The Future of You: Recent Episodes
Tracey Follows
Hello, welcome to the Future of You podcast. Here we’re going to investigate and analyse all the ways emerging technologies are going to affect our identity. We used to argue about whether personal identity was in the mind or in the body; But now that psychology of the self and the biology of self has been joined by a third dimension - the technology of the self. In a digital, data-driven world, Facebook gets a say in verifying who we are, medical science can alter our genetic make-up, and AI will help us create our digital twin - just how many identities do we need in the multiverse? How is 21st Century technology changing who we are? I set out to research exactly that, when I wrote my book The Future of You. That turned out to be only the start of my journey into our changing identity in a digital world. And I thought rather than continue to research this on my own, I could invite you along too. I’m Tracey Follows, I’m a futurist and founder of Futuremade, the futures consultancy, and I’ve helped brands and businesses like Virgin, Google, Diageo and Farfetch spot trends, develop strategic foresight and fully prepare for what comes next. And I believe identity is the defining issue of our generation. So every fortnight I’ll be releasing new episodes, featuring panels of experts as we delve into topics such as how we use media to express our selves, the emergence of the extreme self, transhumanism and the augmented self; anonymity, genetics, biometrics, mind clones, and the digital afterlife - these are just some of the innovations, and controversies, we’ll cover. Join the community, buy the book at thefutureofyou.co.uk or connect with me on twitter at @traceyfutures. Please come with me on this journey to explore identity in the digital world, as we investigate the future of me, and the future of you.
In this episode I’m talking to Chase Hughes – a US military veteran-turned-expert in human behaviour, profiling, and persuasion, regularly training elite govt and big business on behaviour skills. He is a leading trial consultant too.
Chase delves into the complexities of identity manipulation in the digital age and the urgent need to safeguard our identities.
We cover the weaponisation of identity, the power of cognitive biases, and the growing bystander effect. With insights from his best-selling book, "The Ellipsis Manual," and his work with the Behavior Panel, Chase offers practical tips for resisting manipulation and training your critical thinking.
Chase on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@chasehughesofficial/featured
Website https://www.chasehughes.com/
The Ellipses Manual on amazon in UK and USA
The Behaviour Panel https://www.youtube.com/@TheBehaviorPanel
The Future of You podcast investigates and analyses all the ways emerging technologies are going to affect our identity. Join futurist Tracey Follows as she explores our changing identity in a digital world.
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
The Future of You was named Best Technology Podcast at the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
The Future of You podcast homepage https://www.futuremade.group/the-future-of-you
Find Tracey at https://www.futuremade.group/abouttracey
Explore more on The Future of You at https://www.futuremade.group/the-future-of-you
(note: in their discussion Tracey mentions the Apple Vision Pro ad. The correct wording of the voice over on that ad is “your favourite apps live right in front of you”)
The Future of You is an Apple Podcast recommended show under Best New Show in Tech and the winner of the Best Technology Show award in the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
Welcome to The Future! This special episode of The Future of You has been created using the tool everybody’s talking about; Notebook LM.
With just a few taps of the keyboard this 10-minute bonus podcast has been created from the information on my website www.futuremade.group. It took minutes for AI to distil the information and create what sounds like two people discussing my work. The conversation covers everything from my credentials, to my book, to this very podcast. Is this a tech tool that will change the shape of podcasting and audio forever? Or a stark reminder not to believe everything you hear?
Try notebookLM for yourself https://blog.google/technology/ai/notebooklm-audio-video-sources/
(NB: Tracey inputted the main Futuremade website address plus the other pages: five sources from the same one website)
The Future of You podcast investigates and analyses all the ways emerging technologies are going to affect our identity. Join futurist Tracey Follows as she explores our changing identity in a digital world.
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
The Future of You was named Best Technology Podcast at the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
The Future of You podcast homepage https://www.futuremade.group/the-future-of-you
Find Tracey at https://www.futuremade.group/abouttracey
Explore more on The Future of You at https://www.futuremade.group/the-future-of-you
The Future of You is an Apple Podcast recommended show under Best New Show in Tech and the winner of the Best Technology Show award in the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
In this episode I’m chatting about the importance of language to our identity with linguist and tech entrepreneur Jack Connor.
Jack is about to embark on a trip to the Arctic where he will deposit language data from more than 500 languages into a preservation vault.
We delve into the intricacies of language preservation, the impact of the internet on dialects, and the fascinating intersection between technology, language and identity.
We also discuss the urgency around saving endangered languages and the potential of AI to revolutionise language preservation.
Email Jack jack@endangeredlanguagesfilm.com
Or get in touch on X https://x.com/Jac5Connor
Endangered Languages film https://www.endangeredlanguagesfilm.com/
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
The Future of You was named Best Technology Podcast at the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
Find Tracey at https://www.futuremade.group/abouttracey
Explore more on The Future of You at https://www.futuremade.group/the-future-of-you
The Future of You is an Apple Podcast recommended show under Best New Show in Tech and the winner of the Best Technology Show award in the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
What if you could use AI to see what your life would be like when you are 60, or better understand how you got there? Today on The Future of You I’m talking to the creators of an interactive experience that will allow you to do just that.
