G1 Global Podcast

We have moved past initial hype into a phase of deep, practical application. This session analyzes the cutting edge of AI research and its deployment to solve complex industry challenges. Within the context of the US-Japan alliance, we explore the collaborative potential for creating ethical, high-impact AI ecosystems. How will the latest breakthroughs in machine learning and generative tech redef...

While strategy is essential, "luck" in timing and networking often determines a breakthrough's trajectory. This session investigates how leaders position themselves to capitalize on the unpredictable, using insights from Tina Seelig’s new book, What I Wish I Knew About Luck. We will discuss building an "ecosystem of opportunity" that allows founders to turn chance encounters and unforeseen market...

As AI agents take over more of what we call "work" — writing, coding, analysis, decision-making — a fundamental question emerges: if productivity is no longer a uniquely human contribution, what is? This panel explores that question through the lens of Artificial Life. Unlike optimization-driven AI, life doesn't pursue predefined goals — it explores, diverges, and generates novelty. As Ken Stanley...

The future of global entrepreneurship depends on a deep understanding of the structural differences and underlying commonalities between the world’s two most innovative economies. This session focuses on a comparative analysis of the US and Japan tech ecosystems, examining how distinct venture capital models and startup cultures drive growth. We will explore the shared challenges of scaling innova...

As AI moves from a peripheral tool to a core business driver, organizations must fundamentally adapt their internal structures and external strategies to remain competitive. This complexity is compounded in a global atmosphere that continues to fracture. This session explores the impact of AI on organizational culture, leadership, and strategy in the global context. We will discuss how leaders can...

We stand at a historical crossroads where the rapid evolution of AI intersects with a deeply fragmented geopolitical landscape. This session explores the foundational forces that have transformed the US-Japan alliance into a sophisticated strategic partnership. We examine the historical and technological milestones that led to current global frictions and discuss how these two nations can anchor g...

The closing plenary panel will offer business leaders a broad perspective on navigating the challenges and opportunities of the Trump era and the rapid rise of AI. The discussion will focus on how to adapt to these shifting dynamics, rebuild trust in emerging technologies, and foster collaboration across borders. It will touch on key strategies for managing the impacts of AI, addressing ethical co...

As AI and emerging technologies reshape industries, business leaders must adapt to stay competitive. From Silicon Valley to Japan, companies are leveraging AI to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and drive innovation. But what strategies truly lead to success in this rapidly evolving landscape? This panel features top business leaders sharing firsthand insights on integrating AI, ove...

As AI and emerging technologies reshape industries, business leaders must adapt to stay competitive. From Silicon Valley to Japan, companies are leveraging AI to streamline operations, enhance decision-making, and drive innovation. But what strategies truly lead to success in this rapidly evolving landscape? This panel features top business leaders sharing firsthand insights on integrating AI, ove...

In 2025, AI is transforming industries at an unprecedented rate, revolutionizing decision-making, operations, and competitive strategies. Compared to our discussion in 2024, AI has seen radical improvements in capabilities, major new players emerge, foundational changes in how models are trained, and AI deployed in significant production use cases. Join our panel of experts as we explore the rapid...

The AI revolution is transforming the startup ecosystem, reshaping how companies are built, scaled, and funded. In Silicon Valley and Japan, AI-driven startups are redefining industries, while venture capital firms are rethinking investment strategies to adapt to this rapid shift. How is AI changing the startup playbook? What are investors looking for in AI-first companies? This panel brings toget...

As instances of AI-manipulated content and online risks become increasingly common, businesses face new challenges in managing public perception, customer and stakeholder trust, and brand integrity. In both Silicon Valley and Japan, corporate leaders must navigate an increasingly complex information and digital landscape where markets, reputations, corporate governance and behavior, and government...

As the Trump administration implements sweeping changes in trade, regulation, and technology policy, AI is simultaneously transforming how information is created and consumed. The Edelman Trust Barometer reveals growing skepticism toward institutions, fueled by political uncertainty and AI-driven misinformation. How can businesses in Silicon Valley and Japan navigate this dual disruption? This ope...

This panel of CDOs from different industries have experienced progress but also challenges in infusing GenAI in their businesses.  How have they brought AI into their companies and customer processes? Where has it taken off and what kind of value has been created? What have been the roadblocks to achieve further scaled impact? We will explore where we anticipate the next generation of technology (...

This panel explores the globalization of Japanese entertainment, from iconic Sanrio characters and anime to the dynamic sounds of J-pop. The discussion examines how these cultural exports have moved from niche interests to mainstream global influences, serving as a form of soft power. However, the industry faces significant challenges, including over-reliance on foreign streaming platforms for glo...

The accelerating pace of marine economic development and international politics demands new thinking. This panel explores how to optimize the framework for a sustainable Blue Economy and, crucially, how to accelerate progress through a robust link between science and policy. The international community is actively creating new frameworks, with the UN finalizing a treaty for the high seas and the W...

How can creative education—rooted in Japan’s unique context—foster the next generation of changemakers? Japan’s blend of advanced technology, rich culture, and complex social challenges offers fertile ground for reimagining design’s role in education. Design has a distinctive ability to bridge disciplines and connect expertise with people and society, enabling practical, impactful solutions. This...

Well-being has become a familiar term in Japanese corporate discourse, yet the gap between knowing, doing, and being remains wide. While many programs focus on making work more convenient (働きやすさ), employees increasingly seek deeper meaning and fulfillment (働きがい). We explore how fostering a culture of self-compassion and psychological safety can be a powerful driver of individual and organ...

What will it take for Japan to move from popularity to true leadership in contemporary tourism? This panel features innovators shaping sustainable and regenerative tourism, redefining local gastronomy, and driving mountain resort development. Together, they will discuss how Japan can craft distinctive experiences that resonate deeply with visitors while delivering lasting impact for local communit...

Japan's historical strengths in foundational research, precision manufacturing, and engineering uniquely position it for leadership in the global deeptech landscape, especially in areas like advanced hardware and physical AI. This panel will explore how the nation can leverage these capabilities to commercialize groundbreaking innovations and compete on a global scale. Bringing together top minds...

Beyond the influence of major powers, smaller yet distinctive nations in the Middle East and Far East — guided by their own philosophies, values, and political stances — are navigating complex regional dynamics. Having faced turbulence yet shown resilience, these countries demonstrate how they can contribute to regional and global stability in ways that superpowers cannot. This panel explores how...

This panel examines how Japanese companies are choosing an "aggregate niche strategy" to compete in new global settings. Based on research from Prof. Schaede's book, "The Kaisha: The Business Reinvention of Japan," panelists will explore how Japanese firms move upstream into critical deep-tech materials to compete against and profit from the activities of Northeast Asian and other manufacturers. H...

Japan's collectivist society was once criticized as a barrier to innovation, stifling diversity of thought. However, as many Western nations now grapple with deepening social divisions, political polarization, and a crisis of loneliness, the Japanese model is being reexamined. In contrast to societies where individualism clashes with social cohesion, Japan's focus on harmony and collective respons...

This panel explores the rapid evolution of Generative AI and its implications for business strategy. It will cover key developments including the shrinking of large language models (LLMs), the increasing use of AI agents for complete automation of tasks, and the move toward running AI on edge devices. Attendees will learn about the transition from basic AI agents to truly agentic AI, which can aut...

How can immigration shape a brighter, more dynamic Japan? Already, there are 2.5 million foreign workers in Japan, in everything from high-tech startups to cabbage farms. As the Japanese labor force falls from 66 million today to 47 million 2050, how much of the gap can be filled by foreign workers? In what occupations and in what industries? How will law and politics handle the challenges of assi...