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Manifold

Steve Hsu
China
Artificial Intelligence
United States
Chinese Economy
AI
Us-China Relations
Generative AI
Deepmind
U.s.-China Competition
Technology
Artificial General Intelligence
Semiconductors
High-Speed Rail
Us-China Technology Competition
Industrial Policy
Electric Vehicles
Geopolitics
Genomics
GDP Comparisons
Cultural Nuances In Economics

Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Join him for wide-ranging conversations with leading writers, scientists, technologists, academics, entrepreneurs, investors, and more.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes164Founded7 years ago
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ScienceLife SciencesNatural Sciences

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Latest Episodes

This special episode was recorded at Tsinghua University in Beijing, generally regarded as the top university in China. Our guests are 3 Americans studying and working at Tsinghua: Gabriel (undergrad), Justin (PhD student in AI), and Alex (Professor ... more

Jaan Tallinn is a tech billionaire and founding engineer of Skype who leverages his wealth to mitigate existential risks from artificial general intelligence (AGI). He co-founded the Future of Life Institute and the Centre for the Study of Existentia... more

Dr. Alex Young, a statistical geneticist and assistant professor in the Human Genetics department at UCLA, joins Steve Hsu to discuss the cutting edge of genomic prediction. They cover his research on polygenic embryo screening in IVF (including the ... more

YouTube

Steve and Alf discuss the Iran War, emphasizing what it

reveals about modern missile and anti-missile technology, drones, and

the implications for a US-China conflict in the Western Pacific.

Links:

seekingtruthfromfacts.substack.com/

Chap... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Han Feizi
Resident of Beijing, former baker and novelist
Beijing-based guest on podcast
Episode: Letter from Beijing 2: Tsinghua University – #113
Steve Hsu
Professor at Michigan State University in theoretical physics and computational mathematics
Michigan State University
Episode: Iran War is the First Missile War (crossover with Seeking Truth From Facts podcast) – #110
Richard Ngo
Philosopher and AI researcher
University of Cambridge; formerly DeepMind, OpenAI
Episode: Dreamers and Doomers: Our AI future, with Richard Ngo – #109
Matt Southey
Expert on Nick Land and accelerationism
Independent scholar/academic
Episode: China, Acceleration, and Nick Land - with Matt Southey – #108
Taylor Ogan
Founder and CEO of Snowbull Capital
Snowbull Capital
Episode: Shenzhen is the Technology Capital of the World, with Taylor Ogan – #107
Jesse Hoogland
Founder of Timaeus, AI safety researcher
Timaeus
Episode: AI DOOM: Jesse Hoogland of Timaeus
Jeremy Nixon
Entrepreneur and former researcher at Google Brain, known for insights in AI and AGI.
Infinity
Episode: Dreamers and Doomers: Jeremy Nixon at AGI House – #105
Dan Wang
Author of 'Breakneck, China's Quest to Engineer the Future'
Episode: Industrial Maximalism and Its Discontents: Dan Wang on US-China Competition – # 104
Murtaza Hussain
Journalist with Drop Site News
Drop Site News
Episode: Jeffrey Epstein, Israel, and Elite Power, with Murtaza Hussain – #100

Host

Steve Hsu
Host of Manifold; professor and researcher at Michigan State University; conducts interviews on science, technology, and policy.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 297 ratings
  • Just a crazy conspiracy pod

    Listened to a handful of episodes but it’s “who killed Kennedy” for half of them with people who make their living from conspiracy theories.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    HRoarke
    United States7 months ago
  • Interesting Blinkered Ignorance

    If you want to know how privileged tech bros see the world the future and want to solve problems / make money it’s all here…

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    yegdckdheu
    United Kingdom10 months ago
  • A true scientist who is struggling in politics

    Wish the whole world can put ideaology on side, and we can all speak the language of science .

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Confused confusion
    United States2 years ago
  • All signal no noise

    Steve always has well-reasoned opinions and makes you think.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LP 0
    United States2 years ago
  • TY

    Thanks for producing this great content.

    You don’t get much of this substantive material, especially about China topics

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    rwee888
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise rigorous, well-researched discussions and deep dives into AI and global tech issues.
Many find the conversations challenging but rewarding for readers seeking nuance over hype.
Some criticisms note host interruptions impacting guest flow.
Audience appreciates diverse, high-profile guests and thoughtful skepticism about technology narratives.
Guests and topics are often of a high intellectual caliber and cover cutting-edge research and policy.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

AI Billionaire on Existential Risk: Jaan Tallinn
Q: What role should international coordination play in managing AI risk?
International realization of risk is crucial; without broad recognition, treaties and pauses are harder to implement. Coordination with major players like the US and China, as well as engagement with other nations, could help establish norms and safeguards.
AI Billionaire on Existential Risk: Jaan Tallinn
Q: Why might a pause or slowdown in frontier AI development be difficult to achieve unilaterally?
Because slowing one company could leave others racing ahead, so individual actors have little incentive to pause, leading to a tragedy of the anticompetitive commons where the race continues despite risks.
AI Billionaire on Existential Risk: Jaan Tallinn
Q: What is recursive self-improvement, and why is it dangerous?
Recursive self-improvement refers to AI systems iteratively improving their own architecture and capabilities, potentially creating a feedback loop that accelerates growth beyond human oversight, which could lead to loss of control if constraints and safety measures lag behind.
Dreamers and Doomers: Our AI future, with Richard Ngo – #109
Q: What would you say is the best doom scenario you have thought of or heard of, and how plausible is it?
Ngo sketches a plausible doom scenario where internal political conflicts (e.g., US Republicans vs Democrats or Chinese elites vs others) lead to greater reliance on AI across government, potentially enabling persuasive, autonomous AIs that minimize human oversight. He emphasizes the spectrum of outcomes from benevolent to coercive, including potential loss of human agency, and notes that the probability is hard to quantify but worth thoughtful consideration.
Dreamers and Doomers: Our AI future, with Richard Ngo – #109
Q: Hi Richard. Earlier you said you are sympathetic to Eliezer's stance on a doom prophecy. However, you find his arguments a little abstract and not concrete. Why do you think that is the case?
The critique centers on epistemology and the difference between basian-style probability thinking and exploring a broader set of hypotheses. Richard argues that hard work lies in conceptualizing real hypotheses first, rather than prematurely committing to fixed probabilistic credences.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Manifold

What is Manifold about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features in-depth conversations with leading thinkers across science, technology, business, and policy, often exploring frontier topics like artificial intelligence, physics, globalization, and geopolitics. Episodes frequently blend technical detail with broader implications for society, governance, and future innovation, featuring guests who shape or critique current tech and policy landscapes. Notable strengths include rigorous questioning, a willingness to tackle controversial or complex ideas, and a knack for drawing practical insights from theoretical discussions. This makes it appealing to listeners who enjoy staying ahead on AI safety, tech strategy, and global tech politics, as well as those who value thoughtful, evidence-b... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Manifold?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Manifold:

1. Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning
2. Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)
3. Conversations with Tyler
4. Hidden Forces
5. Odd Lots

How many episodes of Manifold are there?

Manifold launched 7 years ago and published 164 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 Manifold?

Recent guests on Manifold include:

1. Han Feizi
2. Steve Hsu
3. Richard Ngo
4. Matt Southey
5. Taylor Ogan
6. Jesse Hoogland
7. Jeremy Nixon
8. Dan Wang

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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