FUTUREPROOF.

Send us a text

Catalina Daniels and James Sherman are startup company founders, angel investors, and co-authors of SMART STARTUPS: What Every Entrepreneur Needs To Know—Advice from 18 Harvard Business School Founders, on shelves today, October 10th! Which is my birthday, so feel free to leave FUTUREPROOF. A review on Apple Podcasts in my honor, and thanks in advance! 

Anyhow, I really enjoyed SMART STARTUPS since it provides unconventional advice for entrepreneurs based on the experiences of 18 companies founded by Harvard Business School graduates—including unicorns like Rent The Runway, Gilt Groupe, and more.

Daniels and Sherman studied entrepreneurship together at Harvard Business School. Years later, their experiences as founders were drastically different from what they learned at HBS. There was so much they learned the hard way, that they wish they wished they had known beforehand. And as angel investors and mentors to founders, they’ve seen many promising startups fail due to unexpected pitfalls—some of which we’re going to discuss right now, so let’s jump right in!

Send us a text

W. Russell Neuman is Professor of Media Technology at New York University. A founding faculty of the MIT Media Laboratory, he served as Senior Policy Analyst in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. His recent books include The Digital Difference: Media Technology and the Theory of Communication Effects

In his new book EVOLUTIONARY INTELLIGENCE: How Technology Will Make Us Smarter (MIT Press; September 26, 2023), Neuman offers a surprisingly positive vision in which computational intelligence compensates for the well-recognized limits of human judgment, improves decision making, and increases our agency. Drawing on his vast experience, Neuman makes a convincing case about how human intelligence will coevolve with digital technology to revolutionize how we think and behave.

In today's episode, we explore the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. While many view AI with suspicion, Neuman offers a hopeful perspective. He believes that just as the wheel enhanced mobility, the rise of AI in everyday devices will revolutionize our decision-making. Neuman suggests that by embracing AI's evolutionary intelligence, we can better adapt to challenges and ensure our long-term survival. Join us as we delve into this optimistic view on AI's role in our future.

Send us a text

In Mid-July, I heard about how a conversational AI and metaverse company, MeetKai, was partnering with a semiconductor integration startup, Silicon Box, to unveil a digital twin of Silicon Box's new $2 billion semiconductor packaging facility in Singapore. This virtual replication in the metaverse’s goal was to help revolutionize chip manufacturing by addressing major bottlenecks, while also offering an innovative avenue for business growth, talent development, and professional training. And this got me thinking about all of the potential, exciting uses for VR and/or the metaverse in the future—not necessarily for marketing to consumers, but for plenty of other business applications just like this one. 

To that end, I tracked down James Kaplan, the co-founder and CEO of MeetKai for a discussion. 

In this episode, we discuss the concept of digital twins, how they might help us in the future, what role VR acceptance might help us develop interesting new use cases for the metaverse in coming years, and whether or not humans will care if they’re talking to a fellow human or an AI in the future. James is a sharp guy so I think you’ll really enjoy this one, so let’s jump right in!

Send us a text

While I've enjoyed watching Sanjay Gupta over the years on CNN, I have to say, I've learned just as much from his brother Suneel. He's a multifaceted entrepreneur, teacher, and researcher known for his profound expertise in human behavior, energy, and motivation.

The founding CEO of RISE, a healthcare startup now owned by Amazon, Gupta notably collaborated with former First Lady Michelle Obama to extend affordable health coaching to those in need. As a celebrated author, he penned the bestselling book "Backable", narrating his transformative journey from setbacks to success. His latest offering, "Everyday Dharma", released on September 5, 2023, masterfully interweaves personal anecdotes, history, science, and both Eastern and Western philosophies to guide readers towards achieving joy and success in every facet of life. Join us as we delve into the insights and stories of this captivating storyteller.

Send us a text

A lot of what this show talks about broadly falls under the umbrella of “what can go wrong” with our shared future—and what we can do about it. And there are a lot of GREAT things about the internet—and quite a few shady, more than unfortunate things right below the surface, including child predators and child sex abuse material, or CSAM.

Today I’m speaking with Julie Cordua, the CEO and Executive Director of Thorn, an organization co-founded with Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, focused on leveraging technology to combat child sexual abuse online—and Dr. Rebecca Portnoff, Thorn’s Director of Data Science.

In today's interview, we'll delve into the alarming intersection of AI technology and child exploitation: exploring the rise of AI-generated abusive content, the tactics of modern child predators harnessing AI tools, the prevailing threat overshadowing future AI risks, and the evolving stance of AI companies towards child safety since the inception of social media platforms. Join us as we unpack these pressing issues.

Send us a text

Extreme heat is the number one weather-related cause of death in the USA. That’s the bad news. But the good news is we have a solution to combat it: Urban tree cover is one of the most effective ways cities can cool heat islands and save lives. The problem: tree coverage is not equitable across urban neighborhoods in the US.

