Age of AI

Hosted by Medlir Mema, Chris Lamont, and Young Diogenes. Art by Aubrie Mema.

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Episodes

122

Latest episode

Jul 2026

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EN-US

About the show

A podcast on the impact of emerging technologies in transforming politics, law, and society. Hosted by Medlir Mema, Chris Lamont, and Young Diogenes. Website: http://www.ageofaipodcast.com/ X.com: @MedlirM and @ck_lamont. #IR #AI #International Relations #Artificial Intelligence #Law #Podcast

Listen to episodes

60 recent

July 26, 2026Episode 750 min

S14E7: Is AI Governable?

In this episode of Age of AI, we speak with Branka Panic about the first-ever UN Global Dialogue on AI Governance, where representatives from nearly 170 countries gathered in Geneva to discuss the future of global AI policy. Drawing on her firsthand experience at the conference, Branka explains what happened beyond the official speeches, why many participants questioned whether the event truly fostered dialogue, and what the discussions revealed about the growing divide between AI leaders and the Global South.We explore the challenges of building international consensus, the findings of the UN's new Scientific Panel on AI, and whether global institutions can keep pace with one of the fastest-moving technologies in history. If AI is reshaping the world, who gets to write the rules? Links:Global Dialogue on AI Governance AI For Good SummitGeneva Digital WeekAI For Peace Twenty-nine countries sign agreement to establish global AI cooperation body

July 13, 2026Episode 627 min

S14E6: Who Pays for the Cloud? The Politics of AI Infrastructure and Data Centers

AI may appear immaterial, but the cloud has a physical footprint. In this episode of Age of AI, Ford Copple joins us to discuss the data centers behind artificial intelligence, including their economic benefits, energy and water demands, local impacts, and the policy choices communities face as AI infrastructure expands.Links:Building a Human-CenteredDigital Future Sutherland Institute releases AI data center research in new series on technology policy https://www.datacenterpolicy.com

June 29, 2026Episode 528 min

S14E5: Putting the Pieces Together - How Can AI Help Communities Make Decisions?

In this episode, Medlir is joined by Clara Long, a human rights lawyer turned democracy strategist and co-lead of BLOOM. We discuss why public deliberation matters in an age of polarization and disinformation, how technology can support rather than replace civic judgment, and what it takes to help communities reason and decide together across difference.Bloom ProjectAI & Our CommunitiesAI and the Future of Our CommunitiesThe American Public Trust

June 15, 2026Episode 434 min

S14E4: Trump’s New AI Strategy With Adam Billen

In this episode, host Medlir Mema sits down with Adam Billen, Co-Executive Director of Encode, to examine a surprising shift in U.S. AI policy. They discuss the Trump administration's recent efforts to establish a federal framework for frontier AI models, expand AI's role in national security, and limit state-level regulation. The conversation explores what these developments reveal about Washington's evolving approach to artificial intelligence, the changing relationship between government and AI companies, and the challenges of balancing innovation and security in the age of AI.Links:https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/06/promoting-advanced-artificial-intelligence-innovation-and-security/https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/06/national-security-presidential-memorandum-nspm-11/https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/12/eliminating-state-law-obstruction-of-national-artificial-intelligence-policy/https://encodeai.org

May 31, 2026Episode 334 min

S14E3: Michael Toscano on Pope Leo XIV’s AI Encyclical

Michael Toscano joins Age of AI to discuss Pope Leo XIV’s first AI encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas. The conversation explores human dignity, digital dependency, family life, AI personhood, and why the Vatican believes the future of artificial intelligence is ultimately a question about what it means to be human.Links:https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.htmlhttps://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15051891_rerum-novarum.htmlhttps://ifstudies.org/family-first-technology-initiativehttps://ifstudies.org/report-brief/high-tech-low-play-the-life-of-american-childrenhttps://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-05/pope-leo-xiv-encyclical-magnifica-humanitas-ai.htmlhttps://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/idols-of-the-valley

