Shows
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 103: Jayant Sinha on AI Governance In A Fragmented WorldAI is reshaping national power and governance. Drawing on India's digital public infrastructure, Jayant Sinha and Vasant Dhar discuss innovation and sovereignty over compute, data consent and privacy by design in Episode 103 of Brave New World. Useful Resources: 1. Jayant Sinha2. Eversource Capital3. India's Green Startups: Jayant Sinha and Sandeep Bhammer4. Nandan Nilekani5. Brave New World Episode 15: Nandan Nilekani on an Egalitarian Internet6. Brave New World Episode 50: Pramod Varma on India's Digital Empowerment 7. iSpirit8. Unique Identification Authority Of India9. Unified Payments Interface10. M-Pesa11. DigiYatra. 12. Australia has banned social media for kids under 16. 13. Data Empowerment and Protection Architecture, DEPA14...
2026-02-121h 10
Digital Health Talks - Changemakers Focused on Fixing HealthcareWhen to Trust the Machine: AI Decision-Making in Healthcare with Professor Vasant DharAs AI systems increasingly influence clinical decisions—from risk stratification to treatment recommendations—healthcare leaders face a critical question: When can we safely rely on AI, and when must human judgment remain in the loop?Professor Vasant Dhar, NYU Stern professor, veteran AI researcher, and author of the newly released Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI, joins Digital Health Talks to deliver what healthcare executives urgently need: a practical framework for evaluating AI reliability, recognizing model blind spots, and designing guardrails that actually work.With decades of experience bringing machine learning to high...
2026-02-0358 min
A Beginner's Guide to AICan You Trust Your AI? Vasant Dhar on Robot Taxis vs. Robot Doctors🤖🧠 Thinking with Machines with Vasant DharWhat happens when AI stops being a tool and starts becoming a collaborator and an agent? In this episode, NYU Stern professor and AI pioneer Vasant Dhar takes us through the real story behind modern AI, and the practical frameworks we need for AI trust, AI governance, and the coming era of agentic AI.🚀 What you will learn- Why “thinking with machines” is a bigger idea than “thinking machines”- How the automation frontier separates low-risk automation from h...
2026-02-0254 min
AI KnowhowAI and RevOps: Why RevOps is a Critical Component of Commercial ManagementWhy do forecasts look great right up until they don't? If your Rev Ops strategy stops at the point of sale, you aren't managing revenue—you're managing blind spots. Courtney Baker, David DeWolf, and Mohan Rao kick off a new series on Commercial Operations. They explain why the "lone wolf" days of account management are over and how AI turns "digital exhaust" into objective data—bringing the same discipline to client retention that we apply to winning new deals. Pete Buer sits down with Dr. Vasant Dhar, author of Thinking With Machines. Dr. Dhar explains "Dhar...
2026-02-0241 min
Healthcare NOW RadioDigital Health Talks: When to Trust the Machine By AI Decision-Making in HealthcareWhen to Trust the Machine: AI Decision-Making in Healthcare with Professor Vasant Dhar Join us for part one of a two-part interview with Professor Vasant Dhar, NYU Stern professor, veteran AI researcher, and author of Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI. As AI systems increasingly influence clinical decisions, healthcare leaders face a critical question: When can we safely rely on AI, and when must human judgment remain in the loop? Professor Dhar delivers a practical framework for evaluating AI reliability, recognizing model blind spots, and designing guardrails that actually work, offering rare clarity on the tension between...
2026-01-2326 min
Healthcare NOW Radio Podcast Network - Discussions on healthcare including technology, innovation, policy, data security, telehealth and more. Visit HealthcareNOWRadio.comDigital Health Talks: When to Trust the Machine By AI Decision-Making in Healthcare Part IIPart Two: When to Trust the Machine: AI Decision-Making in Healthcare with Professor Vasant Dhar
Host Megan Antonelli
Guest: Vasant Dhar, Author, Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI
Join host Megan Antonelli and her guest Professor Vasant Dhar, Author, Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI for part one of a two-part interview. As AI systems increasingly influence clinical decisions, healthcare leaders face a critical question: When can we safely rely on AI, and when must human judgment remain in the loop? Professor Dhar delivers a practical framework for evaluating AI reliability, recognizing model blind...
2026-01-2228 minHealthcare NOW Radio Podcast Network - Discussions on healthcare including technology, innovation, policy, data security, telehealth and more. Visit HealthcareNOWRadio.comDigital Health Talks: When to Trust the Machine By AI Decision-Making in HealthcareWhen to Trust the Machine: AI Decision-Making in Healthcare with Professor Vasant Dhar
Host Megan Antonelli
Guest: Vasant Dhar, Author, Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI
Join host Megan Antonelli and her guest Professor Vasant Dhar, Author, Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI for part one of a two-part interview. As AI systems increasingly influence clinical decisions, healthcare leaders face a critical question: When can we safely rely on AI, and when must human judgment remain in the loop? Professor Dhar delivers a practical framework for evaluating AI reliability, recognizing model blind spots, and...
2026-01-2126 minHealthcare NOW RadioDigital Health Talks: When to Trust the Machine By AI Decision-Making in Healthcare Part IIPart Two: When to Trust the Machine: AI Decision-Making in Healthcare with Professor Vasant Dhar Join us for part two of a two-part interview with Professor Vasant Dhar, NYU Stern professor, veteran AI researcher, and author of Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI. As AI systems increasingly influence clinical decisions, healthcare leaders face a critical question: When can we safely rely on AI, and when must human judgment remain in the loop? Professor Dhar delivers a practical framework for evaluating AI reliability, recognizing model blind spots, and designing guardrails that actually work, offering rare clarity on the...
2026-01-1628 minBrave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 102 - Alex 'Sandy' Pentland on Humanizing TechnologyProfessor Alex 'Sandy' Pentland, one of the most renowned computational scientists in the world, joins Vasant Dhar in Episode 102 of Brave New World to discuss the state and development of human-centric AI. Useful Resources: 1. Alex 'Sandy' Pentland. 2. Stanford Research Institute. 3. MIT Media Lab. 4. Distributed Computing, Blockchain. 5. Nature Magazine, Nature Machine Intelligence. 6. The Hard Problem Of Consciousness. 7. Shared Wisdom: Cultural Evolution In The Age Of AI: Alex Pentland. 8. Brave New World Episode 101: Deepak Chopra On Consciousness and Reality. 9. Digital Dharma: How AI Can Elevate Spiritual Intelligence and Personal Well-Being - Deepak Chopra. 10. Awakening: The Path to Freedom and...
2026-01-0854 min
Motley Fool MoneyInterview with NYU Professor Vasant Dhar: Thinking With MachinesNYU Professor of Business Vasant Dhar is a pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence. He’s the host of the Brave New World podcast, and author of the new book, Thinking with Machines: The Brave New World of AI. Motley Fool analyst Asit Sharma recentled talked with Professor Dhar about that new world.
Host: Asit Sharma
Guest: Vasant Dhar
Producer: Bart Shannon, Mac Greer
Advertisements are sponsored content and provided for informational purposes only. The Motley Fool and its affiliates (collectively, "TMF") do not endor...
2025-12-2822 min
Foundations of LearningIs AI Making Kids Dumber? How Technology Shapes Thinking, Creativity, and LearningIn this episode of Foundations of Learning, I sit down with Professor Vasant Dhar—a global leader in machine learning, data science, and AI decision-making—to explore one of the most urgent questions of our time: How do we raise and educate children in the age of intelligent machines?Professor Dhar breaks down the real opportunities and risks of AI in classrooms, what skills will matter most in the next decade, and how parents can help children build a healthy, empowering relationship with technology. From trust and critical thinking to creativity, risk-taking, and the future of h...
