By: Francesca Billington

Artificial intelligence continues to advance, bringing with it a new wave of social concern over fairness, ethics, and accountability that has swept debates among both experts and people experimenting with ChatGPT. The challenges and limitations of the new technology are being brought to light, as we collectively experiment with a new AI-driven world. Gianni Samwer, an 18-year-old high school senior in Munich, Germany has been exploring this uncharted territory for years.

During his freshman year of high school, Samwer became known among his friends as their unofficial AI expert. A voracious reader, he spent hours pouring over the latest studies and reports at home. He was especially interested in safety and the ethical implications of AI—topics that his computer science classes weren’t covering. In early 2023, after sharing his knowledge with his friends individually, he invited them to join a casual WhatsApp group called Gianni’s daily AI thoughts. He sent links to interesting articles and voice memos analyzing the news. His friends invited their friends, and soon the group ballooned to about fifty members. Samwer wanted to keep teenagers informed on the latest developments and conversations surrounding AI. He quickly realized that the best version of this project wouldn’t just amplify his own voice, but include engineers, entrepreneurs, and academics working in the field. 

Photo Courtesy: Gianni Samwer

In June of 2023, Samwer therefore decided to start an original podcast – “AI Unleashed. He recorded his first interview with Amay Aggarwal, a product manager with Uber Technology’s AI sector. “The sound quality was shaky,” Samwer said. “It was all happening on Zoom chats. I was learning everything in real-time.” He asked Aggarwal about applying AI to the nonprofit sector and Uber’s suite of services, from grocery delivery to transit. “We’re using AI everywhere throughout the rides app from the moment you log on and enter your destination,” Aggarwal told Samwer. Machine learning was responsible for generating a ride price, matching drivers to riders, and planning navigation. 

As Samwer released new episodes, more and more guests were eager to join the show. Every week, he contacts between 20 to 30 potential guests. He still records the podcast remotely, only now he has studio-quality microphones and audio editing software. He uploads an episode every even to 10 days, to keep listeners engaged without overwhelming them with content. Samwer has interviewed a range of influential leaders and AI thinks, including a member of the German Bundestag—who spoke about implementing AI in government—and the founder of an AI investment fund, Merantrix. The podcast has hit about 4,000 downloads. 

Photo Courtesy: Gianni Samwer

One day, Samwer received an important note from a listener—one that would quickly change his approach to the podcast. The listener wanted to know: was all this information applicable to his life? Samwer realized the vision behind his interview podcast was missing something essential. A few months later, he rented a room in Munich and hosted an “offline episode” about using AI in your personal life. The thoughtful discussion was targeted mostly at refugees and people embarking on job switches. With the 30 people that attended, Gianni had an interactive session explaining more basics about AI and how it can be used to write emails and cover letters for job applications. At the end of the session, Samwer passed out vouchers for an OpenAI upgrade. He envisions “AI Unleashed” as a learning resource that will consider urgent, global questions about how artificial intelligence can be applied to social issues. And it isn’t Sawmer’s first mission-driven company. In 2022, he founded Compassion Catalyst, a nonprofit that collects and donates supplies and donations to communities around the world.

After seeing the success of his first in-person event, Samwer announced a second live podcast—this time, targeting college students. His guest speakers included Tristan Post, a senior lecturer from the Technical University of Munich, and Julia Kraus, a senior engineer at AppliedAI. After another success with over 40 people attending, Samwer is now gearing up to host his biggest event yet: an AI Unleashed conference in October, where some 300 guests and 20 speakers will meet in Munich, Germany. “I’m thrilled to be building our offline community,” Samwer said. “That dimension feels just as important as the podcast itself. I’m not just here to give listeners another source of content that piles up in their subscription boxes.” His hope is for the in-person events to bring new listeners to the podcast, and to form a community of AI enthusiasts, all while opening the door to higher profile guests. He is hoping these thought exchanges can inspire innovation in the field, and make the topic accessible to everyone.  

Published by: Nelly Chavez