Intelligence Squared

Intelligence Squared was founded in 2002 by two media entrepreneurs, Jeremy O'Grady and John Gordon. 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).{{cite web |title=INTELLIGENCE SQUARED (UK) LIMITED |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07870235/officers |website=Find and update company information |publisher=Companies House |access-date=2 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002004004/https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07870235/officers |archive-date=2 October 2022}} Hannah Kaye has been executive producer since 2006,{{cite web |title=Who We Are |url=https://www.intelligencesquared.com/who-we-are/ |website=IntelligenceSquared |access-date=2 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140625050614/https://www.intelligencesquared.com/who-we-are/ |archive-date=25 June 2014 |url-status=deviated}} and Matt McAllester became managing director in 2018. 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.{{cite web |title=About Intelligence Squared |url=http://www.intelligencesquared.com/about-intelligence-squared |website=IntelligenceSquared |access-date=2 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312135152/http://www.intelligencesquared.com/about-intelligence-squared |archive-date=12 March 2014 |url-status=deviated}}

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.{{Cite web |date=14 February 2007 |title=INTELLIGENCE SQUARED Philanthropy Roundtable |url=https://www.rosenkranzfdn.org/in-the-news/intelligence-squared |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609043832/http://rosenkranzfdn.org/in-the-news/intelligence-squared/ |archive-date=9 June 2015 |website=The Rosenkranz Foundation}}{{Cite news |last=Konigsberg |first=Eric |date=June 2, 2007 |title=A Hobby That’s Part Party, Part Debate, All Intellect |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/02/nyregion/02friends.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426224002/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/02/nyregion/02friends.html |archive-date=26 April 2022}}{{Cite news |last=Jensen |first=Elizabeth |date=20 September 2009 |title=Pointed Political Debate, Minus All the Shouting |language=en |page=B5 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/business/media/21adco.html |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220617120756/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/21/business/media/21adco.html |archive-date=17 June 2022}} The organization's mission is stated as being to "restore critical thinking, facts, reason, and civility to American public discourse."{{Cite web |title=What is IQ2US? |url=https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/about-iq2/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820095057/https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/about-iq2/ |archive-date=20 August 2022 |access-date=2 October 2022 |website=Intelligence Squared U.S.}}

Other Intelligence Squared licensees operate in Sydney (since 2008) and Hong Kong (since 2009).{{Cite press release |title=PHILLIPS de PURY & COMPANY IS PLEASED TO CO-SPONSOR INTELLIGENCE SQUARED ASIA DEBATE IN HONG KONG |date=3 May 2012 |publisher=Phillips |location=Hong Kong |url=https://www.phillips.com/press/release/hk-intelligence-squared-debate |access-date=2 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002011600/https://www.phillips.com/press/release/hk-intelligence-squared-debate |archive-date=2 October 2022}} The company has also had partnerships in Kyiv (2008 – 2014), Athens (2010), Israel (2013), and Chile (2014).{{citation needed |date=October 2022}} IQ2 debates in Australia are hosted by The Ethics Centre in Sydney.{{Cite web |date=28 August 2018 |title=IQ2 Debates Australia |url=https://ethics.org.au/initiatives/iq2/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200216061735/https://ethics.org.au/initiatives/iq2/ |archive-date=16 February 2020 |access-date=16 February 2020 |website=The Ethics Centre}}

Intelligence Squared uses the traditional Oxford-Style debate format{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVmShH0-9xY |title=Oxford-Style Debate, Explained |date=12 July 2016 |publisher=Intelligence Squared |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220729090130/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVmShH0-9xY |archive-date=29 July 2022 |via=YouTube}} 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. 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.{{Cite news |last=Service |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Service |date=12 September 2013 |title=Verdi vs Wagner: join the debate |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2013/sep/12/verdi-vs-wagner-stephen-fry-debate-watch-it-live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220427171650/https://www.theguardian.com/music/tomserviceblog/2013/sep/12/verdi-vs-wagner-stephen-fry-debate-watch-it-live |archive-date=27 April 2022}}{{Cite tweet |number=765870063584997376 |user=intelligence2 |title=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/ |author=Intelligence Squared |date=17 August 2016 |access-date=2 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002015220/https://twitter.com/intelligence2/status/765870063584997376 |archive-date=2 October 2022}}

