Future Tense

There’s a growing public sense that the current model of the social contract is broken, due in large part to rising inequality and the pursuit of profit over social progress. The “social contract” defines the relationship between citizens, their government and business. Its modern form emerged after WWII and, in western democracies, was largely structured around the principles of the welfare state. It’s about equity, order and trust. So, does the essence of the social contract still have value? And if so, how can it make fit for purpose in the 21st century? Original broadcast on January 28. 2024.GuestsProfessor Sandra Sucher – Professor of Management Practice, Harvard Business School Dave Cook – Department of Anthropology, University College London Aron Cramer – President and CEO, BSR – Business for Social Responsibility Professor Marc Fleurbaey – Paris School of Economics Further informationIPSP - International Panel on Social Progress report

Sometimes, despite the hype, despite extensive funding, and despite clever and ingenious thinking, good ideas fail. Or at least don’t live up to their initial promise. There are lessons to be learnt and interesting anecdotes to be told. In this episode we look at four future-focused projects that have never really taken off: Google Glass, solar roads, space tourism and hyperloop technology. Original broadcast on November 24, 2024.GuestsDr Paul Sutter – Astrophysicist, SUNY Stony Brook and the Flatiron Institute, New York Sarah Marquart – freelance journalist, editor of From Quarks to QuasarsAndrew Hawkins – Transportation editor, The Verge Quinn Myers – Chicago-based journalist and author 'Google Glass'

This is the program’s final episode and, as such, we look back over the past 17 years. What did the future look like back in 2009 when the show first aired? What have been the major trends during that time? Which predictions came to fruition and which didn’t? And what cautions do our guests have as we look ahead? GuestsMica Sifry – US-based writer and editor Neema Singh Guliani – lawyer and policy expert Cory Doctorow – Canadian-British blogger, journalist and sci-fi author  Professor Michael Mann – climatologist and geophysicist Associate Professor James Dyke - Earth Systems Science, University of Exeter  Assistant Professor Sven Brodmerkel – Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University Professor Quassim Cassam – Department of Philosophy, University of Warwick Associate Professor Laura D’Olimpio – School of Education, University of Birmingham Effy – chatbot user Professor Frank Pasquale – Cornell Tech and Cornell Law School

How many of the articles you see on the internet are actually written by AI, not by humans? We'll give you a figure based on the latest research. Also, why is Google moving away from its well-established search-engine algorithm in favour of AI-generated summaries; The importance of remembering that urban planning isn't just about buildings, it's about people and spaces; And how digital technology is opening up a new relationship between humans and animals.GuestsMegan Morrone – Tech editor, Axios Dr Collin Jennings – academic and author David George Holm – architect and author Dr David Roberts - Associate Professor of Computer Science, North Carolina State University Sari – the most adorable, black cat

Designing a futuristic city is a fraught task — a mixture of ambition, state of the art technology, inevitable budget blowouts and the need to not just inspire, but awe. We get an update on the progress of two mega metropolises — Xiongan in China and Neom in Saudi Arabia. Also, how a better understanding of the brain can help deter future conflicts.GuestsDr Andrew Stokols — Assistant Professor of Urban Studies, Singapore Management UniversityEliot Brown — London-based reporter, Wall Street JournalDr Nicholas Wright — Neuroscientist, University College London and Georgetown University