Future of Life Institute Podcast

Future of Life Institute

Artificial Intelligence

AI Safety

Artificial General Intelligence

Superintelligence

Cybersecurity

AI Governance

Existential Risk

Nuclear Weapons

Openai

Psychology

Governance

AI Scalability

Artificial Superintelligence

Safeguarded AI

Gpt-4

Machine Learning

Training Compute

Autonomous Weapons Systems

Financial Markets

AI Risks

The Future of Life Institute (FLI) is a nonprofit working to reduce global catastrophic and existential risk from powerful technologies. In particular, FLI focuses on risks from artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, nuclear weapons and climate change. The Institute's work is made up of three main strands: grantmaking for risk reduction, educational outreach, and advocacy within the United N... more

282 ratings

Publishes	Twice monthly	Episodes	268	Founded	10 years ago
Number of Listeners		Category	Technology

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Latest Episodes

Why AI Chatbots Are a Rival to the Family (with Michael Toscano)

Michael Toscano is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Family Studies and Director of its Family First Technology Initiative. He joins the podcast to discuss family-centered AI policy. The conversation covers AI companions, self-harm risks, sexualiz... more

26 May 2026 • 1 hr 13 min • Most popular

YouTube

Why We Should Build AI Tools, Not AI Replacements (with Anthony Aguirre)

Anthony Aguirre is the CEO of the Future of Life Institute. He joins the podcast to discuss A Better Path for AI, his essay series on steering AI away from races to replace people. The conversation covers races for attention, attachment, automation, ... more

11 May 2026 • 1 hr 36 min

YouTube

How to Govern AI When You Can't Predict the Future (with Charlie Bullock)

Charlie Bullock is a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Law and AI. He joins the podcast to discuss radical optionality: how governments can prepare for very advanced AI without locking in premature rules. The conversation covers why law oft... more

7 May 2026 • 1 hr 7 min

YouTube

Why AI Is Not a Normal Technology (with Peter Wildeford)

Peter Wildeford is Head of Policy at the AI Policy Network, and a top AI forecaster. He joins the podcast to discuss how to forecast AI progress and what current trends imply for the economy and national security. Peter argues AI is neither a bubble ... more

29 Apr 2026 • 1 hr 24 min

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Anthony Aguirre

CEO of the Future of Life Institute

Future of Life Institute

Episode: Why We Should Build AI Tools, Not AI Replacements (with Anthony Aguirre)

Charlie Bullock

Senior research fellow at the Institute for Law and AI

Institute for Law and AI

Episode: How to Govern AI When You Can't Predict the Future (with Charlie Bullock)

Peter Wildeford

Head of policy at the AI Policy Network; leading AI forecaster

AI Policy Network

Episode: Why AI Is Not a Normal Technology (with Peter Wildeford)

Carina Prunkl

Lead writer of the International AI Safety Report; researcher at Inria Paris; senior research fellow at the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford

Inria, University of Oxford

Episode: Why AI Evaluation Science Can't Keep Up (with Carina Prunkl)

Li-Lian Ang

Leader at Blue Dot Impact focused on AI safety and workforce development

Blue Dot Impact

Episode: Defense in Depth: Layered Strategies Against AI Risk (with Li-Lian Ang)

Zak Stein

Educational psychologist by training; philosopher of education; expert on existential risk and psychology of AI

University of North Carolina

Episode: How AI Hacks Your Brain's Attachment System (with Zak Stein)

Deric Cheng

Director of the Windfall Trust focusing on responding to AI economic disruption.

Windfall Trust

Episode: How to Rebuild the Social Contract After AGI (with Deric Cheng)

Oly Sourbut

Works at the Future of Life Foundation, focusing on AI projects.

Future of Life Foundation

Episode: How AI Can Help Humanity Reason Better (with Oly Sourbut)

Steven Adler

Former OpenAI team member specializing in AI safety.

OpenAI

Episode: Why the AI Race Undermines Safety (with Steven Adler)

Host

Gus Stocker

Host with a focus on existential risk, AI governance, and policy discussions.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 282 ratings

