Latest Interviews
Showing 196–210 of 275 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute30 min
MIc'd Up | Part 2: Pedro Domingos in Conversation with Eric Schmidt
Led by industry leaders like Bill Gates and Pedro Domingos, the event examines how converging advances in algorithms, data, and computing are shifting machine learning from rule-based programming to generalized intelligence. The presentation details critical hurdles in generalization and the urgent global talent shortage, while outlining transformative economic shifts where traditional hardware models face commoditization and new crowdsourced learning ecosystems emerge. Looking five to ten years ahead, the discussion predicts a workforce evolution where humans act as strategic captains alongside AI systems, enabling universal programming capabilities that could unlock a $5 trillion new world economy.
- Milken Institute29 min
MIc'd Up | Part 1: A Conversation with John Chambers and Ken Griffin
John Chambers, Ken Griffin, Gillian Tett
Ken Griffin and John Chambers evaluate the early regulatory shifts of the new administration while advocating for a three-to-five-year strategic horizon to assess tax reform, healthcare restructuring, and a "fair trade" agenda. The leaders emphasize that prioritizing digital infrastructure, retaining high-skilled immigrant talent, and reforming K-12 education are critical for sparking innovation and overcoming stagnation in the U.S. IPO market. Despite these opportunities, both figures warn that a lack of a unified national strategy, combined with limited fiscal tools and potential geopolitical trade conflicts, could derail the economy's path toward sustained 4% growth.
- Milken Institute28 min
MIc'd Up | Part 1: A Conversation with Angela Ahrendts
Angela Ahrens is redefining Apple Retail as a global community hub by transforming physical locations into "hardware" designed for social connection rather than mere sales transactions. This strategic shift introduces the "Today at Apple" curriculum and "Creative Pros" roles across 500 stores to teach public classes in coding and arts, aiming to combat social isolation while leveraging the fact that half of recent Genius Bar visits were for education. By prioritizing human connection and meaningful work, the initiative has driven employee retention to 82% and positions the company to set new standards for corporate social responsibility through free lifelong learning opportunities.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
A Conversation with the 43rd President of the United States George W. Bush
George W. Bush, Michael Milken
Former President George W. Bush discusses the Bush Institute's multifaceted mission, highlighting the enduring legacy of PEPFAR in reducing global HIV transmission and the organization's contemporary focus on leadership development through the Presidential Leadership Scholars program. The dialogue further addresses critical domestic policy priorities, including education reform grounded in accountability, the economic necessity of immigration reform, and veteran support initiatives designed to mitigate post-traumatic stress. Throughout the exchange, these initiatives are framed as strategic imperatives for national security, extending from the treatment of HIV in Namibia to the diplomatic assessment of Russian leadership.
- Milken Institute59 min
Artificial Intelligence: A Smarter Future?
Harry Stebbings, Duncan Anderson, Mike DeAddio, Siraj Khaliq, Ben Medlock, Kate Niehaus
In a 2016 panel discussion, experts including Ben Medlock, Kate Niehaus, and Siraj Khaliq analyzed how the convergence of big data, cloud computing, and neural network breakthroughs has catalyzed a rapid shift toward narrow AI applications. The dialogue highlighted critical challenges such as data oligarchies, the propagation of bias in "garbage in, garbage out" systems, and the impending displacement of knowledge workers by algorithms that currently lack human empathy or general reasoning. While the panelists estimate that Artificial General Intelligence remains at least a century away, they stressed the urgent need for ethical frameworks and regulatory agility to manage immediate societal disruptions and ensure the responsible deployment of autonomous systems.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Investment Outlook from Global Industry Titans
Michael Milken, Leon Black, David Bonderman, Lei Zhang
A coalition of 70 university researchers and global stakeholders is mobilizing a half-million-person initiative to address Japan's $23 trillion U.S. cash surplus and the social security gap through a new six-sector classification system. This strategy integrates fiscal reforms, climate change measures, and a dedicated focus on disability inclusion to stabilize currency fluctuations and revive underperforming industrial sectors highlighted during recent G20 discussions. By leveraging direct community engagement over social media and establishing a new scientific framework for labor, the group aims to achieve a 35% growth rate while avoiding the pitfalls of past economic failures.
- Milken Institute31 min
A Conversation With Indra Nooyi and Mike Milken
Former PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi championed the "Performance with Purpose" strategy to secure generational longevity by aligning financial growth with human, environmental, and workforce sustainability. She countered investor skepticism regarding short-term restructuring charges by restructuring the product portfolio and engaging directly as a global statesman to navigate complex regulatory and implementation challenges. Nooyi further advocated for systemic workforce retention solutions, including mandatory family support systems, while driving regional gender inclusion strategies to leverage the purchasing power of women.
