Are we safe hovering in the unknown? Harvard researcher and former assistant director for Space Policy at the White House, Ezinne Uzo-Okoro, is the guest of this «It's not that simple» edition.

In this conversation, Ezinne explains how satellites and space technology are already protecting lives on Earth - from monitoring the climate to anticipating disasters.

But she also discusses the real risks we face: space junk, the increasing privatisation of space and the lack of clear global regulation.

With the end of the International Space Station planned for 2030 and new commercial players entering orbit, the Space Policy advisor raises the question: are we prepared for this new space race?

Exploring space is no longer science fiction - it's a matter of survival.

More on the topic:

Ezinne's portfolio (MIT)

Mars Science Laboratory: Curiosity Rover (NASA)

NASA's blog

AI: a dangerous threat or an indispensable tool for today and the future? «Artificial Intelligence is the most disruptive technology we've ever seen», claims Neil Lawrence, DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge. However, he also believes that AI «is the continuation of a technological revolution» in how we share information via computers.

Speaking in Lisbon, the guest of this edition of «It's Not That Simple» highlighted a critical issue regarding AI usage: «It is not being used in the areas people are asking us to use it: health, social care, education or security.»

While optimistic about the relationship between humanity and AI, Lawrence acknowledges the difficulties in regulating such a rapidly evolving field. He warns against leaving regulation to «inflexible and under-resourced» regulators to «decide the future for us all.»

More on the topic:

Neil Lawrence: «The Atomic Human: What makes us unique in the age of AI» (Talks at Google)

Neil Lawrence: «The Atomic Human - Understanding ourselves in the age of AI» (Finnish Centre for Artificial Intelligence)

Neil Lawrence: ‘Is AI beyond our human understanding?’

BBC interview

Interview with the University of Cambridge

Episode of the ‘Futures’ podcast

Neil Lawrence's Linkedin

There is a clear Cold War between the US and China, but it differs from the one between the US and the Soviet Union and is «far more dangerous». The warning is given by Anil Gupta, the renowned expert on globalization, emerging markets and innovation, who guarantees that China is not, in economic terms, a «pygmy» like the Soviet power was compared to the American «giant».

Analysing what the specialist considers to be «the biggest geopolitical issue of our time», the expert argues that China is a «technological, industrial, economic and military power», pointing out that the relationship with the US is not really improving.

In addition to the clash between superpowers, Anil Gupta says that «the growth of emerging markets» has also fuelled geopolitical tensions.

While in 2000 there were 20 emerging economies, today their number has more than doubled. And the growth of these economies is expected to remain stable over the next few years, emphasizes the expert. This means that the emerging markets - China and India, but also Indonesia, Brazil and Nigeria - are becoming not only important in economic terms but also in political terms.

Rated by Thinkers50 as «one of the world's most influential management thinkers», Anil Gupta recalls the risk associated with supply chains, which the pandemic has already highlighted. The case of medical equipment used in the US is paradigmatic. Over the last 20 years, most of the gloves used by US surgeons have come from China. ‘In the event of a conflict with China, ‘would the US want to be dependent on such a simple item?’.

A positive aspect of globalization is technology. In this interview, Gupta considers that ‘Artificial Intelligence is the most powerful technology that mankind has ever invented’.

But he reminds us of the risks associated with it in the long term. «In 50 years, will AI treat humans the way we treat ants today?».

More on the topic:

Official website

«London Speaker Bureau» interview

«Leading Authorities International» interview

«The CrossroadTimes» podcast interview