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  • Decoding Brain Data (the possibilities and pitfalls of neurotech with Jared Genser)
    2025/12/09
    Neurotechnology is a dual-use technology transforming lives — from implantable devices that use deep brain stimulation to ease tremors from Parkinson’s disease to commercial wearables that promise more effective meditation. But without the necessary legal, ethical, and regulatory safeguards, the misuse and abuse of neurotechnology and the data it collects becomes inevitable.In this episode, hosts Vass Bednar and Paul Samson speak with Jared Genser about neurotechnology, its implications for humanity, and the emerging dilemmas around neuro-rights, freedom of thought, and mental privacy. Jared is an international human rights lawyer and managing director of the law firm Perseus Strategies. He is a co-founder and general counsel to the Neuro Rights Foundation, and a special adviser on the Responsibility to Protect to the Organization of American States.Mentioned:Neuralink: neuralink.com/Chile: Pioneering the protection of neurorights: courier.unesco.org/en/articles/chile-pioneering-protection-neurorightsBrain-computer interface: cumming.ucalgary.ca/research/pediatric-bci/bci-program/what-bciBrain implant and AI gives a woman with paralysis her voice back (research led by Dr. Edward Chang): youtu.be/iTZ2N-HJbwA?si=u6d05795MdJ_3uO2EMOTIV and Rodrigo Hubner Mendes drive an F1 car using electroencephalography (EEG): youtu.be/NhmXaeaHkDc?si=GX5hrjnyCfS2yR3hRobotic exoskeleton helps paralyzed person kick first ball of 2014 World Cup: youtu.be/ClRqZbRxcNI?si=7Gdqjq6MRpJiM3PiPresident Obama’s Brain Initiative: obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/node/300741Meta acquires CTRL-labs for wristband technology that allows people to control devices using their brains: cnbc.com/2019/09/23/facebook-announces-acquisition-of-brain-computing-start-up-ctrl-labs.htmlEEG scanners in Apple AirPods: https://tinyurl.com/ypk72f8hAustralian device decodes thought-to-text with 40% accuracy: uts.edu.au/news/2023/12/portable-non-invasive-mind-reading-ai-turns-thoughts-text?DreamConnect guides dreams with AI (decoding dreams into images): eurekalert.org/news-releases/1096544Boston University brain scientist shows that electrostimulation can restore a 70-year-old’s working memory to that of a 20-year-old: bu.edu/articles/2019/electrostimulation-can-improve-working-memory/Kernel, a wearable device that delivers information on brain function: kernel.com/Werner Herzog’s documentary Theater of Thought: neurorightsfoundation.org/media/herzog-filmComplex Regional Pain Syndrome: pascalhealthinstitute.com/why-crps-is-called-the-suicide-disease/Further Reading:Jared Genser’s bio: perseus-strategies.com/team/jared-genser-english/Neurorights Foundation: neurorightsfoundation.org/Freedom of Thought: Reviving and Protecting a Forgotten Human Right, special report by Susie Alegre and Aaron Shull cigionline.org/publications/freedom-of-thought-reviving-and-protecting-a-forgotten-human-right/Credits:Policy Prompt is produced by Vass Bednar and Paul Samson. Our supervising producer is Tim Lewis, with technical production by Henry Daemen and Luke McKee. Show notes are prepared by Lynn Schellenberg, social media engagement by Isabel Neufeld, brand design and episode artwork by Abhilasha Dewan and Sami Chouhdary, with creative direction from Som Tsoi. Original music by Joshua Snethlage. Sound mix and mastering by François Goudreault. Be sure to follow us on social media. X: @_policypromptIG: @cigionlineListen to new episodes of Policy Prompt on all major podcast platforms. Questions, comments or suggestions? Reach out to CIGI’s Policy Prompt team at info@policyprompt.ioOur guest’s opinions and facts are their own. Enjoy the chat!
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    1 時間 5 分
  • Scientists and AI: Partners in Discovery (understanding AI’s role in scientific research with Rebecca Willett)
    2025/11/11

    Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a profound impact on science, from data analysis to scenario simulation and predicting protein structure — its full potential is still unknown. Today, many scientists are dedicated to better understanding AI and how to integrate it into research to accelerate the pace of scientific discoveries without compromising rigour and principle. Is there a future where AI will make new scientific discoveries on its own?

