Futurology
Futurology
Podcast Description
The future never arrives all at once. It ripples through society long before we know what to call it.
At the Berggruen Institute, we know that we need more than prediction to name what’s next; we need invention. Each week, Institute President Dawn Nakagawa introduces us to scientists and philosophers recalibrating our cosmologies, technologists coming to terms with alien intelligence, and policymakers scrambling to design systems for a world in flux.
Join thinkers and doers from the Berggruen-verse as we imagine a future that we can accomplish together, instead of one that we’re all working to prevent.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
Focuses on futuristic concepts, artificial intelligence, and global governance with episodes exploring the evolution of Mars rovers and the implications of changing political landscapes, emphasizing the need for innovative thinking.

The future never arrives all at once. It ripples through society long before we know what to call it.
At the Berggruen Institute, we know that we need more than prediction to name what’s next; we need invention. Each week, Institute President Dawn Nakagawa introduces us to scientists and philosophers recalibrating our cosmologies, technologists coming to terms with alien intelligence, and policymakers scrambling to design systems for a world in flux.
Join thinkers and doers from the Berggruen-verse as we imagine a future that we can accomplish together, instead of one that we’re all working to prevent.
What do music, medicine, and markets have in common? They all rely on stories we tell ourselves about how the world works. And those stories are being turned on their heads by AI.
In this episode, medtech investor and former Spotify Artist-in-Residence D.A. Wallach digs into what makes music special (hint: it’s not originality) and what upending the healthcare industry would look like if AI puts the world’s best doctor in your pocket. This is a conversation about taste, technology, and what happens when you follow your curiosity wherever it leads.
Subscribe to the Berggruen Institute on YouTube to be the first to listen to new Futurology episodes:
https://www.youtube.com/@Berggrueninst
Catch up on the Futurology conversation with full episodes on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyYCSKWs8iYgjg-mhu-EuhTrG0-adrb0c
Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/futurology/id1821718921
Spotify
The Gap — Ira Glass (Video, 2009)
Who Owns the Future? — Jaron Lanier (Book, 2013)
https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Who-Owns-the-Future/Jaron-Lanier/9781451654974
Bitcoin for Rockstars — D.A. Wallach (Essay, 2014)
https://www.wired.com/2014/12/bitcoin-for-rockstars/
Zero Toll Medicine — D.A. Wallach (Essay, 2024)
https://dawallach.substack.com/p/zero-toll-medicine
Where to find D.A. Wallach:
X: @dawallach
Instagram: @dawallach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawallach/
Show ideas and feedback? Email:
Learn more about the Berggruen Institute
Follow Futurology!
Instagram: / futurologypod
Twitter/X: / futurologypod
Tiktok: / futurologypod
Facebook: / berggrueninst
LinkedIn: / berggrueninst
Bluesky: / futurologypod
Credits
Executive Producers: Nicolas Berggruen, Nathan Gardels, Nils Gilman, Dawn Nakagawa, & Jason Hoch
Producers: Grant Slater, Alex Gardels, & Nathalia Ramos
Associate Producer: Elissa Mardiney
Theme Music: Marcus Bagala
Audio Engineer: Aaron Bastinelli & Kyle Scott Wilson
Futurology is a production of Studio B and Wavland for the Berggruen Institute in Los Angeles, California.

Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.