Susan Zieger, the author of “Logistics and Power”, joins the Futurists to share her insight about global trade and control. Global trade and logistics requires a hierarchy of control to ensure timely, reliable delivery. That’s why power is an emergent principle of the global supply chain. For Zieger, the supply chain covers more than containers and manufactured goods, spanning the movement of humans and information. The early phases of global trade continue to shape the present and the future of logistics, transportation, and cultural globalization. Zieger provides a wide-ranging survey of world systems, beginning with the Dutch colonies of the 17th century; how modern managerial power emerged from railroad industry in the 19th century; and today’s new frontier of suborbital supply chains in space. Zieger’s critical focus is a humanist-focused interpretation of logistics, including the impact on the people who are engaged in global trade as employees or consumers, subject to the rules imposed by the logistics of trade.

Humanity’s largest and most complex invention is the global supply chain. More than 2 millions companies in 118 nations participate in the supply chain via GS1, the non-profit organization that manages data standards for global trade. Melanie Hilton of GS1 US is one of the world’s leading experts on innovation in the supply chain. She joins the Futurists to discuss the deployment of artificial intelligence, robotics, big data and digital transformation in retail, shipping, container ports, and manufacturing in every corner of the planet.

In this week’s episode hosts Brett and Katie interview Zuzanna Stamirowska, the CEO and co-founder of a deep tech startup that is working on AI that can unlearn and process new data in real-time. We also dive into industrial level AI and how shipping lanes, Amazon package delivery and autonomous supply chain is likely to be impacted by AI. The smart world will be powered by many different forms of AI.

The global supply chain is the most complicated thing that humanity has invented with more than 1 million companies in 209 nations trading 90% of manufactured goods via maritime transport. Now, thanks to climate change, extreme weather events and geo-political strife, it’s growing geometrically more complex. Brett King and Rob Tercek discuss the implications for domestic politics, employment and innovation.