    Join hosts Vass Bednar and Paul Samson as they speak with Rebecca Willett about the role machine learning and AI play in scientific research now and how she sees it impacting scientists in the future. Rebecca is a professor of statistics and computer science at the University of Chicago and faculty director of artificial intelligence at the University’s Data Science Institute. Her research focuses on machine learning and making sense of complex, large-scale datasets, as well as data science. Rebecca completed her PhD in electrical and computer engineering at Rice University and is a member of the Computer Science Study Group at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

    In-Show Clips:

    00:15:03: NOVA scienceNOW, "What Will the Future Be Like?": FoldIt: A Protein Puzzle Game (PBS LearningMedia, 2013)

    00:15:17: Nature Video: Foldit: Biology for gamers (YouTube, August 4, 2010)

    Mentioned:

    • Google DeepMind AlphaFold: deepmind.google/science/alphafold/
    • Protein folding computer game Foldit: fold.it/
    • The COVID-19 Citizen Science Study: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8407439/
    • People-powered research platform Zooniverse: zooniverse.org/

    Further Reading:

    • Rebecca Willet, professor of statistics and computer science at the University of Chicago and faculty director of artificial intelligence at the University’s Data Science Institute. Find her bio and works here: willett.psd.uchicago.edu/

    Credits:

    Policy Prompt is produced by Vass Bednar and Paul Samson. Our supervising producer is Tim Lewis, with technical production by Henry Daemen and Luke McKee. Show notes are prepared by Rebecca MacIntyre, Libza Manna and Isabel Neufeld, who also handles social media engagement, brand design and episode artwork by Abhilasha Dewan and Sami Chouhdary, with creative direction from Som Tsoi.

    Original music by Joshua Snethlage.

    Sound mix and mastering by François Goudreault.

    Be sure to follow us on social media.

    • X: @_policyprompt
    • IG: @cigionline

    Listen to new episodes of Policy Prompt on all major podcast platforms. Questions, comments or suggestions? Reach out to CIGI’s Policy Prompt team at info@policyprompt.io

