Futuristic Lawyer

On May 9, the US Department of Labor quietly closed an investigation against Scale AI regarding compliance with fair pay practices and working conditions (Reuters).Scale AI is a company at the very center of the “AI revolution”, but it has been subject to some nasty allegations of labor exploitation, on multiple fronts.However, if you have enough money in America, bad things tend to magically go away – at least for right now, and most certainly if you say your work is essential to outcompeting China in the AI superintelligence race.I recently had a chat with Celeste Garcia about what Scale AI is, who its founders are, and what the allegations against the company are.Hope you enjoy the conversation and take something away from it! Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Plan to post more of these on my YouTube channel.Can they bring value to my audience on Substack? If so, will continue to post them here too. Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Africa plays a much more important role in the development of AI, than most people are aware of. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) alone is home to more than 70% of global cobalt production, a mineral used in semiconductor manufacturing and the energy storage technologies that power AI datacenters. In spite of Africa’s rich soil which enables modern technologies, Africans tend to be underrepresented or left out of global conversations about AI. Why is that? African visionaries and change-makers are trying to change status quo with a community-centered approach to technology mirroring the African saying “Ubuntu” which means “I am because we are”. I learned all of this and more in my recent conversation with Rebecca Mbaya. You can find the time stamps to our conversation on YouTube and on your favorite streaming service. Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Charlie Guo is the author of Artificial Ignorance. In my humble opinion, the best weekly breakdown of AI news on Substack.I recently had a chat with Charlie about how AI will impact the profession of software engineering among other related topics.You can find time stamps for our conversation below (easier to navigate on YouTube, link here, or on various streaming services)00:00 Friendly introduction01:05 What made Charlie go into writing about AI?02:32 What has changed in AI over the last 2.5 years?04:13 Who will AI benefit the most?06:03: How will AI impact the work of software engineers?08:01 The major concern about AI’s impacts on coding 10:22 How Charlie uses AI in his writing process12:06 Vulnerability in vibe coding 13:20 The longer trajectory of AI development18:06 How GPT-4, GPT-5, Claude and Grok 4 compares to each other as writing assistants22:40 Near-term future of AI agents30:08 AI impact on social media32:00 Should young people still pursue software engineering as a career path?34:42 Why AI writing is uninteresting38:16 Raising a child in the age of AI43:03 OutroLinks to further readingCanaries in the Coal Mine? Six Facts about the Recent Employment Effects of Artificial Intelligence by Erik Brynjolfsson, Bharat Chandar and Ruyu Chen (August 2025)MIT report: 95% of generative AI pilots at companies are failing by Sheryl Estrada/Fortune (August 2025) Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

In this episode, we get to know Natalia Cote-Munoz. Natalia used to work for the Biden administration and is now exploring her interest in AI. Based on Natalia’s unique perspective and insights, we discuss the following topics:* The strategy laid out in America’s AI Action Plan * How Trump is approaching AI vs. how the Biden/Harris administration would * The focus on getting rid of “woke AI”* Why the Trump administration is advocating for open-source AI* Comparison with the AI strategies of Europe and ChinaYou can check out Natalia’s work on Substack below. Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Today my guest is Maalvika.Maalvika is an expert on the intersection of digital media and culture - both from her academic studies and experience as a viral creator on TikTok. We discuss how social media and dating apps are impacting the youth, both positively and negatively, and how a new generation of people can learn to thrive in the challenging environment a handful of profit-seeking tech companies are building.In my own work, I try to understand how algorithms on social media and dating apps are impacting society. In my latest post, I went deep on how these algorithms have created the so-called incel culture. Give it a read, if you haven’t already, and don’t be afraid to mark your interest with a like or a comment. The house appreciates it. In my talk with Maalvika I was particularly interested in learning more about what these issues look like from a feminine perspective, and from someone who speaks the language of Generation Z. If you want to learn more about Maalvika, you can find her publication on Substack below 👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

