In this special Black History Month episode of Curious & Inspired, we explore the painful but familiar cycle of stolen ideas — and what it means to be a Black creator in the age of algorithms and AI. From Chuck Berry to Dapper Dan, to viral posts repackaged by louder platforms, host Matt Vandrick shares a powerful monologue on why to be great is to be stolen from — and how to turn that frustration into fuel.

Featuring stories on ChatBlackGPT, the Spill app, and Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy domination, this episode connects history, culture, and technology in a way only Curious & Inspired can.

✊ Stay curious. Stay inspired.

In a world where you can generate a partner, clone a voice, and simulate intimacy on demand… why are so many people lonelier than ever?

This Valentine’s episode, “AI Relationships, Digital Clones & the Loneliness Economy,” dives into the fast-rising culture of AI girlfriends, chatbot companions, and algorithmic intimacy.

As technology makes connection more convenient, customizable, and frictionless, more people are quietly outsourcing emotional needs to machines. The result? Instant attention, zero conflict… and a deeper kind of isolation.

Our host, Matt Vandrick, breaks down the psychology behind why AI relationships feel easier than real ones — and why that ease might be costing us presence, depth, and true human connection.

From digital clones to parasocial bonds to the business of engineered loneliness, this episode explores how the internet is monetizing our desire to be seen, heard, and loved.

But this isn’t an anti-tech rant. It’s a call back to reality.

A reminder that real connection requires friction.
Presence requires effort.
Depth requires vulnerability.

If we’re not careful, we’ll build perfect digital partners while becoming more absent in our real lives.

This conversation urges listeners to log off emotionally, show up physically, and choose depth over reach. To stop performing connection and start practicing it.

And most importantly — to be honest with yourself first about what you’re using technology to avoid.

Because in the loneliness economy, attention is easy.
But presence is rare.

#aigirlfriends #loneliness #valentinesday #airelationships #newpodcast #aichatbots #relationshipadvice

In this episode of Curious & Inspired, we discuss stories involving Disney and their customers, iShowSpeed's athletic prowess, Bitchat - a new messaging app, Tik Tok's changeover, Wikipedia's interesting relationship with big tech companies, the cost of data centers and why that matters.

This episode covers:
Disney's awkward call and response to their viewers.

iShowSpeed's impressive athleticism and what it could mean for those destined for professional sports.

Matthew McConaughey protecting his image and likeness from AI.

TikTok and its ownership changing hands. What does this mean for users in America?

Bitchat and the rise of new communication platforms. Could there be a new secure app that works even when the internet is down?

Wikimedia has an interesting relationship with big tech companies who are their new customers and how that may rub some of its Wikipedia users the wrong way.

The true cost of building data centers in the U.S. and why that matters to us.

Curious & Inspired asks better questions about the future—exploring how technology shapes culture, power, creativity, and society in real time.

🎙️ Hosted by Matt Vandrick
📅 New episodes bi-weekly | Thursdays at 8PM

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💬 Join the discussion in the comments. What story stood out to you?

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#CuriousAndInspired #TechPodcast #AINews #CreatorEconomy #DigitalCulture #TikTokNews #FutureOfTech #DataCenters #SocialMedia #tiktok #bytedance #wikimedia #wikipedia #ishowspeed #matthewmcconaughey

The internet is eating itself—and we're all just watching it happen.

In this first episode of Curious & Inspired, we're digging into the cultural wreckage of platforms we once loved: MTV's slow fade into irrelevance, Instagram's engagement apocalypse, and why your feed feels more like a graveyard than a gathering place. Plus: Joe Rogan's AI Jesus theories, Australia's attempt to ban social media for kids, and the bot invasion on Threads that's forcing us all to manually curate our digital lives.

But the real conversation? It's about identity.

Why are you calling yourself a "content creator"? That label is a trap. A corporate euphemism that reduces human expression to algorithmic outputs. If you're making something meaningful it's up to you to DEFINE who you truly are: a storyteller, artist, journalist, educator, or entrepreneur. Words shape reality, and "content creator" shapes you into nothing.

This episode is for anyone who feels the existential weight of performing online, who senses something's broken but can't quite name it. We're asking better questions about technology, culture, and what we're actually building here.

In This Episode:
⚡️Why MTV's death signals the end of an era
⚡️Instagram's engagement collapse and what it means for us
⚡️Joe Rogan, AI, and the blasphemous connection to Mary & Jesus
⚡️Australia's controversial social media age ban and what it reveals about control
⚡️Bot-infested feeds and the exhausting labor of digital curation
⚡️The "content creator" trap: Why your title is killing your creativity and intention

The future deserves better questions. Let's start asking them.

Subscribe for bi-weekly deep dives into the chaos where technology meets humanity. This isn't tech news—it's cultural archaeology for the digital age.

The future deserves better questions.

Curious & Inspired is a cultural commentary podcast exploring the intersection of technology, culture, and society; and how it’s shaping the world we’re living in right now.

Hosted by Matt Vandrick, this show goes beyond headlines to ask why things are changing, who it impacts, and what comes next.

🎧 New episodes drop bi-weekly on Thursdays at 8PM

📍 Available on YouTube & podcast platforms
If you’re curious about the future and inspired by deeper conversations...this podcast is for you.

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