Intelligence Squared Explained

Intelligence Squared
Logo Alt:Intelligence Squared logo
Location:Notting Hill, West London
Locations:London
New York City
Sydney
Athens
Hong Kong
Tel Aviv
Santiago
Founder:Jeremy O'Grady
John Gordon
Ceo:Matt McAllester[1]

Intelligence Squared is a media company that organizes live debates and other cultural events around the world.[2] It was founded in 2002 in London,[3] where its head office is based, and has affiliates in the US, Australia, and Hong Kong. The debates are held in the traditional Oxford style in front of a live audience. The company produces video and podcast programs, publishing on YouTube, and other platforms.[4] Intelligence Squared is often referred to as Intelligence2 and IQ2.[2]

History

Intelligence Squared was founded by two media entrepreneurs, Jeremy O'Grady and John Gordon, in 2002.[3] In 2012, the company was bought by art consultant Amelie von Wedel, Yana Peel (CEO of Serpentine Galleries), and David Legg (Commonwealth Bank of Australia Executive General Manager).[5] Hannah Kaye has been executive producer since 2006,[6] and Matt McAllester became managing director in 2018.[5] In addition to debates, Intelligence Squared also hosts interviews, discussions, and panels with such figures as President Jimmy Carter, Eric Schmidt, Sheryl Sandberg, Malala Yousafzai, Patti Smith, and Werner Herzog.[7]

Intelligence Squared licensed the rights to the brand for global expansion and Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates was established in 2006 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit media group by financier and philanthropist Robert Rosenkranz.[8] [9] [10] The organization's mission is stated as being to "restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse."[11]

Other Intelligence Squared licensees operate in Sydney (since 2008) and Hong Kong (since 2009).[12] The company has also had partnerships in Kyiv (2008 – 2014), Athens (2010), Israel (2013), and Chile (2014). IQ2 debates in Australia are hosted by The Ethics Centre in Sydney.[13]

Debate format

Intelligence Squared uses the traditional Oxford-Style debate format[14] inspired by the Oxford Union. A motion is proposed, with two speakers arguing in favour and two against. Opening remarks are around 10 minutes in length. This is followed by questions and answers from the live audience, a lively dialogue between the speakers, and short closing remarks by each debater in turn.[14] The audience is polled on their opinion both before and after the debate and the winning side is determined by the side which changed the most minds.

Another format they produce are "Cultural Combat" debates, in which two cultural figures are pitted against each other. These began in 2013 with "Verdi vs. Wagner", which was staged at London’s Royal Opera House with a sixty-piece live orchestra, Stephen Fry in the chair, and John Tomlinson singing Wotan.[15] [16]

Debate topics include foreign policy, religion, history, social policy, politics, economics, science, technology, art, culture, and the environment.[17] [18]

Intelligence Squared U.S.

See main article: Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates. Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates was established in the United States in 2006 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit institution with a mission to "raise the level of public discourse" in America.[19] An award-winning[11] national radio program,[20] podcast,[21] television show, and digital platform, Intelligence Squared U.S. has produced more than 200 live debates since 2006 and made history by hosting the first debate ever between an artificial intelligence and a human being, in partnership with IBM's "Project Debater”.[22] Intelligence Squared U.S. is often referred to as IQ2US.[11]

Intelligence Squared U.S. episodes have been broadcast on NPR since 2007,[23] in addition to Bloomberg Television,[24] [25] BBC,[26] PBS,[27] Newsy,[28] C-SPAN,[29] and education streaming platform Wondrium.[30]

Podcast and video

All Intelligence Squared events are recorded and released on the company’s YouTube channel[31] and as part of a weekly podcast series.[32] The company also records podcasts with authors and other intellectuals.[33]

Television

Intelligence Squared debates have also been broadcast globally on BBC World.[34]

Partnerships

Intelligence Squared has partnered with The New York Times,[35] Google,[36] and Vanity Fair.[37]

The first Intelligence Squared and Google VERSUS debate series held its first debate, titled "It's Time to End the War on Drugs", on 13 March 2012.[38] Intelligence Squared has also staged events in partnership with Shell[36] on topics related to climate change and sustainable energy use. Other partnerships include The National Trust, Wellington College, Abbey Road Studios, Baker McKenzie in New York City, Investec, Christie's, the World Health Organization in New York, the United Nations in Geneva, and the University of Chicago.

