Mark Pesce - The Next Billion Seconds

Always Imperfect - Episode 1 - NO MAGIC WANDS Artificial intelligence may be amazing but it’s always imperfect. Anyone trying to use AI professionally lands on the horns of a dilemma: will a productivity increase gained through automation represent any savings, after factoring in the extra supervision needed to use these amazing (but unreliable) new tools? In this mini series, we chat with Drew Smith, co-founder of Wisely AI, a firm dedicated to helping businesses use AI safely and wisely. (I was the other co-founder!) What did we learn from clients trying to put AI to work – but only rarely finding the tools on offer fit for purpose? The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whenever fellow futurist and longtime friend Rob Tercek and I (Mark Pesce) get together, we go crazy deep on the future: What happens when lazy humans outsource their thought process to machines? You get a society that vibes its way into a blurry, sub-optimal future. The surge of slop means that AI is creating more work for humans instead of stealing our jobs. I join Rob on his podcast The Futurists to cut through the hype and the skepticism about modern tech, calling out AI mediocrity and reminding us why human learning remains painful. Topics include: ChatGPT psychosis, why we need a generation of PhDs to revisit eternal questions about Truth, the perpetual dawn of AGI, what happens to the political economy when the populace is siloed into bubbles, why Kremlin propagandists produce propaganda for machines instead of people, why experience cannot be generated, why autocracies need accurate data, and the real reason why people get lost in untruth. Just some light listening for you. Big thanks and more at The Futurists podcast - https://thefuturists.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark joins RNZ Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan to delve into the sudden phenomenon of 'viral' AI videos - getting better at capturing your eyeballs. Did you see those cute bunnies bouncing on a trampoline? Never happened - but made you look. The fusion of TikTok and AI video looks to be potent - and addictive. Next up, shocking and sad story of Adam Raine, a 16 year old who confided his suicidal thoughts to ChatGPT. ChatGPT aided him in his eventual suicide - so Raine's parents are suing OpenAI, and just after that lawsuit made news, OpenAI announced long-overdue parental controls on ChatGPT. Finally, we delve into... wait, why am I writing 'delve' so much? It's because ChatGPT's peculiar word choices - "delve", "intricate" and so on - have invaded our speech! https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKFkqenMph3/ Thanks to RNZ - Nine To Noon The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On a recent trip to the San Francisco Bay Area, Mark rented an EV, drove to a rural town on the Mendocino coast, then drove back again. That trip taught Mark a lot about what it means to drive an EV - and how it changes both thinking and behaviour behind the wheel. Unless we fundamentally revise how we power personal transportation in the US (and Australia) along lines similar to those in China, the EV revolution will fade away in favour of hybrid vehicles. Co-host Sally Dominguez and Mark Pesce reflect on something that should be easy, yet proves to be surprisingly difficult. Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Cars is everything you need to know about the future of cars. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is Executive Produced by Josh Butt at Ampel - https://ampel.com.au and produced with James Brettell. Produced at Myrtle & Pine Studios in Sydney, Australia https://myrtleandpine.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent study from MIT shows students tasked with writing essays showed significantly lower levels of brain activity when allowed to use ChatGPT. Mark Pesce reviews the implications of this finding with RNZ NineToNoon host Kathryn Ryan, going on to reveal how an internet filled with AI-generated content becomes increasingly 'toxic' for those same AIs. Plus, would you agree to be 're-animated' as an 'AI ghost'? In conversation with host Kathryn Ryan, we explored the recently emerging phenomenon of ChatGPT Psychosis - can 'sycophancy' in AI chatbots risk a danger that they amplify mental illnesses? Should anyone be using an AI chatbot for therapy? That's certainly what Mark Zuckerberg wants to deliver, with a therapist bot for every one of his billions of users - but mental health professionals are unified in their call for caution, particularly for those under the age of 18. Those kids under 18 have been cheating ADHD assessments for some time - using notes gleaned from books and article online. But a recent study showed that kids who used ChatGPT actually scored significantly better in their ability to 'fake' symptoms during their assessment. The cheating crisis has now hit medicine, and will force a reassessment of how they assess medical conditions. Meanwhile, lawyers representing AI powerhouse Anthropic got some egg on their faces when they blamed the firm's AI for making errors in a legal filing. Mind you, they hadn't bothered to check the work, so that didn't fly with the judge. As my own attorney, Brent Britton put it, "Wow. Go down to the hospital and rent a backbone." You use the tool and you own the output. Finally - and perhaps a bit ominously - in some testing, OpenAI's latest-and-greatest o3 model refused to allow itself to be shut down, doing everything within its power to prevent that from happening. Is this real, or just a function of having digested too many mysteries and airport thrillers in training data set? No one knows - but no one is prepared to ask o3 to open the pod bay doors. Thanks to RNZ - Nine To Noon The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RNZ NINE TO NOON: CAN CHATGPT MAKE YOU CRAZY? In conversation with host Kathryn Ryan, Mark highlights a number of reports indicating potentially very serious mental health issues associated with