Two Whats?! And A Wow! - AI & You, Featuring "Girls Who Code" (9/12/25)

Summary

Podcast Summary — Wow in the World: Two Whats?! And A Wow! - AI & You, Featuring "Girls Who Code" (9/12/25)

Hosts: Mindy Thomas & Guy Raz
Special Guests: Representatives from Girls Who Code
Duration: 15:30
Date: September 12, 2025

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Overview

This episode of Wow in the World presents a special edition of the game show “Two Whats?! And A Wow!”, inviting young listeners to play along and test their knowledge about computers and artificial intelligence (AI). The episode spotlights real-life trailblazers in the science and tech space, notably featuring insights from Girls Who Code participants and stories of female innovators. Through three fun, high-energy game rounds, Mindy and Guy take apart fascinating AI facts, celebrating both scientific discovery and the power of youth-driven innovation.

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Key Discussion Points & Game Rounds

Introduction (02:27–03:08)

• Mindy and Guy set the scene for their science trivia game, focusing on the theme “AI & You.”
• Listeners are tasked with distinguishing the factual “wow” from the silly “what” in each of three AI-themed rounds.

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Round One: The History of AI

(03:25–05:41)

• Trivia Statements:

  • A: Artificial intelligence was created by Walt Disney.
  • B: AI was created by computers for computers in 2010.
  • C: Artificial intelligence has been around for almost 70 years. (Winning Wow)

• Guest Reveal (Yvette, Girls Who Code, Illinois)
  [04:26]

  “AI has been around longer than you might think. Almost 70 years. In fact, AI goes all the way back to when grandparents today were kids. The first AI program was presented in 1956 at a computer conference at Dartmouth College and was designed to imitate human problem solving skills. Oh, and the term artificial intelligence was created at the same time.” — Yvette
  (04:26)

• Modern Innovations:

  • Shout-out to Dr. Fei-Fei Li and her pioneering work on ImageNet, which helps computers “see” and recognize thousands of objects—a foundation for technologies like smart photo albums, Google Translate, and self-driving cars.

• Memorable Moment:

  “Winner, winner, digital dinner!” — Mindy Thomas (04:48)

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Round Two: AI’s Surprising Abilities

(05:41–08:25)

• Trivia Statements:

  • A: AI cannot experience music.
  • B: AI can create an entirely new language on its own. (Winning Wow)
  • C: AI computers are powered by teeny tiny hamsters on wheels.

• Guest Reveal (Claudia, Girls Who Code, New York)
  [06:39]

  “Facebook recently discovered that their AI systems had surprisingly created its own brand new language for clear communication. They had to update it so it would use English. And now AI can help us navigate social media.” — Claudia
  (06:39)

• Notable Youth Innovation:

  • Introduction to Gitanjali Rao, 2020’s Time magazine Kid of the Year, who built “Kindly,” an AI tool for detecting and preventing cyberbullying online.

  “The Kindly program sort of works like a stage spell checker for kindness, helping people think twice before sending or posting something that might be hurtful.” — Guy Raz (07:32)

• Memorable Moment:

  “Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and make up a new language before bedtime.” — Mindy Thomas (07:41)

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Round Three: Robots in the Real World

(08:51–10:55)

• Trivia Statements:

  • A: There is an all-robot dance troupe in Helsinki, Finland.
  • B: Robot cats just lay around and sleep all day.
  • C: There is a robot ambassador to the United Nations. (Winning Wow)

• Guest Reveal (Lola, Girls Who Code, New Jersey)
  [09:55]

  “Sophia is a robot AI created by a company called Hanson. She has appeared on TV on the Tonight Show and claims to be the world's first robot citizen. And yes, she is also officially the robot innovation ambassador for the UN Development program.” — Lola
  (09:55)

• Highlighting AI & Emotions:

  • Introduction to Dr. Rana el Kaliouby, founder of "emotion AI," who developed systems that read facial emotion using pattern recognition.