2025-12-1255 minBrave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 101: Deepak Chopra On Consciousness and RealityUseful Resources: 1. Deepak Chopra2. Donald D. Hoffman3. Awakening: The Path to Freedom and Enlightenment - Deepak Chopra4. Seymour Reichlin5. Digital Dharma: How AI Can Elevate Spiritual Intelligence and Personal Wellbeing - Deepak Chopra6. The Hard Problem Of Consciousness7. Rosalyn Yalow8. Neuropeptides9. Psychoneuroimmunology 10. Candace Pert11. Molecules of Emotion - Candace Pert12. Richard Dawkins13. The Physics of Consciousness - Richard Dawkins & Brian Greene14. Naïve realism15. Stephen Hawking16. Qualia17. Panpsychism18. Advaita Vedanta19. Sufism20. What is Life?: With Mind and Matter and Autobiographical Sketches - Erwin Schrodinger21. Brave New World Episode 94: Anil Seth On The Science of Consciousness. 22. Wayne Dyer23. Ludwig Wittgenstein24. J...
2025-12-111h 14
TRIUM ConnectsEP40 - AI – How did we get here and where are we going?AI is becoming ubiquitous in our lives. It shapes how we work, play, interact, create, and even manage our health—and this is only the beginning. To understand where we are and where we might go, we first need to understand how we got here. By tracing the evolving nature of machine intelligence, we can appreciate how today’s AI differs from its past and how it is likely to evolve. With that in mind, we can begin to ask the big questions: When should we trust AI over human judgment? How should we govern its development? How will it c...
2025-12-051h 21
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit VarmaEp 432: Vasant Dhar's Lifetime in Artificial IntelligenceHe's been working in AI since the late 1970s, and started a pioneering machine learning hedge fund in the 1990s. Now he's a professor, a podcaster, a Substacker, a yoda -- and has just written a cracking book on the subject. Vasant Dhar joins Amit Varma in episode 432 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss the life and times of AI through the life and times of Vasant Dhar. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN.) Also check out: 1. Vasant Dhar on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Scholar and NYU Stern. 2. Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World...
2025-12-013h 27
Paradigm ShockVasant Dhar on Paradigm Shifts in Artificial IntelligenceDr. Vasant Dhar joins Paradigm Shock to discuss pivotal shifts in artificial intelligence. Known for bridging academia and practice, Dhar outlines AI's journey from expert systems, reliant on human-specified knowledge, to the advent of machine learning, deep learning and general intelligence, driven by data availability. He shares personal anecdotes, including early successes in uncovering data patterns that reshaped trading strategies on Wall Street. His narrative emphasizes AI's trend towards predictive modeling and its transformative role across sectors. Dhar's book, 'Thinking with Machines,' serves as a guide to understanding these developments, urging readers to navigate AI's opportunities and challenges thoughtfully.This episode is part of a series of episodes on Artificial Intelligence planne...
2025-11-261h 05
AI-Curious with Jeff WilserHow We Got Here and Where We're Going: AI History (and Future) w/ Vasant Dhar, Author of Thinking with MachinesIs AI making us smarter or dumber—and how do we make sure we’re on the right side of that divide?In this episode of AI-Curious, we talk with Professor Vasant Dhar, author of the new book Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI. Vasant isn’t just a historian of AI; he’s part of the story. In the 1990s, he helped bring machine learning to Wall Street, founded one of the world’s first ML-based hedge funds, and became the first professor to teach AI at NYU Stern, where he’s now the Ro...
2025-11-2142 min
The ContraMinds PodcastThinking With Machines: Sense-Making, AI Agents, Future of Work - Prof. Vasant Dhar (#063)Let's know what you liked and learnt! In this deep and wide-ranging conversation, Professor Vasant Dhar( @NYUSternBusiness ) NYU professor, AI researcher, investor and author of Thinking With Machines—breaks down how artificial intelligence is reshaping judgment, expertise, work and society. He explains why the future isn’t “AI vs. humans” but humans thinking with machines, and why sense-making, question-framing, and domain expertise will determine who thrives in the AI era. If you want to understand how AI will transform your work, your learning, and your decision-making over the next decade, this is a must-listen episode.Order your copy now on am...
2025-11-2049 min
ContraMinds Podcast - Unlocking Personal Growth and Professional ExcellenceThinking With Machines: Sense-Making, AI Agents, Future of Work - Prof. Vasant Dhar (#063)Let's know what you liked and learnt! In this deep and wide-ranging conversation, Professor Vasant Dhar( @NYUSternBusiness ) NYU professor, AI researcher, investor and author of Thinking With Machines—breaks down how artificial intelligence is reshaping judgment, expertise, work and society. He explains why the future isn’t “AI vs. humans” but humans thinking with machines, and why sense-making, question-framing, and domain expertise will determine who thrives in the AI era. If you want to understand how AI will transform your work, your learning, and your decision-making over the next decade, this is a must-listen episode.Order you...
2025-11-2049 minBrave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 100: David Ko, From Panic to PurposeEpisode 100 of Brave New World features David Ko, CEO of Calm, a digital health company focused on mental wellness and mindfulness. From experiencing panic attacks as a teenager to being the driving force behind Calm, his journey is an inspiring exploration of resilience, purpose, and the intersection of vulnerability and innovation. Useful Resources: 1. David Ko, CEO of Calm2. Recharge: Boosting Your Mental Battery, One Conversation at a Time - David Ko3. Jonathan Haidt4. Brave New World Episode 08: How Social Media Threatens Society5. Severance6. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of...
2025-11-191h 01
Ask a MatchmakerHow Can You Fall In Love With Your AI Companion? ft Vasant Dhar, Ph.DMaria sits down with NYU professor and AI pioneer Vasant Dhar for a grounded, eye-opening conversation about how artificial intelligence is reshaping our lives! They break down the rise of AI companions, the risks of sharing personal information with chatbots, and why these systems can feel human while still lacking empathy. Maria and Professor Dhar explore how modern AI "knows a little about everything" and what that means for dating, decision-making, and emotional attachment in 2025. They also dive into how kids and adults alike should be learning to "think with machines," not rely on them as a crutch. It's...
2025-11-1841 minBrave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 99: Vasant Dhar on Thinking With Machines, Hosted by Joel RobertsJoel Roberts, former host of a prime-time talk show on KABC Radio, Los Angeles, takes over hosting duties to talk Vasant Dhar about his upcoming book and Roberts' own scepticism regarding all things AI. Useful Resources: 1. Joel Roberts. 2. Thinking With Machines, The Brave New World With AI - Vasant Dhar3. AI and The Paper Clip Problem. 4. Dr. Jules White. 5. Geoffrey Hinton. 6. Yuval Noah Harari. 7. Augmented Intelligence - The Future of Generative AI and Computing. 8. How The Mind Works - Steven Pinker9. Brave New World Episode 94: Anil Seth...
2025-09-121h 26Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 96: Deogratias Niyizonkiza, Healing a Nation, One Village at a TimeEpisode 96 of Brave New World features Deogratias Niyizonkiza in conversation with Vasant Dhar. From surviving the genocide in Burundi to rebuilding lives through healthcare and education, Deo's journey is one of extraordinary resilience and purpose. Useful Resources:1. Deogratias "Deo" Niyizonkiza, Founder and CEO, Village Health Works. 2. Strength In What Remains - Tracy Kidder. 3. Louis Rwagasore, Burundian Prince and Politician.4. Hutu, Tutsi and Twa, Ethnic Groups In Burundi. 5. The Assassination of Burundian President Melchior Ndadaye. 6. Rwanda Genocide of 1994. 7. Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe. 8. Termination of USAID. Check o...
2025-06-121h 03
Behind the DataFear and optimism in the age of AIVasant Dhar has been working on AI since way before it was cool (and before most people thought it was possible). I've admired his work for a long time and since I started this show have wanted to have him on as a guest to talk about the strengths and limitations of LLMs. A few days ago, he published an article in The Hill about how DOGE is using AI wrong, and I knew I had to talk to him immediately.We discuss, indeed, what DOGE is doing wrong, as well as the broader lessons we...
2025-04-0847 minBrave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 93: Uma Valeti on Cultivating MeatHow do we get meat that is more nutritious, sustainable, and less cruel to animals? Dr Uma Valeti, a cardiologist turned CEO of Upside Foods, joins Vasant Dhar in episode 93 of Brave New World to discuss the future of cultivated meat. Useful Resources: 1. Dr Uma Valeti, MD, Upside Foods. 2. Clean Meat - Paul Shapiro. 3. 'Animal Liberation NOW' - Peter Singer. 4. How India Eats, Vegetarians vs Non Vegetarians percentage in India. 5. Maneka Gandhi On Animal Rights – Episode 44 of Brave New World. 6. Peter Singer On Animal Liberation – Episode 74 of Brave New World. 7. Paul...
