The Behavioral Design Podcast

• Building Moral AI with Jana Schaich Borg

  How Do You Build a Moral AI? with Jana Schaich BorgIn this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline and Samuel are joined by Jana Schaich Borg, Associate Research Professor at Duke University and co-author of the book “Moral AI and How We Get There”. Together they explore one of the thorniest and most important questions in the AI age: How do you encode human morality into machines—and should you even try?Drawing from neuroscience, philosophy, and machine learning, Jana walks us through bottom-up and top-down approaches to moral alignment, why current models fall short, and how her team’s hybrid framework may offer a better path. Along the way, they dive into the messy nature of human values, the challenges of AI ethics in organizations, and how AI could help us become more moral—not just more efficient.This conversation blends practical tools with philosophical inquiry and leaves us with a cautiously hopeful perspective: that we can, and should, teach machines to care.— Topics Covered:What AI alignment really means (and why it’s so hard)Bottom-up vs. top-down moral AI systemsHow organizations get ethical AI wrong—and what to do insteadThe messy reality of human values and decision makingTranslational ethics and the need for AI KPIsPersonalizing AI to match your valuesWhen moral self-reflection becomes a design feature—Timestamps:00:00  Intro: AI Alignment — Mission Impossible?04:00  Why Moral AI Is So Hard (and Necessary)07:00  The “Spec” Story & Reinforcement Gone Wrong10:00  Anthropomorphizing AI — Helpful or Misleading?12:00  Introducing Jana & the Moral AI Project15:00  What “Moral AI” Really Means18:00  Interdisciplinary Collaboration (and Friction)21:00  Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down Approaches27:00  Why Human Morality Is Messy31:00  Building a Hybrid Moral AI System41:00  Case Study: Kidney Donation Decisions47:00  From Models to Moral Reflection52:00  Embedding Ethics Inside Organizations56:00  Moral Growth Mindset & Training the Workforce01:03:00  Why Trust & Culture Matter Most01:06:00  Comparing AI Labs: OpenAI vs. Anthropic vs. Meta01:10:00  What We Still Don’t Know01:11:00  Quickfire: To AI or Not To AI01:16:00  Jana’s Most Controversial Take01:19:00  Can AI Make Us Better Humans?—🎧 Like this episode? Share it with a friend or leave us a review to help others discover the show.Let me know if you’d like an abridged version, pull quotes, or platform-specific text for Apple, Spotify, or LinkedIn.

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• State of AI Risk with Peter Slattery

  Understanding AI Risks with Peter SlatteryIn this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline and Samuel are joined by Peter Slattery, behavioral scientist and lead researcher at MIT’s FutureTech lab, where he spearheads the groundbreaking AI Risk Repository project. Together, they dive into the complex and often overlooked risks of artificial intelligence—ranging from misinformation and malicious use to systemic failures and existential threats.Peter shares the intellectual and emotional journey behind categorizing over 1,000 documented AI risks, how his team built a risk taxonomy from 17,000+ sources, and why shared understanding and behavioral science are critical for navigating the future of AI.This one is a must-listen for anyone curious about AI safety, behavioral science, and the future of technology that’s moving faster than most of us can track.--LINKS:Peter's LinkedIn ProfileMIT FutureTech Lab: futuretech.mit.eduAI Risk Repository--Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at [email protected] or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more.Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business. Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

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• Enter the AI Lab

  Enter the AI Lab: Insights from LinkedIn Polls and AI Literature ReviewsIn this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Samuel Salzer and Aline Holzwarth explore how AI is shaping behavioral design processes—from discovery to testing. They revisit insights from past LinkedIn polls, analyzing audience perspectives on which phases of behavioral design are best suited for AI augmentation and where human expertise remains crucial.The discussion then shifts to AI-driven literature reviews, comparing the effectiveness of various AI tools for synthesizing research. Samuel and Aline assess the strengths and weaknesses of different platforms, diving into key performance metrics like quality, speed, and cost, and debating the risks of over-reliance on AI-generated research without human oversight.The episode also introduces Nuance’s AI Lab, highlighting upcoming projects focused on AI-driven behavioral science innovations. The conversation concludes with a Behavioral Redesign series case study on Peloton, offering a fresh take on how AI and behavioral insights can reshape product experiences.If you're interested in the intersection of AI, behavioral science, and research methodologies, this episode is packed with insights on where AI is excelling—and where caution is needed.LINKS:Nuance AI Lab: WebsiteTIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction and Recap of Last Year's AI Polls06:27 AI's Strengths in Literature Review15:12 Emerging AI Tools for Research19:31 Evaluating AI Tools for Literature Reviews23:57 Comparing Chinese and American AI Tools26:01 Evaluating Literature Review Outputs28:12 Critical Analysis and Human Oversight35:19 The Worst Performing Model37:21 Introducing Nuance's AI Lab38:51 Behavioral Redesign Series: Peloton Example45:21 Podcast Highlights and Future Guests--Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at [email protected] or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more.Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business. Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

