In this episode of the Evolving Leader podcast, co-hosts Jean Gomes and Scott Allender talk to entrepreneur, investor, and the creator of highly-regarded newsletter ‘Exponential View’ Azeem Azhar. Much of the world is witnessing radical societal change driven by exponential technologies that are transforming how we live and interact with one another and disrupting our economic and social norms in highly unpredictable ways. In his recent book ‘Exponential: How to Bridge the Gap Between Technology and Society’, Azeem Azhar describes the widening gap between technology and society and its ramifications. 

Reading suggestion -
'Exponential: How to Bridge the Gap Between Technology and Society’, (Random House, 2021)

0.00 Introduction

2.30 Tell us about your journey and how that influenced your views regarding how new technologies are accelerating change and as a result creating an exponential gap between the impact they have on the world and the scope of our institutions and policies.

11.33 What is the central message in your book from a leadership perspective? What could business leaders learn from the book?

17.06 How do you start the conversation with a CEO who hasn’t started to consider the use of exponential technologies within their organisation?

20.17 At a time when mankind’s biggest challenge is tackling climate change, can you share what you’re seeing in terms of the conflict of technology, political will and capability.  

24,45 Another huge risk to our future is AI enhanced warfare where (for example) humans could be excluded from making decisions which could lead to catastrophic escalations. Could you give us your view on how this is developing?

30.47 In your view, how is remote working transforming the world?

37.57 If we pause to think about the future Metaverse (with Facebook having recently rebranded to Meta), how do we prevent it from deepening the problems with mental health and wellbeing that are dogging social media at the moment? 

43.39 Thinking about some of the other major players in the techspace (including Apple, Amazon and Microsoft), what do you think their evolution is going to look like in the next ten years?

46.57 As leaders, how are we going to manage the exponential gap?  

53.52 What has excited you during the last 6-12 months?

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The Evolving Leader is researched, written and presented by Jean Gomes and Scott Allender with production by Phil Kerby. It is an Outside production.

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