NOTE: If you are listening to this podcast, you can skip ahead to the second part of the conversation at the 32:18 mark. Here is my talk with prompt artists and AI power user, Daniel Nest. You may know Daniel from Why Try AI, a popular ressource on Substack with pratical tips and tricks on how to use AI tools for non-technical readers. In the first part of our conversation, Daniel offers a demo of ChatGPT’s image capabilities and Sora (00:00-32:18).Surprise, I am personally not a big user of AI tools. If you are like me, definitely check out the first part of our podcast. Daniel’s demonstration of how ChatGPT’s image generator and Sora work is both engaging and eye-opening. In the second part, we discuss the implications of this new technology from a legal, ethical, and philosophical perspective (32:18-1:06:54).If you have any comments and inputs to the second part, I am very interested in hearing from you. Please respond in the comments or message me directly on Substack, LinkedIn or e-mail at futuristiclawyer at gmail .com.Finally, you can check out Why Try AI below if you are looking for no-nonsense advice on how to use AI tools in daily life 👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Michelle Nie is a consultant and researcher working at the intersection of technology and society with a keen interest in AI policy and governance. She is currently engaged as a EU Tech Policy Fellow at the Open Markets Institute, Co-Founder of Women in Safety and Ethics (WISE), and the Curriculum Lead at General-Purpose AI Policy LabIn this episode you will learn among other things: 👉 Why whistleblower protection is important in the AI industry.👉 What some of the most pressing AI risks are.👉 Why regulation can enable innovation.👉 How AI leads to a concentration of power.👉 What the public can do to mitigate BigTech’s concentration of power. 👉 Why Michelle is hopeful about EU’s antitrust enforement.👉 How the tech community and tech vibes are different in Paris compared to SF.See Michelle’s website here and subscribe to her work on Substack below while you are at it👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Baldur Bjarnason aka “Web dev at the end of the world” is an experienced web developer, author, and online writer based in Hveragerði, Iceland.I have followed Baldur’s newsletter for a while now and enjoyed and found inspiration in his commentary, link dumps, and obligatory photos of cats and nature in Iceland. Baldur has very recently started a YouTube channel which is why I thought it would be a perfect timing to discuss the world situation on Futuristic Lawyer podcast. We mainly talk about how (a) business leaders, (b) software developers, (c) politicians at the EU-level can approach AI, and namely the commercial pressure from the market to adopt AI as much and as quickly as possible.Baldur is an informed AI skeptic and I concur with many of his viewpoints. Although I don’t think AI as a techno-political movement is inherently worthless, the excessive hype about AI on the internet and in capital markets is bound to end sourly for all -unfortunately.I hope this conversation can contribute to taming the hype and unrealistic expectations. Check out Baldur Bjarnason’s books 👇Out of the Software Crisis ”Software projects keep failing, not because we don’t have the right team or tools but because our software development system is broken. Out of the Software Crisis is a guide to fixing your software projects with systems-thinking making them more resilient to change and less likely to fail.”Yellow”Yellow is a short ebook (around 90 pages).In it, I outline some of the core principles that drive my work using casual and approachable language, even when I’m covering potentially complex topics such as Gall’s Law or loose coupling.”The Intelligence Illusion ”What are the major risks to avoid with generative AI? How do you avoid having it blow up in your face? Is that even possible?The Intelligence Illusion (Second Edition) is an exhaustively researched guide to the risks of language and diffusion models.”Bad Writing”Twenty-five years of writing on digital transformation, digital publishing, innovation, and software development”See Baldur’s website 👉 https://www.baldurbjarnason.com/ See Baldur’s YouTube Channel 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@BaldurBjarnason Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

To better understand the digital ecosystem in China, including how netizens use social media, and how Chinese people think about the implications of living in a digital age, I allied myself with Xinrou Shu.Xinrou is a former fashion writer and current freelance journalist based in China. She writes about the Internet, youth culture, and how China’s digital ecosystem affects people. Her work has appeared in award-winning publications, including South China Morning Post, Rest of World, Sixth Tone, The China Project, RadiiCo, Salon.com, and more. Some of my main takeaway from the conversation:* In China you have to use your phone to do everything, more so than in Western countries. * Social media algorithms are strongly monitored in China, and therefore less polarizing and less differentiated. However, users on platforms such as RedNote rely heavily on euphemisms and coded language to bypass censorship restrictions. * Seniors in China are among the heaviest users of social media, namely infinite short-video scrolling in the style of TikTok. Not like western countries, where the youth are mainly exposed. * Many people were left traumatized after the COVID lockdown restrictions when they were forced to spent many weeks inside their homes, often without enough food. It was common to use WeChat for trading food coupons. Seniors in China became much more familiar with social media during the time.* Emigration spiked during and after the COVID lockdown in Shanghai, and it changed a lot of people’s view on the government. * Public institutions in China have embraced generative AI, likely more effectively than in Western countries. It’s the norm for government officials to use DeepSeek for writing daily reports and doing research. * AI companies in China, such as the the Six Tigers, are on the same mission as the major AI labs in the United States. Short term business interests are highly prioritized. Check out Xinrou’s website 👉 https://xinroushu.com/And find her on Xitter 👉 https://twitter.com/Xinrou6 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Today I am joined by Katalina Hernández who investigates matters of AI governance, safety, and privacy on Stress-Testing Reality Limited while working as a Data Protection Officer for a large European multi-national company.We discuss Europe’s position in the business of AI contra the United States, how it chooses to regulate its AI industry, the complexity of EU’s digital laws, Katalina’s journey into AI governance, and more. We could have talked for much longer about superintelligence and AI alignment research which is among Katalina’s core interests. That must wait for another episode. If you want to learn more about these topics, subscribe to receive Katalina’s work in your inbox below 👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

