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

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.

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.

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)

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)

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)

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)

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.

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

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!”

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)