RAND Corporation

The Pulse With Francine Lacqua is a program based in London that features conversations on global business, economics, finance, and politics. The episode covers topics including an Iran security shake-up and China's efforts to close the AI gap with the US. Today's guests featured are Jennifer McKeown, Francesca Ghiretti, and Robert Friedland.

Consultants are leaving major firms to work in AI safety and governance, focusing on societal risks of AI systems. Former consultants have transitioned to roles at nonprofits, research institutes, and policy organizations addressing AI risks. Examples include Namaan Mian of Management Consulted and Sarah Pomeranz of Consultants for Impact.

Jeff Raikes warns that companies relying on AI for entry-level tasks risk 'talent debt' as critical thinking skills atrophy. Microsoft's 2026 Work Trend Index reveals only 16% of workers can effectively judge AI outputs, while Gartner predicts half of global organizations will require 'AI-free' skills assessments by 2026. A RAND study shows students using AI for homework fear it harms independent thinking, highlighting a growing disconnect between AI efficiency and human judgment.

North Carolina ranks poorly in healthcare affordability, prompting the formation of the North Carolina Health Care Affordability Commission to address rising costs. Experts highlighted national challenges, including high U.S. healthcare spending and medical debt, with Indiana's cost-control measures cited as a potential model.

China closed over 30,000 preschools and primary schools in 2025 due to a demographic crisis, with kindergarten enrollment dropping by a quarter between 2020 and 2024. Fertility rates remain critically low at 1.0 live births per woman, and experts note China is aging rapidly without achieving economic wealth.

The article discusses how the United States' military superiority in conflicts like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Iran has not translated into strategic success due to a lack of coherent political strategies. Tactical victories often lead to long-term instability, as seen in the Taliban's return to Afghanistan and regional tensions in the Arabian Gulf.

Ukraine is set to receive 16 advanced Gripen E fighter jets from Sweden under a $2.54 billion deal, with deliveries starting in 2029. The Gripen, designed for mobility and austere operations, aligns with Ukraine's strategy against Russia and complements its existing fleet of F-16s and Soviet-era jets.

The article discusses recurring questions at a conference on the People’s Liberation Army about China's potential military responses to U.S. force posture changes or strikes. It highlights the importance of understanding Chinese military behavior for policymakers and war planners, noting similar scenarios in wargames at the RAND Corporation.

The US Navy faces significant risks to its maritime dominance due to challenges in repairing battle-damaged Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in a hostile Indo-Pacific theater, according to a RAND report. This repair gap could potentially hand China an advantage in a conflict over the Pacific.

A RAND study found U.S. battle-damaged warships could not be quickly repaired during a war with China due to overwhelmed maintenance facilities, insufficient spare parts, and limited allied shipyard capacity. The report highlights risks to maritime dominance and recommends streamlining repair authority, expanding mobile repair capabilities, and securing access to allied ports in the Pacific.

Wall Street is adopting new catastrophe models to predict wars and geopolitical risks as conflicts increase globally. Verisk Maplecroft has developed models like the Predictive War Index and Geopolitical Relations Index, which use machine learning to forecast military conflicts and government collapses. Financial institutions like Citigroup and Morgan Stanley are urging a shift from historical data to forward-looking risk assessments.

A new report finds that slightly more than half of teacher preparation programs now align with the science of reading, doubling from a quarter three years ago. However, hundreds of programs remain unaligned, and many teach outdated methods, despite states adopting science of reading policies. States like Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Indiana saw reading score improvements with these policies, but progress remains uneven.

The article highlights a recruitment crisis in the U.S. military's tri-service medical corps (Army, Navy, Air Force), with physicians leaving at high rates due to pay disparity, administrative burdens, and clinical skill degradation. A 2024 RAND Corporation study underscores these challenges, which threaten sustained military operations.

The Trump administration is reconsidering permanent daylight saving time (DST) to eliminate biannual clock changes, but health experts warn it could disrupt circadian rhythms and worsen health outcomes. Dr. Wendy Troxel argues permanent DST forces people to wake in darkness, harming sleep and safety, while organizations like the American Academy of Sleep Medicine advocate for permanent standard time instead.