In this podcast, we explore whether it's possible to augment stability and safeguard freedom in liberal democracies amidst rapid socio-political changes and growing extremism across the ideological spectrum. We assess the shifting dynamics within developed democracies of the Euro-Atlantic space, where increasing activism at both ends of the political spectrum complicates the search for a moderate political middle. The discussion delves into the complexities and unprecedented pace of social and political changes, examining their implications for governance amidst significant policy challenges, such as digital and environmental transformations, cultural debates, and migration issues. Additionally, we consider the effects of polarization, opportunism, and populism on effective governance, exploring whether this seeming disorder can be managed or even reversed, and what strategies might stabilize these trends in the short and long term.

Guests:
Hans Pung, President of RAND Europe

Hans Pung is President of RAND Europe, a not-for-profit public policy research organization that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis. Pung joined RAND as a policy analyst in 2002 and continues to lead and deliver research projects, particularly around industrial economics and security policy issues. Before joining RAND, Pung served as an engineer officer in the United States Army with responsibility for logistics, personnel, and operations and overseas service in the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Germany. His recent projects include Cost Modeling and Skills Analysis, European Defense Industrial Base Analysis, Future UK Military Capability Requirements, Improving Counter-Violent Extremism Intervention.

Nestor Maslej, AI Index Research Manager, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI

Nestor Maslej is a Research Associate at Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI). In this position, he uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies to conduct research for the AI Index and Global AI Vibrancy Tool. Nestor also leads research projects that study AI in the context of technical advancement, ethical concerns and policymaking. In developing tools that track the advancement of AI, Nestor hopes to make the AI space more accessible to both policymakers and citizens. His work is also oriented towards building knowledge about AI in a way that facilitates more productive dialogues surrounding its future and can lead to its development in ethically responsible ways. Prior to joining HAI, Nestor worked in Toronto as an analyst in several startups.

Elizabeth Nelson, Co-Founder, Head of Innovation & Content Smart Building Collective

The author of The Healthy Office Revolution, Elizabeth C. Nelson is a researcher, writer, and Co-Founder of the Smart Building Collective | Certification. She stands on the review board for Academic publications including Nature's Digital Medicine, Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR), and Plos One. Her PhD in biomedical engineering focuses on our complex relationship with technology and a better way of living and working.

Supported by: International Visegrad Fund

If you want better insights into challenges and decisions you or your business are facing, GARI’s analytical services are of unmatched complexity and high accuracy - whether your questions are on the green energy transition, trade and supply chains, or political and security related - contact us for a free consultation and see how you can optimise your decision-making.
www.globari.org
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@GARInstitute) / Twitter

In this episode, we discuss navigating the dualities of the digital economy amidst rising entropy and the unexpected effects of regulations. Staying a tech optimist can feel challenging. The past decade of rapid digitalization has improved interactions between citizens and governments, amplified marginalized voices, and increased social and economic interconnectedness. However, these benefits aren't equally distributed. Issues like data commodification, privacy concerns, and societal pathologies from constant smartphone use have permeated societies, possibly irreversibly. The increase in societal entropy leads to disorder and uncertainty, impacting different groups unevenly. As a result, policies and regulations often struggle to succeed and may have unintended consequences, potentially fueling the erosion of democratic societies.

Guests:
Sebastian Hallensleben
Head of Digitalisation and AI; Head of Strategic Technology Area "Digital Trust", VDE | Co-Chair, OECD ONE AI; UNESCO AI Ethics implementation expert group

Dr. Sebastian Hallensleben, Chair of CEN-CENELEC JTC 21 shaping European AI standards for EU regulation, also contributes to the EU StandICT program and leads the Trusted Information working group. He co-chairs OECD ONE.AI's classification and risk assessment group and holds roles in AI committees at IEC, Council of Europe, and UNESCO. Additionally, he heads Digitalisation and AI at VDE, overseeing new product/service development and providing guidance to the German parliament, federal ministries, and the European Commission. His focus includes AI ethics, generative AI impact, privacy-preserving trust infrastructures, and AI quality characterization. Previously, he facilitated dialogues between academia, industry, and policymaking and worked on international infrastructure projects. With a PhD in physics, he began his career in IT development and solutions architecture in the financial and telecom sectors. He holds an undergraduate degree in physics from the University of Tübingen and both his MSc and PhD degrees in physics are from the Unviersity of Sussexs.

