Sir Demis Hassabis, Co-founder and CEO of Google DeepMind, shares his bold vision that AI could potentially cure all diseases and achieve general human-like intelligence in a decade. Joined by Neil Lawrence, a leading AI academic, and Naila Murray from Meta, they delve into the nuances of artificial general intelligence versus traditional AI. The conversation also tackles the economic factors shaping AI advancements and the ethical responsibilities tech companies bear in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Danny Fortson in California - 'Danny in the Valley' - joins Katie Prescott in London to talk to the people changing tech across the world. As The Sunday Times’ West Coast Correspondent, Danny Fortson has witnessed first hand the technological whirlwind coming from Silicon Valley. Katie as Technology Business Editor at The Times has reported on how digital technology is transforming businesses and society around the world. Now ‘Danny in the Valley’ meets ‘Katie in the City’ - with a podcast presented from San Francisco and London. Each week sees a fresh interview with pioneers in tech from the brightest start-ups to the tech giants as they chronicle the AI revolution. Sounds good, but what will it sound like? Here's a taste.'What Occurs' by Islands is used by permission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'For nearly seven years Danny Fortson has made the Valley his own, interviewing the newcomers and the established; the inventors and the entrepreneurs; the brightest minds and most daring doers in Silicon Valley. Now the show gets an extra dimension as he is joined by London Technology Business Editor, Katie Prescott for the new Times Tech Podcast as they look at who is shaping tech not just in Silicon Valley, but around the world. It will be with you very soon, but first a special edition of Danny in the Valley, where Danny talks Katie through the people and the themes from the journey so far.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Chambers, the former CEO of Cisco and a tech visionary, shares his insights on the evolving world of artificial intelligence and Silicon Valley dynamics. He discusses the necessity of tech booms and how they've shaped the industry. Chambers shares his experience of acquiring 180 companies and reflects on the lessons from the dot-com bust. At 75, he's still active in tech, emphasizing the importance of adaptability and competition. He also expresses confidence in the startup Humane and explains why AI will fundamentally change how we interact with technology.

The gig economy is coming for your soul. The Sunday Times’ tech correspondent Danny Fortson brings on Natalie Monbiot of HourOne, to talk about the digital clone company starting before the ChatGPT moment (4:15), turning 5 minutes of footage into a digital clone (7:10), the hunt for the “killer app” for virtual humans (13:25), how the company started (18:20), Hollywood (24:00), bringing the dead back to life (27:20), your rights over what your clone does (32:40), and virtual human marketplaces (37:20). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Artificial intelligence “agents” will create more economic value than humans within ten years. Sound outlandish? That is the prediction of this week’s guest, George Sivulka, founder of AI startup Hebbia, who comes on to talk about building AI that actually works for business (3:20), AI orchestra conductors (9:15), coral reefs and why he called the company Hebbia (10:30), why he started the company (19:30), being a “disappointment” to his athlete parents (29:30), working at NASA as a teen (33:00), meeting Peter Thiel (36:45), and how AI is going to revolutionize the economy (42:00). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Oldham, associated with Captura, dives into revolutionary carbon removal solutions. He discusses the practicality of sucking CO2 from the air and highlights their innovative ocean-based technology. The conversation expands on scaling these solutions, the crucial economics of climate tech, and how the space industry mirrors these environmental challenges. Oldham also reflects on moving from England to Canada and shares insights on raising $60M for climate initiatives, addressing the critical role of regulation and political will in the climate landscape.

The Sunday Times’ tech correspondent Danny Fortson brings on Zal Bilimoria to talk about being a solo venture capitalist (3:15), how he decided on investments (6:30), happening into climate tech (9:30), raising $50m every three years (10:45), learning at his dad’s business (12:20), bouncing around the tech industry (14:30), his first job as a kid (21:40), focusing on hard tech (28:00), where he won’t invest (31:00), hunting for the “fund returner” (35:30), why venture is not glamorous (37:00), reinventing IVF (43:20), and the potential backlash (46:00). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It wasn’t long ago that lab-grown meat was booming. Startups raised billions of dollars. Investors boldly predicted the large scale slaughter of cows, chickens and fish would soon end. Then it all went pear-shaped. This week Joshua March and Kasia Gora come on to talk about how their startup, SciFi Foods, failed after raising more than $40 million on how the market turned against their company and the industry broadly (3:30), being affected by the downturn in plant-based meat (7:30), the Gamechangers documentary (10:30), being transparent with staff (15:10), the importance of failing well (19:30), the progress they made (27:30), Big Meat’s lobbying efforts (30:45), whether they would do it again (32:45), the Silicon Valley machine (37:00), venture debt (40:30), and the next thing (42:30). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mike Lynch, a British tech tycoon recently acquitted of fraud charges, shares gripping insights from his intense 12-year legal battle. He discusses the origins of the case, the disastrous Autonomy sale to HP, and the crucial role of jury dynamics. Lynch reflects on the emotional toll of his experience, the financial burden of his defense, and the societal perceptions he faced in Britain. He emphasizes the need for a British 'Innocence Project' while admitting to feeling like he's been given a second life post-acquittal.