Reflecting on the last few years of podcasting, the innovations that have excited me the most were liveItem and boostagrams. I think it's because of the ability to turn the listeners into participants, to make a show interactive, to create a community. It turned podcasting from a consumption of content into a co-creation and comradery.

I've been thinking about podcasting, AI, and algorithms. I can definitely see the appeal of an app using AI to create a custom feed. It's what the algorithms do, and I'll be honest, I like when the algorithm introduces me to something I love but otherwise wouldn't have been aware of.

But, part of me also likes not having an algorithm, having to be conscious of my decisions, be aware of what I'm choosing to listen to. Right now, the nature of podcasting still maintains that.

I’ve been doing some vibe coding. It’s faster… I think. But it’s exhausting. I can’t quite place my finger on what it is. It almost feels like I’m in a constant argument “No, not that, this, and why did you change the styling. Go back to the old style.” When I’m done, I don’t feel relief like I did when I solved a problem. It’s almost a quiet resignation, like “Well, I’m glad that’s over.” I somehow feel more mentally drained and wonder what exactly I’m trading in for the speed.