That’s where the Tree Equity Alliance — a new coalition of conservation nonprofits American Forests, GreenLatinos, Groundwork USA, and One Tree Planted — comes in. It will work to advance equitable urban tree cover, AKA “Tree Equity.” New data from American Forests now shows:

• Lower-income neighborhoods have 36% less tree cover and are 6 degrees warmer than wealthier neighborhoods during the hottest summer months
• Communities of color tend to have 45% less urban canopy and are 9 degrees warmer during that same timeframe.

This disparity has lasting effects on the health and economic opportunity in low-income neighborhoods. By pooling funding and resources together, the Tree Equity Alliance aims to achieve Tree Equity in 100 U.S. cities by 2030. 

To learn more about this initiative and why advocating for adequate urban tree cover in underrepresented communities is essential to fight both climate change and racial justice, I sat down with American Forests’ tree equity lead, Benita Hussain. Prior to joining American Forests, Hussain was the director of the 10 Minute Walk, a national campaign led by The Trust for Public Land which was named as a 2020 Fast Company World Changing Idea under her leadership. Hussain was an environmental policy advisor to Mayor Mike Bloomberg and to late-Boston Mayor Thomas Menino.  She and her writing have been featured in The New York Times, and The Hill, among other outlets, and she sits on multiple environmental and conservation boards.

Send us a text

This is part two of our conversation with Cory Doctorow, a name synonymous with tech activism, digital rights, and the future of the internet—so if you haven’t heard Part I yet, make sure to go check that out first! 

In the second part of our conversation, we'll be unpacking the shifting tide of antitrust regulations, the evolving landscape of tech monopolies, and the very essence of what it means to have digital self-determination in today's age. Plus, a sneak peek into Cory's upcoming book, 'The Internet Con: How to Seize the Means of Computation.' So, whether you're a tech enthusiast, an entrepreneur, or just curious about the future of the digital world, this episode promises insights that will both challenge and enlighten. Buckle up, it's going to be a thrilling ride! Let's dive in.

Send us a text

So today we're diving deep into the digital realm with none other than Cory Doctorow. For those unfamiliar, Cory is a digital rights activist, a prolific novelist with over 20 books under his belt, and a key voice in the discourse around technology, monopolies, and the future of the internet. He's been at the forefront of the digital rights movement for two decades, co-created the Boing Boing blog, and has been a staunch advocate for a free and open internet.

In our conversation, we'll explore the intricacies of platform growth, the economics behind tech monopolies, and the challenges of the modern digital landscape. Cory offers a unique perspective on the transformation of the internet, from its golden age to what he terms the "enshittification" of the web. We'll also delve into the power dynamics between tech giants, the role of antitrust laws, and the implications for everyday users like you and me.

So, whether you're a tech enthusiast, an aspiring digital rights activist, or just curious about the future of the internet, this episode promises to be both enlightening and thought-provoking.

Send us a text

A few weeks ago we sat down with  Adam Alter, renowned Professor of Marketing at New York University’s Stern School of Business and New York Times bestselling author. Adam is a thought-leader in the field of judgment, decision-making, and social psychology, with a keen interest in how subtle environmental cues impact our cognition and behavior. His latest book, released this past May, is Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most.

We ran out of time but I had one more question to ask him—so we got him back on to make a bonus episode which we'll run this week.

If you missed the original episode, including our full conversation, you can catch it here!

Send us a text

So today we’re going to be hearing from Tom Kemp, a prominent tech policy advisor and CEO based in Silicon Valley. He's set to release his compelling book, "Containing Big Tech: How to Protect Our Civil Rights, Economy, and Democracy," which masterfully intertwines the dangers posed by the Big Tech industry. From the alarming overcollection and weaponization of our sensitive data to the problematic use of AI in processing and acting upon our information, Tom leaves no stone unturned in shedding light on the critical issues arising from Big Tech's dominant market position.

Having played an instrumental role as a technology policy advisor for political campaigns and advocacy groups, Tom Kemp was at the forefront of promoting the passage of the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) and co-authoring bills like the California Delete Act of 2023. His expertise in cybersecurity and privacy has garnered widespread recognition, making him a sought-after interviewee on these subjects.

During our interview, we delved into the inspiration behind his book, his unique perspective influenced by years of experience in Silicon Valley, and the evolution of the digital surveillance-based business model that has become so pervasive. Kemp also illuminated the shadowy world of data brokers and their significant impact on privacy concerns.

But it's not just about highlighting problems; Kemp offers actionable solutions. He provided key recommendations from his book to combat the challenges posed by Big Tech and discussed the essential role individuals can play in containing Big Tech's excesses in their everyday lives.

Overall, I think you’ll  gain valuable insights into the pressing challenges posed by Big Tech and some ways forward that just might safeguard our rights and democracy, which seems like a good thing to do, no? So let’s jump right in!