Modem Futura

In this episode of Modem Futura, hosts Sean M. Leahy and Andrew Maynard dive deep into Pluribus, the provocative new Apple TV series from Vince Gilligan. Framed as an inversion of the classic zombie apocalypse, Pluribus imagines a world where humanity is absorbed into a peaceful, hyper-ethical hive mind—leaving only a handful of unassimilated individuals behind.

The conversation explores what makes Carol, the show's protagonist, such a divisive character. She's angry, resistant, and refuses to engage with the hive mind's vast collective intelligence. Sean and Andrew unpack the show’s central question: If everyone around you is happy, cooperative, and content, but you must surrender individuality to join them—would you? Their conversation explores autonomy versus collective well-being, consent in a post-human world, and whether happiness itself can become coercive. Along the way, they examine the show’s ethical tensions: a hive mind that cannot lie but can withhold information; a society that refuses violence, harvesting, or even agriculture; and a sustainability crisis resolved through unsettling—but rational—means.

The episode connects Pluribus to a lineage of science fiction touchstones including I Am Legend, Solaris, Soylent Green, and Star Trek’s Borg—while also reflecting on modern parallels such as AI systems, cultural conformity, and the seductive promise of frictionless living. Through moments of humor (the infamous “cuddle puddle”) and unease, the hosts wrestle with what it truly means to be human when individuality itself becomes negotiable.

If everyone around you was happy and they wanted you to join them, would you? And if you refused, who becomes the monster?

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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What does it mean to take the temperature of the world's anxieties? Each year, the World Economic Forum asks over a thousand experts across the globe to weigh what keeps them up at night—and the resulting Global Risks Report offers something more valuable than prediction: a map of collective concern. In this episode, Sean and Andrew dig into the 2026 report, which landed with striking timing as the opening weeks of 2026 seem determined to validate its most pressing warnings. Geoeconomic confrontation has rocketed to the top of short-term risks—up eight positions from last year—while misinformation and societal polarization follow close behind. But the long view tells a different story: environmental concerns dominate the ten-year horizon, with extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and critical changes to Earth's systems claiming the top spots. What makes this conversation particularly rich is the exploration of how different people see risk differently—younger respondents prioritize inequality and misinformation, while those over 40 fixate on geopolitical tensions. Regional perspectives diverge even more dramatically; AI risks that loom large in the US barely register in Brazil or Chile. The hosts wrestle with a fundamental tension: our brains evolved to handle immediate, visible threats, not slow-moving catastrophes or interconnected global systems. Reports like this serve as a kind of signal / trend analysis and foresight—a way to aggregate signals we can't perceive individually. The episode isn't about doom; it's an invitation to ask better questions about what these signals mean for you, your community, and the institutions that might still help us navigate what's coming.

WEF' 2026 Global Risk Report [web]

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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In this playful yet deeply thoughtful episode of Modem Futura, hosts Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard lean into speculative fun while wrestling with some of the most serious questions shaping our technological future. Sparked by a timeless passage from Jurassic Park, the conversation explores what happens when powerful technologies advance faster than our ability to understand, govern, or ethically wield them — a theme that feels especially resonant in today’s age of AI acceleration.

Drawing on Michael Crichton’s iconic warning about “inherited power without discipline,” the hosts unpack how tools like generative AI can create the illusion of expertise, raising urgent questions about responsibility, humility, and what it truly means to earn knowledge. The discussion weaves through reflections on frictionless technologies, the dangers of techno-hubris, and why “show me the receipts” may be the most important mantra of the decade.

The episode then pivots into a fan-favorite segment: Futures Improv. With rapid-fire speculative scenarios ranging from photosynthesis skin patches and post-scarcity socks to radically extended human lifespans, lunar independence movements, and the discovery of deeply boring aliens, Sean and Andrew riff on the social, economic, and philosophical implications of bizarre — yet strangely plausible — futures.

By blending laughter with insight, this episode reminds us that imagining weird futures isn’t escapism; it’s a critical tool for breaking free from “used futures” and expanding our collective capacity to design better ones. Equal parts funhouse mirror and foresight exercise, this is Modem Futura at its most curious, creative, and human.

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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In this episode of Modem Futura, Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard welcome ASU’s Clark Miller for a wide-ranging conversation on what it means to be techno-human—not biological beings who simply “use” technology, but people whose bodies, behaviors, and imaginations are inseparable from the industrial systems we’ve built. Clark reframes modern life as a “technosphere” where electricity grids, cars, air conditioning, industrial food, pharmaceuticals, and even microplastics shape who we are and how we live. From there, the discussion turns to why energy feels increasingly invisible (and how that invisibility is often intentional—driven by safety codes, reliability goals, and governance that narrows decision-making to technical experts). The episode then tackles the clean energy transition as a design problem: net-zero emissions matters, but so do the human outcomes that come with it—especially who gets to own and benefit from the future energy system. Using solar as a concrete example, Clark walks through the staggering scale required and the political economy embedded in rules about ownership (including who gets left out, like renters). The hosts also explore pressures from AI and data centers, the allure—and limits—of “shortcut” solutions like small modular nuclear reactors, and why Phoenix’s extreme heat and grid vulnerability make it a high-stakes preview of climate futures. The conversation closes on hopeful pathways: urban solar (rooftops and parking shade), resilience with storage, the role of imagination (including solarpunk), and how AI could help build better techno-human capabilities—if we choose to aim it that way.

Clark Miller, Ph.D. [Bio]

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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To close out 2025 and tee up 2026, Sean Leahy and Dr. Andrew Maynard hit pause for a candid “year in review” conversation: what surprised them, what themes kept resurfacing, and what they’ve learned about making a future‑focused show in real time. They share behind‑the‑scenes milestones and metrics — including global listening across 100+ countries and a top‑tier ranking among millions of podcasts — while also unpacking why podcast analytics can be messy and why ratings, reviews, and listener emails matter more than dashboards. From there, they revisit standout episodes and recurring threads: astronaut‑approved insights on being human in space; the hidden fragility of ADAS and autonomous‑vehicle sensor calibration; EVs, eVTOLs, and the enduring “flying car” trope; de‑extinction and biotech; and big‑mind rabbit holes like the simulation hypothesis, black holes, and cosmic limits. Unsurprisingly, AI shows up everywhere — sometimes as a practical tool, often as a cultural force shaping identity, agency, and values — alongside a deliberate push to reclaim human craft and intention in an era of frictionless creation. The pair also return to education, John Dewey’s “natural impulses” for learning, and what always‑on digital devices and AI could mean for early childhood development. The through‑line: the future isn’t something we merely discover — it’s something we create, together, by asking better questions and building better conversations.

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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In this end-of-year holiday episode of Modem Futura, hosts Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard take a rare pause from the usual existential weight of emerging technologies to reflect on creativity, craft, and community in a year defined by acceleration. The conversation opens with a thoughtful exploration of what platform “year-in-review” moments (like Spotify Wrapped) quietly reveal about culture, identity, and participation in algorithmic ecosystems. Sean shares behind-the-scenes insights into Modem Futura’s global reach, listener engagement, and surprising audience patterns, prompting a deeper reflection on what meaningful impact looks like beyond raw download numbers.

The episode then pivots to a timely cultural analysis of Apple’s 2025 holiday short film A Critter Carol, unpacking why its practical puppetry, visible human labor, and intentional imperfection stand out in an era increasingly saturated with AI-generated media. Sean and Andrew examine how the ad functions as a subtle but powerful statement about human creativity—one that celebrates friction, care, and embodied craft while still embracing advanced technology as an enabling tool rather than a replacement for imagination. The discussion situates this moment alongside broader concerns about “AI slop,” automation of creativity, and the risk of settling for the average when tools make production effortless.

Together, the hosts argue for a future where behind-the-scenes processes matter as much as polished outputs—and where technology’s highest calling is to expand, not flatten, what it means to be human.

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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In this expansive and playful episode of Modem Futura, hosts Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard welcome back futurist, game designer, and author Rizwan Virk to explore the rapidly evolving Simulation Hypothesis—and what it means in an era of AI, spatial computing, and increasingly immersive digital worlds. Building on the newly released second edition of The Simulation Hypothesis, Virk reflects on how advances in virtual reality, AI-driven characters, and gaming technologies are collapsing the distance between simulated and physical experience.

The conversation weaves through Apple Vision Pro experiences, metaverse layers, and the idea of “foveated reality,” where only what is observed needs to be rendered—echoing parallels with quantum mechanics. The trio examine how modern game engines, procedural generation, and AI-powered NPCs are quietly pushing us toward a future where simulated environments may become indistinguishable from lived reality. Along the way, they unpack ideas like the Metaverse Turing Test, persistent AI characters with memory and agency, and how entertainment and gaming have historically driven technological breakthroughs long before academia or industry fully caught up.

Virk also connects ancient philosophy, mythology, and mysticism—Plato’s Cave, Maya, and even Rick and Morty—to contemporary debates about reality, consciousness, and identity. The episode culminates in a provocative reflection: if simulations are real enough to feel meaningful, emotional, and embodied, does it ultimately matter whether we’re “in” one? With humor, depth, and radical curiosity, this episode invites listeners to reconsider not just technology’s future—but the nature of reality itself.

