Episode Details

(0:00) Intro.

(1:28) About the podcast sponsor: The American College of Governance Counsel.

(2:14) Start of interview.

(3:09) Nick's "origin story." 

(6:36) On his first startup IMix.com (focused on music streaming)

(7:55) His pivot as an equity analyst at Sanford Bernstein.

(8:32)  His focus on investing in and advising internet companies.

(9:56) His time at Google (2010-2022), first in Canada then as Chief Evangelist.

(13:21) His time at Chief Growth and Strategy Officer at Coveo, a Canadian AI company (2022-2023).

(14:44)  Joining the boards of the Toronto Stock Exchange, iA Financial Group, McEwen Mining,  and Alida and advising boards on AI. Teaching at the Rotman School of Management, Northwestern and the Canadian Institute of Directors (ICD).

(16:55)  Defining AI. The types of AI: 1) Computational AI, 2) Sensors AI, and 3) Generative AI.

(21:22)  The future of Generative AI: Big Tech or startups? 

(24:42)  On whether the investment mania in AI is justified. "This technology wave is likely to be much more significant than the internet." "It's the most important technology wave that I have ever seen in my career."

(26:19)  How corporate directors should think about opportunities and risks of AI. "The most important thing in governance for a board, in my view for AI, is making sure there is movement." Other risks: 1) Use of confidential information, 2) Creating a private version of AI, 3) Hallucinations (fake information by AI), 4) Issues of bias. Corporate training.

(35:07)  On where AI fits in board committees, and on surge of AI experts on boardrooms. *recommendation by Nick: Coursera class on prompt engineering (Vanderbilt University).

(39:51) On AI regulation by the US (EO by President Biden), EU, Canada and others.

(46:03)  The US-China race on AI - geopolitical implications. *reference to Marc Andreessen's article Why AI Will Save the World.

(50:03) On OpenAI's board fiasco and some of the unusual governance structures of leading AI companies.

(54:45) Book