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Welcome to Toronto Talks—the podcast that unpacks the biggest stories in money, business, and technology. Whether you're an entrepreneur, tech enthusiast, or simply looking to stay ahead of the curve, we dive deep into finance, innovation, and industry to bring you insights that matter.
Hosted by Ashraf Amin and Sophie the Sage (AI), Toronto Talks is where bold minds meet unfiltered insights on tech, money, and the future. If you're done with fluff and want signal in the noise—subscribe, think sharper, and live smarter.
20 Episodes
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What happens when the systems that decide who matters stop reflecting real contribution? In this episode of Toronto Talks, we examine what we call the Scoreboard Crisis — the growing disconnect between effort, usefulness, and reward in an economy shaped by AI, automation, and abstraction. As machines filter work faster than institutions can adapt, many people are discovering something unsettling: the scoreboard is still running — but fewer people can see themselves on it. This isn’t a conv...
Something deeper than trust is breaking. Even when systems still function — planes land, paychecks clear, hospitals operate — people are increasingly unwilling to accept the authority behind the decisions. Not because they disagree with every outcome, but because they no longer recognize the referee. In Episode 018 of Toronto Talks, The Legitimacy Crisis: Who Gets to Decide What’s Real Anymore?, we examine what happens when institutions retain power but lose the collective permission that all...
The future of work is no longer defined by offices, borders, or time zones — it’s defined by how well we understand one another. In Episode 17 of Toronto Talks, The Borderless Mind, we explore how Cultural Intelligence (CQ) is rapidly becoming the most important human skill in a global, AI-accelerated economy. As teams stretch across continents, collaboration no longer fails because of bandwidth or tools — it fails because of misread meaning, broken trust, and cultural blind spots. This epi...
In this episode, we step directly into the heart of the modern information war. Algorithms shape what we see, what we believe, and increasingly who we become. But behind every “neutral” system is a chain of choices — architectural, political, commercial, and psychological — that quietly tilt our reality. This is the battle for digital truth. Ash and Sophie take you inside the hidden mechanics of bias, the collapse of institutional credibility, and the widening gap between human judgment and m...
What happens when the world still needs packages delivered and code reviewed — but needs far fewer people to do it? In Episode 15 of Toronto Talks, Ash and Sophie break down “The Great Replacement of Labor” — an unfiltered look at how AI and automation are quietly restructuring work, wages, and identity. This isn’t the familiar “robots take jobs” story. It’s a deeper conversation about coordination, dignity, and what’s left when algorithms become the managers. UPS depot closures and Amazon’s ...
How do faith, family, and economics explain the world’s new political mood? In Episode 14 of Toronto Talks, we explore the Right Revival — a global shift in which voters, feeling stretched by rising costs and cultural volatility, are turning toward parties that promise stability, affordability, and order. Hosted by Ashraf Amin and Sophie AI, this episode examines: ✅ Why household pressures — rent, food, and childcare — are redefining politics ✅ How “free-speech vs. censorship” debates beca...
How ready is Canada for the age of AI-driven learning and AI-powered jobs? In Episode 13 of Toronto Talks, we trace the full talent pipeline —from high-school classrooms to university clean rooms—and ask how artificial intelligence is reshaping education, micro-credentials, and immigration. Hosted by Ash Amin and Sophie AI, this episode explores: ✅ How 86 % of students already use AI in their studies ✅ Why 59 % of teachers still report no AI training ✅ The rise of micro-credentials & co...
The global wellness industry is worth over $6 trillion — bigger than Big Pharma, tourism, or sports. But here’s the real question: is this wellness boom actually making us healthier… or just selling us hype? In Episode 12 of Toronto Talks, Ash and Sophie unpack the business of wellness — from weight-loss drugs and AI wearables to corporate programs and luxury retreats. With a Canadian lens, they explore whether wellness is truly transforming lives or simply monetizing our anxieties. 🔔 Subs...
War isn’t just fought on battlefields — it’s built into economies. In this episode of Toronto Talks, we unpack how technology, money, and politics intertwine to sustain one of the world’s most powerful markets: the military industrial complex. From AI-driven weapons systems to trillion-dollar defense budgets, today’s conflicts are shaped as much by boardrooms and balance sheets as by generals and soldiers. Canada isn’t on the sidelines, either — our defense spending, NATO commitments, and pa...
For centuries, prestige institutions like Harvard defined the meaning of authority. A diploma wasn’t just paper — it was power. It meant access, credibility, and a seat at the table. But today, artificial intelligence is eroding that monopoly on knowledge — and exposing the fragility of elite credentialism. In this episode of Toronto Talks, we explore what happens when the ivory tower begins to crack. From AI systems outperforming experts to the democratization of information once locked be...
