Responsible Bytes

In this episode of Responsible Bytes, Dr. Zena Assaad speaks with Heidy Khlaaf, Chief AI Scientist at the AI Now Institute, about why military AI systems are far less reliable than their marketing suggests, especially in safety-critical and combat settings. They unpack the gap between “accuracy” as a narrow model metric and real-world performance, explaining how opaque, brittle systems, automation bias, outdated data, and poor interoperability can lead to serious mistakes while obscuring accountability. The conversation also explores the power dynamics behind the push for AI in warfare, including what Heidy characterises as a “safety theatre,” version-control concerns, and how companies and governments normalise speed over caution. Overall, the episode is a sharp critique of the idea that AI can safely replace human judgment in high-stakes environments, and a call for more skepticism, technical rigor, and accountability in how these systems are deployed. 
More about our guest:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hak90/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidy-khlaaf/
🔵BlueSky: https://www.heidyk.com/
🌐Website: https://www.heidyk.com/
More about our host:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zena_assaad/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zena-assaad/
🔵BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/zenaassaad.bsky.social
🌐Website: https://www.zenaassaad.com/

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In this episode, Dr. Zena Assaad sits down with Eryk Salvaggio to discuss the narratives surrounding AI, focusing on Eryk's work around the concept of "systems from nowhere" and how industry and policy reports often obscure human responsibility. They also unpack the myths, political implications, and the importance of responsible engagement with AI technology. 
Links from this episode:
🔗Eryk's article in Tech Policy Press on the UN report: https://www.techpolicy.press/how-the-uns-scientific-panel-erases-human-responsibility-for-ai/
🔗The UN report: https://www.un.org/independent-international-scientific-panel-ai/en/preliminary-report
More about our guest:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cyberneticforests/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eryk-salvaggio/
🔵BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/eryk.bsky.social
🌐Website: https://www.cyberneticforests.com/ 
More about our host:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zena_assaad/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zena-assaad/
🔵BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/zenaassaad.bsky.social
🌐Website: https://www.zenaassaad.com/

Watch or listen to more episodes:
🍎 https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/responsible-bytes/id1800177424
🔊 https://open.spotify.com/show/2x2yNvU6OY1LBLX1TsuAfB 
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Follow us online:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responsiblebytespodcast/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responsible-bytes-podcast/
🌐Website: https://www.zenaassaad.com/responsible-bytes-podcast

In this episode, our host Dr. Zena Assaad sits down with Dr. Art Cotterell, research fellow in nuclear law, to discuss the growing popularity of the concept of a nuclear renaissance. They unpack its implications for energy security, safety standards, space-based data centers, and also explore the intersection of AI and nuclear technology. They also discuss the importance of responsible innovation, community engagement, and regulatory frameworks in emerging technologies.

Links from this episode:
🔗Whitey on the Moon by Gil Scott Heron: https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/whitey-on-the-moon/
🔗Dr Cassandra Steer's substack, Space Citizens: https://spacecitizens.substack.com/about
🔗Relational futures: Indigenous sovereignty and the governance of AI by Professor Bronwyn Carlson and Dr Tamika Worrell: https://doi.org/10.25949/D8DH-H034
More about our guest:
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/art-cotterell/
🌐Website: https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/art-cotterell
More about our host:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zena_assaad/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zena-assaad/
🔵BlueSky: https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/zenaassaad.bsky.social
🌐Website: https://www.zenaassaad.com/

Watch or listen to more episodes:
🍎 https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/responsible-bytes/id1800177424
🔊 https://open.spotify.com/show/2x2yNvU6OY1LBLX1TsuAfB 
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Follow us online:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responsiblebytespodcast/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responsible-bytes-podcast/
🌐Website: https://www.zenaassaad.com/responsible-bytes-podcast

In this episode, our host Dr. Zena Assaad is joined by Dr. Lorenn Ruster to chat about Pope Leo XIV's recently released encyclical, Magnifica Humanitis. Focusing on AI and human dignity, we explore how religious perspectives influence AI ethics, the importance of dignity in technology, the implications for responsible AI development and the impacts of military AI on human dignity during times of war.
Links from this episode:
🔗Pope Leo XIV's encyclical: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html
🔗Jobin et al. paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42256-019-0088-2
🔗Donna Hick's book on dignity: https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300261424/dignity/
🔗Anthropic co-founder's speech: https://www.anthropic.com/news/chris-olah-pope-leo-encyclical
More about our guest:
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorennruster/
🌐Website: https://lorennruster.com/research/
More about our host:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zena_assaad/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zena-assaad/
🔵BlueSky: https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/zenaassaad.bsky.social
🌐Website: https://www.zenaassaad.com/

Watch or listen to more episodes:
🍎 https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/responsible-bytes/id1800177424
🔊 https://open.spotify.com/show/2x2yNvU6OY1LBLX1TsuAfB 
Or find us anywhere else you get your podcasts!

Follow us online:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responsiblebytespodcast/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responsible-bytes-podcast/
🌐Website: https://www.zenaassaad.com/responsible-bytes-podcast

In this episode, Dr. Zena Assaad interviews Dr. Klaudia Klonowska about the legality of targeting data centers in armed conflict, especially in the context of recent Middle East conflicts. They explore international law, dual-use technology, and the implications for civilian harm and military strategy.
The contents of this episode are based on an article written for Just Security by our guest Klaudia Klonowska in collaboration with Michael Schmitt. You can read their article here: https://www.justsecurity.org/133685/iranian-attacks-amazon-data-centers-legal-analysis/
 More about our guest:
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/klonowska/
🌐Website: https://www.sciencespo.fr/ecole-droit/en/directory/klonowska-klaudia/
More about our host:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zena_assaad/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-zena-assaad/
🔵BlueSky: https://web-cdn.bsky.app/profile/zenaassaad.bsky.social
🌐Website: https://www.zenaassaad.com/

Watch or listen to more episodes:
🍎 https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/responsible-bytes/id1800177424
🔊 https://open.spotify.com/show/2x2yNvU6OY1LBLX1TsuAfB 
Or find us anywhere else you get your podcasts!

Follow us online:
📸Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/responsiblebytespodcast/
📘LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/responsible-bytes-podcast/
🌐Website: https://www.zenaassaad.com/responsible-bytes-podcast