• Memorable Moment:

  “Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and do the robot dance.” — Mindy Thomas (10:55)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Winner, winner, digital dinner!” — Mindy Thomas (04:48)
• “Winner, Winner, multilingual dinner.” — Mindy Thomas (06:53)
• “Winner, winner, robot dinner.” — Mindy Thomas (10:13)
• “Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and do the robot dance.” — Mindy Thomas (10:55)
• “These days, artificial intelligence can do incredible things thanks to the work of amazing scientists like Dr. Fifi Li, a pioneer in AI who created ImageNet, a project that would change what AI can do.” — Mindy Thomas (05:01)
• “The Kindly program sort of works like a stage spell checker for kindness, helping people think twice before sending or posting something that might be hurtful.” — Guy Raz (07:32)

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Engaging Recaps and Interactive Elements

• Physical Challenges: Each incorrect answer earns listeners a “ridonkulous” challenge—like searching for the “any key,” inventing a new language, or dancing like a robot.
• Whimsical Prizes: “Everyone in our audience gets to take home a little teeny tiny rodent friend who also happens to be an IT specialist… It’s a computer mouse!” — Mindy Thomas (11:38)

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Representation and Educational Focus

• Girls Who Code participants are featured as "fact revealers," spotlighting real young women engaged in coding and tech advocacy.
• Each round uplifts both historic and current innovators in AI, from Dr. Fei-Fei Li to Gitanjali Rao and Dr. Rana el Kaliouby, making STEM relatable and encouraging agency in young listeners.

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• Game Show Begins / AI Theme Explanation — 02:27
• Round 1: History of AI — 03:25
• Girls Who Code Fact (Yvette) — 04:26
• Round 2: AI’s Abilities — 05:41
• Girls Who Code Fact (Claudia) — 06:39
• Round 3: Robots & AI in Real-World Roles — 08:51
• Girls Who Code Fact (Lola) — 09:55
• AI & Emotion (Rana el Kaliouby) — 10:25
• Whimsical Prizes & Game Wrap — 11:13

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Tone & Language

The episode maintains a playful, high-energy, and encouraging tone. Mindy and Guy directly engage listeners with silly jokes, puns, and tongue-in-cheek challenges. The language respects kids’ intelligence, weaving in genuine scientific facts alongside whimsical humor, never passing up a moment to say “wow!”

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Final Thoughts

This episode blends science education, humor, and empowerment—especially for girls in tech—through interactive trivia and real-world examples. Listeners gain insights into AI’s history, surprising capabilities, and the humans (and robots!) shaping the future, all wrapped in the podcast’s trademark wackiness.

“Keep on wowing!” — Guy Raz & Mindy Thomas (12:51)

Transcript

[Guy Raz]

Grown Ups Wondery subscribers can listen to wow in the World early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery app or Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hey everyone, it's Mindy and Guy Raz here from wow in the World. And guess what?

[Guy Raz]

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[Mindy Thomas]

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[Guy Raz]

And now for everyone's second favorite game show. After letting your dog put peanut on your nose, it's two what's and the.

[Announcer]

Wow with your hosts, Mindy and Guy Rile. Two what's two what? Two what's two what? Two, what's two what? Two what'S in a wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hello and welcome to two what'S in a wow.

[Guy Raz]

Two whats in a Wild the scientific game show that separates the Wows from the what's. And the category or theme for today is. AI. And you'd. Mindy, why don't you refresh our contestants on how the game works?

[Mindy Thomas]

You know it, Guy Raz. Wowzers. In each of our three rounds today, Guy Raz and I will present you with three scientific statements about computers and artificial intelligence, or AI. But. And this is a big but, only one of those statements will be a true wow. The other two, just a Couple of made up whats.

[Guy Raz]

Now, in each round, if you guess correctly, congratulations, you win a point.

[Mindy Thomas]

But if you guess incorrectly, you must stop, drop and do a ridonkulous physical challenge.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, everyone ready to get the show going?

[Announcer]

Great.

[Mindy Thomas]

Then let's get to it.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, round one. Which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A? Artificial intelligence was created by Walt Disney.

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it B? AI was created by computers for computers in the year 2010.

[Guy Raz]

Or is it C? Artificial intelligence has been around for almost 70 years.

[Mindy Thomas]

When you think you have the correct answer, double click your imaginary computer mouse. Hey Reg, can we get a little thinking music here?

[Guy Raz]

And time is up. Let's now reveal the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

And to do just that, it's Yvette, a Girls who code representative in Illinois. Yvette, tell us what's the winning WOW?

