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Conspicuous Cognition Podcast

Dan Williams
Artificial Intelligence
Consciousness
Technological Risks
Philosophy
Misinformation
Gpt-5
Social Media
Cognitive Science
Existential Risk
Generative AI
Human Belief Formation
Deepfakes
AI Systems
Social AI
Climate Change
Human Agency
Human Cognition
Economy
Political Advertising
Artificial General Intelligence

A podcast about big questions in philosophy, psychology, evolution, politics, artificial intelligence, and more. www.conspicuouscognition.com

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes19Founded9 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophySociety & CultureScience

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Latest Episodes

Europe risks entering the age of advanced AI without the infrastructure needed to control its own future.

In this episode, Henry and I speak to Judith Dada, co-author of Europe 2031, about its warning that Europe could become dangerously dependent o... more

Robert Wright joins Dan Williams and Henry Shevlin to discuss his new book, The God Test: Artificial Intelligence and Our Coming Cosmic Reckoning.

Bob argues that AI is not merely another powerful technology. It is a moral, political, and even cosmi... more

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Benjamin Todd, co-founder of 80,000 Hours, joins Dan and Henry to discuss whether artificial intelligence progress could become explosive.

Benjamin explains why he thinks transformative artificial intelligence by 2030 is a serious possibility, how f... more

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The political scientist Alexander Kustov recently published a Substack post with a provocative claim: that AI can already do social science research better than most professors. The post went viral. It attracted more than a million views and over a t... more

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Recent Guests

Robert Wright
Author and thinker known for The Moral Animal, Non-Zero, and The God Test
Author; Non-Zero; The God Test
Episode: Can Humanity Survive Superintelligence? (with Robert Wright)
Benjamin Todd
Co-founder of 80,000 Hours
80,000 Hours
Episode: What If Artificial Intelligence Progress Explodes? (with Benjamin Todd)
Alexander Kustov
Political scientist at the University of Notre Dame, author of Popular by Design
University of Notre Dame
Episode: Academics Must Wake Up on AI (with Alexander Kustov)
David Kipping
Associate Professor of Astronomy at Columbia University, leads the Cool Worlds Lab
Columbia University
Episode: Aliens, Superintelligence, and the Future of Science (with David Kipping)
Robert Long
Founder of Eleos AI; researcher focused on AI welfare and consciousness
Eleos AI
Episode: Should We Care About AI Welfare? (with Robert Long)
Anil Seth
Influential neuroscientist and public intellectual
University of Sussex
Episode: AI Sessions #9: The Case Against AI Consciousness (with Anil Seth)
Sacha Altay
Heterodox researcher in the misinformation space
Episode: AI Sessions #8: Misinformation, Social Media, and Deepfakes (with Sacha Altay)
Rose Guingrich
Researcher focusing on AI companions and social AI
Episode: AI Sessions #6: AI Companions and Consciousness
Henry Shetland
An academic at the University of Cambridge and an expert in AI and philosophical, ethical, social, and political questions about AI.
University of Cambridge
Episode: Will AI Change Everything?

Hosts

Dan Williams
Host of the Conspicuous Cognition Podcast
Henry Shevlin
Co-host and philosopher

Chart Rankings

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Can Humanity Survive Superintelligence? (with Robert Wright)
Q: Is there a clear distinction between AI as a normal technology and AI as a potential superintelligence, and how does that affect geopolitical thinking?
The guests discuss how superintelligence could redefine power dynamics beyond traditional arms races, suggesting that the only viable approach may involve slowing progress and creating inclusive governance to avoid a single nation gaining unassailable advantage.
Can Humanity Survive Superintelligence? (with Robert Wright)
Q: Can you talk about the idea of inevitability and how that sits with differing views on technology vs biology?
He argues that while some trajectories feel inevitable due to evolutionary and technological dynamics, there is still room for human agency through international coordination and social evolution, even if outcomes are uncertain and contested.
Can Humanity Survive Superintelligence? (with Robert Wright)
Q: Why are you so bullish on the current paradigm?
He notes that while AI is transformative, it is not merely a conventional technology; it reverses many assumptions about labor, intelligence, and meaning, and he points to the deepening capabilities of large language models and automation as evidence of significant change ahead, though timelines may vary.
Can Humanity Survive Superintelligence? (with Robert Wright)
Q: So firstly, what do you mean by that? And secondly, why should we think it's such a big deal?
Wright explicates the God Test framing and argues AI could trigger a cosmic reckoning, requiring global cooperation and a moral upgrade of humanity to navigate the coming upheavals. He emphasizes the magnitude and speed of potential changes and the necessity of international governance to prevent destabilization.
Academics Must Wake Up on AI (with Alexander Kustov)
Q: What about writing and disclosure norms? Should researchers disclose AI use in papers?
Disclosure norms are controversial: being completely transparent can discourage honesty while failing to disclose can undermine trust. The episode suggests a nuanced approach, acknowledging that the current norms can punish honesty and that a broader cultural shift may be required to balance transparency with fairness.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Conspicuous Cognition Podcast

What is Conspicuous Cognition Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, wide-ranging exploration of big questions at the intersection of philosophy, psychology, technology, and society. Across recent episodes, hosts examine artificial intelligence—from its capabilities and future potential to ethical concerns, consciousness debates, and how AI intersects with education, misinformation, and political communication—alongside deeper philosophical inquiries about mind, truth, and human nature. The discussion often blends rigorous analytic thinking with accessible storytelling, peppered with personal anecdotes and practical implications for policy, work, and everyday life. A distinctive feature is the collaborative friendship between the hosts, who bring complementary backgrounds in philosophy and cogn... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Conspicuous Cognition Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Conspicuous Cognition Podcast:

1. Dwarkesh Podcast
2. Machine Learning Street Talk (MLST)
3. Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
4. Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal
5. Big Technology Podcast

How many episodes of Conspicuous Cognition Podcast are there?

Conspicuous Cognition Podcast launched 9 months ago and published 19 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Conspicuous Cognition Podcast?

Recent guests on Conspicuous Cognition Podcast include:

1. Robert Wright
2. Benjamin Todd
3. Alexander Kustov
4. David Kipping
5. Robert Long
6. Anil Seth
7. Sacha Altay
8. Rose Guingrich

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