Debate topics include foreign policy, religion, history, social policy, politics, economics, science, technology, art, culture, and the environment.{{Cite web |title=Intelligence Squared Watch |url=https://intelligencesquared.com/watch-and-listen/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220625062023/https://intelligencesquared.com/watch-and-listen/ |archive-date=25 June 2022 |website=Intelligence Squared}}{{Cite web |title=Intelligence Squared U.S. All Debates |url=https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630142537/https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/ |archive-date=30 June 2022 |access-date=2 October 2022 |website=Intelligence Squared U.S.}}

{{main|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.{{Cite web |year=2022 |title=Mission statement for IQ2US |url=http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/ |url-status=deviated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070115210229/http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/ |archive-date=15 January 2007 |access-date=2 October 2022 |website=Intelligence Squared U.S.}} An award-winning national radio program,{{Cite web |title=NPR Intelligence Squared Series Radio Program |url=https://www.npr.org/series/6263392/intelligence-squared-u-s |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806145917/https://www.npr.org/series/6263392/intelligence-squared-u-s |archive-date=6 August 2022 |website=NPR}} podcast,{{Cite web |title=Apple Podcasts Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/intelligence-squared-u-s-debates/id216713308 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220820095027/https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/intelligence-squared-u-s-debates/id216713308 |archive-date=20 August 2022 |access-date=2 October 2022 |website=Apple Podcasts}} 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”.{{Cite news |last=Amer |first=Pakinam |date=17 March 2021 |title=AI Can Now Debate with Humans and Sometimes Convince Them Too |work=Scientific American |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/ai-can-now-debate-with-humans-and-sometimes-convince-them-too/ |access-date=2 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812062517/https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/ai-can-now-debate-with-humans-and-sometimes-convince-them-too/ |archive-date=12 August 2022}} Intelligence Squared U.S. is often referred to as IQ2US.

Intelligence Squared U.S. episodes have been broadcast on NPR since 2007,{{cite web |title='Better More Surveillance than Another 9/11' |url=https://www.npr.org/2007/04/25/9801668/better-more-surveillance-than-another-9-11 |website=NPR |access-date=2 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140302082633/https://www.npr.org/2007/04/25/9801668/better-more-surveillance-than-another-9-11 |archive-date=2 March 2014 |date=25 April 2007}} in addition to Bloomberg Television,{{Cite news |date=February 16, 2011 |title=Intelligence Squared Debates Examines America's Two-Party System |work=GlobeNewswire |url=https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2011/02/16/440324/14749/en/America-s-House-Divided.html |access-date=April 26, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426223119/https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2011/02/16/440324/14749/en/America-s-House-Divided.html |archive-date=26 April 2022}}{{Cite web |date=September 18, 2020 |title=Bloomberg Television and Intelligence Squared U.S. Announce Lineup for Debut "That’s Debatable" Episode |url=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 |archive-url=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 |archive-date=22 October 2020 |website=IBM Newsroom}} BBC,{{Cite web |date=January 19, 2009 |title=Intelligence Squared Debate on George W. Bush's Legacy |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hdfj8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220426223118/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hdfj8 |archive-date=26 April 2022 |access-date=April 24, 2022 |website=BBC}} PBS,{{Cite web |date=January 20, 2013 |title=WTTW National Production Intelligence Squared |url=https://interactive.wttw.com/about/productions/wttw-national-productions/intelligence-squared |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121200413/https://interactive.wttw.com/about/productions/wttw-national-productions/intelligence-squared |archive-date=21 January 2013 |website=WTTW PBS Station}} Newsy,{{Cite web |date=October 15, 2017 |title=Up For Debate with Intelligence Squared U.S. and Newsy |url=https://www.newsy.com/series/up-for-debate/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810152923/https://www.newsy.com/series/up-for-debate/ |archive-date=10 August 2020 |access-date=January 10, 2022 |website=Newsy}} C-SPAN,{{Cite web |title=Intelligence Squared On the C-SPAN Networks |url=https://www.c-span.org/organization/?65242/Intelligence-Squared |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220120132423/https://www.c-span.org/organization/?65242/Intelligence-Squared |archive-date=20 January 2022 |website=C-SPAN}} and education streaming platform Wondrium.{{Cite web |title=Intelligence Squared U.S. Collection on Wondrium |url=https://www.wondrium.com/collections/intelligence-squared |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112192538/https://www.wondrium.com/collections/intelligence-squared |archive-date=12 November 2021 |access-date=April 26, 2022 |website=Wondrium}}

