S2E1: Energy Leadership and Meeting AI’s Power Demand with Boris Johnson (Former UK Prime Minister) and Greg Jackson (Founder & CEO, Octopus Energy)

In this Season 2 premiere of The Smart Society Show, co-hosts Brynne Kennedy and Chris Skidmore sit down with two leading voices in policy and energy, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Greg Jackson, founder & CEO of Octopus Energy.

Brynne and Chris open the episode with a discussion on the shifting dynamics of global energy, from the surge in power demand driven by AI and data centers, to how industrial policy and energy sovereignty are becoming central to economic strategy. They explore why the focus has moved beyond emissions targets to the real-world challenge of delivering affordable, reliable, and abundant power.

In our Climate Leaders segment, Boris Johnson reflects on his time in office and at COP26, sharing his perspective on how to sustain public support for net zero. He discusses the need to pair technology and growth with affordability, ensuring the green transition creates jobs, investment, and long-term economic competitiveness.

In the Chasing Unicorns segment, Greg Jackson explains how Octopus Energy’s recently spun-off software platform, Kraken, is redefining how energy systems work - using AI and automation to optimize grids, integrate renewables, and reduce costs for households and businesses worldwide. He offers a vision for a future where technology makes clean energy not just possible, but better and cheaper for everyone.