In this expansive and very human conversation, filmmaker and creative technologist Akira Chan joins Bryan Reeves and co-host Tait Arend to explore the wild, exhilarating, and sometimes terrifying frontier of artificial intelligence. From AI-generated songs and robot companions to the ways technology is already shaping our relationships, creativity, and emotional lives, this episode dives deep into what it means to stay human in an AI-driven world.

Grounded, curious, and refreshingly real, this dialogue asks the questions that matter most: How do we use AI to bridge connections, not replace them? What parts of our humanity should never be outsourced? And how can these tools actually make our relationships richer?

00:00 – Dogs, Heartbeats, and Nervous System Whisperers

03:00 – “This Is Not AI”… or Is It?

04:30 – How Bryan and Akira First Met

07:00 – The First Wave of AI Magic

08:00 – Why This Episode Matters Now

10:45 – Can AI Help Us Connect More Deeply?

11:30 – The AI-Generated Song for Bryan & Tait

15:45 – The Imposter Question: Is Anything Truly Original?

20:00 – “I Feel Manipulated Sometimes”

23:00 – Will Men Fall in Love with AI Companions?

26:00 – How AI Is Already Shaping Our Thinking

33:00 – AI Tools Akira Actually Recommends

37:00 – The Atrophy of Human Skills

45:00 – Robots Are Coming Into Our Homes

52:00 – The Line Akira Won’t Cross as a Filmmaker

1:00:00 – What We Must NOT Outsource to AI

1:04:30 – Wrapping with Heart

Website - https://akirachan.com/

Production Company - https://www.raremedia.tv/

• Official Website: https://bryanreeves.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryanreevesinsight/

Men’s Coaching Program: https://bryanreeves.com/elevate

In this raw and revealing episode, Tait and Bryan reflect on a powerful and often overlooked truth: So many men only find this work because the women in their lives refused to give up on them. Whether it’s a book left on a nightstand, a therapy session demanded through gritted teeth, or a heartbreaking confrontation, women have been the silent initiators of many men's healing journeys. This episode is an acknowledgment. A thank-you. An ode. It’s also a challenge to the men listening to hear the love beneath the criticism. And to the women: keep standing strong.

• Why resistance is often the first step in every man’s growth
• The role women play in awakening men to their potential
• Why emotional isolation is harming modern relationships
• What makes a true men’s group different from a friend group
• How being witnessed by trustable men changes everything
• Why your partner's frustration may be the invitation of a lifetime

00:00 - Intro: The Most Awkward Part of Every Podcast

01:17 - An Ode to Women: The Real Gateway to Men’s Work

03:32 - The Elevate Program: 6 Years and 100+ Men Later

05:05 - Resistance: “I Didn’t Want to Go to Therapy”

07:34 - What Women Are Really Asking For

09:14 - Traumatizing Rites of Passage: Frats, Gangs, and Military

10:50 - Looking to Women for Validation—and the Fallout

13:15 - Women as Unintended Stewards of Manhood

16:27 - The Disney Lie: Where Love Stories Break Down

18:11 - Why Men Without Friends Lean Too Hard on Their Partners

20:20 - Friend Groups vs. Men’s Groups: The Third Option

21:44 - A Real-Time Breakthrough: When One Conversation Changes Everything

23:32 - “This Is Just Normal Now”—How Fast Growth Can Happen

25:03 - A Message to Women: Your Nagging Might Be an Invitation

26:49 - Hurtful Words and Hidden Truths

28:03 - What Men’s Work Gave Me That My Wife Couldn’t

30:45 - What Support from Other Men Really Looks Like

32:27 - Final Thoughts: Thank You, Women. Truly.

34:03 - Learn More About Elevate 2026

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Have you ever grieved something difficult to explain to others ... or to yourself? A dream you never got to live, a world you left behind after moving, a home you never got to call home, a relationship that never got off the ground?

In this powerful solo return, Bryan Reeves explores the deep emotional terrain of ambiguous loss: grief without closure, headlines, or a clear reason. From the loss of a dream wedding and the promise of parenthood to the emotional cost of eight moves in five years, Bryan shares personal stories and hard-earned insights on how to grieve the invisible, hold space for uncertainty, and honor your experience without needing it to make sense to anyone else.

If you're carrying sadness you can't fully name or explain, this episode will help you feel seen, and invite you to start healing.

00:00 – Why I Took a Break

01:32 – The Ireland Retreat That Changed Everything

03:20 – The Weight of Eight Moves in Five Years

04:45 – What Is Ambiguous Loss?

06:30 – Invisible Grief: Our Lost Wedding & Parenthood Dreams

08:15 – The House We Couldn't Live In

10:00 – Guilt, Grief, and Comparing Pain

12:05 – Grieving the End of a Day: A Malibu Story

14:00 – Why Some Grief Is Hard to Explain

15:25 – The Loneliness of Loss Without Witness

17:10 – Wisdom from Francis Weller on Communal Grief

19:40 – Moving In, Letting Go: A Nervous System Exhale

21:10 – Lessons From a Decade-Long Relationship

23:00 – Life Has Seasons—And That’s Okay

25:15 – Tiny Green Shoots: Signs of Spring After Long Winter

27:05 – New Beginnings: Retreats, Books, and Rebuilding

29:15 – Closing Reflection: You’re Not Broken for Feeling This

30:45 – Name Your Grief, Honor Its Place

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