Imagine This...

BONUS EPISODE: Working with AI Agents

We just closed the books on Imagine This season two and the series. But we aren’t done quite yet! In this bonus episode, we're going to peel back the curtain and speak with Bill Moore and GENE about working with agents, what we've learned, and where all of this is heading. Learn More:  Are AI Agents the Future? https://www.bcg.com/capabilities/artificial-intelligence/ai-agents This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

If AGI’s a No-Show, What Comes Next? (First Aired: May 28, 2025)

The most enthusiastic AI evangelists say that in the not-too-distant future bots with artificial general intelligence (AGI) will match—or even exceed—the cognitive abilities of humans on pretty much any task. But what if we don’t reach that elusive goal? BCG’s Noah Broestl imagines how AI will nonetheless continue to evolve in amazing ways, yielding a proliferation of specialized models each with its own specific advantages. These models will be much more accurate, and they will feature advances in safety, transparency, and efficiency. Learn More: Noah Broestl: https://on.bcg.com/4mtes1N [https://on.bcg.com/4mtes1N] BCG’s Latest Thinking on AI: https://on.bcg.com/4jnOLNz [https://on.bcg.com/4jnOLNz] You Won’t Get GenAI Right If You Get Human Oversight Wrong: https://on.bcg.com/45rTvyj [https://on.bcg.com/45rTvyj] GenAI Will Fail. Prepare for It: https://on.bcg.com/4kx8ECP [https://on.bcg.com/4kx8ECP] The AI Instant Skills Boost: What CEOs Need to Know: https://on.bcg.com/4jnE8dJ [https://on.bcg.com/4jnE8dJ] This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Will Free Trade Unleash Africa’s Full Potential?

For decades, Africa has exported critical raw materials to the rest of the world. But the African Continental Free Trade Agreement promises to help the continent capture more value from its natural resources. The AfCFTA will create a single market where goods and services flow freely between commodity-rich African nations and more industrialized ones. At the same time, Africa is poised to finally achieve universal access to reliable power. BCG’s Tolu Oyekan looks at what these developments mean for Africa—and for the rest of the world.  Learn More:  Tolu Oyekan: https://on.bcg.com/3KLu56U [https://on.bcg.com/3KLu56U]  Africa Unleashed: Powering Prosperity Through Energy Access: https://on.bcg.com/4pjj0ZK [https://on.bcg.com/4pjj0ZK]  Africa Unleashed: Bridging Africa’s Infrastructure Execution Gap: https://on.bcg.com/4rKhQbe [https://on.bcg.com/4rKhQbe]  Chapters  00:00-02:10 The scenario: The value of Pan-African trade has exploded  02:11-03:01 Where does intra-African trade stand today?  03:02-03:50 How will Africa plug into future global supply chains?  03:51-05:10 What is the current impact of AfCFTA?  05:11-05:42 How to address skepticism   05:43-07:40 What could an African renaissance look like?  07:41-10:21 How will AI’s power be harnessed across Africa?  10:22-11:03 Bill and GENE Teaser  11:04-14:20 The future of Africa’s energy infrastructure  14:21-15:40 Where will investments come from?  15:41-17:11 Will red tape hold back advancing electricity in Africa?  17:12-19:20 What role will sustainable energy play?  19:21-20:34 How to innovate around existing infrastructure challenges?  20:35-22:07 Curveball: What could prevent this future?  22:08-23:19 What is one no-regret move CEOs can make now?  23:20-27:29 Bill and GENE: Creating a Pan-African battery company.  27:30-28:14 Outro This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

K-Pop Is Just the Start: How Asia Will Reshape Global Culture

For more than a century, Western technology, media, and cultural exports have wielded outsized influence around the globe. But over the past decade, Asian entrepreneurs and artists have started to give their Western counterparts a run for their money. BCG’s Neeraj Aggarwal explores how Asia’s influence could evolve over the next decade to rival the West’s—and how companies can strategically position themselves now to seize new opportunities.    Learn More:  Neeraj Aggarwal: https://on.bcg.com/3LVoawo [https://on.bcg.com/3LVoawo]  The Five Forces Shaping Asia-Pacific’s New Powerhouses: https://on.bcg.com/4p5bGB4 [https://on.bcg.com/4p5bGB4]  Chapters  00:00- 02:16 The scenario: Asia’s influence is on near-equal footing with the West 02:17-03:24 What forces are converging to extend the global reach? 03:25-04:02 What about capital for creatives and entrepreneurs? 04:03-06:21 Where will rebalancing be most evident now and in the future? 06:22-07:33 Will entrenched legacy thinking slow the West? 07:34-09:00 What role does AI play in the impact of the East and West? 09:01-10:26 To what degree is the Asian diaspora driving the rebalancing trend? 10:27-11:37 What is the role of global native entrepreneurs in this rebalancing? 11:38-12:58 Does a multipolar world work for or against global natives? 12:59-13:32 Bill and GENE Teaser 13:33-15:54 Will companies see rebalancing in the flow of talent? 15:55-18:31 Implications for Western companies in this global rebalancing 18:32-21:28 Will we see more fracturing and censorship? 21:29-23:00 If AI ecosystems become siloed, what is the impact on cultural exports? 23:01-24:06 What could upend this future? 24:07-25:25 What is one no-regret move CEOs can make now? 25:26-27:52 Bill and GENE: Creating the next K-pop blockbuster 27:52-28:36 Outro This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

The Future of Trade: How Will Multinational CEOs Succeed?

As regional trading blocs emerge, today’s multinational playbooks will become increasingly obsolete. Marc Gilbert, BCG’s Global Lead for its Center for Geopolitics, unpacks what every CEO needs to know to master the multi-polar world, from what winning looks like to navigating local rules, preferences and politics without losing the global edge.    Learn More:  Marc Gilbert: https://on.bcg.com/4p2KjqP [https://on.bcg.com/4p2KjqP]  What’s in Your Tariff Response Toolkit?: https://on.bcg.com/47z0M03 [https://on.bcg.com/47z0M03]  Services Are the New Fault Lines in Global Trade: https://on.bcg.com/43hUsaM [https://on.bcg.com/43hUsaM]  BCG on International Trade: https://on.bcg.com/3JBZoAB [https://on.bcg.com/3JBZoAB]  Bonus Content on Trade and Tariffs: https://youtu.be/08RH9rSjH5Y [https://youtu.be/08RH9rSjH5Y] Chapters  00:00-01:38 The scenario: The multinational has become regional  01:39-02:57 The current state of trade and tariffs  02:58-04:25 How are CEOs navigating geopolitical risk?  04:26-06:59 What are command centers and how are leaders using them?  7:00-08:11 How do CEOs focus on long-term value during turbulence?  08:12-10:18 What major trade blocs could emerge in the future?  10:19-11:54 Will companies need to restructure to thrive?  11:55-12:57 How will companies adapt?  12:58-13:53 Which industries are likely to be most disrupted?  13:54-14:33 Bill and GENE Teaser  14:34-16:39 How can companies acquire the best talent?  16:40-17:34 How can companies insure they have the best AI talent?  17:35-19:21 How would regulation develop in this new world?  19:22-20:10 How should companies think about their headquarters?  20:11-21:11 Will local wins cannibalize global value?  21:12-22:39 How will trade disputes be handled?  22:40-23:51 What scenarios could disrupt this future?  23:52-25:47 What is one no-regret move CEOs can make now?  25:48-28:34 Bill and GENE: Building apps with no experience using AI  28:35-29:18 Outro  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp