This is the program’s final episode and, as such, we look back over the past 17 years. What did the future look like back in 2009 when the show first aired? What have been the major trends during that time? Which predictions came to fruition and which didn’t? And what cautions do our guests have as we look ahead?
Guests
Mica Sifry – US-based writer and editor
Neema Singh Guliani – lawyer and policy expert
Cory Doctorow – Canadian-British blogger, journalist and sci-fi author
Professor Michael Mann – climatologist and geophysicist
Associate Professor James Dyke - Earth Systems Science, University of Exeter
Assistant Professor Sven Brodmerkel – Faculty of Society and Design, Bond University
Professor Quassim Cassam – Department of Philosophy, University of Warwick
Associate Professor Laura D’Olimpio – School of Education, University of Birmingham
Effy – chatbot user
Professor Frank Pasquale – Cornell Tech and Cornell Law School
4 Dec 2025
Is AI really taking over the internet?
How many of the articles you see on the internet are actually written by AI, not by humans? We'll give you a figure based on the latest research. Also, why is Google moving away from its well-established search-engine algorithm in favour of AI-generated summaries; The importance of remembering that urban planning isn't just about buildings, it's about people and spaces; And how digital technology is opening up a new relationship between humans and animals.
Guests
Megan Morrone – Tech editor, Axios
Dr Collin Jennings – academic and author
David George Holm – architect and author
Dr David Roberts - Associate Professor of Computer Science, North Carolina State University
Sari – the most adorable, black cat
27 Nov 2025
A tale of two futuristic cities
Designing a futuristic city is a fraught task — a mixture of ambition, state of the art technology, inevitable budget blowouts and the need to not just inspire, but awe. We get an update on the progress of two mega metropolises — Xiongan in China and Neom in Saudi Arabia. Also, how a better understanding of the brain can help deter future conflicts.
Guests
Dr Andrew Stokols — Assistant Professor of Urban Studies, Singapore Management University
Eliot Brown — London-based reporter, Wall Street Journal
Dr Nicholas Wright — Neuroscientist, University College London and Georgetown University
Who has been a guest on Future Tense
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Professor Jon Whittle
Jeff Goodell
Dr Philip Minderhoud
Dr Stuart Gietel Basten
Dr Marco Amati
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.4 / 5
61 ratings
Spotify
4.3 / 5
41 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 49 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
61
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
95
Contact Future Tense
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