In this episode I speak with Germeshausen Professor Pattie Maes and technologist and researcher Pat Pataranutaporn from MIT Media Lab. Pattie and Pat are working on "Future You", a project using AI to create our own digital twin.
We talk about human-AI interaction, human attachment to machine conversation, and what questions we might pose to our future selves when given the opportunity.
Try Future You from MIT Media Lab https://futureyou.media.mit.edu/
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
The Future of You was named Best Technology Podcast at the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
Find Tracey at https://www.futuremade.group/abouttracey
Explore more on The Future of You at https://www.futuremade.group/the-future-of-you
In this episode of The Future of You I’m talking to Erik Prince, co-founder of Unplugged, a privacy-first smartphone to rival Big Tech. A former Navy SEAL, Erik is also the founder and former CEO of Blackwater—the world’s largest and most effective private military firm.
Erik discusses the creation and importance of the Unplugged phone and highlights the growing concerns around data collection, surveillance, and the misuse of technology by governments and big tech companies. He delves into the unique features of the Unplugged phone, including its lack of an advertising ID, secure messenger, and kill switch, all designed to protect user privacy.
We also touch on the broader issues of digital surveillance, the role of AI, and the future of personal security in an increasingly connected world.
Erik's website https://erikdprince.com
UNplugged website https://unplugged.com
Somalian Project on You Tube The Somali Project - Official Trailer (HD) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEPtXOCCzRE
Shawn Ryan Show Erik Prince - Breakdown of the Donald Trump Assassination Attempt | SRS #123 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t81CeoEcCik&t=956s
Erik's book: Civilian Warriors https://erikdprince.com/civilian-warriors/
UNherd with Silki Carlo on The UK’s Counter Disinformation Unit https://unherd.com/watch-listen/get-ready-for-the-crackdown/
Video audio included with permission from Erik Prince
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
The Future of You was named Best Technology Podcast at the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
Find Tracey at https://www.futuremade.group/abouttracey
Explore more on The Future of You at https://www.futuremade.group/the-future-of-you
In this episode of The Future of You, we hear from futurist and author Richard Yonck. We discuss some common fears and misconceptions around AI. We also consider a realistic timeline for AI advancements such as self-driving cars and consider the importance of balancing AI's benefits with ethics.
I also welcome Lord Chris Holmes MBE back to the podcast. We talk about his private member’s bill which covers everything from consumer protection to intellectual property and the creation of an AI authority to oversee the UK’s ever evolving AI landscape.
Find out more about Richard at www.richardyonck.com
Richard is the author of “Heart of the Machine” https://bit.ly/3AyLQAL and “Futureminds” https://bit.ly/4dIXlUA both available via Amazon.
Find out more about Lord Chris Holmes MBE at https://lordchrisholmes.com/ and connect with him via LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/lord-chris-holmes/
Latest on the AI BIll see Lord Holmes’ blog https://lordchrisholmes.com/
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
The Future of You was named Best Technology Podcast at the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
Find Tracey at https://www.futuremade.group/abouttracey
Explore more on The Future of You at https://www.futuremade.group/the-future-of-you
Welcome back to the Future of You! Season four kicks off with an insightful conversation with renowned futurist Richard Watson.
This episode delves into the inspiration behind and creation of his latest work, "The Children's Book of the Future," a beautifully illustrated book designed to fill children with optimism and imagination about the future.
Richard shares the creative process behind the book, the importance of optimism and the challenges of writing for young minds in a world often filled with gloom. Join us as we explore the optimistic visions of tomorrow and the role of futurism in shaping young minds.
Richard is an author, speaker and thinker! Find his work at nowandnext.com
Get your copy of The Children’s Book of the Future at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Childrens-Book-Future-Lavie-Tidhar/dp/0241647479
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
The Future of You was named Best Technology Podcast at the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
Find Tracey at https://www.futuremade.group/abouttracey
Explore more on The Future of You at https://www.futuremade.group/the-future-of-you
In the age of AI is proof of personhood more important than anonymity?
In this episode of The Discussion I speak with Steven Boykey Sidley about cryptography, identity and ownership in the digital world.
We discuss privacy, anonymity and personhood in the digital age and the importance of crypto regulation, touching on the debate around central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and the need for stable, decentralised alternatives like stablecoins. We think about how people in emerging markets can protect against currency debasement and where tokenization and NFTs fit in.
Steven is Professor of Practice at the University of Johannesburg and the author of several books on cryptocurrency including “It’s Mine” (https://bit.ly/3Qtvm1e) and “Beyond Bitcoin” (https://bit.ly/3MyYd2V).
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
Find Tracey or book her to speak at https://www.traceyfollows.com/
How is the digital age affecting our identity?
In this episode I explore the impact technology and social media are having on how we express ourselves and connect with others. Initially given as a presentation on identity, I talk about the fluidity of identity and our shift in awareness from the “authentic self” to the “complex self”.
I also think about Meta’s launch of celebrity likeness AI chatbots and the debate raised there over ownership and control. As well as how digital media has shifted our understanding of identity and self-representation, with a focus on the role of profiling and personal data.
We also have some good news to announce! The Future of You has been named Best Technology Podcast at the Independent Podcast Awards 2023. Thank you to everyone who has listened, liked, shared, rated and reviewed the show over the last two years.
