MIND & MACHINE: Future Tech + Futurist Ideas + Futurism

My guest today is Akshay Kothari, the Chief Operating Officer at Notion. As COO, Akshay is one of the top people driving the ship at this next-generation software platform that's enabling everyday users to create their own software tools instead of settling for what's provided on the market.  Despite Notion being a young and small company of around 50 people, it has received a valuation of $2 billion dollars in its latest venture capital funding round — making it one of the fastest moving ventures in Silicon Valley. In today's discussion with Akshay we explore the future of Notion and this new movement of democratizing software development, enabling anyone to create their own software tools.  More at http://mindandmachine.io

My guest today is Dr. Bertalan Mesko, also known as The Medical Futurist. He's the Director of The Medical Futurist Institute, delivers keynote addresses all over the world, and runs a popular magazine and YouTube channel on the future of medicine with an emphasis on how technology will shape healthcare. Dr. Mesko is a physician with a PhD in genomics, and an Amazon Top 100 author. With the Coronavirus pandemic underway, we get into the nature of pandemics, what stages to look for in the evolution of the COVID-19 crisis, and what we can expect with future pandemics. Then we discuss how emerging technologies are being used to fight the virus, and how we can better prepare to fight future pandemics by leveraging Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Genomics, 3D Printing, and other advanced technologies.   Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE future-tech newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter    More on Bertalan Mesko:     - Website:  https://medicalfuturist.com/     - Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Berci     - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/medicalfuturist __________   MIND & MACHINE features interviews by August Bradley with bold thinkers and leaders.   Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter   MIND & MACHINE Website: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Nir Eyal, who writes and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. The MIT Technology Review dubbed Nir, "The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology." Nir has taught at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Institute of Design at Stanford. He's the author of two bestselling books, "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" and "Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life". We explore the the psychology of focus, and how to channel your mind to achieve more.   Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE future-tech newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter    More on Nir Eyal:     - Website:  https://www.nirandfar.com     - Book Website: http://www.indistractable.com     - Twitter:  https://twitter.com/nireyal __________   MIND & MACHINE Website: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Anders Ericsson, author of the renowned book "Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise". He is among the world's leading authorities on how to new master skills. Anders is a Professor of Psychology and conducted much of the research on expertise and peak performance that Malcolm Gladwell famously referenced to develop the 10,000 hour rule in Gladwell's book Outliers. However, as we discuss today, Malcom Gladwell mis-interpreted much of the science behind the 10,000 hour rule. Anders demonstrates that talent is overrated and peak achievement is dependent on a specific type of learning called "deliberate practice", and that your skill in any area is a function of the quantity and quality of “mental representations” you have for that activity. We explore the science of learning and of skill mastery -- how it happens, and how to do it. Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE future-tech newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter    MIND & MACHINE Website: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Steven Kotler. Steven is one of the world's leading experts on achieving Ultimate Human Performance through Flow States. "Flow" is the cognitive state of full immersion and focus in which brain activity changes to enable peak human capability across an intellectual or physical activity. It's characterized by rapt attention so deep that one loses their sense of space and time, tapping into radically heightened performance, creativity, and learning.   Steven is the Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective, and a New York Times bestselling author. His books include The Rise of Superman, Tomorowland, and Stealing Fire. Along with Peter Diamandis, he co-authored the books Bold, Abundance, and most recently The Future is Faster than you Think. We go deep into the neurological causes of flow states, what it enables, and how to achieve it.   Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE future-tech newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter    https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Douglas Rushkoff, who has been named one of the “world’s ten most influential intellectuals” by MIT. He's an author and documentarian who studies human autonomy in the digital age. He's written over twenty books include the recently-published "Team Human", and he hosts a popular podcast, also called "Team Human", focusing on the economic, technological, and social programs that determine how we live, work, and interact. His perspective challenges conventional thinking, often calling out both sides of polar debates. We explore modern life in the digital age, and how to come together as "Team Human". Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter More on Douglas Rushkoff:    - Twitter: https://twitter.com/rushkoff    - Website: https://rushkoff.com    - Podcast: https://teamhuman.fm _______ MIND & MACHINE Website: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Dr. Christof Koch, one of the worlds foremost experts on neuroscience and consciousness. Dr. Koch is the Chief Scientist and  President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science. He recently released his latest book, The Feeling of Life Itself – Why Consciousness is Everywhere But Can’t be Computed. It explores new insights and perspectives into human consciousness, as well as ideas surrounding the potential of sentient machines. We explore a wide range of issues surrounding consciousness, what it means, and theories on how it works.   Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE future-tech newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter    The Allen Institute: https://bit.ly/2rNVEEj Personal Website: https://christofkoch.com   Book: The Feeling of Life Itself https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/feeling-life-itself __________   MIND & MACHINE features interviews by August Bradley with bold thinkers and leaders in transformational technologies.   Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter   MIND & MACHINE Website: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Paul Shapiro, author of the national bestseller "Clean Meat: How Growing Meat Without Animals Will Revolutionize Dinner and the World". He's also the CEO and co-founder of The Better Meat Co., a four-time TEDx speaker, the co-host of the Business for Good Podcast.   In our conversation today we explore the future of food, with a particular focus on lab-grown meat that's identical to meat from animals. I came away from this conversation with enhanced hope for our ability to use this technology to create a better world by improving our environmental impact, enhancing human health, and greatly reducing suffering. We also explore plant-based meat-replacements and how that can be a stepping stone to the big Clean Meat technological breakthroughs.   Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE future-tech newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter    More On Paul Shapiro and his work: Website:  https://www.paul-shapiro.com Book:  https://cleanmeat.com The Better Meat Co.:  https://www.bettermeat.co Business for Good Podcast:  http://www.businessforgoodpodcast.com   __________   MIND & MACHINE features interviews by August Bradley with bold thinkers and leaders in transformational technologies.   Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter   MIND & MACHINE Website: https://www.MindAndMachine.io   Subscribe to the podcast on:      iTunes: https://www.mindandmachine.io/itunes      Overcast: https://www.mindandmachine.io/overcast      Android or Other Apps: https://www.mindandmachine.io/android

