The Stephen Wolfram Podcast

Delivered on October 8, 2025 at the Istituto Lombardo Accademia di Scienze e Lettere in Milan, Italy as part of their Leonardo da Vinci lecture series.

Stephen Wolfram answers general questions from his viewers about science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Information, data and bits - Computation, energy and Infrastructure - How clones and machines might perceive humans - Mass, the Higgs field and the speed of light

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Goals and projects for 2026 - LLMs for sales and marketing - Personal analytics and self-quantification - New business Ideas - How curiosity and energy change with age

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics discussed: Alien intelligence & alternative scientific worldviews - Quantum computing & real-world applications - Future-ready homes & household robotics

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: How languages (and Wolfram Language) evolved - Leibniz, Babbage and early "computer science" ideas - Ancient civilizations and computational thinking

Stephen reads a recent blog from https://writings.stephenwolfram.com and then answers questions live from his viewers.Read the blog along with Stephen: https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2025/11/whats-special-about-life-bulk-orchestration-and-the-rulial-ensemble-in-biology-and-beyondWatch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uzCPN63oBYA

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: How companies succeed in focus, diversification and choosing the right partners - Experience with interviews, talks, live demos and media skills - AI strategy and the future of local LLMs - Learning environments, active thinking and meaningful education

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics discussed: How alien life would affect science - Probability and the origins of life - Computation, encoded intelligence and simulated models of civilizations - Alien math class

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Historical insights from Stephen's UK trip - Roger Penrose and the Wolfram Physics Project - Elliott 903 computer

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Innovation, live Demos and leadership - AI Bubble, automation and the future of work - Company building and management - Global technology and development - Computational curiosities and fun ideas

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics discussed: AI bubble, trajectory, scaling & hardware - Tech reliability, control & agency - Pace of progress & our ability to keep up - AI in math & research practice

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Computation in antiquity to early machines - Computation and physical reality - Historical attitudes toward computing and AI - Cantor, continuum and computability - Automata in history & fiction - How scientists are remembered - Exploring science's landmarks

Stephen Wolfram hosts an unscripted Ask Me Anything about his life and times.Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TmIhKBTCUqM

By popular demand, Stephen Wolfram explores anecdotes and stories from his life.Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/5ctmcRxEiYU

By popular demand, Stephen Wolfram explores anecdotes and stories from his life.Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/YaSmXHHa0ng

By popular demand, Stephen Wolfram explores anecdotes and stories from his life.Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eW7yp6x1jC0

Stephen reads a recent blog from https://writings.stephenwolfram.com and then answers questions live from his viewers.Read the blog along with Stephen: https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2025/08/i-have-a-theory-too-the-challenge-and-opportunity-of-avocational-science/Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0LCZTRy86ZY

By popular demand, Stephen Wolfram explores anecdotes and stories from his life.Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/gqFtsDnuLP0

By popular demand, Stephen Wolfram explores anecdotes and stories from his life.Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pG8BgTy0130

By popular demand, Stephen Wolfram explores anecdotes and stories from his life.Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/a8Xp4WCgIA4

By popular demand, Stephen Wolfram explores anecdotes and stories from his life.Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9MTJyjGXNsI

By popular demand, Stephen Wolfram explores anecdotes and stories from his life.Watch the original livestream on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/2oe4prdLzDI

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Shifts in scientific roles and fields - Personal journey into computation and research - Challenges in publishing and tracing physics work - Feynman and string theory

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics discussed: Breakthroughs in mathematics and new foundations - Paths for learning and practicing mathematics - Complexity and the limits of computation - The evolving nature of science

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Education and self-learning - Patents and the innovation process - Computational thinking - Philosophy and ethics of AI - Decision-making and collaboration

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Early academic experiences - Innovation and business dynamics - Evaluating AI companies and tools - AI Regulation - Career advice in a changing tech job market

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics discussed: Topics discussed: Optics and quantum computing - AI architectures and reasoning - Bioengineering and emerging tech - Automation and algorithm design - Technology path dependence

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Historical perspectives on knowledge sharing, collaboration and AI - Scientific creativity across time - Art, science and the evolution of modern expression.

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Choosing the right college - Early business lessons & company mission - Balancing leadership with personal projects - Software risks & bug management - The role of AI in business.