2025-03-131h 07Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 92: Angela Hawken on Changing GovernmentAll meaningful reform happens when there is one smooth pipeline from research to policy to execution. Angela Hawken joins Vasant Dhar in episode 92 of Brave New World to discuss her work as both a thinker in academia and a doer with government. Useful resources 1. Angela Hawken at Marron Institute of Urban Management. 2. Solly Angel's Atlas of Urban Expansion. 3. Graduated Reintegration: Smoothing the Transition from Prison to Community -- Angela Hawken and Mark Kleiman. 4. Unorthodox Philanthropy. 5. Bias in Smart City Governance -- Constantine Kontokosta and Boyeong Hong. 6. The Civic Analytics program. 7. Litmus.
2025-02-131h 05Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 90: Sandeep Robert Datta on Smell and the BrainWe take it for granted -- but we shouldn't: smell is incredibly powerful and plays a critical role in our lives. Sandeep Robert Datta joins Vasant Dhar in episode 90 of Brave New World to discuss what neuroscience has taught him about the power of smell. Useful resources: 1. Sandeep Robert Datta at Harvard, Datta Lab, LinkedIn and Google Scholar. 2. Alex Wiltschko on the Sense of Smell -- Episode 81 of Brave New World. 3. Dmitry Rinberg on the Mysteries of Smell -- Episode 62 of Brave New World. Check out Vasant Dhar's newsletter on Substack. Subs...
2024-12-131h 05Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEp 89: Missy Cummings on Making AI SafeThere's always risk at the cutting edge of technology. Driverless cars are awesome -- but can we rely on the tech? Missy Cummings joins Vasant Dhar in episode 89 of Brave New World to share her insights on why we need to proceed with caution. Also check out: 1. Missy Cummings on LinkedIn, Wikipedia, GMU and Google Scholar. 2. California Bans GM's Cruise Robotaxis After Near-Fatal Pedestrian Accident -- Justin Banner. 3. Setbacks and Prospects for Autonomous Vehicles -- Henry Petroski. 4. Joshua Brown, Who Died in Self-Driving Accident, Tested Limits of His Tesla -- Rachel Abrams & Annalyn Kurtz.
2024-11-141h 08
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharVlad Barbalat on Immigration, Insurance and AmericaHe came to America as a ten-year old, and became invested in both the country and its world of finance. Vlad Barbalat joins Vasant Dhar in episode 84 of Brave New World to discuss his life and learnings. Useful resources: 1. Vlad Barbalat on LinkedIn and Liberty Mutual Investments. 2. The Story Of My Experiments With Truth -- MK Gandhi. 3. The Coddling of the American Mind -- Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt. 4. The Future of Liberal Education -- Episode 11 of Brave New World (w Michael S Roth). Check out Vasant Dhar's newsletter on Substack. Subscription i
2024-06-061h 25
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharShashi Verma on Transport in the 21st CenturyHe has been a driver of change at Transport for London, which has shown the way to the rest of the world. Shashi Verma joins Vasant Dhar in Episode 83 of Brave New World to share his learnings on urban transport -- and the governance structures that lead to the best results. Useful resources: 1. Shashi Verma on LinkedIn and Centre for London. 2. Albert Wenger on the World After Capital — Episode 29 of Brave New World. 3. Estimating the Social Benefit of Constructing an Underground Railway in London -- CD Foster and ME Beesley. 4. A History of London Transpo...
2024-05-021h 28
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharArthur Spirling on How AI Can Change PoliticsArtificial intelligence is transforming society. And therefore politics. Arthur Spirling joins Vasant Dhar in episode 79 of Brave New World to share his insights from his twin fields of data science and political science. Useful resources: 1. Arthur Spirling at Princeton, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Scholar and his own website. 2. Why open-source generative AI models are an ethical way forward for science -- Arthur Spirling. 3. James Robinson on What Makes a Successful State -- Episode 19 of Brave New World. 4. The Narrow Corridor — Daron Acemoglu and James A Robinson. 5. Why Nations Fail — Daron Acemoglu and James A Robinson. 6. H...
2024-03-071h 03
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharDavid Halpern on NudgingHow can we use the insights of behavioral economics to make the world a better place? David Halpern joins Vasant Dhar in episode 78 of Brave New World to share his learnings from running the Behavioral Insight Team for the British government. Useful resources: 1. David Halpern on Wikipedia and the Behavioural Insights Team. 2. The work of the Behavioral Insights Team. 3. Inside the Nudge Unit -- David Halpern. 4. Social Capital -- David Halpern. 5, The Hidden Wealth of Nations -- David Halpern. 6. The behavioural science of online harm and manipulation, and what to do about it ...
2024-02-221h 09
The ContraMinds Podcast#050 Prof. Vasant Dhar on The Evolving Role of Humans in the Age of AIProf. Vasant Dhar is an AI researcher who pioneered machine learning applications in finance. His research examines how innovations like AI impact society, focusing on issues of trust, ethics, and the future of work. Dhar is host of the podcast "Brave New World" exploring technology's transformation of humanity. Prof. Dhar is a professor at the Stern School of Business and the Center for Data Science at New York University, former editor-in-chief of the journal Big Data and the founder of SCT Capital, one of the first machine-learning-based hedge funds in New York City in the 1990s. Connect with Prof Dhar...
2024-02-211h 07
ContraMinds Podcast - Unlocking Personal Growth and Professional Excellence#050 Prof. Vasant Dhar on The Evolving Role of Humans in the Age of AILet's know what you liked and learnt! Prof. Vasant Dhar is an AI researcher who pioneered machine learning applications in finance. His research examines how innovations like AI impact society, focusing on issues of trust, ethics, and the future of work. Dhar is host of the podcast "Brave New World" exploring technology's transformation of humanity.Prof. Dhar is a professor at the Stern School of Business and the Center for Data Science at New York University, former editor-in-chief of the journal Big Data and the founder of SCT Capital, one of the first...
2024-02-211h 07
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharMohit Satyanand on Investing and IndiaHe's been a successful entrepreneur and investor, and is highly regarded for his sharp understanding of India. Mohit Satyanand joins Vasant Dhar in episode 75 of Brave New World to share his inspiring story -- and to offer a word of caution. Useful resources 1. Mohit Satyanand on Twitter, Instagram and IMDb. 2. Gimme Mo — Mohit Satyanand's newsletter. 3. Salaam Baalak Trust. 4. Aswath Damodaran on Investing -- Episode 33 of Brave New World. 5. James Robinson on What Makes a Successful State -- Episode 19 of Brave New World. 6. The Narrow Corridor: How Nations Struggle for Liberty — Daron Acemoglu and James...
2024-01-111h 20
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharPaul Sheard Demystifies MoneyWhat is money? How is it created? What is the relationship of governments, central banks, and commercial banks to money? Paul Sheard joins Vasant Dhar in episode 73 of Brave New World to cut through the fog. Useful resources:1. Understanding QE in the New World -- Episode 10 of Brave New World (w Paul Sheard). 2. The Power of Money -- Paul Sheard. 3. David Yermack on The Crypto Revolution -- Episode 30 of Brave New World. 4. Monetary Economics -- Wynne Godley and Marc Lavoie. 5. The Deficit Myth -- Stephanie Kelton. 6. Inflation: Causes and Consequences -- Milton Friedma...
2023-11-301h 40
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharDavid Sontag on AI in HealthcareDavid Sontag joins Vasant Dhar on episode 70 of Brave New World to highlight where and how AI is creating a major transformation in healthcare. We could create a brave new world of individualized and holistic healthcare, where the machine really cares about us and tells us what to do based on knowledge and data. Useful resources 1. David Sontag on Twitter, LinkedIn, MIT and Google Scholar. 2. Heuristic Methods for Imposing Structure on Ill-Structured Problems -- Harry E Pople Jr. 3. Harry E Pople on ResearchGate. 4. Human and Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare — Episode 4 of Brave New World (w Eric T...
