WSJ’s The Future of Everything

The Wall Street Journal

What will the future look like? The Future of Everything offers a view of the nascent trends that will shape our world. In every episode, join our award-winning team on a new journey of discovery. We’ll take you beyond what’s already out there, and make you smarter about the scientific and technological breakthroughs on the horizon that could transform our lives for the better. read less

Our Editor's Take

WSJ's The Future of Everything podcast attempts to answer questions about the future. As human beings, it is natural to spend a lot of time wondering what the future will look like. This podcast is for curious minds and those interested in the development of life on the planet.

This podcast explores biology, the environment, technology, media, and culture. Past episodes have discussed things like how AI could change art. Reporters have explored the genetic editing of food crops. They've revealed how medicine gets adapted for modern space. Episodes often examine these plans for the future. But they also discuss how current or past events will shape the future. For example, digital dating has changed relationships now and will continue to evolve the dating scene.

An asset to the podcast is the experienced team of journalists running it. The Wall Street Journal has spent over 130 years building an excellent reputation. The team at WSJ's The Future of Everything meets those high standards in podcast form. These reports are concise, well-thought-out, and always easy to understand.

New episodes of the podcast premiere every other Friday. Episodes run between 20 and 30 minutes. All episodes of The Future of Everything are available now on Amazon Music.

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How AI Is Transforming Hollywood’s Visual Effects Industry

How AI Is Transforming Hollywood’s Visual Effects Industry

Hollywood studios are making big bets that artificial-intelligence models could help make movie magic cheaper than ever, including in the visual effects industry. And after Lions Gate Entertainment announced a new partnership with Runway to develop new tools trained on its catalog, AI may be even more integrated in the production process. Host Danny Lewis speaks with editor, director and producer Jon Dudkowski, who has worked on shows including “Star Trek: Discovery,” “The Umbrella Academy” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” He gives us a peek behind the scenes at how movies and TV are made, and how AI could change the industry. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter . Further reading: Lionsgate, Studio Behind ‘John Wick,’ Signs Deal With AI Startup Runway Who Owns SpongeBob? AI Shakes Hollywood’s Creative Foundation Meet Hollywood’s AI Doomsayer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt The Outlook for Streaming: How Netflix Sees It Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episodes

How AI Is Transforming Hollywood’s Visual Effects Industry

How AI Is Transforming Hollywood’s Visual Effects Industry

Hollywood studios are making big bets that artificial-intelligence models could help make movie magic cheaper than ever, including in the visual effects industry. And after Lions Gate Entertainment announced a new partnership with Runway to develop new tools trained on its catalog, AI may be even more integrated in the production process. Host Danny Lewis speaks with editor, director and producer Jon Dudkowski, who has worked on shows including “Star Trek: Discovery,” “The Umbrella Academy” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” He gives us a peek behind the scenes at how movies and TV are made, and how AI could change the industry. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter . Further reading: Lionsgate, Studio Behind ‘John Wick,’ Signs Deal With AI Startup Runway Who Owns SpongeBob? AI Shakes Hollywood’s Creative Foundation Meet Hollywood’s AI Doomsayer: Joseph Gordon-Levitt The Outlook for Streaming: How Netflix Sees It Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will Cloud Streaming Kill the Videogame Console?

Will Cloud Streaming Kill the Videogame Console?

Videogame cartridges and discs have mostly been replaced by downloads. Now, some console makers like Microsoft want to move videogames into the cloud-streaming business. Joost van Dreunen, an industry analyst and CEO of market research firm Aldora, joins WSJ’s Danny Lewis to talk about the new technology behind streaming complex, interactive videogames and how it could change the multibillion-dollar industry. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: Xbox Lost the Console War. Now It’s Redefining Gaming. The Tricky—but Potentially Lucrative—Task of Streaming Videogames Microsoft Plans Boldest Games Bet Since Activision Deal, Changing How ‘Call of Duty’ Is Sold The Road Ahead for Xbox with Phil Spencer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Colin Kaepernick’s AI Startup Lumi and the Future of Storytelling

Colin Kaepernick’s AI Startup Lumi and the Future of Storytelling

Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick says we all have stories to tell and that artificial intelligence can help. This summer, the activist, author and CEO launched Lumi Story AI. Backed by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian’s venture capital firm Seven Seven Six, Kaepernick says the platform is meant to “democratize storytelling.” WSJ’s Andrew Beaton interviewed Kaepernick last week at WSJ Tech Live about the new venture and what his many life experiences have taught him about being a CEO. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science of Success: Table-Tennis Star Ni Xia Lian’s Olympic Longevity

