Best Berkeley Voices Podcasts (2025)

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131: How this new color stretches the limits of human perception 18:38

6d ago18:38

18:38

Last month, UC Berkeley researchers published a study about how they tricked the eye into seeing a new color. It was a highly saturated teal, a peacock green, the greenest of all greens. The scientists produced this color, which they named “olo,” by shining a laser into the eye and stimulating one type of color-sensitive photoreceptor cells called …

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SPECIAL EDITION A Pre-Summit Conversation With Van Jones 16:11

3d ago16:11

16:11

In this special episode of In AI We Trust?, recorded live at the launch of the EqualAI C-Suite Summit in Washington, D.C., host Miriam Vogel sits down with the dynamic Van Jones — acclaimed social entrepreneur, innovator, and tech evangelist. Together, they dive into a thought-provoking conversation about how AI can be a transformative force for op…

1
130: AI helped this paralyzed woman speak again after 18 years 17:04

1M ago17:04

17:04

When Ann Johnson had a rare brainstem stroke at age 30, she lost control of all of her muscles. One minute, she was playing volleyball with her friends. The next, she couldn’t move or speak. Up until that moment, she’d been a talkative and outgoing person. She taught math and physical education, and coached volleyball and basketball at a high schoo…

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AI Literacy Series Ep. 7: Open Source Under Threat: Andrew Ng Issues a Call to Action 53:10

1M ago53:10

53:10

In this episode of In AI We Trust?, Dr. Andrew Ng joins co-hosts Miriam Vogel and Rosalind Wiseman to discuss AI literacy and the need for widespread AI understanding. Dr. Ng makes a call to action that everyone should learn to code, especially with AI-assisted coding becoming more accessible. The episode also addresses AI fears and misconceptions,…

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AI Literacy Series Ep. 6: Bridging the Gap Between Technology and Communities with Susan Gonzalez 51:19

2M ago51:19

51:19

This episode of In AI We Trust? features co-hosts Miriam Vogel and Rosalind Wiseman continuing their AI literacy series with Susan Gonzalez, CEO of AIandYou. The discussion centers on the critical need for basic AI literacy within marginalized communities to create opportunities and prevent an "AI divide." Susan emphasizes overcoming fear, building…

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A conversation with Cihan Tugal about the mass protests in Turkey 29:33

2M ago29:33

29:33

The detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu, Istanbul's mayor and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's most formidable rival, on March 19th sparked the largest demonstrations in Turkey in years. Last Saturday, hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets, expressing their discontent with the government and demanding the release of the city's imprisoned …

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129: Fakes, replicas and forgeries: What counts as art? 23:42

2M ago23:42

23:42

When Winnie Wong first saw Dafen Oil Painting Village in 2006, it was nothing like she’d imagined. The Chinese village was known for mass producing copies of Western art. She’d read about it in The New York Times, which described a kind of compound where thousands of artists painted replicas of famous artworks, like da Vinci’s Mona Lisa or van Gogh…

1
AI Literacy Series Ep. 5 with Judy Spitz: Fixing the Tech Talent Pipeline 1:15:59

2M ago1:15:59

1:15:59

In this episode of In AI We Trust?, co-hosts Miriam Vogel and Rosalind Wiseman speak with Dr. Judith Spitz, Founder and Executive Director of Break Through Tech sheds light on the blind spots within the industry, and discusses how Break Through Tech is pioneering innovative programs to open doors to talented individuals. She gets more young people …

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AI Literacy Series Ep. 4: Mason Grimshaw on AI Literacy and Data Sovereignty for Indigenous Communities 56:19

3M ago56:19

56:19

Co-hosts of EqualAI’s AI Literacy Series, Miriam Vogel and Rosalind Wiseman are joined by Mason Grimshaw, data scientist at Ode Partners and VP at IndigiGenius. Grimshaw discusses his roots growing up on a reservation, and what led him to the field of AI. He explains why it’s his mission to bring AI education and tools back to his community. Grimsh…

1
AI Literacy Series Ep. 3: danah boyd on Thinking Critically about the Systems That Shape Us 1:15:24

3M ago1:15:24

1:15:24

Co-hosts of EqualAI’s AI Literacy Series, Miriam Vogel and Rosalind Wiseman sit down with danah boyd, Partner Researcher at Microsoft Research, visiting distinguished professor at Georgetown, and founder of Data & Society Research Institute, to explore how AI is reshaping education, social structures, and power dynamics. boyd challenges common assu…

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128: An evolution of American friendship, from Victorian-era letters to Swiftie bracelets 14:40

3M ago14:40

14:40

Have you ever seen letters from the 1800s? Aside from the pristine penmanship and grammar, the way friends expressed their fondness for each other is remarkable. “Letters sent between friends are often full of the kinds of loving and affectionate language that today we would only associate with romantic or sexual relationships: ‘My darling,’ ‘I lov…