Watch the presentation ‘Identity: The Existential Risk of the Century’ on our YouTube channel here - The Endless Presentation On Identity by Tracey Follows
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
Find Tracey or book her to speak at https://www.traceyfollows.com/
Increasingly we’re using facial recognition to do everything from unlock our phone to make payments. But what might the long-term impact of giving away our facial data be?
In this episode I talk to New York Times technology reporter and author of “Your Face Belongs To Us”, Kashmir Hill.
We talk about the impact of facial recognition technology, the potential for misuse of the tech and its limitations. We also discuss the importance of data privacy and what’s happening to the billions of photos millions of people share online every day.
‘Your Face Belongs To Us’ by Kashmir Hill
Amazon UK https://bit.ly/45DFs58
Amazon US https://bit.ly/3tAUQC2
The Future of You is a finalist in the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK https://bit.ly/44ObTha and US https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk
SwarmIntelligence #Avatars #MotionPrints
This week I’m talking to Louis Rosenberg, CEO and chief scientist of Unanimous AI and the chief scientist of the Responsible Metaverse Alliance.
We discuss the impact of conversational AI on our everyday interactions and whether marketing will be morphing into manipulation as virtual salespeople become a reality.
We also discuss the data hidden in our movements and the work being done to protect our motion privacy. The conversation ends with a discussion about swarm intelligence and what we might learn from biological systems in nature.
Louis Rosenberg film link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsE_Pas2OQU
The Future of You is a finalist in the Independent Podcast Awards 2023
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
Interactive experiences like Roblox are giving children the chance to explore their identity like never before. In this episode I speak with kids media consultant Jo Redfern about the intricacies of Gen Z’s digital identity, self-expression, and the power children have in the 21st century to shape their virtual personas.
We discuss the new Barbie movie and the intersection of merchandising and identity. As well as thinking about the future of education and the alternative the learning paths that gaming and digital platforms are revealing.
The Future of You is a finalist in the Independent Podcast Awards 2023.
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
Jo Redfern's LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/joredfern
Kids Media Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/kids-media-club-podcast/id1573404550
Future of Education 2050 Report
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1Cu0aisIbr_9c-UucelETT92cRUppubYm
Tracey in Daily Mail
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12513183/EXCLUSIVE-Former-Google-futurist-predicts-classrooms-future-look-like-include-virtual-reality-lessons-downloadable-knowledge.html
Tracey in the Mirror
https://www.mirror.co.uk/tech/future-education-technology-3d-virtual-30900376
Will brands have their own wallets for customers? Will customers have their own wallets that they give brands access to? How will digital wallets reshape the data we store? And what’s the difference between personal and personalised wallets?
In this episode of The Briefing I discuss all of this and more with Jamie Smith, founder of Customer Futures.
This episode also features an announcement about the future of this podcast. The Briefing will only be available to members in future. To find out more about the membership and how to join visit www.traceyfollows.com
The Discussion episodes continue to be available wherever you listen to podcasts.
Jamie Smith https://www.customerfutures.com/
Tracey’s deck, Identity Century: https://www.canva.com/design/DAFrapqZWbo/view?utm_content=DAFrapqZWbo&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=embeds&utm_source=link
Accenture’s Tech Trends https://www.accenture.com/content/dam/accenture/final/accenture-com/a-com-custom-component/iconic/document/Accenture-Technology-Vision-2023-Full-Report.pdf
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
In this episode of The Discussion I speak to Andrew Bud, Founder and CEO of iProov, the world leader in biometric face verification. We discuss the importance of keeping ahead of security in biometrics, the advantages of face biometrics over the iris or palm - and what he thinks about the future of anonymity.
I also speak with Bronwyn Williams, a futurist and economist based in South Africa. We discuss the issues that could arise from a single company becoming the centralised global infrastructure for digital identities ie Worldcoin’s World ID.
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
In this episode of The Briefing I talk with Ian Crocombe of Superheroic about the creation of TF14 (my “synthetic self”). We discuss how TF14 was made, the tools and platforms employed, and the use cases for digital representations such as this.
I also talk about the launch of Worldcoin, the pros and cons of is-a-person solutions and explore security threats around biometrics.
BBC News article on the launch of Worldcoin https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-66128111
Vitalek's essay https://vitalik.eth.limo/general/2023/07/24/biometric.html
Tracey Follows, Forbes article on Synthetic Self https://www.forbes.com/sites/traceyfollows/2023/07/21/i-used-generative-ai-to-create-a-synthetic-self-and-you-can-too/?sh=1e97b2216dbd
Ian Crocombe Linkedin linkedin.com/in/iancrocombe
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK (https://bit.ly/44ObTha) and US (https://bit.ly/3OlDxgk)
Let’s dump the doomerism and take a positive look at AI. In this episode I’m speaking with audience expert David Boyle. As co-author of ‘Prompt’ David has quite literally written the book on how AI can be used to enhance the creation of all types of content across a variety of sectors. I also chat with Matthew Kershaw, VP of commercial strategy at D-id.com, about the rise in the creation of digital avatars, the anthropomorphism of digital assistance and what it means for our future digital selves.
