Rethinking Tech

What happens when AI starts raising our kids, shaping our jobs, and even becoming our companions?

In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna Bhushan and Harinda Katugaha unpack the ethical dilemmas at the heart of artificial intelligence. From the classroom to the workplace to the therapist’s couch, AI isn’t just a tool — it’s becoming part of our most human relationships.

🔥 What you’ll discover:

• The ethical landscape of AI: risks, responsibilities, and blind spots 🤔

• AI companions for kids — parenting aid or emotional danger? 👶

• Human connection vs. synthetic intimacy 💔🤖

• Can AI play therapist, and should it? 🛋️

• The real impact of AI on jobs, skills, and dignity at work 💼

🕒 Chapters
00:00 The Ethical Landscape of AI

12:36 AI Companionship and Its Impact on Children

15:26 Navigating Technology and Parenting

17:28 AI Companionship vs. Human Connection

19:15 The Role of AI in Therapy

27:58 AI's Impact on the Workforce

📌 Resources & Hosts

• Aparna Bhushan → LinkedIn

• Harinda Katugaha → LinkedIn

• Bonus clips + transcripts → rethinkingtech.substack.com

👉 Subscribe to Rethinking Tech for more conversations where technology, society, and ethics collide.

Is AI the next industrial revolution—or just the biggest bubble in tech history?
In this episode of Rethinking Tech, hosts Aparna Bhushan and Harinda Katugaha break down the frenzy around artificial intelligence and why governments, billionaires, and entire nations are betting their futures on it.

We take you on a journey through the promises and perils of AI:

• How AI is reshaping society while fueling addiction and inequality

• The role of billionaires like Elon Musk and Sam Altman in accelerating (or distorting) the hype

• Who’s leading the AI race: U.S. vs. China vs. Middle East sovereign AI bets

• Why regulators are stuck between innovation and safety

• The financial gamble behind GenAI—and who pays if it fails

• How geopolitics, national security, and AI regulation could reshape global power

This isn’t just another “AI future” podcast. It’s about power, money, and ethics colliding in real time.

📌 Chapters
00:00 The AI Hype Train: An Introduction
01:37 Understanding the Impact of AI on Society
04:56 The Duality of AI: Benefits and Risks
07:56 The Role of Billionaires in AI Development
11:49 Tech Addiction and Its Implications
14:18 Key Players in the AI Landscape
16:50 The Gamble of Tech Companies on AI
18:33 Regulatory Responsibilities of Tech Companies
19:54 The Financial Viability of Gen.AI
21:25 Geopolitical Implications of AI Development
22:47 US vs China: Competing AI Strategies
25:58 Middle Eastern Investments in AI
29:14 Sovereign AI: A New Frontier
33:39 The Need for Global AI Regulation
34:50 Balancing Safety and Competitiveness in AI Regulation

🔗 Resources & Hosts

• Aparna Bhushan → /aparnabhushan

• Harinda Katugaha → /harindak

• Bonus clips + transcripts → rethinkingtech.substack.com

👉 Subscribe to Rethinking Tech for more conversations at the intersection of AI, geopolitics, and society.

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Half the world’s population is under 30—yet young people are often left out of the conversations shaping their future. In this episode of Rethinking Tech,

Aparna sits down with Eugenia Olliaro, a global leader in responsible technology for children and youth engagement. From her work at UNICEF’s Responsible Data for Children initiative to advising international organizations, Eugenia shares why meaningful youth participation is critical for shaping policies, technology, and data governance.

We explore:

🧒 Why young people are excluded from key decisions—and how to change that

🔍 The risks and opportunities of children’s data in a connected world

🌍 Global examples of countries doing youth engagement right

🗣️ How language, culture, and local context impact participation

👥 What it takes to move beyond tokenism to real inclusionIf you care about the intersection of technology, rights, and the next generation’s voice, this conversation is for you.

🕒 Chapters

• 00:00 – Why Youth Voices Matter
• 02:15 – The Power of a Young World
• 05:40 – Why Youth Get Left Out
• 09:20 – Kids’ Data: Risks & Rewards
• 14:05 – Youth Engagement That Works
• 18:50 – Beyond Tokenism23:10 – Culture & Context Matter
• 27:40 – Tips for Policymakers & Tech Leaders
• 31:25 – Final Call to Action

LINK TO SURVEY!

👋 Stay in the Loop

- Follow Eugenia on LinkedIn!

🔗 Full transcript + sources → https://rethinktech.substack.com/

📩 Free episode briefs → link pinned in comments

Hosts: Aparna Bhushan | Harinda Katugaha

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Donald Trump’s latest wave of tariffs isn’t just about trade percentages—it’s about power, leverage, and reshaping global alliances. In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda unpack the chaotic ripple effects across Canada, the EU, India, and China, revealing the geopolitical strategy behind the numbers.

