September 2025 Favourite Podcasts
These are the podcasts I enjoyed listening to during the month of September 2025.
Makram Soua
10/10/2025
Are we blindly racing toward an AI-driven future we can't control? The current path to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is high-speed and high-risk, but what if there were viable, safer alternatives?
The conversation centers on the AI Pathways Project, which explores two alternative scenarios to the current, default race toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI):
Tool AI: This pathway prioritizes human oversight, democratic control, and slower, safer development of AI systems. The benefits and trade-offs of this approach are discussed in detail.
D/acc (Defensive/Decentralized Acceleration) Pathway: This model emphasizes decentralized, defensive AI development, suggesting that a more distributed approach could mitigate risks associated with centralized power. The trade-offs associated with decentralization are also covered.
Listeners will gain invaluable insights into the delicate trade-offs between safety and speed in AI development and how combining these pathways could lead to more positive outcomes. The episode also delves into uncertainties about AI’s future evolution and highlights what various stakeholders can do to guide AI toward being a force for good that remains firmly under human control.
Published September 26, 2025
How We Keep Humans in Control of AI
The New Humanitarian podcast "Rethinking UNGA - Rethinking Humanitarianism" explores the evolving landscape of humanitarian action in a world facing rising crises, set against the backdrop of the 80th UN General Assembly (UNGA). In this compelling episode, listeners are taken behind the scenes to explore the evolving tensions shaping the future of aid. The podcast highlights the tension between traditional humanitarianism, activism, and the politics of power at UNGA, reflecting on key humanitarian challenges, geopolitical dynamics, and the need for a humanitarian reset.
Thought-provoking and insightful, this discussion highlights the growing need to elevate local voices, rethink institutional approaches, and move from charity to solidarity. For anyone invested in the future of humanitarian action amid rising crises, this episode offers indispensable perspectives and a call to action that resonates far beyond the UN walls. Tune in to understand the past, present, and the daunting challenges ahead for humanitarianism.
Published September 26, 2025
Rethinking UNGA / Rethinking Humanitarianism
In an era where speed and adaptability are crucial for business success, traditional team structures often struggle to keep up with rapidly changing demands. Want to know how top innovators are getting more done, faster, and cheaper? Listen to the HBR IdeaCast episode, "Supercharging Innovation with Flash Teams," where host Alison Beard speaks with Stanford professor and author Melissa Valentine.
Valentine introduces the "flash team" concept: groups of experts quickly assembled, often from a global talent pool, to execute projects with agility. Unlike traditional project teams, flash teams are powered by the internet, remote work, and, increasingly, artificial intelligence, giving them "superpowers" for rapid assembly and coordination. You'll learn why this model is more cost-effective and time-efficient than maintaining a large permanent staff in today’s rapidly changing business environment.
Listeners will discover practical strategies for forming and managing these agile teams, the powerful role of AI, and how this approach works across diverse industries. Tune in to learn why embracing flash teams could be the key to unlocking your organization's innovation potential in today’s fast-paced world.
Published September 16, 2025
Supercharging Innovation with "Flash Teams"
This episode of the Negotiate Anything podcast spotlights Giuseppe Conti, the world’s number one negotiation guru, as he reveals the pivotal secrets behind successful negotiation (push approach) and influencing (pull approach) — a fundamental framework for senior leaders. This conversation is packed with battle-tested wisdom on overcoming the single biggest failure: lack of preparation.
Conti emphasizes the importance of institutionalizing prep through mandatory role-plays and provides advanced strategies like the ME-S-O tactic for anchoring with flexibility. He distills decades of experience, sharing practical strategies and mindset shifts to win deals, strengthen relationships, and build lasting trust.
Of particular interest is the role of AI as a “smart intern,” enabling leaders and negotiators to boost their negotiation preparation and analysis, while underscoring the continued need for human judgment and expertise.
Senior executives will find these insights immediately applicable for mastering complex negotiations, empowering teams, and amplifying their leadership impact in today’s fast-evolving business landscape.
