AI Is Moving Faster Than Governments Can Think | Anna Makanju (OpenAI's VP of Global Affairs)

In this episode of I’ve Got Questions, I sit down with Anna Makanju, Vice President of Global Affairs at OpenAI, to explore how governments around the world are racing to understand AI’s implications, the geopolitical tensions shaping its regulation, and what it will take to ensure this technology benefits every nation.

We discuss how AI could be immensely beneficial to humanity, but why Anna believes it won’t happen by default; the urgent challenge of unequal AI access and the risk of leaving communities and entire countries behind.

00:00 – Introduction
01:10 – Will AI Be a Benefit to Humanity?
02:00 – Can the World Cooperate on AI?
03:30 – AI as a Tool of Global Power
05:00 – When Companies Rival Nations
07:30 – How Do We Keep Half the World from Being Left Behind?
09:20 – The ChatGPT Moment That No One Expected
11:00 – Inside OpenAI’s Global Tour
13:00 – How World Leaders Reacted to AI Demos
15:00 – Why Governments Focus Only on Deepfakes
17:30 – The Private vs. Public Conversation on AGI
19:00 – “It Could Be Immensely Beneficial — But It Won’t Happen by Default”
21:00 – The Problem with Policymakers Who Don’t Use AI
23:00 – Fear, Misuse, and the Lawyer Who Used ChatGPT in Court
25:30 – When AI Actually Saves Lives
27:00 – What Happens When AI Enters Government
29:00 – Balancing Risk, Access, and Innovation
31:00 – Why Emerging Economies Are More Optimistic About AI
33:30 – The Future of Jobs and the Need for Reskilling
36:00 – How Fast Can Humanity Adapt?
38:30 – The Case for a New Social Safety Net
40:00 – Preparing for the Next Decade of Change
42:30 – Why Governments Must Act Before a Crisis
44:00 – Smarter Models, Safer Systems
45:30 – What Comes After Regulation
47:00 – Building a Future That Works for Everyone

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Spotify – open.spotify.com/show/2fwK9NSJGXlFdVkYZ14a8O

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