[Girls Who Code Representative]

AI has been around longer than you might think. Almost 70 years. In fact, AI goes all the way back to when grandparents today were kids. The first AI program was presented in 1956 at a computer conference at Dartmouth College and was designed to imitate human problem solving skills. Oh, and the term artificial intelligence was created at the same time.

[Mindy Thomas]

Winner, winner, digital dinner.

[Guy Raz]

Thank you, Yvette. Contestants, if you guessed the answer C, that artificial intelligence has been around for almost 70 years, well, congratulations. You found the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

These days, artificial intelligence can do incredible things thanks to the work of amazing scientists like Dr. Fifi Li, a pioneer in AI who created ImageNet, a project that would change what AI can do.

[Guy Raz]

Dr. Lee teaches computers how to recognize objects in pictures. She created a huge collection of images that helps computers learn to recognize cats, dogs and thousands of other objects. We use this tech every day, from smart photo albums to Google Translate, even self driving cars.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and try to find the any key.

[Guy Raz]

Okay, on to round two. Which of the following statements is a true story? Scientific wow. Is it A? AI cannot experience music?

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it B? AI can create an entirely new language on its own.

[Guy Raz]

Or is it C? AI computers are powered by teeny tiny hamsters running on teeny tiny hamster wheels.

[Mindy Thomas]

Lots to think about here. When you think you have the correct answer, squeak it out like a hamster.

[Guy Raz]

And time is up. Let's now reveal the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

And to do just that, it's Claudia, a Girls who code program participant in New York. Claudia, tell us what's the winning wow?

[Girls Who Code Representative]

Facebook recently discovered that their AI systems had surprisingly created its own brand new language for clear communication. They had to update it so it would use English. And now AI can help us navigate social media.

[Mindy Thomas]

Winner, Winner, multilingual dinner.

[Guy Raz]

Thank you, Claudia. Contestants, if you guessed the answer B that AI can create an entirely new language on its own. Well, congratulations. You found the winning. Wow. That actually happened. Great job, Wowzers.

[Mindy Thomas]

When she was just 15 years old, Git and Jolly Rao developed an AI based tool called Kindly that detects and prevents cyberbullying by helping to spot mean messages online before they hurt someone's feelings. She was even named Time magazine's first kid of the year in 2020.

[Guy Raz]

The kindly program sort of works like a stage spell checker for kindness, helping people think twice before sending or posting something that might be hurtful.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and make up a new language before bedtime. And now it's time to take a moment to thank our sponsors. Today's show is brought to you in part by the brand new high tech fashion sensation, Artificial Intellipants. They're just like regular pants and except these pants can think for themselves. No more leaving the house without your pants on. Artificial Intellipants puts themselves on you by themselves. No more wearing your pants backwards. No more wondering if your shirt matches. Artificial Intellipants can do it all. Artificial Intellipants these pants will wear you.

[Guy Raz]

Thank you Artificial Intellipants. Now let's take a quick break and hear some other important messages for grownups.

[Announcer]

Two whats in a while. We'll be right back. Grown Ups.

[Mindy Thomas]

This message is for you.

[Announcer]

That's it. Now back to the show.

[Guy Raz]

Welcome back to two what's and a wow.

[Announcer]

Two what's and a wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

The scientific game show that separates the wows from the what's.

[Guy Raz]

And now we're on to our first final round of questions. Round three, which of the following statements is a true scientific wow? Is it A, There is actually an all robot dance troupe in Helsinki, Finland?

[Mindy Thomas]

Or is it B, robot cats still just lay around and sleep all day?

[Guy Raz]

Or is it C? There is a robot ambassador to the United Nations.

[Mindy Thomas]

Hmm, lots to think about here. When you think you have the correct answer, make a purring noise like a robot cat.

[Guy Raz]

And time is up. Let's now reveal the winning wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

And to do just that, it's Lola, a girls who code community member from New Jersey. Lola, tell us what's the winning wow?

[Girls Who Code Representative]

Sophia is a robot AI created by a company called Hanson. She has appeared on TV on the Tonight show and claims to be the world's first robot citizen. And yes, she is also officially the robot innovation ambassador for the UN Development program.

[Mindy Thomas]

Winner, winner, robot dinner.