We explore Human Enhancement and Personal Performance Hacking with Matt Ward (@mattwardio), the host The Disruptors podcast, startup investor, adviser and business innovation consultant. Matt and I thought it would be fun to do two episodes, one here on MIND & MACHINE and the other on The Disruptors, where we explore what we've learned, the ideas we've formed and our takeaways across all these different fields that we cover. So with this episode here on MIND & MACHINE, we focus on human enhancement -- technologies that are extending lifespan and enhancing human capability. Then we get into what Matt and I are doing currently to maximize our own performance capabilities -- our ability to think more clearly, to live more energetic vibrant lives... which is all heavily informed by all these amazing guests across these different fields that we explore. In the other part of this discussion, on The Disruptors, we look at another set of subjects from space to AI to Augmented and Virtual reality. So I encourage you to check that out as well at The Disruptors... For the other part of the Conversation on The Disruptors: https://is.gd/mv1Vez MIND & MACHINE features interviews by August Bradley with bold thinkers and leaders in transformational technologies. Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter MIND & MACHINE Website: https://www.MindAndMachine.io YouTube Channel for video edition: https://www.mindandmachine.io/youtube Show Host August Bradley on Twitter: https://twitter.com/augustbradley

In a follow-up to our previous episode, my guest today is again cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman, author of the book "The Case Against Reality". In this addendum to the previous episode, we explore how Don's First Principles Thinking enabled his remarkably original theory on reality (covered fully in the previous episode). Then further into today's discussion we hear about the Secret Mastermind of Brain Scientists that Don was a part of for nearly two decades, Don has been making waves lately in a range of scientific fields with a theory of reality that splinters all of our preconceived notions. What if everything we thought was real -- the physical world around us and the notion of time -- are not reality but a vast surface-level operating system designed to guide our behaviors for evolutionary survival. What if understanding true objective reality were in fact counter to evolutionary success, and therefore the truth has been obscured from us. Donald Hoffman is a cognitive scientist at the University of California, Irvine. Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE future-tech newsletter: https://www.mindandmachine.io/newsletter "The Case Against Reality" (Book) is at https://is.gd/thecaseagainstreality __________ More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman, author of the book "The Case Against Reality". Don has been making waves lately in a range of scientific fields with a theory of reality that splinters all of our preconceived notions. What if everything we thought was real -- the physical world around us and the notion of time -- are not reality but a vast surface-level operating system designed to guide our behaviors for evolutionary survival. What if understanding true objective reality were in fact counter to evolutionary success, and therefore the truth has been obscured from us. Don Hoffman is a cognitive scientist at the University of California, Irvine. In our conversation today we explore the nature of reality and of consciousness. Then over the next week I'm going to release a shorter episode, as a stand-alone addendum, on Don's process for moving beyond conventional wisdom and to generate truly original thinking -- plus a look into the secret club of brain scientists he was a part of for nearly two decades with some of the most brilliant minds in cognitive science. That mini-episode will follow shortly. Subscribe to the MIND & MACHINE future-tech newsletter: http://news.mindandmachine.io "The Case Against Reality" (Book) is at https://is.gd/thecaseagainstreality More on Donald Hoffman: Website: http://cogsci.uci.edu/~ddhoff/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/donalddhoffman __________ More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Today we explore CRISPR and gene editing, embryo selection vs embryo editing, parental vs societal needs, emerging mind-reading technologies, and the ethics surrounding all of these issues. August Bradley's guest is Hank Greely, a Stanford Law School professor specializing in the ethical, legal, and social implications of new biomedical technologies, particularly those related to genetics and neuroscience. Hank frequently serves as an advisor on policy issues — he's the chair of California’s Human Stem Cell Research Advisory Committee, a member of the Advisory Council on the NIH’s National Institute for General Medical Sciences, a member of the Committee on Science, Technology, and Law of the National Academies, and a member of the Neuroscience Forum at the Institute of Medicine. He chairs the steering committee for the Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics and directs both the Stanford law school’s Center for Law and the Biosciences, and the Stanford Program in Neuroscience and Society. His book "The End of Sex and the Future of Human Reproduction" gives us a look at the future of making babies through new technologies. Podcast Audio version at: http://mindandmachine.libsyn.com More on Hank Greely at: https://law.stanford.edu/directory/henry-t-greely/ https://profiles.stanford.edu/henry-greely Twitter: https://twitter.com/hankgreelylsju __________ More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

