Azeem Azhar's Exponential View

Renewable energy is the future of power, but relying on solar, wind, etc. will require a more reliable and resilient grid. Effective energy storage would make it possible to smooth out discrepancies in supply and demand, and harness renewable power more efficiently. A range of technologies are being developed and refined with that mission in mind, including large-scale lithium-ion batteries and clean hydrogen storage. Former Alphabet X moonshot spinoff Malta Inc. uses established industrial processes and molten salt to store energy and pump it back into the grid as demand requires. Malta CEO Ramya Swaminathan joins Azeem Azhar to discuss why energy storage is so crucial to fighting climate change, how it could affect the economics of energy, and why the electric grid of the future will be more technologically diverse and complex than today’s. They also discuss: How progress in energy storage could hit an exponential inflection point. Working with established companies to revolutionize power distribution. The market mechanisms necessary to optimize the grids of the future. @azeem @exponentialview @maltaenergysto1 Further resources: “Energy Storage to Steal $277B From Power Grids by 2050” – BloombergNEF, Mar. 2021 “Energy Storage Grand Challenge: Energy Storage Market Report” – U.S. Department of Energy, Dec. 2020 Bloomberg New Energy Finance ARES Energy Vault Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hopin is one of the fastest-growing startups in history. Founder and CEO Johnny Boufarhat joins Azeem Azhar to talk about how he grew the virtual events company from six employees in February 2020, at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, to more than eight hundred, and a valuation of almost $8 billion, a year and a half later. Johnny explains how he seized the opportunity presented by the pandemic, what it was like learning to lead at one of the fastest-growing startups in history, and why he dreams of a future in which a founder’s location is no impediment to success. They also discuss: Hopin’s future, beyond the world of work. The promise of the metaverse, and the limits of VR. Barriers to entry for founders from developing countries, and how to lower them. @Johnnyboufarhat @Azeem Further resources Making Venture Capital Work for Entrepreneurs – Exponential View Podcast, 2020 ‘Scaling Innovation’ (with Elad Gil) – Exponential View Podcast, 2018 ‘The Challenging Political Economy of Silicon Valley’ (with Reid Hoffman) – Exponential View Podcast, 2018 Building Unicorns in Europe (with Reshma Sohoni) – Exponential View Podcast, 2019 ‘Events scaleup Hopin raises at $7.75bn valuation’ – Sifted, August 2021 ‘CEO Secrets: “My billion-pound company has no office”’ – BBC, June 2021 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The transition to a greener economy is absolutely essential for the future of life as we know it. Governments and companies have committed to net-zero emissions by 2050, but it’s not clear how they plan to get there – or how much it will cost. Today’s guest, though, has some idea. Michele Della Vigna runs the Carbonomics research program at Goldman Sachs, which looks at the economics behind a transition to net-zero emissions. On the eve of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), Michele joins Azeem Azhar to discuss the importance of carbon pricing, market pressure, and new technology in accelerating a shift to net-zero. They also discuss: Why the American consumer makes carbon taxes trickier. The role of oil majors in the shift to renewables. How corporate commitments to decarbonize could surprise at COP26. @azeem @exponentialview Further resources: Funding Innovation to Fight Climate Change (with Dawn Lippert, Elemental Excelerator), Exponential View Podcast, 2021 ‘Carbonomics: Five Themes of Progress for COP26’ – Goldman Sachs Research Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ford has been making cars for 118 years — nearly all of them with internal combustion engines. It now faces the biggest challenge in its history. As the electric vehicle (EV) revolution accelerates and people rethink their relationships with cars, both automotive incumbents and upstarts are planning for a radically different world. Ford’s chief product platform and operations officer Hau Thai-Tang is ideally placed to discuss what that shift looks like. He and Azeem Azhar explore how EV uptake will transform what a car is and what it means to own and drive one, as well as what it will take to retool Ford to thrive in the technology age. They also discuss: How doing away with combustion engines will revolutionize car design. Why exponential uptake of EVs could happen within the next five years. Why carmakers will start to look more like Netflix and Apple. @azeem @exponentialview Further resources: ‘Ford, SK to invest $11.4 bln to add electric F-150 plant, three battery factories’ (Reuters) ‘Trends and developments in electric vehicle markets’ (IEA) ‘Levels of Autonomous Driving, Explained’ (J.D. Power) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The climate crisis is the defining issue of our age, and to fight it effectively, we’ll have to redesign our world. That requires money and technological innovation – but it also demands knowledge of local communities, and policymaking. Dawn Lippert works at the intersection of all of those issues. She’s the founder and CEO of Elemental Excelerator, a non-profit incubator that helps climate-focused startups deploy their technologies. In September 2021, Elemental spun out a $60m venture-capital fund that will help entrepreneurs tackling climate change to scale their solutions more rapidly. She joins Azeem Azhar to discuss how innovative climate tech companies can make it to market, and why workers at