12 Geniuses Podcast

For generations, when you purchased a car what you bought is what you got. That is changing. It’s accepted that self-driving, electric vehicles are the future. However, what many people might be surprised to know about the future of the vehicle is that cars, trucks, and SUVs will operate more like a cell phone than they do like the vehicles of yesterday. They will get feature updates, adapt to your particular needs, and continuously improve using massive amounts of data much like the ubiquitous smart phone. In this interview, Álvaro Marquez - product designer and customer experience expert - discusses driverless vehicles, the concept of the Software-Defined Vehicle, the infrastructure necessary to enable mass electric vehicle adoption, fleet management and ownership, and how humanity will benefit from a reimagined relationship with vehicles. Álvaro says that as vehicles become more capable and connected they will become a viable “third place” (after the home and workplace) where some people connect with others, go for privacy, manage their personal lives, watch movies, and even do activities like sing karaoke. While Álvaro says a vehicle will not replace the smart phone, it will offer a more comfortable place to do many of the activities people do on their phones. Álvaro Márquez is an established figure in the field of user-centered design and experience strategy, currently serving as Chief Experience Officer at icon incar where he leads an international multi-disciplinary team in the development of future-oriented R&D projects for the automotive and mobility industry. His work is globally recognized for his thoughtful, systematic and occasionally irreverent approach, which tends to explore idiosyncratic moments of everyday life from emergent futures.

Since Dr. Matthew Johnson first appeared on 12 Geniuses in September of 2020 to discuss The Future of Psychedelics, popular opinion in favor of this category of drugs has surged and so has the research and potential uses for psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca, and other drugs that fit into the broader category of psychedelics. Dr. Johnson and his research have been critical to fueling these growing trends. In this interview, Dr. Johnson discusses the advancements in psychedelic research that have been made in the last few years, how favorable public opinion about the use of these once taboo drugs continues to grow, and he closes the conversation with his sobering advice for people who are experimenting on their own with these drugs, going on weekend psychedelic retreats, or even going to South America to have ayahuasca experiences with a shaman. Dr. Matthew Johnson is Senior Investigator in Psychedelics at Sheppard Pratt and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University where he is one of the world’s most published scientists on the human effects of psychedelics. He has conducted seminal research in the behavioral economics of drug use, addiction, and risk behavior. Dr. Johnson published psychedelic safety guidelines in 2008, helping to resurrect psychedelic research.

Throughout his career, Dr. Steven Austad has been exploring aging, longevity, and life extension in a variety of animals. He has written multiple books, including “Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering about the Body’s Journey Through Life” and “Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us about Living Longer, Healthier Lives.” In this interview, Dr. Austad discusses the topic of longevity and the progress being made toward curing some of humanity’s most devastating diseases - specifically heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. He shares his belief that humanity is on track to make cancer a managed disease. Dr. Austad talks about new drug discoveries made in the last four years that should dramatically improve our ability to fight our most devastating diseases and he even talks about the surprising benefits being realized from the use of popular weight loss drugs. He goes on to address how science has effectively extended life over the last 125 years, but many people who are going to live much longer haven’t changed their attitudes and expectations about their retirement age. Dr. Austad has dedicated his career to understanding the science of how and why we age. He is a distinguished professor and Protective Life Endowed Chair in Healthy Aging Research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has done field research in The United States, Venezuela, East Africa, Micronesia, and Papua New Guinea. Dr. Austad’s books include “Why We Age: What Science Is Discovering about the Body's Journey Through Life” and “Methuselah's Zoo: What Nature Can Teach Us about Living Longer, Healthier Lives.”

“Peak Oil” is the point that global oil production is set to begin its decline. “Peak Auto” is the point that global automotive production will begin its decline. “Peak People” is the point that global population will being to shrink. All of these points are set to happen during this century according to futurist and author David Houle. In this interview, David Houle discusses how oil use, the number of vehicles around the world, and the number of people on the planet will all begin to decline in this century. To replace oil production, David shares how electric vehicles will become the norm supported by renewable energy along with innovative battery storage capabilities. To facilitate the trend toward vehicle decline, David says the idea of owning a vehicle that people drive 5% of the time is outdated. Fleets of driverless cars are a much more practical solution even as more countries experience affluence. China recently began a decline in population in 2023 and the rest of the world will experience the same as the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) declines in industrialized countries. David says that as girls around the world continue to advance in educational opportunities, the global TFR will decline below the 2.1 TFR required to maintain the number of people on the planet. To finish the interview, David also talks about what these declines mean to the global economy and how people should be using this information to plan for their futures.David Houle is a futurist, thinker, and keynote speaker. He is the author of “The Shift Age,” “Shift Ed: A Call to Action for Transforming K-12 Education,” “Entering the Shift Age, Brand Shift: The Future of Brands and Marketing,” “The Spaceship Earth,” and more.