August Bradley's guest today is Martin Bryant, a technology and media writer, speaker and consultant who puts out the Big Revolution newsletter on what's happening at the intersection of technology and media. Martin was previously the Editor In Chief of the TNW digital magazine which operates alongside the influential The Next Web conference on emerging tech. We explore how tech companies are transforming the media world, and bringing many aspects of culture and politics along with it. Podcast Audio version at: http://mindandmachine.libsyn.com Martin on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MartinSFP More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Steven Furber, who has led the design of the SpiNNiker neuromorphic computer — a brain simulator with one million cores on a single machine, each core interacting with the others in ways mimicking how living brains function. His work on the SpiNNiker neuromorphic computer is designed to both teach us more about how human brains work and to advance computational capabilities. Neuromorphic computing is a sub-set of Artificial intelligence focusing on hardware that uses the information processing methods of brains, as opposed to other fields of AI using software algorithms. Steven Furber is the ICL Professor of Computer Engineering in the School of Computer Science at the University of Manchester in the UK. We discuss modeling the brain with machines, why neuromorphic computing is generating so much excitement these days, and how it opens up computational possibilities beyond traditional computers. Then we examine the potential capabilities and ethical challenges of artificial intelligence more broadly.

My guest today is Paul Scharre, author of the book "Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War" — which Bill Gates recently featured in his top five book recommendations of the year. Paul is a Senior Fellow and Director of the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security — a think tank based in Washinton D.C.   Previously, Paul worked for the U.S. Secretary of Defense where he played a leading role in establishing policies on unmanned autonomous systems and emerging weapons technologies. He led the Department of Defense working-group that drafted policies on autonomy in weapon systems. He also led DoD efforts to establish policies on intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance programs.   We discuss the current state of military autonomous weapons, the degree to which highly autonomous warfare will be conducted in the future, and the ethical challenges facing this technology. We also get into the resistance from employees within Google and other A.I companies toward supporting military uses.   More from Paul: https://www.cnas.org/people/paul-scharre Twitter: https://twitter.com/paul_scharre   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Chris Pain, director of the AI documentary film "Do You Trust This Computer?" and previously the documentary "Who Killed the Electric Car?". The new film is a powerful examination of artificial intelligence centered around insights from the most high-profile thinkers on the subject, including Elon Musk, Stuart Russell, Max Tegmark, Ray Kurzweil, Andrew Ng, Westworld creator Jonathan Nolan and many more. Chris set out to ask these leaders in the field "what scares smart people about AI", and they did not hold back.    More on Chris and the Film: Chris Paine's Production Company, Papercut Films: http://papercutfilms.com “Do You Trust This Computer?" Website: http://doyoutrustthiscomputer.org __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest is Isaac Arthur — a theoretical space scientist, physicist, futurist and bold visionary of human expansion. He brings a mind-blowing level of research and storytelling to his series . While the subject matter sounds like science fiction and is certainly inspired by it, his exploration is framed within the known laws of physics. We will focus on space megastructures, a form of future world-building on a scale that's almost unimaginable. From Dyson Spheres and Ringworlds to Shell Worlds and Artificial Planets. We touch on all this and more, all within known physics and largely within known technology, albeit at a mind-bending scale. More on Isaac and his work: https://www.isaacarthur.net More MIND & MACHINE: https://www.mindandmachine.io

