Decoding Geopolitics Podcast with Dominik Presl

#81 Nick Hare: World's Top Forecaster Predicts How Will the Ukraine War End and If China Will Invade Taiwan

Sep 6, 2025
In this engaging talk, Nick Hare, a former UK defence intelligence analyst and founder of Aleph Insights, delves into the art of superforecasting. He discusses the power of structured analytical methods in predicting geopolitical events, including the potential outcomes of the Ukraine war and China's ambitions toward Taiwan. Nick explains how he developed his forecasting skills, the vital role of data over intuition, and how governments often miss the mark by relying on biases. His insights reveal the fascinating dynamics that shape our world.
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ANECDOTE

From Economist To Intelligence Analyst

  • Nick Hare joined the UK Ministry of Defence in 2000 and later moved into Defence Intelligence in 2006 as head of defence economics.
  • He applied economic methods to intelligence problems and discovered quantitative approaches outperformed pure expertise.
INSIGHT

How Thinking Beats Expertise

  • Phil Tetlock's research showed forecasting skill depends more on how you think than what you know.
  • Good forecasting is technique-driven, not just subject-matter expertise.
ADVICE

Ask Rigorous Probabilistic Questions

  • Assign probabilities to well-defined, resolvable questions and update forecasts when new information arrives.
  • Use proper scoring rules and frequent updates to reveal and improve your calibrated beliefs.
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