S9 Ep6: Microsoft Chief Scientific Officer Eric Horvitz on Preparing for a Future Where AI Increasingly Trains AI

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Eric Horvitz, MD, PhD, chief scientific officer at Microsoft, for a conversation about the rapid evolution of AI and its implications for how we think, work, and make decisions. They discuss the accelerating pace of AI advances, the need to safeguard human judgment and agency, and the growing role of these technologies in health care — from easing administrative burden to supporting complex clinical decisions. They also explore how AI is reshaping scientific discovery and what it will take to guide its development responsibly.

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Dhruv Khullar, MD, contributing writer to The New Yorker and associate professor at the Weill Cornell School of Medicine, for a conversation about AI’s evolving role in health care. They discuss its potential to enhance diagnosis, reduce administrative burden, improve the patient experience, and accelerate drug discovery, while also examining the risks of overreliance and clinician de-skilling. They also explore how AI will reshape medical education, and why communication, trust, and the enduring practice of healing will remain central to the future of medicine.

In this episode of the Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Lucy Shapiro, PhD, for a conversation about how her unconventional thinking unlocked new insights about how bacterial cells behave, fundamentally changing how scientists understand cells and laying the groundwork for systems biology. They explore how her research informed new approaches to treating infections and other diseases, and how these advances opened new paths for developing antibacterial and antifungal drugs to fight superbugs. They also discuss the biological threat posed by antimicrobial resistance and ways that the global community can prepare for the next pandemic.

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Sarah Soule, Dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business, for a conversation about how leaders, organizations, and the GSB itself are evolving in a rapidly changing world. During the GSB’s centennial year, they explore the school’s leadership model — emphasizing self-awareness, perspective taking, communication, and deep listening — and how its entrepreneurial culture has inspired alumni whose bold ideas became transformative companies. They also discuss the future or organizational behavior and her vision for the school’s next chapter, including new initiatives in investing, leadership development, and the future of work and AI.

In this episode of the Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Eric Topol, MD, author of Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity, for a conversation about why immune health may be more important than genetics in promoting healthy aging. They explore how lifestyle factors like sleep, diet, and exercise strengthen the body’s defenses, shaping longevity beyond our genes. They also discuss how emerging technologies, from wearable sensors to genetic risk tools, could make personalized prevention a reality for all. 

In an episode of his Big Idea series, Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Stanford neuroscientist Karl Deisseroth, MD, PhD, for a conversation about how his groundbreaking research is reshaping our understanding of the brain and the experiences that define us as human. They delve into the origins of optogenetics — a revolutionary technology Deisseroth pioneered using light to map how the brain drives emotion and behavior — and they explore his vision for Stanford Medicine’s Human Neural Circuitry research program. Deisseroth also reflects on the beauty of scientific discovery, the role of humility in research, and how advances in brain science are opening new avenues for understanding and treating mental illness.

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Jeremy Kahn, award-winning journalist and AI Editor at Fortune, for a conversation about the transformative potential and societal risks of artificial intelligence. They discuss opportunities for AI to accelerate medical breakthroughs and personalize education, as well as the threat of overreliance on AI to critical thinking, writing, and social skills. They also explore how AI is reshaping jobs and business models, the role of regulation in balancing innovation with safety, and the geopolitical stakes as global competition in AI intensifies.

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Regina Dugan, CEO of Wellcome Leap, for a conversation about how to tackle complex global challenges through bold innovation. They discuss why emotional engagement is essential to achieving scientific progress, how high-risk, high-reward models can translate to health research, and the importance of addressing underfunded areas, such as women’s health. They also explore strategies for removing barriers to innovation and how redefining failure can lead to more meaningful progress.

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes JPMorganChase Vice Chairman Peter Scher for a conversation about the evolving role of corporate responsibility and its intersection with business strategy. They discuss Scher’s leadership in JPMorganChase’s $200 million investment to revitalize the city of Detroit, as well as the firm’s work in other urban environments supporting business and growing communities. They also explore his work with Morgan Health, the firm’s business unit focused on improving the quality and delivery of employer-based health care, and how AI, data, and innovation are reshaping health care.

Dean Lloyd Minor welcomes Thrive Global CEO Arianna Huffington for a conversation about the connection between mental health and physical health and how tiny changes to behavior can have a profound impact. They discuss the transformative moment that led to Arianna’s pivot to wellness in 2016, and they explore the potential for AI to democratize personalized health coaching and make a meaningful difference across communities.