Silicon Valley’s biggest companies are flocking to the fight against climate change. They also discuss: The real-world challenges climate tech investors need to understand. What Silicon Valley investors need to learn to work in climate tech. Why climate impact investing is about more than reducing greenhouse gases. @elementalexcel @azeem @exponentialview Further resources: Elemental Excelerator: global non-profit at the intersection of climate, innovation and equity Ampaire: electric aircraft with real utility Dimensional Energy: transforming CO2 from waste to resource Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google, Facebook, Apple, and Uber are just some of the enormous companies that derive part of their value from network effects: The more users they have, the more value they provide. Network effects aren’t new. The basic principles that underpinned faxes and phone lines also underpin social media. But rapid technological change has made network effects more prevalent and more powerful than ever before. Serial entrepreneur and early-stage investor James Currier is one of the world’s foremost experts on networks, and on the companies that use them best. He joins Azeem Azhar to discuss how companies with network effects dominate markets, and why their influence will likely continue to grow. They also discuss: Why network-effects companies dominate global markets, and how they can recast the way we think about the world. Why networks can become harder to manage as they grow – and harder to do without. The problems globe-spanning networks can cause – especially when the motives of dominant corporate players don’t align with what’s best for our societies. How we should govern those networks in the coming decades. @JamesCurrier @azeem @exponentialview Further resources: NFX’s Network Effects Bible (NFX) “How to Regulate Facebook, with Nick Clegg” (Exponential View Podcast, 2021) “Messi joins crypto craze as gets part of PSG fee in fan tokens” (Reuters, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kim Stanley Robinson, the legendary science-fiction novelist, has a private utopian hope: “to dodge a mass extinction event.” He joins Azeem Azhar to explore his recent novel, The Ministry For the Future, and what it would take for institutions, individuals, and emerging technologies to save millions of lives. They also discuss: When civil disobedience and direct climate action may become a moral necessity. Why central banks and a radical shift of economic incentives are vital to drive decarbonization. What climate restoration is and why it offers better prospects than climate engineering. @azeem @exponentialview Kim Stanley Robinson Further resources: “Applying the Pandemic Mindset to Climate Change with Cory Doctorow” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “What can climate tech do for us?” (Exponential View newsletter, 2020) “The Ministry For the Future” (Hachette, 2020) “It’s Not Science Fiction” (The New York Review on The Ministry For the Future, 2020) “Top central banks identify nine ways to make their policies greener” (Financial Times, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Facebook serves 34 percent of the world’s population and decides who to block and what to censor. How should governments regulate this startling power? Nick Clegg, the UK’s former deputy prime minister and now vice president of Global Affairs and Communications at Facebook, joins Azeem Azhar to explore how governments might reassert control in the exponential age. They also discuss: The major regulatory legislation coming down the pike in the U.S., the EU, and India. Why allowing data portability between networks could be good for competition but a challenge for privacy. Whether Facebook’s Oversight Board could be used to regulate other tech companies. Why Clegg is pushing Facebook for increased transparency of its algorithms. @nickclegg @azeem @exponentialview Further resources: “Fixing the Social Media Crisis” (Exponential View podcast with Sinan Aral, 2021) “A bipartisan approach to break the deadlock on internet regulation” (Nick Clegg, Medium, 2021) “Facebook must not be allowed to dictate how it gets regulated” (Wired, 2020) “Battle commences A formidable alliance takes on Facebook” (The Economist, 2020) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Visa processes more than 500 million transactions every day. How is the world’s largest digital payment platform adapting to new technologies and fresh competition? Charlotte Hogg, executive vice president and CEO of its European operations, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the evolving ecosystem of digital payments. They also discuss: Why Visa should be seen as a platform-based technology company like Google, despite being an established financial institution. Why the Visa’s “open network” model demands a level playing field for all participants. Why an increasingly cashless world is pushing central banks towards digital currencies. How the payment platform is now enabling settlement in the USDC stablecoin – a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. @azeem @exponentialview Further resources: “Visa launches suite of AI tools to enable smarter payments” (TechRadar, 2021) “Central banks get serious on digital currencies” (Financial Times, 2021) “Bitcoin and the Future of Decentralized Finance” (Exponential View podcast, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From predictive policing to automated credit scoring, algorithms applied on a massive scale, gone unchecked, represent a serious threat to our society. Dr. Rumman Chowdhury, director of Machine Learning Ethics, Transparency and Accountability at Twitter, joins Azeem Azhar to explore how businesses can practice responsible AI to minimize unintended bias and