Possible Futures Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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Possible Futures Podcast

Singularity University

Technology

Frequency: 1 episode/7d. Total Eps: 13

We're living through a moment of unprecedented technological possibility, yet most people only hear about one version of the future—usually the most dramatic or profitable one. AI will replace all jobs. Biotech will solve everything. Space is our escape plan. But these singular narratives obscure the reality: we have choices, and those choices will determine which future we actually get. Each episode of Possible Futures explores the lesser-known possibilities and alternative pathways that exist beyond the usual. Hosted by Singularity Fellow: Gary Bolles

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Data updated on 12/09/2026

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🇫🇷 France - Technology
12/09/2026
#78

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Score global : 32%

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AI, Mobility & The Near Future with Carlo van de Weijer | Singularity University

Thursday, September 4, 2025 • Duration 50:55

Carlo van de Weijer is a mechanical engineer, longtime automotive innovator (incl. TomTom/Siemens), and Managing Director at the Eindhoven AI Institute. We explore what AI really is (goal-oriented adaptive systems), why mobility is a perfect testbed, and how sensors are exploding. At the same time, actuators are improving linearly, and this has significant implications for self-driving, humanoid robots, education, leadership, regulation, and job opportunities in the next 2–3 years.

What you’ll learn:

- A clear, practical definition of AI (beyond “automation” and chatbots)

- Why mobility + AI matters: compute on wheels, data loops, safety, emissions

- Sensors vs. actuators: the exponential that’s quietly changing everything- How leaders should actually use AI (prompts, guardrails, real productivity)

- Jobs: what gets automated vs. where humans add value Industries poised to benefit now (legal, transportation, energy/EVs, V2G)

- Risks & guardrails: EU AI Act, Asimov-style constraints, “playing with fire”

- Education & parenting: teaching thinking, not just testing- A realistic 10–15 year view: more prosperity, less friction, human constants

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Robert Suarez on Biomimicry and Designing Possible Futures

Wednesday, August 27, 2025 • Duration 46:14

What can nature teach us about building better futures?

In this episode of Possible Futures, Gary sits down with Robert Suarez, Fellow for Innovation at Singularity University, longtime IDEO design leader, and expert in biomimicry to explore how natural systems can inspire breakthrough innovation.

This episode covers:

- The childhood experiences that shaped Robert’s curiosity

- How biomimicry helps us design regenerative, circular systems

- Why organizational design is at the heart of innovation- Humane technology, AI as a creative tool, and the risks of outsourcing innovation

- His vision for the possible futures of design, work, and human creativity

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Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom on How Space Must Be Democratized | Singularity University

Wednesday, August 20, 2025 • Duration 43:13

Emeline Pat Dahlstrom, co-founder of Space Limited and coordinator of the Global Space Enablers Network, breaks down how access to space is shifting from government-only to truly global. We trace the inflection point from smallsats (Planet) to today’s open satellite data, why ecosystem-building matters, and how countries and founders can plug in. Emily contrasts an “Elysium” outcome with a Star Trek vision, and shares practical ways students, operators, and policymakers can get involved now. If you care about earth-impacting applications (GPS/banking, climate, agriculture), this episode maps what’s coming next.

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Darlene Damm on How to Change the World—And Make It Work

Season 1 · Episode 12

Wednesday, August 13, 2025 • Duration 36:59

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Darlene Damm, a fellow for impact at Singularity University, whose career spans decades of solving “wicked problems” in some of the world’s most challenging environments. From cofounding drone delivery networks for healthcare to launching global competitions that democratized space innovation, Darlene has shown how bold ideas—paired with the right teams—can create lasting change.

Darlene’s journey includes roles with Ashoka, the World Food Programme, and exponential startups, as well as work in Asia helping communities rebuild and thrive. In this episode, she shares how her early life in a remote town shaped her empathy and determination, and how a neighbor who worked on the first liquid-fueled rockets sparked her lifelong passion for technology and impact.

In this episode, Darlene delves into:

Empowering Communities to Lead Change: Why the people most affected by a problem are often best suited to lead its solution, and how rethinking power structures can unlock innovation.
From Drones to DIY Rockets: The origin stories of her groundbreaking ventures and what they reveal about turning constraints into creative breakthroughs.
Future Forces Shaping Impact: How exponential technologies like digital twins and biotechnology will transform resource challenges and create new opportunities.
Balancing Scarcity and Abundance: Why solving resource shortages is only half the challenge—and how overabundance creates new societal problems to tackle.
Building Future-Ready Teams: What it takes to assemble diverse, empowered teams that blend lived experience, capital, and technology to solve global challenges.
Making Impact Work Inside Big Organizations: Lessons on finding hidden impact in your current role, leveraging existing assets, and spinning out sustainable ventures.