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AI Literacy Series Ep. 2 with Dewey Murdick (CSET): Centering People in AI’s Progress 40:05

4M ago40:05

40:05

In this episode of EqualAI’s AI Literacy Series, co-hosts Miriam Vogel and Rosalind Wiseman sit down with AI policy expert Dewey Murdick, Executive Director at Georgetown's Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET) who shares his hopes for AI’s role in personal development and other key areas of society. From national security to education…

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AI Literacy Series Ep. 1: What is AI and Why Are We Afraid of It? 25:45

4M ago25:45

25:45

Miriam Vogel and Rosalind Wiseman break down the basics, the limitations, the power, and the fear surrounding AI – and how you can transform it from a concept to a tool in the first episode of the In AI We Trust? AI Literacy series. The EqualAI AI Literacy podcast series builds on In AI We Trust?’s global reach, focusing specifically on AI literacy…

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127: How fear is being weaponized against you (and how to respond) 22:33

4M ago22:33

22:33

Against her mom’s warnings, UC Berkeley political scientist Marika Landau-Wells watched Arachnaphobia as a kid. Ever since, she has been terrified of spiders. But over the years, she has learned to reason with her quick fear response — No, that spider is not 8 feet in diameter — and calmly trap them and put them outside. We all encounter problems l…

1
Toxic Supply Chains of War in Iraq 38:35

4M ago38:35

38:35

Toxic Supply Chains of War in Iraq by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

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Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD): Sen. Rounds' 2025 Message: Why Every Senate Committee is Talking AI This Congress 30:22

4M ago30:22

30:22

In this episode of #InAIWeTrust, Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) discusses the transformative role of AI and the Senate’s efforts to support its innovation and development. From working to advance AI-driven health care solutions to ensuring U.S. leadership in innovation, he shares legislative priorities and insights from the Senate AI Insight Forums and…

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126: Think you know what dinosaurs were like? Think again. 18:09

5M ago18:09

18:09

For UC Berkeley Professor Jack Tseng, the world of paleontology never gets old. With each new discovery, paleontologists like him learn more about the animals that walked the earth millions of years ago. "If you look at books from 50 years ago, they postured dinosaurs very differently from the way we do it today," Tseng says. "This constant profusi…

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Vilas Dhar (McGovern Foundation): AI for the people and by the people: Year-in-Review and 2025 Predictions 36:34

5M ago36:34

36:34

In this 2024 year-end episode of In AI We Trust?, Vilas Dhar of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and Miriam Vogel of EqualAI review 2024 and discuss predictions for the year ahead.By Miriam Vogel

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125: As crises escalate, so does our fascination with cults 29:10

6M ago29:10

29:10

Like millions of other Americans, UC Berkeley Professor Poulomi Saha watched a lot of docuseries about cults during the COVID-19 pandemic. The more Saha watched, the more they felt a kind of change within themself. "I was absolutely enthralled," said Saha. “My reaction no longer fit that old script, the script that I had internalized. I wasn’t just…

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Elizabeth Kelly (AISI): How will the US AI Safety Institute lead the US and globe in AI safety? 26:26

7M ago26:26

26:26

In this episode of #InAIWeTrust Elizabeth Kelly, director of the U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (AISI) explains the significance of last week’s National Security Memorandum (NSM) on AI, shares her experience working on the Biden Executive Order on AI, and provides insight into the US AISI including: recent guidance for companies to m…

1
124: Psychopathy goes undetected in some people. Why? 23:11

7M ago23:11

23:11

In a June 2024 study, UC Berkeley psychology professor Keanan Joyner and his colleagues found that by using a combination of methods tailored to the multidimensional nature of psychopathy, we could transform how we identify and understand this personality disorder. "I think that it goes toward having a functional and positive society," Joyner said.…

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Michael Chertoff (Chertoff Group) and Miriam Vogel (EqualAI): Is your AI use violating the law? 28:55

8M ago28:55

28:55

In this special edition of #InAIWeTrust?, EqualAI President and CEO Miriam Vogel and former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff sit down to discuss their recent co-authored paper, Is Your Use of AI Violating the Law? An Overview of the Current Legal Landscape. Special guest Victoria Espinel, CEO of BSA | The Software Alliance, moderates…

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What Is Israel's Endgame in Lebanon? 58:03

8M ago58:03

58:03

Bassam Haddad is an associate professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University. He is the author of Business Networks in Syria: The Political Economy of Authoritarian Resilience (Stanford University Press, 2011) and coeditor of A Critical Political Economy of the Middle East (Stanford University Press, 2021). Haddad…