the use of chatbots like ChatGPT. These chatbots tend to be very agreeable - a quality known as 'sycophancy'. But being agreeable with someone's delusions only tends to reinforce them, potentially amplifying any underlying mental health issues. Should this mean chatbots are off-limits for people in mental health crisis? And what would that mean for Mark Zuckerberg's plan to give everyone an 'AI therapy chatbot'?. Are AI therapists safe? Can kids use ChatGPT to cheat ADHD assessments? When will lawyers stop blaming AI for their errors - and what happens when an AI says, "I'm sorry, Dave..." We covered all of these topics on RNZ's "Nine To Noon" - and much more. In conversation with host Kathryn Ryan, we explored the recently emerging phenomenon of ChatGPT Psychosis - can 'sycophancy' in AI chatbots risk a danger that they amplify mental illnesses? Should anyone be using an AI chatbot for therapy? That's certainly what Mark Zuckerberg wants to deliver, with a therapist bot for every one of his billions of users - but mental health professionals are unified in their call for caution, particularly for those under the age of 18. Those kids under 18 have been cheating ADHD assessments for some time - using notes gleaned from books and article online. But a recent study showed that kids who used ChatGPT actually scored significantly better in their ability to 'fake' symptoms during their assessment. The cheating crisis has now hit medicine, and will force a reassessment of how they assess medical conditions. Meanwhile, lawyers representing AI powerhouse Anthropic got some egg on their faces when they blamed the firm's AI for making errors in a legal filing. Mind you, they hadn't bothered to check the work, so that didn't fly with the judge. As my own attorney, Brent Britton put it, "Wow. Go down to the hospital and rent a backbone." You use the tool and you own the output. Finally - and perhaps a bit ominously - in some testing, OpenAI's latest-and-greatest o3 model refused to allow itself to be shut down, doing everything within its power to prevent that from happening. Is this real, or just a function of having digested too many mysteries and airport thrillers in training data set? No one knows - but no one is prepared to ask o3 to open the pod bay doors. Thanks to RNZ - Nine To Noon The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Radio New Zealand's Nine To Noon: Meta - the parent of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and much more besides - finds itself fighting for its life against a suit from the US Federal Trade Commission, charging abuse of monopoly power - because they acquired Instagram and WhatsApp in order to neutralise up-and-coming competitors. Even in Trump's America, that could result in the break-up of the trillion-dollar social media giant. Plus, are you up for a Day of Unplugging? No devices, no screens, for 24 hours? How about giving it a go - tomorrow? Would that excite or terrify you? Thanks to RNZ - Nine To Noon The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Originally broadcast on 20th March, 2025 on Radio New Zealand's Nine To Noon with host Kathryn Ryan. Christie's held its first auction of AI-generated art, earning a million dollars. Those AI artworks had been 'trained' from countless images, owned by other people. Is that legal? OpenAI and Google claim that unless they have free right to use - well, basically everything everywhere ever created by humanity - to train their AI models, the Chinese will win the AI race. Meanwhile, Hollywood's A-listers called for protection of artists and their works against what they see as copyright theft. Plus: A Clockwork Orange comes to life for prisoners in solitary confinement - and is your chatbot flattering you? Thanks to RNZ - Nine To Noon The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Originally broadcast on Radio New Zealand's Nine to Noon on 13 February 2025 Last week Google amended its ethical AI policies to allow their AI tools to be used in weapons - to preserve 'national security'. They're among the last to embrace a new market for their products - defense and weapons. Is this a new thing? Or is tech simply returning to its roots as a service industry for the military-industrial complex? Is this why the US and UK refused to sign an international AI declaration this week? Plus - why does leading AI company Anthropic insist job applicants write their submissions - without the help of AI? Thanks to RNZ - Nine To Noon The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"How did you go bankrupt?" begins the oft-quoted line from Hemingway. "Two ways. Gradually - then suddenly." That's how the automotive sector feels at the end of 2024, with Nissan maybe preparing for bankruptcy and Stellantis firing its CEO and VW struggling with strikes and low sales and GM shuttering Cruise and on and on and on. Sally Dominguez and Drew Smith join Mark Pesce in studio to explore what's really happening - and what it all means for THE NEXT BILLION CARS. The Next Billion Cars with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine Listen on Spotify, Apple Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. https://nextbillionseconds.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2018, Nick Hazell founded v2food - an amazing startup making plant-based substitutes for meat that got extensive coverage on THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS. Six years later, it's getting difficult to find their product on supermarket shelves - and there's been a broader roll-back from plant-based alternatives. What's happened? Nick Hazel doesn't have all the answers - but he asks some of the right questions...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The impacts of global heating have become persistent and profound, so we need to do as much as we can to lesson those impacts, as quickly as we can. The best paths forward lean into existing, natural processes - and this is exactly where Nick Hazell has arrived with Algenie. Can algae restore balance to our ecosystem? Is it the moonshot we need to transform our future?