The Futurists

Cory Doctorow, a savvy activist and journalist, delves into the complexities of our tech-driven world. He shares insights from his latest novel, 'Picks and Shovels,' highlighting financial crime in 1980s Silicon Valley. The conversation tackles exploitative economic models, comparing pyramid schemes to cryptocurrency, and discusses the personal journeys of women leaving oppressive faiths. Doctorow emphasizes the need for a sustainable capitalism that fosters innovation while confronting monopolies and climate challenges, urging listeners to navigate digital privacy with care.

In this week's episode we interview author, AI theorist and researcher David Shapiro. Shapiro is part philosopher, part theorist with a fair bit of practical wisdom thrown in. With a hit YouTube channel Shapiro travels  the globe as a speaker and advisor musing on the longer-term impacts of AI, technology and human adaptability. In this deep conversation with host Brett King, we delve into the ways in which advanced AI might completely transform our way of life, including economics, politics and what it means to be human itself. This is not one you'll want to miss.

Pablos Holman, a futurist and venture capitalist at Deep Future, discusses pressing energy challenges and the innovative solutions on the horizon. He highlights the stark disparity in energy consumption and the urgent need for sustainable practices. The conversation ventures into China’s rapid adoption of electric vehicles and groundbreaking advancements in nuclear technology. Holman also explores the futuristic idea of transmitting solar energy from space to Earth and the role of AI in resource efficiency, envisioning a cleaner and more sustainable future.

Bay Raitt, a versatile artist and technologist known for his work in comics, games, and VFX, shares his insights on AI's transformative role in the creative process. He argues that AI empowers artists, enhancing their abilities and fostering community-driven creation, as seen with Steam Workshop. Bay discusses the intricacies of training AI models, copyright issues, and the historical parallels between AI and synthesized music. He urges artists to embrace AI tools ethically, predicting a future where automation leads to greater access to creativity.

Marc Buckley returns to The Futurists with Brett King talking his return to Davos with Alohas Regenerative Futures in his role as a resident futurist with the United Nations Climate Change Global Innovation Hub and World Economic Forum advising on global sustainable development goals. Buckley maintains we can build a better future if we are clear about our goals and visions of the future, and that a regenerative future is very possible with the tech that is available today. When Marc speaks about this you get a clear sense of urgency, and he talks about the impact of ongoing extreme weather events like the LA wildfires also.

Is DeepSeek a massive disruption of the AI landscape? Or just another entrant in a brutal contest between Big Tech and feisty startups? In this episode, Brett and Rob examine the advent of DeepSeek R1 from all angles:  China’s rising AI prowess, the new Cold War, the myth of American exceptionalism, protectionism and export controls, the power of open source software, the winners and losers, and some surprising insights about the massive 17% drop in Nvidia’s market cap.

While the 2025 wildfires still burn, a special eyewitness account from Rob, located deep in the fire zone in Los Angeles. He and Brett discuss the economic, environmental and psychological toll of one of the nation’s worst natural disasters.  Also, the looming instance crisis and the challenge of measuring the true economic toll of ecological disaster and inaction by Congress.

As we head into Davos at the end of the month, we are bringing in world class futurists that will be participating at the World Economic Forum. This week we have an Artist turned Futurist,  Dina Baenninger, who debates the need for real  artistry, creativity and modeling in scenario planning  and how it’s not just all about strategic thinking and trending. Dina is heading to Davos to apply this level of creativity personally.

In this week's episodes Brian Solis, Brett King and Rob Tercek get together to brainstorm and model the possible big advances and macro changes that are likely to come in 2025. From Trump's first year back, to the broader market changes and climate impact issues. This is what happens when you let three futurists out after dark to talk about short-term futures

Donna Dupont is the Chief Strategist at Purple Compass. She is a deep expert in designing foresight and forecasting scenarios for defense, national security, policing, public safety and public health for government agencies clients in Europe and North America. In this episode, she provides practical advice, based on her experience, for how to contend with increasing volatility in society, geopolitics, the environment and economics.