Brett and Rob unpack the result of the 2024 US national election. President-elect Donald Trump has announced candidates for his next Administration. The verdict? His picks are a clown car of unqualified candidates who intend to dismantle the apparatus of the federal government of the United States. What might this wrecking ball achieve…or destroy? Who benefits from the chaos?  Join us for a lively future-focused discussion about geopolitics, BRICs, global trade, technology, isolationism, the viability of NATO, the fate of small nations. Plus, the immense power of billionaires who have stepped forward to demand their share of the spoils. And one wildcard: will Donald Trump be the instrument of humanity’s survival?  Absurd?.  But if the Trump Administration green-lights a SpaceX mission to Mars, there’s a non-zero probability that Elon Musk’s long term plan for human colonization of another planet might actually occur. 

In this week’s show Bestselling Author Michael J Casey, the chairman of DAIS (Decentralized AI Society), senior advisor on MIT Media Lab’s Digital Currency initiative, and previous Chair of Consensus at CoinDesk, joins Brett to talk the reality of decentralized and open source AI. The intersection of DeFi and DeAI appears to be a logical path if not for the hundreds of billions being invested in big tech efforts to create AGI. Is it possible to really make AI less centralized and still deliver the promise of a highly automated world? You’ll need to tune in to find out!

Michael Clark data scholar and futurist joins The Futurists this week to talk the critical misalignment of our global data infrastructure when it comes to AI and the future of the planet. He argues that data is more valuable than water, more valuable than money but can’t be just an asset used by corporations, that it must be owned but each individual from cradle to grave. How? You will need to listen to find out.

Real-time 3D computing is vast, but most people are not aware of it. RT3D tech powers online and mobile games, digital twins, industrial simulations and the much-ballyhooed Metaverse. And it has important implications for training machine learning and autonomous systems. This week’s guest expert, technology innovator Sylvio Drouin, has been working at the forefront of RT3D for decades. Join us for a tour of the emerging 3D future. 

In this week’s episode of The Futurists, bestselling author of MOVE and futurist Parag Khanna joins us to talk about climate migration, geopolitics, real-estate and agriculture in a world impacted by climate change. Khanna is the founder of futuremap and climate alpha, and has worked with the US government, World Economic Forum and others on climate change adaptation strategies and policy. 

Award-winning author and technologist Mark Pesce tells us about the deep history of today’s consumer technology in military R&D including the 30 year arc of the Metaverse which Pesce himself kickstarted in the early 1990s. Pesce points out how consumer technology has outpaced the defense innovation, and now has become a front for a new kind of warfare. 

This week we speak to a NASA veteran Wanda Harding about the future of space exploration, human boots on Mars (and back on the moon, and educating people to be passionate about the universe and exploring our solar system. Will Musk beat NASA to Mars? This week on the Futurists.

In this week’s episode Brett King and Robert Tercek, Brett’s The Futurists cohost, interview two-time presidential candidate, entrepreneur, journalist and futurist, Zoltan Istvan. We dive into how the species might evolve to adapt to living with AI, a changing climate and even to life off-planet. It’s controversial, dynamic and the philosophy and ethics of humanity are front and center in the debate. We’ll see you in the future!

In the digital domain, marketing is technology. Glenn White builds advertising systems for brand managers inside game worlds.  In this episode of The Futurists, Glenn explains the complex strategic decisions that govern how brand advertising will evolve in the Metaverse. 

July 31, 2022 was the fictional birthdate of George Jetson, so we thought we’d take a look this week at how The Jetsons has stood up over time in respect to its vision of the future.  It’s just Robert and Brett comparing notes and debating what the Jetsons got right and what they got wrong. From smart watches and flying cars to household robots and 3D printers.  

In Episode 19 of The Futurists, David Brin expounds on the interplay between scientific research and storytelling in shaping society’s future. An astrophysicist, prolific science fiction author and the winner of many awards, Brin also writes non-fiction about social dynamics and politics and contributes to NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts Program. In this playful and wide-ranging interview, Brin discusses all of his passionate pursuits. Brin sets forth the distinction between fantasy and science fiction, and he underscores the danger of romantic notions that inspire political movements.  He ends the episode with speculation about a universe filled with planets and teeming with life.

