Burning Platforms

RadicalXChange with Jess Scully

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.

How Can Democracy Survive AI? LIVE IN PERTH

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.

Bursting Bubbles with Dan McQuillan

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

Cooking with Cam Wilson

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

Tech Check with Damian Kassabgi

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

Stolen Property with Peter Garrett

“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

Industrial Base with Minister Tim Ayres

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
 

Digital New Deal with Johanna Weaver

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

Poisoning AI with Prof Toby Walsh

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

Scammed! With Alex Brooks

"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/