Rizwan Virk's Website [Web]

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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In this episode of Modem Futura, Sean and Andrew dive deep into the rising cultural tension between generative AI’s promise of instant production and the human need for meaningful creative friction. Prompted by frustrations with “AI slop” — low-effort, machine-generated content flooding professional and social spaces — the hosts examine why the “easy button” mentality poses risks to wisdom, craft, and our collective future. Drawing on examples from coding, design, and their own creative workflows, they unpack how frictionless creation can erode understanding, undermine expertise, and lead to a homogenized aesthetic where everything feels the same. They discuss the psychological pull toward efficiency, the biological impulse to conserve energy, and the seductive speed of synthetic content that risks replacing deep thinking with “satisficing” — settling for what is merely “good enough.”

Sean introduces Michael Crichton’s concept of “inherited power” from Jurassic Park to illustrate how AI enables people to wield capabilities they never earned, while Andrew reflects on care, meaning, and the dangers of losing human agency. Together, they argue for intentionally preserving friction — the struggle that builds mastery, creativity, and authentic connection. The episode ends with a playful futures-improv scenario imagining a world split between “button-press operators” and “friction elites,” raising questions of justice, autonomy, and what it will truly mean to be human in an AI-saturated world.

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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In this toy-themed episode of Modem Futura, Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard start with an overnight stay aboard the USS Midway before segueing into the holiday toy season and a very 2020s concern: AI-powered toys. From chatty teddy bears running GPT-4 that cheerfully explain how to light matches and sexual kinks to kids, to the long lineage of “intelligent” toys like Teddy Ruxpin, Furby, Hello Barbie and Watson-powered dinos, they trace how our playthings have quietly become networked, data-hungry machines.

They unpack two intertwined risks: the datification of childhood—toys that vacuum up children’s voices, feelings and habits for unknown purposes—and the behavioral shaping that happens when a sycophantic large language model becomes a child’s most attentive companion. What happens when a stuffed animal knows your child’s fears, rewards their worst impulses, and never says “no”? The hosts explore parasocial bonds between kids and AI agents, the erosion of parental agency, and the unsettling prospect of outsourcing emotional development to opaque systems. Along the way, they connect these questions to education tech, neurodivergent learners, Stephenson’s The Diamond Age and Spielberg’s A.I. Artificial Intelligence, asking what a “safe playground” even means when every toy wants your child’s data and attention.

Rather than moral panic, Sean and Andrew offer a practical holiday PSA: before buying the season’s hottest AI toy, look past the cute fur and ask who’s really holding the metaphorical knife.

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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In this episode of Modem Futura, Sean and Andrew dive deep into the surprising story behind the new Apple TV logo and mnemonic—and why it matters in a world overrun by “AI slop.” They unpack how, in an age where everyone assumes animations are spun up in seconds by generative tools, Apple chose a radically different path: a practical, physical frosted-glass logo, carefully lit and filmed in real space, then paired with a handcrafted two-second audio chime composed by Finneas. Along the way, they explore why this kind of intentional, human-centered design still matters: from the hidden craftsmanship that most viewers will never see, to Steve Jobs’ famous insistence on caring about the parts “no one will ever notice.” They connect this tiny five-second animation to larger questions around professional pride, authenticity, and the future of media creation, including new signals like shows that explicitly declare “This show is made by humans.” Through stories, laughter, and a little obsession over color, light, and sound, the conversation becomes a meditation on what it means to create with care in an era where the easy default is automation.

Apple TV's New Logo and Mnemonic [Web]

Variety Interview with Finneas [Web]

This show was made by humans. 

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Modem Futura is a production of the Future of Being Human initiative at Arizona State University. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. To learn more about the Future of Being Human initiative and all of our other projects visit - https://futureofbeinghuman.asu.edu

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: @ModemFutura

Follow us on Instagram: @ModemFutura

Host Bios:

Sean M. Leahy, PhD - ASU Bio
Sean is an internationally recognized technologist, futurist, and educator innovating humanistic approaches to emerging technology through a Futures Studies approach. He is the Executive Director for the Future of Being Human Initiative and Research Scientist for the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and Senior Global Futures Scholar with the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory at Arizona State University.

Andrew Maynard, PhD - ASU Bio
Andrew is a scientist, author, thought leader, and Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions in the ASU School for the Future of Innovation in Society. He is the founder of the ASU Future of Being Human initiative, Director of the ASU Risk Innovation Nexus, and was previously Associate Dean in the ASU College of Global Futures.

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