In this episode Robert and Brett talk to futurist, entrepreneur David Orban, who talks us through the early days of the internet and crypto to where he thinks we're going as a society with increasingly dense technology saturation and immersion. From his background as Singularity University and as the founder of Network Society Research, David has a uniquely philosophical approach to the application of technology in our world. David was an early bitcoin, ethereum and blockchain adopter, so we get into the future of crypto too.

In this week’s episode of The Futurists, Peter Hinssen joins the dynamic duo to talk the new normal of constant technology change and his new book The Phoenix and The Unicorn. A specialist in corporate forecast planning, Hinssen’s insights are compelling.

This week on TF we go to the cradle of civilization with Futurist, Economist and Professor Adrian Saville. Adrian, based in South Africa, is the Founder of Boundless World, a Professor of Economics, Finance and Strategy at GIBS (Gordon Institute of Business Science) and the founding director of the Centre for African Management and Markets (CAMM). We discuss how Africa’s nascent economy and infrastructure gives it incredible opportunities to leapfrog the rest of the world in adapting to climate changes in particular. 

In this episode of the Futurists, OG of Web 3 Tony Parisi joins Tercek and King to talk how the metaverse came to be, and why Web 3 isn’t just about the metaverse but foundational for our Augmented future. 

In this episode we learn from John Hagel, one of the prophets of digital transformation. For more than 30 years John has been guiding global organizations through the process of digital reinvention as a practice leader at McKinsey and Deloitte. Today he is focused on the emotional resistance to change and how to surmount it. His new book is The Journey Beyond Fear and web site is www.johnhagel.com. 

In Episode 14, our guest is John Smart, founder of Foresight University. John shares insights about the practice and practical application of foresight, the distinction between foresight and futurism and its relationship with complexity and human adaptability.  Our Book on Foresight:https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Foresight-Executive-Organizational-Adaptiveness/dp/1736558501Our Substack Series on the Biomimicry Future of AI:https://naturalalignment.substack.com/p/how-biomimicry-can-improve-ai

In this episode, Australian author, speaker and futurist Ross Dawson joins Robert and Brett to talk the path to the future. From tackling the qualities that make a strong futurist, to the tactical application of forecasting at a organizational level. Dawson is Australia’s leading futurist, but a globally relevant voice.

In Episode #12 of The Futurists, our guest is longtime global futurist and author Rohit Talwar, who offers his perspective on the human side of the forecasting and planning process. Rohit explains how he uses a combination of commonsense psychology, simple but profound questions, non-violent communication techniques, and data-informed storytelling to open executives up to the process of envisioning multiple possibilities. Learn more about Rohit at www.fastfuture.com. https://fastfuture.com/team/rohit-talwar/

This week we interview Dr. Roman Yampolskiy, a renowned specialist in Artificial Intelligence. We delve into the likely path that AI will take over the coming years, and how Artificial General Intelligence and then Super Intelligent AIs might change the course of human history, and life on our planet. How far away are AIs that would be as capable and as intelligent as humans? It may be much closer than you think.

In this weeks mashup Breaking Banks and The Futurists podcasts, we interview pioneering technologist Brad Templeton. In a discussion ranging from the creation of the commercial internet,  the battle for our future, to ethical AI and the likely roll out of autonomous vehicles, we cover a lot of ground. But at the heart of this discussion is how technology is reframing society and why those looking to the past are likely to be left behind.

Advertising industry legend Rishad Tobaccowala shares his perspective on the future after 30+ years as head of strategy at globe-spanning agency Publicis. In the next phase of digital transformation, he envisions marketing and design encompassing every aspect of a business, from product to store to customer experience, because “everything else will be highly automated.” Check out this energetic dialog for insight about how organizations and markets will evolve.  You’ll also learn Rishad’s technique for forecasting long-term trends. Visit rishadtobaccowala.com , join his newsletter https://rishad.substack.com/ and follow him on Twitter @rishad.   

