Latest Interviews

The Modi Raj 1: The chaiwallah's son

Modi, Avantika Chalkoti, Jitendra Chauhan, Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, R. Balashankar, Shankar Singh Vaghela, Yashwant Sinha

This podcast series examines the trajectory of Narendra Modi from his impoverished upbringing in Gujarat and early induction into the Hindu nationalist RSS to his ascent as India's longest-serving Prime Minister. While Modi successfully orchestrated the nation's economic rise to fifth-largest global economy and cultivated a distinct personal brand, his tenure is simultaneously scrutinized for fueling Hindu supremacism and threatening democratic norms through divisive rhetoric. The narrative culminates in an analysis of how Modi's recent electoral defeat, which forced him into coalition governance, challenges his previous "strongman" style and sets the stage for investigating pivotal events like the 2002 Gujarat riots.

DOJ targets Nvidia, Meme stock comeback, Trump fundraiser in SF, Apple/OpenAI, Texas stock market

Trump, Chamath, Keith Gill, Roaring Kitty, Jason Calacanis, David Friedberg

Hosts of the "All In" podcast sparked a debate with Vinod Khosla over accusations of elitism while warning that a hostile regulatory environment regarding antitrust, crypto, and M&A may drive Silicon Valley toward the GOP. The conversation also examined the Democratic Party's declining support among working-class voters, speculating on a potential replacement for President Biden and predicting a surge of tech figures pivoting to Trump. In market developments, the panel analyzed the surge in GameStop trading, proposed competition for the NYSE and Nasdaq through a new Texas Stock Exchange, and discussed a strategic Apple-OpenAI partnership to revitalize the iPhone upgrade cycle.

RFS: AI to build enterprise software

Enterprise software development is undergoing a paradigm shift as AI integration replaces costly manual customization with a single, dynamically standardized codebase. This technological transition threatens incumbent firms by rendering their reliance on large sales teams and unique engineering solutions uncompetitive. Consequently, a new hiring initiative targets individual contributors eager to leverage AI for writing enterprise software in the sector's most lucrative market.

Levers of Change: Gun Violence Prevention and Solutions | Milken Institute Global Conference 2023

Rich Ditizio, Chip Bergh, John Feinblatt, Priscilla Sims Brown, Mia Tretta

A recent panel convened with industry leaders, survivors, and financial experts to address gun violence as the leading cause of death for U.S. youth and a $550 billion annual economic drain. The event highlighted a strategic shift where corporate entities like Levi Strauss and Dick's Sporting Goods leveraged their influence to secure the Safer Communities Act, while simultaneously advancing litigation and smart-gun technologies to bypass legislative gridlock. By uniting consumer activism, investor pressure, and survivor advocacy, the discussion urged immediate public engagement to enforce safety measures before further tragedies occur.

Social Epidemiology: Public Health + Social Movements | Future of Health Summit 2023

Richard Ditizio, John Feinblatt, Robin Koval, Jesse Milan Jr.

This panel explores how US life expectancy trends are being eroded by social determinants of health, drawing strategic parallels between the successful tobacco control movement and current efforts to curb gun violence and HIV-related disparities. Speakers detail how grassroots coalitions like Everytown and Moms Demand Action shifted political calculus through litigation, corporate pressure, and state-level strategies to bypass federal gridlock and pierce industry legal fortresses. The discussion concludes by outlining future interventions, including product safety innovation, the "tobacco end game" to eliminate social license, and the critical role of corporate investment and social media responsibility in addressing commercial determinants of health.

Gun Violence as a Public Health Crisis: An Update | Milken Institute Future of Health Summit 2022

Elisabeth Rosenthal, Georges C. Benjamin, Kris Brown, Babak Sarani, Mallory Williams, Bob Axarani

This panel discussion analyzes the surge of gun violence as the leading cause of death for U.S. youth and the healthcare trauma experienced by medical providers and communities. Experts detail how legislative victories like the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act are insufficient against systemic barriers, including a predatory firearm industry and Supreme Court rulings that undermine public safety measures. Looking forward, advocates hope to replicate the success of the anti-smoking movement by shifting social norms among younger generations and implementing multi-sector strategies that combine strict policy enforcement with public health interventions.

Beyond Gridlock: The Future of Gun Violence Prevention | Milken Institute Global Conference 2024

Richard Ditizio, Ellen S. Alberding, Ralph Clark, Shereef Elnahal, Nicole Hockley, Francis Suarez, Christopher Griffith

A diverse panel of experts convened to address the escalating crisis of gun violence in the United States, where firearm thefts in Tennessee have surged 700% and gun violence now exceeds automobile accidents as the leading cause of death for children. The discussion highlighted multi-faceted intervention strategies, including ShotSpotter technology for rapid response, electronic gun locks to prevent veteran suicides, and Miami's holistic ecosystem approach that reduced homicides by 86% over four decades. By rejecting single-solution narratives, the group advocated for a collaborative framework combining federal prosecution, red flag laws, and private sector innovation to reframe gun violence as a solvable public health emergency.

