation: Raising Balanced Kids in a Hyper-Connected World," delivers a profound exploration of why we're struggling in a digital world that feels normal but is anything but.

Brooks introduces the concept of "accelerating evolutionary mismatch"—the growing gap between our evolutionary heritage and our modern environment. With humans now spending 50-70% of waking hours staring at screens (compared to zero throughout most of human history), our brains are essentially "screaming monkeys" overwhelmed by stimuli they never evolved to process. This mismatch manifests as rising rates of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and tribalism.