Best Telecoms Investment Podcasts (2025)

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$12bn of debt: How First Brands Group collapsed 26:37

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3h ago26:37

26:37

Some of the world’s biggest financial institutions are reeling after the collapse of a little-known car parts supplier: First Brands Group. The company filed for bankruptcy last month, and since then, FT reporters have shone a spotlight on billions of dollars of hidden debt and a secretive founder whose borrowing habits left creditors exposed. The …

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Investing in connection: How Mac Mountain helps businesses build better broadband 45:16

5d ago45:16

45:16

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk with leadership from Mac Mountain. A recently launched company that's taking a unique approach to expanding broadband by helping other businesses grow. Listen and find out how the model works and what led to this non-traditional approach to expanding access to more homes and businesses. Re…

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Can the world’s largest listed hedge fund rebound? 19:10

5d ago19:10

19:10

The world’s largest listed hedge fund manager, Man Group, is at a crossroads. After years of high flying thanks to its innovative quant trading strategies, the company’s hedge fund unit has been faltering. Recently, the performance of Man Group’s core business has been lacklustre, and some institutional investors have pulled their money. The FT’s h…

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Connecting the land of 10,000 lakes 27:03

6d ago27:03

27:03

Send us a text In this episode of the Connected Nation podcast, we talk with Bree Maki, Executive Director, Minnesota Broadband Office. Listen as we discuss the next steps for connecting everyone in Minnesota! Recommended links: Minnesota Broadband Office WebsiteBy Jessica Denson

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From Alabama to the Navajo Nation: The company that's putting rural communities first 16:28

7d ago16:28

16:28

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we begin our coverage from Calix ConneXions 2025, taking place in Las Vegas Nevada. We talk with Jacob Smithee, the Director of IT from a Co-op in Alabama, about the challenges of bringing high speed internet to extremely rural areas. Plus we find out what he hopes for connectivity in his state an…

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Introducing Untold: Toxic Legacy 2:16

11d ago2:16

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Introducing Toxic Legacy, a new season of Untold from the Financial Times. Host Laura Hughes uncovers a lead poisoning epidemic across the UK. You might be living with lead and not know it: the toxin is often invisible to the human eye, but wreaks havoc on our bodies once we’re exposed. The first episode of Untold: Toxic Legacy launches October 22.…

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The meltdown at Nestlé 20:21

12d ago20:21

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From KitKat candy bars to Perrier mineral water, Nestlé owns thousands of brands. But recently the world’s largest food and beverage company has severely underperformed its rivals in the wider consumer goods sector. The business is also emerging from a scandal involving its most recent chief executive. The FT’s consumer industries reporter Madelein…

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What a decade of digging into the Digital Divide and meeting those impacted by it has taught one researcher 16:30

19d ago16:30

16:30

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we're joined by a special guest who has spent nearly a decade researching the Digital Divide and meeting many of those who are directly impacted by it. Find out what Dr. Christopher Ali is working on now AND the claim he says many broadband leaders need to stop making now or risk creating more har…

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Elon Musk and the end of a telecom tycoon’s dream 23:40

22d ago23:40

23:40

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Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Mission to Mars 1:40

21d ago1:40

1:40

US President Donald Trump has pledged to “plant the stars and stripes on the planet Mars”, China could send its first crewed mission to Mars within a decade, and Elon Musk wants people to actually settle on Mars, transforming the human race into an interplanetary species. In a new series of Tech Tonic, the FT’s Peggy Hollinger asks if we’re really …

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The father and son duo focused on helping telecom manufacturers deliver their products 16:16

28d ago16:16

16:16

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we talk to a father and son team who rep a host of manufacturers in the broadband space. Find out how their model fills the needs of a wide range of companies, programs, and projects. Recommended links: Communications Marketing Systems - https://superrep.com/ Ken Lazear (dad) and Jake Lazear (son)…

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The unsustainable boom in India’s Silicon Valley 22:45

27d ago22:45

22:45

India’s tech hub Bangalore has experienced huge growth of companies and employees in the past two decades. But the city’s infrastructure is not keeping up with such rapid growth. With the tech sector contributing more than $300bn to the nation’s economy, what happens to the country’s growth if Bangalore can’t solve its issues? The FT’s Mumbai burea…

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Vote for Behind the Money in the Signal Awards! 0:35

1M ago0:35

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Behind the Money has been nominated for a Signal Award in the Money & Finance category! It's a Listener Choice award, which means we need your help. Vote for us to win here. We appreciate your support! And while you're at it, vote for some other FT podcasts that have also been nominated. The FT News Briefing podcast was nominated for best daily pod…

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What a Danish company now manufacturing in the US can do to help improve broadband buildouts 15:33