In this week's show Robert Tercek joins Brett King and Richard Petty, the authors of a new book titled The Rise of Technosocialism, to discuss how 21st century economics will be reframed by inequality, automation and climate change. Right now inflation is a massive issue, but it's just the start of some seismic changes to core economics set to hit humanity over the next few decades. Which future scenario is likely? Luddistan, Failedistan, Technosocialism or the US’ Neo-Feudalism?

In Episode #7 of The Futurists, we explore the future of the company. Professor Wulf Kaal is an expert on managing community-led Decentralized Autonomous Organizations. He explains how DAOs differ from corporations, achieving consensus without a top-down hierarchy or executives. The DAO token economy provides reputation incentives and identity to participants. DAOs are the most exciting business innovation of the decade: according to Kaal, there are 50,000 active DAOs in operation today. Visit www.wulfkaal.com for white papers and more.

This week Brett and Robert are joined by Futurist, Founder and Author Terence Mauri as he gets ready to launch his new book, The UPside of DisrUPtion. We talk long term disruptive potential of AI, how it will impact employment, economies and corporations. But we also get into future proofing strategies for businesses and individuals alike. One thing is for sure, you're going to want to be as adaptable as possible for the future that is coming!

PJ Manney is the author of the bestselling and Philip K. Dick Award nominated Phoenix Horizon trilogy, (R)EVOLUTION, (ID)ENTITY, and (CON)SCIENCE. She is on the board of directors of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, is the futurist, media consultant and writer/producer for the Human Energy Project, runs The New Mythos Project and is the former chairperson of Humanity Plus (H+). She worked in motion picture PR at Walt Disney/Touchstone Pictures and wrote as Patricia Manney for the critically acclaimed hit TV shows Hercules and Xena: Warrior Princess. She will get you thinking about the course of Silicon Valley technology bereft of ethical foundations. 

In this week's episode of The Futurists we delve into the world of synthetic and programmable genetics with one of the world's foremost experts, Dr. Andrew Hessel. We also discuss his latest book The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology and how computing advances that led to gene sequencing are now allowing us to think about editing genetics in the same way we program computers. What are the implications for humanity as this allows us to radically adapt our biology for new purposes and new futures? Join us to find out.

In episode #4 of The Futurists, Regina Joseph talks us through the mechanics of the methodology known as Superforecasting. From her work with Pytho, Sibylink, the National Science Foundation, the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) and beyond, we learn how forecasting extends well into the future through human collective intelligence techniques and statistical analysis. What does it take to see the trends of the future emerging as the world seems chaotic, disruptive and unpredictable?

In this week's episode of The Futurists Dr. Harry Kloor talks us through the process of working with Ray Kurzweil, Peter Diamandis and others in creating Beomni - a remotely teleoperated, AI-enhanced humanoid robot built for semi-autonomous operation. Kloor has consulted on the X-Prize, written for and directed sci-fi series like Star Trek Voyager, and worked with world changers like Elon Musk. 

In this week's episode of The Futurists legendary Science Fiction and New York Times bestselling author Kevin J Anderson. He takes us through the workings of his latest Dune novel - The Lady of Caladan, and he then takes us into the creative process of working in the Dune universe. Recorded prior to the recent Oscars success of the latest Dune Movie. From the worlds of Star Wars to Dune, along with his own very successful sci-fi and fantasy landscapes, what is the process a world-class author takes in stepping into these epic worlds. A phenomenal first guest on The Futurists.

In this first episode of the Futurists we meet our hosts Brett King and Robert Tercek. We get right into why we created the podcast and why forecasting the future has never been more critical than it is today. As we launch this new podcast our intent is to seek out the world’s foremost thinkers, experts and visionaries building the future of tomorrow. Join us on this journey and we will see you in the Future!

Journalist and media pundit Jeff Jarvis returns to The Futurists to discuss the strategies deployed by newspapers and magazines to prevent technology firms from dominating journalism. It’s an uphill battle. Jeff describes the growing rift between independent journalists and big publications controlled by private equity; the role of government and new legislation; and the future of journalism in a media market shaped by artificial intelligence.  