- Milken Institute42 min
A Fireside Chat with Serge Pun Building Myanmar
Serge Pun, Staci Warden, Mike Milken, Mahendra Lama, Minseok Lee, Dickey Yuhuiko, Brad Gordon
Expanding from a private interview to a public forum, the Milken Institute session featured Serge Poon and Mike Milken discussing Myanmar's shifting economic landscape following the removal of US sanctions. Poon detailed his forty-year journey from displacement to rebuilding a private banking empire through strict anti-corruption practices, while outlining a strategy prioritizing long-term infrastructure investment over short-term gains. The dialogue concluded with an optimistic five-year forecast for nation-building, emphasizing regional connectivity and the need for investors to support foundational "trunk" projects despite lingering political risks.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Disrupt Aging: A Bold New Path to Living Your Best Life at Every Age
Jo Ann Jenkins, Soledad O'Brien
AARP CEO Joanne Jenkins leverages her extensive federal background to spearhead the "Disrupt Aging" initiative, which aims to reframe the societal narrative around aging as a period of continued vitality rather than decline. Through high-impact campaigns like the viral "What is Old?" video and a $40 million innovation fund, the organization actively promotes policies supporting "freedom to earn," while simultaneously advocating for critical infrastructure changes to ensure financial security and independent living for the 10,000 daily new retirees. This multifaceted approach addresses the economic realities of a population where half of those over 50 rely on Social Security, utilizing a 38-million-member base to influence everything from healthcare funding to workplace flexibility.
- Milken Institute57 min
Marketing in the Digital Age: A Conversation with John Sculley and David A. Steinberg
John Sculley, David A. Steinberg, Peter L. Hopkins
Former Pepsi CEO John Scully and Zeta Interactive discuss the critical industry shift from mass-media brand campaigns to data-driven, attribution-based marketing that directly correlates ad spend to sales outcomes. This transformation is powered by Zeta's proprietary database of 350 million individuals, which enables real-time "fast data" analytics to replace traditional agency models while adhering to strict privacy standards and opt-in regulations. Looking ahead, the speakers predict that surviving organizations must pivot toward adaptive innovation and the "experience internet," where future success depends on customer lifecycle management rather than broad advertising budgets.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Governors Address Challenges Facing States
Eric Schmidt, John Hickenlooper, Terry McAuliffe, Rick Scott, Scott Walker
Governors Rick Scott, Scott Walker, John Hickenlooper, and Terry McAuliffe convened to discuss distinct state-level strategies for economic growth, ranging from Florida's tax-cut model and Wisconsin's fiscal stabilization to Colorado's workforce adaptability and Virginia's international trade focus. Despite operating in opposing partisan environments, these leaders emphasized a unified shift from job creation to filling vacancies by prioritizing apprenticeships, dismantling federal mandates on healthcare and infrastructure, and challenging anti-capitalist sentiment through high-wage employment. The panel concluded that states must serve as "laboratories of democracy" to craft granular solutions for environmental and social issues while advocating for federal devolution of authority to maximize efficiency in workforce development and public safety.
- Milken Institute39 min
A Conversation with Jacob J. Lew, Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew characterizes Puerto Rico's $70 billion debt crisis as an immediate emergency requiring legislative authority to establish an independent oversight board and prevent a chaotic restructuring that would harm 3.5 million residents and U.S. municipal bond markets. Simultaneously, Lew advocates for comprehensive federal reforms to overhaul the housing finance system, close corporate inversion loopholes, and implement a revenue-generating tax code that addresses broken incentives without relying on revenue neutrality. Complementing these economic measures, the administration announced a redesign of U.S. currency featuring Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill to better reflect American history, while urging bipartisan cooperation to overcome modern political divisiveness.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Connectivity Is the New World Order: A Conversation with Parag Khanna
Senior fellow Parag Khanna argues that massive global infrastructure investment has replaced geography as the primary driver of destiny, creating a "Connectography" where traditional borders and territorial conquest are increasingly obsolete. His analysis highlights a shift toward competitive connectivity, where nations like China and the United States compete for control over trade enclaves, digital networks, and energy grids rather than physical land. Khenna contends that future geopolitical stability depends on adopting long-term infrastructure diplomacy and economic integration strategies to manage accelerating migration and the complex web of megaprojects reshaping the world.
- Milken Institute54 min
End of an Era: A Conversation With NBA Great Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant concludes his twenty-year NBA career by prioritizing personal fulfillment over team contention, a decision marked by a final 60-point performance that he dismissed as irrelevant to his internal motivation to transition into storytelling and media ventures through "Kobe Inc." Reflecting on a leadership style defined by brutal honesty and a focus on unlocking teammates' potential, Bryant details his evolution from a self-centered competitor to a mentor who utilized his relationship with Michael Jordan and his friction with Shaquille O'Neal as catalysts for greatness. His post-retirement philosophy emphasizes controlling effort rather than doubting outcomes, setting a precedent for his future endeavors that value historical legacy and personal growth over external validation.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Lighting the Globe: Manoj Bhargava in Conversation with Sheryl WuDunn
Manoj Bhargava, Sheryl WuDunn, Eric Schmidt, John McCutchan, Raymond Santos, Jennifer Doyle, Sharon Chandran
Forbes billionaire and 5-Hour Energy founder Manoj Parga has launched "Stage 2," a venture dedicated to deploying low-maintenance, scalable technologies in water, energy, and health for underserved populations. The initiative introduces hardware like the $250 Free Electric bicycle to generate power for livelihoods, the energy-efficient Rainmaker desalination unit, and a medical patch for early disease detection, all designed to replace unreliable solar and complex medical diagnostics in rural areas. Parga explicitly rejects proprietary hoarding by offering to train competitors and sell production lines, prioritizing rapid global adoption of simple, functional engineering over traditional philanthropic overhead.