What happens when artificial intelligence stops being something we use and starts becoming something that shapes who we are?Julian sits down with Ramesh Raskar for a hopeful, wide-ranging conversation about where AI is actually headed and where it should go. Instead of leaning into the usual doomsday fears, they talk about a different risk, a future where intelligence is centralized, creativity is squeezed out, and people slowly lose their sense of purpose.They discuss what an “agentic” future could look like, one where everyone has their own AI agent working on their behalf, not owned by a company but shaped by personal values, goals, and lived experience. They talk about how this could transform healthcare, education, and work, not by replacing humans, but by amplifying what makes human contribution meaningful. There’s a strong emphasis on dignity, pride in craft, and why losing those things could be more damaging than job loss itself.Ramesh Raskar is an MIT professor, researcher, and inventor whose work spans artificial intelligence, imaging, robotics, and decentralized systems. He has led research teams at Google, Facebook, and Apple, and focuses on building human-centered AI technologies designed to support shared prosperity.What You’ll Learn:Why centralized AI risks reducing human agency and purposeHow decentralized AI agents could reshape work, education, and healthcareThe difference between efficiency-driven AI and human-centered intelligenceWhy loss of meaning may be a bigger threat than job displacementHow shared prosperity depends on ownership, not just accessWhat an “agentic society” could look like in practiceWhy AI literacy is essential for the decade aheadHow adaptability and learning-to-learn shape human flourishing⏱ Timestamps00:00 Intro00:51 How Can AI Benefit Society?02:40 The Real Risk of AI Isn’t Doomsday05:45 From Using AI to Owning AI10:16 Why Centralized AI Fails12:25 The Rise of Personal AI15:10 When Work Loses Meaning17:38 Why Purpose Still Matters20:13 A World Where Everyone Has an AI Agent25:42 Inside an Agentic Society33:11 How Power and Bias Scale36:41 Why Decentralization Works39:07 Lessons From the Internet44:07 What the World Could Look Like in 203047:20 How AI Could Change Healthcare48:45 Collective Intelligence at Scale53:55 Who Wins When Data Is Decentralized56:45 How AI Doomsday Actually Happens01:01:44 Why Phase One Was Necessary01:04:20 Why AI Literacy Matters01:07:20 Learning How to Learn01:08:22 What Kids Should Learn Today01:10:05 A Simple Rule for the FutureConnect with Julian 📸 Instagram: @thebeyondtomorrowpodcast 🌐 Website: www.beyondtomorrowpodcast.com 📩 Email: [email protected] 🎧 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube for more stories from the edge of what is possible.Follow Ramesh:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raskar MIT Media Lab: https://www.media.mit.edu/people/raskar/overview/

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