All Intelligence Squared events are recorded and released on the company’s YouTube channel{{Cite web |title=Intelligence Squared YouTube Channel |url=https://www.youtube.com/user/iqsquared |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220913051049/https://www.youtube.com/user/iqsquared |archive-date=13 September 2022 |website=YouTube |publisher=Intelligence Squared}} and as part of a weekly podcast series.{{Cite web |title=Intelligence Squared Podcasts |url=https://www.intelligencesquared.com/podcasts/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621012141/https://www.intelligencesquared.com/podcasts/ |archive-date=21 June 2022 |access-date=April 22, 2022 |website=Intelligence Squared |language=en}} The company also records podcasts with authors and other intellectuals.{{Cite web |title=Intelligence Squared Podcasts on Apple |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/intelligence-squared/id708371900?mt=2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718235530/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/intelligence-squared/id708371900?mt=2 |archive-date=18 July 2019 |access-date=April 22, 2022 |website=Apple Podcasts |language=en}}

Intelligence Squared debates have also been broadcast globally on BBC World.{{Cite web |title=BBC World News - Intelligence Squared Debate |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n13xtmdd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130420171400/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/n13xtmdd |archive-date=20 April 2013 |access-date=2019-02-02 |publisher=BBC |language=en-GB}}

Intelligence Squared has partnered with The New York Times,{{Cite web |title=The New York Times and Intelligence Squared Launch ‘Intelligent Times’ Live Event Series |url=https://www.nytco.com/press/the-new-york-times-and-intelligence-squared-launch-intelligent-times-live-event-series/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190610134528/https://www.nytco.com/press/the-new-york-times-and-intelligence-squared-launch-intelligent-times-live-event-series/ |archive-date=10 June 2019 |access-date=April 27, 2022 |website=The New York Times}} Google,{{Cite web |title=Careers |url=https://intelligencesquared.com/careers/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220119105406/https://intelligencesquared.com/careers/ |archive-date=19 January 2022 |access-date=2 October 2022 |website=Intelligence Squared}} and Vanity Fair.{{Cite web |title=INTELLIGENCE SQUARED FOR VANITY FAIR: DIGITAL SUMMIT |url=https://shoreditchtownhall.com/event-hire/previous-events/intelligence-squared-vanity-fair.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024180916/https://shoreditchtownhall.com/event-hire/previous-events/intelligence-squared-vanity-fair.html |archive-date=24 October 2021 |website=Shoreditch Town Hall}}

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.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSrN2zIRwN8 |title=Versus War on Drugs Debate |date=14 March 2012 |publisher=Intelligence Squared |via=YouTube}} Intelligence Squared has also staged events in partnership with Shell 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.{{citation needed |date=October 2022}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://www.intelligencesquared.com/}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/user/iqsquared Intelligence Squared on YouTube]
• [https://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/ Intelligence Squared U.S. Website]

Category:Debating