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Dr. Brennan Spiegel (Cedars-Sinai): AI in healthcare: Will AI help humans to thrive? 22:41

8M ago22:41

22:41

In this episode of #InAIWeTrust, Dr. Brennan Spiegel, Cedars-Sinai Director of Health Services Research and Chair of Digital Health Ethics, discusses his use of AI for increased efficiencies and to improve patient care, including co-founding Xaia, an AI mental health tool. He talks about the importance of human-centered design and how AI can enable…

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Yanis Varoufakis on unbridled capitalism's descent into fascism and genocide 1:02:12

9M ago1:02:12

1:02:12

Yanis Varoufakis on unbridled capitalism's descent into fascism and genocide by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

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Journalists risking their lives to report on Gaza & companies and countries supplying oil to Israel 58:10

9M ago58:10

58:10

Journalists risking their lives to report on Gaza & companies and countries supplying oil to Israel by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

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How Joe Biden Became a Steadfast Israel Defender 31:52

10M ago31:52

31:52

https://jacobin.com/author/branko-marceticBy VOMENA Team at KPFA

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Artists demanding an end to Gaza genocide 39:29

10M ago39:29

39:29

Artists demanding an end to Gaza genocide by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

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Russell Wald (HAI): Innovating for the future - Can academia bring the next wave of AI innovation and train our future generations? 41:24

10M ago41:24

41:24

In this episode, Russell Wald, Deputy Director at the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) underscores the importance of academic research around AI, key lessons from the AI Index Report, the need for uniform AI benchmarks, and the value of AI education for policy makers. Resources mentioned in this episode: 2024 AI I…

1
Standing in the Dust – Photography of Yalda Moaiery 24:51

10M ago24:51

24:51

Standing in the Dust – Photography of Yalda Moaiery by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

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The Role of International Actors In The War in Sudan 57:47

11M ago57:47

57:47

The Role of International Actors In The War in Sudan by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

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How Islamophobia Is Driving a Mental Health Crisis Among Michigan’s Muslim Youth 41:36

11M ago41:36

41:36

On this edition of Voices of the Middle East and North Africa, we speak with Dr. Eli Cahan about why Arab and Muslim Americans face significantly higher rates of mental illness.By VOMENA Team at KPFA

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The Corporate Power Brokers Behind AIPAC’s War on the Squad 39:03

11M ago39:03

39:03

On this edition of Voices of the Middle East and North Africa, we have a conversation with Jacobin staff writer BRANKO MARCETIC about his In These Times investigation, which reveals the individuals behind AIPAC’s election war chest: nearly 60% are CEOs and other top executives at the country’s largest corporations.…

1
Refugee Labor in Turkey and Europe’s Plastic Waste 34:22

11M ago34:22

34:22

On this edition of Voices of the Middle East and North Africa, we have a conversation with independent journalist Adnan Khan about his recent article in MERIP titled "A Deadly Trade—Refugee Labor in Turkey and Europe’s Plastic Waste."He writes that China’s ban came at an ideal time for Turkey’s plastic recyclers. Less than two years before it was i…

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Asylum seekers in Greece, remembering Palestinian revolutionary Ghassan Kanafani 58:25

11M ago58:25

58:25

The Mediterranean Sea has become a huge cemetery for many thousands of migrants and asylum seekers who have been risking their lives trying to cross it in search of a better future.This week, we speak with Athens based independent journalist Moira Lavelle about the state of refugees and asylum seekers trying to reach Greece-Later in the program, we…

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Are Israel and Hezbollah on the brink of an all-out war? 58:03

11M ago58:03

58:03

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah are at all-time high. Israel and Lebenese Hezbollah have been exchanging fire since October 8 the, when Israel launched its devastating war on Gaza, but the conflict between the two archenemies escalated after one of Hezbollah's most senior commanders was killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon, on June…

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Dmitri Alperovitch (Silverado Policy Accelerator): The role of AI in “Cold War II”? 30:56

1y ago30:56

30:56

Dmitri Alperovitch, Co-Founder and Chairman of Silverado Policy Accelerator and Co-Founder of CrowdStrike, joins this week’s episode of #InAIWeTrust to share his view that we are in the “Second Cold War” with China, the role of AI in this battle as well as in bio tech and other key sectors, and the role of government in this arena. To hear more fro…

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Scott Galloway (NYU): Wealth, influence, and AI in America: Will AI be a tool of societal control and who (should be) minding the store? 40:42

1y ago40:42

40:42

Scott Galloway, professor, entrepreneur, and best selling author, joins this week’s episode of In AI We Trust? to cover hot topics including: impact of AI on businesses as a “corporate ozempic,” the political influence of “shallow fakes,” the dangerous threat of AI on our increasingly vulnerable and lonely population, the role of business executive…