In this week's episode we see the return of the philosopher futurist and award-winning science fiction author David Brin. We talk through the Fermi paradox, the ongoing civil war in the US, the geopolitical changes that are coming and how we get humanity to a place of real enlightenment. Brin brings his usual energy and intellect to a wide-ranging conversation that is sure to get you thinking.

In this episode, cybersecurity specialist and advisor to the DoD and former DIA cyber chief, Tyler Cohen Wood, joins us to talk about the recent Microsoft update crash and DDOS attacks. Wood takes us through emerging vectors and the cyberpunk future of our internet. If you think you’re safer online, you might want to skip this one.

In this week’s show we interview the legendary British science fiction author Charlie Stross. From Accelerando through to the Laundry Files we talk through how politics and social dynamics of our day tend to inform science fiction and why science fiction authors should be thought of as hi-brow entertainers rather than particularly gifted seers of the future. And yet, we get into why sci-fi authors tend to be fairly good at forecasting too. 

What will happen in the US Presidential election? It’s no exaggeration to say that the fate of the republic hangs in the balance as the United States heads to the national election in November. A series of historic incidents in the month of July 2024 has completely upset the dynamics of the contest: an attempted assassination, a surprise vice president pick and President Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race. This week the Futurists discuss the global consequences of these unprecedented dynamics and speculate about what might happen if Donald Trump returns to the White House, or if he is thwarted by Kamala Harris.

Monica Anderson returns to the Futurists to share a radical concept: future AI models based on Darwinism.  The "AI epistemologist” shares provocative opinions about where the current crop of generative AI systems went wrong, and why generative AI is computationally expensive and energy intensive, and why scaling AI with hardware will not achieve general intelligence. Instead she offers a radical alternative: a design for machine intelligence that is inspired by biology, and in particular by the Darwinian process of selection. Topics include: why generative AI is not a plagiarism machine; syntax versus semantics and why AI needs both;  there is only one algorithm for creativity; and how to construct an AI that consumes a million times less energy. 

This week Ross Dawson and Brett King sit down for an unscripted conversation about AI, Energy markets, climate survivability and resilience, mass migration, collaborative intelligence, advanced healthcare and other great topics for a futurists conversation to end out the week. Ross Dawson is one of Asia’s top ranked futurists and advises companies and governments around future-proofing and AI readiness. The future is closer than you think. Bio - https://rossdawson.com

Humanity's largest and most complex invention is the global supply chain.  More than 2 millions companies in 118 nations participate in the supply chain via GS1, the non-profit organization that manages data standards for global trade.  Melanie Hilton of GS1 US is one of the world’s leading experts on innovation in the supply chain. She joins the Futurists to discuss the deployment of artificial intelligence, robotics, big data and digital transformation in retail, shipping, container ports, and manufacturing in every corner of the planet.

This week we call upon renowned media personality and thought leader Tariq Qureishy. Based between London and Dubai, Tariq has recently helmed a project known as “Voices of the Future”. A chronicling of 110 of the world’s best future thinkers, analysts and researchers and their thoughts about humanity can adapt to the incredible changes being thrust upon society. He tells us why he’s MAD - dedicated to “Making a difference” - and why thinking about the future is a core skill in today and tomorrow’s world  Bio - https://tariq.tv/

The global supply chain is the most complicated thing that humanity has invented with more than 1 million companies in 209 nations trading 90% of manufactured goods via maritime transport. Now, thanks to climate change, extreme weather events and geo-political strife, it’s growing geometrically more complex. Brett King and Rob Tercek discuss the implications for domestic politics, employment and innovation. 

David Wood and Calum Chace lead the London Futurists, a group that promotes radical scenarios for the future. In this episode they explain how expectations about the future have evolved in the UK during the past 15 years under Tory leadership, and they identify the trends that will shape the next 15 years.  Brett King and Rob Tercek draw comparisons to economic and political trends in the US, Australia and other regions. Topics include populism, geopolitical conflict, immigration, and the pervasive influence of emerging technology on society. 