If we follow reputable news sources these days, we are presented with a dark and gloomy vision of the world. Europe is at war with Russia while the US appears strongly committed to rapidly transform itself from a global peacemaker to an autocratic pariah state. History seems to be reversing course, moving us back to a bygone, expansionist era that is now broadcasted through social media, instead of noisy radio signals and black-and-white televisions. While it’s important to acknowledge and articulate these dark political turns, there are also a plethora of positive stories out there we are rarely exposed to. They don’t nearly sell as many newspaper subscriptions or draw as much attention on social media. These are the unheard stories we focus on in today’s conversation. Sam Matey works as an environmental scientist, climate journalist, and geospatial data analyst.In our conversation, we talk about Sam’s life as a digital nomad, how to deal with social media, how AI will affect climate change, and how we can remain hopeful and optimistic for the future. Check out The Weekly Anthropocene to receive news roundups on climate and biodiversity progress, interviews with people working to make the future of humanity and its biosphere brighter, and much more 👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Meg McNulty is co-founder of an AI-quantum startup that is currently in stealth mode. In this episode, I try to understand via Meg’s informed perspective how quantum technology relates to AI and if the combination of these two technologies will lead us to superintelligence in the near future. We also discuss pracitcal applications of quantum, what the business landscape looks like, which companies in the industry to look out for, and whether the quantum industry will be dominated by BigTech like the case has been with generative AI. Check out Meg’s publication CipherTalk below 👇From the About page:“With so much happening in the tech world, it can be hard to know what really matters. CipherTalk cuts through tech jargon and synthesizes how emerging tech personally impacts you.Each week, I’ll highlight notable events and why they matter to the everyday consumer. Whether it's the rise of AI or the latest drone lawsuit, this newsletter seeks to provide an accessible analysis of what it all means for our digital lives. I'll keep you informed as we ride the waves of innovation together.” Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

I recently had the honor of being joined by Taiwanese tech journalist and international business researcher Judy Lin 林昭儀 in my virtual studio. Judy writes the publication TechSoda here on Substack which is built on a mission to make tech and innovation stories accessible by writing tech stories with a human touch.Judy has a solid understanding of the power dynamics between the US and China, she knows a lot about TSMC, and a lot about China in general - from its cultural values to its governance system to its AI industry. I am currently trying to learn much more about China since its role in global tech regulation and in practically all of the world’s economic and technological endeavours is too big to ignore. In January, Judy wrote a viral guest post about DeepSeek on AI Supremacy .Check out her publication TechSoda (SODA: Stimulating, Original, Dynamic, and Accessible) while you are at it 👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Disclaimer: This talk was recorded soon after the New Years. As we know, a lot has happened since then but learning about China’s tech - and AI ecosystem, remain as relevant as ever.Grace Shao is an independent tech and AI researcher and writer. She often writes about AI, technology, and corporate governance, contributing to Fortune, The Diplomat, EIU, and FT Chinese. Previously, as a full-time journalist, Grace reported on Asia tech and business for CNBC and CGTN. Her work has also been published in the SCMP, S&P Global Market Intelligence, Yahoo Finance, and USA Today.Grace is also the founder of Proem Communications. As an international media consultant, she has advised clients such as Lenovo, Ant Financial, Kuaishou, PayPal, KKR, Primavera, and growth-stage consumer tech and biotech firms. Grace was integral to Alibaba Group's international corporate affairs team, helping the tech giant navigate some of its most significant crises and milestones.See Grace’s consultancy website here 👉 https://www.proemcommunications.com/Check out the AI Proem on Substack 👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