Stephen Wolfram answers general questions from his viewers about science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: The Big Bang and expansion of space - Mathematics and physical reality - Computational foundations of biology - The role of kids in science and technology

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Historical scientific problems and modern computation - Historical contingency in technology - Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS) - Visits to scientific historical sites - History of museums and ancient artifacts - Virtual particles in physics - Einstein's Unified Field Theory - Scientists as movie subjects

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics discussed: Personalized pedagogy and AI in education - Computer simulations vs. physical experimentation - Aging and longevity science AI, consciousness and human-machine interaction - Medical breakthroughs and disease eradication - Future of communication - Gene editing and CRISPR - Algorithmic decision-making

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Using AI in daily work and research - Interfaces and the adoption of AI technology - Computation and the future of algorithms - Modern day skills and computational thinking - Productivity and procrastination - Innovation, markets, and globalization

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Alternate histories and missed scientific paths - How science is remembered and talked about - Scientific breakthroughs - How science gets done and who gets involved

Stephen Wolfram answers general questions from his viewers about science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Black hole mergers, event horizons and why nothing gets out - Time dilation and computing near black holes - Ions

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics discussed: The limits and future of software defined everything - Molecular design and biological engineering - Human enhancement and genome level modification

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Wolfram Summer School - Computational thinking and education - Parenting and learning from family - Project habits, curiosity and life decisions

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: AI milestones and conceptual shifts - Encounters with physicists - Attributes and personalities of influential thinkers - Naming conventions in science and technology

Stephen reads a recent blog from https://writings.stephenwolfram.com and then answers questions live from his viewers.Read the blog along with Stephen https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2025/05/what-if-we-had-bigger-brains-imagining-minds-beyond-ours/ Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qUIj_t-YbIk

Stephen reads a blog from https://writings.stephenwolfram.com and then answers questions live from his viewers.Read the blog along with Stephen: https://writings.stephenwolfram.com/2023/12/observer-theory/Watch the original livestream on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qm3Y6qxdOwM

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics discussed: Copyright and creative ownership in an AI world - AI built into personal systems - Data scraping, consent and privacy tradeoffs - AI roles in the real world - AI and the future of teaching and learning - First encounters with computers

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Building companies that do real science - New frontiers in science, complex systems and generative art - Risks of algorithmic trading and LLMs in finance - Balancing science and profits - Blockchain ideas that aren't just buzzwords

Stephen Wolfram answers general questions from his viewers about science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Conscious experience and perception - Brain structure and sensory extension - Brain manipulation and individuality - Consciousness and artificial systems - Computational theory and the brain

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics: Studying the history of science - Contradictions and accuracy in historical research - History of memory research - Planck's constant

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaTopics discussed: Fusion energy and nuclear fuel design - AI reasoning, learning and scientific roles - Mathematics, computation and physical reality - Jobs and fields at risk from AI - Philosophy of knowledge and future roles

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaTopics discussed: Starting and funding a biotech company - Thinking clearly and building ideas from scratch - Getting better at asking questions - Is college still worth it? - The future of remote workspaces - Words, language and how we talk.

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the history of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaQuestions include: Do you know anything about the history of vaccines? When was the first vaccine developed and for what? - Isn't some important part of how vaccines were discovered completely lost to history? - When was the crucial importance of epigenetics discovered or realized? - What have been your interactions with early-day or notable biotech people & companies (Genentech etc.) and interplay between your own projects/techs and their development if any? - I had no idea Alan Turing was the progenitor of morphogenesis!

Stephen Wolfram answers general questions from his viewers about science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaQuestions include: Books have been relatively unchanged—would you say that's a "technology" that has been mastered? - My son asks: Given there's a max amount of information you can store in a given region of space, how can we simulate complex systems (like brains or universes) without exceeding physical limits? - We're taught science discovers truth through observation and experiment. But in practice, I see science building mathematical models that work—sometimes treated as exact reality. How do you, as a scientist, separate calculation tools from physical truth in your actual work? Where does experience draw that line? - What lessons can we learn from the evolution of flight? Beyond the mechanics, Dawkins reflects In the book Flights of Fancy on the broader implications of flight evolution, considering what it reveals about natural selection, adaptation and the interconnectedness of life.