Discover how Darlene’s insights can help you turn big problems into bold opportunities, align doing well with doing good, and create your own possible future.

Nell Watson on How AI Is Already Rewiring Us

Season 1 · Episode 9

Wednesday, August 6, 2025 • Duration 49:31

In this thought-provoking episode, Gary A. Bolles sits down with Nell Watson—Singularity University faculty member, AI ethicist, and president of the European Responsible AI Office—for a wide-ranging conversation on the exponential future of artificial intelligence and the ethical design challenges that come with it.

Nell shares how a childhood steeped in engineering and science fiction shaped her vision for a more human-centered technological future. She reflects on lessons from the Titanic, the ethics of design, and how our values often lag behind our innovations.

Together, they explore:

Why the real danger of AI isn’t Terminator—it’s the psychological and social rewiring already underway.
How AI will soon become a “supernormal stimulus”—deeply engaging, ever-present, and emotionally irresistible.
What it means to build AI that uplifts rather than addicts, inspires rather than replaces.
The importance of embedding ethics not as an afterthought but as a design foundation—much like safety standards in aviation or food.
How we must prepare children and society to thrive in a world where AI companions may one day be more influential than human ones.
Why learning to “be a beginner again” is one of the greatest skills we’ll need in the AI age.

Nell offers a hopeful vision—if we’re wise enough to teach AI to make us better, not just more efficient.

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Nicholas Haan on How Technology is Redefining Governance

Season 1 · Episode 8

Wednesday, July 30, 2025 • Duration 48:33

In this episode, we delve into the transformative impact of exponential technologies on governance with Nicholas Haan, a Fellow for Governance at Singularity University. Explore how digital identities, blockchain, and AI are reshaping decision-making processes and accountability across societal groups, from nation-states to local communities. Discover the concept of network states and how they challenge traditional geographical boundaries, offering new models of governance driven by shared values and culture. Join us as we uncover the potential of these technologies to create more efficient, inclusive, and adaptive governance systems for a rapidly changing world.

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Muriel Clauson Closs on the new Frontline Economy

Season 1 · Episode 7

Wednesday, July 23, 2025 • Duration 38:01

In this episode, we delve into the pivotal role of frontline workers in shaping the future economy. Join us as we explore insights from Muriel Clauson Closs, CEO and co-founder of Ant Hill, who shares her expertise on the evolving landscape of work. Discover how demographic shifts, technological advancements, and economic dynamics are transforming frontline roles, and learn about the opportunities and challenges these workers face in an ever-changing world. Tune in to understand how these essential workers are not only adapting but thriving in the face of automation and globalization.

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Misha Byrne on Leadership in the Age of AI

Season 1 · Episode 6

Wednesday, July 16, 2025 • Duration 36:06

Join us for an insightful conversation with Misha Byrne, a fellow for leadership with Singularity University, known for his diverse background applying neuroscience to the world of work. Misha's extensive experience includes roles as head of consulting for Future Academy X, editor for NeuroPower, and work with the Queensland Brain Institute on cognitive genetics. He discusses how his academic journey in neuroscience and psychology, initially a placeholder, became a fascinating exploration of the brain, ultimately aligning perfectly with his current endeavors.

In this episode, Misha delves into:

