Ed has spent his career thinking systemically about the future and consulting with governments and corporations on topics as varied as the environment, politics, healthcare and education.
He's also the co-host of hit podcast 'Jon Richardson and the Futurenauts' alongside comedian Jon Richardson and fellow Futurenaut Mark Stevenson.
Given Ed's varied expertise I wasn't quite sure where this conversation would go, but I needn't have worried. What unfolded was a great chat about climate, politics, and the soft technologies of technology that we need to make better use of to solve our toughest problems.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Ed's Work
04:22 The Role of a Futurist
07:17 Asking the Right Questions
10:23 The Politicization of Climate Change
13:12 The Transition to Renewable Energy
16:01 Motivations Behind Climate Action
18:57 The Economic Case for Renewables
22:01 The Challenge of Unburnable Carbon
25:17 Exploring Economic Models: Degrowth vs. Abundance
29:59 Grassroots Perspectives on Climate Action
34:43 Bystander Leadership: The Call for Courage
40:20 Finding Hope Amidst Challenges
46:41 Envisioning a Future of Bio-Regionalism
Benedikt Lehnert is former design leader at Microsoft and Chief Design Officer at SAP. He's had a seat at the top table in big tech and brings his own clear-eyed perspective based on that experience.I really enjoyed the conversation with Ben as we discussed the role of the designer in this current moment, the moral responsibilities of building business and technology, the hype cycles and weird incentives at play with the AI hyperscalers, and Ben's view that we should simply focus on adding more than we take.
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of a Designer
05:38 Navigating the Startup Journey
10:03 Transforming Microsoft: A Design Perspective
14:45 The Role of Chief Design Officer at SAP
20:14 Shifting Focus: From Big Tech to Teaching and Ethics
30:07 The Human Condition in Technology
38:35 AI and Humanistic Considerations
43:17 Learning from Poets and Thinkers
58:37 A Hopeful Vision for the Future
Ben hosts the Poets and Thinkers podcast and you can find out more about him here: https://benediktlehnert.github.io/
Summary
In this conversation, I speak to Kate Armstrong, the Executive Director of InterSpecies Internet, about the latest advancements in how we communicate with animals through technology.
Kate emphasizes the importance of planetary kinship and the responsibility humans have as advanced toolmakers to create beneficial tools for other species.
The discussion also touches on real-world applications of interspecies communication, the complexities of wild animal communication, and the need for legal frameworks to protect animal rights. Throughout the conversation, Kate shares insights into the future of this field and the resources available for those interested in learning more.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Interspecies Internet
03:47 The Journey to Interspecies Communication
06:59 The Origin Story of Interspecies Internet
11:21 Understanding Interspecies Communication
14:19 The Importance of Interspecies Communication
17:17 Technological Applications in Interspecies Communication
19:52 Frontiers of Interspecies Communication
22:50 The Role of AI in Animal Communication
25:40 Exploring Communication Across Species
28:24 Anthropocentrism in Animal Communication
30:39 The Magic of Interspecies Communication
32:11 Domestic Animals as Communication Pioneers
36:18 Ethical Considerations in Animal Communication
38:45 Nature Rights and Legal Frameworks
44:53 The Future of Interspecies Communication
Resources:
https://www.interspecies.io/
This episode features an OG in the world of internet security, the Godfather of Cybersecurity, Bruce Schneier.Bruce describes himself as a public interest technologist, and has done many things under that banner - run companies, lectured at Harvard, testified before Congress, authored over a dozen books, and written a blog for over 20 years that has more than 250k regular readers - to name just a few.Key topics:- The need for better technical minds in policy making- The implications of AI for democracy (not as bleak as you might expect - Bruce’s new book Rewiring Democracy goes deep on the emerging implications and he remains largely optimistic)- Why the internet was not designed with security in mind- Why prompt injection makes AI applications inherently insecure for high stakes tasks- Threat modelling for personal security in an age of geopoliticsChapters00:00 What Bruce actually does03:58 The Journey to Becoming a Public Interest Technologist 06:54 Understanding Cybersecurity and the Internet Today 09:36 Advice for Online Safety and Security 12:39 The Role of Governments in Data Privacy 15:41 Geopolitical Implications of Cybersecurity 18:35 Cyber-Physical Systems and Their Risks 21:49 The Impact of AI on Cybersecurity 24:27 Rewiring Democracy in the Age of Technology 30:08 The Evolving Landscape of Cybersecurity and AI 32:21 Understanding Prompt Injection Vulnerabilities 36:30 The Internet's Security Flaws and Historical Context 39:25 Capitalism's Role in Cybersecurity Failures 46:11 Skepticism Towards Web3 and Blockchain 48:37 Rewiring Democracy for the Information Age 55:27 Trust, Power, and the Future of AI in GovernanceYou can find bruce at www.schneier.com
This episode features Tara Fung, co-founder of CO:CREATE - a digital platform for tattooing.
