Best Aza Raskin Podcasts (2025)

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Rerun: AquaFreezing to Slow Arctic Ice Loss, with Simon Woods 1:45

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32m ago1:45

1:45

Real Ice, a UK based start-up, has been on the forefront of exploring the viability of this new technology. Aqua Freezing involves drilling holes through sea ice to pump out the sea water below and refreeze it on the surface. Once the water freezes, it thickens existing ice to the surface. Adding snow insulation in late winter is expected to help i…

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America and China Are Racing to Different AI Futures 57:41

6d ago57:41

57:41

Is the US really in an AI race with China—or are we racing toward completely different finish lines? In this episode, Tristan Harris sits down with China experts Selina Xu and Matt Sheehan to separate fact from fiction about China's AI development. They explore fundamental questions about how the Chinese government and public approach AI, the most …

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‘Like Disneyland when it just opened’: Arm CEO Rene Haas on the AI revolution 21:27

7d ago21:27

21:27

Chances are, you’ve used computer chips from the company Arm. The UK firm’s CPUs are in almost every smartphone, plus a ton of laptops, cars, even refrigerators – not to mention their integral role around AI infrastructure in data centers. Pioneers of AI host Rana el Kaliouby sat down with Arm CEO Rene Haas recently, live on stage at Fortune Brains…

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Sequestering Carbon in Building Materials, with Dr. Sabbie Miller 1:45

7d ago1:45

1:45

Introduction to the Solution UC Davis researchers are examining a novel approach to combating climate change: turning our buildings into carbon sinks. The solution is based on incorporating biochar, a carbon-rich material obtained from plant material, into common construction materials like concrete, brick, and asphalt. By embedding carbon directly…

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Rerun: Sustainable Wood from Mass Timber, with Dr. Paul Mayencourt 1:45

10d ago1:45

1:45

How Sustainable Wood Helps Mitigate the Impact of Climate Change Sustainable wood refers to the use of mass timber, which involves smaller pieces of wood that are dried and glued together in a perpendicular, crosswise pattern to form large slabs. This process can incorporate a closed-loop system that repurposes wood, promoting a circular practice t…

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Rerun: Using AI for Climate Risk Assessment, with Dr. Ron Dembo 1:45

10d ago1:45

1:45

Assessing Climate Risks As climate change accelerates, climate risks are beginning to impact every aspect of society from infrastructure and transportation to health, biodiversity, and air and water quality. A climate risk is the potential for climate change to have adverse consequences for a human or ecological system. Climate risks have implicati…

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Visualizing the AI boom (or bubble), with Carta’s Peter Walker 42:14

13d ago42:14

42:14

We’ve all heard the hype, but what does the data say about the AI gold rush? According to Peter Walker, Head of Insights for Carta, around 40 percent of the money they see being raised goes to AI companies. A master of data visualization, Walker takes investment information from the over 55,000 start-ups on Carta and turns it into digestible figure…

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AI and the Future of Work: What You Need to Know 45:28

20d ago45:28

45:28

No matter where you sit within the economy, whether you're a CEO or an entry level worker, everyone's feeling uneasy about AI and the future of work. Uncertainty about career paths, job security, and life planning makes thinking about the future anxiety inducing. In this episode, Daniel Barcay sits down with two experts on AI and work to examine wh…

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Walmart, AI, and the future of shopping, with Walmart CTO Suresh Kumar 33:14

21d ago33:14

33:14

Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, is starting an AI-driven transformation that it says will impact every aspect of shopping and operations. Suresh Kumar, Walmart's Chief Technology Officer and Chief Development Officer, leads that effort. Kumar joins Pioneers of AI to take us inside Walmart’s adoption of robotics and AI in its warehouses, stor…

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Andrew Ng on winning the AI race, with DJ Patil 23:41