1M ago15:33

15:33

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we ask what the Danish can do to help build out broadband in America? I talk to a rep with Lynddahl Telecom about the product they're now manufacturing in the US to do just that. Recommended links: Lynddahl Telecom website Pete Spehr, SVP of Sales, Lynddahl Telecom America - https://www.linkedin.c…

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A subprime auto lender collapsed. Wall Street has questions 19:55

1M ago19:55

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The recent collapse of Tricolor Holdings, a subprime auto lender in Texas, has left a trail of losses and questions from Wall Street to low-income immigrant communities throughout the American south-west. The FT’s US banking correspondent Akila Quinio, and Amelia Pollard, US investment correspondent, explain what they’ve found. Clip from Fifth Thir…

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Special edition: Why Wichita is about to stake its claim in the AI revolution 27:40

1M ago27:40

27:40

Send us a text On this special edition of Connected Nation, we head back to Wichita, Kansas one last time for the AI Interconnection Summit, which took place on Thursday, September 11th. This time we talk with leadership from Stevens Fiber Group and Moonshot Energy about what they do, why Kansas is on their radar, and the reason this summit was the…

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Special edition: Two visionaries behind Kansas' digital leap 22:22

1M ago22:22

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Send us a text On this special edition of Connected Nation, we head BACK to Wichita, Kansas for an AI Interconnection Summit. This time, we talk with the woman many credit with greenlighting the FIRST EVER Internet Exchange Point in Kansas and with one CEO who is going to help make it a reality. Recommended links: AI Interconnection Summit website …

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From metaverse to AI: what’s next for broadband? 27:40

1M ago27:40

27:40

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect 2025 as we sit down with broadband entrepreneur Scott Sampson, CEO of Blueprint Broadband and founder of Light Craft and Mac Mountain to talk about the fast-changing tech landscape. Hear how his ventures are supporting ISPs with financing, operations,…

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Is there a future for the ‘Amazon of Africa’? 24:04

1M ago24:04

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Ecommerce start-up Jumia was supposed to become the “Amazon of Africa”. Its prospects seemed promising after raising close to $800mn prior to its IPO in 2019 — more than any African start-up. But in the years since, things haven’t gone the way investors probably hoped. The FT’s west and central Africa correspondent Aanu Adeoye explains Jumia’s plan…

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Special edition: DE-CIX CEO talks AI, internet infrastructure, and innovation from Wichita 21:04

1M ago21:04

21:04

Send us a text On this special edition of Connected Nation, we head to Wichita, Kansas for a first-of-its-kind event – an AI Interconnection Summit. We begin our coverage with Ivo Ivanov - the CEO of DE-CIX - one of the world’s biggest names when it comes to internet infrastructure. Find out why he felt it was critical to travel to America’s heartl…

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Can rural America lead the next innovation boom? The Range is showing us how it can be done 36:03

2M ago36:03

36:03

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we are joined by the leadership at the Range, which is short for regional accelerator and new growth engine. Learn how the organization is focusing on creating incredible innovation for everything from energy and food production to workforce development and healthcare in one of the most rural plac…

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How the diamond industry lost its sparkle 23:32

2M ago23:32

23:32

The natural diamond industry is facing an existential threat: lab-grown diamonds. They’re chemically and physically identical to natural stones, and they're just a fraction of the price. Eleanor Olcott, the FT’s China technology correspondent, travelled to the epicentre of lab-grown diamond production in the central Chinese province of Henan to see…

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What makes the best ISP? We talk to leadership at one of CNET’s top picks for 2024 AND 2025 25:02

2M ago25:02

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Send us a text What makes Fort Collins’ community-owned internet one of the best ISPs in the nation? Find out from their Broadband Executive Director on this latest episode of the Connected Nation podcast. Join us as we sit down with Chad Crager to discuss how this city-built network is redefining customer service, digital inclusion, and the future…

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Chevron prepares to take on ExxonMobil 19:53

2M ago19:53

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Earlier this summer, energy supermajor Chevron secured access to one of the most valuable oilfields in the world. It was the culmination of a months-long battle that pitted America’s second-largest oil company against the largest, ExxonMobil. The FT’s US energy editor, Jamie Smyth, looks at what Chevron aims to do next, and how it plans to take on …

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Coming soon from Tech Tonic: Will AI ruin music? 1:53

2M ago1:53

1:53

AI music generators - platforms that use artificial intelligence to create new, original music from scratch - can make songs that are almost indistinguishable from human creations. For some musicians, they’re the next frontier in music-making technology. But for others, they represent a grave threat, flooding the world with low-grade AI music, stea…

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Attention hyperscalers, political leaders, and decision-makers: This project can help America win the AI race 25:30

