Fortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry

$4 Trillion Savings Gap: TIAA’s CEO on The Retirement Crisis

For more than 100 years, TIAA has helped millions of Americans — from educators to healthcare workers to public servants — turn their savings into guaranteed income they cannot outlive. Today, the company is expanding beyond its traditional 403(b) roots, pioneering lifetime income solutions inside 401(k) plans and using AI to better protect and serve participants. In this episode, Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell sits down with TIAA President and CEO Thasunda Brown Duckett to discuss America’s growing retirement crisis, the importance of lifetime income, and how TIAA is using technology and partnerships to build a more secure future for retirees.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

AI Takeover: Qualcomm’s Big Bet on AI Agents, Robots and 6G | Titans and Disruptors

For over 40 years, Qualcomm technology has powered some of the world’s most transformational technological advancements. Today, the company is moving beyond smartphones, building a future with wearable AI, humanoid robots, and a 6G cellular network. In this episode, Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell speaks with Qualcomm’s President and CEO Cristiano Amon to discuss the company’s commitment to constant reinvention and why Amon is optimistic about the AI revolution. 00:00 Introduction 02:55 Intro to Qualcomm 04:36 Current state of AI 07:38 Amon and 6G 13:30 New relationships with smart devices 20:19 What will be the next smartphone 25:49 Diversifying Qualcomm’s business 30:44 Qualcomm’s culture of reinvention 32:08 Qualcomm’s move into data centers 38:17 Qualcomm robotics 42:51 Trust in AI 46:19 Amon’s techno-optimism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The $8+ Billion Partnership: How Delta and Amex Redefined the Business of Flying | Titans and Disruptors

From one of the largest bankruptcies in U.S. history to leading the industry in market capitalization and premium customer satisfaction, Delta Air Lines has rewritten the business of flying in the last two decades.  In this episode, Fortune's Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell sits down with CEO Ed Bastian at Delta’s Atlanta headquarters to discuss the strategic maneuvers behind the airline’s resurgence. Bastian details his 'people-first' leadership philosophy, the evolution of the lucrative American Express partnership, and his vision for the future of travel, from AI-powered concierge services to the launch of flying taxis. 00:00 Intro 01:36 Advertisement 03:05 Bastian’s personal background 04:21 Executive training at Pepsi 06:14 Uncovering fraud at J. Walter Thompson 07:23 Delta files for bankruptcy 8:08 Bastian’s return to Delta 09:43 Delta’s turnaround playbook 11:37 Delta’s post-bankruptcy restructuring 13:55 Billion-dollar profit-sharing program 15:36 Sharing wealth with employees 16:21 Bastian’s people-first commitment 16:48 Becoming a CEO 17:45 Transitioning from CFO to CEO 19:04 Becoming comfortable as a CEO 19:45 Shifting communication styles as CEO 21:40 Staying in the know 22:13 Leading employees through down times 24:32 Bastian’s no-furlough strategy 26:06 Delta / AMEX partnership 29:14 Credit card interest rates 30:25 Creating brand trust and loyalty 33:39 Delta’s next 100 years 34:14 Balancing AI with people 36:56 Staying updated on AI 38:13 AI’s impact on air travel 39:15 Sustainable travel 40:08 Flying taxis 40:57 Delta’s five-to-ten year strategy 42:04 Bastian’s leadership advice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The end of work: Vinod Khosla's bold AI prediction | Titans and Disruptors

What if AI made your paycheck optional? Vinod Khosla, one of the world's greatest venture capitalists and an early backer of AI, believes the technology will take over 80% of labor, freeing humans to live on passion instead. His track record backs up the boldness, as early bets on OpenAI, DoorDash, Instacart, and Square have made him one of the most consequential investors of our time. In this episode of Titans, Khosla sits down with Fortune Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell to unpack his abundant vision for the AI future, what government policy should tackle for a more equitable 2040, and what the U.S. needs to do to win the global AI race.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Google’s AI boss made OpenAI issue code red. Now he wants to solve disease. | Titans and Disruptors

Google DeepMind founder and CEO Sir Demis Hassabis is a master chess player, a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, and - as of 2024 - a Knight. Today, as a leader within Google’s booming AI team, Hassabis wants to make AI the “engine” driving the entire company. In this episode of Fortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry, Fortune’s Editor-in-Chief Alyson Shontell sits down with Hassabis at the World Economic Forum in Davos to talk about how he and his companies are using AI to cure cancer, build universal agents, and move the world towards a future of “radical abundance.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]