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK and US
David and Richard’s website https://prompt.mba/
David’s book https://www.amazon.co.uk/PROMPT-Brands-practical-ChatGPT-Practical/dp/B0C1JD7C32
Audience Strategies website https://www.audiencestrategies.com/
Matthew is at D-ID.com’s website https://www.d-id.com/
D-ID.com on linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/deidentification/
TF14 was built by https://thepeeps.xyz/
In this episode of The Briefing I consider how AI is impacting art and artists. We drop in on the Stanford event around Creativity in the Age of AI, we consider some of the news making headlines about China and AI. And we end up at the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, in Warsaw, from where I spoke about AI and the Death of the Artist.
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK and US
China Inc. Shows How Generative AI Can Be Serious Business https://asia.nikkei.com/Opinion/China-Inc.-shows-how-generative-AI-can-be-serious-business
Is AI Killing Art? https://radii.co/article/ai-art-zhang-huan-xu-bing
Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence: Creativity In The Age of AI event https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9wOvFihY74
Mateusz Szsiedlecki on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mateuszsiedleckiphoto/
"'AI: The Death of the Artist?' is part of the Culture Tensions discussions curated by Manick Govinda and Agnieszka Kolek, commissioned by the Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw Poland”.
Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw Poland https://u-jazdowski.pl/en
In this episode of The Discussion I’m joined by Josh Muncke - Commercial Director, Retail & Consumer at Faculty and Sam Gregory - Executive Director at Human Rights Organisation, WITNESS.
We cover generative AI models, what they are and how they're changing the customer experience. Testing and iterating as a process, and how the field of prompt engineering is going to evolve. Also shallow fakes versus deep fakes, the novel ability to create new media content from existing data, the need for safeguards and transparency. And of course, what's next for GPT, and the next generation of models.
http://faculty.ai
https://www.witness.org/
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK and US
In this episode of The Briefing I’m joined by Chris Holmes, Lord Holmes of Richmond MBE. He gives me the inside track on digital ID in the UK, where it’s going and how it compares to approaches in other jurisdictions.
I also cover some new threats in biometrics and give you a sneak peek into the next episode on Generative AI, where we debate the implications for both consumers and citizens.
https://chrisholmes.co.uk
http://faculty.ai
https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2023/05/22/generative-ai-identity-verification-video/
https://venturebeat.com/security/forrester-predicts-2023-top-cybersecurity-threats-generative-ai-geopolitical-tensions/
https://www.biometricupdate.com/202305/iproov-biometric-threat-intelligence-report-2023
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK and US
00:47 Trends in generative AI
4:30 Josh Muncke, of Faculty, on AI
5:56 Chris Holmes on Digital ID
8:40 The UK’s plans for Digital ID
22:44 The role of the new Department of Science, Technology and Innovation
26:51 The contrast to the EU approach
32:21 Big tech and Digital ID
In this episode of The Discussion I’m joined by Commercial Director, Europe, Digital Trust Services at Gen, and all-round Digital Wallet and Innovation expert Andy Tobin for a detailed conversation about digital wallets.
We go deep into what the European identity system (eIDAS) is, how it works and why we need it. We cover the difference between identity cards and digital wallets and the role of verifiable credentials. We also explore why digital credentials are more secure than paper documents, the spectre of big tech and the future of credentials in general.
Gen website https://www.gendigital.com/
Links to Andrew’s eIDAS articles on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobinandrew/recent-activity/posts/
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK and US
In this episode of The Briefing we cover several news topics around technology of identity and the digital self, primarily focusing on voice tech; voice design,re-voicing and voice cloning. We look at digital wallets and digital credentials in Europe with the EU ID scheme, and we revisit the current status of theTwitter blue checkmark. I’m also joined by Nik Badminton to talk about his new book, “Facing Our Futures: How foresight, futures design and strategy creates prosperity and growth.”
Grimes on Twitter
Holly Herndon and Holly+
https://holly.plus
https://holly.mirror.xyz/54ds2IiOnvthjGFkokFCoaI4EabytH9xjAYy1irHy94
US Voice cloning scam: ‘I’ve got your daughter’
Voice cloning scammers
Section 4 on Twitter bluechecks
Eleven Labs
Voice over artists fight against AI copying speech tone
GBnews interview with Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster
Nik Badminton
Chief Futurist at futurist.com
Nik's book “Facing Our Futures” published by Bloomsbury
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK and US
- 0min 40: Voice cloning
- 4min: Discussion with Sam Gregory, Executive Director at WITNESS about generative AI
- 5mins 45: ElevenLabs
- 5mins 58: Twitter verification
- 13mins 33: Digital wallets and digital credentials
- 15min: Discussion with Andrew Tobin about eIDAS and big tech
- 19mins 24: Discussion with Nik Badminton about his new book ‘Facing Our Futures’
In this episode of The Discussion I’m joined by digital identity thought leader Dave Birch and Senior Principal at Liminal, and host of the State of Identity podcast, Cameron D’Ambrosi to discuss the digital identity landscape.
We cover the push towards integrated identity platforms, the vision for reusable identity and the differences between centralized and decentralized systems and how those often reflect national culture. What is the state of Digital ID in the UK? Will the wallets offered by Big Tech win out in the USA? And how might eIDAS or the EUDI approach evolve across the EU?
Also to what extent do the public really understand (and trust) these identity systems which look like they are about to become part of our everyday lives?