2M ago25:30

25:30

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect 2025 as we sit down with Connected Nation's very own Brent Legg, Executive Vice President, Government Affairs. We discuss the one-of-a-kind Connected Nation Internet Exchange Point (IXP) joint venture with Newby Ventures and why it's so important for …

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Unhedged: The Fed under attack 20:37

2M ago20:37

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This week we're sharing an episode from, Unhedged, another podcast from the FT network. The annual meeting of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is supposed to be an intellectual retreat. Instead, it was overshadowed by personal and political attacks on US Federal Reserve board member Lisa Cook. Today on the show, Katie Martin talks to US ec…

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How a company with a century of experience in infrastructure is helping improve broadband 23:49

2M ago23:49

23:49

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, host Jessica Denson talks with Mike Miller, Broadband Practice Leader at HDR—a 107-year-old company that recently entered the broadband space. Discover how HDR is leveraging its Matrix model to tackle complex challenges, from Dig Once initiatives to the rapid demand for data centers nationwide. Le…

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Palantir’s relentless rise 23:29

2M ago23:29

23:29

Palantir shares have soared this year, making the data analytics company one of the most valuable listed US tech groups. The FT’s Tabby Kinder explains how a paradigm shift in Silicon Valley helped propel Palantir to new heights and why many think it will be among the biggest winners of more US federal spending on national security, immigration and…

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Why Big Tobacco is buzzing over nicotine pouches 20:58

2M ago20:58

20:58

This is a revised version of an earlier episode and clarifies the position of Zyn in the US market. As the popularity of cigarettes has slid in the past couple decades, Big Tobacco has been searching for a new hit product. Now, they think they’ve found it: nicotine pouches. FT reporters Clara Murray and Mari Novik explain how nicotine pouches becam…

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How one company delivers on the promise of "frictionless" support for heavy hitters like Google and Verizon to small providers 15:34

3M ago15:34

15:34

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, recorded live at Mountain Connect 2025 in Denver, Colorado, host Jessica Denson sits down with Osmo’s Troy Cross, Vice President of Sales, and Sadie Conley, Demand Generation Specialist. Osmo powers “frictionless support” for industry giants like AT&T, Google, and Verizon—helping customers resolve…

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Inside the NDIA with Executive Director Angela Siefer 17:31

3M ago17:31

17:31

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect 2025 as we sit down with Angela Siefer, Executive Director of the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA). We discuss the origins and mission of NDIA, the evolving landscape of digital equity, and how AI is shaping the next Digital Divide. Learn ab…

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From veterans to senior citizens: This is how Colorado State University Pueblo is tackling the need for digital literacy 15:40

3M ago15:40

15:40

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from Mountain Connect 2025 with two women from Colorado State University Pueblo—Dana Lambert, Director of Digital Equity, and Juliann Sandoval, Digital Navigator. Their program is closing the digital divide across southern Colorado by providing free laptops, broadband acce…

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Can Bobby Jain build the next hedge fund giant? 22:14

3M ago22:14

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Two summers ago, hedge fund manager Bobby Jain set out with a huge goal: build a hedge fund that can rival the likes of industry giants Citadel and Millennium. But in the year since his firm started trading, Jain has found the going tough. FT hedge fund correspondents Amelia Pollard and Costas Mourselas explain what difficulties he has encountered,…

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The unique approach a New Mexico county is taking to developing an open access network 19:09

3M ago19:09

19:09

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we kick off our Mountain Connect 2025 coverage from Denver, Colorado. Jessica Denson sits down with Jerry Smith, Broadband Manager for Los Alamos County, New Mexico. The conversation dives into how his county is deploying an innovative open access fiber network, partnering with a sovereign tribal …

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Telecom Plus Unplugged: Strategy, Growth and Shareholder Value 46:56

3M ago46:56

46:56

What do you get when you mix a FTSE 250 company, your utility bills and a multi-level marketing model? As part of the Mid 250 series, Fund Managers Jean Roche and James Goodman are joined by Stuart Burnett, the CEO of Telecom Plus. Important information. This information is not an offer, solicitation or recommendation to buy or sell any financial i…

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The national Digital Divide Award goes to... 23:47

3M ago23:47

23:47

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we wrap up our coverage from the 2025 Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, Texas. Telecommunications legal expert Philip Macres breaks down the new BEAD rules—what’s good, what’s bad, and what’s uncertain—as states prepare for fast-moving deadlines and funding decisions. Then we sit down with …

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Fixable: How to bring a business back to life 39:47

3M ago39:47

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This week we’re sharing an episode from Fixable, a podcast from TED. In it, hear about the resurrection of Barnes & Noble. Chief revival architect and CEO James Daunt joins hosts Anne Morriss and Frances Frei to discuss the unconventional leadership strategies that helped him navigate through the pandemic and keep bookstores alive in the age of Ama…