As artificial intelligence evolves, it will present itself to us in a variety of ways. One of the most intriguing manifestations of AI will be when it assumes our own faces — forming an autonomous double of ourselves.   My guest today is Nikhil Jain, founder and CEO of ObEN which creates AI-driven digital humans in the likeness of its users to perform tasks when they cannot be there in person. These digital avatars simulate a person’s voice, face and personality, enabling never-before-possible social and virtual interactions.   We look at the technology today, its ultimate potential and how it can transform they way we live and work.   More on ObEN at http://oben.me Twitter: https://twitter.com/ObenMe __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is J.L. Galache, an asteroid astronomer turned new-space entrepreneur. J.L. is Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer at Aten Engineering, a pioneering space mining company. He has designed and directed asteroid data projects with NASA’s Frontier Development Lab and Oracle. At the Minor Planet Center (part of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), J.L. was Acting Deputy Director, where he helped keep the world safe from killer asteroids.   We discuss space mining and the practical steps necessary for human settlement of the solar system — as well as what a space economy among interplanetary settlements would look like.   More on J.L. & Aten Engineering J.L. on Twitter: https://twitter.com/jlgalache Aten Engineering: https://www.atenengineering.com Aten on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AtenEngineering __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Today we explore genomics and how it will transform medicine. My guest is Lisa Alderson, the CEO and co-founder of Genome Medical — a fast growing company in the emerging field of genomics. Genome Medical provides expertise to both individuals wanting to explore their DNA, and to health care providers wanting to offer genomic medicine.    We explore how genomic medicine will transform health care.   Lisa on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisaa?lang=en Genome Medical: https://www.genomemedical.com   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Shannon Vallor, a technology and A.I. Ethicist. I was introduced to Shannon by Karina Montilla Edmonds at Google Cloud AI — we did an episode with Karina a few ago months focused on Google's A.I. efforts. Shannon works with the Google Cloud AI team on a regular basis helping them shape and frame difficult issues in the development of this emerging technology.   Shannon is a Philosophy Professor specializing in the Philosophy of Science & Technology at Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley, where she teaches and conducts research on the ethics of artificial intelligence, robotics, digital media, surveillance, and biomedical enhancement. She is the author of the book 'Technology and the Virtues: A Philosophical Guide to a Future Worth Wanting'.   Shanon is also Co-Director and Secretary of the Board for the Foundation for Responsible Robotics, and a Faculty Scholar with the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.   We start out exploring the ethical issues surrounding our personal digital lives, social media and big data, then dive into the thorny ethics of artificial intelligence.   More on Shannon: Website - https://www.shannonvallor.net Tweitter - https://twitter.com/shannonvallor Markkula Center for Applied Ethics - https://www.scu.edu/ethics Foundation for Responsible Robotics - https://responsiblerobotics.org __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Siva Vaidhyanathan, author of the book Antisocial Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy. His previous book was "The Googlization of Everything". Siva is a Cultural Historian and Media Scholar at the University of Virginia.   We explore the impact of Facebook and how it will continue to shape our world, and we discuss the mechanics of how social media influences human behavior and societies.   Siva on Twitter: http://twitter.com/sivavaid   Book: Anti-Social Media https://www.amazon.com/Antisocial-Media-Disconnects-Undermines-Democracy/dp/0190841168 __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Naveen Jain, a billionaire entrepreneur with two exceptionally ambitious ventures underway. We're addressing his two ventures in two separate episodes. In today's episode we discuss Naveen's effort to as he puts it "make illness optional" by establishing personalized medical care, prevention, and treatment through gut microbiome research and related medical advancements. His company, Viome, is understanding and eliminating human health problems arising from microbiome imbalances that could usher in an unprecedented level of personalized health care. It's a mind blowing look at a rapidly advancing aspect of medical research that could radically change health levels at all stages of life as well as extend lifespans. My previous discussion with Naveen in the last episode was about Moon Express, his company that's racing to push the boundaries of space exploration. Naveen’s book “Moonshots": https://www.amazon.com/Moonshots-Creating-Abundance-Naveen-Jain/dp/099973640X More on Naveen & his ventures: Moon Express: http://www.moonexpress.com Viome: http://www.moonexpress.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/Naveen_Jain_CEO __________ More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Naveen Jain, a billionaire entrepreneur with two insanely ambitious ventures underway. He’s on the boards of the X-Prize and Singularity University, and has written a book called Moonshots about extreme entrepreneurship efforts.    