By Andy Fitch

How might blockchain technology help to make health data more accessible, more secure, and more independent from corporate profit-seeking? How might it help us to track the sourcing and the emissions footprint of our food and energy? When I want to ask such questions, I pose them to David Shrier. This present conversation focuses on Shrier’s book Basic Blockchain: What It Is and How It Will Transform the Way We Work and Live. Shrier, a globally recognized authority on tech-driven innovation, advises entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and governments. He has a dual appointment at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and at Saïd Business School (University of Oxford), teaching on subjects including financial technology, AI, and data science. For Oxford, Shrier leads online programs such as Oxford Blockchain Strategy, Oxford Fintech, and Oxford Cyber Futures. He is currently involved with four AI-enabled startups derived from MIT research (including online class provider Esme Learning, and collaboration software company Riff Analytics), and has published multiple books on blockchain, financial technology, and cybersecurity.