Liminal website
2023 Digital Identity Landscape from Liminal
The State of Identity podcast
Cameron D’Ambrosi on Twitter @dambrosi
Dave Birch’s website https://15mb.ltd/
Dave’s Substack https://dgwbirch.substack.com/
Dave’s books The Currency Cold War and Identity Is The New Money
Read him on Forbes
Dave Birch on Twitter @dgwbirch
A New National Purpose : Innovation Can Power The Future of Britain
- 3min: An overview of the digital identity landscape with Cameron D'Ambrosi
- 7min 50: The use of reusable identity
- 13min: Differences and similarities between centralized and decentralized systems
- 14min 30: State of digital identity in Europe
- 17min 40: State of digital identity in America
- 24min: Dave Birch discusses social media verification
- 29min 40: State of digital identity in the UK
- 32 min: Dave Birch gives an overview of the state of digital identity in the UK
- 50min: Cameron D'Ambrosi's thoughts on the state of digital identity in the UK
In this episode of The Future of You: The Briefing I’m joined by neurotech expert Dr Cody Rall to talk about Grimes getting a Neurosity Crown for her birthday. I also cover the latest news around motion prints, age verification, and speak with author of The Currency Cold War Dave Birch about the launch of Fed Now; the new instant payment system being introduced in the US.
Episode 13 The Future of You, ‘Brain Data and the Sovereign Self’ with Nita Farahany https://pod.fo/e/1706b7
Jeff Delaney/Fireship, “I literally connected my brain to GPT-4 with JavaScript” on YouTube
Neurosity website
Neurosity on Linkedin
AJ on Twitter @andrewjaykeller
Cody Rall MD on YouTube
Cody Rall Tik Tok @codyrallmd
Business Insider, ‘Grimes said she got a brain gadget for her birthday from a company competing with Elon Musk’s Neuralink’
VentureBeat, ‘New research suggests that privacy in the metaverse might be impossible’
Guardian, ‘Utah bans under-18s from using social media unless parents consent
Electronic Frontier Foundation, ‘Age Verification Mandates Would Undermine Anonymity Online’
Robin Tombs Linkedin
Computer Weekly, ‘UK Government Completes Trials of Age estimation Technology
Federal Reserve, ‘Federal Reserve Announces July Launch for the FedNow Service
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK and US
- 1min 30: Audio from @Fireship video on YouTube
- 6mins: Conversation with neurotech expert and owner of Tech for Psych YouTube channel Dr Cody Rall
- 12min 30: Motion prints
- 14min 40: Social media age verification
- 20min: Conversation with payment and digital identity expert Dave Birch about Fed Now
**We start Season 3 by exploring brain data - what is it? How can it be collected and used? And who has access to it?
In this episode I’m joined by Nita Farahany; author of The Battle For Your Brain and Professor at Duke University. We discuss how brain data is already being collected and used as well as the importance of cognitive liberty.
I also find out more about the technology being used to collect brain data. I talk with CEO and Co-founder of Neurable Dr. Ramses Alcaide, and Co-founder and CEO of Neurosity AJ Keller; two companies creating brain data products they believe we’ll soon be using as often as our smartphones.
Professor Nita A. Farahany's new book 'The Battle For Your Brain: Defending The Right To Think Freely In The Age Of Neurotechnology' available in US and UK Ready for Brain Transparency? Nita A Farahany's session at Davos 2023 Tracey's piece in Forbes, 'Forget Media Manipulation And Misinformation via TikTok And Twitter, Neurotechnology Heralds The New Battle For Our Brains'**
Neurable website Neurable discord channel Neurable on Linkedin Ramses on Twitter @RamsesAlcaide Neurosity website Neurosity on Linkedin AJ on Twitter @andrewjaykeller
OECD, Neurotechnology in and for society: Deliberation, stewardship and trust
Nature Electronics, Brain Computer Interfaces
Tracey's book 'The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?' available in the UK and US
“To be or not to be I.T.….. That is the question”
As we prepare for the start of Season 3 of The Future of You podcast, listen to The Manifesto of You.
Follow this podcast now to make sure you don’t miss an episode - they will be released every second Thursday starting March 30.
In this third season of The Future of You podcast, I’ll be talking about a new dimension to the self. Along with the biology and the psychology of the self, we now have the technology of the self.
I’m Tracey Follows, Futurist, Founder of Futuremade and Visiting Professor of digital futures and identity at Staffordshire University. This season continues with a new format. We stick with two episodes being released every month but now you’ll hear The Discussion and The Briefing.
Expect deep conversations on the topic of identity in The Discussion episodes, and check in with The Briefing to stay up to date with the latest news in tech and identity.
We'll dive into digital identity, biometrics, brainwave data, smart cities, digital twins and much more.
Follow this podcast now to make sure you don’t miss an episode - they will be released every second Thursday, starting March 30.
Today, I'm joined by Prof. Dr. Beth Singler, Assistant Professor in Digital Religion(s) at the University of Zurich and Rev. Dr. Joshua K. Smith, Pastor and Theologian, to discuss digital religion, and our spiritual identity online.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- The trends in digital religion
- How people are developing communities and ideas about technology online
- How AI shapes and molds what we are doing spiritually.