the risk of harm. They also discuss: How you can assess and diagnose bias in unexplainable “black box” algorithms. Why responsible AI demands top-down organizational change, implementing new metrics and systems of redress. How Twitter led an audit of its own image-cropping algorithm that was alleged to bias white faces over people of color. The emerging field of “Responsible Machine Learning Operations” (MLOps). @ruchowdh @azeem @exponentialview Further resources: “Sharing learnings about our image cropping algorithm” (Twitter Blog, 2021) “As AI develops, so does the debate over profits and ethics” (Financial Times, 2021) “It’s time for AI ethics to grow up” (Wired, 2020) “Auditing Algorithms for Bias” (Harvard Business Review, 2018) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI hackers are coming, and it’s not just our computer networks at risk – our laws and regulations are also vulnerable. Bruce Schneier, internationally renowned security technologist and fellow at Harvard’s Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society, joins Azeem Azhar to explore how humans have always exploited loopholes in rule-based systems, and how that will change as AIs become more powerful. They also discuss: Why making AI systems easier to monitor and regulate also makes them less powerful. Why we need mechanisms for agile policy response when legislation and regulation get hacked. Why AI hackers might end up benefiting system designers and cyber-defenses in the long run. @schneierblog @azeem @exponentialview Further resources: “Cybersecurity in the Age of AI” (Exponential View podcast, 2019) “The Coming AI Hackers” (Belfer Centre report by Bruce Schneier, 2021) “Why Was SolarWinds So Vulnerable to a Hack?” (New York Times, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Could we have a financial industry without banks or brokers? That’s the vision of decentralized finance – or DeFi – in which financial products are built from tamper-proof digital smart contracts interacting with blockchains. Sergey Nazarov, co-founder of Chainlink, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the promise of this emerging sector to bring greater transparency, control, and yield for both customers and businesses. They also discuss: How blockchains and smart contracts work together to reconfigure the fundamentals of finance, as we currently experience it. Why the outrage felt by Robinhood users (when trading in GameStop was paused) reveals an underlying weakness in traditional finance. What blockchain oracles are, and how Chainlink is using them to build the decentralized infrastructure that will enable the widespread adoption of DeFi products and cryptocurrencies. @SergeyNazarov @azeem @exponentialview “Bitcoin and the Future of Decentralized Finance” (Exponential View podcast with Meltem Demirors, 2021) “DeFi Can ‘Transform Global Finance’” (Decrypt, 2021) “What Is Chainlink and Why Is It Important in the World of Cryptocurrency?” (Yahoo Finance, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI can offer a new type of competitive advantage, but entrepreneurs need to know what it is and how to unlock it. Ash Fontana, author of The AI First Company and managing director at Zetta Venture Partners – a firm that exclusively invests in early-stage AI startups, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the risks and rewards of applying AI to business problems. They also discuss: Why the high up-front cost of developing AI models favors multi-sector businesses. Which is more important for an AI-focused company: domain expertise or AI expertise? How AI startups should assess the risk of being usurped by Big Tech. Why Amazon’s sophisticated AI regularly offers nonsensical recommendations. @ashfontana @azeem @exponentialview “Creating an AI-First Business with Andrew Ng” (Exponential View podcast, 2019) “Businesses are finding AI hard to adopt” (The Economist, 2020) “Competing in the Age of AI” (Harvard Business Review, 2020) The AI First Company: How to Compete and Win With Artificial Intelligence (Ash Fontana, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Using forests to offset a company’s carbon emissions has been dismissed as “greenwashing.” But Diego Saez Gil argues that a verifiable and transparent global market in carbon credits is a vital tool to mitigate climate change. In part 2 of their discussion, he joins Azeem Azhar to explore how his company, Pachama, uses technology to connect farmers and ecologists with climate-conscious corporations in an effort to evolve the global carbon marketplace. They also discuss: Why companies need offsets to achieve their climate goals. Why carbon offsets should be used only after emission-reducing changes have been maximized. How properly calibrated carbon pricing can incentivize climate-conscious economic activity. @dsaezgil @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources: “IKEA: Making a $40 Billion Company Climate Positive” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “The merits of a global carbon offset market” (Financial Times, 2020) “Do Carbon Offsets Really Work? It Depends on the Details” (Wired, 2020) “The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review” (HM Treasury, UK Government, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do we build a market for carbon offsets that is both trustworthy and effective? Diego Saez Gil, co-founder and CEO of Pachama, believes he has the answer. In part 1 of the conversation, Diego joins Azeem Azhar to explore how AI, satellites, and LiDAR can be leveraged to verify the conservation efforts of farmers, NGOs, and governments and help lay the foundation for sustainable work against climate change. They also discuss: How the rapid cycles of a tech startup interact with the slower rhythms of