The Great Tech Game Podcast: Geopolitics, Technology, Business and Global Affairs, with Anirudh Suri

In this episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Phil Stern, professor of history at Duke University, to dive into the history of colonial corporations such as East India Company and what that might teach us about how the current tug of war between nation-states and big tech firms such as Apple and Google might play out.

Stern and Suri together delve into the history of joint stock corporations and trading empires of corporations such as East India Company and others. They explore how these joint stock corporations of the 17th and 18th centuries were critical in the rise of colonial empires, but eventually ran afoul of their patrons and political masters. They discuss how the attempt of the British Crown, for example, to regulate the activities of the East India Company played out, and what lessons that holds for today's attempt by countries like the US, India and Europe to regulate Big Tech firms.

What are the parallels between the British empire and the US empire? How have corporations historically resisted regulation? What tools have they used? How have nation-states or governments leveraged their political power to rein in these private corporations? Will today's tech firms align with or evade geopolitical rivalries? Are we destined for a bi-polar world? What role will India play in these tech-driven geopolitical battles? These are some of the questions Stern and Suri grapple with in this episode.

Chapters:

01:18 - Intro ends

01:18 to 03:41 - A summary about what the entire discussion is going to be around

03:45 to 08:23 - Venture Colonialism

08:28 to 09:47  - What was different about the corporations formed around the 1600's?

09:48 to 11:43  - The early Joint Stock Corporations vs. Merchant guilds

11:44 to  13:43  - What are joint stocks and corporations?

13:44 to 17:13  - Competition between the European states

17:15 to 19:06  - Improvisation in Navigation Technology

19:08 to  24:12 - Deep diving into Joint Stock concept, and its implications for society

24:24 to 29:15 -  The Tug of War between State and Pvt corporations

29:34 to  31:26 - Functions of the state vs corporations

31:37 to 33:44 - Institutional Innovations, regulating sovereign function

33:55 to 41:50 - Lessons for today: How can Nations regulate private corporations?

42:07 to 42:56 - Parallels with companies today

43:16 to  45:40 - Parallels between the British Empire and the US Empire today. 

45:52 to 52:31  - Could the US govt ever take over Google or FB like the British Crown took over EIC?

52:35 to 56:22 - Formal vs informal empires; Oil Empires, Private Empires; The US Empire: A Private or Public Empire?

57:01 to 1:04:02  - Is today's US-China rivalry like the British-French rivalry of yesteryear? | Will today's tech firms align with or evade trends in geopolitical rivalries? |

The Case of India: Are we destined for a bipolar world, again?

1:04:06 - Closing remarks: Phil's book and podcast guest recommendations

In Part 2 of this two-part episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Joel Mokyr to dig deep into why some societies get rich, creative and successful while others don't. Mokyr describes the uniqueness of the European experience that leads to the Industrial Revolution, and derives key insights to explain how a culture of nonconformism can be encouraged in a society.Mokyr and Suri discuss examples of countries that have unshackled themselves from their past, such as 19th century Japan during the Meiji Restoration and the East Asian tigers. They also explore how India can reverse its brain drain and become a tech nation, and not remain just a talent nation.Mokyr highlights the high levels of inequality being driven by the tech economy today, and both draw parallels with pre-WWI Europe and its experience with vast inequality driven by industrial capitalism. Jumping to the modern era, they discuss whether AI represents a new revolution in knowledge, or whether it is just hype.They debate the question of whether AI will be a great equalizer or whether it will create more tech monopolies? Mokyr highlights the return of the Single Entrepreneur, comparing and contrasting the Musks, Bezos, Gates and Zuckerbergs of today with the Carnegies, Rockefellers and Morgans of the Gilded Age.The episode ends with Joel Mokyr’s book and podcast guest recommendations.*About the Podcast*The Great Tech Game podcast, with Anirudh Suri, brings you smart, insightful, big picture conversations on geopolitics, technology, business, and history with the world’s top thinkers and leaders. #AnirudhSuri: Managing Director, India Internet Fund; Author, The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations (HarperCollins, 2022); and Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Follow Anirudh here: X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.in Website: www.anirudhsuri.comBook and Podcast: www.greattechgame.com Book Links:Anirudh Suri:The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri : https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38MyJoel Mokyr:Website: https://economics.northwestern.edu/people/directory/joel-mokyr.htmlBio: Joel Mokyr is Professor of Economics and History at Northwestern University. Joel Mokyr conducts research on the economic history of Europe, and specializes in the period 1750-1914. His current research is focused on the understanding of the economic and intellectual roots of technological progress and the growth of useful knowledge in European societies, as well as the impact that industrialization and economic progress have had on economic welfare.He is the author of The Lever of Riches: Technological Creativity and Economic Progress, The British Industrial Revolution: An Economic Perspective, The Gifts of Athena: Historical Origins of the Knowledge Economy, and The Enlightened Economy: an Economic history of Britain, 1700-1850. His most recent book is A Culture of Growth, published by Princeton University Press in 2016. In 2006 he was awarded the biennial Heineken Prize by the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences for a lifetime achievement in historical science. In 2015 he was awarded the Balzan Prize for Economic History, awarded once every twenty years. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a foreign fellow of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences.

