Azeem Azhar's Exponential View

For the first time in history, we have to tackle a truly global problem: climate breakdown. Energy transition away from fossil fuels is imperative, but there is no consensus on how to achieve this. The preeminent expert on energy history and development, Vaclav Smil, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the limits of renewables, the consequences of megacities, and why waste reduction is a game-changer. In this podcast, they also discuss: Whether the massive amounts of information we gather today has purpose. What possibilities Moore’s Law predicts for biology and chemistry. The limits of nuclear power. Further reading: “What I See When I See a Wind Turbine” (IEEE Spectrum, Vaclav Smil, March 2, 2016) “Thank Maxwell for Cellphones” (IEEE Spectrum, Vaclav Smil, Feb. 28, 2017) Inside Bill’s Brain (Netflix, 2019) @azeem @exponentialview VaclavSmil.com 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.

In November 2018 mass protests by Google workers drew attention to deep problems with bias and discrimination at some of the largest Silicon Valley companies. Meredith Whittaker, co-director of the AI Now Institute and one of the organizers of the Google Walkout, joins Azeem Azhar to discuss how technology workers can influence progress in culture and technology. In this podcast, they also discuss: How discriminatory culture influences the values embedded in AI. Whether ethics officers can actually influence firms and their products. Why responsible AI design must include recognition of the shadow workforce helping to create it. Further reading: “Discriminating Systems: Gender, Race, and Power in AI” (AI Now Institute, April 2019) “Exposing the Bias Embedded in Tech” (The New York Times, June 17, 2019) “’People Fix Things, Tech Doesn’t Fix Things’” (Tech Crunch, October 21, 2019) @mer__edith @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.

The nature of work is undergoing tremendous changes, influenced by aging populations, the digital revolution, and a paradigm shift away from Fordism. Laetitia Vitaud, author of “Du Labeur à l’ouvrage (From Labour to Work),” and Azeem Azhar discuss how the reinvention of craftsmanship is creating a new deal to ensure more equitable, sustainable, and fulfilling jobs. In this podcast, they also discuss: How Silicon Valley is bringing back the values of craftsmanship. What the single most important skill in the new world of work is. Why the jobs of tomorrow will largely be in proximity services. Further reading: “The future of work is in proximity services… But first we need to speak about work and gender” (Medium, Laetitia Vitaud, Oct. 24, 2019) “The Future of Work and Democracy in the Information Age” (Exponential View episode featuring Matthew Taylor, Nov. 7, 2018) “Bubbles, Golden Ages, and Tech Revolutions” (Exponential View episode featuring Carlota Perez, Oct. 16, 2019) @vitolae @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.

The late 1960s saw a revolution in public policy, as economists began to play an important role in shaping politics. On the wings of ideas popularized by Milton Friedman and other economists, the world was forever changed by free markets, dominant corporations, and stakeholder capitalism. Azeem Azhar discusses this with New York Times editorial writer and author Binyamin Appelbaum, whose recent book, “The Economists’ Hour,” is a deep dive into the history of ideas that formed capitalism, as we know it. In this podcast, they also discuss: Why supply-side economists were able to drive home their ideologies with such success. Why the theories that formed the foundation of free-market economic policies have failed in practice. What kinds of solutions economists can offer during this period of explosive technological change. Further reading: “Blame Economists for the Mess We’re In” (The New York Times, Binyamin Appelbaum, Aug. 24, 2019) “Milton Friedman Was Wrong” (The Atlantic, Eric Posner, Aug. 22, 2019) “The Economists’ Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society, Review” (Binyamin Appelbaum) @BCAppelbaum @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.

Gary Marcus is well known as a deep learning critic. A neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and the author of “Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust,” Marcus believes that researchers need to move past deep learning in order to make true advances in machine intelligence. Marcus and Azeem Azhar discuss why, how, and when we can expect progress. In this podcast, they also discuss: What newborn ibexes can teach us about intelligence and learning. How deep learning widens the gap between big companies and startups. What we need for a breakthrough in AI. Further reading: “How to Build Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust” (The New York Times, Gary Marcus and Ernest Davis, Sep. 6, 2019) “Deep Learning: A Critical Appraisal” (Cornell University, Gary Marcus, Jan. 2, 2018) @garymarcus @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.

In our rapidly changing world, peace is increasingly fragile. The only way to ensure we keep it and foster it around the world is to educate citizens to become its resilient stewards. General Sir Richard Barrons is the former Commander of the UK’s Joint Forces Command, and he joins Azeem Azhar to discuss why the definition of warfare is changing with the development of technology and why our society’s resilience in the face of threats to peace must be founded on education. In this episode, they also discuss: What societal resilience is, and how it can ensure our survival. What better leadership looks like in the exponential age. The common denominator between conflict and quinoa. Further reading: “How to Stay Informed on the Future of War” (Quartz, Tim Fernholz) “The Future of War is Already Here” (New York Times, P. W. Singer, Sep. 18, 2019) @azeem @exponentialview Exponential View newsletter Wychwood Partners Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Celebrated economist and author, Carlota Perez, joins Azeem Azhar to discuss the nature of techno-economic paradigm shifts and the potential for a new Golden Age. They delve into topics such as the new welfare state, the impact of universal basic income on innovation, and the progress towards stakeholder capitalism. They also explore rethinking capitalism, the dimensions of global development, and the expansion of universities in developing countries. Exciting insights on the intersection of technology, economics, and social progress.

Artificial General Intelligence won’t be with us for at least another 100 years, but former Baidu chief scientist and Google Brain cofounder Andrew Ng argues that AI will radically alter most industries within the coming decades. Ng joins Azeem Azhar to discuss the progress of AI and how it’s altering businesses and the future of work. They also discuss: How billionaires decide to invest in overly ambitious and unrealistic ideas. What makes a company an AI-first business. Why you shouldn’t start with strategy first when implementing AI into your business. Further reading: “How to Choose Your First AI Project” (HBR, February 2019) “AI Guru Andrew Ng on the Job Market of Tomorrow” (Wall Street Journal, October 2018) @andrewyng @azeem @exponentialview www.exponentialview.co Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If the UK’s former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was in the government today, he says that he would mobilize his whole office around the technology revolution. Tony Blair and Azeem Azhar discuss why the tech leaders must collaborate with policy makers — whether they want to or not — and why regulating big technology is only a small part of the solution. In this podcast, Tony and Azeem also discuss: Why Silicon Valley needs to share societal responsibility with the public sector How the government needs to change to be at the forefront of the technology revolution How the power of the technology industry has become its greatest liability Further reading: “Tony Blair Foreword: Technology for the Many” (Institute for Global Change, November 2017) “Regulating Big Tech” (Exponential View, September 2019) “Majority Worldwide Say Their Society is Broken — An Increasing Feeling Among Britons” (IPSOS, September 2019) @InstituteGC @azeem @exponentialview www.exponentialview.co Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the new season of the Exponential View podcast, Azeem Azhar speaks to an eclectic group of leaders in technology, business, politics, economics, and science to help us break through the complexity of our world and understand how it’s changing. The world’s top AI researchers discuss what the technology is really capable of, a 4-star general shares his concerns about the future of war in the AI age, and a leading economist untangles what economics has got wrong about the tech revolution. Azeem digs into nano-tech, the future of work, and the nature of complexity. Coming on October 2, 2019! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.