forest ecology. Why the tropics should be the focus of forest regeneration efforts. Why the priority should be to achieve a “deep” carbon offset market, which is both a platform of exchange and an assurance of quality. @dsaezgil @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources: “How Data Helps Companies Honor Their Climate Goals” (Exponential View podcast, 2021) “As concerns rise over forest carbon offsets, Pachama’s verified offset marketplace gets $15 million” (TechCrunch, 2021) “Applying AI To Mitigate The Effects Of Climate Change” (Forbes, 2020) “The merits of a global carbon offset market” (Financial Times, 2020) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kenneth Cukier, senior editor at the Economist, and Viktor Mayer-Schoenberger, professor of Internet Governance and Regulation at the University of Oxford, argue that because AI systems have no causal model of the world, they lack the human capacity for imagination and decision-making. Azeem Azhar explores their contention that we should not rely on AI to provide solutions to our problems. Rather we should systematically challenge how we frame our problems in order to produce breakthrough insights and innovations — then use AI to help enact those solutions. They also discuss: How “reframing” old technologies unleashed advances for SpaceX, Apple, Spotify and others. How proper framing empowered New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to battle Covid-19 in her country. Why you should not think “outside the box,” but instead “switch boxes.” @kncukier @Viktor_MS @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources: “You Can Make Better Decisions by Placing Problems in a New Frame” (Bloomberg, 2021) “11 Myths About Decision-Making” (Harvard Business Review, 2021) “Beyond Deep Learning with Gary Marcus” (Exponential View podcast, 2019) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In less than a decade France has gone from tech backwater to the startup engine of the EU. It recently celebrated its 12th company to achieve a $1 billion valuation and is well on the way to President Macron’s goal of “25 unicorns by 2025.” Kat Borlongan, director of La French Tech, joins Azeem Azhar to explore how her government taskforce has been working to effectively drive growth in the French startup scene. They also discuss: Why achieving tech sovereignty has become a key motivator for governments. How France’s visa scheme is part of their offensive strategy to attract top tech talent. Why the French government is directly investing in startups via public investment bank Bpifrance. @katborlongan @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources: “Building Unicorns in Europe” (Exponential View podcast with Reshma Sohoni, 2019) “The State of European Tech 2020″ (Atomico, 2021) “Paris overtakes Berlin for tech start-ups after boost from Macron“ (Financial Times, 2019) “La French Tech ecosystem map“ (Interactive dashboard on France’s tech startups) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Turning a corporate climate pledge into reality is a complex endeavor. Watershed, a software startup co-founded by Christian Anderson, is committed to using data to cut corporate emissions fast. In conversation with Azeem Azhar, Christian shares the challenges of putting this dream into practice. They also discuss: The role of network effects in the net-zero transition. How Watershed’s data business compares to social media. Why carbon removal decisions in companies should reside within the CFO’s office. @chranderson @azeem @ExponentialView Further Reading “IKEA: Making a $40 billion company climate positive” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “How Measuring and Reducing Emissions Has Become Its Own Business” (Bloomberg, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Livestock is responsible for 15 percent of global greenhouse emissions. Could meat grown in labs offer a sustainable – and palatable – future? Didier Toubia, CEO and co-founder of cultured meat start-up Aleph Farms, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the biotech, ethics, and economics of making beef without cows. They also discuss: Why food security and public health are driving the development of alternative protein sources. Why cultivated meat may achieve price parity with normal beef within five years. How cultivated meat might integrate within the existing food supply chains. @AlephFarms @azeem @ExponentialView Further Reading: “How AI and Genomics Are Reshaping Farming” (Exponential View podcast with Mike Zelkind, 2020) “Israel is a fake meat powerhouse” (Wired, 2021) “Investing in a slice of the non-meat future” (Financial Times, 2021) “Edible insects and lab-grown meat are on the menu” (Economist, 2020) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AI is not just code and algorithms. It’s an industry built on a global network of resource extraction, human labor, and data collection. Kate Crawford, senior principal researcher at Microsoft Research and research professor of communication and science and technology studies at USC Annenberg, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the far-reaching impacts of AI and to consider the urgent case for proper governance and regulation of the industry. They also discuss: Why we need to observe hardware supply chains to understand AI’s impact. Why the AI industry, like aviation and pharma, should be subject to strict regulation. Why tech leaders should take a much greater responsibility for the social and environmental effects of technical systems. @katecrawford @azeem @ExponentialView Further Reading: “Anatomy of an AI System” (Kate Crawford and Vladan Joler, 2018) “AI, Accountability, and Power” (Exponential View with Mereditch Whitaker, 2019) “Atlas of AI: Power, Politics, and the Planetary Costs of Artificial Intelligence” (Kate Crawford, Yale University Press 2021) “How AI is exploiting people and the planet” (New Scientist, 2021) “Time to regulate AI that interprets human emotions” (Nature, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