Science of Success: Table-Tennis Star Ni Xia Lian’s Olympic Longevity

Most athletes’ competitive years are in their 20s and 30s, but 61-year-old Ni Xia Lian has been playing professional table tennis for nearly 50 years. The Chinese-born Luxembourgish table-tennis player was one of the oldest athletes at this summer’s Paris Olympics. On the Science of Success, WSJ’s Ben Cohen speaks with Ni and Tommy Danielsson, her coach and husband, about how she’s maintained her longevity in competitive sports. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Longevity Business Is Booming, But Is There a Limit to Our Lifespan?

The Longevity Business Is Booming, But Is There a Limit to Our Lifespan?

Life expectancy has been increasing over the years, and so has the longevity business. WSJ health and wellness reporter Alex Janin tells WSJ’s Charlotte Gartenberg about the booming business of extending our healthy years and our lives overall. But, despite the increase in life expectancy in the past few generations, some scientists believe we’ve already reached a plateau. WSJ health and science reporter Amy Dockser Marcus looks at the debate over the limits to longevity and finds that, no matter the hype, some scientists think you won’t live to 100. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: Think You Will Live to 100? These Scientists Think You’re Wrong The Longevity Vacation: Poolside Lounging With an IV Drip The Longevity Clinic Will See You Now—for $100,000 For This Venture Capitalist, Research on Aging Is Personal; ‘Bob Has a Big Fear of Death’ Outliving Your Peers Is Now a Competitive Sport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The New Pharma Frontier: Could Drugs Made in Space Help You Live Longer?

The New Pharma Frontier: Could Drugs Made in Space Help You Live Longer?

In the future, the drugs helping you live healthier, happier and longer may have components manufactured in space. In this conversation with WSJ’s Danny Lewis from the Future of Everything Festival in May, Eric Lasker, an executive at Varda Space Industries, and Sita Sonty, former CEO of Space Tango, discuss the advantages and limitations of space manufacturing and how it can benefit pharmaceutical development. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: Is Space the Next Manufacturing Frontier? Varda Hopes New Research Draws More Drugmakers to Space Factories How Research in Space Helps Doctors Treat People on Earth Space Manufacturing: Building an Economy Beyond Earth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People Are Living Longer. Can Old Age Be an Opportunity?

People Are Living Longer. Can Old Age Be an Opportunity?

More and more people are living longer lives thanks to modern technology and medicine. But what does that mean for our mental health and making sure we’re living better as well as longer? Stanford University Center on Longevity founding director Laura Carstensen digs into how the milestones of life should be reworked, and tells WSJ’s Danny Lewis how society can adapt and plan for the 100-year lifespan to become common. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter . Further reading: The Keys to Aging at Home? Frank Conversations and Financial Planning Outliving Your Peers Is Now a Competitive Sport Star Scientist’s Claim of ‘Reverse Aging’ Draws Hail of Criticism The Secret to Living to 100? It’s Not Good Habits Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science of Success: Is Your Home Oversubscribed?

Science of Success: Is Your Home Oversubscribed?

What makes your house a home? For starters, it’s spending time there, relaxing, cooking and watching TV. These days, that means lots of subscriptions, which also means lots of money. In fact, Americans spend billions of dollars on subscriptions they’ve actually forgotten about. On the Science of Success, WSJ’s Ben Cohen looks at the booming subscription business and ways to help you get that spending in check. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: The Real Reason You’re Paying for So Many Subscriptions Americans Are Canceling More of Their Streaming Services Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will AI Make Home Renovations Easier?

Will AI Make Home Renovations Easier?

Whether you’re sprucing up a kitchen or gutting a house, home renovations can be stressful, complicated and expensive. But new tools using artificial intelligence are trying to take some of the struggle out of the process by helping homeowners envision their dream home and communicate with architects and contractors. WSJ real estate, architecture and design reporter Nancy Keates joins host Danny Lewis to talk about how AI is making inroads into home renovations. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: Stressing Over Your Next Home Renovation Project? Let AI Handle It. The Big Risk for the Market: Becoming an AI Echo Chamber United Arab Emirates Fund in Talks to Invest in OpenAI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It Cooks, It Cleans! When Will Robots Be Doing Our Chores?