From rare earth minerals and semiconductor supply chains to the surprising role of BRICS nations, we explore how tariffs are being used as both a negotiation tool and a political weapon. We also dive into the ethical questions—who really pays the price, and what does it mean for US consumers and global tech?

📌 Topics we cover:

- Why US consumers might be the biggest losers in this trade war

- How tariffs are shaping alliances against (and with) China

- The hidden tech and AI implications of onshoring semiconductor production

- Canada’s political missteps and what they mean for trade leverage

- BRICS, rare earths, and the fight for economic independence- This isn’t just economics, it’s geopolitics, tech policy, and power plays rolled into one.

🕒 Chapters

00:00 Understanding Trump's Tariff Strategy

05:13 Geopolitical Implications of Tariffs

09:18 Canada's Response to Tariffs

16:35 India's Complex Relationship with Tariffs

21:26 The Complex US-China Relationship

25:43 US Tariffs and Their Strategic Implications

30:39 Big Tech vs. Startups: A Disparity in Resources

35:00 Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Geopolitics

40:18 Consumer Choices and Economic Impact

🔗 Connect with Us + Further Reading:

• Aparna Bhushan — https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan• Harinda Katugaha — https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak

• Full transcript, sources & bonus clips → https://rethinktech.substack.com/

LINK TO SURVEY: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSelTv6HGPyVXNXmc2ETSWuRdsMIH63VE01GhWlH0_HW9NpBUA/viewform?usp=header

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In this episode of Rethinking Tech, host Aparna sits down with Bo Viktor Nylund, a seasoned humanitarian leader and author of When Everything Falls Apart: Exploring Liminality at UNICEF.

As global systems crack under pressure, from war and economic uncertainty to crumbling institutions, Aparna and Bo Viktor explore the concept of liminality: the unsettling in-between state when the old has collapsed but the new has yet to form.

Together, they dive into:

🔍 What liminality really means (and why it matters now)

🌍 How societies and institutions respond in times of breakdown

🏛️ How organizations can survive and even thrive through chaos

🤖 The evolving role of technology in uncertain times

If you're feeling disoriented by the state of the world, this conversation offers clarity, reflection, and a unique lens for understanding change.

🕙 Chapters

00:00 Navigating Change Management and Teleworking

04:29 Transitioning from Law to Humanitarian Work

09:05 Understanding Liminality in Today's Context

13:30 Historical Perspectives on Liminal Periods

17:54 The Urgency of Change in Global Institutions

23:04 Embracing Youth Perspectives in Decision Making

29:27 Navigating AI's Role in Education and Child Welfare

33:27 The Dual Nature of AI: Opportunities and Risks

👋 Stay in the Loop

🔗 Connect with Bo Viktor Nylund on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠!

🔗 Full transcript + sources → https://rethinktech.substack.com/ 📩 Free episode briefs → link pinned in comments

Hosts: Aparna Bhushan | Harinda Katugaha

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In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda dive into a powerful and timely conversation about the shifting meaning of the American Dream. Once seen as the land of opportunity, the United States now finds itself at a crossroads socially, politically, and economically. What does the American Dream mean today? Who is it still working for? And how are global perceptions of the U.S. changing?

We explore how deep divides in politics, business, lifestyle, and values are redefining what success looks like, and why this matters not just to Americans, but to people around the world.

🕒 Chapters

00:00 Rethinking the American Dream

11:18 The Impact of Technology on the American Dream

21:26 Geopolitical Perspectives on the American Dream

28:48 The Future of the American Dream

🔗 Guest Links + Further Reading:

• Aparna Bhushan — https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan• Harinda Katugaha — https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak

• Full transcript, sources & bonus clips → https://rethinktech.substack.com/

👉 Subscribe to Rethinking Tech for more conversations at the intersection of tech, society, and global change.

LINK TO SURVEY: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSelTv6HGPyVXNXmc2ETSWuRdsMIH63VE01GhWlH0_HW9NpBUA/viewform?usp=header

In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna and Harinda take you deep into the hidden world of travel technology and how it’s quietly reshaping your choices, your experiences, and even your privacy.

From AI-powered airline pricing and biometric surveillance at borders, to ChatGPT-planned vacations and Instagram-driven destinations, this conversation explores how tech is not just assisting our travel - it's deciding it for us.

We discuss:

📉 Is travel becoming too algorithmic?

🛂 Are your movements being tracked and shared across borders?

