Azeem Azhar's Exponential View

OpenAI stunned the world with the release of Generative Pre-trained Transformer 3 (GPT-3), the world’s most impressive language-generating AI. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman joins Azeem Azhar to reflect on the huge attention generated by GPT-3 and what it heralds for the future research and development toward the creation of a true artificial general intelligence (AGI). They also explore: How AGI could be used both to reduce and exacerbate inequality. How governance models need to change to address the growing power of technology companies. How Altman’s experience leading Y Combinator informed his leadership of OpenAI. Further reading: “The messy, secretive reality behind OpenAI’s bid to save the world” (Wired, 2020) “Sam Altman’s Manifest Destiny” (New Yorker, 2016) “Governance in the Age of AI” (Exponential View Podcast, 2019) “Trillions of Words Analyzed, OpenAI Sets Loose AI Language Colossus” (Bloomberg, 2020) “OpenAI’s Text Generator Is Going Commercial” (WIRED, 2020) @Sama @Azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As we wrap up the season and head off to a short summer break, Azeem Azhar reflects on what he learned from his conversations with technology and business leaders like Microsoft’s Brad Smith, social activist Hilary Cottam, and historian David Runciman. Plus, he shares the trends he will keep his eye on across the summer. We’ll be back with Season 5 this fall. Further reading: “The Three Cleavages: Shaping the Post-Pandemic Order” (Exponential View, 2020) “Preparing for 2020” (Exponential View, 2020) @Azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

More than half of the world’s population believe capitalism is doing more harm than good. But is it beyond repair, or can it be fixed from within? Harvard Business School professor Rebecca Henderson joins Azeem Azhar to share her vision of purpose-driven capitalism, where companies can make good profits by doing the right thing. They also explore: Why strong government and civil society are fundamental for healthy capitalism. Why highly-rated ESG companies have proved to be more profitable and resilient. The flaw in relying on a few philanthropists to fund public services. Further reading: “The Business Case for Saving Democracy” (Harvard Business Review, 2020) “ESG Passes the Covid Challenge” (Financial Times, 2020) “Reimagining Capitalism” (Rebecca Henderson, 2020) “The Innovation Economy” (Exponential View podcast, 2019) @RebeccaReCap @Azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter SUPPORT US! If you love what we do, please take a moment to vote for us: British Podcast Awards, Listener’s Choice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The increasing capabilities of computing have changed biology from a realm dominated by scientific discovery to one that intersects with engineering and innovation. Vijay Pande, a General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz, joins Azeem Azhar to discuss the emergence of this novel industry at the interface of technology and biology. They also discuss: The most promising technologies to combat Covid-19 that are being tested. Why next-gen biotech companies look increasingly like tech startups. Why our long-term health depends on regulators and society engaging with this tech. Further reading: “The Next Trillion Dollar Market” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “Drug Discovery in the Age of Coronavirus” (Vijay Pande, 2020) @VijayPande @Azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter SUPPORT US! If you love what we do, please take a moment to vote for us: British Podcast Awards, Listener’s Choice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Starting a company with a stranger is not the traditional path for many entrepreneurs, but this is one of the basic principles of Entrepreneur First (EF), the world’s leading talent investor. Matt Clifford, EF’s CEO and co-founder, joins Azeem Azhar to explain why he invests in founders before they have a business idea and other novel approaches to venture capital and innovation. They also discuss: The idea of the “venture customer” as a key player in the innovation ecosystem. Why Europe might have the edge when it comes to the next generation of startups. The example of Singapore’s government as an active driver of innovation. Further reading: “Coronavirus might spell the end of tech hubs. That’s a good thing” (Wired, 2020) “The psychology of Silicon Valley” (Exponential View, 2020) “Building Unicorns in Europe” (Exponential View podcast, 2019) @MatthewClifford @azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter SUPPORT US! If you love what we do, please take a moment to vote for us: British Podcast Awards, Listener’s Choice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Operating a company with no managers, where everyone chooses their work, salary, and holiday entitlement may sound like chaos. But Daniel Hulme, CEO of Satalia, and his team of 250 people are making it