PodCA(s)T: Sandra
Company: Gimlet Media
Meows: 4 out of 5 meows, because AI.
TL;DL*
Helen begins working for an artificial intelligence company as the bird expert, only to find herself more in the self help business. Offering up information about birds and also relationship advice, Helen is on track to be the best Sandra ever. Encouraged by her boss and with her own personal life in a bit of shambles, Helen starts to play god with troubled users. It’s only after she’s gone too far does she realize that well, she went too far. In a world where technology is meant to enhance our lives, Helen starts to see that too much tech can be a bad thing.
*too long; didn’t listen
TOE BEANS VALUE
On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give Sandra a 6. The podcast has a solid plot line with a great cast. Showing us the downsides of too much technology and information, Sandra plays on our paranoia that our machines are listening and that there is no such thing as privacy. If Gimlet produces a second season, I’d definitely tune in to find out what happens to Helen (but I’m not losing sleep over the cliffhanger). If anything, I’m more interested in how they evolve the AI theme. Kudos to the Firefox ad placements as well for highly appropriate and timely content regarding our privacy settings. I’d even give you an extra toe bean for that!
Please like and leave a comment–would love to hear your thoughts on this podcast. Or better yet, recommend a new podcast!