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The Next Big Idea

Next Big Idea Club
Artificial Intelligence
Mental Health
Psychology
Climate Change
Consciousness
Education
Neuroscience
Happiness
Technology
Social Media
Creativity
Personal Development
Nutrition
Memory
Storytelling
Free Will
Benjamin Franklin
Anxiety
Uncertainty
Relationships

The Next Big Idea is a weekly series of in-depth interviews with the world’s leading thinkers. Join hosts Rufus Griscom and Caleb Bissinger — along with our curators, Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Susan Cain, and Daniel Pink — for conversations that might just change the way you see the world. New episodes every Monday and Thursday. For ad inquiries, please reach out to: Network+NBI@yapmedia.com

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes366Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
EducationSociety & Culture

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Latest Episodes

Today, we're revisiting Rufus's conversation with Yuval Noah Harari about his book Nexus.

It's Harari at his best — a soaring overview of human history that turns, almost imperceptibly, into a gripping argument about the world we are building right ... more

Your brain is a master storyteller. The problem? It’s also an unreliable narrator.

We like to think our beliefs are built on facts, logic, and careful reasoning. But psychologist and author Owen Fitzpatrick argues that the process often works in rev... more

We’ve had many bracing thinkers on this show, but Sara Walker might take the cake. A physicist and astrobiologist at Arizona State University, her book Life as No One Knows It: The Physics of Life's Emergence is a thrilling exploration of life's orig... more

We’ve optimized nearly every part of modern life. So why does it feel like we’re missing the experience of actually living it?

In The Small Stuff, Ian Bogost argues that our obsession with happiness, productivity, and efficiency has stripped everyda... more

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Recent Guests

Yuval Noah Harari
Author and historian notable for Sapiens, Homo Deus, 21 Lessons for the 21st Century; author of Nexus
Havard/Various publishers
Episode: Can Democracy Survive the AI Revolution?
Owen Fitzpatrick
Author of Inner Propaganda, psychologist and therapist
Episode: Your Mind Is a Propagandist
Sara Walker
Theoretical physicist and astrobiologist, author
Arizona State University / Beyond Center
Episode: The Bedazzling Mystery of Why We’re Here
Ian Bogost
Author of The Small Stuff, professor, writer for The Atlantic
The Atlantic; Washington University in St. Louis
Episode: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life
Cate Hall
Author of You Can Just Do Things, expert on agency and practical life design
Author, You Can Just Do Things
Episode: You Can Just Do Things
Lani Watson
Philosopher and honorary fellow at the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
Episode: The Lost Art of Asking Questions
Azeem Azhar
Founder of Exponential View; author and economist
Exponential View / Harvard Business School (Executive Fellow)
Episode: Sorry, Skeptics — AI Is Not a Bubble
Mark Pincus
Serial entrepreneur, founder of Zynga and support.com
Zynga; former founder/CEO of tech startups
Episode: Why Creating Beats Consuming | Mark Pincus (Part 2)
Elizabeth Dunn
Professor, University of British Columbia; happiness researcher
University of British Columbia
Episode: What If Saving the Planet Could Be Fun?

Hosts

Rufus Griscom
Host of The Next Big Idea; Executive producer; frequent presence across episodes
Caleb Bissinger
Co-host and producer; host on select episodes; part of the core team

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 2k ratings
  • My Go To Podcast

    I love this podcast and its companion Next Big Idea Daily. I am a naturally curious person and find the range of topics to be pretty broad and a good match for my interests. Rufus and Caleb are engaging interviewers and each has a calm but energetic “radio” persona. I like both the long interview format and also the book bite format of the Next Big Idea Daily (I also like Michael Cavnat’s style).

    On several occasions I have checked the featured books out of the library and found that I got 80%... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    mxlplz
    United Statesa month ago
  • Favourite podcast

    It’s really my favourite podcast; very well produced and they thrive to cycle through different topics (not just AI). They started to bring in opposing views and mention them more clearly, but in general they could do better critically comparing and contrasting. For instance, broscience by Peter Attia. When it come out, they gave Attia 2 episodes as one of the most important things; however, since Attia published his book, it became clear that it was debunked in so many ways and highly unscienti... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Ddddddddddaniel
    Germany3 months ago
  • Great Episode on John & Paul’s Creative Partnership

    I’ve been a fan of this podcast for years, it’s always great, but the episode about Ian Leslie’s book on John and Paul’s creative relationship finally compelled me to leave a review. I’m a huge Beatles fan.

