Rephonic
Artwork for Robert Wright's Nonzero

Robert Wright's Nonzero

Nonzero
Artificial Intelligence
China
Donald Trump
Israel
Iran
United States
Trump Administration
Elon Musk
Ukraine
Gaza
U.S. Foreign Policy
Russia
Middle East
Trump
Biden Administration
Hamas
Covid-19
Consciousness
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Us-China Relations

Conversations with a series of people who have nothing in common except that program host Robert Wright is curious about what they’re thinking. www.nonzero.org

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes575Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureNewsPhilosophy

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Robert Wright's Nonzero

Latest Episodes

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org

0:28 Whose baby is cuter? 3:13 Bob’s new book on AI, The God Test 10:16 Varieties of AI awe 13:47 Geoffrey Hinton’s vision 18:14 How LLMs do more than predict and parrot 2... more

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org

0:28 How Tianyu became a “China explainer” 2:59 American vs Chinese exceptionalism 7:53 What you can and can’t say in China 18:16 Is the government more accountable in the... more

YouTube

(Description via Increments Podcast:) Did you ever see the video of two regular people trying to fight Eddie Hall, the strongest man on earth? Ben and Vaden bring that same energy to this conversation, where they gang up on Robert Wright on the subje... more

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.nonzero.org

0:28 Is NonZero or American Prestige the better podcast? AI weighs in 4:38 The state of the US-Iran war. Or is it peace? 18:16 Has Trump already lost the midterms? Does he... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Very Bad Wizards
Very Bad WizardsTamler Sommers & David Pizarro
Conversations with Tyler
Conversations with TylerMercatus Center at George Mason University
The Good Fight
The Good FightYascha Mounk
Decoding the Gurus
Decoding the GurusChristopher Kavanagh and Matthew Browne

Recent Guests

Bruce Feiler
Prolific author focusing on family, culture, and ritual
Episode: Can Rituals Save Us? (Robert Wright & Bruce Feiler)
Hamidreza Azizi
Visiting fellow at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs; expert on Iranian foreign policy
German Institute for International and Security Affairs
Episode: Understanding Iran (Robert Wright & Hamidreza Azizi)
Zhengyu Huang
Investment firm executive focused on education; former president of the Committee of 100
U Capital; Committee of 100
Episode: Rethinking China (Robert Wright & Zhengyu Huang)
Annelle Sheline
Research fellow in the Middle East program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft
Episode: The New Middle East (Robert Wright & Annelle Sheline)
Nikita Petrov
Proprietor of the Psychopolitica Newsletter, member of the Nonzero team
Psychopolitica
Episode: Trump Lost the Hormuz Round (Robert Wright & Nikita Petrov)
Lennart Heim
Technology policy researcher with emphasis on AI policy and hardware
Tech policy researcher; notable for work on hardware and AI policy
Episode: Mythos and China (Robert Wright & Lennart Heim)
Robert Malley
Lead Iran nuclear deal negotiator with extensive background in U.S. diplomacy on Iran
Former U.S. diplomat, negotiator on Iran deal
Episode: Can Trump and Iran Make a Deal? (Robert Wright & Robert Malley)
Shakeel Hashim
Editor of Transformer
Transformer, transformernews.ai
Episode: Dario, Demis, Sam: Assessing the AI Guys (Robert Wright & Shakeel Hashim)
Andrew Day
Senior editor at The American Conservative
The American Conservative
Episode: MAGA Opposition to the Iran War (Robert Wright, Curt Mills, and Andrew Day)

Hosts

Robert Wright
Host of the program; leads conversations across politics, technology, and global affairs
Nikita Petrov
Member of the Nonzero team; Psychopolitica Newsletter proprietor; co-host on some episodes

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 921 ratings
  • Wildly variable

    Bob misunderstands both China and Iran (discrete issues) which has gotten tedious. He welcomed Dr Annelle Shelline who seems highly qualified to speak to today’s key issues, but then monologued interminably before giving her a chance to speak. Still a fan. Many episodes can be enjoyable, even a revelation. Bought his last book and I’m confident I will buy his next on AI.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Nico de Piemonte
    United Statesa month ago
  • Apologist for terrorists

    Bob: terrorists are bad. Quit the whataboutism. You sound like Alex Jones.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    burqas4ninjas
    United Statesa month ago
  • Uneducated and stumbling over every word.

    I recently listened to Robert swing and miss at everything. Eli Lake said concerning Iran. Robert offers anecdote after anecdote of unsourced information and then after he makes some massive claim goes “well anyway, anyway let’s move on” to prevent Eli from being able to provide an actual educated response to his word salad of nonsense. Robert is an Ayatollah supporting, Iranian murder-loving imbecile.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Solidus86
    United States2 months ago
  • Want to be dumber?

