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Artwork for Doom Debates!

Doom Debates!

Liron Shapira
Artificial Intelligence
Existential Risk
AI Alignment Problem
Superintelligent AI
Human Extinction
AGI
Evolution
Superintelligence
Transhumanism
AI Safety
AI Doom
Nuclear Weapons
AI Alignment
Alignment Problem
Intelligence
David Brooks
SB 1047
Probabilities Of Extinction
Automation
P-Doom

It's time to talk about the end of the world. With your host, Liron Shapira. lironshapira.substack.com

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes146Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BusinessTechnology

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Artwork for Doom Debates!

Latest Episodes

Multiple live callers join this month's Q&A as we react to Bernie Sanders and AOC's data center moratorium, the sudden shutdown of SORA 2, and the record breaking "Stop the AI Race" protest.

I explain why Claude Code has me claiming a 700% productiv... more

Dr. Quintin Pope, PhD, is one of the few critics of AI doomerism who is truly fluent in the concepts and arguments. In Oct, 2023 he joined me for a debate in Twitter Spaces where he argued that AI alignment was basically already solved.

His “inside ... more

YouTube

My new interview on Robert Wright's Nonzero Podcast where we dive into the agentic AI explosion.

Bob is an exceptionally sharp interviewer who connects the dots between job displacement and AI doom.

I highly recommend becoming a premium subscriber... more

YouTube

Noah Smith is an economist and author of Noahpinion, one of the most popular Substacks in the world.

He returns to Doom Debates to share a massive update to his P(Doom), and things get a little heated.

Timestamps

00:00:00 — Cold Open

00:00:41 — W... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Robert Wright
Host of the Nonzero Podcast
Nonzero
Episode: I'm Watching AI Take Everyone's Job | Liron on Robert Wright's NonZero Podcast
Noah Smith
Economist and AI writer known for Noahpinion
Noah Smith/Noahpinion
Episode: This Top Economist's P(Doom) Just Shot Up 10x! Noah Smith Returns To Explain His Update
Steven Byrnes
AGI safety researcher, currently at Astera Institute
Astera Institute
Episode: How Friendly AI Will Become Deadly — Dr. Steven Byrnes (AGI Safety Researcher, Harvard Physics Postdoc) Returns!
Greyson Miller
Long-time viewer, guest commentator
Audience member turned guest
Episode: Q&A — Claude Code's Impact, Anthropic vs The Pentagon, Roko('s Basilisk) Returns + Liron Updates His Views!
Stephen Bannell
One of the most influential political streamers and debaters online, with a career spanning over 15 years and millions of followers across platforms.
Episode: Destiny Raises His P(Doom) At The End
Elon Musk
CEO of SpaceX and Tesla
SpaceX, Tesla
Episode: Elon Musk's Insane Plan for Surviving AI Takeover
Audrey Tang
Taiwanese politician and free software programmer, currently serving as Taiwan's Cyber Ambassador.
Government of Taiwan
Episode: Taiwan's Cyber Ambassador-At-Large Says Humans & AI Can FOOM Together
Devin Elliot
Self-taught software engineer and former professional snowboarder
Episode: DOOMER vs. BUILDER — AI Doom Debate with Devin Elliot, Software Engineer & Retired Pro Snowboarder
Michael Levitt
Professor of Structural Biology at Stanford, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry for his work in computational biology.
Stanford University
Episode: Nobel Prizewinner SWAYED by My AI Doom Argument — Prof. Michael Levitt, Stanford University

Host

Liron Shapira
Host of the show; guides discussion and introduces guests; known for Doom Debates.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 64 ratings
  • AI balance

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Vidrob
    4 months ago
  • Thought provoking. Intellectually honest.

    Great for understanding core arguments relating to AI existential risk

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    @masonlee
    United States2 years ago
  • Robust debate. Liron loves to argue, so it's definitely an argument rather than a polite discussion. He often gets derailed by side points.

    Podcast Addict
    3
    James3000
    2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Excellent for understanding core arguments around AI existential risk.
Great guests and vigorous, well-reasoned debates.
Thought-provoking and intellectually honest discussions on AI risk.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#146
Finland/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#211
Norway/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#245
Denmark/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How Friendly AI Will Become Deadly — Dr. Steven Byrnes (AGI Safety Researcher, Harvard Physics Postdoc) Returns!
Q: How do you differentiate imitative learning from consequentialist approaches in terms of risk?
Imitative learning tends to mimic human behavior and can be safer in practice, but it may plateau; consequentialist approaches like RL and model-based planning are more prone to ruthless optimization unless properly constrained, which is why much of the risk discussion centers on finding ways to retain alignment as capabilities scale.
How Friendly AI Will Become Deadly — Dr. Steven Byrnes (AGI Safety Researcher, Harvard Physics Postdoc) Returns!
Q: What is your current view on the likelihood of a ruthless sociopathic ASI emerging?
I think the issue remains that technical alignment is very hard and current optimistic claims about safe, benevolent AI don't change the fundamental risk that more powerful architectures could become ruthlessly goal-directed unless we find robust, scalable alignment mechanisms.
Doomsday Clock Physicist Warns AI Is Major Threat to Humanity!
Q: What do you think about pause policy for AI development?
I love the idea of pausing. But whether that's the place to put all our chips, I'm less certain of. I'd prefer to have regulations in place alongside the possibility of a pause.
Doomsday Clock Physicist Warns AI Is Major Threat to Humanity!
Q: What's your probability of Doom from autonomous AI that goes uncontrollable before we make it robustly care about what humanity wants?
I'm probably reasonably aligned with your concerns, and it may just be questions of time scales. I think I would probably end up with in the 10% range or 20% for the risk of uncontrollable rogue AI.
The Only Politician Thinking Clearly About Superintelligence — California Governor Candidate Zoltan Istvan
Q: How did you get started in transhumanism?
Zoltan began his journey into transhumanism after a near-death experience while covering conflict zones for National Geographic, leading him to explore ideas about life extension and the human condition.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Doom Debates!

What is Doom Debates! about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Doom Debates features provocative discussions at the intersection of technology, risk, and policy, with a focus on AI existential risk, governance, and the pace of progress. Episodes blend technical depth with accessible debate, often pitting optimistic and doom-oriented perspectives against each other. A notable strength is bringing high-profile technologists and researchers into roundtable formats, creating a dynamic, opinionated environment that aims to illuminate how AI could shape society, regulation, and work. This show is likely to appeal to listeners who enjoy rigorous argument, diverse viewpoints, and real-world implications of AI advances.

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Which podcasts are similar to Doom Debates!?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Doom Debates!:

1. Machine Learning Street Talk (MLST)
2. Robert Wright's Nonzero
3. Dwarkesh Podcast
4. Conversations with Tyler
5. EconTalk

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Doom Debates! launched 2 years ago and published 146 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 Doom Debates!?

Recent guests on Doom Debates! include:

1. Robert Wright
2. Noah Smith
3. Steven Byrnes
4. Greyson Miller
5. Stephen Bannell
6. Elon Musk
7. Audrey Tang
8. Devin Elliot

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