Explore every episode of the podcast Extrapolate with Rob Hof
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Architecture of Longevity and the Future of Conscious AI – Natasha Vita-More | 13 Mar 2026 | 01:15:44 | |
Transhumanist pioneer and designer Dr. Natasha Vita-More explains why the AI "doomsday" narrative is a myth, why we need to stop using the flippant term "anti-aging," and how we must fundamentally redesign the infrastructure of human life for a 200-year lifespan. Dr. Natasha Vita-More is an award-winning innovator, academic, and a foundational figure in the transhumanist movement. She wrote the Transhumanist Manifesto in the early 1980s (which flew to Saturn aboard the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft), designed the first conceptual future whole-body prosthetic, and has spent over 40 years researching healthy longevity, neuroplasticity, and human enhancement. In this episode, you get a profound and original perspective on where humanity and technology are heading. Natasha challenges the academic critiques of transhumanism and offers a practical, architectural view of our future—arguing that longevity isn't just a medical treatment, but a complete restructuring of how we experience time, society, and consciousness. She explains, among other things: Explore Natasha Vita-More’s work Connect with Robin / more episodes | |||
| MIT Engineer: We Are the Last Mortal Generation – Jose Cordeiro | 06 Mar 2026 | 00:54:25 | |
MIT engineer and longevity expert Jose Cordeiro explains why we are between the last mortal generation and the first immortal generation, how AI is accelerating the cure for aging, and why he believes humans will achieve biological immortality by 2030. Jose Luis Cordeiro, PhD, is an MIT-trained engineer, transhumanist, and world-renowned advocate for life extension. He is the co-author of the international bestseller The Death of Death and the lead organizer of the International Longevity Summit in Madrid. He has spent decades working alongside pioneers like Ray Kurzweil and Aubrey de Grey to reframe aging not as an inevitable fact of life, but as a curable medical condition. In this episode, you get a front-row seat to the most optimistic and radical predictions about the future of humanity—from the rapidly dropping costs of gene therapy and the $101 million XPRIZE for rejuvenation, to the realities of cryopreservation and why our biological brains will soon be radically upgraded by artificial intelligence. He explains, among other things: Explore Jose Cordeiro’s work Connect with Robin / more episodes | |||
| How We End Aging in 15 Years - Aubrey de Grey | 16 Feb 2026 | 00:51:56 | |
Biomedical gerontologist Aubrey de Grey breaks down why aging is a solvable engineering problem, not an inevitable destiny — and why he believes we are closer than ever to "Longevity Escape Velocity." Aubrey de Grey is an English author and biomedical gerontologist, best known for devising the SENS platform (Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence). He is currently the President of the LEV (Longevity Escape Velocity) Foundation. For decades, he has been the provocative face of the anti-aging movement, arguing that the human body is a machine with moving parts that can be repaired, and famously claiming that the first human to live to 1,000 is likely already alive. In this episode, you get a deep dive into the mechanics of aging and the roadmap to defeating it. Aubrey moves past the hype to discuss the specific biological hurdles remaining, his current focus on "Robust Mouse Rejuvenation," and the psychological barriers that stop humanity from treating aging with the urgency of a pandemic. He explains, among other things: ◼️ His definition of aging: why it’s simply the accumulation of damage from metabolism — like rust on a car — and why we don't need to understand metabolism perfectly to fix the damage ◼️ Robust Mouse Rejuvenation: his current mission to double the remaining lifespan of middle-aged mice, and why this specific milestone will trigger a "war on aging" ◼️ The timeline to immortality: why he estimates we are ~15 years away from "Longevity Escape Velocity" for humans, provided funding catches up ◼️ The "Pro-Aging Trance": why people rationalize aging as a "blessing" or "natural" simply to protect themselves from the fear of getting their hopes up ◼️ Why billionaires don't invest enough: the paradox where older billionaires think they are too old to benefit, and younger ones think they have plenty of time ◼️ The limits of AI in biology: why he believes we still need "wet labs" and why simulations alone (even of single cells) can be misleading without new physical data ◼️ Why overpopulation is a myth: his argument that the Earth has plenty of space, and why pollution (not population) is the actual engineering challenge to solve ◼️ His take on Calorie Restriction: why it works for mice but is largely a "dead end" for humans seeking radical life extension ◼️ Cryonics and the future: why the field is criminally underfunded and what needs to happen to make revival a reality Chapters 00:00 The Definition of Aging 03:50 Robust Mouse Rejuvenation 08:38 Timelines for Human Longevity 10:44 Challenges in Funding Research 15:53 The Role of AI in Biotech 22:46 The Psychology of Life Extension 29:32 Regulatory Barriers 33:12 Why Aubrey Left AI for Biology 39:32 Addressing Overpopulation Concerns 43:43 Financing, Cryonics, and the Future