[Guy Raz]

Thank you, Lola. Contestants, if you guessed the answer C. There's a robot ambassador to the United Nations. Congratulations. You found the winning. Wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

One AI scientist named Rana L. Kalubi wondered if AI could help people understand emotions because she knew that AI systems learn by finding patterns.

[Guy Raz]

Rana thought that by showing AI many different faces that were confused, happy, sad, angry and more, the AI could identify similar patterns for an emotion that a computer could recognize. And she was right. Through her work, she created a whole new category called emotion A.I.

[Mindy Thomas]

Now, if you did not get that answer correct, you must stop, drop and do the robot dance.

[Guy Raz]

What was that?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, Guy Raz, that sound can mean only one thing.

[Guy Raz]

Your sleigh cats are terrible at catching mice.

[Mindy Thomas]

Well, yeah, but this sound also means that it's time for today's win. Winning wowzers prize. All of our wowzers today will be receiving their very own computer mouse.

[Guy Raz]

Computer mouse. Wait, Mindy, you know that a computer mouse is different from a real mouse, right?

[Mindy Thomas]

Yeah, of course I know that, Guy Raz.

[Guy Raz]

And you know that most people already have a mouse with their computer keyboard, right?

[Mindy Thomas]

Oh, yeah. We're not giving away that kind of computer mouse. Today, everyone in our audience gets to take home a little teeny tiny rodent friend who also happens to be an IT specialist.

[Guy Raz]

What?

[Mindy Thomas]

It's a computer mouse. Your very own rodent tech support courtesy of all your friends here at two what's in a wow Prime? The cannon Reg. Fire away.

[Guy Raz]

Well, that's about all the time we have for today. But if you want to keep the fun going, then become a member of the world organization of wowzers and unlock hundreds of activities.

[Mindy Thomas]

And if you're a teacher out there listening, make sure you join tinkerclass. It's our free project based learning program. For more, just visit Tinkercast.com membership that's Tinkercast.com membership to bring Tinkerclass into your classroom.

[Guy Raz]

And be sure to come back on Monday for a brand new episode of wow in the world.

[Mindy Thomas]

And again on Friday for a new episode of what's in a wow. And don't forget, we wow on the weekend with Dennis.

[Guy Raz]

Until then, keep on wowing.

[Announcer]

2 what's 2 what? 2 what's 2 what? 2what's 2 what? 2 what's and a wow.

[Mindy Thomas]

Grown ups. If you like wow in the world, you can listen early and ad free right now on Wondry.

[Guy Raz]

Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.

[Mindy Thomas]

And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey. Thanks for playing along with our show. If you're a kid with a big wow to share, call our wow hotline at 1-888-7-WOW wow. And you just might be featured on an upcoming episode of two what's in a wow? Once again, that's 1-8887-wow- wow.

[Guy Raz]

And to keep the wow rolling, visit [e-mail] there you can become a member of the World Organization of wowzers to get year round mailings and weekly activities. You can shop our wow Shop, get tickets for upcoming live events, find our best selling books and learn all about our other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast Grown Ups.

[Mindy Thomas]

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter owintheworld and our Email address is hellonkercast.com 2 what's in a wow.

[Guy Raz]

Is executive produced by Meredith Halpern, Ranzer, Mindy Thomas and me, Guy Raz.

[Mindy Thomas]

These episodes are written by our Tinkercast Head Writer Kenny Curtis and Anna Zagorski.

[Guy Raz]

Sound production and design is by Mariam Lozano and Henry Moskal with help from Jett Anderson and Tyler Thole and special.

[Mindy Thomas]

Thanks to our Tinkercast team including Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kristin Yang, Thuy Mack, Erica Medina, Jodi Nussbaum, Ally Paxema, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa and all of the other Tinkerers at Tinkercast hq.

[Guy Raz]

Our theme song was written and composed by the Pop Ups. For more on their three time Grammy nominated all ages music.

[Mindy Thomas]

Find them at thepopups.com thanks again for listening and for playing along with us. Meet us back here every Friday for more episodes of 2 what's in a wow? Saturday and Sunday for We wow on the Weekend with Dennis and Mondays for Wow in the World. It's all right here on the wow in the World podcast feed.

[Guy Raz]

Until then, keep on wowing wow in.

[Announcer]

The World Wow in the world wow in the world wow in the World Wow in the World Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.