The Futurists

Technology innovator Akshay Chopra joins the Futurists to discuss his new book: “After Us: A Tale of Life Beyond Superintelligent AI.”  In this work of speculative fiction, Chopra posits scenarios of a world dominated by a benevolent superintelligence.  Topics include: the challenge of envisioning a positive outcome in a world organized by AI; the perils of AI-induced delusions;  AI as an evolution of mankind, not a substitute for humanity;  the Dataism philosophy and the Panspermia hypothesis; the appeal and relevance of magical realism;  how AI denialism is a form of grief processing as we mourn the loss of our status as a species;  the struggle to think exponentially instead of linearly;  the threats that Akshay thinks we should be concerned about.  http://mybook.to/afterus/opt/1

Arwa Damon, a former CNN reporter and founder of INARA, shares her profound insights on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. She discusses her mental health journey as a frontline reporter and how that informs her mission to provide medical aid to children affected by war. Arwa emphasizes the importance of small acts of kindness amidst despair and the innovative ways Gazans cope with financial barriers. Her thoughts on the challenges of storytelling in conflict and the resilience of the Gazan community are both eye-opening and inspiring.

Industry strategist John Sviokla is the co-founder of GAI Insights and an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School. He tells the Futurists about the real challenges and opportunities in the process of reorganizing businesses around unlimited intelligence.  Topics include: The existential threat to the big strategic advisory firms. Why talking to machines is such a significant change.  The remarkably rapid rise of machine IQ and the power of emergent capabilities.  John’s forecast for the evolution of new AI models. How proprietary data, especially intent, will fuel the transition from search engines to answer engines.  The logic behind the partnership between Walmart and OpenAI.  What happens to a company’s organization when you can buy expertise on demand.  How every human worker will become a platoon of experts.  The two populations in most organizations that use AI. The net present value of AI projects.  GAI Insight’s four-step process for fostering new corporate capabilities based on AI. 

Shelly Palmer, a media and technology strategist, dives into the disruptive role of AI agents in media. He predicts these agents will revolutionize how news and entertainment are distributed and monetized, starting in 2026. Palmer highlights the shift from human management to AI supervision, the potential for personalized content curation, and concerns about the future of journalism amidst algorithmic changes. He also discusses the emotional impact on creators and the need for leaders to adapt to this rapidly evolving landscape.

Mike Pell is an author, an artist and the director of the Microsoft Garage, the worldwide innovation program where he applies “fast design” principles to bring ideas to prototypes quickly. Mike’s hackathons scale to include 10,000 participants.  Mike tells the Futurists how artificial intelligence systems accelerate ideation during the innovation process.  The challenge: managing a team of AI agents will require human workers to adapt to entirely new processes and discard some outdated practices. Visualization is one of the key elements in Mike’s approach to this process, as conveyed in his recent book, “Visualizing Business”.  

Join filmmaker Jeffrey Morris, known for his thought-provoking science-fiction documentaries, and science fiction author Kevin J. Anderson as they dive into the captivating world of 'Space 1999.' Jeffrey shares insights on his documentary 'The Eagle Obsession' and discusses the ambitious 'Persephone,' focusing on colonizing Proxima b and the ethical dilemmas of alien life. The duo also debates the need for optimistic sci-fi, the risks of AI in storytelling, and envisioning lunar bases within the next few decades. Buckle up for a stimulating journey into futurism!

The future of computing is 3D, according to Avi Bar Zeev. For three decades, this creative technologist  has played a part in the creation of every major advance in spatial computing, immersive media, and XR. This week, Avi joins the Futurists to explain how previous breakthroughs will make the next wave of 3D computing possible. Avi shares what he has learned from 30 years of designing theme park rides, new headsets, virtual worlds and planetary-scale maps.

The future in Dubai is so brilliant, you need sunglasses. This week Brett and Rob talk to their colleague and business partner Mohamed Alkhatib about the key findings and hot topics they covered at the first Futurists X Summit. Why Dubai?  Learn about the bold steps that the United Arab Emirates is taking to foster future prosperity with applied imagination? Giant data centers, advances in AI models, asteroid mining, next generation energy, future transportation and city planning, biotech and programmable biology, smart infrastructure and city scale digital twins.

Sangeet Paul Choudary, a leading expert on the platform economy and author of The Reshuffle, shares insights on how AI is set to revolutionize industries. He challenges the simplistic views of AI's impact, emphasizing that it's not just a redistribution of wealth but a complete system overhaul. Through examples like container shipping and the smartphone, he illustrates how technology shapes market dynamics. Choudary explains AI's role in transforming tasks and coordination within firms, advocating for a nuanced understanding of its potential.

Susan Zieger, the author of “Logistics and Power”, joins the Futurists to share her insight about global trade and control. Global trade and logistics requires a hierarchy of control to ensure timely, reliable delivery. That’s why power is an emergent principle of the global supply chain.  For Zieger, the supply chain covers more than containers and manufactured goods, spanning the movement of humans and information.  The early phases of global trade continue to shape the present and the future of logistics, transportation, and cultural globalization. Zieger provides a wide-ranging survey of world systems, beginning with the Dutch colonies of the 17th century;  how modern managerial power emerged from railroad industry in the 19th century; and today’s new frontier of suborbital supply chains in space. Zieger’s critical focus is a humanist-focused interpretation of logistics, including the impact on the people who are engaged in global trade as employees or consumers, subject to the rules imposed by the logistics of trade.