AI, Critical Thinking, and Geopolitical Risk: Inside DisrupTV’s Deep Dive on Gemini, Multimodal AI, and Global Resilience | DisrupTV Ep. 426
Principal Analyst and Founder
Constellation Research
R “Ray” Wang is the CEO of Silicon Valley-based Constellation Research Inc. He co-hosts DisrupTV, a weekly enterprise tech and leadership webcast that averages 50,000 views per episode and blogs at www.raywang.org. His ground-breaking best-selling book on digital transformation, Disrupting Digital Business, was published by Harvard Business Review Press in 2015. Ray's new book about Digital Giants and the future of business, titled, Everybody Wants to Rule The World was released in July 2021. Wang is well-quoted and frequently interviewed by media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Fox Business, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Cheddar, and Bloomberg.
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R “Ray” Wang (pronounced WAHNG) is the Founder, Chairman, and Principal Analyst of Silicon Valley-based Constellation…...
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Director of Marketing, Communications & Operations
Constellation Research
Elle is the Director of Marketing at Constellation Research and producer of the weekly enterprise tech show, DisrupTV. She leads marketing and communications efforts across all avenues while also managing an array of programs including the SuperNova Awards, Business Transformation 150, AX100, AI150, S50 and ShortLists. She has previous experience in public relations and has a strong passion for the marketing world.
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AI, Critical Thinking, and Geopolitical Risk: Inside DisrupTV’s Deep Dive on Gemini, Multimodal AI, and Global Resilience
On the latest episode of DisrupTV, co-hosts Vala Afshar, Chief Evangelist at Salesforce, and R "Ray" Wang, CEO and Founder of Constellation Research, convened a timely conversation at the intersection of AI innovation, critical thinking, and geopolitical risk.
Joining them were Peter Danenberg, Distinguished Software Engineer at Google and a key contributor to the Gemini AI platform, and Dr. David Bray, Distinguished Chair at The Stimson Center and CEO of LDA Ventures. Together, they explored how multimodal AI, community-driven innovation, and geopolitical awareness are becoming essential capabilities for leaders navigating the Age of Intelligence.
Inside Google Gemini: From Demos to Developer Communities
Peter Danenberg offered a behind-the-scenes look at Google’s Gemini AI platform, including emerging capabilities like Code Canvas and Computer Use, which move AI beyond chat interfaces and into real-world workflows.
A central theme of Danenberg’s work is community engagement. What began as a small Gemini Meetup with roughly 20 attendees has grown into a thriving forum of more than 600 participants—developers, builders, and AI practitioners experimenting at the edge of what’s possible.
These meetups aren’t just technical demos; they serve as a feedback loop between users and platform builders, allowing insights from real-world experimentation to flow directly back to Google’s leadership. According to Denenberg, this user-driven model is critical for shaping AI tools that are both powerful and practical.
Multimodal and Ambient AI: The Next Evolution
Looking ahead, Danenberg highlighted the shift toward multimodal and ambient AI systems—models that can process text, images, sound, and contextual signals simultaneously, and operate continuously in the background of human activity.
These systems aren’t meant to replace human judgment, but to augment decision-making, creativity, and problem-solving. The challenge, he emphasized, is ensuring that humans remain active participants rather than passive recipients of AI-generated outputs.
AI and the Risk to Critical Thinking
Drawing from his widely viewed TED Talk, Denenberg addressed a growing concern: the potential erosion of critical thinking in an era of increasingly capable large language models.
He cited research comparing brain activity when people rely on AI tools versus when they actively create or reason through problems themselves. The takeaway isn’t to avoid AI—but to design systems that challenge users to think, test assumptions, and maintain a sense of ownership over their work.
His experiments with Socratic-style AI learning environments reflect this philosophy: AI should ask better questions, not just provide faster answers.
Geopolitical Risk, AI, and the New Reality for Global Enterprises
Dr. David Bray expanded the conversation beyond technology into geopolitical and cybersecurity realities facing enterprises today. As global supply chains become more fragmented and nation-state actors increasingly weaponize AI, companies must rethink how they manage risk.
Bray emphasized that AI-driven cyber threats now operate at machine speed, requiring equally adaptive and responsive defenses. Traditional, static security models are no longer sufficient when adversaries can rapidly tailor attacks using AI tools.
AI, Cybersecurity, and Board-Level Accountability
One of Bray’s strongest messages was the need for board and executive awareness. AI risk is no longer confined to IT departments—it spans legal, operational, geopolitical, and reputational domains.
He stressed tighter collaboration between CIOs, CISOs, and General Counsel, particularly for organizations operating across borders. Boards must understand not just where AI is deployed, but how geopolitical shifts can amplify technical vulnerabilities.
Human–AI Collaboration as a Competitive Advantage
Despite the risks, both speakers were clear: the future belongs to organizations that master human–AI collaboration.
Denenberg envisions AI systems that help organizations model worldviews, anticipate risk, and explore scenarios—enhancing human foresight rather than automating it away. Bray reinforced this view, noting that resilience comes from pairing machine-scale intelligence with human judgment, ethics, and strategic context.
Key Takeaways from DisrupTV Episode 426
AI is moving beyond chat into multimodal, ambient systems embedded in daily workflows
Community-driven AI development accelerates innovation and improves real-world adoption
Critical thinking must be protected through intentional AI design, not blind automation
Geopolitical risk and AI security are inseparable, especially for global enterprises
Human–AI collaboration, not replacement, is the defining advantage in the Age of Intelligence
Final Thoughts: Intelligence With Intention
This DisrupTV episode made one thing clear: AI’s true value isn’t found in raw capability alone, but in how thoughtfully it’s integrated with human expertise, organizational culture, and global awareness.
As Vala Afshar and R "Ray" Wang underscored in closing, leaders who invest in community, critical thinking, and contextual intelligence won’t just keep pace with AI—they’ll shape how it responsibly transforms business and society.
In an era defined by rapid technological change and geopolitical uncertainty, intelligence with intention may be the most important innovation of all.
Related Episodes
If you found Episode 426 valuable, here are a few others that align in theme or extend similar conversations:
Future of Work
Data to Decisions
Tech Optimization
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Technology Officer
Chief AI Officer
Chief Information Officer
Chief Data Officer
From “activation energy” and agent orchestration to donkeycorns and relationship capital, DisrupTV 425 explains what actually separates AI hype from real business impact.
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