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Ylli Bajraktari (SCSP): Will the U.S. be AI-ready by 2030? 38:21

1y ago38:21

38:21

In this week’s episode of In AI We Trust? Ylli Bajraktari, President and CEO of the Special Competitive Studies Project, joins us to discuss the implications of AI on national security, geopolitical competition, what the US government can do to establish a foundation for success in AI leadership, and the upcoming SCSP AI expo in DC (May 7-8). ― Res…

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123: One brain, two languages 13:21

1y ago13:21

13:21

For the first three years of Justin Davidson's childhood in Chicago, his mom spoke only Spanish to him. Although he never spoke the language as a young child, when Davidson began to learn Spanish in middle school, it came very quickly to him, and over the years, he became bilingual. Now an associate professor in UC Berkeley's Department of Spanish …

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K.J. Bagchi (The Leadership Conference Education Fund Center for Civil Rights and Tech) Encoding Justice: Can we protect our civil rights in the AI age? 33:17

1y ago33:17

33:17

In this episode of In AI We Trust?, Koustubh “K.J.” Bagchi, VP of the recently established Center for Civil Rights and Technology, founded by The Leadership Conference Education Fund, discusses the impact of AI on democracy, including deepfakes and elections; the interplay between AI and privacy; and the state of federal civil rights actions on AI.…

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122: A language divided 11:58

1y ago11:58

11:58

There are countless English varieties in the U.S. There's Boston English and California English and Texas English. There's Black English and Chicano English. There's standard academic, or white, English. They're all the same language, but linguistically, they're different. "Standard academic English is most represented by affluent white males from …

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121: A linguist's quest to legitimize U.S. Spanish 11:24

1y ago11:24

11:24

Spanish speakers in the United States, among linguists and non-linguists, have been denigrated for the way they speak, says UC Berkeley sociolinguist Justin Davidson. It’s part of the country's long history of scrutiny of non-monolingual English speakers, he says, dating back to the early 20th century. "It’s groups in power — its discourses and col…

1
Shelley Zalis, the Female Quotient (FQ): Can we achieve equality through algorithms? 27:00

1y ago27:00

27:00

In this episode of In AI We Trust? Shelley Zalis, founder and CEO of The Female Quotient (FQ), joins us in celebration of Women’s History Month. Tune in to learn about the FQ’s Algorithm for Equality Manifesto, how AI can help close the gender gap and the whys of championing women in industry. ― Resources mentioned in this episode: The Algorithm fo…

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Helen Toner (CSET): How to govern AI in the face of uncertainty? 35:04

1y ago35:04

35:04

This week Helen Toner, Director of Strategy and Foundational Research Grants at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), joins In AI We Trust? to discuss decoding China’s AI policies, AI’s role in warfare, the potential impact of AI agents, challenges around regulating changing technology, and how to approach AI evaluations.…

1
Micky Tripathi (HHS): Is AI good for your health?: How HHS is approaching AI use to support innovation and reduce harms & inefficiencies in our health care system. 35:57

1y ago35:57

35:57

In this episode, Dr. Micky Tripathi, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), shares how AI can improve patient care, current work at HHS to implement the WH Executive Order on AI, the potential risks that AI presents to the healthcare system and how transparency can improve AI out…

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120: Medieval song holds clues to lost dialects 18:25

1y ago18:25

18:25

In his research, UC Berkeley Ph.D. candidate Saagar Asnani looks at music manuscripts from between the 12th and 14th centuries in medieval France. He says only recently have scholars begun to use a wider variety of media and artistic expressions as a way to study language. "If we unpack the genre of music, we will find a very precise record of how …

1
Hossam el-Hamalawy on Egypt’s role in Israel's war on Gaza 46:38

1+ y ago46:38

46:38

Hossam el-Hamalawy on Egypt’s role in Israel's war on Gaza by VOMENA Team at KPFABy VOMENA Team at KPFA

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119: Art student's photo series explores masculine vulnerability 8:59

1+ y ago8:59

8:59

Brandon Sánchez Mejia stood at a giant wall in UC Berkeley’s Worth Ryder Art Gallery and couldn’t believe his eyes. In front of him were 150 black-and-white photos of men’s bodies in all sorts of poses and from all sorts of angles. It was his senior thesis project, "A Masculine Vulnerability," and it was out for the world to see. "It came from this…

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Dr. Athina Kanioura (PepsiCo): How to change your employee “DNA” to harness the power of AI (Hint: upskilling) 39:28

1+ y ago39:28

39:28

In this episode, Dr. Athina Kanioura, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer at PepsiCo, updates us on Pepsico’s pioneering steps in providing technology and opportunities to its workers and partners of all sizes, her wish list for AI and privacy regulation, and the measures she has instilled at Pepsico to establish …

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Berkeley Voices Podcasts

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