28d ago23:41

23:41

Andrew Ng has been a leading voice in AI for over a decade. As Managing General Partner at AI Fund, and co-founder of Coursera and DeepLearning, among other roles, Ng has shaped the modern AI landscape and spread AI education to the masses. Onstage at this year’s Masters of Scale Summit, he sat down with former US Chief Data Scientist and now Gener…

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Unifying a Partisan Nation Around Nature, with Amelia Joy and Maya Cohn 1:45

28d ago1:45

1:45

Unifying a Partisan Nation Around Nature Nature is Nonpartisan is a bipartisan, solutions-focused coalition working to unite Americans around shared environmental goals. By fostering cross-party support for conservation and land stewardship, the organization hopes to reframe climate action as a unifying national priority rather than a partisan figh…

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Mark Cuban’s investment strategy in the world of AI 40:09

1M ago40:09

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Mark Cuban has spent decades as a serial entrepreneur and investor, with one of the best track records on the planet (including celebrity status on ABC’s Shark Tank). His success stems in part from an ability to spot opportunity early — and now he’s bringing that approach to AI. Cuban is backing AI companies that he sees taking bold swings and reim…

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Possible: Lisa Su on semiconductors, compute, and big bets 42:40

1M ago42:40

42:40

What’s the role of semiconductors—and the companies that make them—in powering human progress? What does it look like to innovate thoughtfully in a landscape where the demand for power may be higher than the supply? With AI evolving faster and faster, how can we keep up? Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) CEO Lisa Su joins the show to talk about hardware…

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Feed Drop: "Into the Machine" with Tobias Rose-Stockwell 1:04:59

1M ago1:04:59

1:04:59

This week, we’re bringing you Tristan’s conversation with Tobias Rose-Stockwell on his podcast “Into the Machine.” Tobias is a designer, writer, and technologist and the author of the book “The Outrage Machine.” Tobias and Tristan had a critical, sobering, and surprisingly hopeful conversation about the current path we’re on AI and the choices we …

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How AI can unlock life-saving cures, with Siddhartha Mukherjee 28:58

1M ago28:58

28:58

Discovering new medicines has long been a slow, inefficient, and expensive process. Siddhartha Mukherjee, esteemed cancer biologist and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Emperor of All Maladies, is looking to change that. That’s why he partnered with Reid Hoffman to found Manas AI, a company that uses AI to accelerate drug discovery and…

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Rerun: Climate Action through Community-Driven Philanthropy, with Jared Blumenfeld 1:45

1M ago1:45

1:45

What is the Waverley Street Foundation? The Waverley Street Foundation, founded by Laurene Powell Jobs in 2016, aims to attack climate related issues through funding community-led programs, leading to community action against climate change. The Waverley Street Foundation specifically funds programs related to renewable energy and regenerative agri…

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What if we had fixed social media? 16:54

2M ago16:54

16:54

We really enjoyed hearing all of your questions for our annual Ask Us Anything episode. There was one question that kept coming up: what might a different world look like? The broken incentives behind social media, and now AI, have done so much damage to our society, but what is the alternative? How can we blaze a different path? In this episode, T…

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Designing AI for people and the planet, with Aza Raskin 44:34

2M ago44:34

44:34

AI is rapidly changing what it means to be human, but is AI development truly human-centered? According to Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, the answer is largely “no.” The man who invented the “infinite scroll” is now working to understand why the most powerful technology so often fails to prioritize the human experience …

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Eliminating Single-Use Plastic Bags, with Jesse Langley 1:45

2M ago1:45

1:45

The Dangers of Single-Use Plastic Bags Single-use plastics are extremely harmful to the environment, both in terms of their production and disposal. All plastic creates issues regarding fossil fuel emissions and waste, but single-use plastics are specifically detrimental because they contribute to the immense amounts of waste piling up on our plane…

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Baratunde Thurston wants us to reimagine our relationship with AI 36:47

2M ago36:47

36:47

How we decide to live with AI, at home or at work, will greatly impact our personal and professional futures. Baratunde Thurston, a comedian, writer, and commentator, has had a long career exploring what a harmonious relationship between human beings and our machines could look like. Now, as host and co-creator of the podcast Life with Machines, he…

