Winning the Enabling Races for Innovation

On our 300th episode, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talks about her return to Stanford after years in government and the impact she sees rapidly advancing technologies having on democracy and public policy. She says the future demands greater collaboration among industry, academia, and government to ensure promising fields like quantum computing and AI are used for the greatest good—in education, medicine, and the sciences. We are in a race that we must win, Rice tells host Russ Altman on this special episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

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Episode Reference Links:

• Stanford Profile: Condoleezza Rice

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• Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website
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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Introduction

Russ Altman introduces guest Condoleezza Rice, former U.S. Secretary of State and a professor of political science and political economy at Stanford University.

(00:04:08) Returning to Stanford

Why Condoleezza returned to academia after serving as Secretary of State.

(00:04:50) Higher Education & Public Trust

Potential factors impacting universities' connection to the broader public.

(00:07:31) Why Research Still Matters

The importance of curiosity-driven, federally funded university research.

(00:09:32) Hoover’s Emerging Tech Initiative

An outline of the Hoover Institution’s Tech Initiative and its policies.

(00:12:11) Uniting Scientists & Policymakers

How engineers and researchers are engaging with policy and ethics.

(00:13:41) The Race For Innovation

Emerging themes and key enablers in the technology innovation race.

(00:19:17) Industry in the Lead

How private companies are now the primary drivers of innovation.

(00:22:02) Global Tech & National Interests

The tension between globalized tech firms and U.S. policy interests

(00:24:35) AI & Education

Using AI as a tool to enhance teaching and critical thinking in students.

(00:28:30) Students Driving Policy

The contribution students are making to Hoover’s tech policy work.

(00:29:23) Future In a Minute

Rapid-fire Q&A: hope, innovation, time, humanity, and alternate careers.

(00:31:09) Conclusion

Connect With Us:

Episode Transcripts >>> The Future of Everything Website

Connect with Russ >>> Threads / Bluesky / Mastodon

Connect with School of Engineering >>>Twitter/X / Instagram / LinkedIn / Facebook

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