Latest Interviews

AI and our future with Yuval Noah Harari and Mustafa Suleyman

Yuval Noah Harari, Mustafa Suleyman

In a forecast for AI capabilities by 2028, Mustafa Suleiman and Yuval Noah Harari envision frontier models that will autonomously negotiate, execute multi-step actions, and interface with external APIs. While Suleiman frames these tools as engineered systems requiring deliberate constraints to prevent unintended agency, Harari argues that the technology's potential for independent idea creation marks the end of human-dominated history and introduces unique existential risks. To address these challenges, both speakers advocate for a "coalition of the willing" to enforce bans on harmful practices like human-impersonation bots, emphasizing the need for international cooperation over a geopolitical race to the bottom.

The future of money: three ways to go cashless

Following a pandemic-driven acceleration in digital adoption, the global payments landscape now revolves around three distinct models: the high-fee credit card ecosystems of the West, China's dominant closed fintech networks, and India's government-backed Unified Payments Interface. While Western banks and processors like Visa and Mastercard leverage interchange fees to fund consumer rewards and protections, China's Ant Financial and Alibaba faced regulatory blockades after their market dominance threatened financial stability. Conversely, India's interoperable UPI system processes one-third of the nation's GDP by enabling direct bank-to-bank transfers and data ownership, effectively creating a nonprofit alternative that prevents single-entity control over financial infrastructure.

The biggest bank heist in history (and why you've never heard of it)

Nicolas Pelham, Hussein Kanbar Agha, Jonathan Beckman, Mustafa Kadhimi, Mohammad Soudani, Thea Jahar-Lafda

In August 2022, a systematic theft of $2.5 billion from the Iraqi General Commission for Taxes was exposed, with the central plotter Noor Zahair bypassing official controls to distribute funds to five shell companies. Although Prime Minister Mustafa Kadhimi's administration initially arrested Zahair as part of a political maneuver against the pro-Iranian Fatah Alliance, the subsequent government collapse led to Zahair's release and the issuance of arrest warrants for the investigators. The operation exemplifies a broader pattern of grand corruption where the majority of the stolen cash remains missing and is allegedly reinvested into Baghdad's construction boom while key figures evade lasting legal consequences.

Inside El Salvador’s war on crime

Nayib Bukele, Robert Guest

El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele has implemented a nationwide security strategy that has imprisoned approximately 70,000 individuals, primarily young men detained on circumstantial evidence through group trials that bypass standard due process. This campaign has effectively dismantled democratic checks by purging the judiciary and gagging press coverage, yet it retains approval ratings between 80% and 90% by eliminating gang intimidation in exchange for a police state environment. Minister Gustavo Villatoro explicitly defended these measures as prioritizing citizen safety over human rights protocols while projecting a model where public popularity is sustained through the erosion of civil liberties.

Wall Street's king, Jamie Dimon, on the US presidency

Jamie Dimon, Zanny Minton Beddoes

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon characterizes the current geopolitical landscape as the most dangerous since World War II, citing the Ukraine conflict and complex Sino-U.S. tensions as primary drivers of global instability. He argues that the United States must overcome domestic stagnation by addressing policy failures in immigration and healthcare while pursuing "tough and mature" economic negotiations with China to avoid strategic isolation. Although Dimon rejects a presidential run at age 67, he advocates for a pragmatic balance between national security and free enterprise to restore American competitiveness and social cohesion.

Generative AI: what is it good for?

Alok Jha, Tom Standage, Abhi Burtix, Arjun Romani

Following the 2017 Transformer architecture and the historic 2022 adoption of GPT-3.5, large language models now process unlabeled internet data to excel at tasks ranging from medical licensing exams to code generation. Despite these capabilities, the technology remains a "black box" with complex, opaque weights that lack the transparency required for high-stakes fact-finding or full automation. Consequently, while economists project that generative AI will impact half of the daily tasks for 20% of the U.S. workforce, current deployment is expected to evolve as a human-AI collaborative workflow rather than an immediate replacement of human roles.

How to make poor areas richer

Shaq, Andy Preston, Michael Weikert, Ava Miller, Jonathan, Hayley, Tom Standage

Discussions on widening regional inequality highlight the risks of centralized governance while contrasting failed de-industrialization with successful economic pivots in cities like Pittsburgh and Middlesbrough. Case studies illustrate that targeted investments in dynamic hubs, such as Germany's post-reunification spending and Tulsa's remote work incentives, can reduce unemployment and spur growth, yet persistent wage gaps and migration challenges remain. Policymakers ultimately face a strategic dilemma between revitalizing every declining area or concentrating resources on specific centers to prevent national economic collapse and mitigate the moral costs of inaction.

Energy crisis: what can 1973 teach us?

