Government as Shareholder? Proactive Competitive Strategy or Last Resort?
The United States has begun taking equity stakes in strategic firms such as Intel, rare‑earth miners, and defense manufacturers, a shift from its traditionally hands‑off economic stance. The moves, made during President Trump’s second term, are framed as a response to China’s growing influence and a way to secure supply chains. A live debate hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations on May 18 2026 examined whether government shareholding should be a proactive competitive tool or a last‑resort safeguard. Experts from academia, policy, and finance presented opposing views on the long‑term implications.
New This Week: Should Museums Repatriate Cultural Artifacts?
France’s parliament approved a law that streamlines the return of cultural artifacts looted between 1815 and 1972, accelerating restitution requests from former colonies. Major museums such as the British Museum, the Louvre, and the Met are now adding provenance labels...
This Week: Gene Editing Babies-Life Saving Science or Risky Business?
The debate over human germline editing intensified as two startups, Manhattan Genomics and Bootstrap Bio, folded after months of scrutiny, while Preventive announced a $30 million funding round backed by Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. The controversy...
New This Week: The AI Bubble
The latest OpenDebate blog spotlights a growing debate over whether today’s AI boom is a speculative bubble or the foundation of a lasting technological shift. Analysts note that corporate AI spending has surged past $200 billion, yet many companies struggle to...
Will the AI Bubble Burst?
Artificial intelligence is driving a wave of venture capital, soaring startup valuations and massive hardware demand, prompting concerns of a speculative bubble reminiscent of the dot‑com era. Critics point to inflated prices, untested revenue models and high compute costs as...
New This Week: Finding Your Life's Meaning with Arthur C. Brooks
Harvard professor Arthur C. Brooks joins Open to Debate to discuss his new book “The Meaning of Your Life,” urging a shift from work‑centric success to purpose‑driven living. The episode also highlights the Supreme Court’s oral arguments in Trump v....
Think Twice: The Meaning of Your Life with Arthur C. Brooks
Arthur C. Brooks, Harvard professor and New York Times bestselling author, discusses the growing crisis of meaning in his latest book, *The Meaning of Your Life*. He argues that the relentless chase for pleasure, status, and efficiency—amplified by social media,...
This Week: Should the U.S. Race to Mars?
The debate over whether the United States should prioritize settling Mars intensifies as NASA prepares Artemis II for an April launch and outlines plans for a permanent lunar base. Competition from China and an accelerating private‑sector push have turned the once‑theoretical...
AI & The Future of Work with Andrew Yang, Chris Hughes, Simon Johnson, and Rumman Chowdhury. Moderated by John Donvan.
A live virtual roundtable titled "AI & The Future of Work" is scheduled for Monday, March 16 at 4:15 PM ET. The session brings together former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, Facebook co‑founder Chris Hughes, economist Simon Johnson, and AI ethics leader Rumman...
The Future of Film: Big Screen or Stream?
Hollywood faces a crossroads as streaming accelerates and theater attendance slips, prompting a debate over the future of film distribution. Industry veterans Hawk Koch and Chris Aronson argue that blockbuster spectacles still thrive on the big screen, while streaming champions...
The Hopkins Forum: Will AI Make Work Obsolete?
The Hopkins Forum hosted a high‑profile debate on whether artificial intelligence will render human work obsolete. Featuring proponents like Andrew Yang and Simon Johnson against skeptics such as Chris Hughes and Rumman Chowdhury, the discussion highlighted AI’s rapid expansion into...