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The Most Interesting Thing in AI

Atlantic Re:think
Artificial Intelligence
Pwc
Generative AI
Ethics
AI In Art
Cybersecurity
Scaling Laws
Brainwave Data
Human Agency In Art
Economics
Social Implications
Atlantic Rethink
Ethical Questions
Preventative Health
Rethink
Neuro-Symbolic AI
Agentic Workflows
Human-Ai Collaboration
Mechanical Creativity
Sustainability

A podcast series examining how AI is reshaping our world. Hosted by Nicholas Thompson, each episode features a conversation with a leading thinker who offers a fresh perspective on the far-reaching ethical, economic, and social implications of this technology.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes34Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Technology

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Latest Episodes

However you feel about Meta, Andrew Bosworth has likely played a part in it. The long-serving right hand to Mark Zuckerberg and current Chief Technology Officer, “Boz” has helped shape almost every stage of the company’s growth. He’s credited with in... more

AI agents can scour the internet for us, reply to our messages, and add events to our calendars. But in order to do so, they need sweeping access to our data. Handing that over presents an unprecedented threat to privacy, says Signal Foundation presi... more

Take a scroll through Facebook or TikTok today, and you’ll likely find some AI-generated content: an influencer with impossibly-radiant skin, a stunt that bends the laws of physics, Shrimp Jesus. And while there might not be much social benefit to AI... more

You've probably heard it already: AI is going to radically change the way we work. But the details change depending on who's making the prediction: AI will wipe out the C-suite, or entry-level jobs, or make us all into prompt engineers. Those scenari... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Eli Pariser
Founder/leader of New Public; former MoveOn.org; co-founder of Upworthy
New Public; Upworthy; MoveOn.org
Episode: Will AI Agents Kill Social Media–Or Save It? Eli Pariser with Nicholas Thompson
Paul Ford
Writer, coder, and entrepreneur
Bloomberg Businessweek (author of What Is Code?), Wired contributor
Episode: How AI Is Changing Code - Paul Ford with Nicholas Thompson
Yoshua Bengio
Pioneer in neural networks and founder of Law Zero and Scientist AI
Law Zero / Scientist AI
Episode: How Science Can Fix Dishonest AI - Yoshua Bengio with Nicholas Thompson
Erik Brynjolfsson
Professor and economist renowned for work on AI, productivity, and inequality
Stanford University
Episode: The AI Jobs Disruption - Erik Brynjolfsson with Nicholas Thompson
Carissa Véliz
Oxford professor; author of Privacy is Power
University of Oxford
Episode: The Limits of Predictive AI - Carissa Véliz with Nicholas Thompson
Nick Bostrom
Philosopher, author of Superintelligence
University of Oxford
Episode: AI Utopia or Catastrophe? Nick Bostrom with Nicholas Thompson
Sam Altman
CEO of OpenAI
OpenAI
Episode: Sam Altman on Where AI Models Go Next, with Nicholas Thompson
Ariel Ekblaw
Space architect; CEO of Aurelia Institute; founder of Rendezvous Robotics
Aurelia Institute
Episode: Data Centers in Space - with Nicholas Thompson and Ariel Ekblaw
Bill Gross
A serial entrepreneur, inventor, and founder of ProRata, focusing on fair compensation for creators in the age of AI.
ProRata
Episode: The Copyright Wars - with Nicholas Thompson and Bill Gross

Host

Nicholas Thompson
CEO of The Atlantic, host of The Most Interesting Thing in AI.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 106 ratings
  • Marketing and Speculation, not Information

    Pay attention to what real AI researchers who are not trying to sell you anything are saying. I feel like I just listened to a very misinformed commercial.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    JohnR3285
    United Statesa month ago
  • Sometimes great, sometimes grating

    The podcast is generally informative but at times the host makes confidently incorrect assertions or engages in ways that are strongheaded and obliviously stubborn. I’m listening to the Clarissa Veliz episode. His responses are never generous and almost always combative (consistent with the bummer reality that the show is being developed by an advertising subsidiary of the Atlantic and is sponsored by large AI forward corporations), and ironically his points aren’t good for someone trying so har... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    itmeimjoe
    United Statesa month ago
  • Not to be missed