Christian Onda, Vijay Vaitheeswaran

The event analyzes the parallels between Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the 1973 oil crisis, highlighting how Western dependence on single suppliers has triggered a severe global energy shortage and humanitarian disparities. It details how current strategies, such as aggressive LNG procurement and coal expansion, are pricing out developing nations and risking long-term climate goals while failing to replicate the US model of self-sufficiency. Experts conclude that without diversifying suppliers and accelerating decarbonization, Europe faces imminent threats of mass casualties and economic instability during the upcoming winter.

Ukraine war: what will winter bring?

Volodymyr Zelensky, General Valery Zaluzhny

During his historic first visit to the United States since the war began, President Zelenskyy, alongside General Zaluzhny and Commander Sirsky, reaffirmed Ukraine's absolute refusal to freeze front lines or compromise on its 1991 borders. Despite severe infrastructure damage leaving 50% of the power grid offline, Ukrainian leadership warns that Russia is rebuilding 200,000 troops behind the Urals for a potential major offensive targeting Kyiv, Odessa, and the Donbas region by March. With public support for total liberation at 96%, the conflict is projected to enter a prolonged, World War II-style phase of intense artillery warfare that will likely extend for months or years.

Why the counterfeit business is booming

Tallulah, Tom Standage

With the global counterfeit sneaker market valued at over $100 billion, high-quality replicas from hubs like Putian have blurred lines with legitimate production, fueling a surge in online sales that now account for 56% of EU seizures. While platforms like eBay process millions of authenticated pairs and social media influencers drive demand through "one-to-one" quality claims, these illegal networks are increasingly tied to severe human rights abuses and organized crime. Experts warn that without addressing the root demand alongside supply-side enforcement, these counterfeit operations will continue to dilute brand value and evolve despite law enforcement tracking digital sales records.

Why is the World Cup important to Qatar?

Greg Karlstrom

Qatar became the host nation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the most expensive tournament in history at an estimated $300 billion, utilizing massive infrastructure projects to establish its regional prestige despite facing a 2017–2021 blockade by neighboring Arab states. The event occurred alongside significant international scrutiny regarding human rights abuses and the deaths of over 6,500 migrant workers, raising critical questions about labor conditions and the treatment of LGBTQ+ fans. While the blockade ended in 2021 after Qatar achieved supply chain independence, observers warn that the tournament's legacy may be overshadowed by concerns over the sustainability of the "white elephant" infrastructure and unresolved geopolitical tensions.

G20: The Economist interviews Indonesia’s president

Zanny Minton Beddoes, Joko Widodo

President Joko Widodo leverages the G20 summit to advocate for dialogue over sanctions regarding the Ukraine conflict and US-China tensions, aiming to prevent escalation in the Indo-Pacific region. Concurrently, Indonesia is capitalizing on its strategic nickel dominance to negotiate a Tesla manufacturing partnership that will advance its domestic electric vehicle ecosystem. As he approaches his 2024 departure, Widodo is implementing a meritocratic shift to transition the nation from developing to developed status before returning to environmental conservation in Solo.

Who should pay for a warming planet?

Saúl, Yasser Mozby, Catherine Braille

Accelerating climate disasters and stalled political action have driven a surge in climate litigation, with cases tripling from 83 in 2011 to 227 in 2021 to hold entities like German utility RWE liable for global emissions and compel government action. High-profile precedents include the September 2022 UN Human Rights Committee ruling against Australia for violating the rights of Torres Strait Islanders and Peruvian farmer Saúl Luciano Lliuya's suit seeking compensation for flood defenses. Despite legal hurdles regarding jurisdiction and causation in jurisdictions like the US, these lawsuits increasingly serve as strategic tools for Indigenous communities and vulnerable populations to pressure governments and corporations into accelerating adaptation and mitigation policies.

How the Mexican cartels are making profits now

Tom Standage

Over 100,000 annual fatalities in the United States are now driven by a synthetic opioid crisis where Mexican cartels have shifted production to decentralized, low-tech mobile labs that operate with gig-economy efficiency. This transformation has replaced traditional organized crime conglomerates with approximately 200 semi-autonomous groups that source cheap precursor chemicals from China to manufacture potent fentanyl at minimal cost. The resulting market shift has seen synthetic drug seizures surpass cocaine and heroin in 2021, as these criminal networks diversify revenue through high-value, low-volume trafficking to middle-class consumers.

Brazil’s elections: The Economist interviews Lula

Lula, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Jair Bolsonaro, Sarah Maslin

In the volatile 2022 Brazilian presidential election, challenger Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva leads polls against incumbent Jair Bolsonaro amidst unprecedented violence and deep polarization. Lula pledges to forge a broad post-election coalition, govern strictly under the constitution, and reindustrialize the economy by restoring development banks and prioritizing infrastructure to create jobs. Simultaneously, he refuses to apologize for past corruption allegations while promising rigorous investigation procedures and a "zero priority" focus on food security for the nation's poor.