Ran Levi – Author, Podcaster & Speaker
Ran Levi is a renowned podcaster in Israel, a trailblazer in the Israeli podcasting community, and an adept communicator of scientific and technological concepts. His talent lies in making these complex ideas accessible and engaging to the general public.
Founded in 2007, his podcast Making History is the most successful Hebrew-language podcast, boasting over 15 million cumulative downloads. He also hosts Malicious Life, a globally recognized podcast on the past, present, and future of cybersecurity, with more than 11 million downloads in under six years.
Over two decades, Ran has delivered thousands of lectures on science and technology topics to a wide range of audiences, from high-tech firms to high schools.
In 2015, he co-founded PI Media Ltd., a podcast production company. He served as Executive Editor of Israel's largest podcast network, The Making History Network, and has produced podcasts in both Hebrew and English for numerous leading companies and organizations.
Ran is the author of three successful non-fiction books: 'Perpetuum Mobila—On Physics, Eternal Machines, and Charlatans,' 'The Little University of Science,' and 'Battle of the Minds: The Malicious History of Computer Viruses.'
He holds an Electrical Engineering degree from the Technion and has experience in hardware and software development at various high-tech companies in Israel.
Ran's Talks
A (very) partial list of organizations who have invited Ran to speak in the past two years:
Intel ☆ Nice ☆ Technion ☆ Weizmann Institute of Science ☆ Innoviz ☆ Google ☆ Imperva ☆ Anima BioTech ☆ ESRA ☆ Elbit ☆ Rafael ☆ Ben Gurion University ☆ Bar Ilan University ☆ And many more.
"We invited Ran to speak in at Innoviz in a company-wide session about innovation and patents. […] One thing that stood out to me was Ran’s ability to make this potentially dry and technical subject accessible and engaging. […] I would highly recommend Ran as a speaker- he is informative, engaging, and really nice to work with."
(Deborah Nuriel, IP Manager, Innoviz)
"The story you told about Cyber Warfare opened my eyes to a whole new world. It was fascinating and you managed to tell the story in such simple terms that everyone could understand. I want to quote from an email we received this morning from one lady who joined us on Zoom: "Last night I participated in a most interesting ESRA sponsored zoom on Cybernet presented by Ran Levi. He gave a wonderful explanation for us “novices” in the field. I now feel so much more knowlegable. Thank you to Ran and to ESRA and I look forward to more." This is a true testament of ESRA’s appreciation.
(Terry Morris, Immediate Past Chairman / Board Member, ESRA)
Behind the Smiley: AGI and Large Language Models
ChatGPT's debut at the end of 2022 marks a watershed moment in AI, following seven decades of unsuccessful efforts to create computers proficient in human language. In my talk, I will discuss the innovative ideas and key factors that enabled this groundbreaking shift. I will also explore a pivotal question with far-reaching implications for humanity's future: Are large language models like ChatGPT the first significant step toward Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)? Scientists such as Stephen Hawking view AGI as either a monumental blessing or a dire threat to humanity.
The AI Revolution
AI technology has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past five years, turning what seemed like science fiction a decade ago—such as facial recognition and autonomous driving—into everyday reality. What ideas and principles are driving this revolution, and more importantly, how will it impact our lives in the near future?
In the talk, we will explore topics including: the effect of autonomous vehicles on urban environments, the economic implications of automated trucking, the future of education and healthcare, and the evolution of careers.
Dr. Theodor & Mr. Binyamin: Herzel's Amazing Story
When Theodor Herzl published his book 'The Jewish State,' some friends dismissed it as a joke, while others questioned his sanity. After all, Herzl was an assimilated Jew who had previously advocated for the mass conversion of Jews to Christianity. Yet, within just seven years, Herzl achieved the unimaginable: he unified the Jewish people into a single nation and spearheaded an international Zionist movement. What were the roots of this remarkable success, and what was the key to Herzl's transformative influence?
Storytelling: How to convey complex ideas
How can you articulate a complex idea—whether it's a technology, service, product, or initiative—in a clear, compelling, and effective manner? This challenge confronts managers, marketers, sales professionals, and engineers every time they present at conferences or crucial business meetings. Fortunately, time-tested techniques from writers, playwrights, and directors remain relevant in the 21st century.
In this lecture, we'll discuss: understanding your audience's mindset, distilling key information from a wealth of data, presenting counterarguments to strengthen your case, and more.
Stuxnet: The First Cyberweapon
In 2010, the information security community buzzed with rumors of an unprecedented malware capable of bypassing any firewall and eluding all antivirus programs. However, despite the speculation, no one had encountered such advanced and perilous malware. That changed with the emergence of Stuxnet, a virtual 'worm' that severely damaged an Iranian uranium enrichment facility and stunned experts. Stuxnet wasn't merely the most sophisticated malware ever created—it represented a novel form of weaponry that inaugurated a new epoch: the era of cyberwarfare.
The Evil Net: How To Defend Your Organization From Cyberattacks
In recent years, there has been a significant surge in cyberattacks targeting businesses and organizations. These attacks, including debilitating ransomware, can immobilize an organization for extended periods and result in damages ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. In this talk, we will explore prevalent threats and tactics employed by hackers and organized crime groups specializing in corporate attacks. Topics covered will include phishing, Nigerian scams, fraudulent websites, social engineering techniques, and more
How To Communicate With Aliens
Relax: UFOs don't actually exist. However, the existence of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe is not only possible but also likely. If we ever make contact with such beings, how will we communicate? What common language could possibly exist between civilizations that evolved under vastly different conditions?
During the talk, we'll explore some captivating and unexpected ideas that have been proposed to answer this question. These concepts span a diverse range of topics, from the role of mathematics in our universe to human psychology and artificial intelligence.