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    59 分
  • Space Is a Human Domain (discussing governance challenges with Esther Brimmer and Jessica West)
    2025/10/14
    Often compared to ocean shipping lanes, Earth’s orbital layers act as channels to almost 14,000 satellites moving at around 7 km/second. These orbital pathways are becoming increasingly congested as a rapidly growing number of commercial actors enter what was once a predominantly state-run domain. Can the 1967 Outer Space Treaty hold up against this space revolution? Can international structures quickly modernize and work together to ensure all players in the space race are committed to a safe and sustainable future?Join hosts Vass Bednar and Paul Samson as they speak with guests Esther Brimmer and Jessica West about a comprehensive and collaborative approach to space governance. Esther is a senior fellow at the US Council on Foreign Relations, a former US assistant secretary of state and an expert in international institutions. Jessica is a CIGI senior fellow and a senior researcher at Project Ploughshares, a Canadian peace and security research institute, where she focuses on technology, security and governance in outer space.In-Show Clips:00:29:04: Universal Studios: “New Moon. Reds Launch First Space Satellite” (Internet Archive, October 7, 1957)Mentioned:UN Outer Space Treaty: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/spacelaw/treaties/introouterspacetreaty.htmlInternational Maritime Organization Polar Code: imo.org/en/ourwork/safety/pages/polar-code.aspx Geostationary orbit: wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostationary_orbit United Arab Emirates future space planning: space.gov.ae/en/media-center/blogs/2/3/2020/uae-shaping-future-of-earth-observation-satellites-and-space-exploration UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space: https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/copuos/current.htmlPhilippine National Statements during the 68th Session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space: philsa.gov.ph/news/philippine-national-statements-during-the-68th-session-of-the-united-nations-committee-on-the-peaceful-uses-of-outer-space-un-copuos/ Canada’s statement to the First Committee of the 79th Session of the United Nations, Thematic Debate: Outer Space: international.gc.ca/world-monde/issues_development-enjeux_developpement/peace_security-paix_securite/weapon-armes-control-documents/thematic-debat6.aspx?lang=eng Further Reading:Jessica West, CIGI senior fellow and senior researcher at Project Ploughshares. Find her CIGI bio and works here: cigionline.org/people/jessica-west/ Esther Brimmer, James H. Binger senior fellow in global governance and former assistant secretary of state for international organization affairs. Find her Council on Foreign Relations bio and works here: cfr.org/expert/esther-brimmerCredits:Policy Prompt is produced by Vass Bednar and Paul Samson. Our supervising producer is Tim Lewis, with technical production by Henry Daemen and Luke McKee. Show notes are prepared by Lynn Schellenberg, social media engagement by Isabel Neufeld, brand design and episode artwork by Abhilasha Dewan and Sami Chouhdary, with creative direction from Som Tsoi. Original music by Joshua Snethlage. Sound mix and mastering by François Goudreault. Be sure to follow us on social media. X: @_policypromptIG: @cigionline Listen to new episodes of Policy Prompt on all major podcast platforms. Questions, comments or suggestions? Reach out to CIGI’s Policy Prompt team at info@policyprompt.io
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    1 時間
  • The Trust Battle: Stablecoins, Crypto and the Future of Money (with Ali Abou Daya and Morva Rohani)
    2025/09/23
    For centuries, the power to create money was isolated to traditional issuers, who built trust over the ages. But now stablecoins are starting to pull at that monopoly, rising up in relevance as a massive innovation on infrastructure. Some jurisdictions are turning things upside down with digital asset adoption, while others are holding back, with important geopolitical implications. On season two’s opener, hosts Vass Bednar and Paul Samson welcome Ali Abou Daya and Morva Rohani to discuss the emergence and transformative nature of crypto and stablecoins. Ali is the chief executive officer of Transactix Financial, a stablecoin company, and Morva is the executive director of the Canadian Web3 Council, an industry organization that advocates for responsible public policy. Together the four consider the digitalization of traditional finance, and the challenges surrounding establishing trust and who controls what.Mentioned:Blockchain: see CIGI’s explainer video “What Is Blockchain?” (YouTube, January 4, 2018)“In God We Trust” printed on US currency: see www.congress.gov/committee-report/112th-congress/house-report/47/1 and David Mislin, “The complex history of ‘In God We Trust’” (The Conversation, February 2, 2018)“Satoshi” refers to Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious pseudonymous author of a 2008 white paper entitled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System”; see also Joshua Davis, “The Crypto-Currency” (The New Yorker, October 3, 2011)“Bitcoin maxis”: Tonya M. Evan defines this term and others in the digital asset lexicon: “The Bitcoin, Not Crypto, Debate: Why Words Matter” (Forbes, August 21, 2024)For more on El Salvador’s experience with bitcoin, see “Bitcoin: El Salvador makes cryptocurrency legal tender” (BBC, June 9, 2021), “World’s first Bitcoin nation scales back crypto dream” (BBC, December 18, 2024) and Robyn Wilson’s “The Salvadoran beach town that became a Bitcoin testbed” (BBC, July 1, 2025)Nigeria’s central bank digital currency, the eNaira: www.firstbanknigeria.com/personal/ways-to-bank/e-naira/Tether setting up physical HQ in El Salvador: Federico Maccioni, “Crypto firm Tether and its founders finalizing move to El Salvador” (Reuters, January 13, 2025)For comparison of transaction costs by analyst Eric Yeung, see his April 20, 2025 X post: “The Final Showdown Between China and the U.S.: The Battlefield Shifts from Military Hegemony to Global Currency Warfare.” Yeung is a Hong Kong–based precious metals and investment expert who posts daily analysis on X.The GENIUS Act (in full: Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins Act) became public law in July 2025 to provide for the regulation of payment stablecoins in the United States: www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1582/text“MiCA and the European Union”: see Markets in Crypto-Assets RegulationDaniel Day-Lewis played Daniel Plainview in There Will Be Blood, a 2007 film based on Upton Sinclair’s 1927 novel Oil!“The milkshake example”: a reference to Harvard Business School professor “Clay Christensen’s milkshake marketing,” which considers why we “hire” a productFurther Reading: Ali Abou Daya’s bio: www.linkedin.com/in/aliaboudaya/About Transactix Financial: www.transactix.ca/aboutMorva Rohani’s bio: www.linkedin.com/in/morvarohani/About the Canadian Web3 Council: https://web3canada.ca/about/For more analysis on the evolving role of digital assets, including central bank digital currencies, cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and tokenized assets, within the broader context of the global financial system, see CIGI’s project Digital Assets in a Deglobalized WorldCredits:Policy Prompt is produced by Vass Bednar and Paul Samson. Our supervising producer is Tim Lewis, with technical production by Henry Daemen and Luke McKee. Show notes are prepared by Lynn Schellenberg, social media engagement by Isabel Neufeld, brand design and episode artwork by Abhilasha Dewan and Sami Chouhdary, with creative direction from Som Tsoi. Original music by Joshua Snethlage. Sound mix and mastering by François Goudreault. Be sure to follow us on social media. X: @_policypromptIG: @cigionlineListen to new episodes of Policy Prompt on all major podcast platforms. Questions, comments or suggestions? Reach out to CIGI’s Policy Prompt team at info@policyprompt.io.
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    57 分
  • From Shipping Things to Spreading Ideas (unboxing global trade with Marc Levinson)
    2025/05/05