We're going to address his two moonshot ventures in two separate episodes. Since they address different topics and challenges, I wanted to go deep into each and do a full discussion around both topics.    The first, in this episode, is Moon Express — his company that's racing Elon Musks' Space X, Jeff Bezos' Blue Horizon and Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic to push the boundaries of space exploration. With moon Express, Naveen aims to first mine the moon and then create an outpost to serve as a launching pad for further manned space exploration. We explore the issues surrounding such a bold endeavor.   Then our next conversation, to follow in another episode, focuses on his effort to (as he puts it) "make illness optional" by establishing personalized med  ical care, prevention, and treatment through gut microbiome research and related medical advancements. His company Viome is understanding and eliminating human health problems arising from microbiome imbalances that have come from modern diets and medical approaches. It's a mind blowing look at a rapidly advancing aspect of medical research that could radically change human longevity and health levels at all stages of life.   But first, we discuss upcoming moon landings, moon colonization, and the mission to make the human species multi-planetary.   More on Naveen & his ventures: Moon Express: http://www.moonexpress.com Viome: https://www.viome.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/Naveen_Jain_CEO __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Today we explore human longevity and life extension efforts focused on adding healthy years to a person's lifespan, and even reversing the aging process.   My guest is Dr. Aubrey de Grey, a leading voice in the field and the Chief Science Officer of the SENS Research Foundation which is doing pioneering work on significantly extending healthy, active lifespans. Aubrey is a biomedical gerontologist with a degree in Computer Science and a Ph.D. in Biology. He is author of the book "Ending Aging" and Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal "Rejuvenation Research".   Aubrey sees life extension as a side effect of his efforts to make people healthier, and sees no inherent limit to how far this could ultimately extend. We explore such concepts the "pro aging trance", "longevity escape velocity" and "comprehensive damage repair" that can sustain a human body.   More on Aubrey and the SENS Research Foundation: https://www.sens.org   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Kent Kresa, who has had an extraordinary career in advanced technology fields. Kent has been the Chairman of General Motors, the chairman of Caltech's board of directors, the chairman and chief executive of Northrop Grumman (the global aerospace and defense technology company), and Chairman of the biotech company MannKind Corporation. Earlier, he was with the top-secret defense research agency DARPA. How's that for a resume! We focus on the future of transportation and the future of smart cities driven by artificial intelligence. We get into what these technologies mean for daily life, governance, and warfare. We explore the incredible opportunities as well as the risks and vulnerabilities of the tech-driven world we're heading into — and in some regards is already in place. __________ MIND & MACHINE features interviews by August Bradley with leaders in transformational technologies. More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Tim Dodd, better known as the Everyday Astronaut. Tim has become a prominent educator on space exploration through his various media platforms and live presentations – he's amassed a sizable audience eager to learn more about Space X, NASA and the growing field. We're in there midst of a renewal in space programs, and Tim digs deep into the ecosystem.   Our discussion covers the various players in the space race, looks at each sector across civilian space travel, military and commercial projects. And we explore what our space goals *should* be as our capabilities increase.   More on Tim and the Everyday Astronaut: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6uKrU_WqJ1R2HMTY3LIx5Q Twitter: https://twitter.com/erdayastronaut Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everydayastronaut __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Austin Evans. With well over 3 million subscribers, Austin produces and hosts one of the top technology channels on YouTube. He reviews the leading edge of consumer products, often with early access to releases from the most influential manufactures.   We explore how media is changing , how he as an individual content creator has built a show with viewership rivaling leading cable channels, and we discuss what he sees on the technological horizon across AI, AR/VR, Blockchain, Robotics, social media and more.   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/duncan33303 Twitter: https://twitter.com/austinnotduncan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinnotduncan/ __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Today we take a look at Google's work in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. My guest is Dr. Karina Montilla Edmonds. Karina works at Google Cloud AI & Machine Learning as the bridge between the Google Cloud AI team and leading university research labs in artificial Intelligence. Prior to this she worked at Caltech as the Executive Director of Corporate Partnerships. She has a PhD in Aeronautics from Caltech, and worked for many years at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. We explore the various Artificial Intelligence divisions at Google, what it means for the company to be focused on "AI First", and how artificial intelligence can transform our world. More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