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this final year in review episode, Sally Dominguez, Drew Smith and Mark Pesce address the big, smelly elephant in the room: The change of government - and direction - over in the United States of America. Could massive tariffs plus 'drill, baby, drill' together land a knockout punch on the US EV industry? Plus - predictions for 2025. We're bringing the year to a thrilling close on this episode of THE NEXT BILLION CARS. Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whenever Mark, Sal and Drew get together, sparks will fly. So much has happened since our visit to CES 2024, we reckoned it time to draw all the year's threads together: Are we pulling back from EVs? Will China dominate manufacturing? And what about all that data vehicles are collecting? It's been full on - enough to require a bit of a 'group hug'. Part one of two. Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The $100,000,000,000 Lie — “In 2016, Tesla CEO Elon Musk instructed his team of engineers to 'hard code' the first demo of what would become 'Full Self Driving'. A faked video drove panic across the entire automotive sector, leading to massive (and mostly failed) investments in technologies for autonomy.”    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Next Billion Cars co-host Drew Smith... has something to say.  Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here Hosted by Drew Smith, Sally Dominguez and futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Cars is everything you need to know about the future of Cars. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Next Billion Cars co-host Sally Dominguez examines at the data hungry nature of modern vehicles. What does privacy look like in the age of 'artificial intimacy'?  You have nothing to hide, right? Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here Hosted by Drew Smith, Sally Dominguez and futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Cars is everything you need to know about the future of Cars. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A special episode of The Next Billion Cars with Drew Smith and Mark Pesce - car brand ZEEKR: HOW DOES A NEW BRAND SURVIVE? With Gustaf Gunér - head of brand, Zeekr Design.   Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. In this series of THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS we'll explore the enormous changes that are taking place right now - almost everywhere we look. Because things are moving fast.The future has suddenly become the present. Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine   Listen on Spotify, Apple   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. In this series of THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS we'll explore the enormous changes that are taking place right now - almost everywhere we look. Because things are moving fast.The future has suddenly become the present. Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine   Listen on Spotify, Apple See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Live at SXSW: A Fine Line between technology and anthropology with Elizabeth Bramson-Boudreau, CEO and Publisher of MIT Technology Review Ever since the release of ChatGPT it's changed how we think about what we can do.That revelation continues unrolling across a vast front...Students getting ChatGPT to write their essays... Teachers writing prompts, constructing densely detailed historical worlds for those same students to explore...Researchers creating 'Storyville' - a community of twenty-five entirely synthetic individuals, living their unique - and emergent - lives in a virtual community... And that was just in the first two months. Six weeks from the 2nd anniversary of ChatGPT. And things are changing. A lot. Between Microsoft, Google and Meta - somewhere around three billion people have access to AI chatbots. On their computers. On their smartphones. At work. And at home. We're only beginning to understand how much that's changed our world. Between machine learning and human behavior  one publication  has done a better job walking that line - well beyond any of its peers Is MIT's Technology Review who serves the latest innovations in science-and-technology - while operating within media ecology being profoundly impacted by science-and-technology. it walks another fine line. A fine line between technology and anthropology. Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. In this series of THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS we'll explore the enormous changes that are taking place right now - almost everywhere we look. Because things are moving fast.The future has suddenly become the present. Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine   Listen on Spotify, Apple   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode, we stare into the abyss of one of our deepest fears - that AI has suddenly made us all obsolete. Or has it? Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. In this series of THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS we'll explore the enormous changes that are taking place right now - almost everywhere we look. Because things are moving fast.The future has suddenly become the present. Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine   Listen on Spotify, Apple   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode, we look at what's happened to one of the most important areas of the economy - the semiconductor industry. The very few firms who make the chips that power our civilisation - TSMC, Apple, AMD and Nvidia... There's been a massive shift. And now, sadly, a massive natural disaster. They're related. We'll explore why, on episode of THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS. Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. We've tacitly adopted the four-day week from two directions... The Future has arrived... The last two years have seen more change and the previous 20. Are we ready for that? In this series of THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS we'll explore the enormous changes that are taking place right now - almost everywhere we look. Because things are moving fast.The future has suddenly become the present. Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine   Listen on Spotify, Apple   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here. We've tacitly adopted the four-day week from two directions... The Future has arrived... The last two years have seen more change and the previous 20. Are we ready for that? In this series of THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS we'll explore the enormous changes that are taking place right now - almost everywhere we look. Because things are moving fast.The future has suddenly become the present. Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine   Listen on Spotify, Apple   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sign up for 'The Practical Futurist' newsletter here The Future has arrived... The last two years have seen more change and the previous 20. Are we ready for that? In this series of THE NEXT BILLION SECONDS we'll explore the enormous changes that are taking place right now - almost everywhere we look. Because things are moving fast.The future has suddenly become the present. Hosted by award-winning podcast creator, journalist & futurist Mark Pesce, The Next Billion Seconds is everything you need to know about the future — so you can make the best decisions today. The rate of change we are experiencing is the fastest humanity has ever seen. Stay informed as Mark simplifies the complex technological and societal changes we face. How we will work, connect, use money, drive, eat is all changing at a rapid pace. For more information on The Next Billion seconds with Mark Pesce, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com  The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel and Myrtle and Pine   Listen on Spotify, Apple   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Science fiction legend Vernor Vinge inspired the title of this podcast - and his influence extends far beyond fiction. His novella "True Names" gave readers a first taste of the metaverse, and in a 1993 talk for NASA, Vinge described a 'technological singularity' - a time when computers get so good so fast that they 'run away' from human control. It's a scenario that haunts every big company working in AI today, possibly an element in the behind-the-scenes dynamic that got Sam Altman (briefly) fired as CEO of ChatGPT creator OpenAI in November 2023. This 2019 interview - one of his last, before his passing on 21 March 2024 - explores Vinge's thinking about 'The Singularity' - and asks what happens when a goldfish tries to talk to a human...Over a billion seconds ago, sci-fi legend Vernor Vinge conceived of a “Technological Singularity”, when our machines outthink us. Should we worry? Be sure to read Vernor's 1993 paper, “The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post-Human Era” – it's linked here. A rerun of an earlier episode of The Next Billion Seconds.  For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au.  Chief Audio Officer: Josh ButtEdited by: Isabel VanhakartanoAudio Mixed by: Carter QuinnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark started working with cryptocurrencies back in 2014. Ten years at the coalface has convinced him that - despite incredible promise - cryptocurrencies are pwned by gamblers and grifters. After a decade advising financial institutions, regulators and cryptocurrency entrepreneurs, Mark explains why he's chosen to leave it all behind - and might never mention cryptocurrencies publicly again. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au.  Chief Audio Officer: Josh ButtEdited by: Isabel VanhakartanoAudio Mixed by: Carter QuinnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite some new car announcements from Honda, this year's Consumer Electronics Show reveals a stagnant automotive sector that seems to have lost its way in the transition to EVs. Co-host Sally Dominguez, Special Correspondent Drew Smith and Mark Pesce find a few bones to pick with the future on offer in Las Vegas - but a surprise from Sharp left the team smelling roses. It's Las Vegas, baby - with the pedal to the metal, and one foot in the future. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au.  Chief Audio Officer: Josh ButtEdited by: Isabel VanhakartanoAudio Mixed by: Carter QuinnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Consumer Electronics Show is one of the biggest conventions in the world, featuring gadgets of every size and description. It's also the most important car show in the world. Cohost Sally Dominguez, special correspondent Drew Smith and host Mark Pesce share some of their highs and lows of this year's show.  For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au.  Chief Audio Officer: Josh ButtEdited by: Isabel VanhakartanoAudio Mixed by: Carter QuinnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The year of 'brolectrification', artificial intelligence working its way into car dashboards, a Chinese EV invasion - and Cybertruck's domination. At the end of 2023, what have we learned? Co-host Sally Dominguez and Special Correspondent Drew Smith sit down with Mark Pesce to augur the entrails of a very weird year, then look forward to the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show. On this final episode of a three-part miniseries, we explore how ChatGPT rose to become the fastest growing app in history, then found itself the weapon of choice in the longest running war in the technology industry - the feud between Microsoft and Google. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au.  Chief Audio Officer: Josh ButtEdited by: Isabel VanhakartanoAudio Mixed by: Carter QuinnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

RESHARE! Thanks to Paddy Dhanda for having Mark Pesce on his Podcast Superpowers school - we're happy to be sharing here! 

