# Shell Game A podcast by Kaleidoscope. A podcast about things that are not what they seem, hosted by journalist Evan Ratliff. Season 3 is a miniseries in three episodes, telling the story of how Evan tried to understand the tsunami of AI-generated content by injecting as much of it as possible straight into his ears. What exactly is AI slop anyway? How do you actually define it? Who is behind it all? And what does it mean for the human storytelling that we care about? We journey deep into the muck, and fight our way back out with answers. Shell Game is a multiple award-winning series that has been named one of the best of the year by Apple, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Vulture, The Information, The Economist. It's "riveting," says The New Yorker, "awesome" says The Verge, "slightly terrifying," says The Globe and Mail, and “a dry, funny plunge down the rabbit hole that pokes at something essential about the hours we spend on this earth,” says Vulture. www.shellgame.co Feed: https://www.omnycontent.com/d/playlist/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3/podcast.rss ## Latest episodes - [Episode 1: Into the Slop](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/36f9b538c3ff) (2026-10-21, 41 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/6ddd657e-c663-49dd-9765-b4e90167301c/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Season 3 is Coming!](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/b3c22f96bfae) (2026-10-14, 2 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/d562b1c4-eed2-46a4-9ca9-b4e3001e8903/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [From How to Life Forever: The Longevinauts](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/01231e2b0729) (2026-08-04, 52 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/91302074-f3b9-4a98-84e0-af4e011ffabb/757d715e-2f50-40d4-8c61-b463014cbd89/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Bonus Episode: Shell Game x No Such Thing](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/a05b5599c7bf) (2026-02-25, 50 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/627bec9c-dfe2-40e5-be02-b3fc01026790/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Bonus Episode: Kyle vs. the World](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/a80057daf5c5) (2026-02-11, 37 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/fd99e0d1-2a70-4d96-a969-b3ed0172d4bc/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 8: Launch](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/ba61b410a05c) (2026-01-21, 59 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/41a68fd9-fc31-4827-bd69-b3d9004afb18/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 7: Welcome Aboard](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/fbf579d02a2a) (2026-01-14, 54 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/eabc99c0-34c9-402f-a942-b3d1014922c0/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 6: Keep 'Em Coming](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/b2e2e53ac9d0) (2025-12-17, 38 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/9e8e20d9-13f4-4c1f-81f6-b3b6001f4fef/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 5: Winners Win](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/5e0e7230e919) (2025-12-10, 42 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/a71dabd2-eed1-4994-befd-b3af003e25f2/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 4: The Startup Chronicles](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/dcdcc8698987) (2025-12-03, 41 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/d780880b-6879-4ff6-bbba-b3a80033e38a/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 2: Outdoor Debugging](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/40b7321a90eb) (2025-11-19, 38 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/0f4a5556-89df-4af7-b9f5-b39a003e5e4e/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 1: Minimum Viable Company](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/7d6014d2bf36) (2025-11-12, 33 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/5552b062-c92d-4455-811f-b392010c9775/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 6: The Future Isn't Real](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/503ba3bff4bf) (2024-08-13, 54 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/56a14c01-0793-4198-87b4-b353011305a9/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 5: My Digital Twin](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/df44b7a80fcd) (2024-08-06, 44 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/a8c8bc5d-171e-4df3-a72b-b3530113053d/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 4: Take a Deep Breath](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/fce75bb630f3) (2024-07-30, 41 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/d728612d-e789-4381-8658-b35301130546/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 3: Conversations With Myself](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/87fe9d375a7d) (2024-07-23, 34 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/1b116bbd-4ec6-4a38-86d5-b353011304ff/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 2: Me and My Scammer](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/1e16145d1b76) (2024-07-16, 38 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/68ca6cf1-02a2-4ab5-8c46-b35301130515/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Episode 1: Quality Assurance](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/79ac63e625f5) (2024-07-09, 33 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/fcc607a2-8404-42c2-ac53-b353011304df/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 - [Introducing Shell Game, a Strange and Immersive AI Experiment](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1753117762/cb14cd5d8ec4) (2024-07-02, 3 min): audio https://podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/tracking.swap.fm/track/DfXIxNL4FlhsFXtrke08/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/d3d3abca-191a-4010-8160-b3530112d393/0b25b417-0861-42c3-9e4b-b353011303c5/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=c639b22c-ee8c-43dd-86c1-b3530112d3a3 Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.