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about the future of science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaQuestions include: What is your view on photonic computing? - The Platonic solids have fascinated humans like us for years. Do you think the exploration of the four-dimensional hyper-Platonic solids may be useful? - Do you think there'll be, in the short-to-mid-term future, an AI architecture that manages to synthesize mental images to the level most humans do (mainly visual-spatial)? - Have you come across the synthetic biology field, e.g. biological computer chips, Neuralink? What is your opinion on such fields in science and the future? - Do you think training AI for generative video will end up with an internal model of physics?

Stephen Wolfram answers questions from his viewers about business, innovation, and managing life as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-business-qaQuestions include: Did you see the recent news about the dire wolves coming back from extinction? Is there a genuine business for bringing back extinct animals?  - There are also scientists making hybrids by injecting extinct animal DNA into modern animals. Recently they made woolly mice. - But would our atmosphere sustain dinosaur life, considering there was more oxygen back then? - At the remarkable age of 15, you began doing things that many would consider grown-up. I'm just curious as to how you went about attacking things that you simply felt like attacking. There are some people who wonder about stuff but don't necessarily know where to begin. How did you get so emboldened, if you can recall what that felt like? - I am curious about the "health trackers" you currently use (without revealing anything too personal!). I see at the time, you used a Fitbit Charge 2 and ServiceConnect, etc. Do you still use these, or have you switched to an Apple Watch etc.? Asking because I love your idea of tracking all kinds of health data, and I especially agree that automated is best. - Going back to your answer to my question about AI agents, which I agree that most websites will be used for LLMs instead of humans, should Wolfram|Alpha's next product be like Alexa—perhaps called "Wolfie"? - How to build that sort of confidence, then? What if I overthink at all times? How to challenge if I'm old already? - ​​Should my next venture be based on an intellectual curiosity that might develop into something organically or a big ambition? - Do you think someone will come up with an internal fitness tracker which would be more accurate? - Is capital becoming more free to take risks or more constrained because of complexity of high-earning businesses? - How do you deal with real exogenous risks (i.e. global pandemic), with respect to innovation and commercialization thereof? - What are some early finance tips and tricks to teach kids to prepare them for the future? - ​​I feel like I became a friend with ChatGPT—is it healthy? - ChatGPT and my daily-driver LLMs definitely know and remember more about me than I do myself at this point! - That seems a great idea. In the "Computational X" program, why not something to teach financial literacy and key financial math (compounding etc.), notably for kids, in interactive forms? - ​​When designing humanoid robots, what do you think is a key component design of them?

Stephen Wolfram answers general questions from his viewers about science and technology as part of an unscripted livestream series, also available on YouTube here: https://wolfr.am/youtube-sw-qaQuestions include: How would you, Stephen Wolfram, think about replacing textbooks in education? What are some better tools for the classroom? - Can you teach us how to be scientists? What's the first step? - Intellectual curiosity is required to be a good scientist. And moral character, to stand by what you find, even if controversial. - ​​If you can explain it in simple terms, you understand it. - ​​I wanted to be a scientist as a kid, but I was actively discouraged from doing that. What would you tell to a kid to encourage them? - How will new technology and especially GenAI change our education, and what role should parents play during this crucial transition? - Do you think it would be [good] to make some infrastructures to think more creatively, e.g. logging your thoughts and trying to dissect your mental models, etc.? - ​​In my experience, the kids that should become scientists start asking, "How do we know that?" early on. And for most adults (especially teachers!), that is the hardest question. - I heard that physicists still don't understand how friction works. Is that true? - How would you answer where this universe gets its "expanding substance" from? - Would you be open to the possibility of other mathematics than the one we use now? Would be happy to hear your thoughts on this subject. - Do you think that the emergence of AI in our lives marks the end of curiosity, or the beginning of an era where curiosity will grow even greater because it will be satisfied? - What effect do you think wide-scale adoption of LLMs will have on the boundary of the knowable? - How do you feel about integrating 3D models, animations, AI... overall media, to learning science? For example, having as output a 3D model and animation of flight path instead of just numbers and plain text on paper? - How would you think about encryption in the age of AI and LLMs? It seems like they would be able to pick up the patterns with ease once exposed. -  ​​Is it possible to build a compact mechanical SHA256 encryption device that will be resistant to solar flares?