Pattie Maes brings a unique perspective to the quest to build better machines: she pioneered the concept of the software agent in the 1990s. Ever since - as an entrepreneur and leading MIT academic - she has focused on the mission to help make humans smarter. To augment humanity, not robots. She takes us on her professional journey - from her first company (Agents Inc) to her latest research at MIT. Pattie is focused on how computer systems and digital devices might augment people and assist them with issues such as memory, learning, decision making, health and wellbeing. In 2025 she was recognized with the "Lifetime Achievement Award in Human Computer Interaction" by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). She talked us through her concerns about AI - the sheer power of a technoklogy that is increasingly intermediating between us and the world around us. But it is riddled with bias and prone to hijacking for often nefarious ends. And, as her research shows, humans are very open to simply falling in with this powerful persuasive force. Pattie's words will be important for anyone wondering how to engage with this technology - wise warnings combined with a clear sense of all that should be possible if only we aimed for better. This raises the stakes for Europe - she argues that for reasons both selfish (national security) and idealistic (building a better world) Europe must aspire to take control of its "new utility". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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AI changes everything it touches. For better and for worse. And AI is increasingly touching everything. The Age of Intelligence, recorded from INSEAD, brings together the voices of this new era.
AI is rebalancing the world. Power is shifting — among nations, corporations, and individuals — as trillions in value are created and redistributed. AI is increasingly central to economic and business strategy, geopolitical influence, and the shaping of culture, ideology, and values.
Listen to those leading the change—from academics exploring the boundaries, to entrepreneurs building the future, business leaders reshaping markets, policy-makers tackling the implications, and analysts marvelling at it.
Who will gain most in this unfolding era? What can executives, policymakers, parents, and citizens do to protect and shape their future? How will values and beliefs evolve as education and media are revolutionized? What does this mean for national security, business survival, personal agency – indeed what will it mean to be human?
Guiding you through this conversation are Theos and Tim. Theos Evgeniou is a leading AI academic at INSEAD, entrepreneur, and advisor. Tim Gordon, co-founder at Best Practice AI, is an entrepreneur, adviser and recovering political organiser. They have worked with some of the world’s most sophisticated companies, organisations and governments as they grapple with these questions.
Each episode features a thought-provoking conversation with a remarkable guest – followed by a rapid-fire, high-energy debrief.
We’ll reflect on what it might mean – for you, for your business, and for our world. Grounded in the realities but exploring the opportunities.
Whether you’re building, investing in, or simply trying to make sense of AI and what it may mean for you, this podcast is your backstage pass to the diverse people and ideas driving the most transformative force of our time.
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