Keen On America
Andrew Keen
Nobody asks sharper or more impertinent questions than Andrew Keen. In KEEN ON, Andrew cross-examines the world’s smartest people on politics, economics, history, the environment, and tech. If you want to make sense of our complex world, check out the daily questions and the answers on KEEN ON.
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best-known technology and politics broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running show How To Fix Democracy and the author of four critically acclaimed books about the future, including the international bestselling CULT OF THE AMATEUR.
Keen On is free to listen to and will remain so. If you want to stay up-to-date on new episodes and support the show, please subscribe to Andrew Keen’s Substack. Paid subscribers will soon be able to access exclusive content from our new series Keen On America – keenon.substack.com
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best-known technology and politics broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running show How To Fix Democracy and the author of four critically acclaimed books about the future, including the international bestselling CULT OF THE AMATEUR.
Keen On is free to listen to and will remain so. If you want to stay up-to-date on new episodes and support the show, please subscribe to Andrew Keen’s Substack. Paid subscribers will soon be able to access exclusive content from our new series Keen On America – keenon.substack.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 19, 2026 • 46min
What Came First: Stories or Language? Kevin Ashton on the Story of Stories
Kevin Ashton, technologist and author who coined “Internet of Things” and wrote The Story of Stories, argues that stories came before language. He claims humans invented language to share narratives around ancient fires. Conversation on how story structure shapes thought, how writing and tech scaled narratives, and why AI can mimic story form without true meaning.
Mar 18, 2026 • 47min
Have our iPhones Eaten our Brains? Nelson Dellis on Hacks to Restore our Focus and Boost our Memory
Nelson Dellis, six-time USA Memory Champion and computer science professor who turned memory training into a life mission after his grandmother’s Alzheimer’s. He talks about how smartphones and AI are outsourcing our minds. He shares lively stories from competitions, simple memory hacks like anchoring names to faces, and lifestyle tips to keep your brain active and independent.
Mar 17, 2026 • 33min
Hard Times Again? Jeff Boyd on Chicago, Charles Dickens and Curtis Mayfield
Jeff Boyd, novelist and former Chicago public school teacher, discusses his new social-realist novel Hard Times. He explains the title’s Curtis Mayfield roots and how fiction can make sense of surreal headlines. He talks about setting the book in South Side Chicago, teaching’s toll, police complexity, class and varied Black experiences, and the tension between fate and agency.
Mar 16, 2026 • 47min
An Act of War? Brandeis President Arthur Levine on Trump’s University Policy
Arthur Levine, former university president and higher-education leader, offers a brisk, candid take on the threats and transformations facing colleges. He discusses government pressure on universities, Brandeis’s move to transparent pricing, and how AI will reshape teaching, research, and administrative work. Short, sharp scenes on academic freedom, ethics, and why reading and writing still matter.
Mar 15, 2026 • 43min
Is Elon Human? Charles Steel on the Curious Mind of Elon Musk
Charles Steel, a London investor and author of The Curious Mind of Elon Musk, unpacks Musk’s psychology in a brisk, provocative chat. Steel explores Musk’s childhood, possible autism-like traits, and existential curiosity. He outlines three defining traits: hyper-rationality, angst, and belligerence. The conversation probes Musk’s politics, reading influences, and the risks of concentrated power.
8 snips
Mar 14, 2026 • 41min
Why Dario Amodei Might Be the 21st Century’s First Real Leader
Keith Teer, publisher and tech commentator who tracks AI and markets, joins to debate society’s love-hate relationship with AI. They dissect public fear vs heavy ChatGPT use, AI “slop” and canceled data centers. Much of the conversation orbits Dario Amodei’s outspoken leadership, the business and political fallout of his choices, and who should really set AI policy.
Mar 13, 2026 • 36min
From Orphanage to Google Brain: David Sussillo on Heroin, Neural Networks and the Mysteries of the Heart
David Sussillo, a neuroscientist who worked at Google Brain and Meta and teaches at Stanford, recounts an extraordinary life from orphanage and parental addiction to neural reverse engineering. He discusses emergence, how chance moments shaped him, the limits of neuroscience to explain personal history, AI optimism, therapy and recovery, and practical ideas to improve child care institutions.
Mar 13, 2026 • 45min
Murder on the Abortion Express: Amy Littlefield on Who Killed Roe
Amy Littlefield, abortion access correspondent at The Nation and author of Killers of Roe, reframes the fall of Roe as a true-crime mystery inspired by Agatha Christie. She names the political players, traces the Hyde Amendment’s role, and explores alliances, race, and patriarchy. Narrative-driven reporting and surprising personal confessions bring the 50-year story to life.
Mar 12, 2026 • 36min
The Magical Realist United States: Jazmine Ulloa on El Paso as America’s New Ellis Island
Jazmine Ulloa, national immigration reporter for The New York Times and author of El Paso: Five Families and 100 Years of Blood, Migration, Race, and Memory, brings a personal El Paso perspective. She explores El Paso as America’s modern gateway. She traces shifting border identities, bipartisan enforcement of detention and deportation, and how border tactics are spreading into US cities. She weaves history, storytelling, and memory.
Mar 11, 2026 • 36min
Move Fast and Break the World: Jonathan Taplin on Trump as an Interregnum
Jonathan Taplin, author and media veteran, offers stark takes on Silicon Valley’s sway over war and policy. He likens Trump to an interregnum and maps a rising digital military-industrial complex led by tech billionaires. He discusses AI-enabled targeting tragedies, corporate consolidation choking R&D, and fragile political futures. The conversation ends on culture, resistance, and a surprising Taco Tuesday aside.