    In episode 16, hosts Vass and Paul talk to Marc Levinson — economist, historian and author of The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger, published in 2016, and the follow-up, Outside the Box: How Globalization Changed from Moving Stuff to Spreading Ideas (both Princeton University Press).

    Marc brings to life a topic freighted with importance but often out of mind: how an innovation involving the shipping container, 200 years in the making, transformed economic geography and the transport of cargo around the globe. The three discuss, as well, the current challenges in figuring out the value of international trade that is unpackaged and, so far, not well accounted for — exchange in services, ideas and intangibles, of increasing significance in the global economy.

    Mentioned:

    • The giant container ship Ever Given: “In pictures: Container ship blocking the Suez Canal finally on the move” (BBC, March 29, 2021)
    • “Gambler” Malcolm McLean, featured in the PBS series They Made America: www.pbs.org/wgbh/theymadeamerica/whomade/mclean_hi.html
    • The BBC’s “The Box” project: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/business/2008/the_box/default.stm

    Further Reading:

    • Marc Levinson’s bio: www.marclevinson.net/?page_id=10
    • Marc Levinson’s website: www.marclevinson.net/
    • Marc Levinson, The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger, 2nd edition (Princeton University Press, 2016)
    • Marc Levinson, Outside the Box: How Globalization Changed from Moving Stuff to Spreading Ideas (Princeton University Press, 2020)

    Credits:
    Policy Prompt is produced by Vass Bednar and Paul Samson. Our technical producers are Tim Lewis and Melanie DeBonte. Fact-checking and background research provided by Reanne Cayenne. Marketing by Kahlan Thomson. Brand design by Abhilasha Dewan and creative direction by Som Tsoi.

    Original music by Joshua Snethlage.

    Sound mix and mastering by François Goudreault.

    Special thanks to creative consultant Ken Ogasawara.

    Be sure to follow us on social media.

    • X: @_policyprompt
    • IG: @_policyprompt

    Listen to new episodes of Policy Prompt biweekly on major podcast platforms. Questions, comments or suggestions? Reach out to CIGI’s Policy Prompt team at info@policyprompt.io.