IonQ is the first company solely focused on quantum computing to go public, with its quantum computers accessible via the cloud today. The company’s co-founder/chief scientist Chris Monroe and president/CEO Peter Chapman join Azeem Azhar to explore how they turned cutting-edge research into a scalable product. They also discuss the engineering challenges that remain before quantum systems not only surpass the fastest supercomputers, but also become widely available. In addition, they address: Why IonQ, unlike Google and IBM, have bet on the “trapped ion” approach to building quantum computers. How major software innovation could move quantum computing forward. Why quantum computers excel at optimization problems involving more variables than classical computers can accommodate. @IonQ_Inc @azeem @ExponentialView Further Reading: “Building A Quantum Computer with Light” (Exponential View podcast featuring Jeremy O’Brien, 2021) “Quantum computing’s next trick? The power of networked clusters” (Peter Chapman in Wired, 2021) “Commercialising quantum computers” (The Economist, 2020) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Meltem Demirors, Chief Strategy Officer at CoinShares, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the potential and politics of cryptocurrencies: from the ideological origins of Bitcoin to the new wave of decentralized financial products that could disrupt traditional finance. They also discuss: Why the values of the Cypherpunk community are enshrined in Bitcoin’s design. How the Decentralized Finance movement is re-imagining existing products on blockchain networks. If Bitcoin will ever break out of its niche to become a widely used currency. @Melt_Dem @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources: “Is the financial establishment coming round to bitcoin?” (The Economist, 2021) “Get ready for self-driving banks” (Financial Times, 2021) “The Redecentralized Web” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “Politics, Power & Protocols” (Meltem Demirors, CoinShares 2019) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Atlassian, the enterprise software innovator, is helping to drive disruption across the world of work. Co-founder and co-CEO, Scott Farquhar, joins Azeem Azhar to explain how, during a global pandemic, they nearly doubled the size of their workforce, why the workplace will never be the same after Covid-19, and what the implications are for companies and employees who increasingly operate remotely, asynchronously, and in flatter hierarchies. They also discuss: Why Farquhar believes that most companies are becoming like software companies, where the CEO and CIO are in strategic lock-step and ready to disrupt their business before they are disrupted by competitors. Why companies are shifting their team structures from being project-based to product-based. Why Farquhar believes his approach to company-building is akin to gardening. @scottfarkas @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources: “Empowering Workers in the Digital Future” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “WFH Doesn’t Have to Dilute Your Corporate Culture” (Harvard Business Review, 2021) “Picking the Right Approach to Digital Collaboration” (MIT Sloan, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cade Metz, technology correspondent at The New York Times, joins Azeem Azhar to discuss his new book Genius Makers. In it, he tells the story of the pioneers who brought AI out of academic labs, sparking a Big Tech arms race and transforming our everyday lives. They also discuss: How deep learning went from an unworkable concept to fueling the AI boom. Why bias and prejudice “baked in” to an AI system are almost impossible to remove. Which early signals tech giants followed to develop AI even before deep learning went mainstream. @CadeMetz @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources Genius Makers (Cade Metz, 2021) “DeepMind’s Journey from Games to Fundamental Science” (Exponential View podcast with Demis Hassabis, 2020) “How GPT-3 Is Shaping Our AI Future” (Exponential View podcast with Sam Altman, 2020) “An AI Pioneer Explains the Evolution of Neural Networks” (Wired, 2019) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What are universities for? Are they an elite pipeline for elite jobs, or can they meet the needs of societies transforming amid technological advances? Azeem Azhar explores the role of higher education in research, innovation, and progress with Geraint Rees, Dean of Faculty of Life Sciences at University College London and a leader of their AI strategy. They also discuss: How University College London researchers drove the design, approval, and production of a breathing aid for COVID-19 patients in just 6 weeks. Why liberal, diverse universities can survive alongside more focused, skills-based institutions. Why universities are essential to a healthy startup ecosystem. @azeem @ExponentialView @profgeraintrees Further resources: “Understanding the Enduring Consequences of Covid-19” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “What will education look like in 20 years? Here are 4 scenarios” (World Economic Forum, 2021) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Chris Urmson, co-founder and CEO of the self-driving technology startup Aurora, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the state-of-play of self-driving technology, the criticisms the tech must address, and the huge challenges to be overcome before we trust a computer