2023-11-021h 11
Leading Up: The Work ShiftSharpen Your Skills for the AI-Assisted Future of WorkDr. Vasant Dhar has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence research since he received his doctorate in the field over 40 years ago. Now, he teaches a new generation of AI leaders at NYU Stern School of Business.Dhar joins Alan Todd for a rousing conversation on where AI will take us, and why he believes business leaders looking to sharpen their AI toolkit should study philosophy.Learn more about Udemy Business at https://bit.ly/udemy-podcast.
2023-11-0144 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharRajesh Jain, DisrupterHe was an early dotcom millionaire -- and he repeated his success. He wants to reinvent email, and has radical insights on politics. Rajesh Jain joins Vasant Dhar in episode 70 of Brave New World to share his insights on what he has learnt from success -- and failure. Useful resources 1. Rajesh Jain on LinkedIn, Twitter and his own website. 2. Startup to Proficorn -- Rajesh Jain. 3. Rajesh Jain and Dhan Vapasi — Episode 94 of The Seen and the Unseen. 4. James Robinson on What Makes a Successful State -- Episode 19 of Brave New World. 5. Andrew Yang on the New Politic...
2023-10-191h 14Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharEllie Pavlick on the Cutting Edge of AIDoes ChatGPT really understand anything? Or is it faking it? Hell, do we understand how it works? Ellie Pavlick joins Vasant Dhar in episode 67 of Brave New World to share her thoughts on where AI has reached -- and where it's going. Useful resources: 1. Ellie Pavlick at Brown and Google Scholar. 2. Symbols and grounding in large language models -- Ellie Pavlick. 3. Sam Bowman on ChatGPT & Controlling AI -- Episode 58 of Brave New World. 4. The Nature of Intelligence — Episode 7 of Brave New World (w Yann le Cunn). 5. Music, Mind, and Meaning -- Marvin Minsky. 6. ...
2023-09-071h 10
The Proof Of Work PodcastThe Past, Present and Future of AI with Professor Vasant Dhar of NYU Stern School of Business | Proof Of Work With Shiv Mehta Episode 10📜 In this episode, I'm thrilled to have the brilliant Professor Vasant Dhar from NYU Stern School of Business on The Proof Of Work Podcast for a thought-provoking conversation to explore some of today's most pressing questions at the intersection of technology, business, and society.
💼 Professor Dhar has had an extraordinary career spanning hedge funds, academia, and entrepreneurship bringing 44 years of experience in AI, Quantitative Finance, and Academia to bear on these nuanced issues.
🌀 We took a deep dive into the exciting journey from the pioneering early days of AI in the 19...
2023-08-221h 20
Real Vision: Finance & InvestingWait But... How Do I Invest Using AI? w/ Hari Krishnan & Vasant Dhar PhDFor the Festival of Learning: AI Edition, we've got a long-awaited "Round 2" of our 2020 conversation between Hari Krishnan, head of volatility strategies at SCT Capital Management, and NYU business professor and SCT Capital Management founder Vasant Dhar. They return to chat with Ash Bennington about the intersection of machine learning with markets, and how the current AI revolution is changing (or not...!) the game.Not a member yet? Get access today at realvision.com/pricing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
2023-07-0254 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharAmit Varma on the Creator EconomyThere has never been a better time to be a creator. Amit Varma joins Vasant Dhar in episode 64 of Brave New World to discuss his learnings as a podcaster and blogger -- and to explain why AI is not a threat. Useful resources: 1. Amit Varma on Twitter, India Uncut and Substack. 2. The Seen and the Unseen -- Amit Varma's podcast. 3. Brave New World — Episode 203 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Vasant Dhar). 4. Episodes of The Seen and the Unseen on the creator ecosystem with Roshan Abbas, Varun Duggirala, Neelesh Misra, Snehal Pradhan, Chuck Gopal, Nishant Jain,
2023-06-161h 10
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharPiyush Gupta on How AI Will Transform BusinessHe has skin in the game as a top banker -- and saw the power of AI long before others did. Piyush Gupta joins Vasant Dhar in episode 63 of Brave New World to share his excitement for the present -- and his vision for the future. Useful resources: 1. Piyush Gupta at DBS Bank, LinkedIn, Wikipedia and Twitter. 2. Tom Davenport on Artificial Intelligence in Business -- Episode 56 of Brave New World. 3. David Yermack on The Crypto Revolution -- Episode 30 of Brave New World. 4. SVB was a hedge fund in disguise–and the banking crisis is an overreaction -- Vasant Dhar. 5. Th...
2023-06-0157 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharMarty Fridson on How Tech Changed Wall StreetOne of the great disruptions that shaped the modern world was the way in which technology transformed Wall Street. Marty Fridson joins Vasant Dhar in episode 61 of Brave New World to talk about those good old days -- and these mad new times! Useful resources: 1. Martin Fridson at Lehman Livian Fridson Advisors, Amazon, Twitter and his own website. 2. When the Tech Revolution Came to Wall Street -- Marty Fridson. Check out Vasant Dhar's newsletter on Substack. Subscription is free!
2023-05-041h 00
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharPaulo Kaiser on Assimilating ChatGPTWill it take all our jobs? In what way will it make us better? What do we need to do? Paulo Kaiser joins Vasant Dhar in episode 59 of Brave New World to discuss the technology that is changing the world in ways we can't imagine. Bonus material: Wisdom for young professionals just starting out. Useful resources: 1. Paulo Kaiser on LinkedIn. 2. Plative. 3. Sam Bowman on ChatGPT & Controlling AI -- Episode 58 of Brave New World. Check out Vasant Dhar's newsletter on Substack. Subscription is free!
2023-04-061h 14
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharRich Bonneau on the Exciting Frontiers of Computational BiologyWhen computer science and biology come together, can you reprogram nature? Richard Bonneau joins Vasant Dhar in episode 57 of Brave New World to share his insights on this incredible new field -- and how machine learning can play an important role. Useful resources: 1. Richard Bonneau at Genentech, Wikipedia,Twitter, LinkedIn and Google Scholar. Check out Vasant Dhar's newsletter on Substack. Subscription is free!
2023-03-091h 15
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharNeeti Bhalla Johnson on Risk in Our Modern WorldHas the world become more or less safe over the years? How do we measure risk in these times of crazy change? Neeti Bhalla Johnson joins Vasant Dhar in episode 52 of Brave New World to share her thoughts on how professionals do it! Useful resources: 1. Neeti Bhalla Johnson on LinkedIn and Liberty Mutual. 2. Daniel Kahneman on How Noise Hampers Judgement -- Episode 21 of Brave New World. 3. Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement — Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony and Cass Sunstein. 4. Thinking, Fast and Slow — Daniel Kahneman. 5. Dissecting "Noise" — Vasant Dhar. 6. Factfulness -- Hans Rosling. 7. Global Deaths in Conflicts Since the Year 1...
2022-12-2955 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharPramod Varma on India's Digital EmpowermentIndia has achieved a technological miracle by empowering hundreds of millions of people with the power of identity. Pramod Varma joins Vasant Dhar in episode 50 of Brave New World to discuss his pioneering role in setting up large scale digital public infrastructure. Useful resources: 1. Pramod Varma on LinkedIn and Twitter. 2. India Stack, Aadhaar, E-Sign, DigiLocker and United Payments Interface. 3. The Beckn Protocol. 4. Nandan Nilekani on an Egalitarian Internet -- Episode 15 of Brave New World. 5. Data Democracy: People and Power in the Digital Age -- Nandan Nilekani's talk. 6. Why the US needs public-private partnerships for digital infrastructure -- Vasant Dhar. 7. 3...
2022-12-011h 35
At a DistanceVasant Dhar on Why We Need Guardrails Around Internet DataA.I. researcher, data scientist, and N.Y.U. professor Vasant Dhar, host of the Brave New World podcast, discusses the need for careful internet governance, the incredible potential for responsibly pulling data from today’s “really powerful” algorithms, and the necessity of human oversight over machine systems.Episode sponsored by Grand Seiko.