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    56 分
  • Perfect Fit Content (from elevator music to your AI DJ with Liz Pelly)
    2025/04/22
    How do you discover music? College radio, word of mouth, serendipity — or your very own AI DJ? In 2006, Spotify’s founders discovered music as “a traffic source” for an advertising model, and have since transformed the music industry. But what are their goals or values when it comes to music and culture beyond the pursuit of profit, and what does it mean for musicians and music lovers? And why aren’t policy makers more concerned about this mega platform?In this episode of Policy Prompt, hosts Vass and Paul welcome Liz Pelly, music and media critic, and the author of Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist (Atria, 2025). Together they chat about how we’ve consumed our music over the years, and how it’s been fed to us, from the “stimulus progression” of Muzak’s elevator tunes to the “mood-driven logic” of Spotify’s algorithmic curation.In-Show Clips:00:12:57: AFP News Agency, “Sweden’s Pirate Party aims for kingmaker spot” (YouTube, March 26, 2010)00:18:34: CNBC Television: “Spotify is the platform for artists who want to break globally, says Evercore ISI’s Mark Mahaney” (YouTube, November 12, 2024)Mentioned:Muzak’s archives and the concept of “stimulus progression”: see https://muzakarchives.com/ and https://muzakarchives.com/stimulus-progression/Big Shiny Tariffs (public playlist): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/56kKurRKQmJnhJgvq9pSV5Big Shiny Tunes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Shiny_TunesCanada’s Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11): www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/modernization-broadcasting-act.htmlSongza: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SongzaRhapsody/Napster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napster_(streaming_service)“Pirate Bay”/Piratbyrån: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piratbyr%C3%A5nLiving Wage for Musicians Act of 2024: www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/7763Federal Music Project: www.wnyc.org/series/works-progress-administration/aboutThe Musicians’ Union: a trade union representing more than 36,000 musicians across the United Kingdom working in all sectors of the music business and supporter of the Musicians’ CensusPublic Knowledge’s Streaming in the Dark project: see their video explainer and the 2024 paper by Meredith Filak Rose, “Streaming in the Dark: Competitive Dysfunction Within the Music Streaming Ecosystem” (Berkeley Journal of Entertainment and Sports Law 13 (1): 23–66)“Edmonton Public Library’s first digital public space, created to celebrate Edmonton’s local music scene and its history”: see https://capitalcityrecords.ca/ and https://capitalcityrecords.ca/albumsFurther Reading: Liz Pelly’s bio: https://lizpelly.info/Liz Pelly, Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist (Atria, 2025)Credits:Policy Prompt is produced by Vass Bednar and Paul Samson. Our technical producers are Tim Lewis and Melanie DeBonte. Fact-checking and background research provided by Reanne Cayenne. Marketing by Kahlan Thomson. Brand design by Abhilasha Dewan and creative direction by Som Tsoi.Original music by Joshua Snethlage.Sound mix and mastering by François Goudreault.Special thanks to creative consultant Ken Ogasawara.Be sure to follow us on social media.X: @_policypromptIG: @_policypromptListen to new episodes of Policy Prompt biweekly on major podcast platforms. Questions, comments or suggestions? Reach out to CIGI’s Policy Prompt team at info@policyprompt.io.
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    50 分
  • What Does Innovation Actually Mean? (talking research, the academy and AI with Joel Blit)
    2025/04/07

    What does innovation actually mean, and how should we be thinking about it?

    In this episode, Vass and Paul welcome Joel Blit, an expert in innovation and innovation policy. Joel is a senior fellow at CIGI, and an associate professor of economics at the University of Waterloo, where he chairs the Council for Innovation Policy and Strategy. They discuss the mix of art and science that comprises innovation, the tensions surrounding it, and the different approaches — inside and outside the academy — that Canada and other jurisdictions are experimenting with to best generate and capture commercial and societal benefits from emerging technologies, in particular artificial intelligence.

