Gerd Leonhard: podcast appearances and interviews

Gerd Leonhard is a German futurist, speaker, and author who specializes in the debate between humanity and technology. He is affiliated with The Futures Agency where he serves as CEO. Born in Bonn, Germany, Leonhard studied theology at the University of Bonn before moving to the United States in 1982. There, he studied at the Berklee College of Music and established a career as a professional musician, arranger, and composer. He also founded an early internet business in music, which gave him firsthand insight into technological disruption and inspired his first book, The Future of Music, published in 2005. Over time, Leonhard expanded his futurist practice to various industries and social environments, influenced by classic futurists such as Alvin Toffler as well as science fiction authors like Arthur C. Clarke and William Gibson. His work often explores the impact of technological change on society and human values. In 2016, he published Technology vs. Humanity, a manifesto for digital rights and an analysis of areas affected by technology disruption without sufficient regulation or policy. Leonhard has expressed critical views of transhumanism and technology centralization, emphasizing a humanist approach rooted in European traditions and philosophy. He advocates for technological balance akin to historical periods such as the Italian Renaissance. Additionally, his open letter to the Partnership on AI, published in Wired in October 2016, urges technology leaders from companies such as IBM, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and Amazon to incorporate digital ethics into the development of cognitive automation.