Possible
What if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Possible is an award-winning, weekly podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Hosts Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger explore what’s possible with forward-thinking leaders, deep thinkers, and ambitious builders across many fields, such as technology, art, education and healthcare. These conversations center on the ways technology—and, in particular, AI—is shaping the future. In episodes, AI tools such as OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Inflection’s Pi are at work, offering informational asides, prompting guests, or demoing what they can do. Lastly, between guest episodes, Aria interviews her co-host Reid on his latest takes on what’s possible if we use technology—and our collective effort—effectively.
Episodes
May 15, 2024 • 57 mins
What will the media landscape look like as tech companies, as opposed to traditional media, own increasingly more ink? And who better to offer an optimistic take on the news industry’s future than…Kara Swisher?!
Reid and Aria speak with the famous—and famously direct—tech journalist, author, and podcast host about the roles and responsibilities of journalists covering rapidly developing innovations, along with those of the techno...
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May 8, 2024 • 16 mins
Reid recounts the story of a milestone GPT-4 demo at Bill Gates’ house—and shares what series of achievements by AI would most impress and excite him next.
Aria also asks Reid about the investment in technology and AI that he’d like to see be made at the domestic and international level. Lastly, Reid addresses the skepticism people have about AI—and how to best direct that skepticism to the benefit of people.
For more info on t...
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May 1, 2024 • 62 mins
What if artificial intelligence becomes so ubiquitous that, in the future, we won’t be able to imagine what life was like without it?
Kevin Scott is Executive Vice President of AI and Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft. He joins the Possible Podcast to talk about AI, its impact on education, healthcare and jobs, and how AI can benefit more of us, irrespective of our geography. Kevin, Reid, and Aria discuss Kevin’s leading role...
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April 24, 2024 • 2 mins
Reid recently created an AI version of himself—REID AI—and recorded a video Q&A to see how this digital twin might challenge him in new ways. Watch the full clip here: https://youtu.be/rgD2gmwCS10
This is Reid’s latest AI experiment, following the book he co-wrote with GPT-4 (Impromptu), the podcast he co-hosted with ChatGPT (Fireside Chatbots), and, of course, Possible, in which we use AI tools like Pi and GPT-4 to prompt guests ...
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April 23, 2024 • 3 mins
The award-winning podcast Possible is back with a new season and some new changes! As always, you can tune in every Wednesday for grounded and speculative thoughts on the future from forward-thinking leaders, deep thinkers, and ambitious builders across a range of fields: tech, art, geopolitics, healthcare, climate change, education, and more. But now, the show is on year round — that means Possible won't take a break after a dozen...
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January 31, 2024 • 57 mins
What can we learn from the OpenAI saga? What role might AI play in the 2024 election? What’s the deal with the New York Times suing OpenAI? How will AI evolve our sense of human purpose?
Reid and Aria reflect on season two of Possible and answer questions like these from a variety of sources: Listeners, Pi, ChatGPT, and each other.
Read the transcript of this episode here.
For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all of...
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January 24, 2024 • 53 mins
What would it take for AI to become as trusted a source of information as Wikipedia?
Katherine Maher, former CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation, joins the show to talk about the fundamental building blocks of trust behind Wikipedia.
The use of AI will fundamentally reshape what information is distributed on the internet—and how. Reid, Aria, and Katherine talk about what creating and scaling positive spaces and community-driven ide...
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January 17, 2024 • 58 mins
How can technology change—and actually deepen—human connection?
Kerry Washington is an Emmy-winning, SAG-and-Golden Globe-nominated actor. She’s also a director, and producer, and New-York-Times-bestselling author of the memoir Thicker Than Water. She joins the podcast to talk about how AI and other technology can transform our most important relationships. She, Reid, and Aria also discuss AI’s impact on the entertainment industr...
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January 10, 2024 • 55 mins
What if every learner on the planet had access to a world-class education? This week’s guest has an impressive track record of using technology to make that dream a reality. Sal Khan is the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, an education nonprofit whose pioneering digital tools support K-12 students everywhere, along with parents, teachers, and school districts. In this episode, Sal discusses how technology widens access to education...