    In-Show Clips:

    • 00:06:26: TVO Today, “Evaluating Performance-based Funding” (YouTube, October 3, 2019)
    • 00:46:40: BBC News, “How could AI affect jobs globally and worsen inequality?” (YouTube, January 15, 2024)

    Mentioned:

    • “Sigma 2” in education: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloom%27s_2_sigma_problem

    Further Reading:

    • Joel Blit’s bio: https://uwaterloo.ca/scholar/jblit

    Credits:
    Policy Prompt is produced by Vass Bednar and Paul Samson. Our technical producers are Tim Lewis and Melanie DeBonte. Fact-checking and background research provided by Reanne Cayenne. Marketing by Kahlan Thomson. Brand design by Abhilasha Dewan and creative direction by Som Tsoi.

    Original music by Joshua Snethlage.

    Sound mix and mastering by François Goudreault.

    Special thanks to creative consultant Ken Ogasawara.

    Be sure to follow us on social media.

    • X: @_policyprompt
    • IG: @_policyprompt

    Listen to new episodes of Policy Prompt biweekly on major podcast platforms. Questions, comments or suggestions? Reach out to CIGI’s Policy Prompt team at info@policyprompt.io.

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    57 分
  • Measuring and Visualizing AI (grounding decisions in data with Nestor Maslej)
    2025/03/24

    AI is going to affect us all and everyone has opinions about it. But what does the data say?

    In this episode of Policy Prompt, Vass and Paul welcome Nestor Maslej from Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, where he is the research manager of the AI Index and the Global AI Vibrancy Tool. In developing tools that track the advancement of AI, Nestor hopes to make the AI space more accessible to policy makers, business leaders and the lay public. Nestor discusses the excitement and fears surrounding this fast-moving technology and the importance of quantitative data in AI myth busting. “At the Index, we really feel that to make good decisions about this tech, whether you are in a boardroom, in a Parliament, or simply sitting in your living room, you need to have access to data and you have to actually understand what is going on with this technology.”

    In-Show Clips:

    • 00:10:55: CNBC, “How China’s New AI Model DeepSeek Is Threatening U.S. Dominance” (YouTube, January 24, 2025)
    • 00:30:11: Yahoo Finance, “What is the CHIPS act? The semiconductor bill with bipartisan support (and criticism)” (YouTube, July 20, 2022)
    • 00:41:07: The AI Navigator, “What is Jevons Paradox and how could it apply to AI?” (YouTube, May 2, 2024)

    Mentioned:

    • The Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI: https://hai.stanford.edu/about
    • The Stanford AI Index: https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index
    • The Stanford Global AI Vibrancy Tool: https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/global-vibrancy-tool
    • Jevons paradox: Greg Rosalsky, “Why the AI world is suddenly obsessed with a 160-year-old economics paradox” (NPR, February 4, 2025)

    Further Reading:

    • Nestor Maslej’s bio: https://profiles.stanford.edu/nestor-maslej
    • Nestor Maslej, Loredana Fattorini, Raymond Perrault, Vanessa Parli, Anka Reuel, Erik Brynjolfsson, John Etchemendy, Katrina Ligett, Terah * Lyons, James Manyika, Juan Carlos Niebles, Yoav Shoham, Russell Wald and Jack Clark, Artificial Intelligence Index Report 2024 (Stanford, CA: Institute for Human-Centered AI, Stanford University, April 2024)

    Credits:
    Policy Prompt is produced by Vass Bednar and Paul Samson. Our technical producers are Tim Lewis and Melanie DeBonte. Fact-checking and background research provided by Reanne Cayenne. Marketing by Kahlan Thomson. Brand design by Abhilasha Dewan and creative direction by Som Tsoi.

    Original music by Joshua Snethlage.

    Sound mix and mastering by François Goudreault.

    Special thanks to creative consultant Ken Ogasawara.

    Be sure to follow us on social media.

    • X: @_policyprompt
    • IG: @_policyprompt

    Listen to new episodes of Policy Prompt biweekly on major podcast platforms. Questions, comments or suggestions? Reach out to CIGI’s Policy Prompt team at info@policyprompt.io.

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    1 時間 1 分