In this episode, we sit down with Teddy Bloom, an engineer and activist who embarked on an incredible 3,700-mile solo bicycle journey across the United States. His mission, Ride4Rights, is a peaceful protest aimed at fostering unity and promoting civil discourse in a deeply divided nation.

Teddy shares the personal story behind his decision to sacrifice his life savings for this cause, the four pillars that guide his activism (Free Speech, Justice, Education, and Unity ), and the shocking truths he uncovered about media bias and political polarization. From his on-the-ground analysis of the U.S.-Mexico border to his data-driven predictions of government projects, Teddy’s insights offer a fresh and vital perspective on the state of America.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that one person’s determination can spark a movement. If you’re looking for a story of hope, resilience, and the power of civil discourse, you won’t want to miss this episode.

Watch the full video interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QHy0F6YafA

Learn more about Ride4Rights: https://www.ride4rights.com/

Support The Weird Canadian by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-weird-canadian

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Can an AI really understand what you think? In this episode, we explore one of the most fascinating and controversial applications of artificial intelligence: understanding human opinion.

I sit down with Sharif Amlani, PhD, the Founder and CEO of HumanAI, a UC Berkeley-backed startup revolutionizing public opinion research. Sharif holds a PhD in Political Science from UC Davis and previously developed cutting-edge AI solutions at Moody's Analytics. Now, he's building AI "digital twins" that can simulate human opinion with 85% accuracy.

In this conversation, we discuss:

• The crisis in traditional polling and why survey methods are failing us

• Sharif's "aha moment" as a grad student that led him to found HumanAI

• How ChatGPT sparked a revolution in AI research applications

• The Stanford study on digital twins and the shocking 85% accuracy rate

• How HumanAI trains "synthetic respondents" to mimic human behavior

• The ethical implications of AI that can simulate human thought

• Sci-fi scenarios: What happens when AI becomes indistinguishable from humans?

• Why Canada has a unique advantage in the global AI infrastructure race

• The future of AI and ensuring democratic access to these powerful tools

This is a technical, thought-provoking, and at times unsettling conversation about the intersection of AI, democracy, and human nature. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, an entrepreneur, a data scientist, or simply curious about the future, this episode will challenge your thinking.

Guest: Sharif Amlani, PhD - Founder & CEO of HumanAI

Learn more: https://www.humanai.com/

Watch the full video episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zHiF0WuYo-Q

Support The Weird Canadian by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-weird-canadian

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

There is a powerful, unelected agency in Canada that controls your internet, your phone bill, and even what you see on Netflix. It’s the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC ), and its influence over our digital lives is growing every year.

In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the CRTC. Host of The Weird Canadian, a former public servant turned entrepreneur, investigates the history of the CRTC’s power, its controversial expansion through laws like Bill C-11, and the serious accountability gaps that leave many Canadians feeling powerless.

Join us for a deep dive into:

•Why Canada has some of the highest internet prices in the world.

•How the CRTC is now regulating global streaming giants like Netflix and YouTube.

•The debate over whether the CRTC is protecting Canadian culture or stifling innovation.

•Four realistic options for reforming this powerful institution.

This isn’t just a policy discussion; it’s a critical look at the forces shaping Canada’s digital future. If you’re an entrepreneur, a creator, or just a citizen who believes in accountability, this episode is for you.

For the full visual experience and detailed research notes, watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5DccNG81P08

Support The Weird Canadian by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-weird-canadian

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.