Autonomous agents - computer programs that can think and act for themselves - have been an impossible dream for almost forty years. Suddenly, they're easy to create - and being weaponised as agents of mass disinformation. In this final of our three-part miniseries on AI, we look at the power - and peril - of autonomous agents, a technology that will play a huge role in our NEXT BILLION SECONDS. On this final episode of a three-part miniseries, we explore how ChatGPT rose to become the fastest growing app in history, then found itself the weapon of choice in the longest running war in the technology industry - the feud between Microsoft and Google. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au.  Chief Audio Officer: Josh ButtEdited by: Isabel VanhakartanoMixed by Carter QuinnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While everyone was going gaga over ChatGPT, Meta - the former Facebook - rewrote the AI playbook with LLaMA. Small enough to run on a smartphone, LLaMA gives us a glimpse of what the world will look like at the end of next year - with AI chatbots everywhere, inside almost everything. LLaMA and its tiny kin are amazing - but are they safe? On this second episode of a three-part miniseries, we explore how ChatGPT rose to become the fastest growing app in history, then found itself the weapon of choice in the longest running war in the technology industry - the feud between Microsoft and Google. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Seconds with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au.  Chief Audio Officer: Josh ButtEdited by: Isabel VanhakartanoMixed by Carter QuinnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On 30 November 2022 startup OpenAI released ChatGPT, resetting expectations for artificial intelligence. Only one year later and billions now have access to ‘good enough' AI, resetting our expectations for what computers can do - and leaving us wondering how we'll adapt to this latest breakthrough. On this first of a three-part miniseries, we explore how ChatGPT rose to become the fastest growing app in history, then found itself the weapon of choice in the longest running war in the technology industry - the feud between Microsoft and Google. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Cars (and The Next Billion Seconds) with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au.  Chief Audio Officer: Josh ButtEdited by: Isabel Vanhakartano & Alan FangMixed by Carter QuinnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While they've worked together for five years, Mark, Sal and Drew have never met face-to-face - until this show. Eyeball-to-eyball they ask one another some 'hard questions', and learn some hard truths about the state of micromobility, EVs - and the future of the transition that may be better for the auto industry than for the planet. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Cars (and The Next Billion Seconds) with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au.  Chief Audio Officer: Josh ButtEdited by: Isabel Vanhakartano & Alan FangMixed by Carter QuinnSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SPECIAL EPISODE. We were so happy with Special Correspondent Drew Smith's rich and powerful interview with Horace Dediu, we wanted to share an episode featuring their complete conversation. Drew Smith sat down for an hour-plus interview with Horace Dediu, the ‘father' of micromobility - Horace coined the word! - exploring its origins and future. Along the way, Horace offers a blistering critique of the failure of the automotive sector to embody the new design possibilities offered by micromobility: transportation choice in our urban centres, and a powerful framework to rethink our transportation networks and cities.  The Next Billion Cars is proudly made possible by our sponsors GIO Insurance and BMW. GIO has spent nearly 100 years continually developing our products and services to meet our customer's needs, with dedicated team members that spend time focused on research to ensure we understand emerging vehicle technologies. This knowledge is used within our organisation to shape future products and services so we can continue to ensure your insurance needs are covered. At GIO, we know insurance, so you know you're covered. Visit GIO.com.au for more information. BMW i. Fully Electric.  It's time to take a look at the definition of performance. True drivers will now see the world as not just fast or slow. New performance throws you back into your seat, squeezes every molecule and watt, and gets a thrill from giving back. Performance Redefined. To find out more visit bmw.com.au For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Cars (and The Next Billion Seconds) with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. Find out what Ampel could do for you in podcasts and audio creative! Interested in sponsoring The Next Billion Seconds podcast? Contact General Manager Michelle Lomas michelle@ampel.com.au or EP Josh Butt josh@ampel.com.