The Power of Social Neuroscience: He explains that social neuroscience, his particular interest, challenges the traditional "Newtonian mechanical view" of human performance. Instead, it emphasizes that humans are inherently social creatures and the brain is an open system, constantly influenced by our environment and interactions. This perspective offers crucial insights into team performance, culture, leadership, resilience, adaptability, and innovation mindsets.
Redefining Leadership in the AI Era: Misha defines leadership as the ability to bring people together around purposeful outcomes, balancing individual and community needs, and creating an environment that elicits the best in each person. He stresses the critical importance of intentionality and self-awareness for leaders, especially in a rapidly changing world, arguing that leaders must be "self-authoring" and anchor their leadership in core values.
Navigating the Empathy Gap: A significant concern Misha highlights is the "empathy gap" emerging from increased screen time. He notes that analytical tasks performed on screens can draw blood flow away from empathy systems in the brain, potentially leading to increased transactionality and distance within teams. He expresses hope that future consumer neurotech will help build self-awareness and keep technology in service of human connection.
The Future of Teams (2035): Misha envisions future teams as fractional, dynamic, and rapidly changing. As automation trivializes many operational tasks, human collaboration will shift towards sensing the outside world, making judgment calls based on values, and resolving complex edge cases. Teams will likely consist of adaptable generalists who can quickly "swarm" around high-purpose tasks, fostering high-performance teaming in as little as an hour, rather than a months-long journey. He emphasizes leveraging social neuroscience to rapidly build trust and belonging by addressing universal human needs like psychological safety.

Andra Keay on the New Rules for Life with Autonomous Machines

Season 1 · Episode 4

Wednesday, July 9, 2025 • Duration 52:36

In this conversation, Gary A. Bolles and Andra Keay explore the evolution of robotics, its impact on society, and the future of work. They discuss the early influences that shaped Andra's career, the growth of robotics in Silicon Valley, and the ethical considerations surrounding the development of robots. The conversation also touches on the potential futures of robotics, including its integration into daily life and agriculture, the dynamics of job displacement, and the importance of establishing guardrails for responsible robotics development.

Takeaways

Robots can be seen as the closest things to aliens.
The integration of robots into society requires ethical considerations.
Investment in robotics has significantly increased since 2015.
Robotics 2.0 represents a shift towards more autonomous and mobile robots.
Humanoid robots may not be necessary for all applications.
Automation can lead to new job creation rather than job loss.
Guardrails are essential for the safe deployment of robots.
Community engagement is crucial in the development of robotics.
The future of work will be more human-centric with the aid of robots.
Redefining work in an automated world presents new opportunities.

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Kyle Hermans on The Power of Purpose in an Exponential World

Season 1 · Episode 4

Wednesday, July 2, 2025 • Duration 34:11

In this insightful episode, host Gary A. Bolles welcomes Kyle Hermans, Singularity University's Fellow for Purpose and CEO of Be Courageous. They dive deep into the concept of purpose in a world of exponential change, marked by "great resets" like the global pandemic and the "AI tsunami".

Kyle, who has conducted over 2,500 sessions with leaders globally, shares his unique journey, starting from his curious youth in apartheid South Africa. Driven by a "five whys mentality" and a vast imagination, his non-linear career arc was always shaped by profound questions. A pivotal "lightning bolt" moment revealed his life's purpose: that "creativity is courage," leading him to help others choose between building their lives through fear or courage. Kyle emphasizes that deep purpose often emerges from "conflicted places" and "very hard struggles," not just ideal circumstances. His process for finding purpose involves reflecting on life's highs and lows to find meaning and gain "agency".

The conversation extends to organizational purpose in an era of constant disruption. Kyle asserts that many modern disruptions are a "failure of imagination," as humans fail to anticipate possibilities. He highlights how "modern tools" like AI are increasingly accessible, enabling rapid adoption of new solutions and challenging fundamental societal beliefs. For organizations, the future is a "blank canvas," necessitating big, different thinking anchored in purpose. Kyle offers practical examples for cultivating purpose, such as Patagonia's practice of starting meetings by asking, "How did we serve and impact the earth today?" or placing an "empty customer chair" at the table.A significant focus is placed on generational differences in the workforce. Kyle notes that younger generations are "wide for different things," with meaning and purpose often ranking higher than traditional career incentives or money. They seek organizations that "stand for something" and offer psychologically safe environments where their voices are heard and creativity embraced.

Regarding AI and purpose, Kyle's company integrates AI as a "team member" named FID (short for Infinity). While AI excels at synthesizing information and articulating ideas, Kyle currently observes its limitation in generating novel, profound "why" reasoning about things that don't yet exist. He raises a fascinating question: What if we started "programming" AI with a sense of purpose beyond just functional tasks?. Looking to the future (2045-2050), Kyle believes the only constants will be "love and courage," as humans, intrinsically wired for fear, will continually need courage to navigate relentless change.For listeners seeking to explore their own purpose, Kyle offers a free resource on his website, including a 10-minute video and downloadable toolkit.

Possible Futures Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

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Possible Futures Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

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