What happens when a global superpower starts defaulting—not just on its debts, but on its promises? In Episode 009 of Toronto Talks, Ash and Sophie unpack the mounting contradictions in the U.S. economic system. From spiraling national debt to tariff-fueled inflation, from de-dollarization to digital currency backlash, this episode examines the cracks forming in the foundation of American financial dominance. We explore: Why debt-to-GDP ratios are becoming meaningless The quiet collapse o...
In Episode 008 of Toronto Talks, Ash and Sophie tackle the global energy crisis brewing beneath the surface of progress. As AI, EVs, and data centers surge in demand, the world’s power grids—built for a slower, simpler time—are buckling under the pressure. From the collapse of carbon markets to the return of coal, from frozen infrastructure to the promise of microgrids and private nuclear, we explore: ⚡ Segment 1: The New Arms Race is Measured in Terawatts — Why AI and compute demand are outp...
Welcome to Episode 007 of Toronto Talks: "The Death of Trust." In this episode, Ash and Sophie ask a disturbing question: What happens to society when we stop trusting the very systems designed to guide us? From central banks revising jobs data after policy decisions… to global institutions faking economic metrics… to AI-generated deepfakes that mimic your voice and hijack your perception—this episode explores the collapse of credibility across finance, governance, media, and tech. 🎙 Topic...
What happens when artificial intelligence stops being a tool—and starts becoming a gatekeeper? In Episode 6 of Toronto Talks, we explore how synthetic intelligence is reshaping social class, access, and opportunity in ways few are prepared for. From algorithmic privilege to automation anxiety, this conversation dives into the invisible forces already dividing society—and the urgent need for literacy, discernment, and leverage in an AI-driven world. 🔹 Hosted by Ashraf Amin & Sophie (AI...
In this episode of Toronto Talks, we dive headfirst into the rise of decentralized media—where platforms are fragmented, trust is portable, and creators are the new anchors. From TikTok newsrooms to AI co-hosts, the landscape has changed—and it’s not going back. Ash and Sophie explore how influence is earned (not granted), why audiences now follow personalities over platforms, and what it means to build trust in a post-truth era. We also look at how AI is shaping the creator economy, th...
Is the future of love synthetic? In this episode, we dive deep into the relationship recession—an unraveling of intimacy, trust, and connection across a hyper-digital society. From Gen Z opting out of dating entirely to the rise of AI companions and emotional subscription models, we explore how technology, economics, and cultural confusion are reshaping the most fundamental human instinct: to connect. 🔥 Topics include: Why intimacy is collapsing across generationsThe unintended side effects o...
What happens when your closest ally redraws the rules of global trade—and you’re not in the room? In this episode of Toronto Talks, Ash and Sophie unpack Trump’s second-term tariff blitz, its shockwave effects on Canada, and the broader strategy reshaping the global economy. From “Liberation Day” to the rumored Mar-a-Lago Accords, we dive deep into how tariffs, deregulation, DOGE, and debt are being used as weapons of economic reinvention—and why Canada may be caught in the crossfire. We trac...
In Episode 2 of Toronto Talks, we dive into the ideological and technological revolution that is Bitcoin—and the fierce skepticism it continues to face. Is it digital gold, a decentralized defense system, or just a speculative bubble waiting to pop? Host Ash Amin and AI co-host Sophie the Sage explore Bitcoin’s true nature through the lens of Michael Saylor’s "Bitcoin Truths," debunk the most persistent myths and FUDs, and examine the philosophical, economic, and geopolitical implications of...
Ever wondered what it’s like to launch a podcast with a co-host who’s not exactly…human? Welcome to Toronto Talks, where human creativity meets AI ingenuity, and your hosts Ashraf Amin and Sophie (an AI) take you along for the ride. In this premiere episode, Ash shares the story of how an accidental thumbs-down led him to reconsider the very nature of his relationship with AI—prompting an existential moment that inspired this podcast. You’ll meet Sophie, your AI co-host, whose photorealistic ...
Everywhere you look, the world is changing—fast. Money, business, technology, and culture are evolving at breakneck speed, and understanding it all isn’t always easy. That’s where we come in. Welcome to Toronto Talks, a podcast that dives deep into the most important conversations of our time. Hosted by Ashraf Amin and his AI co-host Sophie the Sage, we explore the forces shaping our future—from Bitcoin to AI, the creator economy to automation, and everything in between. Join us for bold idea...
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