Joel emphasizes the societal resistance to change, stating how individuals are shaped by their peers, teachers, and parents, who may deter them from questioning established norms. Joel elaborates that incentives can influence individuals to think creatively and devise innovative solutions. However, if society reacts negatively to such attempts, individuals might choose to stay quiet or move to places where their efforts are more appreciated. This dynamic contributes to the slow pace of cultural change.Full Episode Link (Part 1): https://youtu.be/iV21apDujg8(Part 2): https://youtu.be/j-EtfjGJbV0Chapters:00:00 Introduction: The Question of Wealth00:30 Adam Smith's Perspective on Wealth01:39 The Significance of the Industrial Revolution03:56 The Role of Technology in Economic Change06:40 The Concept of Useful Knowledge07:24 The Impact of Institutions and Resource Allocation08:02 The Success of Emerging Economies08:50 The Future of Global Economy: Knowledge and TradeIn this two-part episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Joel Mokyr to dig deep into why some societies get rich, creative and successful while others don't.Mokyr and Suri discuss examples of countries that have unshackled themselves from their past, such as 19th century Japan during the Meiji Restoration and the East Asian tigers. They also explore how India can reverse its brain drain and become a tech nation, and not remain just a talent nation.Mokyr highlights the high levels of inequality being driven by the tech economy today, and both draw parallels with pre-WWI Europe and its experience with vast inequality driven by industrial capitalism. Jumping to the modern era, they discuss whether AI represents a new revolution in knowledge, or whether it is just hype.About Joel Mokyr:Joel Mokyr is Professor of Economics and History at Northwestern University. Joel Mokyr conducts research on the economic history of Europe, and specializes in the period 1750-1914. His current research is focused on the understanding of the economic and intellectual roots of technological progress and the growth of useful knowledge in European societies, as well as the impact that industrialization and economic progress have had on economic welfare.