    Listen to Robert Wright try to make sense of snippets of history and facts that he doesn’t understand. I truly felt sorry that Eli Lake had to be respectful and explain basic history and perspective.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Facts are hard
    United States2 months ago
  • 2026 here we come

    Really enjoyable podcast especially the one on ones with Paul bloom. Bob has a sardonic and extremely dry wit that might rub some the wrong way but I find endearing and funny. The escalation of executive power grabbing since the beginning of 2025 has made that aspect of this podcast even more entertaining. I’d rather put on a face eating mask than learn that this podcast was cancelled.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DavyLee92
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate nuanced, data-driven analysis and thoughtful debate across global issues.
Some episodes spark strong disagreements but maintain a rigorous, inquisitive tone.
Guests are typically high-caliber experts spanning policy, tech, and journalism, contributing valuable insights.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Can Rituals Save Us? (Robert Wright & Bruce Feiler)
Q: What is a ritual, in practical terms?
Bruce Feiler explains that a ritual is a shared, doing-oriented act that connects people, marks change, and provides a sense of belonging, with variations that can be life ceremonies, everyday habits, or community-driven gatherings.
Mythos and China (Robert Wright & Lennart Heim)
Q: Could Anthropic realistically monitor and restrict usage to prevent misuse when providing access to other companies?
Technically yes, since the model runs on their servers and outputs can be monitored; however, confidentiality concerns, potential backdoors, and the scale of traffic complicate enforcement, suggesting a need for structured, transparent collaboration and verification mechanisms.
Mythos and China (Robert Wright & Lennart Heim)
Q: What do you think about Mythos and the claim that it can exploit vulnerabilities in software?
The consensus is that Mythos signals a real capability for identifying and potentially exploiting security gaps, but the practical impact depends on how access is controlled and how patching processes are implemented; the model's dual-use nature means there will be both serious security benefits and significant risk depending on governance.
Dario, Demis, Sam: Assessing the AI Guys (Robert Wright & Shakeel Hashim)
Q: What role does first-mover advantage play in shaping policy and safety standards?
Being first can confer enormous power but also creates responsibility; the guests argue for international coordination to prevent a dangerous race, while acknowledging real geopolitical and competitive pressures that complicate cooperation.
Dario, Demis, Sam: Assessing the AI Guys (Robert Wright & Shakeel Hashim)
Q: Can we trust these leaders to govern such powerful technology responsibly?
The host and Shakeel discuss trust as contingent on transparent behavior, demonstrated safeguards, and alignment with broader societal interests, while acknowledging that public reporting often portrays them in three-dimensioned ways; consensus is that governance should be international and risk-aware.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Robert Wright's Nonzero

What is Robert Wright's Nonzero about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Conversations center on big-picture geopolitics, technology policy, and global strategy, often pairing high-profile thinkers with experts across international affairs, AI governance, and foreign policy. Episodes frequently explore US–China dynamics, AI safety and regulation, Middle East realignments, and the ethics of technological advancement, weaving data-driven analysis with provocative scenarios and historical context. A notable strength is how the show threads complex topics—ranging from diplomacy and governance to AI ethics and global power shifts—into accessible, debate-rich dialogues that challenge conventional wisdom. Listeners are likely drawn to nuanced takes, cross-disciplinary perspectives, and candid host-guest exchanges that ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Robert Wright's Nonzero?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Robert Wright's Nonzero. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Robert Wright's Nonzero and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Robert Wright's Nonzero get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Robert Wright's Nonzero, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Robert Wright's Nonzero?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Robert Wright's Nonzero, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Robert Wright's Nonzero have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Robert Wright's Nonzero has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Robert Wright's Nonzero?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Robert Wright's Nonzero:

1. Very Bad Wizards
2. Conversations with Tyler
3. The Good Fight
4. Decoding the Gurus
5. Making Sense with Sam Harris

How many episodes of Robert Wright's Nonzero are there?

Robert Wright's Nonzero launched 14 years ago and published 575 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 Robert Wright's Nonzero?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Robert Wright's Nonzero?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Robert Wright's Nonzero from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Robert Wright's Nonzero?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Robert Wright's Nonzero. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Robert Wright's Nonzero?

Recent guests on Robert Wright's Nonzero include:

1. Bruce Feiler
2. Hamidreza Azizi
3. Zhengyu Huang
4. Annelle Sheline
5. Nikita Petrov
6. Lennart Heim
7. Robert Malley
8. Shakeel Hashim

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days