May 18, 2026Episode 222 min

S14E2: The Last Human Marketer with Josh Porter

AI is supposed to make marketing easier. So why are so many companies more confused about their messaging than ever? In this episode, Medlir talks with Josh Porter — author of The Last Human Marketer — about what he calls "drowning in automation": the paradox where scaling content and tools produces less clarity, not more. Josh makes the case that human judgment in positioning isn't a legacy constraint — it's a competitive edge. He also introduces the "Customer Connect Code," his framework for translating complex AI products into language that actually lands with buyers.Link:The Last Human Marketer

May 10, 202629 min

S14E1: Valerie Hudson on Tech Lords, Democracy, and AI Governance

To open Season 14 of Age of AI, and to mark the podcast’s 5-year anniversary, we are joined by Dr. Valerie Hudson for a wide-ranging conversation on AI, governance, and the future of political order. Drawing on her decades of work at the intersection of international relations and emerging technology, Dr. Hudson reflects on how we arrived at this moment, the risks of concentrated technological power, and what a more democratic future for AI might require.Links:The Oxford Handbook of AI GovernanceOpinion: The reckoning that came for social media will come for AI and prediction markets, tooOpinion: Our tech lords have plans for us, and they’re chillingOpinion: The irony of Anthropic’s stand Perspective: Both Democrats and Republicans oppose a ban on state AI regulation. Why is it still being considered? An Avoidable ApocalypseArtificial Intelligence And International PoliticsSpecial Announcement: the AI Ethics and Governance Institute is organizing the AI Law & Governance Conference (ALGO 2026), an immersive executive program taking place September 8-10, 2026, in Istanbul, Turkey. Organized in collaboration with two leading AI law firms, Kirton/McConkie and Clarion AI Partners, the program is designed for lawyers, corporate governance officials, government officials, and graduate students. For more information, please visit the AI Ethics and Governance Institute website: aegixinstitute.org

April 19, 2026Episode 827 min

S13E8: What’s Driving the AI Economy?

In this episode, Catherine Bracy, Founder and CEO of TechEquity and author of World Eaters, joins Medlir to examine how the venture capital model shapes not just startups, but the broader economy. From labor disruption and “ghost workers” to the growing concentration of power in the AI stack and the transformation of housing markets through tech platforms, the discussion explores how innovation, capital, and inequality intersect. Grounded in TechEquity’s work, the episode also considers what meaningful intervention could look like, and whether it is possible to steer technological progress toward more equitable outcomes.Links:Catherine Bracy The tech industry's growth should benefit everyone.World Eaters | How Venture Capital is Cannibalizing the Economy Privacy, Technology, and Fair Housing – In a nutshell AI & Workforce Development – November 2025 Report

April 6, 2026Episode 735 min

S13E7: Surprising Risks in Artificial Intelligence

Caryn Lusinchi, Young Diogenes, and Medlir are back to unpack the rapidly shifting landscape of AI safety following the IASEAI Conference in Paris. They explore how AI risk is evolving beyond technical challenges into global coordination problems, especially as systems become autonomous and agentic. From “synthetic outlaws” and shifting accountability, to emerging economic disruption and geopolitical competition, the discussion highlights how current governance frameworks are designed for humans, and struggling to keep pace. The episode closes by examining the unresolved gap between accelerating AI capabilities and fragmented global oversight. This raises a central question: is AI safety becoming a tool for protection, control -- both?Links:IASEAI’26 Conference AEGIX AE Ethics & Governance Institute

March 22, 2026Episode 632 min

S13E6: Inside America’s AI Policy Divide with Trooper Sanders

Trooper Sanders joins the show for a wide-ranging conversation on artificial intelligence and its effects on the economy, governance, and everyday life. Drawing on his experience advising on national AI policy, Sanders walks through the White House's new AI framework and the competing legislation it faces, unpacking the key tensions between innovation, safety, and federal versus state authority — and making the case that AI policy ranks among the defining societal challenges of our time, comparable to the great turning points in American history.Links:White House National Policy FrameworkBlackburn Omnibus AI Bill