The future is complicated!  Brett King and Rob Tercek trace the trajectory of several major economic, political, and technology trends, including:  the rising cost of home ownership, price-fixing scams that crank up apartment rent, the rising cost of insurance due to climate change, the dramatic increase in populist movements, the politics of resentment in democracies worldwide, and the advent of  quantum computing.  At the point where these trends intersect, the world becomes more complicated and interesting. It’s not all gloom and doom. Brett and Rob talk about opportunities and the expanding cone of possibility, too. 

The best way to predict the future is to invent it. In this episode, Rob Tercek shares tools and techniques for team-based collaboration to create innovations that can change the world.  He knows his stuff.  Rob designed and launched digital platforms for games and video that are used by hundreds of millions of people today. In this special edition of the Futurists, Rob shares an easy and fun methodology for inventing new products and services used by dozens of major corporations to shape the future.

Looking to the future, a startup from Iceland innovates to address the opioid epidemic. In today's episode of The Futurists, guest host JP Nicols, co-host of The Futurists' sister podcast Breaking Banks, spotlights a healthtech innovator that he met on a recent trip to Iceland that is doing something to address a growing problem. Dr. Kjartan Thorsson, Prescriby, Co-Founder, acted on concerns noted as an orthopedic doctor -- he was regularly prescribing 30 to 50 opioid prescriptions a week. Rule of thumb, one in 10 patients go on to develop some level of addiction. Rather than contribute to the problem, he and two others decided to do something about it and developed the first data-driven treatment management platform for addictive medication.  In use in Iceland, professionals in the healthcare community are working to provide safer treatments of addictive medicines across the continuum of care. Entrepreneurs and futurists building a better world of tomorrow.

In this weeks episode Brett King is in London talking the future with renowned OG futurist JP Rangaswami. JP was the Chief Scientist for Salesforce and the Chief Data Officer for Deutsche Bank, way back before that was a thing. In this interview he talks about the philosophy of the future that is redrawn by AI and technology. A great discussion from a great learned mind and a modern philosopher. Bio - https://confusedofcalcutta.com/about-me/

In this special edition of the Futurists, media expert Peter Csathy debates with Rob about copyright and generative AI. It’s a preview of their upcoming live debate at the Streaming Media summit in New York. Peter and Rob discuss the major issues in copyright, the most contentious lawsuits, and the most relevant precedents. If you are interested in the future of gen AI for storytelling and entertainment, this episode is essential. Topics include: copyright lawsuits brought by the New York Times, Getty Images and artists; how recent rulings on fair use may affect these cases; the evolving definition of “copying” in the digital domain; why some precedents will matter more than others; why Big Tech is in hot water; and how copyright is a tax on future innovation.  

In this week's show returning guest Shelly Palmer (CNBC, CNN, Fox5) dives with Rob and Brett into what it will take for corporations to stay relevant in the AI-age. This is a wide ranging discussion on the way AI-based commerce, agency and automation will disrupt many of our current industries and institutions. Not one to be missed! Shelly's BIO - https://shellypalmer.com/shelly-palmer-bio/

In every work environment, from factories, hospitals, retail shops to elder care homes, the future workforce will include robots. Dr Harry Kloor, the founder and CEO of Beyond Imagination has blazed a trail toward building reliable, strong robots that can operate safely alongside human workers. Harry tells the Futurists how to design a robot for a variety of workplaces at an affordable price, and what type of artificial intelligence is best for autonomous robot workers. Harry also answers key questions: why insurability for robot co-workers is a challenge; how to create a friendly-looking robot;  the best places to put robots to work; why legless robots are superior;  robots for elder care; how hydraulic robots compare to electronic systems; and why it’s so difficult for a robot to open a bottle of soda. 

This week we have an extraordinary show. Chief Tashka Yawanawa, of the Yawanawa tribe in the heart of the Acre River region in the Amazon rainforest joins Brett King to talk the effects of climate change and deforestation happening today in the world’s largest rainforest. The Yawanawa tribe are custodians of over 400 Hectares of Amazonian land and we get to hear first hand. If you have any doubt in your mind that climate change is impacting the planet, this is one you must listen to with an open mind.