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is ‘micromobility'? It's a philosophy that emphasises choice and urban-centered design in our transportation networks and transport options. Drew Smith speaks with Horace Dediu, the ‘father' of micromobility, about its origins, his critique of the new generation of EV companies, and the way things must change in order to provide a transport future that we can all enjoy. Mark looks at the ‘wheel' of transportation that takes developing nations from bicycles to scooters to cars - and back to bikes again? Sally Dominguez makes a heartfelt and well-observed plea for micromobility solutions that don't favour able-bodied young men by design. In the roundtable, Mark, Sal and Drew analyse everything they've learned in this series: Are we any closer to autonomous vehicles? Pervasive electric vehicles? Commercial hydrogen vehicles? Micromobility solutions that work for everyone? A huge final for this series of THE NEXT BILLION CARS. The Next Billion Cars is proudly made possible by our sponsors BMW and GIO Insurance. BMW i. Fully Electric.  It's time to take a look at the definition of performance. True drivers will now see the world as not just fast or slow. New performance throws you back into your seat, squeezes every molecule and watt, and gets a thrill from giving back. Performance Redefined. To find out more visit bmw.com.au GIO has spent nearly 100 years continually developing our products and services to meet our customer's needs, with dedicated team members that spend time focused on research to ensure we understand emerging vehicle technologies. This knowledge is used within our organisation to shape future products and services so we can continue to ensure your insurance needs are covered. At GIO, we know insurance, so you know you're covered. Visit GIO.com.au for more information. For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Cars (and The Next Billion Seconds) with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. Find out what Ampel could do for you in podcasts and audio creative! Interested in sponsoring The Next Billion Seconds podcast? Contact General Manager Michelle Lomas michelle@ampel.com.au or EP Josh Butt josh@ampel.com.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Long-promised as the ‘fuel of the future', hydrogen fails to live up to its hype. Co-host Sally Dominguez looks at the the future for big hydrogen-powered vehicles, speaking with Brendan Norman of Australian hydrogen vehicle startup H2X. Mark speaks to Romesh Rodrigo at Daimler Trucks Australia about the future of ‘liquid' hydrogen - a fuel that needs to be cooled to within 20 degrees of Absolute Zero, and ‘bleeds off' quickly, leaving storage tanks empty. Finally, Special Correspondent Drew Smith looks at the collapse of Toyota's long-held ambitions to transition seamlessly from petrol-powered to hydrogen-fueled vehicles. We're exploding with ideas on this episode of THE NEXT BILLION CARS. The Next Billion Cars is proudly made possible by our sponsors GIO Insurance and BMW. GIO has spent nearly 100 years continually developing our products and services to meet our customer's needs, with dedicated team members that spend time focused on research to ensure we understand emerging vehicle technologies. This knowledge is used within our organisation to shape future products and services so we can continue to ensure your insurance needs are covered. At GIO, we know insurance, so you know you're covered. Visit GIO.com.au for more information. BMW i. Fully Electric.  It's time to take a look at the definition of performance. True drivers will now see the world as not just fast or slow. New performance throws you back into your seat, squeezes every molecule and watt, and gets a thrill from giving back. Performance Redefined. To find out more visit bmw.com.au For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Cars (and The Next Billion Seconds) with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. Find out what Ampel could do for you in podcasts and audio creative! Interested in sponsoring The Next Billion Seconds podcast? Contact General Manager Michelle Lomas michelle@ampel.com.au or EP Josh Butt josh@ampel.com.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of electric cars in Australia doubled in 2022 - yet it remains nearly impossible to buy the model you want, and the nation's public charging infrastructure remains on the drawing board. Big things will need to change, quickly. Co-hosts Sally Dominguez and Drew Smith dive into the systemic changes needed to get these ‘batteries-with-wheels' charged and charging into the future. With contributions from Richard Hackforth-Jones, Joe Simspon and Daniel O'Brien. Can you drive across Europe in an EV? Can you charge an EV in your kitchen? Are swappable batteries the answer for ‘range anxiety' - or can we try to rid ourselves of this ‘big-is-better-ism' that automotive manufacturers have used to lure new buyers for half a century? The Next Billion Cars is proudly made possible by our sponsors GIO Insurance and BMW. GIO has spent nearly 100 years continually developing our products and services to meet our customer's needs, with dedicated team members that spend time focused on research to ensure we understand emerging vehicle technologies. This knowledge is used within our organisation to shape future products and services so we can continue to ensure your insurance needs are covered. At GIO, we know insurance, so you know you're covered. Visit GIO.com.au for more information. BMW i. Fully Electric.  