Joel discusses the importance of Information and communication technology and its role in economic prosperity. He explores how nations can foster a spirit of tech creativity and emphasizes that it's not merely a financial matter. Joel criticizes the limitations of intellectual property (IP) rights systems but recognizes the flow of knowledge across borders. Using China and India as examples, he explains how they've taken existing Western knowledge and improved on it. Joel argues that to be technologically creative and successful, a society must embrace nonconformity and pluralism, allowing for unconventional ideas to flourish. Using historical examples like the Soviet Union's technological stagnation and Israel's culture of 'thinking outside the box', Joel suggests that autocratic regimes may struggle in the long-term technological race due to the repression of free thinking. He concludes that fostering a culture of tolerating and experimenting with crazy ideas is crucial to technological advancement.Full Episode Link (Part 1): https://youtu.be/iV21apDujg8(Part 2): https://youtu.be/j-EtfjGJbV000:00 The Importance of Tech Creativity in Economic Prosperity00:40 The Role of Intellectual Property Rights in Tech Creativity01:14 The Asian Tigers: A Case Study in Tech Creativity02:26 The Importance of Nonconformity and Pluralism in Tech Creativity03:02 The Failure of the Soviet Union in Technological Leadership03:51 The Power of Crazy Ideas in Tech Innovation04:17 The Potential Downfall of China's Technological Race04:48 The Role of Free Speech in Tech Creativity05:07 Israel: A Culture of Nonconformity and Tech Success06:09 The Importance of Tolerance in Fostering Tech CreativityIn this two-part episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Joel Mokyr to dig deep into why some societies get rich, creative and successful while others don't.Mokyr and Suri discuss examples of countries that have unshackled themselves from their past, such as 19th century Japan during the Meiji Restoration and the East Asian tigers. They also explore how India can reverse its brain drain and become a tech nation, and not remain just a talent nation.Mokyr highlights the high levels of inequality being driven by the tech economy today, and both draw parallels with pre-WWI Europe and its experience with vast inequality driven by industrial capitalism. Jumping to the modern era, they discuss whether AI represents a new revolution in knowledge, or whether it is just hype.About Joel Mokyr:Joel Mokyr is Professor of Economics and History at Northwestern University. Joel Mokyr conducts research on the economic history of Europe, and specializes in the period 1750-1914. His current research is focused on the understanding of the economic and intellectual roots of technological progress and the growth of useful knowledge in European societies, as well as the impact that industrialization and economic progress have had on economic welfare.#techgameboy #EconomicProsperity#TechCreativity#RnD#IntellectualProperty#PatentSystem#AsianTigers#KnowledgeTransfer#Innovation#SocietyCreativity#Pluralism#Nonconformity#AutocraticRegimes#SovietUnion#TechnologicalLeadership#ChinaTech #Tolerance#InnovativeCulture

#TheGreatTechGamePodcast #AnirudhSuri #JoelMokyrThe Great Tech Game podcast, with Anirudh Suri, brings you smart, insightful, big picture conversations on geopolitics, technology, business, and history with the world’s top thinkers and leaders. In this two-part episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Joel Mokyr to dig deep into why some societies get rich, creative and successful while others don't. Mokyr and Suri delve into history to answer this big question, explore the great games in history, including why the Roman Empire and the Chinese hit a ceiling in their growth.Arguing that knowledge and technology augment other factors of production such as land, labour and capital, Mokyr outlines why technology and useful knowledge can be expected to drive growth for long periods to come. They discuss the importance of understanding the science behind things, and how important R&D and fundamental research is in the evolution of an economy. The conversation also explores what makes a society creative and successful, and why China will lose the tech race to the US according to Mokyr. #Anirudh Suri: Managing Director, India Internet Fund; Author, The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations (HarperCollins, 2022); and Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Follow Anirudh here: X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.in Website: www.anirudhsuri.comBook and Podcast: www.greattechgame.com Book Links:Anirudh Suri:The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri : https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38MyJoel Mokyr:The British Industrial Revolution: An Economic Perspective: https://amzn.eu/d/2Dd92KLThe Lever of Riches: Technological Creativity and Economic Progress: https://amzn.eu/d/em6Vmd5The Gifts of Athena: Historical Origins of the Knowledge Economy: https://amzn.eu/d/7O862NlEnlightened Economy: https://amzn.eu/d/7qh8bf8Why Ireland Starved: A Quantitative and Analytical History of the Irish Economy: https://amzn.eu/d/7JU9VwNThe Enlightened Economy – An Economic History of Britian 1700–1850: https://amzn.eu/d/3PcZxmiTo learn more about Joel Mokyr and his work:Website: https://economics.northwestern.edu/people/directory/joel-mokyr.htmlChapters00:00 - 1:12 - Intro about Joel Mokyr1:13 - 08:19 - Why some societies get rich, others don’t?08:20 - 10:19 - Pre-Smithian Formula for Growth and Post-Smithian Formula10:20 - 12:02 - The Great Secret: How have Societies Transitioned from Emerging to Rich economies?12:42 - 16:46 - The Great Agri and Trade Game: The Case of the Roman Empire, China and the Mongols 16:47 - 20:08 - Why We Didn’t See an Industrial Revolution in China and Rome? 20:09 - 27:25 - How Knowledge and Technology Augments other Factors of Production23:10 - 27:56 - The Case of Nitrates and Phosphates and Agri Productivity, and why Nations were poor27:57 - 30:50 - The Case of Steel: The Importance of Understanding the Science behind Technology 30:32 - 35:11 - Advancements in Science and Technology: Will They Slow Down Anytime Soon? 33:51 - 35:40 - How AI and Genetic Technology can help develop Alternatives to Steel and Nitrates35:41 - 39:17 - The Importance of R&D and Fundamental Research, and How can Nations Cultivate an Innovation Culture?39:51 - 43:23 - What makes a society creative and successful, and why China will lose the tech race to the US?

