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Robert Wright's Nonzero

Nonzero

Conversations with a series of people who have nothing in common except that program host Robert Wright is curious about what they’re thinking.

www.nonzero.org
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  • 49 episodes
  • Avg 1 hr 2 min
  • English

Episodes 49

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  • Thursday · 54 min

    The Age of Imperialist Realism (Robert Wright & Daniel Bessner)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:24 Bob and Danny get experimental 3:20 Danny’s new(ish) book, Imperialist Realism 12:37 Is US imperialism natural? 16:27 America vs other empires 26:13 The three features of imperialist realism 39:46 When did US foreign policy turn cynical? 48:22 Imperialist realism: the video game 52:44 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Daniel Bessner (American Prestige, Imperialist Realism, University of Washington). Recorded October 12, 2026.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • Thursday · 1 hr 12 min

    UNLOCKED: Debating the AI-China Question (Robert Wright & Jeremie Harris)

    This is the public release of the Overtime segment from the episode “The Race to Control AI” with Jeremie Harris originally published October 13, 2026. Titles: Bob’s beef with “kumbaya. ”Will it take an AI Chernobyl to convince the skeptics? Is China-hawkism the safest option?The case for “organic transparency” with China. How alignment progress could backfire. Has China infiltrated US tech? Breaking down Dario’s democracy bloc idea. Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Jeremie Harris (Gladstone AI, Last Week in AI). Recorded October 10, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nonzero.org/subscribe

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  • Tuesday · 1 hr 7 min

    When AI Enters the Quantum World (Robert Wright & Scott Aaronson)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Scott’s diverse portfolio of expertise 2:24 Is AI hastening the quantum computing revolution? 9:29 Interpreting the many-worlds interpretation 12:46 Scott tries to make quantum physics coherent 22:04 Many-worlds vs Bohmian mechanics 28:37 Could quantum computing settle quantum questions? 32:49 The Y2K of quantum computing 39:25 Are Bitcoin’s days numbered? 45:44 Why AI scares Scott more than quantum computing 53:43 What kind of AI pause is practical? 59:16 The AI-China question(s) 1:06:01 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Scott Aaronson (University of Texas, Quantum Computing Since Democritus). Recorded November 03, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • October 31 · 1 hr 20 min

    Is an AI Bubble Bursting? (Robert Wright & Liron Shapira)

    0:28 Nonzero Doom returns 3:35 A foom in slow motion 8:16 Is AI winter canceled forever? 11:02 Will Google’s Genie 4 lure us into the Matrix? 17:23 Liron’s bull case for Google stock 25:03 Does Google have big-company disease? 28:57 Could a slowdown actually help Anthropic and OpenAI? 30:41 Was OpenAI’s “pause” just PR? 40:30 Social science judgment day is coming 47:41 Why even AI’s upsides could tear society apart 51:41 Does OpenAI’s alignment approach improve on Asimov? 55:35 Sam and Satya pivot on alignment 59:03 Crypto and the AI hacking threat 1:04:11 Could AI crack the math behind encryption? 1:09:21 Liron’s $1,000-a-day AI coding habit 1:15:52 Explaining the missing productivity boost 1:17:55 Does Anthropic’s S-1 sink the AI bubble thesis? Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Liron Shapira (Pause AI, Doom Debates). Recorded October 30, 2026.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nonzero.org/subscribe

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  • October 30 · 46 min

    Is Nathan Fielder a Creep? (Robert Wright & Paul Bloom)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Paul attains potato hegemony 4:17 Bob’s book: Gateway drug to AI doomerism? 7:39 Nathan Fielder’s view of Elizabeth Holmes (via Paul) 22:24 Bob TORCHES Fielder 33:59 Are art and artist really separable? 38:47 What Trump and Musk say about our times 44:17 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded October 27, 2026.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • October 27 · 1 hr 23 min

    Netanyahu Fails to Provoke Iranian Attack Pre-Election (Robert Wright, Andrew Day, and Curt Mills)

    Andrew Day and Curt Mills of The American Conservative join Robert Wright to talk about the Israeli elections, Benjamin Netanyahu’s escalating rhetorical belligerence, Iran’s strategic calculations and arguable missteps, President Lula’s surprise victory in Brazil, and U.S.-China competition over AI. Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True), Curt Mills (The American Conservative), Andrew Day (The American Conservative). Recorded October 26, 2026.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nonzero.org/subscribe