to drive our kids to school. They also discuss: How Aurora’s founders built their “no jerks,” team-oriented culture. The importance of new LIDAR sensors (light-radar) for achieving faster speeds with bigger vehicles. Why Aurora is skipping the baby steps and heading straight for the prize of fully autonomous driving (in specified locations and conditions). @azeem @ExponentialView @chris_urmson @aurora_inno Further resources: “The Truth About Autonomy” (Exponential View podcast, 2019) “Uber ATG And Aurora Merge To Staggering $10B Valuation” (Forbes, 2020) “The Rumored Apple Car Is Bad News for Elon” (Wired, 2021) “Meet K.I.T.T.” (Youtube, 1980s TV series Knight Rider) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Social networks polarize communities and spread misinformation. Professor Sinan Aral, director of MIT’s Initiative on the Digital Economy and author of The Hype Machine, joins Azeem Azhar to explore what makes these networks so powerful and how we can engineer our way to a healthier online ecosystem. They also discuss: Why powerful “network effects” lead to social media monopolies. Why forcing interoperability and “identity porting” is the key to healthy competition. Why repealing Section 230 of the (U.S.) Communications Decency Act of 1996 would be a disaster for free expression on the internet. @sinanaral @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources: “Can We Amplify the Good and Contain the Bad of Social Media?” (MIT Sloan Management Review, 2020) “Humans, not bots, are to blame for spreading false news on Twitter” (Wired, 2018) “How We Can Protect Truth in the Age of Misinformation” (TEDxCERN, 2018) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Could deep tech companies bring about an age of abundance? Matt Ocko, co-founder and managing partner of Data Collective Venture Capital, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the art of investing in startups that aim to transform entire industries with radically cheaper, cleaner products. They also discuss: Why establishing “computational advantage” is key to a successful deep tech approach. How AbCellera, one of Matt’s portfolio companies, used machine learning and extensive automation to swiftly develop an antibody therapy for Covid-19. How investors should judge the right time to invest in a new technology. @mattocko @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources: “Materials Built by Microbes: A Revolution in Materials Science” (Exponential View, Podcast 2020) “This College Professor Became An Overnight Billionaire Fighting Covid” (Forbes, 2021) “With fresh support from its billionaire backers Pivot Bio is ushering in a farming revolution” (TechCrunch, 2020) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From an insurance giant to an incubator of cutting-edge tech companies, Ping An’s evolution is impressive and unique. Chief Innovation Officer Jonathan Larsen joins Azeem Azhar to explore how the China-based holding conglomerate has managed such agility at immense scale. They also discuss: Why being founder-led has enabled bold movement into new markets. How Ping An created the world’s largest telemedicine platform from scratch. Why innovation must come from the company’s core culture and leadership. Why Ping An’s success is linked to pivoting the entire group to a self-built cloud platform. @PingAnTech @azeem @ExponentialView Further resources: “How Ping An, an insurer, became a fintech super-app” (The Economist, 2020) “Ping-An, the tech giant masquerading as a finance company” (FinTech Brain Food, 2020) “Ping An on building a fintech ecosystem in China” (McKinsey, 2019) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“Quantum computing is to conventional computing what a warp drive is to a bicycle,” says Jeremy O’Brien, CEO of PsiQuantum. He joins Azeem Azhar to explore the exponential advantage quantum computing will bring to problems across science and industry, and how he’s using photonics to build the first productive quantum computer. They also discuss: Why only quantum computers can help solve our most intractable problems. Why VCs are not rushing to fund this transformative technology. How existing silicon chip techniques can be adapted to build components for photonic quantum computing. @azeem @ExponentialView PsiQuantum Further resources: “Quantum computing and quantum supremacy, explained” (Wired, 2020) “Quantum for quants – Wall Street’s latest shiny new thing” (The Economist, 2020) “The future is quantum: solution to the world’s critical problems” (Financial Times, 2017) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Regina Dugan, CEO of new biomedical non-profit Wellcome Leap and former director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the U.S., joins Azeem Azhar to explore how she approaches delivering breakthrough technologies, and why she has now set her sights on global health. They also discuss: The thinking behind DARPA’s early support of Moderna’s mRNA vaccine technology. How the DARPA model of innovation can apply to advancing medical technologies. How the lessons from her experience of childhood cancer have guided Dugan’s career. Further resources “Understanding the Enduring Consequences of Covid-19” (Exponential View podcast with Professor Nicholas Christakis, 2020) “The Covid-19 Pandemic May Be a ‘Sputnik Moment’” (Bloomberg New Economy, 2020) “The Health Age” (Wellcome Leap, 2020) @azeem @ExponentialView @WellcomeLeap Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cory Doctorow, award-winning author, technologist, and founder, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the power of big tech monopolies and how a future wave of antitrust lawsuits could unleash innovation across the sector. They also discuss: How antitrust litigation, even if it