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January 3, 2024 • 55 mins
What would it look like to build coalitions to disrupt poverty, pollution, and the prison system? This week’s guest received a $100 million grant to do just that. Van Jones is a CNN host, New-York-Times-bestselling author, and the co-founder of multiple social enterprises to address issues of criminal justice, climate change, and social equity. Aria and Reid spoke with Van about what it will take to rethink our social systems and b...
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December 20, 2023 • 46 mins
What does it look like to build true access with technology? Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO and co-founder of Promise, is creating that reality. She sat down with Reid and Aria to discuss how her company is revolutionizing the way people receive welfare in its client states. By leveraging data, questioning preconceived assumptions, and focusing on eliminating bias, Promise has become a model for socially conscious business. This people...
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December 13, 2023 • 56 mins
How can humanities and the arts flourish as artificial intelligence continues to grow and evolve? Contemporary artist Sarah Sze joins the podcast to talk about the relationship between art and technology. Reid, Aria, and Sarah discuss her recent exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, the relationship between the physical and the digital, and the importance of taking art off its pedestal. Plus, Sarah takes a look at AI-g...
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December 6, 2023 • 48 mins
What is the connection between the future of humanity and the future of technology? Science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson (The Mars trilogy, Ministry for the Future) joins the podcast to speculate about how we might evolve as a civilization. Science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson joins the podcast to speculate about how we might evolve as a civilization. His books, such as The Mars trilogy or Ministry for the Future to n...
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November 29, 2023 • 48 mins
What if every doctor and every patient had an artificial intelligence copilot to help with medical decisions? Peter Lee joins the show to offer his expertise as co-author of The AI Revolution in Medicine: GPT-4 and Beyond and Corporate Vice President of Research and Incubations at Microsoft. Peter is working at the cutting edge of how to safely incorporate AI into medicine, training healthcare providers on the strengths and limitat...
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November 22, 2023 • 25 mins
Hey listeners! Possible is off this week but we’re bringing you an episode from another podcast hosted by Reid called Masters of Scale.
Questions in this episode include: Are AI’s harshest critics causing irreversible harm to humanity? How far should leaders lean into AI? And just what would Reid sound like speaking Chinese with a British accent?
Reid Hoffman sits down with CEO of WaitWhat and longtime friend Jeff Berman to tack...
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November 15, 2023 • 61 mins
Will artificial intelligence change what it means to be human? Cancer physician, researcher, and author Siddhartha Mukherjee joins the podcast to help rethink how we understand human health—and the ways AI can help. Sid talks about using AI to emancipate patients from disease as well as enhance patient health and wellbeing. He also discusses the risks that come along with incorporating AI into the medical world and how new technolo...
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November 8, 2023 • 47 mins
How will artificial intelligence reshape diplomacy and war? Renowned diplomat and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joins the show to explore that question. As director of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and a member of the board of directors of C3 AI, Dr. Rice is at the intersection of our geopolitical climate and the advancement of AI. Reid, Aria, and Dr. Rice explore the options for global collaboration in...
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November 1, 2023 • 56 mins
Can technology help us fulfill our potential as caring beings, as well as rational, calculating beings? Anne-Marie Slaughter is a scholar, public intellectual, and CEO of New America, a think tank that focuses on a wide range of public policy issues. She joins the podcast to talk about public interest technology, the care economy, and, ultimately, the ways technology can help make humans whole. Reid, Aria, and Anne-Marie discuss ca...
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October 25, 2023 • 48 mins
What if the best technology were deployed on the biggest problems for humanity? So asked Marques Brownlee, who joined us on Possible to open the first episode of season 2. Also known by his YouTube channel name, MKBHD, Marques is a self-taught YouTube creator who has nearly 18 million subscribers and has been posting tech-focused reviews and analysis on YouTube for nearly 15 years. Marques, Aria and I talk about the ways AI enhance...
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October 23, 2023 • 3 mins
The award-winning Possible podcast is back with a new season that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. This season, hosts Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, are speaking with a ne...
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