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• When to AI, and When Not to AI with Eric Hekler

  When to AI, and When Not to AI with Eric Hekler"People are different. Context matters. Things change."In this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, Aline is joined by Eric Hekler, professor at UC San Diego, to explore the nuances of AI in behavioral science and health interventions. Eric’s mantra—emphasizing the importance of individual differences, context, and change—serves as a foundation for the conversation as they discuss when AI enhances behavioral interventions and when human judgment is indispensable.The discussion explores just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAI), the efficiency trap of AI, and the jagged frontier of AI adoption—where machine learning excels and where it falls short. Eric shares his expertise on control systems engineering, human-AI collaboration, and the real-world challenges of scaling adaptive health interventions. The episode also explores teachable moments, the importance of domain knowledge, and the need for AI to support rather than replace human decision-making.The conversation wraps up with a quickfire round, where Eric debates AI’s role in health coaching, mental health interventions, and optimizing human routines.LINKS:Eric Hekler:TIMESTAMPS:02:01 Introduction and Correction05:21 The Efficiency Trap of AI08:02 Human-AI Collaboration11:04 Conversation with Eric Hekler14:12 Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions15:19 System Identification Experiment28:27 Control Systems vs. Machine Learning39:44 Challenges with Classical Machine Learning43:16 Translating Research to Real-World Applications49:49 Community-Based Research and Context Matters59:46 Quickfire Round: To AI or Not to AI01:08:27 Final Thoughts on AI and Human Evolution--Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at [email protected] or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more.Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business. Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

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  1:06:51
• Sci-Fi and AI: Exploring Annie Bot with Sierra Greer

  Sci-Fi and AI: Exploring Annie Bot with Sierra GreerIn this episode of the Behavioral Design Podcast, hosts Aline and Samuel dive into the ethical, emotional, and societal complexities of AI companionship with special guest Sierra Greer, author of Annie Bot. This thought-provoking novel explores AI-human relationships, autonomy, and the blurred line between artificial intelligence and the human experience.Sierra shares her inspiration for Annie Bot and how sci-fi can serve as a lens to explore real-world ethical dilemmas in AI development. The conversation covers the concept of reinforcement learning in AI and how it mirrors human conditioningThe gender dynamics embedded in AI design, and the ethical implications of AI companions. The discussion also examines real-life cases of people forming deep emotional bonds with AI chatbotsThe episode rounds out with a lively quickfire round, where Sierra debates whether AI should replace lost loved ones, act as conversational assistants for introverts, or intervene in human arguments.This is a must-listen for fans of sci-fi, behavioral science, and those fascinated by the future of AI companionship and emotional intelligence.LINKS:Sierra Greer websiteAnnie Bot – Official Book PageGoodreads ProfileTIMESTAMPS:01:43 AI Companions: A Controversial Opinion05:48 Exploring Sci-Fi and AI in Literature07:42 Introducing Sierra Greer and Her Book09:12 Reinforcement Learning Explained15:47 Diving into the World of Annie Bot23:17 Power Dynamics and Human-Robot Relationships32:31 Humanity and Artificial Intelligence41:31 Autonomy vs. Agreeableness in Relationships43:20 Reinforcement Learning in AI and Humans46:13 Ethics and Gaslighting in AI48:57 Gender Dynamics in AI Design57:18 AI Companions and Human Relationships01:06:45 Quickfire Round: To AI or Not to AI01:12:39 Final Thoughts and Controversial Opinions--Interesting in collaborating with Nuance? If you’d like to become one of our special projects, email us at [email protected] or book a call directly on our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nuancebehavior.com.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the podcast by joining ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly Pro⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🚀. Members get access to extensive content databases, calls with field leaders, exclusive offers and discounts, and so much more.Every Monday our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Habit Weekly newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ shares the best articles, videos, podcasts, and exclusive premium content from the world of behavioral science and business. Get in touch via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The song used is ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Murgatroyd by David Pizarro⁠

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