- Our perspective bias at the dawn of a new millennium
- Anthropomorphism of AI
- Whether AI can help us become better moral beings
- Corporatist agency, personal agency, and AI politicians
- The ongoing outsourcing of our own decision making to AI
- Nihilism, apocalypticism, and the reemergence of the Satanic and occult aesthetic.
The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?: www.amazon.co.uk/Future-You-Identity-21st-Century-Technology-ebook/dp/B08XBN4GBB
Links and references at: www.traceyfollows.com
Today, I'm joined by Rogier Creemers, Assistant Professor in China Studies at Leiden University, and the Co-editor of Law and the Party in China: Ideology and Organisation and by Josh Chin of the China Bureau at the Wall Street Journal, who is also the co-author with Lisa Lin of the new book, Surveillance State, China's quest to launch a new era of social control.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- The macro context, discussing the geopolitical economic and trade situation
- Technology transfer, highlighting the issues over semiconductors, and China's ambition to play a bigger role in the global economy and technology.
- Mass surveillance at a personal and even biological level of Chinese citizens, predominantly, but not exclusively, by the Uyghurs.
- The social credit system, and both the Chinese and Western understandings and perhaps misunderstandings of that.
- The Supreme People's Court blacklist system
- The regulation of algorithms
- The nature of authoritarianism versus personal autonomy.
- Why Chinese culture contains no such notion of autonomy
The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?: www.amazon.co.uk/Future-You-Identity-21st-Century-Technology-ebook/dp/B08XBN4GBB
Links and references at: www.traceyfollows.com
Do we need a new criteria for death, that covers the technicalities around neuro preservation, issues of legal identity upon reanimation and an approach to rehabilitation? What are the misunderstandings or misinformation that surround transhumanism and endeavour to make the distinction between transhumanism and technocracy? Should we be worried about the wrong headedness of The Population Bomb, climate catastrophism and the fashionability of long termism?
Today, I speak with Max More. As some of you may already know, Max is considered to be the founder of modern transhumanism, a philosopher and futurist who writes extensively on technology and humanity. He's also currently ambassador and President Emeritus at Alcor Life Extension Foundation, having served almost 10 years as President and CEO there, and having been its 67th member. His 1995 University of Southern California doctoral dissertation, 'The diachronic self identity continuity and transformation', examined several issues that concern transhumanists, including the nature of death. He is the Co-editor of Rhe Transhumanist Reader, and he's written many articles on transhumanism and extropianism, including the 1990 essay, 'Transhumanism: toward a futurist philosophy', in which he introduced the term transhumanism, in its modern sense.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- A definition of cryonics
- Changing definitions of death
- The process of cryogenic freezing
- Memory loss and personality
- Consent and cryonic preservation
- What happens to identity after death and cryopreservation?
- Rights on reanimation
- Should world leaders be preserved for the good of their citizens?
- Attitudes to cryopreservation around the world
- Should we be thinking about the end of life at birth?
- Why isn’t cryonics favourably received by the media?
- Transhumanism
- The future of states and capitalism
- The problem of shrinking populations
- Long termism and utilitarianism
- Environmentalism
- Is a misunderstanding of transhumanism really just mischief?
www.alcor.org
The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?: www.amazon.co.uk/Future-You-Identity-21st-Century-Technology-ebook/dp/B08XBN4GBB
Links and references at: www.traceyfollows.com
What is the origin of the word robot? Who makes the definitions of these words robots, avatars, nanobots, etc? Who gets to define them? How do we decide? Is there a new social category that's emerging, and should see non biological intelligences through the lens of our own social interaction?
Do avatars as representations of the self need the same rights as humans, and importantly, should there be distinctions around the governance of virtual worlds versus physical worlds? What do we need from our relationships with this new set of beings in the future?
Today, I speak with Dr Julie Carpenter, research fellow in the Ethics and Emerging Science Group at California Polytechnic State University, and Dr David Gunkel, Professor of Media Studies at Northern Illinois University. Dr Carpenter’s primary research goal is to investigate human-technology emotional attachment and trust issues, looking at the ways in which embodied AI offers a testing ground for media, communication and cultural theories. She is currently writing her latest book, The Naked Android. Dr Gunkel’s work focuses on the philosophy of technology and emerging ethics relating to AI, robots and algorithms. He has published twelve influential and award-winning books including How To Survive a Robot Invasion, The Machine Question, Gaming The System, and Robot Rights. His latest book is called Deconstruction and is part of MIT's Essential Knowledge Series.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- The origin of robots and who defines them
- The person-thing dichotomy in legal and social categories
- Avatar rights and responsibilities
- The governance of virtual spaces
- Emotional valence of non-human personalities
- How to engage the public in thinking about the rights and relationships of robots
The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?: www.amazon.co.uk/Future-You-Identity-21st-Century-Technology-ebook/dp/B08XBN4GBB
Links and references at: www.traceyfollows.com
Millions of profiles of the dead haunt the internet. What do we do with all these digital souls? Can we simply delete them? Or do they have a right to persist? What does it mean for the self now that digital technologies are transforming the notion of legacy, and in the future, how you will persist beyond your own death?
