Trainer toolkit
Article by
Mindrift Team
So far, we’ve built your free AI learning library, put together a YouTube toolkit, and taken a tour of Reddit’s best AI communities. Courses give you structure, YouTube gives you video, and Reddit gives you conversation. But what about those moments when your eyes and hands are busy?
That’s where podcasts come in. Whether you’re commuting, folding laundry, or out for a walk, a good AI podcast can turn spare time into learning time. The catch? There’s a lot to choose from, which is why we did the homework for you.
We’ve sorted our picks by what you’re really looking for, mixed big names with a few hidden gems, and added a quick listening card to each one so you know what you’re getting into before you hit play.
Keep up with AI news
AI moves fast, and keeping up can feel like a full-time job. These shows do the hard work for you, so you can stay in the loop whether you have five minutes or a full commute.
The AI Daily Brief
Want to start your day off with the latest industry news? This is the podcast for you. Host Nathaniel Whittemore covers the biggest AI stories in a quick episode that adds context to headlines. Don’t worry about catching up on every episode; just tune in when you can.
Find it here: Apple · Spotify · YouTube · Website
Machine Gods (coming soon!)
The newest show on our list launches October 19 and features Kevin Roose and Casey Newton, the duo behind the much-loved (and now retired) Hard Fork. Their new show is with NPR, and it promises sharp, honest reporting on AI that skips both the cheerleading and the doom.
Find it here: NPR · YouTube · Website · Apple · Spotify
Last Week in AI
Missed a week of AI news? Andrey Kurenkov and Jeremie Harris have you covered with a deep weekly recap of research, products, and policy. Episodes are long, but they’re split into chapters, so it’s easy to skip to the stories you care about.
Find it here: Apple · Spotify · Website
Understand how AI really works
These podcasts dig into the research, the models, and the “why” behind the news, and they’re perfect for when you want to really understand how these systems work.
Dwarkesh Podcast
Dwarkesh Patel is known for prepping for weeks before a single interview, and it shows. His long-form conversations with top AI researchers go deep, so save these for when you can give them your full attention.
Find it here: Apple · Spotify · YouTube · Website
Interconnects
This is our hidden-gem pick for AI trainers. Host Nathan Lambert literally wrote the book on RLHF (reinforcement learning from human feedback), so if you’ve ever wondered what happens to your feedback after you submit a task, this is the show for you. It’s technical, but it’s worth it.
Find it here: Website · Apple · YouTube
Learn practical workflows
Theory is great, but sometimes you just want to know what works. These shows focus on how real people use AI in their day-to-day work, with tips you can try right away.
How I AI
You may recognize this one from our YouTube toolkit. In each episode, host Claire Vo asks a guest to show exactly how they use AI in their work, step by step. The screen shares are a big part of the appeal, so this one’s best watched rather than just heard.
Find it here: Apple · Spotify · YouTube
Practical AI
For readers with a more technical bent, Daniel Whitenack and Chris Benson talk to the people actually building and shipping AI systems. Expect honest conversations about what works, what breaks, and why.
Find it here: Apple · Spotify · Website
Explore AI careers
Curious where AI could take your career, or what AI training actually looks like? These picks mix career advice with real stories from people working in and around AI.
Everyday AI
Host Jordan Wilson’s mission is to help everyday people grow their careers with AI, and he publishes almost every weekday. New listeners should head straight to the show’s “Start Here” series for the essentials.
Find it here: Apple · Spotify · YouTube
Inside Job
This new show tells the stories of the people behind modern jobs, and one of its first episodes is all about AI training. You’ll hear from a longtime data worker and a college student who stumbled into AI training work. It’s an honest, human look at the work many of our readers do every day.
Explore the human side of AI
Need a break from the benchmarks and product launches? These shows step back to look at how AI affects the way we live, work, and think, with a healthy dose of skepticism and plenty of humor.
Your Undivided Attention
From the Center for Humane Technology, this show asks big questions about how technology shapes the way we live, work, and think. It’s thoughtful and approachable, and a good reminder that AI is about people as much as models.
Find it here: Center for Humane Technology · Spotify · Apple · YouTube
Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000
Linguist Emily M. Bender and sociologist Alex Hanna take apart AI hype with plenty of humor and zero patience for empty buzzwords. You won’t always agree with them, but you’ll come away thinking more critically, and you’ll probably laugh along the way.
Find it here: Buzzsprout · Spotify · DAIR Institute
Article by
Mindrift Team