◼️ Organization: LEV Foundation (levf.org) ◼️ Book: Ending Aging: The Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime ◼️ Research: Search for "SENS Research Foundation" or "Robust Mouse Rejuvenation" Connect with Robin / more episodes ◼️ All my work, newsletter & socials: https://robinduijvelshoff.com | |||
| AI Will Take Your Job: Why We Need Universal Basic Income – Zoltan Istvan | 13 Jan 2026 | 01:01:47 | |
Transhumanist author and political candidate Zoltan Istvan argues that AI and humanoid robots won’t just change the economy, they’ll replace most human work faster than governments can respond, and without a safety floor, society risks chaos. His solution is straightforward: Universal Basic Income as the minimum stability layer before the job apocalypse hits. Zoltan Istvan is a futurist, writer, and longtime voice in the transhumanist movement. He’s the author of The Transhumanist Wager, a former National Geographic journalist who traveled through conflict zones, and a public figure known for running political campaigns built around radical tech-driven ideas — from longevity and human enhancement to automation policy. In this episode, he explains why he’s now running for Governor of California (2026) and why AI has pushed him away from old “pre-AI” economic thinking. In this conversation, you’ll hear what it’s like to think like a Futurist: Choosing UBI because it’s the only way to prevent mass instability when millions of people get priced out of the labor market. He explains, among other things: ◼️ Why he believes robots will be smarter, stronger, cheaper — and why companies will choose them (they don’t get sick, don’t sue, and don’t stop working) Chapters 00:00 UBI for the AI Age Explore Zoltan Istvan’s work Connect with Robin / more episodes | |||
| AI, Capitalism and the Future of Work - Nick Srnicek | 10 Dec 2025 | 00:58:53 | |
Political economist Nick Srnicek breaks down how AI is reshaping capitalism, work, and global power — and why the real story isn’t “robots taking all our jobs”, but who owns the systems and how states choose to deploy them. Nick Srnicek is a Canadian writer and academic, and a lecturer in Digital Economy at King’s College London. He’s best known for his books Platform Capitalism, Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work (with Alex Williams), and After Work: The Fight for Free Time (with Helen Hester). He’s also closely associated with debates around accelerationism, post-work politics and the digital economy. In this episode you get an insider’s view of how AI, platforms and states interact — from Washington and Beijing’s different strategies to Europe’s struggle for “digital sovereignty”, and what all of this really means for ordinary workers over the next decade. He explains, among other things: Explore Nick Srnicek’s work (Search “Nick Srnicek Platform Capitalism” or “Nick Srnicek After Work” on your favourite bookstore or platform.) https://x.com/nsrnicek Connect with Robin / more episodes | |||
| Kevin Kelly: How to Build a Life Only You Can Live | 08 Dec 2025 | 00:58:56 | |
Kevin Kelly – co-founder of WIRED and one of the world’s most influential technology thinkers – explains why you shouldn’t try to be “the best”, but “the only”, why your most “wasted” year might become the engine of your future, and why we’re still at day one of AI. Kevin is the founding executive editor of WIRED magazine and now its “Senior Maverick”. For decades he’s been known as a “cool hunter” of the future – predicting trends in technology, culture and work long before they go mainstream. He’s the author of books like What Technology Wants, The Inevitable, Excellent Advice for Living and his new photography book The Colors of Asia, based on 50 years of traveling and shooting across the continent. In this episode, you’ll hear what it’s like to build a life as a project-driven creator rather than a career employee, to help invent internet culture at WIRED, and to spend half a century documenting a disappearing Asia – all while thinking deeply about the future of AI, work and meaning. He explains, among other things: ◼️ Why “follow your bliss” is terrible advice for most young people – and why mastering anything first is the real unlock if you don’t know what to do with your life Explore Kevin Kelly’s work The Colors of Asia: https://kevin2kelly.myshopify.com/products/colors-of-asia-a-visual-journey Connect with Robin / more episodes | |||