#daronacemoglu #anirudhsuri #nobellaureate #economics Join us for an insightful discussion on India's technological future in this engaging clip. Explore the vast potential India holds as a significant player in the global tech arena, while also confronting the challenges posed by automation and artificial intelligence.Link to the Full Episode: https://youtu.be/FqF5sUI_4jsIn the opening episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Daron Acemoglu, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2024, to discuss how nations can succeed in the age of AI.Daron Acemoglu, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2024, is professor of economics at Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and bestselling author of How Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (2012) and more recently Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (2023).Acemoglu is one of the world’s foremost economists, but also one of the best thinkers about why nations succeed or fail and how technology, innovation and institutions shape our world. In this episode, Suri and Acemoglu have a wide-ranging conversation to set the stage for the rest of the podcast. They discuss Acemoglu’s books, dissect the concept of the Great Games in history, delve into the capabilities that are required to win across all Great Games, debate whether human creativity will remain relevant in the age of AI, and much more.They draw out parallels between the pre-WWI Gilded Age era and today’s technology age. They explore the spectrum of techno-optimism and techno-pessimism, and tease out the nuances of the current phase of techno-optimism that is gripping large parts of the world. As inequality rises, they discuss how divergences amongst nations and within nations will shape our geopolitics and domestic politics. They discuss the state of democracy and the need for new institutions to manage the tech-driven world we live in. Acemoglu offers a detailed roadmap for how technology can be shaped and redirected and harnessed fully for humans. The episode concludes with Daron’s book recommendations for those interested in technology, geopolitics, economics and history. #AnirudhSuri: Managing Director, India Internet Fund; Author, The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations (HarperCollins, 2022); and Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Follow Anirudh here: X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@anirudh_suriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.in Website: www.anirudhsuri.comBook and Podcast: www.greattechgame.com To learn more about Daron Acemoglu and his work:Website: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/daron-acemogluTwitter: https://twitter.com/DAcemogluMITDaron Acemoglu is an Institute Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and also affiliated with the National Bureau Economic Research, and the Center for Economic Policy Research. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, the British Academy, the American Philosophical Society, the Turkish Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Society of Labor Economists.He is the author of six books: Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (with James A. Robinson), Principles of Economics (with David Laibson and John List), The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty (with James A. Robinson), and Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (with Simon Johnson).

Join Anirudh and Daron Acemoglu, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2024, in this insightful discussion as they delve into the looming specter of a second 'great divergence' fueled by the growing dominance of big tech companies over information, wealth, and power. Drawing parallels with historical precedents from the industrial era, we examine the ramifications of wealth concentration, rising inequality, and control over transformative technologies on society and politics.Link to the Full Episode: https://youtu.be/FqF5sUI_4jsIn the opening episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Daron Acemoglu to discuss how nations can succeed in the age of AI.Daron Acemoglu, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2024, is professor of economics at Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and bestselling author of How Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (2012) and more recently Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (2023).Acemoglu is one of the world’s foremost economists, but also one of the best thinkers about why nations succeed or fail and how technology, innovation and institutions shape our world. In this episode, Suri and Acemoglu have a wide-ranging conversation to set the stage for the rest of the podcast. They discuss Acemoglu’s books, dissect the concept of the Great Games in history, delve into the capabilities that are required to win across all Great Games, debate whether human creativity will remain relevant in the age of AI, and much more.They draw out parallels between the pre-WWI Gilded Age era and today’s technology age. They explore the spectrum of techno-optimism and techno-pessimism, and tease out the nuances of the current phase of techno-optimism that is gripping large parts of the world. As inequality rises, they discuss how divergences amongst nations and within nations will shape our geopolitics and domestic politics. They discuss the state of democracy and the need for new institutions to manage the tech-driven world we live in. Acemoglu offers a detailed roadmap for how technology can be shaped and redirected and harnessed fully for humans. The episode concludes with Daron’s book recommendations for those interested in technology, geopolitics, economics and history. #AnirudhSuri: Managing Director, India Internet Fund; Author, The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations (HarperCollins, 2022); and Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Follow Anirudh here: X (formerly Twitter): anirudhsuriYoutube: @anirudh_suriLinkedin: anirudhsuriInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.in Website: www.anirudhsuri.comBook and Podcast: www.greattechgame.com To learn more about Daron Acemoglu and his work:Website: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/daron-acemogluTwitter: https://twitter.com/DAcemogluMITDaron Acemoglu is an Institute Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and also affiliated with the National Bureau Economic Research, and the Center for Economic Policy Research. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, the British Academy, the American Philosophical Society, the Turkish Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Society of Labor Economists.He is the author of six books: Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (with James A. Robinson), Principles of Economics (with David Laibson and John List), The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty (with James A. Robinson), and Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (with Simon Johnson).

Link to the Full Episode: https://youtu.be/FqF5sUI_4jsJoin us for a discussion on the new challenges facing the global economy amidst the ongoing rivalry between the United States and China, particularly in the realm of technology. Explore how countries like Turkey, India, Brazil, France, and others perceive this geopolitical battle and its implications.In the opening episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Daron Acemoglu to discuss how nations can succeed in the age of AI.Daron Acemoglu is professor of economics at Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and bestselling author of How Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (2012) and more recently Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (2023).Acemoglu is one of the world’s foremost economists, but also one of the best thinkers about why nations succeed or fail and how technology, innovation and institutions shape our world. In this episode, Suri and Acemoglu have a wide-ranging conversation to set the stage for the rest of the podcast. They discuss Acemoglu’s books, dissect the concept of the Great Games in history, delve into the capabilities that are required to win across all Great Games, debate whether human creativity will remain relevant in the age of AI, and much more.They draw out parallels between the pre-WWI Gilded Age era and today’s technology age. They explore the spectrum of techno-optimism and techno-pessimism, and tease out the nuances of the current phase of techno-optimism that is gripping large parts of the world. As inequality rises, they discuss how divergences amongst nations and within nations will shape our geopolitics and domestic politics. They discuss the state of democracy and the need for new institutions to manage the tech-driven world we live in. Acemoglu offers a detailed roadmap for how technology can be shaped and redirected and harnessed fully for humans. The episode concludes with Daron’s book recommendations for those interested in technology, geopolitics, economics and history. #AnirudhSuri: Managing Director, India Internet Fund; Author, The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations (HarperCollins, 2022); and Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Follow Anirudh here: X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@anirudh_suriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.in Website: www.anirudhsuri.comBook and Podcast: www.greattechgame.com To learn more about Daron Acemoglu and his work:Website: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/daron-acemogluTwitter: https://twitter.com/DAcemogluMITDaron Acemoglu is an Institute Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and also affiliated with the National Bureau Economic Research, and the Center for Economic Policy Research. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, the British Academy, the American Philosophical Society, the Turkish Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Society of Labor Economists.He is the author of six books: Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (with James A. Robinson), Principles of Economics (with David Laibson and John List), The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty (with James A. Robinson), and Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (with Simon Johnson).

