Brave New World Podcast
Brave New World is a look into the transformation of humanity by machines in the post-COVID era. It examines a wide range of topics around how technology and “virtualization” of our lives is impacting work, health, faith, emotional well being, government, democracy, and freedom. It is hosted by Vasant Dhar and sponsored by the Fubon Center.
Episode 110 – Rebecca Fannin: China’s Tech Rise
From copying Silicon Valley to leading the world in EVs, drones, and humanoid robots, Rebecca Fannin joins host Vasant Dhar to talk about how this happened and what America could do to catch up.
Episode 109 – Mordecai Kurz: Technology And Democracy
Mordecai Kurz joins host Vasant Dhar to discuss how policy, technology, and culture concentrated corporate power. Leading to the decline of democracy.
Episode 108: Prashanth Chandrasekar: Community and the AI Pivot
Prashanth Chandrasekar, CEO of Stack Overflow, joins Vasant Dhar to discuss the company’s pivot to reinvent the platform and the way forward in an AI-native world.
Episode 107: Rule Breaker Investing — David Gardner on Staying the Course
David Gardner, co-founder of The Motley Fool, joins Vasant Dhar to discuss his approach to investing – the case for holding great companies for decades, and candid takes on stocks as long-term bets.
Episode 106: Luca Turin On Decoding Smell
Smell is the most mysterious of our senses and we’ve been getting it wrong. Biophysicist Luca Turin joins Vasant Dhar to reveal why and how our noses detect vibrations and what that could mean for disease diagnosis, security, and the future of AI.
Episode 105: Nicholas Christakis on The Impacts of Machines on Human Groups
Your networks shape you more than you know. Nicholas Christakis joins Vasant Dhar to reveal how machines inserted into human groups quietly rewire the way people cooperate, coordinate, and trust — and why a little artificial noise might be exactly what we need.
Episode 104: Leslie Kay on Smell, Memory and the Brain
Your nose knows more than you think. Professor Leslie M. Kay joins Vasant Dhar to reveal how smell is wired directly into the brain’s emotional core — and how every breath you take is quietly synchronising your mind.
Episode 103: Léon Bottou on Fiction Machines and the Limits of AI Alignment
What separates fluency from understanding? Léon Bottou joins Vasant Dhar in Episode 103, Brave New World, to explore the deep question at the heart of AI.
Episode 103: Jayant Sinha on AI Governance In A Fragmented World
AI is reshaping national power and governance. Drawing on India’s digital public infrastructure, Jayant Sinha and Vasant Dhar discuss sovereignty over compute, data consent, and privacy by design in Episode 103 of Brave New World.
Episode 102: Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland on Humanizing Technology
Professor Alex ‘Sandy’ Pentland, one of the most renowned computational scientists in the world, joins Vasant Dhar in Episode 102 of Brave New World to discuss the state and development of human-centric AI.
Episode 101: Deepak Chopra On Consciousness and Reality
Deepak Chopra, a renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, joins Vasant Dhar in Episode 101 of Brave New World to talk about consciousness and our imagined worlds.
Episode 100: David Ko, From Panic to Purpose
Episode 100 of Brave New World features David Ko, CEO of Calm, a digital health company focused on mental wellness and mindfulness. From experiencing panic attacks as a teenager to being the driving force behind Calm, his journey is an inspiring exploration of resilience, purpose, and the intersection of vulnerability and innovation.