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The exhibit booth no one wanted to miss at the 2025 Broadband Communities Summit 12:42

3M ago12:42

12:42

Send us a text In this special bonus episode of Connected Nation, we take you straight to the heart of the action on the exhibit floor at the Broadband Communities Summit. Join us as we explore the buzz around Interduct.com — the booth everyone was talking about. Discover why it captured so much attention. Recommended Links: Innerduct Website…

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Assessing telehealth attitudes and usage in Northwest Colorado 11:57

3M ago11:57

11:57

Send us a text On this episode, we’re reporting from the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, Texas, where we sit down with Molly Weiner, Director of Local and Regional Planning for Connected Nation. Molly shares insights from a new telehealth study focused on seven rural counties in northwest Colorado, conducted in partnership with Colorado’s …

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Wall Street banks and private equity’s tussle over junior talent 23:24

3M ago23:24

23:24

The competition for junior talent between private equity and Wall Street banks reached a new peak this summer. That’s thanks to a controversial recruiting practice that is causing both industries to find talent earlier and earlier. Now, powerful figures such as JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon are publicly decrying the strategy. The FT’s Wall Street…

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BONUS EPISODE: Building open networks for others to own across the country 12:22

3M ago12:22

12:22

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we've got some bonus coverage from the Broadband Community Summit. We talk with Drew Pappas from Bonfire Infrastructure Group on how they help communities, coops, Tribes, and others build open networks across the country. Recommended links: Bonfire Website Guest's LinkedIn - Drew Pappas…

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Introducing Tech Tonic: The rise and fall of Trump’s tech bros 1:01

3M ago1:01

1:01

Can Tim Cook save Apple from the trade war? Has Mark Zuckerberg really been a fan of Donald Trump all along? And is the bromance between Elon Musk and the president really over? In a new season of Tech Tonic, Murad Ahmed explores the relationships between Trump and some of the titans of the tech world. What is really driving those relationships, an…

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This company is the Internet Service Provider of Internet Service Providers 24:16

3M ago24:16

24:16

Send us a text On this episode of Connected Nation, we sit down with two representatives from Cogent Communications. We discuss the evolution of data centers, talk about Cogent's work globally, and find out what it's like being the Internet Service Provider of Internet Service Providers. Recommended links: Cogent website Guests' LinkedIn: Jeff Rein…

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Inside BCG’s Gaza work scandal 21:04

4M ago21:04

21:04

Top consulting firms have repeatedly found themselves facing a reputational crisis. The most recent example was in early July, when a Financial Times investigation revealed that Boston Consulting Group had modelled a plan to ‘relocate’ Palestinians from Gaza after entering into a multimillion-dollar contract to help launch an aid scheme for the enc…

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DirecTV's big changes and the company that's creating what connects us 23:22

4M ago23:22

23:22

Send us a text In this episode of Connected Nation, host Jessica Denson continues coverage from the 2025 Broadband Communities Summit in Houston. First, she sits down with Dawn Intili of DirecTV, who breaks down how the company is reshaping its services for the modern streaming era and expanding into multifamily dwellings with flexible, cost-effect…

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A case of Schrödinger’s tariffs 19:49

4M ago19:49

19:49

It’s been exactly 90 days since US President Donald Trump paused most of his ‘reciprocal’ tariffs. With just a 10 per cent blanket tariff on all imports and a higher tariff on China, economists predicted the American economy would feel the heat pretty quickly. But the sky hasn’t fallen yet – the world’s largest economy is holding strong. The FT’s U…

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Where civil rights and digital access meet 28:43

4M ago28:43

28:43

Send us a text In this episode of Connected Nation, we continue our coverage from the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, Texas. Jessica Denson speaks with Tyler Dempsey and Shelby Smith of Sonar Software about what sets their OSS/BSS platform apart in a rapidly changing industry—and why launching their new podcast “Bandwidth” is part of build…

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How oil traders called the Middle East war 19:14

4M ago19:14

19:14

When Iran attacked a US airbase in Qatar – a response to strikes on its nuclear facilities – many feared a global war may be imminent. But there was one market that didn’t break a sweat: oil. It’s typically a commodity that surges at the first sight of conflict in the Middle East. This time though, oil traders bet that the conflict involving Iran, …

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Season 1 Finale: Risks, Rewards, and Realities of Open vs. Closed AI 26:16

4M ago26:16

26:16

In TechSurge’s Season 1 Finale episode, we explore an important debate: should AI development be open source or closed? AI technology leader and UN Senior Fellow Senthil Kumar joins Michael Marks for a deep dive into one of the most consequential debates in artificial intelligence, exploring the fundamental tensions between democratizing AI access …