fails, has a powerful effect on corporate behavior. Why interoperability is key to a competitive marketplace. How software patents have been weaponized to protect monopolies. Further resources: “Regulating Big Tech makes them stronger, they need competition instead” (The Economist, 2019) “Google lawsuit: the opening salvo in a battle to restrain Big Tech” (Financial Times, 2020) “How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism” (Online book by Cory Doctorow 2020) “How US Lawmakers Plan to Tackle Big Tech” (Exponential View – subscribers only, 2020) @doctorow @azeem @ExponentialView Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In his reflection on this tumultuous year, Azeem Azhar finds hope in our reaction to the pandemic. The achievements made through collective action and the latest technologies have been life-saving. Azeem also explores: What businesses will need in order to thrive in 2021. How new multi-stakeholder institutions will emerge to meet the challenges in the coming period of friction and fragmentation. Questions sent in by subscribers to the Exponential View Newsletter. Further reading: IKEA: Making a $40 Billion Company Climate Positive (Exponential View Podcast, 2020) What if Every Day Was Pandemic Day (Exponential View, 2020) Your Technologies of the 2020s (Exponential View, 2020) @azeem @ExponentialView Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cory Doctorow, award winning author, technologist, and founder, joins Azeem Azhar to examine how the pandemic mindset around harnessing massive collective action and exponential technologies for the good of humanity could also help us mitigate climate change. They also discuss: How Covid-19 exposed the need to reset the relationship between market and state. Why the predicted 20-30 percent unemployment rate will force dramatic government action in 2021. Further resources: What can climate tech do for us? (Exponential View 2020) Cory Doctorow: Full Employment (Locus Magazine 2020) How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism (Online book by Cory Doctorow 2020) @doctorow @azeem @ExponentialView Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Leila Rastegar Zegna, co-founder and general partner of Kindred Capital, joins Azeem Azhar for a deep dive into venture capital: how it really works, what’s broken, and how to fix it. They also explore a new model for venture capital, where founders become partners in the fund. This new approach aims to align incentives for both entrepreneurs and investors, in order to build a healthier innovation community. They also discuss: Why venture capital is a “people business,” not a finance business. Why obsessiveness is a more important than expertise for founders. Why not all startups should seek funding. Further resources: “How Venture Capitalists Are Deforming Capitalism” (The New Yorker, 2020) “What Is Equitable Venture?” (Kindred Capital, 2017) “Silicon Valley Needs a Shakedown with Chamath Palihapitiya” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) @lrastegar @azeem @ExponentialView Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

IKEA generates 0.1 percent of the world’s annual greenhouse gas emissions. Can this $40 billion multinational company become climate positive by 2030? Jesper Brodin, CEO of Ingka Group, joins Azeem Azhar to discuss how to grow a business while investing in renewable energy, sourcing sustainable materials, and building a circular economy. They also discuss: How being a leader in the “green revolution” is a business opportunity. How mass production could actually expedite progress towards sustainability. Why supporting customers in their efforts to re-use and recycle is part of IKEA’s plan. Further resources: “The Drive to Decarbonize with Ramez Naam” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “Ikea says it’s easier being green if you are private” (Financial Times, 2020) “Ikea Will Buy Back Used Furniture” (New York Times, 2020) @azeem @ExponentialView Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“China is no longer a copycat. It’s an innovator,” says Kai-Fu Lee, CEO of Sinovation Ventures and former president of Google China. He joins Azeem Azhar to explore China’s rapidly evolving tech scene, their embrace of automation, and their journey to AI dominance. They also explore: How Covid has dramatically accelerated the use of consumer-facing robots. Why office workers are most vulnerable to replacement by AI. Why China is so attractive for tech investors. Further resources: “China, an AI Superpower” (Exponential View podcast, 2018) “Kai-Fu Lee on how covid spurs China’s great robotic leap forward” (The Economist, 2020) “China Has Caught Up To US In AI, Says AI Expert Kai-Fu Lee” (Forbes, 2020) @kaifulee @azeem @ExponentialView Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the world population grows and climate change intensifies, how can we transform the food supply chain to be more sustainable and resilient? Mike Zelkind, co-founder and CEO of 80 Acres Farms, is building a network of hyper-efficient, high-tech, indoor farms to provide local communities with fresh, nutritious produce. He joins Azeem Azhar to discuss the challenges of disrupting the farming industry to innovate the future of food. They also discuss: Why fruits and vegetables are now bred for logistics, not for flavor and nutrition. How robotics and AI are being used to optimize yield, taste, and growing time. Why “stressing” plants is key to making them healthy. Further resources: “Robots are changing the future of farming” (CNET, 2020) “Growing higher – New ways to make vertical farming stack up” (The Economist, 2019) “Reinventing food: The coming disruption” (Exponential View report, 2020) @80AcresFarms @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.