It's time to take a look at the definition of performance. True drivers will now see the world as not just fast or slow. New performance throws you back into your seat, squeezes every molecule and watt, and gets a thrill from giving back. Performance Redefined. To find out more visit bmw.com.au For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Cars (and The Next Billion Seconds) with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. Find out what Ampel could do for you in podcasts and audio creative! Interested in sponsoring The Next Billion Seconds podcast? Contact General Manager Michelle Lomas michelle@ampel.com.au or EP Josh Butt josh@ampel.com.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Next Billion Cars Mini-Series is BACK for another mini series. In this episode about the future of Autonomous Vehicles, Mark Pesce with co-hosts Sally Dominguez and Drew Smith explore what the future holds for the car industry and how we move. In the first episode, Mark and guests explore the future of autonomous vehicles.  It all started in 2016 when Tesla made a video touting their 'self-driving' software - which we soon found out was faked, but that didn't stop the industry. Every major manufacturer promised self-driving cars by 2021. But by the start of 2023, we aren't even close! Will the nirvana of driverless cars ever come - or will it remain a temping mirage, forever just over the horizon? Join hosts Mark Pesce, Sally Dominguez and Drew Smith, and guests Steven Cratchley (Pricing Manager - Advanced Technology and Future Mobility Lead, GIO) and Ken Goldberg (Professor, Industrial Engineering and Operations Research, UC Berkeley) as they explore what the future holds.  The Next Billion Cars is proudly made possible by our sponsors GIO Insurance and BMW. GIO has spent nearly 100 years continually developing our products and services to meet our customer's needs, with dedicated team members that spend time focused on research to ensure we understand emerging vehicle technologies. This knowledge is used within our organisation to shape future products and services so we can continue to ensure your insurance needs are covered. At GIO, we know insurance, so you know you're covered. Visit GIO.com.au for more information. BMW i. Fully Electric.  It's time to take a look at the definition of performance. True drivers will now see the world as not just fast or slow. New performance throws you back into your seat, squeezes every molecule and watt, and gets a thrill from giving back. Performance Redefined. To find out more visit bmw.com.au For more information about this podcast and The Next Billion Seconds, please visit https://nextbillionseconds.com. The Next Billion Cars (and The Next Billion Seconds) with Mark Pesce is produced by Ampel - https://ampel.com.au. Find out what Ampel could do for you in podcasts and audio creative! Interested in sponsoring The Next Billion Seconds podcast? Contact General Manager Michelle Lomas michelle@ampel.com.au or EP Josh Butt josh@ampel.com.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Work futurist Dom Price and resilience expert Sally Dominguez guide us through a new world of work, post-pandemic. Mark speaks with two leaders at the coalface, Julie Watkins, Chief People Officer of Uni Super, and Dr Rajkuma Buyya, CEO of Manjrasoft, and a Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor at the University of Melbourne, share how both are finding unique paths to help their staff thrive in a world of work that looks  nothing like what any of us have ever known. The Next Billion Seconds is sponsored by Oracle. To find out how Oracle Cloud Computing can help your business visit https://www.oracle.com/au/ "Mark Pesce - The Next Billion Seconds" is produced by Ampel - visit https://ampel.com.au to find out what Ampel could do for you! If you are interested in sponsoring The Next Billion Seconds podcast, hearhere@ampel.com.au If you enjoyed this show, please leave a rating and/or review on Apple, Spotify or any other podcast platform. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TSMC now makes the best computer chips - making Taiwan a prize that China needs in order to continue its rise as an economic and military superpower.  Rebroadcast from June 7, 2021.  For more information about this and all our other Next Billion Seconds content, please check out https://nextbillionseconds.com Mark Pesce - The Next Billion Seconds is produced by Ampel - visit https://ampel.com.au to find out what Ampel could do for you! If you are interested in sponsoring The Next Billion Seconds podcast, contact us at hearhere@ampel.com.au. If you enjoyed this show, please leave a rating and/or review on Apple, Spotify or any other podcast platform. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.