Send us a text

In this episode, Medlir sits down with Dr. Elke Schwarz—Professor of Political Theory at Queen Mary University of London and author of Death Machines: The Ethics of Violent Technologies—to explore how AI is transforming not only the tools of war, but the very way we understand conflict, responsibility, and humanity itself. We also explore the rise of apocalyptic narratives surrounding AI—what Dr. Schwarz calls “techno-eschatology.” Why are end-times stories so dominant in our cultural imagination? What political possibilities do they shut down?

Links:

• Eichmann’s inheritance – On AI and autonomous weapons in a darkening world
• Gaza war: Israel using AI to identify human targets raising fears that innocents are being caught in the net
• Beyond Law: Reaffirming the Centrality of Ethics in War
• The (im)possibility of responsible military AI governance
• From blitzkrieg to blitzscaling: Assessing the impact of venture capital dynamics on military norms
• The Silicon Valley venture capitalists who want to ‘move fast and break things’ in the defence industry
• Conjuring the End: Techno-eschatology and the Power of Prophecy

Send us a text

In this episode, Eugene Tan from RSIS Singapore and Chris explore how advances in aviation technology are transforming our airspace. With cargo drones and urban air taxis taking to the skies, how will an increasing number of autonomous or remotely piloted aircraft safely share the airspace with traditional aviation? What new security, privacy, and safety risks do such air mobility systems bring? And how will regulatory and governance regimes adapt to these challenges?

Show Notes:

• https://www.caas.gov.sg/who-we-are/newsroom/Detail/asia-pacific-region-adopts-reference-materials-for-the-regulation-of-air-taxis-and-drones
• https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/china-low-altitude-economy-air-taxi-drones-policy-regulations-5419456
• https://www.mlit.go.jp/koku/content/001757082.pdf
• https://www.euronews.com/2025/11/05/latest-drone-sightings-force-flight-cancellations-at-belgiums-main-airport

This episode is part of a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) 25K04983 project “Global Governance of Civil Aviation in the Indo-Pacific” 2025-2027

Send us a text

Political anthropologist Eduardo Albrecht joins us to explore how artificial intelligence is quietly transforming the way governments think, decide, and rule. From the rise of “political machines” to the idea of a new Third House of democracy, we unpack what happens when citizens become data—and how power itself is being rewritten in the age of automation.

Links:

• https://eduardoalbrecht.com/
• Political Automation: An Introduction to AI in Government and Its Impact on Citizens