One dam thing after another? Ukraine and reconstruction

Rosie Bloor, Oliver Jones, Avantika Chilkoti, Anne Rowe

One year after Russia's destruction of the Khovka Dam flooded an area the size of Kiev and displaced one million people, Ukraine faces stalled reconstruction in four active front-line oblasts while prioritizing critical water infrastructure over immediate dam replacement. In India, Narendra Modi's loss of a single-party majority forces the long-reinvented leader to adapt his coalition style after ending his English-language interview ban, a strategy shift following his 2007 confrontation with Karan Thapar. Meanwhile, Cambridge Egyptologist Barry Kemp's death at 84 concludes a four-decade excavation of Amarna that disproved total societal conversion to Akhenaten's monotheism and revived the memory of a city lost for three millennia.

Neel Kashkari, President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis | Global Conference 2024

Neel Kashkari, Jeanna Smialek, Gina Smilick

Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari asserts that the U.S. economy is currently experiencing resilient growth and a higher neutral interest rate than anticipated, complicating the path to the 2% inflation target. Consequently, the central bank is maintaining a restrictive policy stance by keeping rates unchanged to gather more data, with rate cuts contingent only on renewed disinflation or a weakening labor market. Kashkari emphasizes that these decisions remain strictly data-driven and politically neutral, prioritizing long-term price stability over short-term market expectations or political cycles.

Central bank divergence: Why it's happening and why it matters

Jan Hatzius, Peter Praet, Maurice Obstfeld, Alison Nathan

Market participants anticipate a divergence in G10 monetary policy as the European Central Bank prepares to cut rates in June while the U.S. Federal Reserve maintains its stance amid slower domestic disinflation and decelerating GDP growth. Leading economists argue that while this split may strengthen the dollar and trigger currency volatility, it is unlikely to cause systemic instability given deeper debt markets and improved inflation credibility globally. Experts further warn that premature Fed easing could tighten financial conditions too early, whereas sustained policy differences driven by U.S. fiscal expansion may prolong dollar strength and raise protectionist risks.

Better AI Models, Better Startups

Gary, Jared, Harj, Diana, Melanie Warrick, Mark Mandelmann, Mark Blythington, Joel Morton, Jordan, Francesc Campoy Flores, Carrie Nordlund

The event analyzes a strategic shift where startups can thrive by building specialized vertical B2B tools and niche consumer products rather than competing with major labs on general-purpose interfaces. It highlights how advanced capabilities like massive context windows and multimodal reasoning create new opportunities in sectors such as robotics, legal tech, and personalized agents while maintaining RAG infrastructure for enterprise data control. Ultimately, the consensus advises founders to leverage these model improvements to automate complex workflows, citing historical precedents where specialized players succeeded by avoiding head-on competition with tech incumbents.

Labour's pains: Britain’s growth problem

Jason Palmer, Rosie Bloor, Archie Hall, Sophie Petter, Max Norman

Amidst the 80th anniversary of D-Day commemorations in Normandy, UK political analysts anticipate a decisive Labour victory under Keir Starmer, though the campaign has prioritized avoiding specific economic pledges over defining a bold mandate. While Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Starmer debated cultural topics, the broader British economy faces stagnation driven by low productivity and demographic shifts that may necessitate tax hikes unless modest EU integration occurs. Simultaneously, Venice has launched a controversial €5 day-tripper fee intended to deter over-tourism and protect its shrinking resident population, despite significant operational costs and exemptions that limit its immediate crowd-reducing impact.

Secret Agent: How To Detect A Lie Instantly! - Evy Poumpouras

Evy Poumpouras, Stephen

Former U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Evy Pompouris leverages her twelve years of elite protective and undercover experience to teach high-stakes negotiation strategies centered on the RICE framework and deep behavioral observation. She details rigorous operational tactics, such as "jumping in front" of threats and strategic silence, while applying these principles to broader leadership challenges including conflict resolution, identity sovereignty, and mental resilience under pressure. The session culminates in practical advice for maintaining competence and physical discipline to navigate complex social dynamics without relying on ego or emotional reactivity.

A Conversation with Citadel CEO Ken Griffin | Milken Institute Global Conference 2024

Ken Griffin, Sara Eisen

Ken Griffin emphasizes the urgency of fiscal discipline and the preservation of dollar credibility while advocating for continued support of Ukraine to prevent geopolitical destabilization. He critiques current deficits and political interference in monetary policy, arguing that structural reforms to Social Security and a renewed commitment to meritocratic education are essential for long-term stability. Concurrently, Griffin identifies artificial intelligence as a primary catalyst for future productivity growth while highlighting the contrast between Miami's civic successes and ideological challenges facing Ivy League institutions.

AI Nationalization is Inevitable – Leopold Aschenbrenner

Leopold Aschenbrenner

The speaker argues that the development of Artificial Super Intelligence poses an existential threat to liberal democracy and the global order, necessitating immediate state intervention to prevent a volatile race between private labs and hostile nation-states. Rather than relying on independent market forces, the discussion advocates for a middle-ground model featuring intimate government oversight and intelligence agency review to manage the unprecedented concentration of power held by a few tech giants. This approach aims to establish a secure offense-defense balance and a stable chain of command, mitigating the risks of unauthorized dual-use capabilities while avoiding the pitfalls of both total privatization and full military centralization.