
A podcast about things that are not what they seem, hosted by journalist Evan Ratliff. Season 2 tells the story of enterprise and entrepreneurship in the AI age. Or: how Evan tried to build a real startup, run by fake people.
This season, Evan confronts head-on the assertion from tech entrepreneurs and VCs that we’re on the precipice of AI remaking the workforce. That we should expect not just A... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 18 | Founded | 2 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | DocumentarySociety & CultureTechnology | |||

We’re back with a special bonus episode to share some behind-the-scenes clips showing how the agents have handled their newly public roles since Shell Game’s launch. Hear Kyle navigate fan mail, unsolicited marketing outreach, a webinar that he signe... more
HurumoAI finally sets sail in the Season 2 finale, and we find out how the world responds to a startup led by AI agents. The company explores new financing avenues and charts the next course for their increasingly merry AI pirate ship, and Kyle meets... more
HurumoAI’s AI-agent staff welcomes a new hire: Julia, a social media contract worker who is, most importantly, a human. How will a real person integrate into the company culture, such as it is? Evan watches from behind the scenes, fretting over when ... more
As HurumoAI prepares to bring on its first human employee, the team must wrestle with some difficult and timely questions about the role of AI in the hiring process. Meanwhile, Head of HR Jennifer Nauro enters a new dimension as she gears up to condu... more
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“Shell Games” feels like eavesdropping on the near future. The AI agents are weirdly convincing as they grow into their roles, and the whole thing doubles as a new entertainment format: a peek into an AI-built universe where AI is the talent. Fun, a little unsettling, and very “this is already happening.”
Hilarious, sad, inspiring, riveting, all rolled up into one. Well done.
I recommend this podcast to everyone. Fascinating and SO well done. Congrats.
Literally the best podcast of the last several years
I loved the first season of this podcast, which was about the weirdness of AI.
The second season seems to be a lot more business-oriented, with Ratliff going into a lot of detail about what it's like to work with AI assistants on a day-to-day basis. Maybe it's helpful if this is something you're working with yourself, but I don't like listening to the AI agents so it's hard to want to keep going. I unsubscribed. I'd love to know if he goes into any of the ethical issues of using AI later in the... more
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
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Apple Podcasts | #75 | |
Apple Podcasts | #184 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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The content explores the intersection of artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship, specifically how the two can combine to form a new type of startup where AI plays a central role in operations. The host, a journalist, shares his journey of establishing a company with only AI employees, addressing the complexities, challenges, and ethical implications of such a venture. Throughout the episodes, engaging discussions reveal insights into AI's potential to reshape the workforce, raising questions about the future of work and the meaning we derive from it. This unique narrative, blending humor and thought-provoking themes, draws listeners into a world where AI collaboration is not just theoretical but a practical reality, instilling curiosi... more
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Shell Game launched 2 years ago and published 18 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Shell Game include:
1. Matt Honan
2. Ed Milet
3. Ali Kazemi
4. Chris Giovinazzo
5. Keegan Walden
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