Ep. 44 (AI Futures) - Beyond the AI Hype: The Real Breakthroughs AI Needs | Prof. Stuart Russell, UC Berkeley
Thu Feb 05 2026
In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, we speak with Professor Stuart Russell, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, one of the world’s leading experts on artificial intelligence, and the author of the field’s standard textbook, _AI: A Modern Approach_ .The *AI Futures* podcast series is hosted by Anirudh Suri, in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* This podcast serves as the intellectual prelude to the *India AI Impact Summit 2026* , which is taking place from February 16–20, 2026, in New Delhi, India.In this conversation, Professor Russell and Anirudh discuss how fast AI is changing, the limits of today’s dominant ways of building AI systems, and why there is a growing need for global rules to keep AI safe. They explore key questions such as:- How close are we really to Artificial General Intelligence?- Does today’s 'brute force' approach of using more data and computing power risk creating an economic bubble?- Where is AI making the biggest real-world impact right now, in areas like healthcare, education, or science?- Which countries have the strongest AI strategies, and why is the U.S. approach of resisting regulation surprising?- Could the “Age of AI” weaken our mental skills, much like the Industrial Revolution reduced the need for physical labor?This conversation looks at what it will take to move AI debates beyond theory and into real-world outcomes, especially for the Global South.🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.-----Follow the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Prof. Stuart Russell*Stuart J. Russell is professor (and formerly chair) of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California at Berkeley. He is holder of the Smith-Zadeh Chair in Engineering and director of the Centre for Human-Compatible AI. His book *Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach* is the standard text in AI; it has been translated into 14 languages and is used in over 1,400 universities in 128 countries.*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association. He tweets @AnirudhSuri.The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#AIFuturesPodcast #IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AISummit #AIFutures #ArtificialIntelligence #AGI #Computing #GlobalSouth #DataCenters #AIInfrastructure #AnirudhSuri #StuartRussell #UCBerkeley #AIEthics #TheGreatTechGame #TGTGpodcast #podcast #IndiaAIMission
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In this episode of the *AI Futures* podcast, we speak with Professor Stuart Russell, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, one of the world’s leading experts on artificial intelligence, and the author of the field’s standard textbook, _AI: A Modern Approach_ .The *AI Futures* podcast series is hosted by Anirudh Suri, in collaboration with the *Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India* This podcast serves as the intellectual prelude to the *India AI Impact Summit 2026* , which is taking place from February 16–20, 2026, in New Delhi, India.In this conversation, Professor Russell and Anirudh discuss how fast AI is changing, the limits of today’s dominant ways of building AI systems, and why there is a growing need for global rules to keep AI safe. They explore key questions such as:- How close are we really to Artificial General Intelligence?- Does today’s 'brute force' approach of using more data and computing power risk creating an economic bubble?- Where is AI making the biggest real-world impact right now, in areas like healthcare, education, or science?- Which countries have the strongest AI strategies, and why is the U.S. approach of resisting regulation surprising?- Could the “Age of AI” weaken our mental skills, much like the Industrial Revolution reduced the need for physical labor?This conversation looks at what it will take to move AI debates beyond theory and into real-world outcomes, especially for the Global South.🔔 Subscribe and listen to the full conversation now.-----Follow the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026: https://impact.indiaai.gov.in/*About Prof. Stuart Russell*Stuart J. Russell is professor (and formerly chair) of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California at Berkeley. He is holder of the Smith-Zadeh Chair in Engineering and director of the Centre for Human-Compatible AI. His book *Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach* is the standard text in AI; it has been translated into 14 languages and is used in over 1,400 universities in 128 countries.*About Anirudh Suri, Host of the Podcast*Anirudh Suri is a non-resident scholar with Carnegie India, where his research and writing focus on technology, artificial intelligence and geopolitics. He is the author of The Great Tech Game: Shaping Geopolitics and the Destinies of Nations, and host of The Great Tech Game Podcast. He is also the Managing Partner at India Internet Fund, a US and India based technology-focused venture capital fund. Previously, Anirudh has worked with the Government of India in New Delhi, McKinsey and Co in New York, Goldman Sachs in London, the Carnegie Endowment in Washington DC, and China Institute of International Studies in Beijing. He completed his MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and his MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Named a Goldman Sachs Global Leader, Anirudh has also served on the Board of the Harvard Alumni Association. He tweets @AnirudhSuri.The Great Tech Game by Anirudh Suri - https://amzn.eu/d/1Su38My Follow Anirudh here:X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/anirudhsuriLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anirudhsuri/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anirudh_suriFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnirudhSuri.inWebsite: (http://www.anirudhsuri.com/) Book and Podcast: (http://www.greattechgame.com/)#AIFuturesPodcast #IndiaAI #IndiaAIImpactSummit2026 #AISummit #AIFutures #ArtificialIntelligence #AGI #Computing #GlobalSouth #DataCenters #AIInfrastructure #AnirudhSuri #StuartRussell #UCBerkeley #AIEthics #TheGreatTechGame #TGTGpodcast #podcast #IndiaAIMission