In this episode of 12 Geniuses, Scott Stalker joins the show to talk about his career transition, the future of space exploration, and the signals the wars in Ukraine and Middle East are sending us about the future. Scott has been a guest of 12 Geniuses twice in the past while he was Command Senior Enlisted Leader of US Space Command in Colorado Springs, CO. After 31 years of dedicated service, Scott retired from the United States Marine Corps in August of 2023. In this discussion, he shares some of the important lessons he learned from his own career transition. He talks about being prepared for opportunities before they arrive, the importance of activating his personal network and having respected supporters ready to advocate for him, and why it is critical to know his value and worth. Scott believes anyone going through a career transition should understand what they love and enjoy. He said he took a test of his personal strengths to help determine that. He also shared his belief that transition is a journey and he is actively preparing for where that journey may take him years into the future. The second part of the conversation focuses on the potential of space - mining, tourism, and colonization. Scott talks about how investment in space will continue and grow significantly in the next decade. He cites regulation as one of the challenges to current expansion, however, he believes that - much like the International Space Station - there will be space hotels in the future where humans will be able to take vacations. Scott talks about the incredibly valuable resources - precious metals and water - in space available for mining that will keep the Earth economy going. He truly believes humans “will be a multi-planetary species.” He notes that the current advances in space are not led by governments as in the past. Instead, it is commercial investments like Space X that are leading the way. The conversation finishes with Scott’s assessment of the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. He talks about the signals they are sending about the future. Traditional assessment of an enemy involves thinking about the weather, the enemy, and the terrain. Scott says the war in Ukraine has demonstrated that another assessment variable needs to be added to this list - “the will” of the leader and the people. He believes other governments are watching the international support of Ukraine with caution. Scott Stalker served on active duty in the United States Marine Corps for 31 years, retiring in August 2023. While on active duty, Scott served as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader for the Defense Intelligence Agency, United States Cyber Command, National Security Agency, and in his final assignment with United States Space Command. He served in a multitude of locations during his distinguished military career to include combat operations in Somalia and Iraq and was assigned to Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command from 2010 to 2014.Scott has a bachelor’s degree in intelligence studies and a master’s degree in cybersecurity, as well as an organizational leadership certificate from Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He completed studies at John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, where he became a SECDEF Strategic Thinkers Program CAPSTONE graduate.Scott currently serves as a senior consultant and executive advisor for several different corporations. He is a keynote speaker for high-profile events within the federal government, intelligence community and national security sector and serves on the boards of several businesses and nonprofits. Additionally, Scott currently serves as a senior fellow for the National Defense University.Previous episodes with Scott Stalker:The Future of War with MGySgt Scott H. Stalker from November 10, 2020Leadership and Love with MGySgt Scott Stalker from November 9, 2022

The world is changing faster than ever. The “Accelerating Rate of Change” suggests that humans will experience exponential rates of change this century. With the first quarter of the century nearly complete, there is little evidence that these predictions are false. We’ve seen massive changes in healthcare and medical technology, Artificial Intelligence has moved from potential to reality, space technology sees breakthroughs on a daily basis, climate change and climate technology are engaged in a battle that could determine the future of humanity, and social trends threaten to further divide us. All these things are true and we haven’t even experienced the potential of quantum computing and fusion energy. That’s a lot of change!In 2003, Ray Kurzweil said “the 21st century will be equivalent to 20,000 years of progress at today’s rate of progress, which is a thousand times greater than the 20th century.” That’s an unimaginable amount of change that has the potential to steamroll the rigid and those who are convinced that they can continue doing what they have always done. To thrive in a future that moves this quickly requires intention and a rare set of ingredients. These skills will help people flourish in the workplace and in their personal lives. In this interview, Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman discusses the necessary ingredients to thrive at work now and in the future. She talks about the importance of resilience, creativity and innovation, forming strong social connections, doing work that matters, and being able to identify future scenarios well before they arrive. Most importantly, Gabriella unlocks the secrets for building our skills in each of these areas. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman is an author, entrepreneur, start-up executive, and Harvard-trained physician with expertise in behavioral and organizational, change, digital health, wellbeing, and AI. Her first book, Tomorrowmind, co-authored with Professor Martin Seligman, will be published by Atria in January 2023. She has served as Chief Product Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at BetterUp, a transformation platform for global professionals, and as Head of BetterUp Labs, BetterUp’s research arm, which studies whole person development in partnership with labs at Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford, and many more. 

