Published in 1909, 'The Machine Stops' is a prophetic tale by E.M. Forster that depicts a future where humans live underground in isolated rooms, relying on 'The Machine' for all their needs. The story follows Vashti and her son Kuno, who live on opposite sides of the world and communicate through the Machine. Kuno's desire to experience the surface world and his warnings about the Machine's impending failure are met with resistance from Vashti, who is deeply entrenched in the Machine's culture. The narrative explores themes of technological dependence, social isolation, and the erosion of human values, culminating in a catastrophic event when the Machine stops functioning, leading to the collapse of the society it supports.
Written in 1931 and published in 1932, 'Brave New World' is a dystopian novel set in a futuristic World State where humans are bred in vitro and predestined into a rigid social hierarchy. The novel explores themes of technological advancement, social conditioning, and the loss of individuality and freedom. The story revolves around characters such as Bernard Marx, an Alpha who questions the society, Mustapha Mond, the World Controller, and John, a 'Savage' from a reservation who introduces elements of emotion and individuality into the highly controlled World State. The novel critiques the optimism of technological progress and its potential to create a society that values stability and happiness over humanity and freedom[2][4][5].
On this week’s Fintech Insider Insights, we’re bringing you something a little bit different!
Our CEO, David M. Brear, recently headed to the Point Zero Forum in Zurich, where he moderated a panel all about AI innovation - and what it takes for countries to stay competitive in this space.
It was a super insightful conversation, and the brilliant team at PZF were kind enough to let us share it with you all.
Hope you enjoy it!
This week's guests:
- Catrin Hinkel, Chief Executive Officer, Microsoft Switzerland, Microsoft
- Daniela Stoffel, State Secretary, State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF)
- Dr. Jochen Papenbrock, Head of Financial Technology - EMEA, NVIDIA
- Dr. Christopher Purves, Global Co-Head UBS Group Emerging Technology, UBS
Links to check out:
Join our WhatsApp community, where you can get the inside track on all all things 11:FS, as well as having your say on the things we should be paying attention to.
https://chat.whatsapp.com/KpA4gFbbWDlLFm7kx39raf
Support our charity partner School-Home Support
Support our sponsors:
If you're running an early-stage business with Seed or Series A funding, Tide’s new savings account offers rates up to 4.48% (AER), with instant access to your money. Plus, get the best rates for free for 12 months at tide.co/insider.
About Fintech Insider:
Fintech Insider by 11:FS is a bi-weekly podcast that covers everything from finance and banking to technology and the latest trends in financial services.
Our expert hosts, with hands-on industry experience, are joined by key decision-makers, VCs, and top reporters from across the financial landscape, including guests from companies like Stripe, Revolut, Plaid, PayPal, and Monzo. Together, they break down the biggest news and innovations shaping the space.
Our weekly news show drops every Monday, covering major stories like mergers, new product launches, regulatory shifts, and emerging tech trends. On Thursdays, our Insights show goes deeper into the hottest topics driving the future of finance, including AI in banking, decentralised finance, and the evolving landscape of embedded finance.
Whether you're already in the fintech game or just starting to explore, this is the #1 podcast for you.
If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a review!
Got a question for us? Email podcasts@11fs.com!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Fintech Insider Podcast by 11:FS 