    The people that are interviewed on the show are each and every one of them someone I need to hear from. Nina Farahany’s podcast was fantastic and very thought-provoking. I’m sharing this podcast with friends. I followed it up with the interaction with Bill Gross. Wow that’s all I have to say about his brain. Thank you for your podcast channel and of course your magazine, very longtime subscriber here

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JoelieJoelie
    United States3 months ago
  • Superb

    Excellent podcast. Great hub of info for current and future AI. Highly recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NinJoe29
    United States9 months ago
  • Intelligent and Informative

    Expertly hosted, interesting guests and discussions. Learned a bunch.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Emilia Jack
    United States9 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests are diverse and the conversations feel thoughtful and well-researched.
Listeners appreciate the mix of high-level AI governance and practical industry insights.
Some listeners feel sponsorships influence the tone or bias of certain episodes.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#139
United States/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#133
United Kingdom/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#249
Canada/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#151
Italy/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#207
Australia/Technology
Apple Podcasts
#65
New Zealand/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

How AI Is Changing Code - Paul Ford with Nicholas Thompson
Q: Which of those two professions has changed the most in the last year?
Engineer. Writer was already terrible, but writer is hard; engineering is changing fundamentally in every way, while writing has become more aided but still requires human depth.
Will AI Agents Kill Social Media–Or Save It? Eli Pariser with Nicholas Thompson
Q: What are two concrete steps that could make an AI-driven future of communication better, and two that might make it worse?
Better: (1) create transparent incentive structures and diverse open protocols that enable real consumer choice, (2) design governance mechanisms and positive feedback systems that encourage civil discourse and constructive debates. Worse: (1) allow a handful of large platforms to lock in the default channels for communication, (2) rely on optimization for engagement without safeguards that protect against manipulation and misinformation.
The AI Jobs Disruption - Erik Brynjolfsson with Nicholas Thompson
Q: What are the four pieces of evidence Brynjolfsson cites for productivity gains, and can you summarize the overall outlook?
He cites (1) observed productivity gains from phased AI rollouts, (2) early signals in the labor market, (3) case studies like call centers and software, and (4) improving aggregate productivity despite noise, tariffs, and recessions, suggesting a likely productivity uptick with cautious optimism.
The AI Jobs Disruption - Erik Brynjolfsson with Nicholas Thompson
Q: What does the GDP-B metric capture, and why is it needed?
GDP-B accounts for the value of free digital services and the time people spend with screens, which GDP omits, helping to measure where value is created in a digital economy beyond traditional transactions.
The AI Jobs Disruption - Erik Brynjolfsson with Nicholas Thompson
Q: Explain the methodology and explain what you found in your recent paper on how valuable AI is to consumers.
We asked people how much they'd pay to stop using generative AI like ChatGPT for a month, conducted broad surveys across business and consumer use, and found substantial consumer surplus that implies AI is creating large value even when pricing appears free.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Most Interesting Thing in AI

What is The Most Interesting Thing in AI about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show consistently centers on how AI reshapes business, policy, science, and daily life through intimate conversations with leading thinkers and practitioners. Standout episodes tackle creators' rights and compensation in AI systems, trustworthy AI governance, and the real-world applications and risks of AI across industries like aerospace, pharma, and health tech. A standout trait is the breadth of guests—from CEOs and researchers to policymakers—paired with a thoughtful, sometimes provocative take on ethics, regulation, and human implications. Listeners can expect forward-looking discussions that balance optimism about AI with caution about unintended consequences, making it appealing to executives, researchers, and policy-minded prof... more

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1. Hard Fork
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. Dwarkesh Podcast
4. Possible
5. Conversations with Tyler

How many episodes of The Most Interesting Thing in AI are there?

The Most Interesting Thing in AI launched 2 years ago and published 34 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 The Most Interesting Thing in AI?

Recent guests on The Most Interesting Thing in AI include:

1. Eli Pariser
2. Paul Ford
3. Yoshua Bengio
4. Erik Brynjolfsson
5. Carissa Véliz
6. Nick Bostrom
7. Sam Altman
8. Ariel Ekblaw

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