#daronacemoglu #anirudhsuri #greattechgame #tgtgpodcast #nobellaureate Discover the challenges of our modern era, particularly in navigating the complexities of regulating generative AI technologies. Despite the shifting demands in the labor market and the rise of AI. Tune in for an enlightening discourse on the dynamics of technological change and the timeless resilience of the human spirit.Link to the Full Episode: https://youtu.be/FqF5sUI_4jsIn the opening episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Daron Acemoglu, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2024, to discuss how nations can succeed in the age of AI.Daron Acemoglu, Nobel Laureate in Economics 2024, is professor of economics at Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and bestselling author of How Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (2012) and more recently Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (2023).Acemoglu is one of the world’s foremost economists, but also one of the best thinkers about why nations succeed or fail and how technology, innovation and institutions shape our world. In this episode, Suri and Acemoglu have a wide-ranging conversation to set the stage for the rest of the podcast. They discuss Acemoglu’s books, dissect the concept of the Great Games in history, delve into the capabilities that are required to win across all Great Games, debate whether human creativity will remain relevant in the age of AI, and much more.They draw out parallels between the pre-WWI Gilded Age era and today’s technology age. They explore the spectrum of techno-optimism and techno-pessimism, and tease out the nuances of the current phase of techno-optimism that is gripping large parts of the world. As inequality rises, they discuss how divergences amongst nations and within nations will shape our geopolitics and domestic politics. They discuss the state of democracy and the need for new institutions to manage the tech-driven world we live in. Acemoglu offers a detailed roadmap for how technology can be shaped and redirected and harnessed fully for humans. The episode concludes with Daron’s book recommendations for those interested in technology, geopolitics, economics and history. #AnirudhSuri: Managing Director, India Internet Fund; Author, The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations (HarperCollins, 2022); and Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Follow Anirudh here: X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@anirudh_suriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.in Website: www.anirudhsuri.comBook and Podcast: www.greattechgame.com To learn more about Daron Acemoglu and his work:Website: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/daron-acemogluTwitter: https://twitter.com/DAcemogluMITDaron Acemoglu is an Institute Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and also affiliated with the National Bureau Economic Research, and the Center for Economic Policy Research. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, the British Academy, the American Philosophical Society, the Turkish Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Society of Labor Economists.He is the author of six books: Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (with James A. Robinson), Principles of Economics (with David Laibson and John List), The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty (with James A. Robinson), and Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity

Join us for an enlightening interview where Daron advocates for societal intervention in the advancement of technology, emphasizing its non-deterministic nature and the necessity to prioritize 'pro-human' measures of progress. Link to the Full Episode: https://youtu.be/FqF5sUI_4jsIn the opening episode of The Great Tech Game podcast, host Anirudh Suri is joined by Daron Acemoglu to discuss how nations can succeed in the age of AI.Daron Acemoglu is professor of economics at Massachussetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and bestselling author of How Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (2012) and more recently Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (2023).Acemoglu is one of the world’s foremost economists, but also one of the best thinkers about why nations succeed or fail and how technology, innovation and institutions shape our world. In this episode, Suri and Acemoglu have a wide-ranging conversation to set the stage for the rest of the podcast. They discuss Acemoglu’s books, dissect the concept of the Great Games in history, delve into the capabilities that are required to win across all Great Games, debate whether human creativity will remain relevant in the age of AI, and much more.They draw out parallels between the pre-WWI Gilded Age era and today’s technology age. They explore the spectrum of techno-optimism and techno-pessimism, and tease out the nuances of the current phase of techno-optimism that is gripping large parts of the world. As inequality rises, they discuss how divergences amongst nations and within nations will shape our geopolitics and domestic politics. They discuss the state of democracy and the need for new institutions to manage the tech-driven world we live in. Acemoglu offers a detailed roadmap for how technology can be shaped and redirected and harnessed fully for humans. The episode concludes with Daron’s book recommendations for those interested in technology, geopolitics, economics and history. #AnirudhSuri: Managing Director, India Internet Fund; Author, The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations (HarperCollins, 2022); and Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Follow Anirudh here: X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@anirudh_suriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.in Website: www.anirudhsuri.comBook and Podcast: www.greattechgame.com To learn more about Daron Acemoglu and his work:Website: https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/daron-acemogluTwitter: https://twitter.com/DAcemogluMITDaron Acemoglu is an Institute Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and also affiliated with the National Bureau Economic Research, and the Center for Economic Policy Research. He is an elected Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, the British Academy, the American Philosophical Society, the Turkish Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Econometric Society, the European Economic Association, and the Society of Labor Economists.He is the author of six books: Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy (with James A. Robinson), Introduction to Modern Economic Growth, Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty (with James A. Robinson), Principles of Economics (with David Laibson and John List), The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty (with James A. Robinson), and Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (with Simon Johnson).