Technology Futurist, Geopolitics Expert, Entrepreneur, Sci-Fi Novelist, Keynote Speaker
I believe most patriotic Americans are, like me, sick and tired of watching dangerous extremists on both sides of the political spectrum tear our country apart. The vast majority of us believe in America and want to work together to build a better future for everyone. But the voice of this broad American majority will not be heard, and its hopes will not be realized, unless we organize. What…
If you slept through the burning bush last week, don t feel bad. Most people did. Buried beneath the daily avalanche of politics, markets, wars, celebrity scandals, and World Cup drama was one of the most important scientific advances in recent memory described in a remarkable new preprint from synthetic biologists at the University of Minnesota. A few headlines claimed scientists had created…
Most Americans have probably never heard of the New World screwworm and, judging by the name, would be forgiven for thinking it was the title of an adult film rather than a flesh-eating parasite capable of causing billions of dollars in damage to America s livestock industry. Unfortunately, the screwworm is very real. This parasite s larvae burrow into the living tissue of cattle, wildlife, pets,…
For three decades, I have been making what was once a controversial argument. Humanity is moving toward a future in which we will possess increasingly powerful abilities to read, write, and rewrite the genetic code of life, including our own. The essential question for us is whether we can learn to deploy these rapidly advancing technologies wisely to ensure that the benefits outweigh the harms.…
I trust you have heard about Pope Leo’s just released Papal Encyclical. Entitled Magnifica Humanitas , or “Magnificent Humans” in English, the lengthy document outlines principles for “safeguarding the human person in the time of Artificial Intelligence.” It’s quite a beautiful and moving document, which you can read in full at this link . As a humanist to my core, I strongly agree that the AI…
You may have heard about how former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and others giving graduation speeches referencing the upside potential of AI were booed by students. These boos reflect the growing anxieties about AI that are rapidly gaining ground in our society. I had the pleasure of joining Fox & Friends this morning to discuss why. A recent poll found that 71% of Americans believe AI development is…
NOTE: This post was originally published on April 16, 2020 and has been updated regularly. Many people have reached out to me questioning the assertion I have been making since early 2020 that the most likely starting point of the coronavirus crisis is an accidental leak from one of the Chinese virology institutes in Wuhan (see this CNN interview , this Newsweek editorial , this WSJ editorial ,…
Today I overnighted the following letter to David Marriott and the other members of the Marriott International Board of Directors. *** David S. Marriott, Chairman Anthony G. Capuano, President and Chief Executive Officer Isabella D. Goren Deborah Marriott Harrison Frederick A. Henderson Lauren R. Hobart Grant F. Reid Horacio D. Rozanski Susan C. Schwab Aylwin B. Lewis Margaret McCarthy Sean…
A recent US federal court decision allowing the state of Texas to require public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms has reignited a long-standing debate about the role of religion in public life. At one level, the case turns on familiar constitutional principles regarding the separation of “church and state.” At another, it forces a more fundamental question about whose moral…
In The AI Ten Commandments , I describe how all of our religious and spiritual traditions have been enabled by and mediated through technology. Controlling fire gave us the ability to process food outside of our bodies, freeing energy that would otherwise have gone to digestion to instead support our very demanding human brains. Without that, our ancestors would never have achieved the levels of…