This week we explore a broad range of high-concept futurist frameworks and future technologies.   My guest is Gray Scott, a visionary futurist and creator of both the Serious Wonder digital magazine and the Futuristic Now video series. Gray takes fragments of modern life and extrapolates a wholistic framework of how technology, humanity and universal physics will intertwine. We explore technology as a natural phenomenon, how the future is inside of us, recording dreams, sharing brain streams, digital twins, rogue selves, plus geometry and fractals as the foundational code of the universe.   More about Gray Scott at: https://www.grayscott.com Futuristic Now video series: https://www.youtube.com/user/GrayScottFuture Twitter: https://twitter.com/grayscott __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Mental health and wellness are not areas you typically think of along with cutting edge exponential technology. However, that is about to change.   My guest today is Nichol Bradford. Nichol is building the future of human possibility by facilitating bold new technologies for mental health and well-being. Nichol is the executive Director and co-founder of the Transformative Technology Lab, Transtech Conference, and the Transformative Technology Academy.   We explore how technology can be applied to achieve radical growth for the human “inner landscape”, enabling a better psychological state in our accelerating world.   More on Nichole and her work: www.transtechlab.org www.ttconf.org www.nicholbradford.com __________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io  

My guest today is John Underkoffler. As an early member of the MIT Media Lab, John was approached by Steven Spielberg and legendary world-builder Alex McDowell to help design the interface of the future for the film Minority Report.   The system John and the team designed became legendary for its vision and conceptual innovation. He’s gone on to help design many sci-fi computer interfaces including Iron Man’s JARVIS.   Building on these fictional computer interfaces, John has founded the company Oblong where he is bringing these collaborative, gestural, and tactile computer interfaces to life — enabling digital objects and data to live in the environment instead of the device.   We discuss John’s visionary science fiction design, his real-world incarnation of these interfaces, and go deep into many aspects of human-computer interaction.   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Today we look at Universal Basic Income, or UBI. With increasingly advanced artificial intelligence and robotics, we face the threat of job loss on an unprecedented scale — by many estimates well into double digits and some forecasting a majority of the workforce will at some point not be needed.   Others look at current poverty rates and the difficulty of escaping a downward economic spiral and ask if we are doing enough to give members of our society the chance to invest in their own growth and build a better future.   My guest today is Larry Cohen, founder of “Build the Floor”, a Universal Basic Income advocacy group.   We discuss what UBI is and how it fits into the context of modern politics and economics. Then Larry addresses the most common criticisms of the concept and ultimately explores how such an endeavor could be funded.   More about Larry at: https://twitter.com/larrycohen   More on UBI: Build the Floor: https://buildthefloor.org Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BasicIncome/ Economic Security Project: https://economicsecurityproject.org Book: “The War on Normal People”: https://www.amazon.com/War-Normal-People-Disappearing-Universal/dp/0316414247   _________________________________   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

My guest today is Liam Young, an architect and visionary futurist filmmaker who uses his design background combined with experience in crafting environments to prototype new worlds — worlds that reveal unexpected aspects of how we live today and how we will live in the future.   Liam teaches speculative architecture and world building at Sci Arc, a leading architecture school. He founded Unknown Fields, a nomadic studio documenting expeditions to the ends of the earth, exploring unusual forgotten landscapes, and obsolete ecologies. And Liam has co-founded Tomorrows Thoughts Today, a futures think tank envisioning fantastic speculative urban settings of tomorrow.

Tesla is changing the game for what an automobile can do, and can be. Not only are Tesla cars electric, but their data streams can function across a network with unprecedented interactivity. Add increasing autonomous driving capabilities, and the automotive equation changes massively.   My guest today is Rahul Sonnad, the CEO of Tesloop. Tesloop is in operation today, and scaling to make a city-to-city network of Tesla cars available as a fast, affordable, comfortable alternative to plane travel or self driving.   The Tesloop vision extends to putting unused time from any Tesla owner’s vehicle into the system, having it earn money for the owner when not using it personally. Tesloop will base part of these capabilities on the Carma blockchain that creates an efficient market for cars, drivers, passengers and all aspects of repair and maintenance.     More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Exploring news about Autonomous Vehicles, Flying Cars and Smart Cities in this roundup analysis. More at www.mindandmachine.io

As new crypto coins are issued through ICOs at a frenzied pace — Bitcoin, the original, shows the greatest market strength, with the most liquidity, the broadest installed wallet base, and many argue the strongest security. Today we check back in with Tone Vays, a thought-leader and advisor on everything related to Bitcoin. Our previous episode with Tone was an intro to crypto, and if you're new to the subject I suggest you start there. Today we expand on the subject of crypto and bitcoin, digging into government regulation, the push-back from large banks, and what separating money from governments could mean for the future. More at www.MindAndMachine.io

Clean Meat is coming — meat created in the Lab, instead of from animals but identical to animal meat in every way, down to the molecular level. We discuss what this is all about, how realistic it is, and what kind of time frame we're looking at (much sooner than you think). More at www.mindandmachine.io

An introductory look at CRISPR, how it works and why it matters. Plus a Cryptocurrency Headline Roundup: We look at Switzerland's categorization of ICOs into three types, and the first state-sponsored digital currency planned to be issued. More at: https://twitter.com/augustbradley www.mindandmachine.io

Five years ago Elon Musk wrote a white paper proposing an alternative to slow, expensive transportation between distant cities. The idea was to replace air travel and trains with a Hyperloop, a 1,000 km per hour (or 600+ mph) passenger pod shooting through a tube hundreds of mile long in a vacuum, so no air resistance – levitating in the air so it avoids any friction.   My guest today is Matt Jones, senior vice president of software at Virgin Hyperloop One, the leading developer of hyperloop technology. With Richard Branson now as the company's Chairman, and a fully functional hyperloop segment at their Nevada development facility, Virgin Hyperloop One is close to bringing this vision to reality around the world.     We explore how the hyperloop works, and how it will transform the way we live.   More on Hyperloop One: Hyperloop One: http://hyperloop-one.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/HyperloopOne Matt Jones: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjonesprofile/

When you combine natural language interface, emotion modeling, CG animation, and various forms of Artificial Intelligence, you get lifelike computer characters with autonomous interaction.   This new kind of digital actor is called a Virtual Human, and can be deployed across a wide spectrum of functions -- enabling authentic human interaction with machines. From psychological counseling to education to customer service to endless other applications, virtual humans will play an increasingly active role in society.   My guest today is Jonathan Gratch, Director for Virtual Human Research at the USC Institute for Creative Technologies -- among the most comprehensive research and development facilities for Virtual Humans. Jon is also a USC Research Professor of Psychology and Computer Science – the two areas most central to the development of Virtual Humans.   We talk with Jon about emotional interactive machines, what we learn about human beings by modeling human behavior in algorithms, and the potential for people developing emotional connections to digital agents.

Today we’re going investigate the past — the most distant past imaginable: the Origin of the Universe. “How did the universe form” is such a profound question, that it informs everything we do today, and everything that will come next. My guest is James Bock. James is a Caltech Professor of Physics and NASA JPL Senior Research Scientist running experiments on what happened right after the Big Bang. As a leading cosmologist and astrophysicist, he and his team are at the forefront of understanding how the universe came to be. Today we explore how the universe formed, how such research is conducted, and why understanding the origins of the universe is important. More on James and his work at: http://cosmology.caltech.edu/ More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Today we explore Artificial Intelligence (AI) through Neuromorphic Computing with computer chips that emulate the biological neurons and synapses in the brain. Neuro-biological chip architectures enable machines to solve very different kinds of problems than traditional computers, the kinds of problems we previously thought only humans could tackle. My guest today is Kelsey Sharnhorst. Kelsey is an Artificial Neural Network Researcher at UCLA. Her research lab (Gimzewski Lab under James Gimzewski) is focused on creating neuromorphic computer chips and further developing their capabilities. We’ll talk with Kelsey about how neuromorphic computing is different, how neural-biological computer architecture works, and how it will be used in the future.

