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Artwork for If/Then
Stanford Graduate School Of Business
Artificial Intelligence
Leadership
Power Dynamics
Innovation
Organizational Behavior
Economics
Trust
Decision Making
Financial Literacy
Motivation
Workplace Stress
Accountability
Signal Awards
Accounting
Personal Finance
Digital Currency
Purdue Pharma
Oxycontin
Mental Health

How do we lead with purpose, make better decisions, and navigate an uncertain future? On If/Then, Stanford GSB faculty break down cutting-edge research on leadership, strategy, and more, exploring enduring questions and the forces reshaping business and society today, from AI to geopolitics. Hosted by senior editor Kevin Cool.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes58Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementBusinessScienceSocial Sciences

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Artwork for If/Then

Latest Episodes

What if purpose is what drives us to act, but meaning comes from how those actions affect other people?

This week on If/Then, we’re sharing a conversation between two Stanford GSB colleagues: Think Fast, Talk Smart host Matt Abrahams and organizatio... more

How do you engage effectively across deep disagreement without shutting down the conversation?

This week on If/Then, we’re sharing an episode from our colleagues at Stanford Legal, the podcast from Stanford Law School that looks at the cases, questi... more

“Humans manage to do so much with surprisingly little,” says Douglas Guilbeault, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business. “Whereas AI, by comparison, is doing relatively little, but with so much power... more

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Chad Jones, a professor of economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business, recently published a paper, “AI and Our Economic Future.” Using more than 100 years of economic data, he modelled several potential AI-infused economic futures we may exper... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Rob MacCoun
Jameson Patricia Cowell Professor of Law, Stanford Law School; co-author of Third Millennium Thinking
Stanford Law School; Psychology Department, Stanford University
Episode: Stanford Legal: "The Importance of Critical Thinking and Civil Discourse in Today's Polarized World"
John Campbell
Co-author of Third Millennium Thinking; psychologist
unknown from transcript
Episode: Stanford Legal: "The Importance of Critical Thinking and Civil Discourse in Today's Polarized World"
Douglas Guilbeault
Assistant professor of organizational behavior at Stanford GSB
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Episode: What AI Can’t Do — And Why
Chad Jones
Professor of Economics at Stanford GSB
Stanford GSB
Episode: Our AI Future: From Abundance to Apocalypse
Huggy Rao
Professor of organizational behavior at Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford GSB
Episode: The Art of Friction
Christian Wheeler
Professor of Marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford GSB
Episode: Why Who You Are Affects How You Think
Steve Callander
Professor of Public and Private Management at Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford Graduate School of Business
Episode: What We Actually Learn From Experience
Paul Oyer
Professor of Economics at Stanford Graduate School of Business
Stanford GSB
Episode: How Dating and Sports Explain the Job Market
Lisa Su
Chair and CEO of AMD
AMD
Episode: View From The Top: “Lisa Su Is Still Curious About How Things Work”

Host

Kevin Cool
Host of If/Then

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 62 ratings
  • Great material yet partially delivered by a half-robotic voice or Agent. Hard to be excited by it

    See above

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Impoxtssibxo
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Great listen for Data/AI Enthusiast College Students

    Referred by the Me, Myself, and AI podcast team! Loved the connection. Thank you guys

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mika_Montonen
    United States3 years ago
  • Nice one

    Podcast Addict
    5
    elegantblend
    3 years ago
  • Thought provoking

    Fascinating concepts and interesting ways of pointing out how research applies to many facets of the business world. Great music

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jenny Luna
    United States3 years ago
  • Applicable insights, refreshingly grounded in research

    This podcast elegantly shares insights and implications drawn from the hard work of building new knowledge from the often-less-than-flashy world of tested research. This is a breath of fresh air to someone eager to be reminded of our capacity to study complexity and discover insights that transcend catchy narratives and myopic agendas. Such a fun listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    J Hankes
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the evidence-based, research-driven insights and practical relevance.
Some critique production quality, noting occasional robotic narration.
Guests and topics are consistently rigorous and academically grounded.
Audiences value interdisciplinary perspectives and real-world applicability of research.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What AI Can’t Do — And Why
Q: What is the ceiling or upper limit for AI understanding of human behavior?
The discussion suggests there might be a fundamental limit to how well optimization and brute-force data-driven approaches can capture the nuances of human behavior, especially transitional dynamics and sudden leaps in understanding that are not easily predicted by statistical models.
What AI Can’t Do — And Why
Q: Why is understanding how humans learn essential for AI development?
Understanding human learning highlights the limitations of purely optimization-based AI and points to qualitative aspects like intuition, creativity, and social learning that AI lacks, suggesting a need for approaches that account for how humans actually process and adapt to information.
The Paradox of Masculinity
Q: What happens when you de-identify resumes in hiring processes, and how does that affect gender bias?
De-identifying resumes or using genderless cues reduces overt bias in hiring decisions for women, but people still infer gender when they imagine who is behind the resume, suggesting deeper, entrenched androcentric assumptions.
What We Actually Learn From Experience
Q: What is correlated learning?
Correlated learning is a framework where the outcomes of different choices are connected and learning occurs across those alternatives, allowing individuals and firms to use past experiences to inform future decisions in a structured way.
How Dating and Sports Explain the Job Market
Q: What can individuals do to stay valuable when AI can handle many routine tasks?
Individuals should focus on what they can do that a computer cannot do, continually update skills, and leverage human judgment and networks; staying adaptable and building relationships remains crucial as automation handles more routine work.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About If/Then

What is If/Then about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Thoughtful conversations at the intersection of science, leadership, and public discourse, with a focus on how rigorous research, probabilistic thinking, and practical tools can improve decision-making in business and society. Episodes frequently feature Stanford GSB faculty and external experts discussing AI, economics, organizational design, and signaling, often tying academic insights to real-world applications and policy implications. A standout is the steady emphasis on civil dialogue, epistemic humility, and the role of experts in democratic processes, making it useful for listeners aiming to apply evidence-based thinking to complex problems.

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Which podcasts are similar to If/Then?

These podcasts share a similar audience with If/Then:

1. HBR IdeaCast
2. The Founder Mindset with Reza Satchu
3. Cold Call
4. Masters of Scale
5. Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

How many episodes of If/Then are there?

If/Then launched 3 years ago and published 58 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on If/Then?

Recent guests on If/Then include:

1. Rob MacCoun
2. John Campbell
3. Douglas Guilbeault
4. Chad Jones
5. Huggy Rao
6. Christian Wheeler
7. Steve Callander
8. Paul Oyer

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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