| You’re Legally Allowed to Die… But Not to Live Longer - Liz Parrish | 03 Dec 2025 | 00:54:41 | |
Biotech CEO Liz Parrish explains why you’re legally allowed to choose euthanasia in many countries – but not allowed to choose experimental medicine that might extend your life – and why she decided to become “patient zero” for gene therapies targeting aging itself. Liz Parrish is the founder and CEO of BioViva, a US biotech company developing gene therapies for aging and age-related diseases. In 2015 she famously travelled outside the US to receive two experimental gene therapies (telomerase and follistatin), becoming one of the first people in the world to use gene therapy explicitly to treat biological aging. Since then she’s been at the centre of the debates around longevity, regulation and patient rights. In this episode you get an unfiltered look at what it’s like to take massive personal risk to push medicine forward – from watching her son get diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, to starting BioViva, to challenging regulators with her idea of “Best Choice Medicine”: the right to choose high-risk, high-reward treatments when the alternative is slow, guaranteed decline. She explains, among other things: ◼️ The personal story behind BioViva: her son’s diagnosis, what she saw in children’s hospitals, and why she concluded that keeping the status quo is not “safety” – it’s guaranteed death Explore Liz Parrish’s work https://bioviva-science.com/our-team Connect with Robin / more episodes | |||
| Guy Standing: How the System Is Failing the 99% | 29 Nov 2025 | 01:00:54 | |
World-renowned labour economist Guy Standing explains how a new class of people – the precariat – is trapped in insecure work, unstable income and chronic anxiety, and why he believes a universal basic income is now essential if we want to save democracy, freedom and basic human dignity. Guy Standing is a British labour economist and Professorial Research Associate at SOAS University of London. He co-founded and is honorary co-president of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), the leading global organisation advocating an unconditional basic income. He coined the term precariat in his influential book The Precariat: The New Dangerous Class, and has spent decades at the International Labour Organization working on labour markets, social protection, and economic security. In this episode, you get a rare inside look at what it’s like to spend your life on the front line of the fight against economic insecurity – advising governments, designing basic-income pilots, and warning about the political risks of leaving millions of people in permanent precarity. He explains, among other things: Explore Guy Standing’s work Connect with Robin / more episodes | |||
| Rosi Braidotti: How to Redesign the Future of Humanity | 28 Apr 2026 | 00:42:50 | |
World-renowned philosopher Rosi Braidotti explains why Silicon Valley transhumanism is a dangerous threat to democracy, why the modern "happiness industry" is a capitalist trap, and how the next generation can use "affirmative ethics" to redesign the future of humanity. Rosi Braidotti is a distinguished contemporary philosopher and feminist theoretician, best known for her pioneering work in posthumanism and affirmative ethics. She is a Professor Emerita at Utrecht University and the author of highly influential books, including The Posthuman and Posthuman Knowledge. For decades, her work has bridged the gap between classical philosophy, the rise of advanced technologies like AI and quantum computing, and the fight for social and ecological justice. In this episode, you get a profound masterclass in modern philosophy from one of Europe's leading thinkers—exploring how our culture arrived at its current technological crisis, why simply critiquing the system is no longer enough, and what digital natives must do to take control of an increasingly chaotic world. She explains, among other things: ◼️ Why the "crisis of humanism" occurred after WWII, and why history proves that human reason and horrific violence are perfectly compatible ◼️ The fundamental difference between her philosophy of "posthumanism" and the "transhumanism" championed by Silicon Valley billionaires like Peter Thiel and Elon Musk ◼️ Why she views modern transhumanism as an attempt by tech oligarchies to replace democracy with hierarchical, enslaved societies ◼️ The concept of "Affirmative Ethics": why just being "against" things isn't enough, and how to extract real knowledge from pain and frustration to build a better future ◼️ Why the modern "wellness and happiness industry" is a nightmare, and why true affirmation is much closer to stoicism than forced optimism ◼️ Her ultimate plea to Gen Z: why the apocalyptic "doomsday" narrative is fake, why reality has surpassed science fiction, and how young people possess the immense power to redesign the planet ◼️ Why you need to read philosophy today—and why the