Drawing from his book The Second Renaissance: How AI Will Transform Science, Technology and Entrepreneurship, Hacker argues that AI can become a powerful tool for addressing complex social problems, not only by improving efficiency, but by helping entrepreneurs reframe problems, scale solutions, and maximize value shared.

The conversation explores the distinction between traditional entrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship: traditional entrepreneurs often focus on value captured, while social entrepreneurs focus on value shared with the communities they serve. Hacker discusses why scale matters in social impact, how AI can support local problem-solving, and why concepts such as polycentricity and the commons are increasingly relevant to solving “wicked problems.”

The episode also considers the role of universities, students, and business schools in preparing a new generation of AI-enabled social entrepreneurs who can combine technological capability with humanistic purpose.

Our guests are Meredith Stein and David S. Linthicum, co-authors of Unlocking the Power of the Cloud. Meredith brings deep expertise in governance, risk management, auditing, internal controls, and executive education. David is a globally recognized leader in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, and previously served as Managing Director and Chief Cloud Strategy Officer at Deloitte Consulting LLP.

Together, they make the case that AI governance is not a bureaucratic obstacle, but a necessary condition for responsible innovation. Governance gives organizations a way to turn ambitious AI possibilities into realistic paths of action. It helps leaders distinguish achievable opportunities from hype, manage vendor and cloud risks, and build resilience in a fast-moving environment. The goal is not to slow AI adoption, but to make it durable, coherent, and aligned with the mission of the organization.