R u speeding it up?
Please let me do that myself.
Apple Podcasts
3
Pluteski
United States3 months ago
Used to really like it
I used to really enjoy this podcast, but unfortunately the quality of guests has been in steady decline. Many of the recent guests did not really have anything to say; they just repeated what had already been discussed with more competent guests.
Apple Podcasts
3
DePrincipatibus
Germany6 months ago
Beautiful discussion on creativity
Maya Ackerman was great. I can't put a number on it, Hilarious how the interviewer was really unsettled we don't have a creativity metric. We can't agree about human works of art of course!!
Apple Podcasts
5
Adrian1423
United Kingdom7 months ago
Unrealistic AI hype again!
Benjamin Todd made some good points but I'm getting very fed up with this simplistic AI hype. I do work in the industry. Imagining that the price of land changes due to the massive need to build robots factories alone! really? and the cost of robots being next to nothing. No serious mention of any realistic economic limits like demand, jobs, funding or capitalist motivations of companies to make profits. And Dyson spheres within 10-15 years!!!? Musk can't even get Starship to work so how are you... more
Apple Podcasts
1
Adrian1423
United Kingdom9 months ago
Best AI Safety podcast ever
I love this podcast. I listened to episodes all the way back to 2023. So important to get the word out on these crucially important issues I enjoy every episode. Great guests and Gus Docker is a terrific host. Huge recommendation 👌❤️
I pray for the future of life.
Apple Podcasts
5
Concerned monkey
Denmarka year ago

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Listeners Say

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

Notable for deep dives into AI safety and governance.

Some readers wish for more diverse viewpoints beyond existential risk.

Excellent, high-quality guests and insightful questions.

Listeners praise the host's clarity and the rigor of discussions.

A few episodes feel densely theoretical but are highly informative.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts	#156	United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts	#206	Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts	#133	Sweden/Technology
Apple Podcasts	#137	Austria/Technology
Apple Podcasts	#177	South Korea/Technology
Apple Podcasts	#250	Hong Kong/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why AI Is Not a Normal Technology (with Peter Wildeford)

Q: How should policymakers think about timing for AI governance and national security preparation?

He stresses that policy responses often lag behind technological capability and emphasizes the need for proactive governance, including national security awareness and robust control measures for frontier AI, while acknowledging bureaucratic constraints and the risk of overreaction. He also notes historical examples like COVID showing how policy can be reactive yet bipartisan in crisis moments.

Why AI Is Not a Normal Technology (with Peter Wildeford)

Q: Do you think AI will lead to permanent unemployment or will new job categories emerge?

He argues the outcome is highly contingent and difficult to forecast, noting that while automation could render many tasks obsolete, new roles could emerge but may be very different (e.g., professional party goers, streamers, life coaches). He cautions that the shift could be rapid and requires policy responses, including welfare or redistribution, and government readiness to handle abrupt transitions.

Why AI Is Not a Normal Technology (with Peter Wildeford)

Q: Where do you start when forecasting AI progress and what sources do you rely on?

The guest explains that reliable forecasting hinges on benchmarks, time-series patterns, and careful evaluation of sources. He uses straight-line extrapolation from model dots, tracks time horizons, and cross-checks with expert networks and reputable datasets. He also emphasizes weighing sources by track record and testable predictions, while maintaining skepticism toward hype and marketing from CEOs.

What AI Companies Get Wrong About Curing Cancer (with Emilia Javorsky)

Q: How should we rethink AI's role in drug development and regulatory pathways to actually deliver therapies?

AI should be used to reduce friction across the drug development pipeline, from target discovery and toxicity prediction to trial design and payer strategies. The conversation highlights regulatory modernization, data capture standards, and potentially new reimbursement models that reward health outcomes rather than volume of care.

What AI Companies Get Wrong About Curing Cancer (with Emilia Javorsky)

Q: What are the main bottlenecks in biology that AI needs to address to be effective in oncology?

Bottlenecks include scarce standardized, shareable data across labs; much data remains siloed or in paper notebooks; literature publications are not universally reproducible; and even high-quality data (e.g., EMRs) are biased and not designed for research use. The guest emphasizes the need for better data ecosystems, standardized measurements, and more representative datasets.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Future of Life Institute Podcast

What is Future of Life Institute Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show centers on existential and global risks from powerful technologies, with a heavy focus on AI safety, governance, and policy. Guests range from AI safety researchers and ethicists to policymakers and tech journalists, often discussing alignment, governance frameworks, and the socio-economic impacts of AI. A standout trait is the clear emphasis on realistic risk assessment, governance structures, and the balance between innovation and safety. Listeners likely include tech policymakers, researchers, and professionals who want rigorous, forward-looking discussions about how to steer technology toward humane outcomes while avoiding catastrophic risks.

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Which podcasts are similar to Future of Life Institute Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Future of Life Institute Podcast:

1. 80,000 Hours Podcast
2. Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg
3. Conversations with Tyler
4. Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)
5. No Priors: Artificial Intelligence | Technology | Startups

How many episodes of Future of Life Institute Podcast are there?

Future of Life Institute Podcast launched 10 years ago and published 268 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Future of Life Institute Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on Future of Life Institute Podcast?

Recent guests on Future of Life Institute Podcast include:

1. Anthony Aguirre
2. Charlie Bullock
3. Peter Wildeford
4. Carina Prunkl
5. Li-Lian Ang
6. Zak Stein
7. Deric Cheng
8. Oly Sourbut

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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