🏠 Has Airbnb helped gentrify entire neighborhoods?

🤖 And what happens when your cruise dinner seating is decided by AI?

🕒 Chapters

00:00 The Intersection of Technology and Travel

04:01 The Evolution of Travel Planning with Technology

09:19 Consumer Rights and Data Privacy in Travel

14:03 Geopolitical Implications of Travel and Technology

18:13 The Digital Influence on Travel Planning

22:39 Revenge Tourism Post-COVID

29:34 AI and Ethical Concerns in Travel Pricing

🔗 Connect with the Hosts:

• Aparna Bhushan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparnabhushan/

• Harinda Katugaha — https://www.linkedin.com/in/harindak

• Full transcript, sources & bonus clips → https://rethinktech.substack.com/

Subscribe to Rethinking Tech

💭 Drop your thoughts below

Whether you're a frequent flyer or an occasional vacationer, this episode will make you rethink how much control you really have over your journey.

Check out Safir on Linkedin!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/safirjamal/

Also visit: https://globalnomadpass.com/

In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Harinda sits down with Safir Jamal, founder of Global Nomad Pass and an internationalist who’s traveled to 80+ countries, to unpack the complex, often hidden forces shaping the travel and tourism industry.

From Airbnb to Booking.com, travel seems personal but it’s deeply geopolitical. Safir explains how governments, data, algorithms, and international tourism boards all play critical roles behind the scenes.

We dive into:

🌍 The geopolitics of travel

🧠 The algorithms shaping what we see and book

📊 The data powering the industry—and who really benefits from it

🏛️ The role of ministries and tourism boards in shaping global mobility

⏰ Timestamps

02:41 The Benefits of Tourism for Local Economies

50:47 The Impact of Tourism on Employment

53:28 Tourism as a Tool for Education and Cultural Exchange

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations on tech and power. & show your support for us! 

👥 Connect & Deepen Your Insight
• Aparna Bhushan — LinkedIn
• Harinda Katugaha — LinkedIn
• Full transcripts, sources & visuals → https://rethinktech.substack.com/

🎧 Follow Rethinking Tech for weekly briefings that link technology, geopolitics, and ethics—delivered without the noise

Are browsers the internet’s last battleground or its next revolution?

In this episode, Aparna and Harinda unpack the browser wars of 2025 and explore why browsers—once sleepy defaults—are now central to everything from global surveillance to antitrust crackdowns to AI’s future user interface.

Listen for:

• Why Google’s cookie phase-out changes the internet’s business model
• The geopolitics of data: digital borders, European regulation & tech sovereignty
• How OpenAI’s new browser ambitions could redefine search, advertising & discovery
• What DOJ v. Google tells us about Big Tech’s antitrust future
• Ethical fault lines: ad tracking, AI hallucinations & who shapes your online world 

🕒 Chapters
00:00 The Browser Landscape: A New Era
02:16 Understanding Browsers: The Gateway to the Internet
09:25 Cookies and Data Privacy: The Hidden Threat
11:34 Geopolitical Implications: Data Ownership and Sovereignty
14:21 OpenAI’s Business Model: The Future of Browsers
14:27 The Antitrust Landscape and Big Tech’s Future
16:27 The Role of Venture Capital in Tech Regulation
19:11 Business Models: Browsers and Advertising
29:31 Ethical Implications of Generative AI
35:25 The Importance of Browsers in the Digital Age Connect &

👥 Connect & Deepen Your Insight

• Aparna Bhushan — LinkedIn
• Harinda Katugaha — LinkedIn
• Full transcripts, sources & visuals → https://rethinktech.substack.com/ 

🎧 Follow Rethinking Tech for weekly briefings that link technology, geopolitics, and ethics—delivered without the noise

What if we invested in peace the same way we invest in war?

In this episode of Rethinking Tech, Aparna speaks with Stefaan Verhulst, co-founder of the GovLab in New York and The Data Tank in Brussels, about the overlooked and underfunded world of PeaceTech.

We explore:

1. What is PeaceTech really?
2. Why it’s drastically underfunded
3. How AI, data, and policy can support peace
4. Cultural biases that make peace seem "soft"
5. The potential for PeaceTech to rival Palantir, Anduril & other DefenseTech companies

🕙 Chapters

00:00 Intro to Stefaan Verhulst and his work

03:56 Explaining PeaceTech

13:30 Cultural Barriers to PeaceTech

17:03 The Role of Technology in Conflict and Peace

20:47 Examples of Successful Peace Tech Innovations

24:49 The Future of PeaceTech and Its Potential

28:26 Final Thoughts & Advice on Peace Tech

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