    Ian’s deep dive into their creative symbiosis was fascinating, and Caleb, who hosted this one, asked super thoughtful questions that made the conversation really warm and engaging.

    Highly recommend this episode for music and pop culture fans. I ordered the book right after listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    wfox454
    United States6 months ago
  • Ironic

    I find it ironic you interrupt the show to mention about Peter Attia yet don’t mention Ari Emmanuel, zeke’s brother, involvement with Epstein

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Bruindude88
    United States6 months ago
  • I just found and started listening, right now.

    Did I just find my people? As I listen to commercials. I’m hopeful. In my simple description of “people” that are okay with enough for you less for me are “Sheep in Wolf clothing”. They know. But not enough for their “Golden Calf’s”; will allow solutions. When any money is involved.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JollyGee33
    United States10 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some reviews note perceived bias or strong host perspectives in AI discussions.
Audience frequently mentions transformative ideas and actionable guidance from episodes.
Sponsorships and ads are integrated in a way that doesn't overpower conversations.
Listeners praise the thoughtful, deep-dive interviews and broad book-focused topics.
Many comment on high-quality guests and practical takeaways.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#192
United States/Education
Apple Podcasts
#128
Canada/Education
Apple Podcasts
#249
United Kingdom/Education
Apple Podcasts
#73
Australia/Education
Apple Podcasts
#71
New Zealand/Education
Apple Podcasts
#144
Spain/Education

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Bedazzling Mystery of Why We’re Here
Q: What is the classic definition of life, and how would you diverge from it?
Walker describes standard definitions—life as a self-sustaining chemical system capable of Darwinian evolution—but notes edge cases like viruses and fire, and argues for a focus on information structure and the history embodied in time as a more robust basis for defining life.
Can Democracy Survive the AI Revolution?
Q: What catalyzed the scientific revolution according to Harari?
It wasn't printing alone but the emergence of institutions based on admitting ignorance and pursuing evidence, which allowed the genuine scientific method to flourish and distinguish credible knowledge from sensationalism.
Are Robots About to Change Everything?
Q: Stephen, is this really a ChatGPT moment for robotics or just another hype cycle?
There are strong signals on both sides: progress is real, particularly in governance of data, simulation-to-real transfer, and edge computing, but trust still hinges on safety, reliability, and tangible demos that work outside controlled lab environments.
Sorry, Skeptics — AI Is Not a Bubble
Q: How do you see the balance between compute demand, funding, and actual usage playing out in the next few years?
Compute demand will stay high, usage will expand, and financing needs to be long-term and credible; the risk is if capital sources drift away or misprice risk, which could create volatility even amid real underlying demand.
Sorry, Skeptics — AI Is Not a Bubble
Q: What did you find in The State of the AI Economy that surprised you, and where did you land on whether we're in a bubble?
We found that AI revenues have grown rapidly and, even after deduplication, the scale of spending is substantial enough to outpace depreciation, suggesting the economics are more robust than simple bubble scenarios imply, though there are risks in funding quality and potential overbuild.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Next Big Idea

What is The Next Big Idea about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program features in-depth conversations with leading thinkers across science, technology, psychology, business, and culture. Episodes typically center on books, big ideas, and practical frameworks for living better, with guests ranging from researchers and authors to entrepreneurs and physicians. The show leans toward rigorous, evidence-based discussions and often threads in actionable takeaways, sponsorship messages, and real-world applications. Noteworthy is its ability to pair high-profile authors with seasoned hosts for thoughtful, long-form interviews that explore future-oriented topics while remaining accessible to curious, educated listeners. Potential listeners can expect a steady stream of intellectually engaging content that ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Next Big Idea?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Next Big Idea:

1. The Next Big Idea Daily
2. Worklife with Molly Graham
3. ReThinking
4. People I (Mostly) Admire
5. A Bit of Optimism

How many episodes of The Next Big Idea are there?

The Next Big Idea launched 7 years ago and published 366 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 The Next Big Idea?

Recent guests on The Next Big Idea include:

1. Yuval Noah Harari
2. Owen Fitzpatrick
3. Sara Walker
4. Ian Bogost
5. Cate Hall
6. Lani Watson
7. Azeem Azhar
8. Mark Pincus

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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