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Artwork for Robert Wright's Nonzero

Robert Wright's Nonzero

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

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 weeklyEpisodes581Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPhilosophySociety & Culture

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Artwork for Robert Wright's Nonzero

Latest Episodes

0:28 Grandpa Bob and author Bob 3:54 Why Bob stopped being an AI doom skeptic 7:23 Can AI solve China’s demographic crisis? 14:33 The irony of China’s open-source AI strategy 17:36 Recursive self-improvement and the singularity 23:57 The Burkean cons... more

(Description via Executive Functions Chat podcast)

Jack chats with Robert Wright about his forthcoming book, The God Test: Artificial Intelligence and Our Coming Cosmic Reckoning. They discuss why Wright views AI through an evolutionary lens, the pr... more

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

0:28 Bob’s pub-day pitch for his new book on AI, The God Test 1:28 Is AI killing the nonfiction star? 5:56 Geoffrey Hinton’s path from AI evangelist to doomer 9:51 The fut... more

YouTube

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

0:28 Was “losing” this war good for America? 6:26 Israel’s post-war situation 9:59 A more stable Middle East? Or less? 18:07 The impact on Iran’s strength 21:43 Has the wa... more

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Recent Guests

Joshua Landis
Professor at University of Oklahoma, Director of the Center for Middle East Studies
University of Oklahoma, Center for Middle East Studies
Episode: The World After the Iran War (Robert Wright & Joshua Landis)
Ryan Fedasiuk
Analyst covering China technology and national power at AEI
American Enterprise Institute
Episode: The US-China AI Race (Robert Wright & Ryan Fedasiuk)
Tyler Johnston
Founder of The Midas Project, investigative researcher on AI lobbying
The Midas Project
Episode: The AI Lobby’s Dirty Tricks (Robert Wright & Tyler Johnston)
Paul Bloom
World-renowned psychologist described as a guest on the show
Yale University (implied)
Episode: The Secret of AI’s Power (Robert Wright & Paul Bloom)
Tianyu Fang
PhD student in the history of science at Harvard; former Technology and Democracy Fellow at New America
Harvard University; New America
Episode: Seeing China Clearly (Robert Wright & Tianyu Fang)
Robert Wright
Author and host of Nonzero; discussed the book The God Test and evolution/teleology themes
Nonzero (podcast/organization)
Episode: AI, Evolution, and The God Test (Increments Podcast w/ Ben Chugg, Vaden Masrani, and Robert Wright)
Jeremy Eliasoff
National leader of PAWS AI Canada, member of the Nonzero community
PAWS AI Canada
Episode: The Pope Takes On AI (Robert Wright & Nikita Petrov)
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)

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 922 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. Self aware enough to note his own interviewing weaknesses but frustratingly, fails to rein them in.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Nico de Piemonte
    United States25 days ago
  • 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 States2 months ago
  • Apologist for terrorists

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

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    burqas4ninjas
    United States2 months 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

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.

The World After the Iran War (Robert Wright & Joshua Landis)
Q: Can you imagine a situation a couple of years from now where some U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf states are no longer there?
Yes, it's plausible if Gulf states take security into their own hands, phase out American bases, and build autonomous defense capabilities, especially as drone and missile tech makes bases more vulnerable and less central.
The US-China AI Race (Robert Wright & Ryan Fedasiuk)
Q: How feasible is a verification regime for AI workloads comparable to nuclear verification?
Verification of AI compute and data center activity is possible in principle, but far more invasive and technically challenging than nuclear verification; it would require unprecedented access and international norms that are difficult to achieve, making a reliable global regime unlikely in the near term.
The US-China AI Race (Robert Wright & Ryan Fedasiuk)
Q: What do you think of the Anthropic pause proposal and the idea of a global pause on AI development?
The guest expresses skepticism about a universal, enforceable pause, arguing that it would be hard to verify and could invite strategic cheating; instead, they advocate for coordinated, country-specific governance and continuous shaping of national approaches to AI safety and regulation.
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.

Audience Metrics

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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

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Which podcasts are similar to Robert Wright's Nonzero?

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1. Conversations with Tyler
2. The Good Fight
3. Decoding the Gurus
4. The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan
5. Very Bad Wizards

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

Robert Wright's Nonzero launched 14 years ago and published 581 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 Robert Wright's Nonzero?

Recent guests on Robert Wright's Nonzero include:

1. Joshua Landis
2. Ryan Fedasiuk
3. Tyler Johnston
4. Paul Bloom
5. Tianyu Fang
6. Robert Wright
7. Jeremy Eliasoff
8. Bruce Feiler

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