Azeem Azhar speaks with Yale Professor of Social and Natural Science, Internal Medicine & Biomedical Engineering, Nicholas Christakis, whose latest book “Apollo’s Arrow,” lays out the three phases of the world’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Christakis argues that each phase will be fraught with risk and will leave an enduring impact on our society, economy, and politics. They also discuss: How a successful vaccine will influence global geopolitics as a soft power. How to deal with the pandemic on individual and community levels. How the “Swiss Cheese model” of accident causation can help policymakers build resilient prevention and response systems. Further resources: “Apollo’s Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live” (Christakis, 2020) “Building Better Cities After Covid-19” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “Navigating Covid-19 as a Digital Republic” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “A Swiss Cheese Approach to Pandemic Safety” (The Verge, 2020) @NAChristakis @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.

Google and Facebook became multibillion-dollar juggernauts by stockpiling data and using it to sell advertising. Governments can now track their citizens en masse. Where will this “surveillance capitalism” lead? Dr. Carissa Véliz from the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford joins Azeem Azhar to consider what’s wrong with the data economy, and to explore her bold proposals for ending it. They also discuss: Why Google’s founders were initially opposed to selling ads. Why privacy legislation stalled after 9/11. How personalized content fractures the public sphere. How the Nazis used population data to identify victims. Why we should ban trading in personal data. Further reading: “Surveillance Capitalism with Shoshana Zuboff” (Exponential View podcast, 2019) “Privacy matters because it empowers us all” (Aeon, 2020) “Digital privacy — can we reclaim it?” (Financial Times, 2020) “You’ve heard of tax havens. After Brexit, the UK could become a ‘data haven’” (The Guardian, 2020) @carissaveliz @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.

When Facebook’s Chief Technology Officer Mike Schroepfer joined the company in 2008, it was about to hit 100 million users – today they serve 2.7 billion. He joins Azeem Azhar to explore how they planned for infrastructure resilience to cope with such explosive growth, and why Facebook has invested so deeply in AI and virtual reality. They also discuss: How Facebook increasingly uses AI systems to moderate content, including hate speech. What Facebook is doing to address the need for greater diversity in its workforce and culture. Why Facebook has committed to open source platforms such as PyTorch and React. Further reading: “Facebook’s A.I. Whiz Now Faces the Task of Cleaning It Up. Sometimes That Brings Him to Tears.” (New York Times, 2019) “Facebook AI can translate directly between any of 100 languages” (New Scientist, 2020) “Who controls the conversation – How to deal with free speech on social media” (The Economist 2020) @schrep @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.

Demis Hassabis, CEO and co-founder of DeepMind, dreams of using AI to solve fundamental problems in science. He joins Azeem Azhar to explore his own journey from world champion gamer to neuroscientist to building AI systems that can train themselves to solve real-world engineering challenges and, eventually, make Nobel-prize winning discoveries. They also discuss: Why games are the perfect training ground for AI algorithms. How DeepMind combines the dynamism of a startup with the “blue sky” creativity of a lab. Why “deep reinforcement learning” is the basis for artificial intelligence systems. Further reading: “How GPT-3 Is Shaping Our AI Future” (Exponential View podcast, 2020) “Inside DeepMind’s epic mission to solve science’s trickiest problem” (Wired, 2019) “Artificial general intelligence: Are we close, and does it even make sense to try?” (MIT Technology Review, 2020) @demishassabis @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.

“Democracy is a technology. Like any […] technology, it gets better when more people strive to improve it,” says Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s first digital minister. Minister Tang joins Azeem Azhar to discuss how the Taiwanese Government is using the Internet as a space for civic participation, dialogue, and consensus building. They also discuss: How the open Internet helped Taiwan proactively tackle the Covid-19 outbreak at the beginning of the pandemic. Algorithmic co-governance, and how it can keep social media platforms in check. How the values of radical transparency and digital openness shape new forms of decision-making. Further reading: “How Taiwan’s Unlikely Digital Minister Hacked the Pandemic” (Wired, 2020) “How Taiwan’s ‘Civic Hackers’ Helped Find A New Way to Run a Country” (The Guardian, 2020) “The simple but ingenious system Taiwan uses to crowdsource its laws” (Technology Review, 2018) @audreyt @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.

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.