2022-11-1439 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharShelley Stewart on Black Economic MobilityHow did Covid-19 affect black Americans? What are the obstacles to their mobility and what can you do about it? Shelley Stewart joins Vasant Dhar in episode 47 of Brave New World to discuss his work at McKinsey trying to make an impact on black America. Useful resources: 1. Shelley Stewart at McKinsey & Company. 2. COVID-19: Investing in Black lives and livelihoods. 3. Soumitra Datta on Measuring Innovation -- Episode 46 of Brave New World. 4. Jeff Teper on the Post-Covid Workplace -- Episode 36 of Brave New World. Check out Vasant Dhar's newsletter on Substack. Subscription is free!
2022-10-201h 06
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharJoseph Aoun on Becoming Robot-ProofIf robots and AI are replacing us, we need to reinvent ourselves. Joseph Aoun joins Vasant Dhar in episode 45 of Brave New World to discuss the role of education in making humanity robot-proof. Useful resources: 1. Joseph Aoun on Twitter, Google Scholar and Northeastern University. 2. Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence -- Joseph Aoun. 3. The Innovator's Dilemma -- Clayton Christensen. 4. Caitlin Zaloom on the Explosion of Student Debt -- Episode 37 of Brave New World. 5. Indebted: How Families Make College Work at Any Cost -- Caitlin Zaloom. 6.
2022-09-221h 06
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharManeka Gandhi on Animal RightsPerhaps the greatest human sin is how we treat animals. Maneka Gandhi joins Vasant Dhar in episode 44 of Brave New World to share her learnings from decades as an animal activist. Useful resources: 1. Maneka Gandhi on Instagram, Twitter and Wikipedia. 2. Animal Liberation -- Peter Singer. 3. Animal Farming and Protein -- Vasant Dhar. 4. Slaughterhouses and Increased Crime Rates -- Amy J Fitzgerald, Linda Kalof and Thomas Dietz. 5. The Jungle -- Upton Sinclair. 6. The Draize Test. 7. Animals in Cosmetics Testing. 8. Animals Should Be
2022-08-041h 17
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharBernard Haykel on Islam and the WestHow is the relationship between Islam and the West evolving? Is there is a clash of civilizations or a clash within Islam? Bernard Haykel joins Vasant Dhar in episode 43 of Brave New World to share his insights. Useful resources: 1. Bernard Haykel at Princeton, Project Syndicate, Amazon and Google Scholar. 2. The Quran. 3. Brave New World -- Aldous Huxley. 4. 'Tell me about your dream mosque' -- Sacha Baron Cohen in Kingman, Arizona. 5. James Robinson on What Makes a Successful State -- Episode 19 of Brave New World. 6. The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order -- Samuel
2022-07-211h 07
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharAntoinette Schoar on Decentralized Finance & CryptoWill cryptocurrencies save the world or create a new can of worms? Antoinette Schoar joins Vasant Dhar in episode 42 of Brave New World to take us on a dispassionate tour through the world of Bitcoin, blockchains and DeFi. Useful resources: 1. Antoinette Schoar At MIT Sloan School of Management and Google Scholar. 2. Cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance (DeFi) -- Igor Makarov and Antoinette Schoar 3. David Yermack on The Crypto Revolution -- Episode 30 of Brave New World. 4. Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System -- Satoshi Nakamoto. 5. Are Cryptocurrencies Currencies? Bitcoin as Legal Tender in El Salvador -- Fe...
2022-07-071h 23
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharDavid Chalmers on the Nature of RealityWhat are the philosophical implications of virtual reality? Do we exist "physically" or "virtually" and does it matter? Is virtual reality real? How is reality different from consciousness? David Chalmers joins Vasant Dhar in episode 41 of Brave New World to talk about the big questions at the intersection of philosophy and AI that are are being driven by advances in neuroscience and virtual reality. Useful resources 1. David Chalmers at NYU, Google Scholar, Amazon and his own website. 2. Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy -- David Chalmers. 3. The Conscious Mind -- David Chalmers. 4. Douglas Hofstadter on Amazon. 5. Neurophilosophy...
2022-06-231h 09
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharBen Hunt on the Power of Narrative'We need narrative theory,' says Ben Hunt, to understand the alien beings called Narratives that inhabit our Metaverse. Hunt joins Vasant Dhar in episode 40 of Brave New World to describe how Big Tech is changing the way we think -- and how we need to fight it. Useful resources: 1. Ben Hunt on Twitter, LinkedIn and Epsilon Theory, 2. Epsilon Theory, 3. Narrative and Metaverse, Pt. 1: The Living Word -- Ben Hunt. 4. Narrative and Metaverse, Pt. 2: Gain of Function -- Ben Hunt. 5. Narrative and Metaverse, Pt. 3: The Luther Protocol -- Ben Hunt. 6. Chris Bail on How to Fight Polarization -- Episode 34...
2022-06-091h 12
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharMarie Bergstrom on Online Dating and IntimacyHooking up ain't like it used to be. Marie Bergstrom joins Vasant Dhar in episode 39 of Brave New World to discuss her research on how the internet has changed the world of love -- and lust. Useful resources: 1. Marie Bergstrom on Google Scholar. 2. The New Laws of Love -- Marie Bergstrom. 3. Ruth Westheimer on Wikipedia. 4. A modern manifesto against sex positivity -- Michelle Goldberg. 5. Rethinking Sex: A Provocation -- Christine Emba. Check out Vasant Dhar's newsletter on Substack. Subscription is free!
2022-05-261h 10
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharJoel Peterson on the Art and Science of WinemakingThese are exciting times for wine lovers. Joel Peterson, the Godfather of Zinfandel, joins Vasant Dhar in episode 38 of Brave New World to raise a toast to the innovators who continue to transform the world of wine. Useful resources: 1. Once and Future Wine and Ravenswood. 2. Zinfandel on Wikipedia. 3. The parentage of a classic wine grape, Cabernet Sauvignon -- JE Bowers and CP Meredith. 4. Historical Genetics: The Parentage of Chardonnay, Gamay, and Other Wine Grapes of Northeastern France -- J Bowers, JM Boursiquot, P This, H Johansson and C Meredith. 5. Zinfandel, Dobrièiæ, and Plavac mali: The Genetic Relationship among Th...
2022-05-121h 21
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharCaitlin Zaloom on the Explosion of Student DebtEducation empowers people, but education debt can cripple them and they families financially. Caitlin Zaloom joins Vasant Dhar in episode 37 of Brave New World to describe the depth of the problem, and what can be done about it. Useful resources: 1. Caitlin Zaloom at NYU, Google Scholar and Twitter. 2. Indebted: How Families Make College Work at Any Cost -- Caitlin Zaloom. 3. Law and Education in Our Modern World -- Episode 5 of Brave New World (w John Sexton). 4. The Future of Liberal Education -- Episode 11 of Brave New World (w Michael S Roth). 5. Uplift the Unremar...
2022-04-2858 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharJeff Teper on the Post-Covid WorkplaceBig tech is in the spotlight these days, but Microsoft keeps a low profile. It has escaped the flak while shaping the post-Covid world. Company veteran Jeff Teper joins Vasant Dhar in episode 36 of Brave New World to explain their vision for the future, and to share his views on Web 3.0. And oh, by the way -- Teams is the nascent Metaverse. Useful resources: 1. Jeff Teper at Stern and Twitter. 2. Aswath Damodaran on Investing -- Episode 33 of Brave New World. 3. The Product Book -- Josh Anon with Carlos González de Villaumbrosia. 4. Jaime Teevan at Microsoft.
2022-04-141h 11
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharAnthony Zador on How our Brains WorkThe brain is a complex machine, but some of us study its circuits and figure out its secrets. Anthony Zador joins Vasant Dhar in episode 35 of Brave New World to reveal what the cutting edge of neuroscience looks like. Useful resources: 1. Anthony Zador at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Google Scholar and Twitter. 2. Christof Koch on Amazon. 3. A critique of pure learning and what artificial neural networks can learn from animal brains -- Anthony Zador. 4. Mind Children: The Future of Robot and Human Intelligence -- Hans Moravec. 5. The Nature of Intelligence -- Episode 7 of Brave Ne...