It Cooks, It Cleans! When Will Robots Be Doing Our Chores?

What if you had a robot that could take care of your household chores, from doing laundry to making dinner? When the Roomba came out over 20 years ago, it seemed like other autonomous robots for the home were not far off. But no other home robot has yet become a household name. WSJ’s Charlotte Gartenberg speaks with Charlie Kemp, co-founder and chief technology officer of Hello Robot, about his company's dexterous robot called Stretch 3.They also talk about the technological hurdles we’ll have to overcome before truly helpful robots move into our homes. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: Elon Musk Says Tesla to Use Humanoid Robots Next Year AI Startup Making Humanoid Robots Raises $675 Million With Bezos, Nvidia in Funding Round Companies Brought in Robots. Now They Need Human ‘Robot Wranglers.’ Rise of the Restaurant Robots: Chipotle, Sweetgreen and Others Bet on Automation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Home-Solar Boom May Have Gone Bust. What’s Next for Solar Power?

The Home-Solar Boom May Have Gone Bust. What’s Next for Solar Power?

The amount of electricity generated by solar panels has surged over the last decade. But while rooftop solar panels are more common than ever, the balance of solar-power generation has shifted from power systems on individual homes to large-scale commercial arrays used by utilities. WSJ’s Danny Lewis sits down with energy and climate reporter Phred Dvorak and Pvilion CEO Colin Touhey to talk about the future of home solar, and the new role it might play in the power grid. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: The Home-Solar Boom Gets a ‘Gut Punch’ The Solar Breakthrough That Could Help the U.S. Compete With China Why Californians Have Some of the Highest Power Bills in the U.S. Coming Soon for Homeowners: Solar Panels That Actually Look Attractive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet the CEO Bringing Seaweed to Your Grocery Store

Meet the CEO Bringing Seaweed to Your Grocery Store

Seaweed has lots of practical applications. We use it as fertilizer, incorporate it into face creams and packaging as a plastic alternative, and we eat it. Very little of the seaweed used worldwide is grown in the U.S., which some proponents and regulators are looking to change because seaweed has been shown to have some positive effects on ecosystems. Maine-based Atlantic Sea Farms is one company looking to increase the amount of seaweed grown in U.S. waters. WSJ’s Alex Ossola speaks with Atlantic Sea Farms CEO Briana Warner about how her company is making that happen, and what it will take for seaweed aquaculture to truly scale in the U.S. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: A Seaweed Crop Finds a Spot in Maine Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science of Success: A Better Way to Board a Plane

Science of Success: A Better Way to Board a Plane

It seems like every airline has a different way of boarding a plane. But which way works best? Astrophysicist Jason Steffen has spent his career trying to crack the deepest mysteries of the universe, and 15 years ago he discovered and published what he says is the optimal boarding strategy. So why aren’t all commercial airlines using it? On the Science of Success, WSJ’s Ben Cohen looks at what goes into planning the most efficient boarding process and what airlines are doing to help customers have a smooth entry to their flights. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: The Astrophysicist Who Has a Better Way to Board Airplanes Southwest Airlines Is Ditching Open Seating on Flights Southwest Fans Wonder if the Airline Has Changed Forever It Can’t Be This Hard to Board a Plane Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pokémon Go as a Travel Guide? Meet the Fans Booking Trips to Catch 'Em All

Pokémon Go as a Travel Guide? Meet the Fans Booking Trips to Catch 'Em All

The Pokémon videogame series has always been about traveling the world. But eight years after the launch of the mobile-phone game Pokémon Go, some players are taking that to extremes by using the game as a tool to plan their real-life travels. Salvador Rodriguez joins host Danny Lewis to talk about the people circling the globe in order to catch and trade the digital monsters. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: The Adults Who Book Vacations Based on…. Pokémon? Science of Success: The Mind at Work Behind an Iconic Song How Pokémon Became a Monster Hit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are the Skies Going Hypersonic?

Are the Skies Going Hypersonic?