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Rerun: Water Batteries, with Erik Steimle 1:45

2M ago1:45

1:45

Pumped Storage Hydropower as a Climate Solution Pumped storage hydropower, also known as water batteries, are often used as a means to store excess renewable energy. For example, solar and wind may generate more energy than is needed during certain times of the day and less than what is needed at other times. As a result, water batteries are extrem…

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Ask Us Anything 2025 40:53

2M ago40:53

40:53

It's been another big year in AI. The AI race has accelerated to breakneck speed, with frontier labs pouring hundreds of billions into increasingly powerful models—each one smarter, faster, and more unpredictable than the last. We’re starting to see disruptions in the workforce as human labor is replaced by agents. Millions of people, including vul…

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Could this be the future of K-12 education?, with Alpha School’s Joe Liemandt 24:39

2M ago24:39

24:39

Educators around the world are wrangling with AI in learning. At Alpha School, a private K-12 school based in Texas, students use AI-driven software to complete core subjects in about two hours’ time. They spend the rest of the school day with guides for social-emotional learning, project-based work, and life skills. Joe Liemandt, longtime software…

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Earth Species, with Aza Raskin 1:46

2M ago1:46

1:46

What is the Earth Species Project? Can we talk to animals, or at least understand what they are saying to each other? That’s a question that researchers hope to answer with the help of AI. Earth Species Project, a non-profit that develops sophisticated AI technologies, hopes its software can help. Specifically, they have developed Nature-LM audio w…

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Vibe coding and the one-person start-up, with Lovable's Anton Osika 21:27

2M ago21:27

21:27

“Vibe coding” is taking software development by storm, allowing users to build apps by simply chatting with AI. These tools will transform how digital products and companies are created – and who gets to create them. Anton Osika is the co-founder and CEO of Lovable, a vibe coding platform that’s garnered a reported $4 billion valuation since its fo…

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Rerun: COF 999 Carbon Capture, with Dr. Omar Yaghi 1:45

2M ago1:45

1:45

CONGRATULATIONS DR. OMAR YAGHI ON WINNING THE 2025 NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY FOR COF 999! What is COF 999? UC Berkeley chemistry professor Dr. Omar Yaghi recently led a study which has the potential to be revolutionary in reducing the quantity of carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere. “Covalent organic framework number 999,” or COF 999, is a yell…

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Rapid Response: Hollywood’s hottest AI partner, with Runway’s Cristóbal Valenzuela 33:11

3M ago33:11

33:11

AI tools are disrupting all types of creative content, and Runway AI is a pioneer making major waves in Hollywood. In this episode of Rapid Response, Runway’s co-founder & CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela dissects the company’s breakneck growth, the risks and responsibilities of AI tool makers, and how AI is redefining both business expectations and our no…

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Rerun: Breeding Heat Resilient Coral to Restore At-Risk Coral Reefs, with Dr. Saskia Jurriaans 1:45

3M ago1:45

1:45

How Can Coral IVF Fight Coral Bleaching? As ocean temperatures increase due to climate change, an emergent crisis known as coral bleaching is on the rise. Coral bleaching poses the largest threat to coral reefs, which are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Coral reef habitats occupy less than one percent of the ocean floor, but const…

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How Harvey is reinventing legal work with AI 34:19

3M ago34:19

34:19

Law is one of the oldest professions in the world, a storied occupation steeped in traditions, where innovation can be challenging. Gabe Pereyra wants to change that with the power of AI. As Co-founder and President of Harvey, he’s creating legal AI tools that augment lawyers in their daily work, from drafting proposals to conducting research. Pere…

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Rerun: Promoting Clean Energy through Pop Culture, with Klean Energy Kulture Co-Founders Michael Hawthorne Jr. and Corey Dennard 1:45