greatest historical thinkers were actually transgressive "wackos" who were designing robots and computers centuries ago Timestamps 00:00 The Crisis of European Humanism 03:40 Fanon, Decoloniality, and the Limits of Reason 08:31 Affirmative Ethics and the Happiness Industry 14:58 AI, Silicon Valley, and Defending Democracy 19:19 The Evolution and Threat of Transhumanism 27:10 Capitalism as Schizophrenia 30:49 Predictions for the Future and the Power of Gen Z 37:20 Navigating Information Overload and the New Library Explore Rosi Braidotti’s work ◼️ Books (selection): The Posthuman, Posthuman Knowledge, Posthuman Feminism, Nomadic Subjects. ◼️ Talks & interviews on posthumanism, feminism, and affirmative ethics: search for “Rosi Braidotti Posthumanism” or “Rosi Braidotti Affirmative Ethics” Connect with Robin / more episodes ◼️ All my work, newsletter & socials: https://robinduijvelshoff.com | |||
| Katherine Hayles: How AI Will Radically Change the Human Species | 16 Apr 2026 | 00:37:43 | |
Pioneering literary scholar and critical theorist N. Katherine Hayles explains why our traditional ideas of free will are being dismantled by AI, why the transhumanist dream of downloading your brain into a computer is a dangerous fantasy, and why human destiny is now permanently entangled with machine intelligence. Katherine Hayles is a globally recognized theorist who has spent decades exploring the intersection of literature, science, and technology. She is the author of foundational books like How We Became Posthuman and her most recent work, From Bacteria to AI. With a unique background spanning both the natural sciences (chemistry) and the humanities, she has been at the forefront of posthumanist thought, examining how computational media and artificial intelligence are fundamentally altering our species. In this episode, you get a deep dive into the philosophical shockwaves of the AI revolution — from how algorithms and "smart" systems are breaking down our illusion of individual autonomy, to the ethical nightmares of extreme life extension, and how we can actually build a future where both humans and technology flourish. She explains, among other things: ◼️ What "cognitive assemblages" are – and why most decisions in the world (from ordering at a modern diner to operating military drones) are no longer made by autonomous individuals ◼️ Why the Enlightenment ideals of free will and rationality need an urgent update to survive an era of AI-generated propaganda and deepfakes ◼️ The fundamental flaw in transhumanism – why the fantasy of "uploading your consciousness" ignores the profound, biological connection between the body and the mind ◼️ Why the pursuit of radical life extension (living to 150 or beyond) creates massive, often-ignored crises around global inequality, resource distribution, and overpopulation ◼️ Why she believes current AI "transformer" models are too inefficient to reach true consciousness, but how future architectures with long-term memory just might ◼️ The "Two Cultures" problem: why thinkers in the humanities must move beyond just criticizing tech companies and start actively collaborating with scientists to design better systems ◼️ Her ultimate career advice for young people who want to change the world: how to be highly strategic while relentlessly following your passion Explore Katherine Hayles’s work ◼️ Books (selection): How We Became Posthuman, Unthought: The Power of the Cognitive Nonconscious, From Bacteria to AI: Human Futures with Artificial Intelligence. ◼️ Talks & essays on posthumanism, AI, and digital media (search: "N. Katherine Hayles Posthumanism" or "Katherine Hayles Cognitive Assemblages")
Connect with Robin / more episodes ◼️ All my work, newsletter & socials: https://robinduijvelshoff.com | |||
| The Techno-Progressive Future: UBI, AI, and and the Left – James J. Hughes | 22 Mar 2026 | 01:15:44 | |
Sociologist and bioethicist James J. Hughes explains why the future of human enhancement and AI shouldn't belong to Silicon Valley billionaires, and how a "techno-progressive" revolution can guarantee radical life extension, basic income, and technological freedom for the 99%. James J. Hughes is a sociologist, bioethicist, and former Buddhist monk who serves as the Executive Director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies (IEET). He is one of the founding voices of democratic transhumanism and techno-progressivism, author of Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future, and a leading thinker on the intersection of radical technology, leftist politics, and human rights. In this episode, you get a deep, philosophical look at the political battle for the future—from the dangers of unregulated gene therapies and AI military systems to why the political left must overcome its fear of technology to build a fairer, post-work society. He explains, among other things: Explore James J. Hughes’s work Connect with Robin / more episodes | |||