The State of the World in 2025

This is normally where you’ll find extended versions of Ian Bremmer's interviews from the public television show, but today we're bringing you something a little different. Ian just returned from Tokyo, Japan where he delivered his annual State of the World address to packed audience of diplomats, business leaders, and opinion makers from around the world.Each year, this speech is a chance to take stock of where things stand geopolitically, and today the picture is more uncertain than ever. We’re not just facing new conflicts and crises. We’re facing a deeper transformation of the global order, driven most significantly by the world’s most powerful country stepping back. The United States isn't losing influence because of weakness. It’s walking away by choice.That decision is reshaping alliances, weakening global institutions, and leaving many of America’s closest partners searching for a plan B. In the absence of leadership, the G-Zero world becomes more chaotic, more transactional, and less stable.Host: Ian Bremmer Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Can we align AI with society’s best interests? Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to discuss the risks to humanity and society as tech firms ignore safety and prioritize speed in the race to build more and more powerful AI models. AI is the most powerful technology humanity has ever built. It can cure disease, reinvent education, unlock scientific discovery. But there is a danger to rolling out new technologies en masse to society without understanding the possible risks. The tradeoff between AI’s risks and potential rewards is similar to deployment of social media. It began as a tool to connect people and, in many ways, it did. But it also become an engine for polarization, disinformation, and mass surveillance. That wasn’t inevitable. It was the product of choices—choices made by a small handful of companies moving fast and breaking things. Will AI follow the same path?Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Tristan Harris Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Public disgust with Washington is growing as the government shutdown continues, with both Democrats and Republicans seemingly unwilling to compromise. Is the American political system broken beyond repair? Former GOP fundraiser and chief of staff for Mitch McConnell, Steven Law, joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to discuss the state of America’s political parties ahead of a pivotal midterm election year.While Congress seems more polarized and divided than ever, Law believes that the American public writ large wants leaders who are constructive and unifying, even as they’re prosecuting a strong agenda. But exactly what that agenda is, is what’s unclear. According to Law, the GOP has become the party of Trump while the Democrats are experiencing an identity crisis and period of “massive redefinition.” What should parties focus on ahead of next year’s midterms? Can either side break through the deep polarization in DC to deliver a message that resonates with voters?Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Steven Law Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Investing in health and science research isn’t just about curing diseases. It has huge impacts across society, from creating jobs to driving economic growth to boosting national competitiveness. Study shows that every $ invested in the life sciences industry generates $3 in GDP globally, whereas every job created in the life sciences industry generates five in the global economy. Life sciences are one of the most powerful engines of prosperity, yet many governments still underestimate their economic return.In this episode of The Ripple Effect: Investing in Life Sciences, host Dan Riskin speaks with Patrick Horber, President of Novartis International, and David Gluckman, Vice Chairman of Investment Banking and Global Head of Healthcare at Lazard. Together, they break down the outsized economic impact of life science innovation, from trillions in US bioscience output to China’s meteoric rise as a global R&D hub. The conversation delves into the ways governments can support innovation with not just money, but through policy and regulation; plus, some of the best ways that countries can help the sector secure investment, talent, and long-term growth.This limited series, produced by GZERO’s Blue Circle Studios in partnership with Novartis, examines how life science innovation plays a vital role in fulfilling that commitment. Host: Dan RiskinGuests: Patrick Horber, David Gluckman  Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Militarily, Israel is dominant. Diplomatically, it’s more isolated than ever.This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his fourth trip to the White House since President Trump returned to office, standing beside him to unveil what Trump called a “landmark” Gaza peace proposal. But behind the bold language is a growing distance between Israel and the world. Gaza has been devastated, Hamas is on its heels, and yet, the cost to Israel’s global standing continues to rise.Former US diplomat and Middle East peace negotiator Aaron David Miller joins Ian to unpack the uncomfortable truth: Israel may be winning on the battlefield, but it’s losing support in global capitals, and possibly at home.“Not a single cost or consequence has been imposed by any Arab state on Israel,” Miller says. “They’ve done nothing. The Arab states are running scared of Trump. They’re either afraid of him or they want something from him.”From European governments pulling investments and recognizing Palestinian statehood, to rising grassroots pushback across American campuses, Israel’s brand is eroding—even as Netanyahu locks arms more tightly with Trump.Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Aaron David Miller Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Imagine an economy where products are designed to be reused, repaired, and regenerated instead of ending up as waste. That’s the circular economy, a model that redefines recycling and transforms how small businesses operate.In this episode of Local to Global: The power of small business, host JJ Ramberg sits down with Ellen Jackowski, Chief Sustainability Officer at Mastercard, and Rachel McShane, Chief Financial Officer at Depop, to discuss the scale of the circular economy, why circular practices boost both sustainability and profitability, and where the industry is headed next.From Depop’s sustainable fashion marketplace that empowers small sellers and extends the life of clothing to Mastercard’s digital solutions that enhance the consumer experience and measure impact, the discussion highlights ways entrepreneurs can launch reuse, resale, and take-back programs. The conversation also addresses the pitfalls of greenwashing and the importance of credible, consistent standards.“Local to global: The power of small business” is a new podcast series from GZERO Media's Blue Circle Studios and Mastercard, where we look behind the curtain to explore the world of small businesses and why they’re positioned to play an even bigger role in the future of the global economy. Host: JJ RambergGuests: Ellen Jackowski, Rachel McShane  Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The war in Ukraine has entered a dangerous new phase, with Russia sending bigger, more powerful drone attacks across the border nearly every day. Gone are the tanks, columns of troops, and heavy artillery from the early days of Moscow’s full-scale invasion. Now, tens of thousands of drones swarm Ukraine’s skies at any given moment. Christopher Miller, chief Ukraine correspondent at the Financial Times, joins Ian Bremmer on the GZERO World Podcast to discuss the war’s evolution from a conventional land invasion into a high-tech war of attrition dominated by drones. Artificial intelligence, drones, all types of unmanned vehicles are being used to wage war alongside traditional tanks and artillery. Civilians in Ukraine’s cities are under constant threat from aerial attacks, sheltering in subways and bomb shelters every night. Despite immense resilience, Ukraine’s people are getting exhausted and the country is running out of manpower. How long can Ukraine hold out? Is a diplomatic ceasefire at all a possibility?Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Christopher Miller   Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Wars are raging, tensions are rising, and trust in global institutions is collapsing. From Gaza to Ukraine to Sudan, the world is on fire—and the one institution meant to keep the peace is facing a historic financial crisis.On the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer speaks with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres about the UN’s role in an era of war, division, and dwindling support. With the US cutting funding and other major powers following suit, the UN is preparing to slash its budget by 15%—even as demand for peacekeeping and aid hits record highs.“What’s happening today in Gaza is morally, politically, and legally intolerable” Guterres tells Bremmer. With funding for life-saving aid programs evaporating, the Western-led global order that has kept the world on solid ground since WWII risks failing just when it is needed most. Host: Ian BremmerGuest: António Guterres Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is the clean energy revolution finally here? Over the past few years, the world has experienced a sudden and overwhelming surge in renewable energy installation and generation, outpacing even the most optimistic predictions from experts. This week on the GZERO World Podcast, Ian Bremmer talks to Bill McKibben, an environmentalist and author, about the stakes and scale of the global energy transformation. His new book, Here Comes the Sun, argues renewables aren’t just a climate fix—they’re a political and economic opportunity. But while China and Europe are pushing ahead in the race to power the future, the Trump administration is doubling down on fossil fuels. What happens if the US puts the brakes on clean energy, just as the rest of the world hits the gas? Or rather... plugs in the solar battery? Do we risk being left in the dark?Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Bill McKibben Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the latest episode of the GZERO World podcast, Ian Bremmer talks with world-renowned cancer researcher and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee about the future of medicine—and why artificial intelligence might finally tip the scales in the decades-long war on cancer.Cancer remains the second leading cause of death in the US, killing nearly 1,700 people every day. But Mukherjee says AI is already reshaping the field, from radiology and diagnostics to identifying new carcinogens and designing entirely new cancer drugs. “Every time we do this in collaboration with a machine,” he explains, “the machine learns it, and it learns it forever.”In a wide-ranging conversation, Mukherjee breaks down three major areas where AI is advancing medicine: patient care, data mining, and generative drug development. He also weighs in on early cancer detection, how inflammation may hold the key to understanding new carcinogens, and why this moment may be the most hopeful in half a century of cancer research.Host: Ian BremmerGuest: Siddhartha Mukherjee Subscribe to the GZERO World with Ian Bremmer Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast platform, to receive new episodes as soon as they're published. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.