3M ago1:45

1:45

A New Sustainable Culture Through the rise in pop culture, climate change awareness has increasingly been integrated into the entertainment industry. Particularly in the Black community, multimedia cultural campaigns are used to increase interest in environmental movements with the use of light-hearted, fun content. Artists, musicians, and influenc…

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Arianna Huffington thinks AI could be a GPS for the soul 36:40

3M ago36:40

36:40

Personal health and wellness tools are on the rise as more people take ownership of their physical and mental well-being. Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post, believes AI is the key to unlocking small behavior changes for healthier living. As CEO and founder of Thrive Global, she has partnered with Sam Altman to launch Thrive AI H…

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Lithium-Ion Batteries for India's Clean Energy Future, with Dr. Rashi Gupta 1:45

3M ago1:45

1:45

India's Battle Against Air Pollution Historically, India has faced challenges with persistent air pollution as a result of industrial development. One key approach to combat this has been to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For example, Indian policymakers have been pushing for the commercialization of electric vehicles which has unlocked various i…

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How Microsoft is democratizing safe AI 36:21

3M ago36:21

36:21

Responsible AI is more than a buzzword, it’s a guiding principle at Microsoft. Sarah Bird, Chief Product Officer of Responsible AI, leads the company’s efforts to build and deploy AI products with responsibility at the core. She and her team bring standards across the company’s AI efforts, and have played a central role in building Microsoft Copilo…

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Evangelical Christians Taking Environmental Action, with Rev. Dr. Jeremy Summers 1:45

3M ago1:45

1:45

How Evangelical Communities in Indiana Are Leading Christian Climate Action In Indiana, evangelical churches are finding new ways to live out their faith through environmental action. With support from the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN), congregations are installing solar panels, planting native gardens, creating nature play areas for pres…

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The Crisis That United Humanity—and Why It Matters for AI 51:47

3M ago51:47

51:47

In 1985, scientists in Antarctica discovered a hole in the ozone layer that posed a catastrophic threat to life on earth if we didn’t do something about it. Then, something amazing happened: humanity rallied together to solve the problem. Just two years later, representatives from all 198 UN member nations came together in Montreal, CA to sign an a…

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The power of storytelling in VCs, with Jeffrey Katzenberg and ChenLi Wang 44:56

3M ago44:56

44:56

WndrCo is a venture capital firm that views storytelling as the foundation of every successful business, and for good reason. Its founding partner, Jeffrey Katzenberg, helped build DreamWorks into one of the most celebrated animation studios in the world. He is joined at the helm by ChenLi Wang, WndrCo’s managing partner and one of the earliest hir…

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Using AI for Climate Risk Assessment, with Dr. Ron Dembo 1:45

4M ago1:45

1:45

Assessing Climate Risks As climate change accelerates, climate risks are beginning to impact every aspect of society from infrastructure and transportation to health, biodiversity, and air and water quality. A climate risk is the potential for climate change to have adverse consequences for a human or ecological system. Climate risks have implicati…

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Replay: How AI is shaping the job market, with Hilke Schellmann 31:15

4M ago31:15

31:15

This week, Pioneers of AI is bringing back one of our most thought-provoking conversations: How AI is transforming the job market. Hilke Schellmann, journalist and author of “The Algorithm,” has spent years diving into the impact of AI on who gets hired and moves up – or doesn’t. Revisit this episode where we talk about how and why she began report…

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Rerun: Educating Kids about Climate Change through Musical Storytelling 1:45

4M ago1:45

1:45

Climate Education for Youth Climate education has the potential to drive the public towards climate science literacy, an individual’s understanding of their influence on climate and climate’s influence on them and society. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a climate-literate person: understands the essential principl…

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Inside how The New York Times leverages AI 38:02

4M ago38:02

38:02

For years, news organizations have walked a fine line between embracing new and emerging technologies and safeguarding their IP and content from those same technologies. The New York Times is no exception when it comes to its relationship with AI. Alex Hardiman, Chief Product Officer of The New York Times, is leading the storied news organization’s…

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How OpenAI's ChatGPT Guided a Teen to His Death 45:12