The Concorde has long been retired, but future skies may be filled with aircraft that can go even faster, criss-crossing the world in a matter of hours. Hypersonic engines that are being developed for military and government applications, like defense, drones and missiles, could one day propel future planes much faster than conventional engines for less money. Host Danny Lewis looks at the technical and business obstacles, and finds out what it would take to make hypersonic air travel a reality. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: Silicon Valley’s Next Mission: Help the U.S. Catch China and Russia in Hypersonic Weapons How Hypersonic Flight Could Transform Transatlantic Flights Hypersonic Missiles Are Game-Changers, and America Doesn’t Have Them Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google’s AI Can Help Plan Your Next Vacation. Should You Rely On It?

Google’s AI Can Help Plan Your Next Vacation. Should You Rely On It?

From flights to hotels to entire itineraries, AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini Advanced can help you plan your next vacation. In fact, more than 30% of “active leisure travelers” have used artificial intelligence for travel planning, according to MMGY global, a travel marketing agency. But how soon might these bots go from travel planning tool to travel planning agent? WSJ’s Charlotte Gartenberg speaks with Google’s Amar Subramanya, vice president of engineering for Gemini experiences, about the future of using AI for travel planning. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: How Well Can AI Plan Your Next Trip? We Tested Gemini and ChatGPT Don’t Trust an AI Chatbot With All Your Travel Plans Just Yet AI Apps For Travel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Science of Success: What It Takes to Make a Better Berry

Science of Success: What It Takes to Make a Better Berry

What makes for a luxury strawberry? Is it the taste? Texture? Color? Around five years ago, berry company Driscoll’s released a new, premium line of berries with a higher price tag. Some consumers are shelling out almost 70% more to get their hands on this fancy fruit. But what are the qualities of a premium berry? On this Science of Success, we delve into the food science behind breeding and selling Driscoll’s Sweetest Batch, from creating more objective benchmarks for the highly subjective experience of taste to how the company works with supertasters and sensory analysts to create the best possible berry. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: Why America’s Berries Have Never Tasted So Good How Designer Fruit Is Taking Over the Grocery Store Trying to Breed Better Fruit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Robots Reinvent Fast Food?

Can Robots Reinvent Fast Food?

Restaurants are a tough business with tight margins, from the cost of food to paying for staff. Kernel, the new venture by Steve Ells, the founder and former CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, is trying to fix that by introducing food-making robots and a "digital-first" approach to restaurants. In this conversation from the WSJ Global Food Forum in June, reporter Heather Haddon talks with Ells about his new bet on consumers’ desire to eat less meat, and on a business model that could solve some of the industry’s thorny challenges. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Further reading: Rise of the Restaurant Robots: Chipotle, Sweetgreen and Others Bet on Automation How Chipotle’s Founder Is Moving Beyond Burritos Chipotle’s Labor Costs Are Rising. Customers Will See It in Pricing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why You Might Be Eating More Seaweed in the Future

Why You Might Be Eating More Seaweed in the Future

To hear proponents talk about it, seaweed could solve a whole lot of problems. It could feed people, restore polluted habitats and be an economic boost for fishermen. Though seaweed aquaculture has grown in the U.S. in recent years, the country produced less than 1% of the global seaweed crop in 2019. Now, some companies are trying to get seaweed aquaculture to scale in the U.S. But there are regulatory hurdles to overcome, and researchers have questions about how a scaled industry would affect existing ecosystems. WSJ’s Alex Ossola looks at what it will take to make seaweed a bigger part of the American diet in the future. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify , or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter . Further reading: Inside the Quest for a Super Kelp That Can Survive Hotter Oceans Cows Make Climate Change Worse. Could Seaweed Help? A Sargassum Bloom Is Hitting Florida: What to Know About the Seaweed Mass Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Designer Fruit Is Taking Over the Grocery Store

How Designer Fruit Is Taking Over the Grocery Store

No more mealy apples and flavorless oranges. There’s a growing category of produce available in your local grocery store: fruits and vegetables that have been carefully bred with flavor in mind. But these more delicious varieties tend to come in premium packaging—with a premium price to boot. WSJ contributor Elizabeth G. Dunn tells host Alex Ossola how this produce is bred and whether we can expect to see more of it in the future. What do you think about the show? Let us know on Apple Podcasts or Spotify , or email us: FOEPodcast@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free The Future of Everything newsletter. Further reading: This Strawberry Will Blow Your Mind: Inside the Startlingly Delicious World of Designer Produce The Race to Save Ketchup: Building a Tomato for a Hotter World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices