Peace, What Else

In this first episode of series five of Crossing Channels, podcast host Richard Westcott welcomes three affiliated experts - Jonathan Grant, François Bonnefon and François Poinas - to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming higher education.
Welcome to the fifth series of our Crossing Channels podcast, co-produced by the Bennett School of Public Policy (UK), and the Institute for Advanced Studies in Toulouse and Toulouse School of Economics (France).

In this first episode, our host Richard Westcott welcomes three affiliated experts to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming higher education.

Jonathan Grant (Affiliated Researcher at the Bennett School of Public Policy), Jean-François Bonnefon (Toulouse School of Economics (TSE) & the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse (IAST)) and François Poinas (TSE & IAST) share different perspectives rooted in public policy, psychology, and economics.

They examine how AI is reshaping the way universities teach, conduct research, and connect with government, business, and civil society. They look into how generative tools are changing learning and assessment, how students and academics can build trust in AI systems, and what the rise of these technologies means for the skills and values that universities aim to foster.

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform

Season 5 Episode 1 transcript: Word / PDF

To find out more about the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and IAST visit our websites: https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/

Follow us on Linkedin and Bluesky

With thanks to:

Audio production by Alice Whaley
Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi, Bennett School of Public Policy
Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Pauline Alves, IAST, TSE

Are universities ready for the age of AI?

Richard Westcott chats with Jack Newman, Angélique Acquatella and Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg about what really drives inequality — from technology and trade to health and local policy — and how institutions can bridge the gap between national goals and everyday realities.

In this podcast episode of Crossing Channels, Richard Westcott talks to Jack Newman, Angélique Acquatella and Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg about the forces that shape inequality today. 

Drawing on economics, politics and public policy, our guests examine why gaps persist, look at the roles of technology and trade, explore evidence on health inequalities in the UK, and discuss the delivery gap between national ambitions and local capacity. They share examples of when place-based approaches can work, what gets in the way, and how institutions can support more inclusive growth.

Season 5 Episode 2 transcript: MS Word / PDF

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform: 

For more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and IAST visit our websites at https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/.

With thanks to:

Audio production by Alice Whaley
Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi
Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Pauline Alves


What really drives inequality?

As we inch closer to war with Venezuela, historian Greg Grandin returns to Chapo for a history lesson about the War on Drugs as well as Venezuela’s Bolivarian Revolution. We also talk about the US’s long-running economic interests and petty feuds in Latin America, particularly regarding the region’s oil supplies. We then briefly speculate about just how bad and chaotic a regime change operation against Venezuela might be for the US and Latin America.

985 - The Murder Inc. Doctrine feat. Greg Grandin (11/10/25)

This episode isn’t just great—it’ll revolutionize what you think of AI. Ed Zitron is back in the trap to discuss his recent reporting on just how much money companies like OpenAI have (and how much they’re burning). We talk about the byzantine financing of generative AI and LLMs, the tech world’s dream of recreating the postwar boom with a technology primarily used to make the world’s least legal porn, and the proliferation of data centers across the country. Plus: Bill Ackman teaches you how to pick up girls.

Get your Ed at:
Better Offline podcast: https://linktr.ee/betteroffline
Where’s Your Ed At newsletter: https://www.wheresyoured.at/
Twitter/X: https://x.com/edzitron
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com 

987 - May I Meet You? feat. Ed Zitron (11/17/25)

SARAH SQUIRM: LIVE + IN THE FLESH, debuts on HBO and HBO Max December 12th. We command you to tune in!

Sarah Squirm joins us once again to speculate on Zohran’s meeting with Trump: is Trump starstruck? In love? Depressed? We also talk about the president’s plan to bring back the Rush Hour movies, the secrets of the White House swimming pool, a reverse Jussie Smollett situation in Ocean City, and shitting yourself. A lot of stories about shitting yourself. 

Follow Sarah on Twitter/X: https://x.com/SarahSquirm 
And Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahsquirm/?hl=en 

989 - Butt Crappened feat. Sarah Squirm (11/24/25)

Author and journalist Seth Harp returns for an interview about the National Guard shooting in D.C. We analyze the accused shooter, his time in covert “Zero Units,” and we also speculate about the ramifications of Pete Hegseth’s double-tap order in the Caribbean. To close things out, Will and Felix talk about Bari Weiss’s plan to return America to the reasonable center and react to the viral Oklahoma University essay on why God made man and woman different.

Buy Seth’s book here (and give it 5 stars on Amazon!): https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/730414/the-fort-bragg-cartel-by-seth-harp/ 
And follow him on X at @sethharpesq


991 - Occupation: Public Figure feat. Seth Harp (12/1/25)

Andrew Hudson of E1 returns to talk about a grab bag of recent news: Marie Glusenkamp Perez’s war on pinnipeds, Alex Karp’s tweaked-out media hits, and another vaccine on the RFK’s chopping block. We then turn to Milo Yiannopoulos, who just recently made the equally outrageous claims that Charlie Kirk is still alive and Benny Johnson is actually gay. Finally, Tarantino’s unbearable public persona, the Ellison-Zaslav war over Warner Bros.’ future, and a lot of praise for a recent genre movie.

Listen to Episode 1 here: https://soundcloud.com/episode-one-868768631
And subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/e1podcast/posts


993 - From the Columbia River to the Sea feat. Andrew Hudson (12/8/25)

Richard Westcott talks to Diane Coyle and César Hidalgo about how knowledge, ideas and intangible assets are becoming central to modern prosperity.
In this episode of Crossing Channels, Richard Westcott talks to Diane Coyle and César Hidalgo about how knowledge, ideas and intangible assets are becoming central to modern prosperity. They discuss what makes intellectual capital distinctive, how AI may widen or narrow inequalities, and why some places benefit more than others. The conversation also explores the challenges of measuring intangible value and what kinds of skills, institutions and infrastructure are needed for countries and regions to turn intellectual capital into broader, long-term growth.

Season 5 Episode 3 transcript: PDF / MS Word

Listen to this episode on your preferred podcast platform

For more information about the Crossing Channels podcast series and the work of the Bennett School of Public Policy and IAST visit our websites at https://www.bennettschool.cam.ac.uk/ and https://www.iast.fr/.

Follow us on Linkedin and Bluesky.

With thanks to:

Audio production by Alice Whaley
Associate production by Burcu Sevde Selvi
Visuals by Tiffany Naylor and Pauline Alves

Is intellectual capital the key to future prosperity?

Alex joins us to talk about Bari Weiss’s bizarre interview with Erika Kirk, Trump’s #PACKWATCH response to Rob Reiner’s death, and Candace Owens’ feud with just about every single member of Con Inc. over her bestie’s legacy. After a brief grab bag of new Epstein photos, we finally stage an intervention for Rod Dreher, who is currently having his artistic voice deteriorated by the stuffy losers at The Free Press. 

By popular demand, ¡No Pasarán! Matt Christman's Spanish Civil War is back both for a second round of orders and an ebook. PLUS: everything is still 20% off for the holidays! Order now at https://chapotraphouse.store/ 

Year Zero: A Chapo Trap House Comics Anthology is also 15% off at badegg.co. Through end of year purchases of the book also include a free digital version of the comic. The digital version also available through GlobalComix.

Follow the new Chapo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chapotraphousereal/

995 - The Numerology Guys feat. Alex Nichols (12/15/25)

To round out a very dark year, Will and Felix take a look at some grim stories: the Brown shooter’s identity, another Epstein drop, Bari Weiss’s promotion to Regime Censor, and Jelly Roll being pardoned. We then turn to the TPUSA conference where the fight for Charlie Kirk’s legacy continues, with Nicki Minaj joining the fray and JD Vance working overtime to hold together a splintering coalition. Finally, we dive into a City Journal panel on the state of the modern right, where we learn what Gen Z conservatives think about Jews, Hitler, and marriage.

By popular demand, ¡No Pasarán! Matt Christman's Spanish Civil War is back both for a second round of orders and an ebook. PLUS: everything is still 20% off for the holidays! Order now at https://chapotraphouse.store/ 

Year Zero: A Chapo Trap House Comics Anthology is also 15% off at badegg.co. Through end of year purchases of the book also include a free digital version of the comic. The digital version also available through GlobalComix.

Follow the new Chapo Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chapotraphousereal/
And Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/chapotraphousereal.bsky.social 

Peace, What Else

Eric White 6

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