Today, I speak with Patrick Stokes, Associate Professor of Philosophy at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. His work sits at the intersections of the continental and analytic traditions with research interests that include personal identity, narrative selfhood, and philosophy of religion. I'm also joined by Elaine Kasket, counselling psychologist, a speaker and author with a BA Honours in Journalism and Psychology.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- Whether we can and should attempt to manage our online legacies after death.
- How deep fake and AI generated material using the deceased will impact our understanding of history.
- The death of nostalgia and technology’s enthusiasm for the music of the past.
- Will the truth be replaced with the telically possible?
- Who controls our digital afterlife?
- The therapeutic possibilities of digitally reanimating the dead.
The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?: www.amazon.co.uk/Future-You-Identity-21st-Century-Technology-ebook/dp/B08XBN4GBB
Links and references at: www.traceyfollows.com
During the second season of The Future of You podcast, I’m taking a detailed look at who we are and how the technology we use every day is shaping who we are becoming. It’s clearer than ever that the biology of the self and the psychology of the self has now been joined by a third dimension….the technology of the self.
I’m Tracey Follows, futurist and founder of Futuremade, the futures consultancy. Join me as I speak with professors and philosophers, futurists and technologists to discover more about how emerging technologies are impacting our identity, and what we might want to do about it.
I’ll be releasing new episodes every fortnight, focussing on topics such as digital death, robot rights, avatars and virtual beings, cryogenics, the extreme self, the Web3 economy of the self and so much more.
Make sure you subscribe so you don’t miss the first episode when it’s released in a few week’s time.
Until then remember you can buy my book “The Future of You” at thefutureofyou.co.uk, sign up to the newsletter there or connect with me on twitter at @traceyfutures.
Let’s continue our journey into identity in the digital world and explore what’s ahead for the future of me and…the future of you.
Imagine a world in which you control your own identity and are truly the arbiter of which personal information is shared with others. The tools making this a reality are evolving right now…
At the spearhead of the movement for self-sovereign identity are Kaliya Young, a leader in decentralised identity, and Lucy Yang, a tech entrepreneur and advisor. We hear from them on The Future of You this week, as we dissect digital wallets, verifiable credentials, digital identity, anonymity and self-sovereignty.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- Why digital identity is so important and how it differs from the physical realm
- The tools Kaliya and Lucy are developing to enable self-sovereign identities
- Whether anonymity or pseudonymity is feasible while maintaining accountability
- Wallet Wars: how might wallets evolve and consolidate across the public and private sector
- The principles of physical identity that must carry over into a digital solution and the importance of Opens Standards
The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Future-You-Identity-21st-Century-Technology-ebook/dp/B08XBN4GBB
Links and references at: https://www.traceyfollows.com/
Dr Natasha Vita-More’s CV reads like a transhumanist historical timeline, stretching back to writing The Transhumanist Manifesto in 1983.
A prominent transhumanist voice since then, she’s still leading the pursuit of a future in which transhumanism affords us a longer, healthier life free from human limits and human suffering.
Natasha is an extraordinary guest for me to have hosted on The Future of You and we discuss perceptions of time, AI augmentation for our senses and emotional responses, practical developments in transhumanism, and what it’s like to be a pioneering woman in the transhumanist space.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- Longevity, and the prospect of radical life extension
- The binary thinking that sometimes limits our vision and potential
- Importance of continuity of the person for identity
- Whether we can live over different platforms
- The growth of AI and how it might enhance our perceptions and senses
- Life as a pioneering woman in transhumanism
The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Future-You-Identity-21st-Century-Technology-ebook/dp/B08XBN4GBB
Links and references at: https://www.traceyfollows.com/
Is the huge variety of social platforms and settings in which we present ourselves creating a multiplicity of our identities, demanding that we moderate our personalities? And is that such a bad thing?
From the Chinese philosophy suggesting that sincerity trumps authenticity, to the future technologies ushering in an era of profilicity, the norms that surround identity are changing during our lifetime.
Joining me to help foresee where our technology of identity is heading - in this truly international episode - are Hans-Georg Moeller, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Macau, and Sam Gilbert, an Affiliated Researcher with the Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the University of Cambridge.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- Use of data to create a picture of someone’s identity, and how that could be used for wider public benefit
- The multiplicity of identity through social media sites with different norms and expectation
- A modern sense of profilicity, and how that links with ancient Chinese philosophies
- How AI might allow us to curate identity in a new way with a novel sense of self-insight
- The need to leave authenticity behind in favour of situational sincerity
This episode does contain a brief discussion eluding to self-harm, suicide, and how we might use data to identify those in need. If you or somebody you know is in need, Samaritans are available by phoning 116 123.
The Future of You: Can Your Identity Survive 21st Century Technology?: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Future-You-Identity-21st-Century-Technology-ebook/dp/B08XBN4GBB
The TBD Conference - Get 25% off your tickets with code FUTUREOFYOU:
https://www.thetbdconference.com/
Links and references at: https://www.traceyfollows.com/
With a look into the past and a long view of the future, we can better understand, and maintain, our sense of identity in a shifting world.
On this episode of The Future of You, we’ve brought together two sides of a generational coin - a historian and a futurist - to unpack how our relationship with identity is shaped by our generation. Are our notions of identity influencing demographic and societal changes, or might it be the other way around?
