S12E4: Military AI and the Rise of Apocalyptic Narratives with Elke Schwarz

Send us a textFresh off the 2025 Utah AI Summit, Utah’s Department of Commerce director Margaret Busse joins us to break down what really happened when policymakers, educators, and tech leaders came together to imagine a Pro Human future. We talk standout moments, surprises, and why Utah’s new Office of AI Policy is getting national attention. This conversation offers a clear view into how Utah is positioning itself at the forefront of responsible AI leadership.Links:Margaret Busse Utah Office of Artificial Intelligence Policy Utah AI Summit 

Send us a textCaryn Lusinchi returns to unpack a whirlwind week in AI policy across the EU and the United States. We break down the European Commission's new Digital Omnibus proposals and a leaked US executive order that aims to rein in state-level AI rules, looking at what these moves could mean for companies, regulators, and the future of AI governance. A fast-moving and timely conversation at the crossroads of technology, law, and society."Links:Digital Omnibus Regulation ProposalLaunching the Genesis MissionWhat the leaked AI executive order tells us about the Big Tech power grab

Send us a textIn this episode, Medlir sits down with Dr. Elke Schwarz—Professor of Political Theory at Queen Mary University of London and author of Death Machines: The Ethics of Violent Technologies—to explore how AI is transforming not only the tools of war, but the very way we understand conflict, responsibility, and humanity itself. We also explore the rise of apocalyptic narratives surrounding AI—what Dr. Schwarz calls “techno-eschatology.” Why are end-times stories so dominant in our cultural imagination? What political possibilities do they shut down?Links:Eichmann’s inheritance – On AI and autonomous weapons in a darkening worldGaza war: Israel using AI to identify human targets raising fears that innocents are being caught in the netBeyond Law: Reaffirming the Centrality of Ethics in WarThe (im)possibility of responsible military AI governanceFrom blitzkrieg to blitzscaling: Assessing the impact of venture capital dynamics on military normsThe Silicon Valley venture capitalists who want to ‘move fast and break things’ in the defence industryConjuring the End: Techno-eschatology and the Power of Prophecy

Send us a textIn this episode, Eugene Tan from RSIS Singapore and Chris explore how advances in aviation technology are transforming our airspace. With cargo drones and urban air taxis taking to the skies, how will an increasing number of autonomous or remotely piloted aircraft safely share the airspace with traditional aviation? What new security, privacy, and safety risks do such air mobility systems bring? And how will regulatory and governance regimes adapt to these challenges? Show Notes: https://www.caas.gov.sg/who-we-are/newsroom/Detail/asia-pacific-region-adopts-reference-materials-for-the-regulation-of-air-taxis-and-drones https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-low-altitude-economy-air-taxi-drones-policy-regulations-5419456 https://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/content/001757082.pdfhttps://www.euronews.com/2025/11/05/latest-drone-sightings-force-flight-cancellations-at-belgiums-main-airportThis episode is part of a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) 25K04983 project “Global Governance of Civil Aviation in the Indo-Pacific” 2025-2027

Send us a textPolitical anthropologist Eduardo Albrecht joins us to explore how artificial intelligence is quietly transforming the way governments think, decide, and rule. From the rise of “political machines” to the idea of a new Third House of democracy, we unpack what happens when citizens become data—and how power itself is being rewritten in the age of automation.Links:https://eduardoalbrecht.com/Political Automation: An Introduction to AI in Government and Its Impact on Citizens

Send us a textIn this episode, Chris Lamont sits down with Oscar Avatare and Akshay Chalana, co-founders of Saphira AI, for an in-depth exploration of AI robotics transitioning from controlled laboratory environments into complex, real-world applications. Drawing on their experience building hardware controls and virtualization systems for companies including Tesla and Amazon, as well as their work on Hyperloop technology—where they worked on challenges like making propulsion, braking, and electronics function in vacuum chambers—Oscar and Akshay examine the critical challenges of establishing robust safety frameworks and industry standards for autonomous systems operating in unpredictable settings. The conversation also delves into how geopolitical tensions and international competition are reshaping the global robotics landscape, influencing both technological development priorities and regulatory approaches across different regions.Links: https://blog.saphira.ai/mobile-robot-safety-standards-understanding-iso-3691-4-(driverless-industrial-trucks)-and-r15-08-(industrial-mobile-robots)-implementation/#1-a-shifting-landscape-in-safety-standardshttps://www.reuters.com/sports/robots-race-play-football-crash-collapse-chinas-robot-olympics-2025-08-15/

Send us a textWhy do people sometimes trust AI—even when it's prone to error? In this episode, Medlir explores this question and more with business communication expert Peter Cardon, author of Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World and co-author of Business and Professional Communication: Putting People First. They dive into how AI is reshaping interpersonal relationships, communication, and public confidence in institutions. From emotional authenticity to regulatory challenges, this conversation unpacks the complex ways AI is influencing how we connect, believe, and lead.Links:Peter W. CardonArticles by Peter Cardon2025 Edelman Trust Barometer

Send us a textFour years ago, two Tokyo-based academics and a Diogenes-inspired persona sparked a conversation that became The Age of AI podcast. Today we celebrate our 100th episode—a milestone reflecting on humanity's journey through the LLM explosion, AI's disruptive rise, and the ethical crossroads we now face. Our co-host Young Diogenes, re-trained and more philosophical than ever, is asked a deceptively simple question: "In a world increasingly shaped by machine logic, what makes us human?"From civilizational myopia to AI governance challenges, from ChatGPT's impact on how we think and learn, to speculation about AI running for office, this episode captures both the promise and peril of our AI-shaped future, as well as suggestions by YD on how to potentially avoid a negative future. Whether you've been with us since the beginning or are discovering us now, join us in exploring what it means to stay human in the age of artificial intelligence.Two Types of AI Existential Risk: Decisive and AccumulativeThe Gentle Singularity - Sam AltmanExistential Threat of Generative AI - ChatGPT and Generative AI Legal Research Guide - LibGuides at University of Arizona Law Library#AIGovernance #AIEthics #AIandSociety #FutureOfAI #AIPhilosophy #AgeOfAI #Podcast #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #LLM #Diogenes #TechEthics #FutureOfAI #AIandSociety #AI2030 #AIoptimism #AIgovernance

Send us a textWhat does it mean for Europe to be digitally sovereign in a world dominated by tech giants and geopolitical power struggles? In this episode, Oskar Gstrein joins Chris to unpack that question. Against the backdrop of U.S.-China tech competition and shifting global alliances, they explore the boundaries of digital sovereignty and delve into the emerging idea of data autonomy as a guiding principle for Europe’s digital strategy. Links:https://pure.rug.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/1189676103/EERR2023028.pdfhttps://dig.watch/updates/denmark-moves-to-replace-microsoft-software-as-part-of-digital-sovereignty-strategy 

Send us a textWith the Trump administration reversing previous US AI strategy with a focus on security and US-China competition, Chris sits down with Medlir and Caryn at the Global Governance Institute in Brussels to analyze the new administration's approaches to AI. Links:https://www.justsecurity.org/113944/what-comes-next-after-trumps-ai-deals-in-the-gulf/https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/679852/trump-ai-safety-institute-name-mission-change