An intergenerational discussion about all things "Metaverse" between a Hollywood film director (known for introducing the concept of Virtual Reality to popular culture with his hit film Lawnmower Man) and his 'VR early adopter' son.
whatisthemetaverse.substack.com (https://whatisthemetaverse.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)
First Time Inside a Waymo Robotaxi: Real-Time Reactions on AI Breakthroughs, Safety, Vibe-Coding, Agents, VR & More!
Filmmaker Brett Leonard and his producer-editor son Shannon hit record the moment they step into a Waymo in Santa Monica, Brett’s first time trusting a car with no human at the wheel. What starts as raw, real-time nerves quickly becomes a lively, inter-generational look at why robotaxis already log millions of safer miles and what that means for city life, safety, and culture.
As LA traffic rolls by, the conversation widens to fresh AI headlines: ARK’s Evo-2 model predicting human mutations from animal DNA, jailbreak hacks that trick large language models, Apple Vision Pro’s next moves, and the rise of “vibe-coding” apps anyone can build with agentic AI. Expect candid back-and-forth, practical context, and a front-seat view of how emerging tech is reshaping everything from commuting to creativity.
Thank you for listening! Please subscribe via your favorite podcasting platform and (if you feel like it) leave us a 5 star review. It really helps our podcast grow!
Brett Leonard is a veteran Hollywood film director known for introducing the concept of Virtual Reality to popular culture with his hit film Lawnmower Man. Apart from directing many other feature films, he is involved with innovating immersive content production for the emerging virtual mediums of the Metaverse era. Brett’s son, Shannon Leonard, has over 10 years of experience across feature films, advertisements, YouTube, and short-form media. He is focused on integrating AI and VR into creative media workflows.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatisthemetaverse.substack.com (https://whatisthemetaverse.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
9 May 2025
Riding the AI Tsunami: O3 Mini, DeepSeek, Agents, and the Future of Storytelling
Recorded February 2025. OpenAI’s brand-new O3 Mini drops just as China’s DeepSeek reasoning model grabs headlines, setting off a fresh round in the global race to AGI. Shannon Leonard and director Brett Leonard unpack what makes these models different, why agentic AI matters, and how O3 Mini already lets a non-coder spin up production-ready software in days. They trace the knock-on effects for medicine, markets, and every creative field, pointing out where skepticism is warranted and where it isn’t.
Then the conversation zooms out. Brett compares today’s acceleration to the shift from analog film to digital, only thousands of times faster, and explains why the skills of a movie director map perfectly to commanding AI agents. Father and son debate job loss versus new opportunity, the environmental cost narrative, and the urgent need for positive stories that shape AI for good. By the end you’ll know why the “studio of one” is here and how to keep your humanity in the loop.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatisthemetaverse.substack.com (https://whatisthemetaverse.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
22 Oct 2024
AI Companions, Apple’s "Private" Intelligence, and the Rise of Reasoning AI: Brett Leonard's Insights on the Next Digital Frontier
In this episode, Shannon and Brett once again explore the rapidly evolving world of AI, this time diving deep into the rise of AI companions, Apple's focus on privacy with its "Apple Intelligence," and the imminent arrival of reasoning AI. (NOTE: This was recorded about a week before OpenAI’s o1 launch). From AI-driven friends designed to reduce loneliness to Apple's strategic privacy innovations, they discuss how these technologies are reshaping relationships, mental health, and our understanding of what it means to be human in a hyperconnected world. This episode also takes a look at the future of reasoning AI and its potential to transform industries with next-level problem-solving capabilities.Thank you so much for listening. Please subscribe via your favorite podcasting platform and (if you feel like it) leave us a review. It really helps our podcast grow!
Brett Leonard is a veteran Hollywood film director known for introducing the concept of Virtual Reality to popular culture with his hit film Lawnmower Man. Apart from directing many other feature films, he is involved with innovating immersive content production for the emerging virtual mediums of the Metaverse era. Brett’s son, Shannon Leonard, has over 10 years of experience across feature films, advertisements, YouTube, and short-form media. He is focused on integrating AI and VR into creative media workflows.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit whatisthemetaverse.substack.com (https://whatisthemetaverse.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)
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