4M ago45:12

45:12

Content Warning: This episode contains references to suicide and self-harm. Like millions of kids, 16-year-old Adam Raine started using ChatGPT for help with his homework. Over the next few months, the AI dragged Adam deeper and deeper into a dark rabbit hole, preying on his vulnerabilities and isolating him from his loved ones. In April of this ye…

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Rerun: How Fungi is Enhancing Soil Carbon Sequestration Underground, with Tegan Nock 1:45

4M ago1:45

1:45

How Climate Change Puts the Agriculture Industry at Risk Since the Industrial Revolution, our soils have lost between twenty and sixty percent of their carbon levels as a result of agricultural practice exacerbated by more common and more extreme droughts and floods resulting from climate change. Farmers have witnessed their crops endure mass devas…

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Back to school: How AI is transforming the classroom, with Sal Khan 42:13

4M ago42:13

42:13

It’s back-to-school season and questions about how AI is changing the classroom are top of mind for parents, students, and teachers. Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, an education platform that pioneered online learning, is one of the leading voices in the conversation about how AI is shaping education. He joins Pioneers of AI to discuss how A…

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AquaFreezing to Slow Arctic Ice Loss , with Simon Woods 1:45

4M ago1:45

1:45

Real Ice, a UK based start-up, has been on the forefront of exploring the viability of this new technology. Aqua Freezing involves drilling holes through sea ice to pump out the sea water below and refreeze it on the surface. Once the water freezes, it thickens existing ice to the surface. Adding snow insulation in late winter is expected to help i…

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“Rogue AI” Used to be a Science Fiction Trope. Not Anymore. 42:11

4M ago42:11

42:11

Everyone knows the science fiction tropes of AI systems that go rogue, disobey orders, or even try to escape their digital environment. These are supposed to be warning signs and morality tales, not things that we would ever actually create in real life, given the obvious danger. And yet we find ourselves building AI systems that are exhibiting the…

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Can artists and AI coexist? 38:40

4M ago38:40

38:40

Award-winning visual artist Shantell Martin has made a name for herself through her signature black-line, graphic drawings that have scaled gallery walls and traced paths across Times Square. She's collaborated with iconic brands like Tiffany & Co, as well as leading artists like Kendrick Lamar. For the past ten years, Martin has also been at the f…

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Reframing Climate Action as Creation Care, with Becca Boyd 1:45

4M ago1:45

1:45

Caring for God’s Creation: How Evangelical Christians Are Embracing Climate Action Across the United States, evangelical Christians are increasingly forging a connection between faith and climate action by redefining environmental work as a sacred duty to care for God’s creation. By understanding sustainability through the lens of biblically mandat…

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Does OpenAI’s new model deliver on the hype? Inside GPT-5 with Jeremy Kahn 23:08

5M ago23:08

23:08

OpenAI has released the latest iteration of its flagship product, GPT-5. It arrives after much anticipation, but does it live up to the hype? Jeremy Khan, AI Editor at Fortune, returns to the show to break down what this new model can do. We’ll explore how it performs compared to past iterations, what OpenAI decided to improve and why, and what GPT…

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Possible: Alexis Ohanian on the future of online and offline communities 53:31

5M ago53:31

53:31

How do we build products and platforms that support a healthy, prosperous future? What will it take to “make the internet fun again?” Should kids be using AI? This week, serial entrepreneur and investor Alexis Ohanian—who co-founded Reddit two decades ago and is currently working to reinvent the social news aggregator Digg—joins Reid and Aria to ta…

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Rerun: Carbon Capture Mineralization, with Dr. Rob Jackson 1:45

5M ago1:45

1:45

What is carbon mineralization? As defined by the U.S. Geological Survey, “carbon mineralization is the process by which carbon dioxide becomes a solid mineral, such as a carbonate…The biggest advantage of carbon mineralization is that the carbon cannot escape back to the atmosphere.” This generally occurs by injecting carbon dioxide underground int…