Approximately Correct: An AI Podcast from Amii

Hosted by Amii - Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute

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Latest episode

Jul 2026

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EN-CA

About the show

Approximately Correct: An AI Podcast from Amii brings you stories from the leading edge of artificial research. Go beyond the buzzwords to learn about the future of AI and machine learning from world-class researchers, leaders and thinkers. Hear the stories behind the science, meet the people advancing the technology and learn about AI's potential to transform our world. Whether you're an AI enthusiast, a seasoned tech expert, or simply curious about the future, Approximately Correct is your essential guide to the ever-changing world of artificial intelligence.

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36 recent

July 21, 202637 min

What AI can teach us about how our brains map our world, with Quinn Lee and Marlos C. Machado | Approximately Correct Podcast

How do we know where we are, and where we are going? While we use our eyes to take in the information, it is our brains that are doing the heavy computing as we navigate the world. Now, new research using machine learning models is perhaps giving us a glimpse into what is going on inside our minds, and how the cells needed to navigate the world might form. On this episode of Approximately Correct, we are joined by two Amii Fellows and Canada CIFAR AI Chairs — Marlos C. Machado and Quinn Lee — who combined their expertise in machine learning and neuroscience to better understand the mysteries of navigation.

June 16, 202639 min

AI and Economics: Twins Separated at Birth? with Kevin Leyton-Brown (Live from Upper Bound 2026)

What happens when you give an economics final to ChatGPT? On a special episode of Approximately Correct, filmed live at Upper Bound 2026, we're joined by Canada CIFAR AI Chair Kevin Leyton-Brown. His work focuses on the underexplored intersection of machine learning and microeconomics — two fields that might seem wildly different, but have a lot in common. Tune in for a wide-ranging discussion on multi-agent systems, the reasoning abilities of LLMS, and how AI is a crucial part of Canada’s economic future.

May 12, 202626 min

Behind the Scenes of Upper Bound With Stephanie Enders | Approximately Correct Podcast

In just five years, Upper Bound has grown from a 400-person birthday party to one of Canada’s largest AI-centred events, drawing in thousands of people each year. But it isn’t the only thing that has changed: the way we talk about and use machine learning is also completely different in 2026. On the latest episode of Approximately Correct, Stephanie Enders joins to discuss how the conversation around AI has shifted in recent years.

March 17, 202644 min

Why AI Needs to Stay Weird with Kate Compton | Approximately Correct Podcast

The latest episode of Approximately Correct, we're joined by Kate Compton. Kate is an expert in generative AI, an artist, and a self-described “weird futurist.” She’s long been fascinated by creativity, and how people use digital tools to express themselves. She joins Alona Fyshe and Scott Lilwall to talk about the time when AI was small, strange and shareable, and explains why we need to keep that energy going to allow people to use it as a creative tool.

January 20, 202633 min

Should AI be your Study Buddy? with Kowalchuk | Approximately Correct Podcast

Class is back in session: this month, we're catching up again with Jill Kowalchuk to talk about the monumental shifts in AI and education over the past couple years. As Amii's Manager of AI Literacy, Jill has seen the way that students and educators have dealt with the introduction of AI in the classroom, both the opportunities and the pitfalls. She talks with hosts Alona Fyshe and Scott Lilwall about how AI means we need to rethink the way we evaluate learning, and how she sees AI as less than a tool and more of a "thought partner."

December 16, 202536 min

Amii Rewind: Can AI Predict Survival? With Russ Greiner - Dec. 2024

We’re taking a bit of a break this month, so no new episode of Approximately Correct. Instead, we wanted to revisit one of our favourite episodes from the past year. So let’s talk survival prediction with Russ Greiner. How can machine learning revolutionize healthcare? In this episode, Amii Fellow and Canada CIFAR AI Chair Russ Greiner explores how AI is transforming survival prediction, giving doctors and patients personalized health insights that were never before possible. From creating tailored survival curves to improving treatment decisions, Greiner reveals the groundbreaking potential of AI in medicine.

November 25, 202534 min

Can AI Optimize Plants? With Glen Uhrig | Approximately Correct AI Podcast

Ever wonder what exactly plants get up to all day? It’s much more than just sitting around to soak up the sun. Now, machine learning is helping to unlock the mysteries of how plants change over the course of a day, and the impact it could have on how we grow our food. Biochemist Dr. Glen Uhrig joins hosts Alona Fyshe and Scott Lilwall to talk about how his lab is using machine learning to study how plants grow in different lighting conditions of the course of the day. This could lead to applications with big impacts for indoor farming in northern climates, and perhaps even feeding astronauts during space missions. Listen to discover the potential that artificial intelligence has in advancing scientific research in biochemistry, agriculture, and other fields.

October 21, 202540 min

Why Every AI Lab Must Open Its Doors with Joelle Pineau | Approximately Correct Podcast

Should powerful foundational AI models be kept under lock and key, or shared openly with the world? In this episode of Approximately Correct, we sit down with Joelle Pineau, a professor at McGill University, former head of AI research at Meta and current chief AI officer at Cohere.. She led the development and release of the early versions of Meta’s Llama models, a series of open-weight models that challenged the closed-door approach of other AI teams. Pineau argues that openness is the fastest path to better, safer AI, and that diversity in foundational models is essential to developing a limited ‘algorithm monoculture’.

September 16, 202539 min

Why AI isn’t as scary as you think with Michael Littman | Approximately Correct

On this episode of Approximately Correct, we talk with Michael Littman about the importance of making AI accessible and fun for everyone. A former division director for the AI division at the National Science Foundation, Michael shares his unique perspective on AI policy, communication, and his career in reinforcement learning. He also discusses his new role as Associate Provost of Artificial Intelligence at Brown University, where he is working to coordinate AI research and teaching across the entire university.

August 19, 2025Episode 830 min

How do we ensure AI makes safe choices? with Revan MacQueen | Approximately Correct Podcast

This AI doesn't replace jobs; it collaborates with human experts to get the job done. On this episode of Approximately Correct, we talk with Revan McQueen on the future of industrial control and AI's role in making it safer and better