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  • October 23 · 54 min

    Humanity: An Earth’s-Eye View (Robert Wright & Boris Shoshitaishvili)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Boris’s background and new book, Our Planetary Mirror 3:28 Three ways of seeing the planet—and us 12:32 Resurveying the Gaia “hypothesis” 20:16 Dawkins’s case against Gaia 27:01 Is humanity outgrowing its planetary parent? 32:42 The noosphere: Teilhard vs Vernadsky 48:31 Can we reason our way to global solidarity? 53:43 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Boris Shoshitaishvili (Our Planetary Mirror). Recorded October 15, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • October 20 · 53 min

    Can Dario and Sam Be Governed? (Robert Wright & Connor Leahy)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Connor’s role with ControlAI 2:04 The AI vibe shift in Washington 11:37 How does ControlAI want to control AI? 16:10 Dario decoded 21:02 Are AI safety evals worth much? 30:01 Why Silicon Valley libertarians can’t escape the state 33:42 On the redefinition of superintelligence and alignment 40:19 Is the China AI race a cover story? 48:03 Connor: What really drives Dario is… 51:34 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True), Connor Leahy (ControlAI). Recorded October 16, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • October 16 · 53 min

    The AI Companion Question (Robert Wright & Paul Bloom)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Is Paul pro-gooey-pod? 4:59 Steven Pinker vs Scott Alexander on AI 8:11 A review of AI peer reviewers 18:39 Tipping tips 22:37 The promise and perils of AI companions 37:50 Are mathematicians getting mogged by AI? 42:18Paul critiques Jon Haidt’s critique of social media 49:12 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Bloom (https://smallpotatoes.paulbloom.net, University of Toronto, The Sweet Spot, Against Empathy). Recorded October 07, 2026.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • October 14 · 1 hr 9 min

    The Race to Control AI (Robert Wright & Jeremie Harris)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Jeremie’s podcast and prescient AI report 6:48 Is scale still (mostly) all you need? 13:02 Jeremie: We’re way past “stochastic parrots” 21:52 Inside the early AI safety ecosystem 33:42 What Yudkowsky got less wrong than most 42:21 Why capability is outpacing alignment 49:17 Were Altman’s fears ever sincere? 55:26 Would pausing AI crash the economy? 1:01:05 Overtime preview: Debating China Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Jeremie Harris (Gladstone AI, Last Week in AI). Recorded October 10, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • October 8 · 50 min

    Inside Elon’s Mind (Robert Wright & Alex Gibney)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Alex’s new documentary about Elon 3:05 How Alex’s film turned epic 7:08 Simulation theory + social Darwinism = Elon? 13:33 Inside the mind of Musk 23:44 Elon’s daddy issues 26:33 Elon’s lady issues 29:12 Elon’s electoral propriety issues 36:56 Has Elon gotten weirder over time? 46:40 The damage DOGE could still do 50:12 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Alex Gibney (Going Clear, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Taxi to the Dark Side, The Bibi Files). Recorded September 22, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • October 6 · 1 hr 2 min

    Will AI Make Humans Obsolete? (Robert Wright & Garrison Lovely)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Garrison’s background and his new book, Obsolete 5:48 Is the left dangerously downplaying AI? 12:55 What is the “obsoleting project”? 17:45 Inside the minds of Altman and Amodei 21:47 Has the job-pocalypse already begun? 33:18 Why AI bio-threats could be extra deadly 37:08 Is alignment doomed? 47:20 “Verifiable rewards” and the OpenAI breakout 53:45 Garrison’s proposal to stop the AI race 1:00:22 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Garrison Lovely (Obsolete). Recorded September 30, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • October 2 · 1 hr 18 min

    Trump and the AI Safety Vibe Shift (Robert Wright & Liron Shapira)

    Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Liron Shapira (Pause AI, Doom Debates). Recorded October 01, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nonzero.org/subscribe

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  • September 30 · 57 min

    Dario’s China Syndrome (Robert Wright & Paul Triolo)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Paul’s impeccable timing 2:12 Is Dario’s AI slowdown proposal for real? 10:44 Can AI companies police themselves? 15:26 How chip controls can undermine AI safety 25:03 Why the 2024 US-China AI talks failed 30:37 America’s cognitive empathy gap on China 44:04 Taiwan and the chip war 50:18 War over AI: The real doom scenario? 52:04 A possible (grim) path to global AI cooperation 57:18 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Paul Triolo (Albright Stonebridge Group, https://pstaidecrypted.substack.com/). Recorded September 28, 2026.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • September 25 · 1 hr 9 min

