Plumbing with Sir Geoff Mulgan

Governments may campaign in poetry and govern in prose, but what about the engineering that keeps our democracy flowing? The pioneer of public innovation and Professor of Collective Intelligence at University College London, Sir Geoff Mulgan, believes it’s time to get the boring bits right.

Regular panellists Digital Rights Watch Chair Lizzie O’Shea, Health Engine CEO Dan Stinton and Per Capita’s Peter Lewis also discuss:

• Anthropic CEO Dario Ameida’s summer essay - https://darioamodei.com/essay/the-adolescence-of-technology
• Should universities accept Big Tech dollars - https://www.science.org/content/article/nearly-third-social-media-research-has-undisclosed-ties-industry-preprint-claims
• and South Korea’s new AI Basic Act - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/29/south-korea-world-first-ai-regulation-laws.

If you want to hear more from Sir Geoff he will be speaking in Sydney on Feburary 25 https://anzsog.edu.au/events-connection/events/what-next-for-public-innovation-with-geoff-mulgan

Visit www.percapita.org.au for more on our research and events.

Per Capita's podcasts are recorded and produced on Wurundjeri land.