2022-03-311h 04
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit VarmaThe Life and Times of Nirupama RaoA lifetime in diplomacy gave Nirupama Rao an inside view of the making of the first draft of history. She joins Amit Varma in episode 269 of The Seen and the Unseen to share her life lessons -- and what still keeps her buzzing every day. Also check out: 1. Nirupama Rao on Twitter, Substack, Instagram and her own website. Her bio and work are here. 2. The Fractured Himalaya -- Nirupama Rao. 3. A Life in Diplomacy -- Nirupama Rao's talk at Claremont McKenna College. 4. Selected episodes of The Seen and the Unseen on China: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 5. Selected episode of The Seen and...
2022-03-214h 10
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharChris Bail on How to Fight PolarizationSocial media is tearing us apart by feeding into our need for status. Can we mitigate its effects? Chris Bail joins Vasant Dhar in episode 34 of Brave New World to share his research on how social media affects us -- and how we can fight back. Useful resources 1. Chris Bail at Duke, Sanford School of Public Policy, Google Scholar, Amazon, Twitter and his own website. 2. Breaking the Social Media Prism: How to Make Our Platforms Less Polarizing -- Chris Bail. 3. The Social Media Industrial Complex -- Episode 3 of Brave New World (with Sinan Aral). 4. How Social Media Threatens Society...
2022-03-171h 13
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharAswath Damodaran on InvestingThe value of a company has a lot to do with the stories it tells about itself. Aswath Damodaran joins Vasant Dhar in episode 33 of Brave New World to discuss how narratives and numbers are related. Useful Resources: 1. Aswath Damodaran on YouTube, Blogspot, Twitter, Amazon and NYU Stern. 2. Narrative and Numbers: The Value of Stories in Business -- Aswath Damodaran. 3. The Innovator's Dilemma -- Clayton M Christensen. 4. A Disruptive Cab Ride to Riches: The Uber Payoff -- Aswath Damodaran. 5. How to Miss By a Mile: An Alternative Look at Uber's Potential Market Size --
2022-03-031h 23TRIUM ConnectsE19 - Social Media and Social Pathology: Why and How to Hold Platforms Responsible for HarmI am joined in this episode by Professor Vasant Dhar where we talk about why social media platforms should be regulated and how we would go about doing so. Vasant argues that we have failed to install any rules of the game when it comes to holding platforms responsible for their demonstratable contribution to social ills. This, according to Vasant, leads to some truly egregious gaps in our ability to avoid negative outcomes and hold those responsible liable for their actions. For example, in our current settings, a social platform could be shown to be responsible for tens of tho...
2022-03-011h 14
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharHelena Rosenblatt on Liberalism's Long JourneyWhat is liberal democracy and has it lost its way? Helena Rosenblatt joins Vasant Dhar in episode 32 of Brave New World to add a historical perspective to this modern problem in our illiberal and polarized world. Useful resources: 1. The Lost History of Liberalism -- Helena Rosenblatt. 2. Thinking with Rousseau: From Machiavelli to Schmitt -- Helena Rosenblatt. 3. Helena Rosenblatt on Amazon. 4. Jean-Jacques Rousseau on Amazon. 5. The Technology Wars -- Episode 1 of Brave New World (w Arun Sundararajan.) 6. Nandan Nilekani on an Egalitarian Internet -- Episode 15 of Brave New World. 7. The Social Media Industrial Complex -- Episode 3 of Brave New World...
2022-02-1750 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharPhilip Tetlock on the Art of ForecastingYogi Berra once said, "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." Philip Tetlock joins Vasant Dhar in episode 31 of Brave New World to discuss what superforecasters do consistently well -- and how we can improve our judgement and decision-making. Useful resources: 1. Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction -- Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner. 2. Expert Political Judgment: How Good Is It? How Can We Know? -- Philip Tetlock. 3. Daniel Kahneman on How Noise Hampers Judgement -- Episode 21 of Brave New World. 4. Everything Is Obvious: *Once You Know the Answer -- Duncan Watts. 5. The Hedgehog and the Fox...
2022-02-0354 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharDavid Yermack on The Crypto RevolutionGoodbye big banks. Hello crypto. The world of finance is in the process of changing forever, and David Yermack is your guide. Yermack joins Vasant Dhar in episode 30 of Brave New World to share his road map of, well, this brave new world! Useful resources: 1. David Yermack at NYU Stern and Google Scholar. 2. Nandan Nilekani on an Egalitarian Internet -- Episode 15 of Brave New World. 3. Linus's Law (from The Cathedral and the Bazaar). 4. The DAO hack mentioned in the episode.
2022-01-201h 16
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharAlbert Wenger on the World After CapitalCapital is no longer a scarce resource. Attention is. Albert Wenger joins Vasant Dhar in episode 29 of Brave New World to discuss how the Industrial Age is past its expiry date, and what we need to do to prepare for the Knowledge Age. Useful resources: 1. Albert Wenger at Union Square Ventures and Continuations. And on Twitter. 2. The World After Capital -- Albert Wenger. 3. Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy -- Joseph Schumpeter's book in which he wrote about creative destruction. 4. Homo Deus -- Yuval Noah Harari. 5. Free Lunch Society. 6. Andrew Yang on the New Politics America Needs -- Episode 27 of Brave New...
2022-01-061h 05
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharAdam Alter on Beating Our AddictionsMore and more, the digital world is being designed to turn us into addicts. Adam Alter joins Vasant Dhar in episode 28 of Brave New World to describe the sinister ways in which this happens -- and what we can do about it. Useful resources: 1. Irresistible -- Adam Alter. 2. Drunk Tank Pink -- Adam Alter. 3. Dopamine Nation -- Anna Lembke. 4. Anna Lembke on Beating Dopamine -- Episode 26 of Brave New World. 5. Addiction by Design -- Natasha Dow Schüll. 6. Andrew Yang on the New Politics America Needs -- Episode 27 of Brave New World. 7. Bias, Lies, and Democracy -- Episode 14 of B
2021-12-231h 02
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharAndrew Yang on the New Politics America NeedsAndrew Yang supports some game-changing ideas, such as UBI and taxing robots, and they're rooted in a radical vision of what America's politics should be. Yang joins Vasant Dhar in episode 27 of Brave New World to explain why the system is broken -- and how it can be changed. Useful resources: 1. Andrew Yang on his website, Twitter, YouTube and Amazon. 2. Forward: Notes on the Future of Our Democracy -- Andrew Yang. 3. How Social Media Threatens Society -- Episode 8 of Brave New World (w Jonathan Haidt). 4. Erik Brynjolfsson on the Second Machine Age -- Episode 18 of...
2021-12-0949 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharAnna Lembke on Beating DopamineAre you addicted? You may be a slave to dopamine without realising it, whether in the substances you put into your body or the behaviors you adopt. Anna Lembke, author of Dopamine Nation, joins Vasant Dhar in episode 26 of Brave New World to discuss how we can beat this. Useful resources: 1. Anna Lembke's website. 2. Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence -- Anna Lembke. 3. Drug Dealer, MD: How Doctors Were Duped, Patients Got Hooked, and Why It's So Hard to Stop -- Anna Lembke. 4. Digital Addictions Are Drowning Us in Dopamine -- Anna Lembke. 5. Is Social Media...
2021-11-2556 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharJohn McWhorter on the Religion of WokeismThere is a new religion in town. It has the best intentions, but it may harm those it claims to help. John McWhorter joins Vasant Dhar in episode 25 of Brave New World to talk about his book Woke Racism -- and on the dangers of this new social movement that could tear us apart. Useful resources: 1. Woke Racism -- John McWhorter. 2. The Coddling of the American Mind -- Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt. 3. How Social Media Threatens Society -- Episode 8 of Brave New World (w Jonathan Haidt). 4. The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks -- Ra...