    Did Boomers Ruin Everything? (Robert Wright & Jill Filipovic)

    0:28 Jill’s book OK Boomer, Let’s Talk 5:13 When is generalizing about a group okay? 9:20 The world boomers built 16:19 Are boomers really uniquely selfish? 26:41 Is blaming boomers counterproductive? 30:44 Who’s actually driving the generational divide? 38:27 The generational blame spiral 49:55 Millennials vs Gen Z 53:01 Does America have a gerontocracy problem? 58:09 Why Kenyans are looking toward China Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Jill Filipovic (OK Boomer, Let's Talk; The H-Spot). Recorded September 15, 2026.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nonzero.org/subscribe

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  • September 22 · 1 hr 19 min

    Superintelligence, the Singularity, and the Singleton (Robert Wright & Nick Bostrom)

    0:28 Nick’s singular place in AI history 4:01 Where is Nick on the pause-accelerationist spectrum? 12:53 Utilitarianism vs the “moral parliament” 18:53 Is a “singleton” coming? What kind? 32:12 Is global cooperation on AI doomed? 46:50 The pros and cons of reading an AI’s mind 52:23 Do AIs deserve moral status? 1:10:23 AI, evolution, and the cosmic purpose question Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Nick Bostrom (Superintelligence, Macrostrategy Research Initiative, Deep Utopia). Recorded September 16, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nonzero.org/subscribe

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  • September 17 · 42 min

    What’s Driving Dario? (Robert Wright, Derek Davison, and Daniel Bessner)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 This episode’s surprise vibe shift 2:12 Middle East update: Houthis vs. Saudis 15:03 What’s really driving Dario (et al.)? 24:56 Debating effective altruism’s effectiveness 30:00 The trouble with big-tech Kremlinology 33:50 Was “learn to code” just sleight of hand? 40:07 Bob’s Fukuyama name drop 41:53 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True), Derek Davison (Foreign Exchanges, American Prestige, Discontents), and Daniel Bessner (American Prestige, Imperialist Realism, University of Washington). Recorded September 17, 2026.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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  • September 16 · 1 hr 3 min

    Is the AI "Slowdown" for Real? (Robert Wright & Zvi Mowshowitz)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Where Zvi’s famous newsletter got its name 5:15 Zvi’s biggest AI fear 12:55 Why is ChatGPT’s mind getting harder to read? 18:20 Is self-sacrifice really such a surprising trait in agents? 33:17 AGI + agent swarm = superintelligence? 45:58 Appraising the elements of Dario’s “pacing” proposal 1:01:43 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Zvi Mowshowitz (Don't Worry About the Vase). Recorded September 15, 2026.

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  • September 11 · 1 hr 36 min

    The Week in AI that Changed the World (Robert Wright & Liron Shapira)

    0:29 A bold new experiment in podcast synergy 3:10 What caused the epic AI vibe shift? 8:34 The resignation that broke the dam 10:41 Former Trump adviser Dean Ball comes clean 15:04 Are David Sacks and his buddies all-in on AI denial? 19:51 Yet another OpenAI breakout… 23:06 Astra’s dangerously private thoughts 34:32 Is alignment doomed to fail? 37:35 AI’s latest, and apparently biggest, math feat 43:52 The looming “self-sovereign AI” threat 47:48 A new flock of China doves? 53:21 Liron’s ex-intern gets a seat at the table 1:03:05 AI agent self-sacrifice explained 1:11:04 Some newly freaked out politicians 1:23:09 Ro Khanna’s AI safety plan Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True) and Liron Shapira (Pause AI, Doom Debates). Recorded September 10, 2026.Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nonzero.org/subscribe

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  • September 8 · 52 min

    Israel’s Lobby (Robert Wright, Eli Clifton, and Ian Lustick)

    This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org 0:28 Ian and Eli’s new book, Israel’s Lobby 2:01 Being a Jewish critic of Israel before that was cool 10:41 How Eli followed the money 15:21 What’s changed since the 2007 Walt-Mearsheimer book 23:46 What is the Israel lobby, really? 28:00 BDS, free speech, and the college antisemitism crusade 41:08 Did Trump give the game away? 44:50 The Israel lobby and the media 47:17 Heading to Overtime Robert Wright (Nonzero, The Evolution of God, Why Buddhism Is True), Eli Clifton (The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Israel's Lobby), and Ian Lustick (The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Israel's Lobby). Recorded August 27, 2026. Twitter: https://twitter.com/NonzeroPods

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Showing 1–20 of 49 episodes