Open to Debate
Open to Debate
America is more divided than ever—but it doesn’t have to be. Open to Debate offers an antidote to the chaos. We bring multiple perspectives together for real, nonpartisan debates. Debates that are structured, respectful, clever, provocative, and driven by the facts. Open to Debate is on a mission to restore balance to the public square through expert moderation, good-faith arguments, and reasoned analysis. We examine the issues of the day with the world’s most influential thinkers spanning science, technology, politics, culture, and global affairs. It’s time to build a stronger, more united democracy with the civil exchange of ideas. Be open-minded. Be curious. Be ready to listen. Join us in being Open to Debate. (Formerly Intelligence Squared U.S.)
Episodes
Mentioned books
23 snips
Mar 26, 2026 • 53min
Should the U.S. Prioritize Settling Mars?
Shannon Stirone, a freelance science writer who questions Mars colonization on legal and ethical grounds. Eric Berger, senior space editor and author focused on commercial spaceflight and Mars planning. They spar over whether Mars should be the U.S. priority, debating geopolitics, planetary protection, reusable rockets and the costs and risks of human missions.
20 snips
Mar 19, 2026 • 53min
Has Legalizing Sports Gambling Become A Bad Bet?
Bill Pascrell III, lawyer and gaming policy advocate who helped expand legal sports betting. Harry Levant, public health gambling policy director and certified gambling therapist in recovery. They clash over online microbetting, AI-driven wagering, advertising and youth exposure, regulation versus federal public-health standards, and whether legalization’s economic gains outweigh societal harms.
64 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 53min
The Future of Film: Big Screen or Stream?
Hawk Koch, veteran producer and former Academy and Producers Guild president, defends theaters as communal spectacles. Chris Aronson, ex-Paramount distribution chief, champions streaming’s convenience and reach. They spar over attendance trends, event films like Taylor Swift, pricing and subscription models, and whether cinemas can survive financial pressures. Fast, lively debate with sharp contrasts.
115 snips
Mar 6, 2026 • 53min
Will AI Make Work Obsolete?
Rumman Chowdhury, data and social scientist and CEO focused on responsible AI. Chris Hughes, tech entrepreneur and economic policy advocate. Simon Johnson, Nobel-winning economist and MIT professor. Andrew Yang, entrepreneur and policy advocate for economic supports. They spar over whether AI will replace or augment jobs. Short debates cover automation timelines, corporate incentives, policy responses, and impacts on entry-level roles.
48 snips
Feb 26, 2026 • 53min
Generational Divides with Nick Gillespie: The Golden Age of News Media
Rachel Janfaza, Gen Z Substack founder and Bulwark contributor, chats about youth culture and how young people mix news and entertainment. Nellie Bowles, Millennial journalist and Free Press co-founder, examines trust, institutional failure, and TikTok news. Kurt Andersen, Baby Boomer novelist and cultural commentator, traces media history and the role of legacy institutions. They debate fragmentation, transparency, and where trust in news may rebuild.
10 snips
Feb 24, 2026 • 1h 23min
Smart Girl Dumb Questions: Will the Market Crash in 2026? With Andrew Ross Sorkin
Andrew Ross Sorkin, NYT DealBook columnist and bestselling author, joins to unpack market risks and historical parallels to 1929. He explores whether today echoes past crashes, the new wild cards like AI and sovereign debt, and how retail access, SPACs, and big-tech concentration change risk. Short, sharp conversations range from bank protections to media trust in finance.
54 snips
Feb 20, 2026 • 53min
Think Twice About War, Tech, & Dirty Supply Chains: The Elements of Power with Nicolas Niarchos
Nicolas Niarchos, journalist and author of The Elements of Power, reports on batteries, mining, and Congo’s tangled supply chains. He explores cobalt’s role in lithium-ion tech. He traces colonial legacies, artisanal miners’ dangers, and global competition between China and the U.S. He probes corporate responsibility, recycling, and whether tech shifts really solve deeper political and environmental problems.
59 snips
Feb 13, 2026 • 53min
Could Dating an AI Be Better Than Dating a Human?
Justin Garcia, evolutionary biologist and Kinsey Institute director, and Thao Ha, developmental psychologist and HEART Lab director, debate AI romance. They discuss AI offering consistent empathy and companionship. They explore evolutionary trust, physical intimacy limits, training-wheel relationships, social acceptance, and consent and bias concerns.
31 snips
Feb 6, 2026 • 53min
Is U.S. Control of Limited Territory in Greenland A Strategic Necessity?
Max Boot, CFR national security columnist; Kori Schake, AEI foreign and defense policy expert; Michael Pillsbury, Heritage Foundation strategist on U.S.-China competition; Alexander B. Gray, former White House NSC aide and Arctic policy specialist. They debate U.S. territorial moves in Greenland, NATO and treaty implications, great-power competition in the Arctic, and whether pressure on allies helps or harms strategy.
29 snips
Jan 30, 2026 • 53min
Legalize Assisted Suicide?
Peter Singer, utilitarian bioethicist advocating autonomy and reduced suffering; Andrew Solomon, psychologist and author sharing personal experience for regulated aid in dying; Daniel Sulmasy, physician-ethicist warning legalization undermines human dignity; Ilora Finlay, palliative physician stressing clinical uncertainty and coercion risks. They debate autonomy, safeguards, clinical judgment, slippery slopes, and physician integrity.
