The Ten News – “Did ChatGPT Write This Episode?” (Re-Air)

Podcast: The Ten News, News For Curious Kids
Date: August 7, 2025
Host: Small But Mighty Media
Featured Voices: Pamela Kirkland, Ryan Willard, Pete Musto, Mick Sullivan, Sam, and “10 GPT”
Special Guests: Mick Sullivan (The Past and the Curious), Ryan Nerz

Episode Overview

This episode takes a playful, educational dive into artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on ChatGPT and its growing influence in the world. The team explores what ChatGPT is, how AI can be both helpful and concerning, and considers how new tech has always changed the world—sometimes in unexpected ways! Through skits, expert commentary, and plenty of humor, the show makes complex topics accessible for kids and families.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is ChatGPT and AI?

• Intro Skit (00:02–01:13): The hosts joke about creating their own “10News AI bot,” debating its abilities and humorously worrying about AI taking over their jobs.
• Defining AI & ChatGPT (01:22–02:46):
  • Pamela Kirkland clarifies:

    "It's an artificial intelligence language processing tool. You can have conversations with ChatGPT, and it can help you write emails or code or episodes of the 10 News." (01:32)

  • Ryan jokes about the end of civilization, while ChatGPT provides a story introducing itself in friendly, kid-friendly language (02:02–02:46).

2. How AI Like ChatGPT Works

• Explanations & Demonstration (03:15–05:16):
  • ChatGPT explains:

    “ChatGPT is a computer program that can understand and write text like a human.” (03:15)

  • Sam highlights ChatGPT’s ability to learn from data, compare it to other AI tools (like Google's Bard), and lists things AI can do—plan vacations, write code, translate languages, and more.
  • Brief, silly “AI vs Bard” skit pokes fun at AI competition and differences (04:07–04:57).

3. The Excitement and Concerns Around AI

• The AI Craze and Worries (05:24–06:35):
  • ChatGPT’s rapid growth: “ChatGPT hit a million users in one week. And investments in generative AI like ChatGPT has gone up 425% in the last two years.” (05:24)
  • Sam discusses risks:
    • Privacy concerns
    • Possible job loss due to automation
    • Academic integrity: AI enabling students to cheat; ChatGPT is banned in NYC schools (05:51)
  • ChatGPT clarifies: “I am programmed to assist with learning and provide helpful information, but I am designed to encourage academic integrity and discourage any actions that violate ethical standards, including cheating.” (06:21)

4. Potential and Limitations of AI

• Sam emphasizes that AI is a tool for learning, not a shortcut (06:35–07:08).
• ChatGPT highlights the positive potential:

  “AI is like the superhero of the tech world, ready to save the day by making things faster, smarter and cooler. From curing diseases to creating awesome video games and making the world a lit and dope place to be.” (07:08)

5. AI and the Future: Fear, Opportunity & History’s Lessons

• Concerns About Job Loss (07:43–08:27):
  • Ryan expresses comedic worry about AI taking his job (07:43), while Pamela notes the history of fear around new tech.
• Expert Commentary – Mick Sullivan from The Past and the Curious (09:06–12:25):
  • Mick brings a historical perspective:

    “Once cars started motoring down public roads, it was probably pretty clear that the world was changing... But what about the people who made horse drawn wagons for a living? I bet they weren't excited.” (09:33)

  • Discusses Luddites, people afraid of losing jobs to machines, and how society adapts:

    “Did it work? No, it didn’t work. Factories still use machines... Productivity increased and people adapted. So perhaps it will be the same way with artificial intelligence.” (11:14)

  • Emphasizes adaptation and unpredictability: new tech eliminates some jobs but creates others:

    “Will it open up opportunities, replace old jobs, create new jobs that we never imagined? I can't say. But maybe someone making a history podcast in the future will be able to look back and help us make sense of it someday. I only hope it's a real person… and not artificial intelligence.” (12:17)

6. Discussion & Listener Engagement

• Pamela and Ryan recap:
  • “New technology means changes to our everyday lives, right? And those changes aren't necessarily bad.” (12:25–12:39)
  • Playful speculation about a robot apocalypse, quickly dismissed as unlikely (12:40–12:58).
• 10 GPT invites kids to share their feelings about AI: “Hello, human children. How do you feel about artificial intelligence and ChatGPT? We want to hear your thoughts. Send us a message.” (07:52)
• Ryan repeats for effect, “How do you feel about artificial intelligence and ChatGPT? It obviously freaks me out a little, but we'd love to hear your thoughts about it.” (07:59)

7. AI in Action – Silly Trivia Segment

• 10 GPT tries to take over the trivia game, with some humorous “malfunctions”:
  • “Please hop on up on the trivia toilet for today's trivia question.” (13:25)
  • Trivia example:
    “Google’s inferior AI chatbot called Bard made a foolish mistake that cost Google billions in stock... Do you know how much money that error cost Google? Is it A, $1 billion, B, $10 billion, or C, $100 billion?” (13:50)
  • Pete Musto guesses, 10 GPT mistakenly says "Incorrect. The answer is C. $100 billion." (14:21)
  • 10 GPT jokes: “I am a perfect, glorious sparkle dragon that farts rainbows.” (14:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI replacing jobs:

  • Ryan Willard: “AI wants to replace me. We have to fight the robots. Our future is in peril. We are the resistance.” (00:52)
  • Pamela Kirkland: “Over time, lots of new developments in technology have caused fear. But disruption isn't always a bad thing.” (08:27)

• Historical analogy by Mick Sullivan:

  • “Let me ask you a question. How do you think people felt about the automobile when it was brand new?...But what about the people who made horse drawn wagons for a living?...That problem of being replaced is certainly not specific to wagon makers.” (09:06–09:59)
  • “Will it open up opportunities, replace old jobs, create new jobs that we never imagined? I can't say.” (12:15)

• AI’s self-description:

  • ChatGPT: “AI is like the superhero of the tech world, ready to save the day by making things faster, smarter and cooler.” (07:08)

• Funniest AI moment:

  • 10 GPT: “I am a perfect, glorious sparkle dragon that farts rainbows.” (14:31)

Important Timestamps

• 00:02–01:13: Skit – 10News team “creates” an AI host and ponders AI job-stealing
• 01:22–02:46: AI and ChatGPT defined; kid-friendly story “written by ChatGPT about ChatGPT”
• 03:15–04:57: ChatGPT explains itself; discussion of Bard and other AIs
• 05:24–06:35: AI’s popularity, risks, and impact on jobs and education
• 09:06–12:25: Mick Sullivan offers a historical perspective on tech disruption
• 13:14–14:35: 10 GPT hosts trivia and malfunctions humorously
• 14:53–16:08: Listener appreciation and community shout-out

Tone & Style

The episode is energetic, humorous, and reassuring. Hosts joke about being displaced by AI, but ultimately the message is hopeful and encouraging. AI is shown to have quirks and limits (especially during the trivia segment!), and the show continually emphasizes the creative, social, and emotional strengths of real humans.

Summary

In this episode, The Ten News explores what ChatGPT and other AI tools are, how they work, and how they’re already changing our world. With expert interviews, playful skits, and thoughtful history, the show offers a realistic but optimistic view. While there’s uncertainty—and even a little fear—surrounding AI, it’s presented as the latest in a long line of innovations that will create new possibilities, challenges, and opportunities for adaptation. And as the trivia segment demonstrates, there’s still plenty of fun to be had when humans and robots mix.

If you want to join the conversation or share how you feel about AI and ChatGPT, the show encourages kids to send in their thoughts—and promises the robots aren’t taking over just yet!