For nearly 160 years, the International Telecommunication Union has helped the world communicate across borders, from the telegraph to the telephone, television, satellite, the internet, and now AI. In this episode of Tools and Weapons, Brad Smith sits down with Doreen Bogdan, Secretary-General of the ITU, to discuss why connectivity remains one of the world’s most important foundations for opportunity.

The conversation explores the 2.2 billion people who are still unconnected, the estimated $2.8 trillion needed to connect the world by 2030, and the partnerships required to reach the hardest-to-connect communities. Doreen shares stories from the field, including a refugee camp in Chad where a small computer center gives people access to learning, health care, financial tools, and family connections.

Brad and Doreen also discuss the rise of AI for Good, the challenge of scaling solutions that address real-world needs, and the role of global cooperation in shaping responsible AI governance. From early warning systems that can help save lives during natural disasters to digital skilling and infrastructure investment, this episode examines how technology can create opportunity when access, trust, and partnership come together.

Listen to the full episode and join the conversation about building a more connected and inclusive digital future.

At a moment some are calling the “Mythos Moment” for artificial intelligence, the conversation around technology is shifting in real time. In this episode of Tools and Weapons, Brad Smith sits down with former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, now working at the center of global AI policy and innovation, to explore what happens when breakthroughs move faster than the systems built to govern them.

The discussion looks at the risks that could define this era, the policy choices shaping global AI development, and what leaders must do now to build trust while enabling innovation. From cyber threats to economic disruption, this conversation examines what it will take to navigate one of the most consequential technology moments in decades.

Listen to the full episode and join the conversation about how we shape the future of AI responsibly.

Juan Lavista Ferres, Microsoft Chief Data Scientist and Director of the AI for Good Lab, joins Brad Smith to unpack the latest AI diffusion report and what it reveals about how artificial intelligence is spreading around the world.

In this quarterly update, Juan shares new data on where adoption is accelerating, how AI is reshaping software development, and why emerging divides between regions and communities could shape what comes next.

From rising productivity to widening gaps between urban and rural communities in the United States, the conversation explores both the promise and the challenges of AI at scale and what it will take to ensure the benefits are broadly shared.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Where AI adoption is growing fastest around the world
• Why the U.S. is seeing an urban-rural AI divide
• How AI is changing software development and knowledge work
• What diffusion trends could mean for jobs, productivity, and growth

Links

• aka.ms/AIDiffusionReport2025
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlavista/
• aka.ms/toolsandweapons
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradsmi/