Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith

Yves Ubelmann is a technologist, artist, and architect who is on a mission to digitally preserve the world’s cultural and natural heritage. He is the founder and CEO of Iconem, a company that creates stunning 3D models of endangered sites and environments. In this episode, Brad and Yves take a boat trip through Venice, touring the subject of his most ambitious project: an AI-generated digital twin of one of the world’s most magnificent cities. Inspired by his grandfather’s work to restore war-damaged heritage sites in France, Yves shares how he is using AI to memorialize the world’s heritage in 3D and raising awareness of the effects of climate change on our planet.Click here for the full transcript

As the United States’ first Ambassador-at-Large for Cyberspace and Digital Policy, Nathaniel Fick is leading a tech-centered global diplomatic mission. Nate brings extraordinary depth to this important role in contemporary foreign policy – not as a career diplomat, but from a wide range of experiences: a Classics graduate from Dartmouth, a Marine leader in Afghanistan and Iraq, a venture capitalist, and a CEO for a cybersecurity firm.As we kick off 2024, we discuss his priorities for the year ahead, why he'd always choose his radio over his rifle, the parallels between philosophy and AI policy, and an inspiring call for each of us to find time for national service.Click here for the full transcript.

Ben Rhodes had a front-row seat to one of the great transformations of our time - how people consume and react to information on social media. From his post as Deputy National Security Advisor and speechwriter serving under Barack Obama, Ben watched, as this technology evolved from a democratizing force of the Arab Spring to a weapon used to spread disinformation and divide societies.In this episode, the bestselling author and podcaster discusses the transformative technology of today, Artificial Intelligence. He shares his perspective on how we can develop and deploy AI to serve society and help solve some of society’s biggest challenges while staying clear-eyed so that we can anticipate risk and navigate new challenges.  Click here for the episode transcript

His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama, the first cabinet level position on AI as the Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence in UAE, discusses the role of gaming in his personal development, the importance of AI education for government decision-makers, and the significance of cultural diversity in technology innovation.

U.S. Ambassador Meg Whitman shares insights on her role in Africa and promoting American business investments. She discusses her mother's WWII experience as a mechanic and how it influenced her. The chapter also explores Kenya's emergence as a tech center and the belief in Kenya's potential for partnership with the United States.

Kevin Scott, Microsoft's Chief Technology Officer, champions a human-centered approach to AI development, rooted in his Virginia upbringing. He shares how community values can inform safer and more accessible technology. The conversation delves into AI's potential to enhance essential services like education and healthcare. Scott also discusses the intersection of art and technology, highlighting how emotional expression can enrich AI's integration. His insights on the partnerships between Microsoft and OpenAI reveal the importance of diverse perspectives in tech innovation.

Nadia Calviño is a world leader who has earned a reputation for getting things done. As Spain’s First Vice President and Minister of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, she created the first national agency for regulating AI. In this episode, she explains how she rearchitected Spain’s economy to embrace AI in every sector while protecting citizens’ digital privacy and safety. They discuss how she is ensuring that Spain’s digital transformation uplifts everyone, the importance of digital skilling for people of all ages and genders, and Spain’s groundbreaking charter on digital rights, which is becoming a blueprint not only across Europe and the Spanish-speaking world, but globally.Click here for the episode transcript.

AI may be the most consequential technology advance of our lifetime. Rapid advances are creating new opportunities, challenges, and questions that require the public and private sectors to come together to ensure that this technology serves the public good. In this special episode, recorded as part of an event hosted by Microsoft in Washington D.C., I share how AI is leading to new breakthroughs in research, healthcare, and productivity, the guardrails required to ensure accountability and transparency, and a five-point blueprint to help create AI Policy, Law, and Regulation.Click here for the episode transcript. Governing AI: A Blueprint for the FutureWatch the video: https://www.linkedin.com/events/governingai-ablueprintforaipoli7066550853603639296/about/Read the executive summary: https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2023/05/25/how-do-we-best-govern-ai/Download the full report: https://query.prod.cms.rt.microsoft.com/cms/api/am/binary/RW14Gtw  Join the discussion: https://www.linkedin.com/events/governingai-ablueprintforaipoli7066550853603639296/comments/

At a time when most Africans had not yet heard the sound of a ringing telephone, Strive Masiyiwa, an impatient young engineer, successfully challenged Zimbabwe’s state-run telecoms monopoly to get the licenses he needed to launch Econet Wireless. The court’s decision reverberated across Africa, clearing the way for private sector operators to enter this new mobile technology industry and connect people across the continent for the first time. Residing in South Africa and the UK since 2000, the successful tech tycoon, recognized as one of the “50 Most Influential People” and one of the “World’s 50 Greatest Leaders,” now drives his pan-African vision. Today, with the same persistence, he and his companies set their sights to ensure that all 1.3 billion+ Africans get access to digital infrastructure, close the digital skills gap, and invest in the continent’s young entrepreneurs to find innovative solutions for healthcare and food insecurity. Click here to read the full transcript. 

Brad and Carol Ann discovered that riding in an autonomous vehicle as it learns to navigate the streets of London can be a bit nerve-wracking. But these hands-on experiences are crucial to understanding the impact that AI's sudden surge has on everyday life at the intersection of technology and society. In this episode, Brad's co-author, chief of staff, and long-time colleague Carol Ann Browne puts him in the hot seat to discuss the tech issues and trends that they are witnessing together in real time. They discuss the war in Ukraine, the global economy, climate change, and why responsibility must be at the center of AI development.Click here for the episode transcript. You can read more about the initiatives discussed in the episode through the links below:(04:28) Olena Zelenska Foundation (07:28) Planet(07:32) The Clooney Foundation for Justice(11:52) Climeworks(11:57) Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund(15:31) OpenAI(21:51) Responsible AI at Microsoft(28:11) Wayve(29:58) SEEDS