Dr Eliza Filby and Dr Ian Pearson dive into the dichotomy between individualism and conformity, future generations’ wildly varied path through the world of work, the role of AI in representing ourselves to others, and whether class will recede or increase as an identity marker in the future.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- Shifting patterns in identity, and whether they influence societal changes or vice versa
- The possible future role of AI in faithfully representing our personalities
- Individuality in the future workplace, and whether workers can shape a corporation’s moral compass
- The potential for class to cease being a marker of identity
The TBD Conference - Get 25% off your tickets with code FUTUREOFYOU:
https://www.thetbdconference.com/
Links and references at: https://www.traceyfollows.com/
What does it mean to be human in a society in which we can use technology to modify our bodies beyond our normal capabilities, and how does that change our sense of self?
Transhumanism is a futuristic movement, and we’re joined this week by David Wood (Chair of London Futurists) and Zoltan Istvan (Founder of the Transhumanist Party in the US), two leading figures with unique foresight into our transhuman future.
How might we modify our bodies long into the future? Do we have the right to immortality and a duty to ‘fix’ disability? Should we be afraid to change into a different version of ourselves? We tackle all this, and so much more intriguing debate, on this episode of The Future of You.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- The traditional definition of transhumanism, and the form into which the movement might evolve
- Maintaining our personal sense of identity in a society capable of collective consciousness and hive minds
- Possible reasons for fewer prominent female figures in transhumanism
- How we define our bodies, and at what point they should be considered to be failing
- Whether we should allow ourselves to be immortal
The TBD Conference - Get 25% off your tickets with code FUTUREOFYOU:
https://www.thetbdconference.com/
Links and references at: https://www.traceyfollows.com/
As the ever-growing prevalence of media in our lives continues to disrupt our notion of identity, how can we dictate who we really are in today’s world?
Joining Tracey for episode 2 of The Future of You to consider digital media’s role in our quest for identity are Andrew McLuhan - Director of The McLuhan Institute & grandson of renowned Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan - and Henry Jenkins - noted author & Professor at the University of Southern California.
In this fascinating discussion we touch on social media’s acceleration of topics in the public consciousness, how our sense of identity can be split and shared based on simultaneous experiences & fandoms, and the violence of language surrounding identity.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- How media’s rapid pace of change is assaulting our sense of identity
- Social media’s propulsion of essential issues around race & gender
- The violent multiplicity of language surrounding identity
- Podcasting’s effect on the intimacy of radio as a platform
- Finding identity in shared, collective experiences with fandoms
The TBD Conference - Get 25% off your tickets with code FUTUREOFYOU: https://www.thetbdconference.com/
Links and references at: https://www.traceyfollows.com/
Welcome to The Future of You, a podcast where we’ll explore the various ways in which emerging technologies will affect our identity.
Kicking off our journey into the future of the digital self, we’ll hear from two of the brightest minds in virtual worlds and digital financial technology.
Richard Bartle is the Co-Creator of MUD, the oldest virtual world in existence, and is a legend in the video game research space, while David Birch’s expertise in FinTech is demonstrated through contributions to Forbes, as well as his spot as one of WIRED’s Top 15 sources of business information globally.
This tour de force of an episode takes us through the concepts of experimentation with identity, self-tokenization, interplay between virtual & physical worlds, and the fine line between credentials and biometric identification.
This episode of The Future of You covers:
- How our characters in virtual/game worlds can differ from - and influence - our real world identity
- The gamification of our personalities on different platforms
- Tokenization of the self
- The interplay between the digital and physical worlds and our ‘economic avatars’
- How biometrics could play into credentials & identification, and the difference between the two
The TBD Conference - Get 25% off your tickets with code FUTUREOFYOU: https://www.thetbdconference.com/
Links and references at: https://www.traceyfollows.com/
Hello, welcome to the Future of You podcast. Here we’re going to investigate and analyse all the ways emerging technologies are going to affect our identity.
We used to argue about whether personal identity was in the mind or in the body; But now that psychology of the self and the biology of self has been joined by a third dimension - the technology of the self.
In a digital, data-driven world, Facebook gets a say in verifying who we are, medical science can alter our genetic make-up, and AI will help us create our digital twin - just how many identities do we need in the multiverse?
How is 21st Century technology changing who we are?
I set out to research exactly that, when I wrote my book The Future of You. That turned out to be only the start of my journey into our changing identity in a digital world. And I thought rather than continue to research this on my own, I could invite you along too.
I’m Tracey Follows, I’m a futurist and founder of Futuremade, the futures consultancy, and I’ve helped brands and businesses like Virgin, Google, Diageo and Farfetch spot trends, develop strategic foresight and fully prepare for what comes next.
And I believe identity is the defining issue of our generation. So every fortnight I’ll be releasing new episodes, featuring panels of experts as we delve into topics such as how we use media to express our selves, the emergence of the extreme self, transhumanism and the augmented self; anonymity, genetics, biometrics, mind clones, and the digital afterlife - these are just some of the innovations, and controversies, we’ll cover.
Join the community, buy the book at thefutureofyou.co.uk or connect with me on twitter at @traceyfutures.
Please come with me on this journey to explore identity in the digital world, as we investigate the future of me, and the future of you.
See you soon for episode 1.