Economist Daron Acemoglu discusses the lingering effects of colonialism, the winners and losers of new technology, and the evolution of democracy. He also explores the impact of automation on jobs and the shift towards profit prioritization. The conversation delves into the societal implications of technological advancements and the importance of human agency in AI development.

Journalist Walt Hickey talks about why China hasn’t produced hit movies yet, how he got his own avatar in Madden NFL, the influence of media consumption, the evolution of villains in action movies, the globalization of Hollywood, and analyzing the influence of movies and culture.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, bodybuilder, actor, governor, and author, discusses his success in various fields and shares advice on overcoming doubt and handling tough situations. He emphasizes the importance of visualization and setting big goals, and highlights his impressive debate performance during his run for governor. Schwarzenegger also talks about his transition to comedy and finding support from Ivan Reitman. Overall, he shares valuable insights on achieving success in multiple domains.

Physicist Helen Czerski talks bubbles, explosives, and the impact of ocean waves on history. She explores carbon movement in the ocean, misconceptions about ocean temperatures, and telling stories of the physics of the ocean. They also discuss changing the prison incentive structure and the importance of education in prisons.

Werner Herzog, renowned filmmaker, discusses his identity as a writer, his role in The Mandalorian, and his experience as a rodeo clown. Other topics include his poverty-stricken childhood during World War II, the forgotten golden age of German cinema, the challenges of filmmaking, and his unique approach to running the Rogue Film School.

Economist Michael D. Smith discusses the unsustainability of higher education and the need for transformation. Topics include access to faculty experts, inequality in top selective schools, financial challenges, rising college tuition prices, the limitations of traditional business models, disruptive technologies, and the impact of online courses. The podcast ends with a discussion on the rising cost of universities and reduction in graduate students.

Computer scientist Fei-Fei Li explains her groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence, including creating the ImageNet dataset and the significance of neural networks in computer vision. She also discusses the responsibility of using AI ethically and the potential benefits of collaborative data use with Google.

Data scientist Nate Silver discusses making good decisions with data, his predictions and the misconceptions surrounding his 2016 election predictions. He also explores the correlation between political orientation and COVID deaths, the impact of vaccination on death rates in Red and Blue states, and the challenges of making accurate predictions in politics. The chapter also touches upon the acquisition of Nate Silver's website 538 by Disney and the downsizing of the team.

Abraham Verghese, a physician and best-selling author, discusses the importance of spending more time with patients, the difference between curing and healing, and the need for systemic changes in medicine. He also shares his journey from being a physician to becoming a writer and explores the intersection of medicine and writing.

Nobel Laureate Claudia Goldin discusses the gender wage gap and the impact of inflexible jobs and family responsibilities. They explore topics such as greedy work, unequal distribution of work hours, gender inequality within households, parental leave policies, and the scarcity of women in economics.