System Change

AI - where do we go from here?

In this episode, recorded in person at Oru Space in London, Sherif sits down with AI researcher Philippe Beaudoin and social entrepreneur Vibushan Thirukumar to explore where artificial intelligence is taking us — and whether we’re steering the wheel or just along for the ride. Recorded 7 July 2025 This is a wide-ranging, reflective conversation about meaning, technology, values, and the future of human flourishing. We cover: * The journey from narrow AI to general intelligence * Why today’s AI is powerful, even without consciousness * AI as alignment partner, not task executor * The future of work and the coming workforce disruption * What AI means for education, especially for young people * The value of authenticity in a world of auto-generated content * Building non-agentic AI: Philippe’s work at nonprofit research lab Law Zero * Community, co-design and place-based futures: Vibushan’s vision through Oru * Why abundance won’t solve inequality without intention Guest Bios Philippe Beaudoin is senior director of research at Law Zero, the new nonprofit AI research lab focused on safety and non-agentic AI. He previously co-founded Element AI, Waverly, and Numeno, and has worked at Google and in academic AI research. Vibushan Thirukumar is co-founder and CEO of Oru Space, a new kind of co-working and wellbeing hub rooted in values, hospitality and intentional design. He’s also a yoga teacher and a fierce advocate for community-driven spaces. Links * ⁠Law Zero⁠ [https://lawzero.org] – AI safety research lab founded by Yoshua Bengio * Oru Space [https://www.oruspace.co] – Co-working, community and wellness spaces * Philippe’s “Field Notes on Something” [https://fieldnotesonsomething.substack.com] – On his evolving relationship with AI

Special Episode - The Next Social Wave

This special episode features the recording of a webinar hosted by the Future of Technology Institute on March 21st, exploring the urgent need for a more open, competitive, and user-controlled social media ecosystem. Moderated by Sherif Elsayed-Ali, the conversation brings together three influential voices shaping the future of the web: * Marietje Schaake – Former MEP, international policy expert, and Stanford fellow * Emily Liu – Head of Special Projects at Blue Sky * Robin Berjon – Eurostack initiative and co-steward of Free Our Feeds Together, they examine the geopolitical urgency of building European tech alternatives, the vision behind Blue Sky and the AT Protocol, and how to build resilient, pluralistic infrastructure for a democratic digital future. Topics Covered: * Why Europe needs its own tech stack and social media infrastructure * The challenges of centralized social platforms and billionaire ownership * Blue Sky’s interoperable, user-first design approach * Free Our Feeds and the push for algorithmic pluralism * Digital infrastructure as a matter of sovereignty and democratic governance * Practical pathways to make the “Open Web Economy” a reality Key Takeaways: * Social media isn’t just media—it’s infrastructure with societal consequences. * Interoperability and user control are key to breaking platform lock-in. * Policy, design, and user experience must converge to enable scalable alternatives. 🔗 Mentioned in the episode: * Future of Technology Institute [https://futureinstitute.tech] * Free Our Feeds [https://futureinstitute.tech/freeourfeeds] * Blue Sky [https://bsky.app] * White paper: The Open Web Economy – Available at futureinstitute.tech [https://futureinstitute.tech]

Cloudy with a Chance of Sovereignty with John Ozbay

In this episode of System Change, Sherif Elsayed-Ali [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherifea/] speaks with John Ozbay [https://johnozbay.com/bio], founder and CEO of Cryptee [https://crypt.ee/], about the political, technical, and design dimensions of cloud computing and digital sovereignty in Europe. From John’s personal journey—from Carnegie Mellon to founding Cryptee in Estonia—to his unexpected foray into EU policy advocacy, the conversation dives deep into the monopolistic grip of American cloud giants, the systemic disadvantages facing European alternatives, and why a sovereign European cloud is not only necessary, but possible. They cover the mechanics of web apps, the dangers of app store control, and how Cryptee and others helped reverse Apple’s attempt to disable web apps on iOS. Together, they reflect on the feasibility of building a European AWS—one that is fast, interoperable, and sovereign—and what policy, funding, and infrastructure changes are needed to make that vision real. Guest: 👤 John Ozbay — Founder & CEO of Cryptee [https://crypt.ee/], open web advocate, composer, and designer. Topics Covered * What is “the cloud” really * Why Cryptee is based in Estonia: encryption, sovereignty, and infrastructur * The Apple web app controversy and successful advocacy with Open Web Advocac * Why hyperscalers like AWS, Azure, and GCP are problematic for Europe’s autonom * The myth of “sovereign cloud” as just physical data centers in Europ * The gaps in Europe’s cloud stack: from serverless to auth to transactional emai * Why subsidies, procurement, and patient investment are needed to level the playing fiel * The case for a European AWS vs. federated cloud approache * Talent in Europe: abundance of capability, but systemic scale limitation * The hopeful path forward for European cloud infrastructure Links: * Cryptee [https://crypt.ee/] * Open Web Advocacy [https://open-web-advocacy.org/] * EU Digital Markets Act (DMA) [https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/index_en]

The Dark Side of Adtech

In this episode of the System Change Podcast, host Sherif Elsayed-Ali discusses the complexities of digital advertising with guests Cori Crider and Robin Berjon. They explore the significance of ad tech, the implications of Google's monopoly in the advertising ecosystem, and the potential future of advertising models. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by the media industry due to monopolistic practices and the need for structural changes to ensure fair competition and innovation in the digital space. Recorded May 15, 2025 Takeaways * Digital advertising generates $600 billion a year. * Google dominates multiple layers of the ad tech ecosystem. * The current ad system subsidizes low-quality content. * Antitrust cases against Google aim to break its monopoly. * The death of journalism is linked to Google's ad practices. * European regulators are hesitant to confront Google. * Innovation is stifled by monopolistic practices. * A public interest ad exchange could benefit all stakeholders. * The chilling effect of monopoly prevents collective action. * The future of news relies on breaking up monopolies.

Special Episode - Global Disruption and the Future of European Tech

This is special episode, recording of a webinar by the Future of Technology Institute. In a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, Europe faces critical decisions about its technological future. Our first episode was recorded on the week President Trump announced unprecedented tariffs on the rest of the world and bringing an even greater sense of urgency. We discuss the future of European Tech, the challenges startups face, the problems with how Europe invests and the changes we urgently need. This Episode's guests: * Agata C. Hidalgo [https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7317554707042848768/?author=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_company%3A105246867#] - European Affairs Lead, France Digitale [https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7317554707042848768/?author=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_company%3A105246867#] * Ashish Mohite [https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7317554707042848768/?author=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_company%3A105246867#] - Co-founder & CTO, Hyperion Robotics [https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7317554707042848768/?author=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_company%3A105246867#] * Felix Styma [https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7317554707042848768/?author=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_company%3A105246867#] - Managing Partner, iconomy [https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7317554707042848768/?author=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_company%3A105246867#] & Senior Advisor at the Innovate Europe Foundation (IE.F) [https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7317554707042848768/?author=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_company%3A105246867#] * Pierre-Carl Langlais [https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7317554707042848768/?author=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_company%3A105246867#] - Co-founder, pleias [https://www.linkedin.com/article/edit/7317554707042848768/?author=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_company%3A105246867#] If you want to learn more about the challenges facing European tech, and the changes needed to support the continent's innovators, check out the Future of Technology Institute's report Breaking down barriers to growth for tech and AI startups in Europe at https://futureinstitute.tech/ This podcast is in an experimental phase. We are trying different formats, always prioritizing deep insights and rich discussion. We welcome all comments and suggestions - please email us at info@futureinstitute.tech or reach out on Linkedin.