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Artwork for Robert Wright's Nonzero

Robert Wright's Nonzero

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

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 weeklyEpisodes592Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PhilosophyNewsSociety & Culture

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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 Jennifer’s foreign policy bona fides 1:31 Could Ukraine and Iran merge into one big war? 6:17 Is Ukraine really “turning the tide”? 15:28 America’s (and Ukraine’s) mi... more

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

0:28 Sam’s ideological leanings 3:44 Sam’s AI Manhattan Project–revisited 7:44 What does the “Pacing” letter say about the state of AI? 18:53 Mythos, Astra, and AI’s accel... more

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

0:28 The “Pacing the Frontier” letter signed by AI elites 10:15 Why so many China-hawk AI-safety-hawks? 14:16 Was the “Pacing” letter too small an ask? 27:14 The striking ... more

YouTube

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

0:28 Why did Ukraine hit an Iranian ship 500 miles from Ukraine? 14:09 Ukraine’s war on Russia’s Amazon 19:39 Why Zelensky fired his defense minister and commander-in-chie... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Sam Hammond
AI Policy Director at the Foundation for American Innovation
Foundation for American Innovation
Episode: Fasten Your Bot-belts (Robert Wright & Samuel Hammond)
Holly Elmore
Executive director PauseAI US
PauseAI US
Episode: The intensifying slow-AI-down vibe (Robert Wright & Holly Elmore)
Nikita Petrov
Proprietor of the Psychopolitica newsletter and member of the Nonzero team
Psychopolitica; Nonzero
Episode: Are the Ukraine and the Iran Wars Merging? (Robert Wright & Nikita Petrov)
Connor Leahy
Co-founder of Eleuther AI; US Executive Director of ControlAI
Eleuther AI; ControlAI
Episode: The Ideology Behind AI (Robert Wright & Connor Leahy)
Zaid Jilani
Distinctive voice on Twitter, writer and commentator on Middle Eastern politics
The American Saga (substack)
Episode: Trump’s Self-Inflicted Iran Quagmire (Robert Wright & Zaid Jilani)
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)

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 923 ratings
  • Wildly variable

    Bob misunderstands China’s intentions and indulges Iran. While I consider his motivations well-intentioned, if naive, the unfortunate downstream effects remain.

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

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Nico de Piemonte
    United States2 months 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 States3 months ago
  • Apologist for terrorists

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

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    burqas4ninjas
    United States3 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 States4 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.

Fasten Your Bot-belts (Robert Wright & Samuel Hammond)
Q: How do you view open-source AI in the context of safety and national security?
Open-source AI can democratize innovation and counter centralization, but it also raises safety concerns; advances like gradient routing offer a path to safer open models by enabling safe open weights while removing dangerous capabilities.
Fasten Your Bot-belts (Robert Wright & Samuel Hammond)
Q: Do you think we need to slow down AI development globally, or focus on building domestic and international governance first?
Both are important: there should be practical, verifiable steps to pace development where possible, while simultaneously developing governance frameworks and collaboration with other nations to manage risks before they escalate.
Fasten Your Bot-belts (Robert Wright & Samuel Hammond)
Q: What is your take on the pacing frontier letter and its push for international coordination?
The letter is a carefully worded call for societal-level governance tools and mutual evaluation of capabilities; it reflects a need for proactive, collaborative infrastructure and verification before capability gaps widen, recognizing the cross-border nature of AI risk.
The God We Deserve: Nonzero's Robert Wright on AI as Humanity's Ultimate Test (The Cognitive Revolution w/ Nathan Labenz)
Q: What is your positive vision for how AI governance could unfold internationally to avoid an arms race and maximize cooperative benefits?
A gradual, cooperative path toward global governance with strong but limited centralization where necessary, open dialogue with adversaries, and policies that encourage transparency and shared benefits, while avoiding a reckless race to supremacy.
The God Test: Why artificial intelligence may require a moral upgrade (Executive Functions Chat w/ Jack Goldsmith)
Q: What is the God Test, and why does Wright think a moral upgrade is essential for humanity to responsibly manage superintelligent AI?
The God Test refers to whether humanity can shape a future with God-like AI in a way that preserves human values and avoids catastrophic risks, implying that moral progress and disciplined governance are required to keep such power tethered to human welfare.

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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1. Very Bad Wizards
2. The Dishcast with Andrew Sullivan
3. The Good Fight
4. Conversations with Tyler
5. Making Sense with Sam Harris

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Robert Wright's Nonzero launched 14 years ago and published 592 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. Sam Hammond
2. Holly Elmore
3. Nikita Petrov
4. Connor Leahy
5. Zaid Jilani
6. Ryan Fedasiuk
7. Tyler Johnston
8. Paul Bloom

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