Manifold

AI Boom or Bust? – #122

Effort News and AI-Driven Journalism with Brian Chau – #121

Machine God: Hsu, Greer, Huang – #120

How to Build a Research Institute: Thomas Fink of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences – #119

The traditional university model, which binds knowledge creation to teaching and administrative duties, often stifles fundamental research. Dr. Thomas Fink, a theoretical physicist and founder of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences (LIMS), argues that independent research organizations provide a necessary al...

Venture Capital and Technology in China with Bohan Liu – #118

Iran, AI, and the Third World War (Crossover with Seeking Truth From Facts Podcast)

State of AI, Summer 2026 – #116

AI models now function as essential force multipliers in frontier math and physics, fundamentally altering research workflows and potentially reducing the necessity for traditional, labor-intensive PhD training pipelines. This rapid evolution is driving a shift toward Recursive Self-Improvement, where models autonomous...

Beff Jezos and Effective Accelerationism: Machine God of Loving Grace

Razib Khan at Manifest 2026: Genetic Discoveries, AI, and Academia – #114

Letter from Beijing 2: Tsinghua University – #113

Tsinghua University serves as a focal point for understanding the evolving landscape of Chinese academic and technological competitiveness. While the Gaokao system filters an exceptionally elite undergraduate cohort, the research environment is shifting as top students increasingly choose domestic PhD programs over Wes...

AI Billionaire on Existential Risk: Jaan Tallinn

Embryo Selection and Frontier Genomics with Dr. Alex Young – #111

Iran War is the First Missile War (crossover with Seeking Truth From Facts podcast) – #110

Dreamers and Doomers: Our AI future, with Richard Ngo – #109

China, Acceleration, and Nick Land - with Matt Southey – #108

Shenzhen is the Technology Capital of the World, with Taylor Ogan – #107

The podcast explores Shenzhen's unique position as a global tech hub and its relationship with the Chinese government. Taylor Ogan, founder and CEO of Snowbowl Capital, having lived in Shenzhen for three years, shares insights on the city's rapid growth, technological advancements, and the surprising level of autonomy ...

AI DOOM: Jesse Hoogland of Timaeus

The discussion centers on AI safety, existential risk, and the future of AI development with Jesse Hoogland, a leading researcher in AI safety. Hoogland details his path to AI safety research, driven by a growing sense of dread about AI's rapid advancement and potential misuse. He argues that AI's increasing capabiliti...

Dreamers and Doomers: Jeremy Nixon at AGI House – #105

Jeremy Nixon, an AI entrepreneur, discusses the evolution and future of AI with Steve Hsu. Nixon argues that foundation models have already achieved AGI, disagreeing with the apocalyptic framing of AI risk prevalent in some rationalist communities. He traces the history of AI safety concerns, noting Elon Musk's early f...

Industrial Maximalism and Its Discontents: Dan Wang on US-China Competition – # 104

The conversation centers on the US-China competition, contrasting China's "engineering state" with the US's "lawyerly society." Dan Wang, author of "Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future," discusses the industrial maximalism in China, the importance of technological self-sufficiency, and the preparedness for ...

Geopolitics 2026, crossover with Seeking Truth From Facts podcast – #103

The conversation centers on a geostrategic roundup of 2025, focusing on the evolving dynamics between the U.S. and China, as well as other global hotspots. It is argued that the Trump administration initially overestimated its ability to leverage tariffs against China, which has climbed the value chain in manufacturing...