Swen Nater has one of the most unlikely paths to success. He was born in the Netherlands where he spent several years in orphanages. When he came to America as a boy, Swen fell in love with the game of basketball. Despite never playing in high school, he became an All-American at Cypress College, a two-time national champion at UCLA, and he played 12 years professionally. He is the only player in history to lead the ABA and NBA in rebounding. When Swen’s playing days were over, he went on to coach Christian Heritage College to a national championship. In this interview, Swen talks about his difficult childhood and the journey that led him to play professional basketball. He shares the leadership lessons he learned from his legendary leader at UCLA – Coach John Wooden. Swen talks about Coach Wooden’s approach to time management, giving feedback, discipline, conditioning, and the tremendous care he showed for his players. Swen finishes the interview by talking about the mentorship he received from Coach Wooden in the decades after playing at UCLA.  Swen Nater still holds the California Community College single game rebound record at 39. After becoming a community college All-American, Swen played for two undefeated, national championship teams at UCLA. He went on to become the ABA Rookie of the Year, a two-time All Star, and led the league in rebounds and field goal percentage. When he jumped to the NBA, Swen led the league in rebounds, becoming the only player in history win both the ABA and NBA rebounding titles. After playing basketball, Swen Nater became athletic director and head coach at Christian Heritage College where he led the Hawks to a national small college championship. Swen is author of five books including "You Haven't Taught Until They Have Learned.” Swen has been inducted into the Orange County Hall of Fame and The San Diego Hall of Champions Hall of Fame. Swen is currently a buyer for Costco Wholesale.

Work to remove carbon from the atmosphere, transform the global economy to renewable sources of energy, repair broken ecological systems, and create safe havens for climate refugees is being done by countless, innovative people around the planet. One of these people is Kristian Rönn. With a background in mathematics, philosophy, computer science and artificial intelligence, Kristian and his team are helping organizations quantify their carbon footprint through a practice called carbon accounting. It’s a practice that is in its nascent stages, but will very likely become standard operating procedure for most companies around the world in the future. In this interview, Kristian talks about his previous work studying global catastrophic risks - like like nuclear war, runaway artificial intelligence, and climate change - at Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute. He goes on to talk about the work Normative - the company that he co-founded 10 years ago and where he currently serves as CEO - is doing to make carbon visible and how that fits into winning the fight against a warming planet. He finishes the interview by discussing how society can shift key measurements away from GDP to things like well-being and happiness and Kristian gives advice for business and government leaders wanting to use this conversation to make their organizations stronger. Kristian Rönn is the CEO and co-founder of Normative. He is a thought leader within carbon accounting, with speaking engagements at COP and Davos, as well as appearances in media outlets like Bloomberg and Sky News. He has advised governments and international bodies, and has been officially acknowledged for his contribution to UN Goal 13 by UNDP. Before he started Normative he worked at the University of Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute on issues related to global catastrophic risks, including climate change. In 2023, he was named one of Google.org’s “Leaders to Watch.”

Artificial Intelligence is embedded in our everyday lives right now and it will have a rapidly growing influence over the future of humanity for generations to come. Whether that influence will result in abundance for most humans or just a few winners and many losers is largely dependent on the decisions we make right now. Charlotte Siegmann is one of the people who is working to ensure governments, companies, and individuals make the right choices. Her work is focused on how to make the development and deployment of advanced AI systems safer and more beneficial.In this interview, Charlotte talks about the true dangers of AI, how it can benefit humanity, ideas for how AI should be regulated, and how the decisions we make today have the potential to affect many generations to come. She gives advice for business leaders interested in harnessing the power of AI for their organizations, she talks about the competencies employees will need to develop to thrive in an AI world, and she discusses how the taxation of AI and robots could fund social programs and be a source for universal basic income. A PhD student in economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Charlotte Siegmann is one of the incredibly bright, thoughtful people working to keep Artificial Intelligence safe and beneficial for all of humanity. She is a founding member of The Center for AI Risks & Impacts (KIRA). At MIT, she is working on the economics of AI governance, the intersection of mechanism design, game theory, and AI safety. She has worked as a Predoctoral Research Fellow in Economics at Oxford’s Global Priorities Institute, as a Research Assistant for a professor at Stanford University, and as an intern in the European Union Parliament.

On November 15, 2022, it is estimated that for the first time Earth’s population exceeded 8 billion humans. But what is Earth’s sustainable carrying capacity of humans? Dr. Christopher Tucker is the Chairman of the American Geographic Society and author of the book “A Planet of 3 Billion.” He believes that we have far exceeded a sustainable number of humans on the planet and says that we are headed toward a catastrophic outcome if we don’t start significantly reducing the overall population of the planet by the end of the century. In this interview, Dr. Tucker shares why the education and empowerment of young women and girls is the key to reducing global population to a more manageable carrying capacity. He talks about how we can avoid catastrophe by “shrinking to abundance,” how leaders should be thinking about global population and a future that may not be incented by growth, and he gives his very candid, critical assessment of people and countries that say we need to continue growing Earth’s population. He finishes the interview by talking about the mistakes we are making today that the people of 2073 will look back at in disbelief. Dr. Christopher Tucker has spent the last two decades at the intersection of technology, strategy, geography and national security as an innovator, investor, social entrepreneur, author, and strategic advisor to the US national security community.  As Chairman of the American Geographical Society, he launched a multi-year strategic dialog known as Geography2050, focused on the vital trends that will reshape the geography of our planet over the coming decades. He has served on a wide variety of public sector, corporate, and non-profit boards. He holds a BA, MA, and PhD from Columbia University.  His passion for geography and the fate of future generations animates this work.