2021-11-1148 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharSolon Barocas on Removing Bias From MachinesMachine Learning can improve decision making in a big way -- but it can also reproduce human biases and discrimination. Solon Barocas joins Vasant Dhar in episode 24 of Brave New World to discuss the challenges of solving this problem. Useful resources: 1. Solon Barocas at his website, Cornell, Google Scholar and Twitter. 2. Fairness and Machine Learning -- Solon Barocas, Moritz Hardt and Arvind Narayanan. 3. Danger Ahead: Risk Assessment and the Future of Bail Reform: John Logan Koepke and David G. Robinson. 4. Fairness and Utilization in Allocating Resources with Uncertain Demand -- Kate Donahue and Jon Kleinberg. 5. Profiles, Probabilities, and Stereotypes...
2021-10-2857 min
The Encrypted EconomyWhat Should Law’s Role Be in Social Media? Vasant Dhar, Professor NYU Stern & Center for Data Science - E52This week on The Encrypted Economy, my guest is Vasant Dhar, Professor at NYU Stern and Center for Data Science. As an expert in digital transformation and artificial intelligence, Vasant discusses the need for effective regulation in a virtualized world. We discuss a range of topics, touching on the broader impacts of technological innovation on our society, KYC, regulating Web 3.0, amongst many others. Be sure to subscribe to The Encrypted Economy to keep up to date with the latest technological developments driving humanity forward. Topics Covered:· Introduction· Vasant’s Background· Are Governments Prepar...
2021-10-261h 10
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharTerry Odean on How to Think about InvestingHow do we pick the stocks we buy? What drives us to sell? How does new technology impact our attention and behavior? Terrance Odean joins Vasant Dhar in episode 23 of Brave New World to share his learnings over a lifetime of studying behavioral finance. Useful resources: 1. Terrance Odean's videos on Investing. 2.Terrance Odean's video series on individual investor behavior. 3. All That Glitters: The Effect of Attention and News on the Buying Behavior of Individual and Institutional Investors -- Brad M Barber & Terrance Odean. 4. Trading Is Hazardous to Your Wealth: The Common Stock Investment Performance of Individual Investors...
2021-10-1457 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharDina Srinivasan on the Dangers of Big TechGoogle and Facebook have an outrageous amount of market power, and that's dangerous for society. Dina Srinivasan joins Vasant Dhar in episode 22 of Brave New World to discuss the dangers, and how we can tackle them. Useful resources: 1. Dina Srinivasan's homepage and Twitter. 2. The Antitrust Case Against Facebook -- Dina Srinivasan. 3. Why Google Dominates Advertising Markets -- Dina Srinivasan. 4. Aldous Huxley interviewed by Mike Wallace. 5. James Robinson on What Makes a Successful State -- Episode 19 of Brave New World. 6. Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt -- Michael Lewis. 7. Bias, Lies, and Democ...
2021-09-3055 min
DQ Deep TakesHow to get AI innovation right: An NYU AI researcher explainsA profound question that always gets asked within artificial intelligence's vicinity: When do we trust the tech with decision making? And addressing that very question as the cornerstone of his research is Vasant Dhar. A multi hyphenate, Dhar is an AI researcher, data scientist and professor at the Stern School of Business and the center for data science at New York University. An alumnus of IIT Delhi, Dhar also founded SCT Capital, one of the first machine learning-based hedge funds in New York City in the 90s.
In conversation with DQ DeepTech on sidelines of PI-WOT 2021, a...
2021-09-1917 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharDaniel Kahneman on How Noise Hampers JudgementWe overestimate our skill at decision making. We're pretty bad, and bias isn't the only reason. Daniel Kahneman joins Vasant Dhar in episode 21 of Brave New World to shed light on the problem of Noise, and what we can do about it. Useful resources: 1. Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgement -- Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony and Cass Sunstein. 2. Thinking, Fast and Slow -- Daniel Kahneman. 3. Dissecting "Noise" -- Vasant Dhar. 4. Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction -- Philip Tetlock and Dan Gardner. 5. Herbert A Simon on Amazon.
2021-09-1654 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharStuart Russell on The Existential Risk of AIIt is a matter of time before machines outstrip humans in most capabilities. How can we possibly stop a more intelligent entity from taking control? Stuart Russell joins Vasant Dhar in episode 20 of Brave New World to explain why, despite the dangers, he remains optimistic about artificial intelligence and how to control it. Useful resources: 1. Human Compatible -- Stuart Russell. 2. Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach -- Stuart Russell and Peter Norvig. 3. Erewhon, or Over The Range -- Samuel Butler. 4. The Theory of Political Economy -- W Stanley Jevons. 5. Decision and Organization -- Edited by CB...
2021-09-021h 16
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharJames Robinson on What Makes a Successful StateWhy do some nations fail in their lurch towards liberty while others succeed? James Robinson joins Vasant Dhar in episode 19 of Brave New World to explain why there is no simple answer to that question -- but the balance between the state and society is central to understanding it. Also discussed: the developing challenge of Big Tech. Useful resources: 1. The Narrow Corridor: How Nations Struggle for Liberty -- Daron Acemoglu and James A Robinson. 2. Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty -- Daron Acemoglu and James A Robinson. 3. Erik Brynjolfsson on the Seco...
2021-08-191h 01
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharErik Brynjolfsson on the Second Machine AgeThe first machine age was about mechanical machines. We now live in a time of thinking machines. Erik Brynjolfsson joins Vasant Dhar in episode 18 of Brave New World to talk about the impact of AI on productivity and inequality -- and to explain why he remains optimistic about the prospects for humans in the AI era. Useful resources: 1. The Second Machine Age -- Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee. 2. Erik Brynjolfsson's website, SSRN page and Google Scholar page. 3. The coming productivity boom -- Erik Brynjolfsson and Georgios Petropoulos 4. Artificial Intelligence and the Modern Productivity Paradox -- Erik Brynjolfsson, Daniel Rock & Chad...
2021-08-0553 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharPeter Railton on Moral IntuitionsHow do we come upon our morality? How much of our moral judgement is intuitive and how much is learned? Moral philosopher Peter Railton joins Vasant Dhar in episode 17 of Brave New World to talk about his thinking in this area -- and also how the fields of ethics and AI are colliding. Useful resources: 1. Facts, Values, and Norms: Essays toward a Morality of Consequence -- Peter Railton. 2. Moral Learning: Conceptual foundations and normative relevance -- Peter Railton. 3. Ethical Learning, Natural and Artificial -- Peter Railton. 4. Ethics of Artificial Intelligence -- S Matthew Liao (Editor) 5. Ca...
2021-07-221h 07
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharSamuel Moyn on Humane WarIs a humane war a contradiction in terms? Can rules be made and followed that limit the damage that wars do, or will that make conflict perpetual? Is it necessary and moral for the USA to continue to be the policeman of the world? Samuel Moyn joins Vasant Dhar in episode 16 of Brave New World to tackle the thorny ethical and practical questions around warfare and terrorism as technologies become more precise and lethal. Useful resources: 1. Humane: How the United States Abandoned Peace and Reinvented War -- Samuel Moyn. 2. Samuel Moyn's books on Amazon.
2021-07-0857 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharNandan Nilekani on an Egalitarian InternetThe internet began with an Age of Innocence, which gave way to the Age of Commerce, driven by the advertising model. Nandan Nilekani joins Vasant Dhar in episode 15 of Brave New World to describe how we have now entered the Age of Geopolitics, in which nation states are jostling for power with big tech companies, while tailoring regulation based on their needs and aspirations. They also discuss Nandan's pioneering role in building India's data empowerment architecture -- which the rest of the world can learn from in designing systems that empower individuals as well as societies. Useful...
2021-06-2452 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharBias, Lies, and DemocracyIs our democracy in peril? What role has the media played in this? What should we do about it? Ali Velshi joins Vasant Dhar in episode 14 of Brave New World to discuss the subtleties of bias, fake news, information consumption and what to do about social media. Useful resources: 1. Ali Velshi on Twitter and Instagram. 2. Understanding QE in the New World -- Episode 10 of Brave New World (w Paul Sheard). 3. How Social Media Threatens Society -- Episode 8 of Brave New World (w Jonathan Haidt). 4. Can a Machine Have Human Values? -- Episode 13 of Brave New...