I recently had a talk with Riccardo Vocca who is a research assistant in marketing and the author of The Intelligent Friend, a newsletter where he explores the impact of AI on everyday life through scientific research. At the moment, Riccardo is preparing to launch a podcast of his own, something I can only encourage. Whenever I speak to people about podcasting and what my motivation for doing it is, there is a short quote I always fall back on by Yuval Noah Harari:“Don’t be a lone activist”. In truth, the impact we can make as individuals is very limited. The easiest thing in the world for me to do would be to sit in my proverbial basement and complain about everything wrong with the world - and there are PLENTY of things to complain about. However, it wouldn’t change anything.The only way to make a meaningful change in the world is by collective action, so by making connections with others and leveraging a network. Historically and biologically, humans have flourished throughout the ages and outgrown other species because of our ability to communicate and work together. Not because of grand achievements by a few extraordinary individuals. I see podcasting, sharing other people’s viewpoints, stories, thoughts, and ideas with the world, as my way of contributing to the greater, collective brain power. Riccardo is a fellow European who writes about AI with a strong foundation in science and academia. If you enjoy the work I do here on Futuristic Lawyer, chances are you will enjoy Riccardo’s work as well. Here is a direct message to you from Riccardo:“Dear Futuristic Lawyer readers, I am truly honored and excited to have been invited by Tobias and to have the opportunity to "join you". The work that Tobias does on the newsletter is truly great, and I hope that this episode does not disappoint your expectations but, in an informal and spontaneous way, can also provide you with ideas or stimulate reflections. If the impact of AI on our lives interests you, stop by The Intelligent Friend, I will be excited to hear your opinion! Finally, let me thank Tobias, a person who is not only deeply passionate about what he writes, but also kind and authentic. All that remains is to read, or rather, listen!”On The Intelligent Friend, you will discover how we relate to AI, how (and if) it can make us more creative, the influence it has on our choices and much more. To learn more about AI-human interactions based on top academic research, check out The Intelligent Friend 👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Here is my conversation with Gideon Lichfield.Gideon is an experienced journalist who served as global editorial director of Wired magazine from March 2021 until August 2023 and before that as editor-in-chief of MIT Technology Review.Nowadays, Gideon works as an independent consultant and he is the author of Futurepolis, a Substack publication dedicated to exploring the future of democracy. In our conversation, we discuss the current state of media, journalism, and democracy, and Gideon opens up about his decision and motivation for starting on Substack. Check out Gideon’s website here 👉 https://gideonlichfield.comSign up to receive stories from Futurepolis below👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Here’s my conversation with Chad Woodford.Chad has worked as a lawyer for companies in Silicon Valley throughout many years, including for Google and Twitter. Besides law, Chad has an educational background in software engineering and philosophy, and he is a teacher of yoga and meditation. We discuss how to combine a corporate life with spirituality - something I don’t see covered very often - how to stick with a meditation habit, and then we go deep into the rabbit hole of AI, and what it even means to be conscious and human. I hope you enjoy this episode of the Futuristic Lawyer podcast which is also available on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube. Find Chad Woodford on:YouTube👉 https://www.youtube.com/@cosmicwit Patreon 👉 https://www.patreon.com/cosmicwitSubstack 👇 Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Universities still don’t have a plan for generative AI. See a recent post about it from Ian Bogost at The Atlantic here.The technology has more or less been forced upon them but without guidelines, instructions, or recommendations on how to deal with this new development. Many innovative and concerned teachers, educators, and school administrators are currently trying to find the answers and the right questions to ask. I recently allied myself with Jeppe Stricker for a conversation about the topic.See our full conversation here Find Jeppe's newsletter here 👉 The Future of Higher Education Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe

Leon Furze is an expert in the implications of AI on education. Check out Leon's website and blog 👉 https://leonfurze.com/ We discuss how ChatGPT has changed education for better and for worse, and while some parents are fully bought into the hype and doom, young people tend to think that AI is "cringe". The "move fast and break things"-attitude that made high-tech companies like Meta ultra successful, is unadoptable in the education system. Yet, there is a lot of room for technological improvements that would make a positive impact. A key challenge is to find the resources and attract the right talent and know-how.Watch the full conversation here. Get full access to Futuristic Lawyer at www.futuristiclawyer.com/subscribe