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Who We Are . IntelligenceSquared . 2 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220119112234/https://www.intelligencesquared.com/whoweare/ . 19 January 2022.
  2. Web site: ABOUT . deviated . https://web.archive.org/web/20100711113958/https://www.intelligencesquared.com/about/ . 11 July 2010 . IntelligenceSquared.
  3. News: Acherson . Neal . March 28, 2004 . How the chattering classes turned to talk . . 2018-11-18 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140826114240/https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2004/mar/28/britishidentity . 26 August 2014.
  4. Web site: About . IntelligenceSquared . 2 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220709194206/https://www.intelligencesquared.com/about/ . 9 July 2022 . deviated.
  5. Web site: INTELLIGENCE SQUARED (UK) LIMITED . Find and update company information . . 2 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221002004004/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07870235/officers . 2 October 2022.
  6. Web site: Who We Are . IntelligenceSquared . 2 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140625050614/https://www.intelligencesquared.com/who-we-are/ . 25 June 2014 . deviated.
  7. Web site: About Intelligence Squared . IntelligenceSquared . 2 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140312135152/http://www.intelligencesquared.com/about-intelligence-squared . 12 March 2014 . deviated.
  8. Web site: 14 February 2007 . INTELLIGENCE SQUARED Philanthropy Roundtable . https://web.archive.org/web/20150609043832/http://rosenkranzfdn.org/in-the-news/intelligence-squared/ . 9 June 2015 . The Rosenkranz Foundation.
  9. News: Konigsberg . Eric . June 2, 2007 . A Hobby That’s Part Party, Part Debate, All Intellect . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220426224002/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/02/nyregion/02friends.html . 26 April 2022.
  10. News: Jensen . Elizabeth . 20 September 2009 . Pointed Political Debate, Minus All the Shouting . en . B5 . . April 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220617120756/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/business/media/21adco.html . 17 June 2022.
  11. Web site: What is IQ2US? . deviated . https://web.archive.org/web/20220820095057/https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/about-iq2/ . 20 August 2022 . 2 October 2022 . Intelligence Squared U.S..
  12. PHILLIPS de PURY & COMPANY IS PLEASED TO CO-SPONSOR INTELLIGENCE SQUARED ASIA DEBATE IN HONG KONG . 3 May 2012 . . Hong Kong . 2 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221002011600/https://www.phillips.com/press/release/hk-intelligence-squared-debate . 2 October 2022.
  13. Web site: 28 August 2018 . IQ2 Debates Australia . https://web.archive.org/web/20200216061735/https://ethics.org.au/initiatives/iq2/ . 16 February 2020 . 16 February 2020 . The Ethics Centre.
  14. Oxford-Style Debate, Explained . 12 July 2016 . Intelligence Squared . April 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220729090130/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVmShH0-9xY . 29 July 2022 . YouTube.
  15. News: Service . Tom . Tom Service . 12 September 2013 . Verdi vs Wagner: join the debate . . https://web.archive.org/web/20220427171650/https://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2013/sep/12/verdi-vs-wagner-stephen-fry-debate-watch-it-live . 27 April 2022.
  16. 765870063584997376 . intelligence2 . Our cultural combat series returns with Ian Fleming vs John Le Carre. For tickets: http://intelligencesquared.com/events/ian-fleming-vs-john-le-carre-anthony-horowitz-and-david-farr/ . Intelligence Squared . 17 August 2016 . 2 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221002015220/https://twitter.com/intelligence2/status/765870063584997376 . 2 October 2022.
  17. Web site: Intelligence Squared Watch . deviated . https://web.archive.org/web/20220625062023/https://intelligencesquared.com/watch-and-listen/ . 25 June 2022 . Intelligence Squared.
  18. Web site: Intelligence Squared U.S. All Debates . deviated . https://web.archive.org/web/20220630142537/https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/ . 30 June 2022 . 2 October 2022 . Intelligence Squared U.S..
  19. Web site: 2022 . Mission statement for IQ2US . deviated . https://web.archive.org/web/20070115210229/http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/ . 15 January 2007 . 2 October 2022 . Intelligence Squared U.S..