Today we look at a fascinating approach to Artificial Intelligence (AI) in which a mind is created at an infant-like level, with no knowledge and limited ability. Then it learns and develops from scratch through its own experience within the body of a device -- be it a robot body or a toaster.   My guest today is Michael Miller, author of the new book “Building Minds with Patterns”. Michael is an expert at natural-growth AI development. I’ve had numerous conversations with Michael and come away every time blown away by the scope of his vision and his insights across psychology and the potential of thinking machines.   Today we’ll explore how this natural-growth AI process works, and its potential to impact society.   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Today we look at OpenBazaar, the leading Bitcoin marketplace for goods and services. Can such emerging platforms challenge the likes of Amazon, Ebay and Etsy?   Our guest is Brian Hoffman, founder and project lead of OpenBazaar. Brian is backed by leading VC firms Andreessen Horowitz and Union Square Ventures.   While working for Department of Defense cyber-security consulting units, which included analyzing crypto-currencies, Brian became intrigued by these emerging forms of programmable monetary exchange.   After discovering open source code created at a hackathon for a decentralized Bitcoin marketplace, Brian decided to build-out the code into a fully functional and expanding commerce platform called OpenBazaar. OpenBazaar is receiving a great deal of attention for its potential to disrupt existing centralized marketplaces such as Ebay, Amazon, and Etsy.       More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Today we begin with a discussion surveying a wide range of future technologies, then we dive deeper into the changing media landscape.   Our guest today is Joanna Popper. Joanna has been the Executive Vice President of Media and Marketing at Singularity University, a pioneering institute teaching and fostering frontier technologies. Prior to that she was a Vice President at NBC Universal, developing strategies across digital, social and mobile.Joanna now works directly with a wide range of companies implementing transformational media tech.   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannapopper Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoannaPopper Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannapopper   More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Today we explore Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, or DAOs -- blockchain algorithms with the potential to perform the entire functionality of corporations or government agencies... without a single employee. Our guest today is Ismail Malik, a pioneer in Decentralized Autonomous Organizations, pushing the concept even further to what he believes will more accurately be Decentralized Autonomous Organisms -- where the blockchain algorithms’ behaviours go beyond that of an organization into the realm of a dynamic, learning, growing entity that behaves organically. Ismail is the CEO of Blockchain Lab, which specializes in the most ambitious and hardest Blockchain concept implementations. He is also the Editor-In-Chief of “ICO Crowd” Magazine and a thought leader in ICOs, or Initial Coin Offerings. We cover ambitious and massively disruptive uses of Blockchains, then we discuss what ICOs are, dispel common misconceptions, and examine where they are most effective. More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io

Discovery is pursuing bold new methods of storytelling across their media portfolio (Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, etc...). This week we talk with Jeff Abramson, the Head of Virtual Reality Content Development and Programming for Discovery Communications, and get his insights into what makes immersive media (VR, AR, MR and such) compelling as well as where he sees it heading in the future. More at www.mindandmachine.io

We dive into the emerging arena of “computational photography” -- where cameras capture increasingly complex data that computers process to enable imagery never before possible.   One of the most mind blowing areas of “Computational Photography” is “Light Field” imagery, which redefines much of what we took for granted about photo capture. With “Light Field” captures, we can change focus, depth of field and aperture at any point after the image has been taken.   It also enables some degree of camera angle positioning to be adjusted in post-production. Or when viewing in frameless Augmented or Virtual Reality, it enables the viewer to move side-to-side and see the angel-of-view in the environment adjust real-time with your body positioning.   The leader in “Light Field” photography is a company called Lytro.    Our guest today is Steven Swanson, the Executive Director of Content Partnerships for Lytro. Steven is active in many of the most bold, innovative media-tech projects today. Prior to Joining Lytro, Steven was a VFX Supervising Producer with Luma Pictures, one of the most prominent Hollywood VFX houses.   We explore the current state and potential of “Light Field” photography, dive into Lytro’s next-generation product the “Volume Light Tracer”, and get Steven’s insight into the evolution of immersive media.

1st Half: The Neuroscience of App Addiction 2nd Half: Artificial Intelligence from a Neuroscience Perspective  (at 24:45) Apps are designed to grab us and keep us hooked as long as possible, as often as possible. Addictive traits built into the apps manipulate us at a primal biological level -- creating a stimulus/response pattern that can re-program our behaviors over time. The increasing role of Artificial Intelligence will inevitably hand-off some of this addictive-design work, setting up a scenario where we shift from people programming machines, to machines programming humans. Our guest today is Ramsay Brown. Ramsay is a neuroscientist, working at the intersection of the human mind, software design, and artificial intelligence. Ramsay has degrees from USC in Neuroscience and Neuroinformatics, working on projects such as a “Google Maps” for the brain, and new forms of human-mind communication with machines. He’s now the co-founder of Dopamine Labs, a company that uses AI and Neuroscience to increase the addictiveness of apps that reinforce good habits, and to break app addiction where we find it harmful. More at http://www.mindandma

This week on the show we take a look at Augmented Reality SmartGlasses from AR hardware leader ODG, and explore the fast changing tech landscape, entrepreneurship, and how media-tech in particular is transforming our world. Our guest is Keith Boesky, an advisor and board member to many of the fastest rising ventures in the west coast tech-media scene — including ODG, an established hardware leader in the augmented reality space. Keith is a former president of top-tier gaming company Eidos, where he led the introduction of AAA games such as Tomb Raider. He appears as a tech thought leader on news shows across CBS, NBC, CNN and MSNBC and is sought for insight by numerous publications including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Entertainment Weekly, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. More at: https://www.MindAndMachine.io