Tara and her co-founder raised $25m in seed funding from A16z at the height of the NFT hype with a technical vision for how to scale that ecosystem, but ultimately ran into hard times as the market for NFTs collapsed.
What followed was a journey into the unknown, seeking ways to successfully pivot the company into something they could build and scale.
Tattoos aren’t necessarily the first thing that spring to mind when you think of vc-backed businesses, but Tara’s own experience of getting tattooed served as a point of inspiration for CO:CREATE, coupled with a willingness to explore beyond the typical playbooks.
Key topics:
Chapters
00:00 The Evolution of CO:CREATE
12:57 Navigating the Fundraising Landscape
19:04 Navigating Investor Relationships and Pivots
23:48 Motivation and Purpose in Entrepreneurship
30:00 Finding Clarity in Direction and Focus
32:16 Breaking the Playbook: A New Approach to Entrepreneurship
34:23 The Future of Trust in a Distrustful World
38:17 Navigating Attention and Discovery in the Digital Age
42:12 Ethics and Technology: Balancing Business with Societal Impact
43:00 Exploring Trust, Ethics, and Technology
45:29 Empowering Artists in the Tattoo Industry
This episode features Sam Stephenson, co-founder of Granola - one of the standout UK success stories in AI product building.
Sam and I discussed his background as a designer, his journey to becoming a founder, the trajectory of the company so far, and shares his thoughts on designing for human agency and the future of work.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Granola and Its Purpose
02:33 Sam's Background and Design Journey
05:19 Influences from Communal Living
09:36 The Origin of Granola and Co-founder Dynamics
12:01 The Messy Process of Finding the Right Project
16:12 Simplicity in Product Design
19:11 Growth Trajectory and User Experience
21:45 Balancing Short-term and Long-term Goals
24:12 Navigating AI Development Challenges
26:50 Balancing Innovation and Practicality in AI
29:16 The Pressure of Rapid Growth in AI Startups
32:43 The Future of Work with AI Assistance
36:51 Reducing Coordination Complexity in Organizations
38:28 The Human Element in AI Interactions
41:01 Agency and Control in the Age of AI
43:31 Envisioning a High-Leverage Future with AI
In this conversation, I speak to William Morgan and Sylvan Rackham, the Co-Founders of Restless Egg, an incubator for Artist Founders, about the intersection of art, technology, and innovation.
They discuss the concept of the 'artist founder', the challenges faced by creative technologists, and the need for a supportive infrastructure to foster their ideas. The conversation explores the role of institutions, funding sources, and the future of technology, particularly in relation to AI. They emphasize the importance of agency in technology and the potential for artist founders to create meaningful experiences that go beyond mere productivity enhancements.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Restless Egg
01:21 Artist founders
04:18 Discovering the Community of Creators
10:10 Key Players in the Artist Founder Ecosystem
14:37 The Role of Philosophy and Technology
20:31 Bridging Art and Technology
25:32 Defining the Artist Founder
28:24 The Future of AI and Experience
29:20 The Role of Artist Founders in E-commerce
32:41 Funding the Creative Frontier
36:58 The Shift in Investment Perspectives
41:03 The Future of Technology and Agency
44:29 AI: Tool or Evolutionary Break?
51:45 The Playful Nature of Innovation
58:59 Empowering Agency Through Technology
Where you can hear more from William and Sylvan
Some of the organisations mentioned:
Some of the people mentioned:
Other resources referenced: