12 Feb 2026
1h 2m

Anthropic's Chief on A.I.: ‘We Don’t Know if the Models Are Conscious’

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Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

The podcast explores the potential promises and perils of artificial intelligence with Dario Amodei, the head of Anthropic. Amodei envisions AI's transformative impact on healthcare, potentially curing diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's, and its capacity to boost global GDP growth. He also considers AI's role in promoting liberty and democracy, while acknowledging the risks of misuse by authoritarian regimes. The conversation addresses the potential for significant job disruption, particularly in white-collar sectors like software engineering and law, and the challenges of adapting to rapid technological advancements. Amodei emphasizes the need for proactive measures, such as re-evaluating constitutional rights and international cooperation, to mitigate risks and ensure AI benefits humanity.

Outlines

Part 1: Utopian Vision, Biology, Medicine

Part 2: Economy, Democracy, Growth

Part 3: Labor, Robotics, Disruption

Part 4: Global Risks, Arms Control

Part 5: Alignment, Control, Ethics

Part 6: Consciousness, Mastery, Future

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