Tony Curzon Price
Economic regulation, strategy, energy, net zero, antitrust, tech regulation, former sr advisor to UK PM

Tony Curzon Price Sits on the board of Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator with responsibility for achieving Net Zero. He has worked in Number 10, the Cabinet Office, the department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and in the UK's antitrust authority. Before his civil service career, he founded Arithmatica, a silicon valley chip design company, and spent 5 years building the company in the Bay Area; he was editor-in-chief of the UK political website openDemocracy, where transformed openDemocracy into a not-for-profit editors’ cooperative for comment, analysis and investigation. He wrote his PhD on game theory and market design with Ken Binmore at UCL.

Supported by: International Visegrad Fund

If you want better insights into challenges and decisions you or your business are facing, GARI’s analytical services are of unmatched complexity and high accuracy - whether your questions are on the green energy transition, trade and supply chains, or political and security related - contact us for a free consultation and see how you can optimise your decision-making.
www.globari.org
@LinkedIn
@GARInstitute) / Twitter

Trade Realities: European Uncertain Autonomy and Global Geoeconomics - N100 2024 Berlin
This discussion explored the implications of Europe's quest for resiliency and selective autonomy on its global trade relationships, regional economic stability, and overall competitiveness in an uncertain global environment. The debate dissected the state of global trade, examining the precarious balance between maintaining open commercial flows and responding to increasing geopolitical pressures. It analyzed the mixed outcomes of Europe's strategic shifts towards greater economic sovereignty, highlighting the challenges posed by external dependencies, particularly with China and the U.S., and the internal disparities among how EU regions were vulnerable to these shifts. The discussion addressed Europe's vulnerabilities and opportunities in technology and production, the broader impact of protectionist trends on global trade architectures, incorporating also the business and supply chain perspectives. With the evolving landscape of globalization—marked by cautious engagement and selective isolation—the panel explored viable strategies for Europe to navigate these dilemmas, ensuring resilience in a fragmenting global economy.

Speakers:
Donna Avellana Künzler
Head of Procurement Process Excellence & Digital Transformation, ABB

Donna Avellana Künzler is currently the Head of Procurement Process Excellence & Digital Transformation for ABB’s Robotics and Discrete Automation in Zurich, Switzerland. With 25 years of experience, she excels in international program/project management, business and IT process reengineering, risk and controls, and global system implementations.As an award-winning author, Künzler's book, "The Overseas Fabulous Pinay," published in March 2020, has earned accolades, including the Best Independent Book Award (BIBA) 2021 for Nonfiction: Travel-Living Abroad.

Michal Koran, Founder of the Global Arena Research Institute
Michal Kořan, President & Founder of the Global Arena Research Institute and Assistant Professor at Masaryk University, holds a Ph.D. in Social Sciences. His expertise spans globalization, technology, global politics, security, foreign policy, theories of International Relations, and philosophy of science, with a focus on applied complex data science, data-driven forecasting, and risk assessment. He explores the interplay between (de)globalizing forces, supply chains, commodities, energy, security, and their social impacts, integrating neuroscientific research into understanding complex societal behaviour.

Next 100 Symposium
The Next 100 Symposium, organized by the Global Arena Research Institute, has brought together leaders and experts across various disciplines to discuss global challenges since 2018.

Supported by: International Visegrad Fund

If you want better insights into challenges and decisions you or your business are facing, GARI’s analytical services are of unmatched complexity and high accuracy - whether your questions are on the green energy transition, trade and supply chains, or political and security related - contact us for a free consultation and see how you can optimise your decision-making.
www.globari.org
@LinkedIn
@GARInstitute) / Twitter