2021-06-1050 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharCan a Machine Have Human Values?As artificial intelligence gets more and more powerful, the need becomes greater to ensure that machines do the right thing. But what does that even mean? Brian Christian joins Vasant Dhar in episode 13 of Brave New World to discuss, as the title of his new book goes, the alignment problem. Useful resources: 1. Brian Christian's homepage. 2. The Alignment Problem: Machine Learning and Human Values -- Brian Christian. 3. Algorithms to Live By: The Computer Science of Human Decisions -- Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths. 4. The Most Human Human -- Brian Christian. 5. How Social Media Threatens Society -- Episode 8 of Brave New...
2021-05-2759 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharAre We Becoming a New Species?Social media is changing human behavior. How and why are humans being transformed by algorithms? Molly Crockett joins Vasant Dhar in episode 12 of Brave New World to describe her work at the meeting place of technology and morality. Useful resources: 1. Molly Crockett at Yale, Oxford Neuroscience, Google Scholar and Twitter. 2. Crockett Lab. 3. Moral outrage in the digital age -- MJ Crockett. 4. The MAD Model of Moral Contagion: The Role of Motivation, Attention, and Design in the Spread of Moralized Content Online -- William J Brady, MJ Crockett and Jay J Van Bavel. 5. Inference of trustworthiness from intuitive moral judgments...
2021-05-1359 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharThe Future of Liberal EducationIn these polarised times, what should the colleges of tomorrow look like? Michael S Roth, the president of Wesleyan University, joins Vasant Dhar in episode 11 of Brave New World to discuss his vision for liberal education. We should empower individuals, he says, by designing for serendipity. Useful resources: 1. Safe Enough Spaces -- Michael S Roth. 2. Beyond the University -- Michael S Roth. 3. 'Minds Wide Shut' Review: Dogma, Division and Distrust -- Michael S Roth. 4. Forgiveness in an age of cancel culture -- Michael S Roth. 5. Higher Education Must Stand Up for Voting Rights -- Michael S Roth. 6. Reasoning in...
2021-04-291h 03
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharUnderstanding QE in the New WorldCovid was a shock to the global economy. Policy makers have responded with Quantitative Easing. Paul Sheard joins Vasant Dhar in episode 10 of Brave New World to discuss the nuances of QE and its possible impacts. Also discussed: the role of monetary policy in this changing tech landscape, helicopter money and the big question of the 21st century. (Listen to find out!) Useful resources: 1. Quantitative Easing - Explaining It and Dispelling the Myths -- Paul Sheard. 2. MMT (Modern Monetary Theory) – What Is It and Can It Help? -- Paul Sheard. 3. Don't Lose Sleep Over Mounting...
2021-04-151h 12
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharWaiting for Doctor AIArtificial intelligence can transform healthcare -- and the medical profession may be behind the curve. Regina Barzilay joins Vasant Dhar in episode 9 of Brave New World to talk about how doctors, programmers and lawyers need to find a meeting point to make the revolution happen. Useful resources: 1. Regina Barzilay at MIT CSAIL and MIT J-Clinic. 2. A Deep Learning Approach to Antibiotic Discovery -- Regina Barzilay and others. 3. Toward robust mammography-based models for breast cancer risk -- Regina Barzilay and others. 4. Multi-Objective Molecule Generation using Interpretable Substructures -- Regina Barzilay and others. 5. Human and Artifici...
2021-04-0157 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharHow Social Media Threatens SocietyThe internet has changed our lives, mostly for the better. But there is a flip side. Jonathan Haidt joins Vasant Dhar in episode 8 of Brave New World to describe how social media is a threat to democracy and public discourse -- and to the mental health of a generation. Useful resources: 1. The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion -- Jonathan Haidt. 2. The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure -- Jonathan Haidt. 3. The website for The Coddling, especially its suggestions on How To...
2021-03-181h 09
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharThe Nature of IntelligenceTrying to build artificial intelligence can teach us so much about intelligence itself. AI pioneer Yann LeCun, a winner of the Turing Award, joins Vasant Dhar in episode 7 of Brave New World to discuss how the field of AI has evolved and where it is heading. Points of discussion: How machines that perceive the world have turbocharged AI. How one of the biggest challenges in deep learning is common sense. The interface between industry and the academy. And how consciousness may not be a superpower but a reflection of our limitations. Useful resources: 1. Yann LeCun's homepage.
2021-03-041h 06
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharThe China QuestionHow should the Biden administration treat China? The same way the Trump administration did, Peter Berkowitz tells Vasant Dhar in episode 6 of Brave New World. The USA, argues Berkowitz, must not lose sight of its core values as a great democracy. Useful resources: 1. The Elements of the China Challenge -- The Policy Planning Staff, Office of the Secretary of State. 2. Report of the Commission on Unalienable Rights. 3. The Hundred-Year Marathon: China's Secret Strategy to Replace America as the Global Superpower -- Michael Pillsbury.
2021-02-1852 min
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharLaw and Education in Our Modern WorldWe live in a different world than we did 30 years ago. How can law and education adapt to the disruptions of technology and politics? John Sexton joins Vasant Dhar in episode 5 of Brave New World to share his insights as an educator who tried to forge a way ahead. Useful resources: 1. Standing for Reason: The University in a Dogmatic Age -- John Sexton. 2. Baseball as a Road to God: Seeing Beyond the Game -- John Sexton.
2021-02-041h 31
Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant DharHuman and Artificial Intelligence in HealthcareDespite amazing scientific advances, why is our healthcare system failing us today? It is rife with mistakes and lacks care. Can artificial intelligence aid the human touch in healthcare? Eric Topol joins Vasant Dhar in episode 4 of Brave New World to discuss how doctors and machines can come together to improve our lives and move us towards a world of individualized medicine. Useful resources: Deep Medicine by Eric Topol, as well as his other books.
2021-01-2142 min
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit VarmaBrave New WorldIf someone from the year 1990 visited the world of 2020, it would seem magical, even fictional. Vasant Dhar joins Amit Varma in episode 203 of The Seen and the Unseen to talk about how technology will continue to change our world in ways we cannot imagine. Will the future upgrade us -- or will it make us obsolete? Also check out: 1. Vasant Dhar at NYU Stern. 2. Brave New World -- hosted by Vasant Dhar. 3. When Should We Trust Machines? -- Vasant Dhar at TEDxHamilton. 4. Vasant Dhar on machine learning and investing. 5. Vasant Dhar on the Commercialisation of Big Data. 6. The New...
2020-12-132h 46
Raw DataThe Answer MachineGoogle has become our yellow pages, our atlas, our library, our medical consultant, our shopping guide. Which means it is, basically, a giant, virtual confession booth. It knows our most intimate secrets and our most mundane desires. Which has some really amazing upsides; we get a smorgasbord of answers in milliseconds. But behind the scenes of every search, there’s a bidding war going on. Whoever wins that war has the power to shape not just how we spend our money, but also, perhaps, our political views, and maybe even our will to live. We talk to Patrick Berlinquette, a...
2019-09-1927 min
O'Reilly RadarIs 2016 the Year You Let Robots Manage Your Money?In this episode of the O’Reilly Data Show, Ben Lorica sat down with Vasant Dhar, a professor at the Stern School of Business and Center for Data Science at NYU, founder of SCT Capital Management, and editor-in-chief of the Big Data Journal (full disclosure: Lorica is a member of the editorial board). They talked about the early days of A.I. and data mining, and recent applications of data science to financial investing and other domains.
2016-01-1341 min
CIO Talk Network PodcastMeasuring ROU and RON for ITWe justify positive Return on Investment (ROI) for new IT initiatives to make a business case, but what are we doing about discovering and measuring negative Return on Unawareness (ROU) and Return on Negligence (RON)? After all, isn't the net value IT brings based on the ROI - (ROU + RON) formula? Guest 1: lna Kamenz, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Thermo Fisher Scientific Guest Bio: https://www.ciotalknetwork.com/contributor/ina-kamenz/ Guest 2: Vasant Dhar, Paduano Fellow, Professor, Head of the Information Systems Group, and Director for the Center for Digital Economy Research at...
2010-07-2855 min