productive. Daniel joins Azeem Azhar to discuss what a company that runs as a decentralize swarm looks like in practice. They discuss: The role of artificial intelligence and open innovation in a swarm organization. How a decentralized business creates accountability to ensure strong output. The potential for the model to scale to larger organizations, and even countries. Further reading: “Swarm Intelligence: How Can We Harness Collective Human Intelligence?” (Exponential View, 2019) “Making the Decision to Decentralize” (Harvard Business School, 2004) “Idea: Decentralisation” (The Economist, 2019) @TheSolveEngine @azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Companies increasingly use digital systems to hire, fire, and monitor their employees. But who is keeping employers in check? Former director at the service workers union, UNI Global, and one of the most influential thinkers in the ethics of AI, Dr. Christina Colclough joins Azeem Azhar to explore how to ensure that the increasingly digital workplace of the near future protects workers. They also discuss: How Covid-19 has affected the most vulnerable members of the global workforce. How management by algorithm erodes trust in the workplace. Why trade unions should employ data analysts and digital experts. Further reading: “When algorithms hire and fire” (Equal Times, 2018) “Welcome Back to the Office. Your Every Move Will Be Watched.” (Wall Street Journal, 2020) “Time to Deliver Justice to Delivery Workers” (New York Review of Books, 2020) Related EV discussions mentioned in this episode: Laetitia Vitaud, Mariana Mazzucato, Meredith Whittaker, Binyamin Applebaum. @CjColclough @azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cities drive prosperity. But during the Covid-19 pandemic, they also have become crucibles of disease. Sameh Wahba, the World Bank’s Global Director of Urban, Disaster Risk Management, Resilience, and Land, joins Azeem Azhar to discuss how the World Bank partners with technologists to help cities on the frontline of the pandemic, and how the dynamism of urban density can be harnessed to build livable and inclusive cities of the future. They also address: Why the inexorable trend towards urbanization will not be stopped by Covid-19. Why more densely populated cities are not necessarily the worst affected. How satellite imagery, 3D maps, and AI are helping cities manage transmission hotspots. Further reading: “Now Is the Time to Embrace Density” (New York Times, 2020) “Cities are on the front lines of COVID-19” (World Bank Blog, 2020) “Competitive Cities for Jobs and Growth: What, Who and How” (Global Urban Lecture, 2017) @SamehNWahba @azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter Note: We updated one sentence in this interview for clarity. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After ImageNet transformed AI vision, superstar Stanford computer science professor Fei-Fei Li has turned her attention to advancing healthcare. Fei-Fei Li, co-director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute, is leading the next generation of interdisciplinary technologists. She joins Azeem Azhar to explore her journey from pioneering AI vision to her current focus on healthcare, and to discuss the need to craft AI systems that enhance human flourishing. They also discuss: How AI technologies could support the isolated and elderly during the pandemic. Why machine values must mirror human values, and how to embed that connection. What allowed Li’s — and the industry’s — early naivete to the dangers of facial recognition. Why Li’s health technologists must work with doctors and patients, not just medical data. Further reading: “Fei-Fei Li’s Quest to Make AI Better for Humanity” (Wired, 2018) “AI Pioneer Fei-Fei Li on Building Benevolent Machines” (Wall Street Journal, 2019) “AI, Accountability, and Power” (Exponential View podcast with Meredith Whitaker, 2019) @drfeifei @azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nasdaq has evolved from being the world’s first digital marketplace to a global technology company. CEO Adena Friedman joins Azeem Azhar to discuss how their digital operation has become the model for markets around the world, the surprising importance of regulation as a driver of innovation, and how Nasdaq prepared to keep functioning during the pandemic lockdown. They also discuss: The infrastructure that allows Nasdaq to reliably maintain data rates thousands of times faster than the internet and traffic volumes many times higher than Google searches. How smart regulation played a vital role in the evolution of Nasdaq’s resilience. Why the Nordic states exemplify a healthy balance between government and business. Further reading: “What’s the Future of Capitalism?” (TED Talk, 2019) “Interview with Adena Friedman on COVID-19” (The Economic Club of Washington DC, 2020) “Technology Companies and the New Recession” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) @adenatfriedman @azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.