  20. Web site: NPR Intelligence Squared Series Radio Program . https://web.archive.org/web/20220806145917/https://www.npr.org/series/6263392/intelligence-squared-u-s . 6 August 2022 . NPR.
  21. Web site: Apple Podcasts Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates . https://web.archive.org/web/20220820095027/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/intelligence-squared-u-s-debates/id216713308 . 20 August 2022 . 2 October 2022 . Apple Podcasts.
  22. News: Amer . Pakinam . 17 March 2021 . AI Can Now Debate with Humans and Sometimes Convince Them Too . . 2 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220812062517/https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/ai-can-now-debate-with-humans-and-sometimes-convince-them-too/ . 12 August 2022.
  23. Web site: 'Better More Surveillance than Another 9/11' . . 2 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140302082633/https://www.npr.org/2007/04/25/9801668/better-more-surveillance-than-another-9-11 . 2 March 2014 . 25 April 2007.
  24. News: February 16, 2011 . Intelligence Squared Debates Examines America's Two-Party System . . April 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220426223119/https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2011/02/16/440324/14749/en/America-s-House-Divided.html . 26 April 2022.
  25. Web site: September 18, 2020 . Bloomberg Television and Intelligence Squared U.S. Announce Lineup for Debut "That’s Debatable" Episode . https://web.archive.org/web/20201022034701/https://newsroom.ibm.com/2020-09-18-Bloomberg-Television-Intelligence-Squared-US-Announce-Lineup-for-Debut-Thats-Debatable-Episode-October-9-at-7-00-PM . 22 October 2020 . IBM Newsroom.
  26. Web site: January 19, 2009 . Intelligence Squared Debate on George W. Bush's Legacy . https://web.archive.org/web/20220426223118/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hdfj8 . 26 April 2022 . April 24, 2022 . BBC.
  27. Web site: January 20, 2013 . WTTW National Production Intelligence Squared . https://web.archive.org/web/20130121200413/https://interactive.wttw.com/about/productions/wttw-national-productions/intelligence-squared . 21 January 2013 . WTTW PBS Station.
  28. Web site: October 15, 2017 . Up For Debate with Intelligence Squared U.S. and Newsy . https://web.archive.org/web/20200810152923/https://www.newsy.com/series/up-for-debate/ . 10 August 2020 . January 10, 2022 . Newsy.
  29. Web site: Intelligence Squared On the C-SPAN Networks . https://web.archive.org/web/20220120132423/https://www.c-span.org/organization/?65242/Intelligence-Squared . 20 January 2022 . C-SPAN.
  30. Web site: Intelligence Squared U.S. Collection on Wondrium . https://web.archive.org/web/20211112192538/https://www.wondrium.com/collections/intelligence-squared . 12 November 2021 . April 26, 2022 . Wondrium.
  31. Web site: Intelligence Squared YouTube Channel . https://web.archive.org/web/20220913051049/https://www.youtube.com/user/iqsquared . 13 September 2022 . . Intelligence Squared.
  32. Web site: Intelligence Squared Podcasts . https://web.archive.org/web/20220621012141/https://www.intelligencesquared.com/podcasts/ . 21 June 2022 . April 22, 2022 . Intelligence Squared . en.
  33. Web site: Intelligence Squared Podcasts on Apple . https://web.archive.org/web/20190718235530/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/intelligence-squared/id708371900?mt=2 . 18 July 2019 . April 22, 2022 . . en.
  34. Web site: BBC World News - Intelligence Squared Debate . https://web.archive.org/web/20130420171400/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n13xtmdd . 20 April 2013 . 2019-02-02 . . en-GB.
  35. Web site: The New York Times and Intelligence Squared Launch ‘Intelligent Times’ Live Event Series . https://web.archive.org/web/20190610134528/https://www.nytco.com/press/the-new-york-times-and-intelligence-squared-launch-intelligent-times-live-event-series/ . 10 June 2019 . April 27, 2022 . The New York Times.
  36. Web site: Careers . https://web.archive.org/web/20220119105406/https://intelligencesquared.com/careers/ . 19 January 2022 . 2 October 2022 . Intelligence Squared.
  37. Web site: INTELLIGENCE SQUARED FOR VANITY FAIR: DIGITAL SUMMIT . https://web.archive.org/web/20211024180916/https://shoreditchtownhall.com/event-hire/previous-events/intelligence-squared-vanity-fair.html . 24 October 2021 . Shoreditch Town Hall.
  38. Versus War on Drugs Debate . 14 March 2012 . Intelligence Squared . YouTube.