Some experts say Artificial Intelligence will wipe out millions of jobs, but others argue these jobs weren’t very interesting to start off with – hence, AI will actually free humans to do more exciting, creative work. Top US computer scientist Professor Suresh Venkatasubrmanian says the problem isn’t the software, it is the humans behind the software and how we users decide to use the technology. This episode of In Conversation was first broadcast on 29th March 2023. See...

Trade between the US and China hit a record high in 2022 despite hostile political rhetoric between the world’s two biggest economies. So why are American companies in China turning wary?  The American Chamber of Commerce in China represents 900 US firms And has been surveying its members on the business climate in China for 25 years. Their most recent survey says that its members are revising their investment plans for China, with some even opting to decrease their investment overall. What...

The world may have just come out of the COVID crisis, but the Wharton School Dean says we shouldn’t rest yet.  The next crisis is coming and the business leaders who have learned from crises past to prepare for the next one will come out on top. A conversation with Erika James in this interview.  This episode of In Conversation was first broadcast on 15th March 2023.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In India, family businesses account for over two-thirds of the country's GDP. Strong brands, resilient to recession, trusted by generations of consumers. But are they immune to downfall? Following a searing report by US short seller Hindenburg Research, the Adani Group, one of India’s largest family conglomerates, saw shares of its flagship company fall more than 50 percent, losing tens of billions of dollars in value and sending India’s stock market reeling. Aswath Damodaran, finance...

Amongst the food and beauty content on the internet, hide violent, extremist videos. Should social media companies stop terrorist videos, or is taking care of the internet the job of the police? Tom Wheeler, the former head of US internet watchdog the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), answers these questions and more in this interview.  This episode of In Conversation was first broadcast on 22nd February 2023.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hong Kong is gearing up to become Asia’s crypto capital and restore its former glory as the financial hub of Asia. But after the horrific year that 2022 has been for crypto, including the collapse of Hong Kong-founded FTX, the exodus of finance talent during COVID, and the uncertainty of the new National Security Law, it’s looking to be a tough road ahead. Christopher Hui, Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury, tackles the tough questions in this interview. This episode...

Two years after the military coup, Myanmar remains in civil war. Little progress has been made on ASEAN’s Five Point Consensus, knocked out two months after the coup to try and end the violence. What can ASEAN do to end the crisis in Myanmar? And will the recently announced 2023 election in Myanmar be a sham election? Hear from Marty Natalegawa, Former Indonesian Foreign Minister, in this interview.    This episode of In Conversation was first broadcast on 1st February 2023.    See...

Finland. The small Nordic country of just 5.5 million people shares a land border of over 1000 kilometres with Russia, its much larger neighbour. Finland walked a precarious path of neutrality before Russia invaded Ukraine. Now, it wants to join the defence pact NATO to protect itself – a move Putin calls a military threat. Is Finland being safe or being aggressive? Hear from Alexander Stubb, former Finnish prime minister, in this interview. This episode of In Conversation was first...

Why would someone buy a television when they don’t have enough money for food? And why do students from poor backgrounds seem to struggle in school? By asking deceivingly simple questions like these about the choices that poor people make, Esther Duflo found some surprising answers that have revolutionised the field of development economics. Hear from the youngest ever co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics in this interview. This episode of In Conversation was first broadcast on 13th...

In recent years, Australia and China have clashed over issues ranging from COVID-19 to Huawei, including a two-year diplomatic freeze between the two countries. Can Canberra's new leadership successfully thaw the frosty relations? Hear from Australia's Foreign Minister, Penny Wong, in this interview. This episode of In Conversation was first broadcast on 13th July 2022. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil prices have been soaring as countries around the world emerge out of the pandemic, with businesses returning to production, and consumers shopping and travelling again. Are we headed for another energy crisis? And what will this mean for the environment? Hear from Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), in this interview. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.