The Era of AI Innovation

The Era of AI Innovation

Author: Google January 7, 2026 Duration: 27:25
MIT professor and author Andrew McAfee draws the throughline from early industrial revolutions to the AI revolution unfolding today.

Behind the screen, beneath the apps, and beyond the cloud, there is a physical, humming, and vital world. Where the Internet Lives, an award-winning podcast from Google, ventures into the unseen infrastructure of our digital age. This series explores the data centers, subsea cables, and global networks that form the backbone of modern life. Each episode is a journey into the intersections of technology, business, and culture, examining how these vast systems are built, powered, and secured, and the profound societal questions they raise. You'll hear from the engineers, designers, and thinkers who shape this landscape, uncovering stories of innovation, environmental challenge, and sheer human scale. It’s a documentary-style exploration of the concrete, steel, and fiber optic reality that makes our connected world possible. Tune into this podcast for a revealing look at the architecture of our collective digital existence, understanding not just how information travels, but where it calls home.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 45

Where the Internet Lives
Podcast Episodes
Chasing Arrows [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:10
Technology advances are helping recyclers convert hard-to-recycle waste into a valuable feedstock. But can they help build a circular economy that could radically reduce global waste?
Invisible Threats [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:51
Data centers – and the AI they enable – are helping to mitigate the invisible threats of heat and air pollution around the world, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Growing a Better Food System [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:59
Data-driven tools are helping farmers use less water and improve yields. Data and AI are getting excess food to those who need it most. But hunger and food waste still exist at the same time and places.
Keeping the Lights On [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:36
Data centers are helping decarbonize the energy system while enabling tools that make the grid more resilient. But how do we manage the growing energy needs of AI?
Data on Fire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:18
How can AI and data centers help us solve critical climate challenges?
A Preview of Season 4: Resilience [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:51
Where the Internet Lives is back for a fourth season, focusing on how data center infrastructure is critical for making the world a more resilient place.
From Despair to a Dream Job in the Trades [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:47
Oregon Tradeswomen is an organization devoted to helping women like Sarah Hess build careers in construction, manufacturing, mechanical, and utility trades.