What can ancient Greek myths teach us about modern leadership?

Kirsten Rulf has spent her career at the intersection of tech, policy, and public service.

In this episode, Kirsten shares how she found clarity in moments of uncertainty, why AI presents a major opportunity for the public good, and what it was like helping shape the EU’s landmark tech legislation.

Kirsten is a Partner and Associate Director at BCG. Before joining BCG, she advised German Chancellor Angela Merkel and served as head of digital policy in the German government, playing a key role in negotiating Europe’s AI and data laws.

Listen to In Her Ellement: https://lnk.to/bcg-in-her-ellement-series-link04

[1:26] A Big Win, Then The Hard Work Follows

[05:21] Potential of AI in Public Sector

[08:56] Roots In Ovid’s Metamorphosis

[12:09] From Journalism to CyberSecurity

[14:14] A Phone Call from Angela Merkel

[13:48] Navigating Career Changes and Mentorship

[19:23] “Hope is not a strategy”

[22:16] Reflections

Apps were supposed to make life easier to navigate, but they often create more complexity. Planning a trip can involve hundreds of digital touchpoints over several months. But new advances–especially the growth of AI agents–coupled with ambient and voice-recognition technology, could make apps obsolete. BCG’s Dutch MacDonald imagines a world where, for example, we could just have a conversation with our personal AI assistant about our dream vacation and it could do all the planning and booking for us.

Learn More:

Dutch:https://on.bcg.com/4k3Hy5s

How AI Agents Are Opening the Golden Era of Customer Experience: https://on.bcg.com/4ndwK7K

BCG’s Latest Thinking on AI: https://on.bcg.com/3ZMzmj0

The pharmaceutical industry has yet to develop highly effective treatments for common chronic and neurological issues, like Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease. But GenAI promises to accelerate the discovery and development of breakthrough treatments. BCG’s Priya Chandran explores possible new approaches and how breakthrough drugs can be made more affordable and more available to the patients who need them.

Learn More:

Priya Chandran: https://on.bcg.com/3ZZO5ad

BCG’s Latest Thinking on the Health Care Industry: https://on.bcg.com/4kFxhxH

Biopharma Trends 2025: https://on.bcg.com/4mX6CxN

The most enthusiastic AI evangelists say that in the not-too-distant future bots with artificial general intelligence (AGI) will match—or even exceed—the cognitive abilities of humans on pretty much any task. But what if we don’t reach that elusive goal? BCG’s Noah Broestl imagines how AI will nonetheless continue to evolve in amazing ways, yielding a proliferation of specialized models each with its own specific advantages. These models will be much more accurate, and they will feature advances in safety, transparency, and efficiency.

Learn More:

Noah Broestl: https://on.bcg.com/4mtes1N

BCG’s Latest Thinking on AI: https://on.bcg.com/4jnOLNz

You Won’t Get GenAI Right If You Get Human Oversight Wrong: https://on.bcg.com/45rTvyj

GenAI Will Fail. Prepare for It: https://on.bcg.com/4kx8ECP

The AI Instant Skills Boost: What CEOs Need to Know: https://on.bcg.com/4jnE8dJ

We could be on the verge of a nuclear power renaissance. Climate change is one reason: nuclear power remains the largest source of carbon-free energy in the United States. Also, demand for electricity is surging. BCG’s Ben Vannier imagines a future where the promise of less expensive nuclear power has been realized. The key will be small modular reactors (SMRs) that are less complex and easier to build. Let’s not ignore the big question: safety. Nuclear power’s already safe, Ben says, and with SMRs, there's even less risk.

Learn More:

Ben Vannier: https://on.bcg.com/4jKRQYV

What’s Holding Back Nuclear in the West?: https://on.bcg.com/42Tg7Gt

A Fusion Future Is No Longer Wishful Thinking: https://on.bcg.com/44xwWIi

BCG’s Latest Thinking on Energy: https://on.bcg.com/44weiQR

In the future, hackers will have many new vulnerabilities to exploit, especially as industries move from legacy IT to state-of-the-art digital systems. BCG’s Vanessa Lyon looks at how cyber-attacks are likely to evolve over the next ten years, and what business leaders need to do to protect their companies. This is critical, she explains, because governments are already moving to hold CEOs and other top executives personally accountable for cyberattacks on their companies.

Learn More:

Vanessa Lyon: https://on.bcg.com/4jmhN0M

The Cyber Secure CEO: https://on.bcg.com/3Gq91QW

What Cybersecurity Leaders Get Right: https://on.bcg.com/4iACrJk

Cybersecurity Has a Talent Shortage. Here’s How to Close the Gap: https://on.bcg.com/445Ozi3

BCG on Cybersecurity and Digital Risk: https://on.bcg.com/44advVG

AI Can Build Your Next Business—If You Think Bigger

Businesses are overlooking AI’s ability to create entirely new products and businesses. Beth Viner, who leads BCG’s corporate venturing and business building at BCGX, explains how organizations can move beyond efficiency and generate big revenue gains. Companies can combine their historical strengths with AI’s power to meet customer needs in new and unexpected ways.

Learn More:

Beth Viner: https://on.bcg.com/4193Lco

BCG X: https://on.bcg.com/3WUviLQ

BCG on AI: https://on.bcg.com/42OlGpK

Beth’s TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x92AnU6MUr0

The So What from BCG: https://lnk.to/so-what-general-show10

Cities have been struggling since the pandemic. In some—including Los Angeles and San Francisco—office high-rises have become “zombie buildings,” with vacancy rates of 50% or more. But many people still want to live in cities and be part of a vibrant community. BCG’s Santiago Ferrer explores how new forms of transit, from modular pods to self-driving cars, can help reinvigorate moribund downtowns by making them easier to reach and navigate. As part of this transformation, cities will find innovative uses for zombie buildings, turning them into everything from residential units to community art hubs.

Learn More:

Santiago Ferrer: https://on.bcg.com/4iXe2Po

Accelerating the Shift to Sustainable Transport: https://on.bcg.com/3Y8ScQo

Cities of the Future: https://on.bcg.com/43Ttw2f

BCG’s Latest Thinking on Public Sector: https://on.bcg.com/4le9qWn