The Last Invention – Details, episodes & analysis

For over seventy years, technologists have dreamed of building a true “thinking machine.” An artificial intelligence so powerful it would reshape every aspect of human life. Would it unlock unimaginable abundance? Or bring about our destruction? Today, many of the people closest to the latest A.I. breakthroughs believe that moment has arrived. Some are walking away from their jobs to sound the alarm. Others argue it can’t be stopped, and the only choice is to unite as a society and try to get ready. Still others dismiss the fears, convinced we’re entering a thrilling new chapter of human history. Who’s right? Why are some of the most informed minds so sharply divided? And how, exactly, did we get here? Episode one drops soon. Stay tuned. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the only way to stop a bad guy with an AGI… a good guy with an AGI? In a twist of technological irony, the very people who warned most loudly about the existential dangers of artificial superintelligence—Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and Dario Amodei among them—became the ones racing to build it first. Each believed they alone could create it safely before their competitors unleashed something dangerous. This episode traces how their shared fear of an “AI dictatorship” ignited a breakneck competition that ultimately led to the release of ChatGPT. THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Karen Hao, Keach Hagey, Jasmine Sun, Yoshua Bengio, Kevin Roose, Connor Leahy LINKS: Karen Hao’s book “Empire of AI” Keach Hagey’s book The Optimist Obama’s Wired Interview Ross Douthat’s Theil interview and article Joe Rogan Experience 1169 - Elon Musk Hardfork Podcast Alpha Go Documentary CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠Scott Devendorf⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Ben Lanz⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by ⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE ⁠⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠ :⁠⁠ Go to ⁠⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. ⁠⁠⁠FIRE⁠ ⁠⁠ This is a paid sponsorship link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the path to a true thinking machine was found not just in a lab… but in a game? For decades, AI’s greatest triumphs came from games: checkers, chess, Jeopardy. But no matter how many trophies it took from humans, it still couldn’t think. In this episode, we follow the contrarian scientists who refused to give up on a radical idea, one that would ultimately change how machines learn. But their breakthrough came with a cost: incredible performance, at the expense of understanding how it actually works. THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Yoshua Bengio, Liv Boeree, Geoffrey Hinton, Karen Hao, Keach Hagey, Jasmine Sun LINKS: ⁠Karen Hao’s book: Empire of AI Keach Hagey's book: The Optimist Liv Boeree's podcast: Win Win CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠Scott Devendorf⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Ben Lanz⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by ⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠here⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE ⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠ :⁠ Go to ⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. ⁠⁠FIRE⁠ ⁠ This is a paid sponsorship link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1951, Alan Turing predicted machines might one day surpass human intelligence and 'take control.' He created a test to alert us when we were getting close. But seventy years of science fiction later, the real threat feels like just another movie plot. THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Connor Leahy, Max Tegmark, Robin Hanson, Karen Hao, Nick Bostrom, Sam Harris, and Justin Murphy LINKS: Karen Hao’s book “Empire of AI” Nick Bostrom's book "Superintelligence" CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner Music for this episode was composed by ⁠Scott Devendorf⁠, ⁠Ben Lanz⁠, ⁠Cobey Bienert⁠, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by ⁠Jacob Boll⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠here⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE ⁠GROUND NEWS⁠ : Go to ⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. ⁠FIRE⁠  This is a paid sponsorship link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A tip alleging a Silicon Valley conspiracy leads to a much bigger story: the race to build artificial general intelligence — within the next few years — and the factions vying to accelerate it, to stop it, or to prepare for its arrival. FEATURING: Mike Brock, Kevin Roose, Geoffrey Hinton, Connor Leahy, William MacAskill, Liv Boeree, Sam Harris, and Yoshua Bengio LINKS: Sam Harris 2016 TED Talk, Can We Build AI Without Losing Control Over It Nick Bostrom's book Superintelligence Sam Harris' Making Sense podcast Center for AI Safety Hard Fork podcast Geoffrey Hinton’s resignation coverage:  Why the “godfather of AI” left Google to warn about existential risk William MacAskill's book What We Owe the Future Eliezer Yudkowsky's book If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies Liv Boeree's podcast: Win Win CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner Music for this episode was composed by Scott Devendorf, Ben Lanz, Cobey Bienert, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by Jacob Boll To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us here Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE GROUND NEWS : Go to groundnews.com/invent to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. FIRE  This is a paid sponsorship link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when some of the most idealistic techno-optimists come to believe that superintelligence poses a threat to humanity's survival? Today, the best case for the worst case scenario. We sit down with Nate Soares and Connor Leahy and ask them to make their case for why we need to stop ASI, before it’s too late. THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Connor Leahy, Natasha Vita-More, Max More, Keach Hagey, Nate Soares LINKS: Nate Soares’s book (with Eliezer Yudkowsky) If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies Connor Leahy’s AI safety startup Conjecture Natasha Vita-More’s books CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scott Devendorf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Lanz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠ Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FIRE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is a paid sponsorship link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the strange months after ChatGPT’s release, the world made contact with something new. A tech CEO begged to be regulated, a chatbot seemed to fall in love, and the godfathers of AI became frightened by the implications of what they’d spent their lives building. THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Keach Hagey, Kevin Roose, Yoshua Bengio, Geoffrey Hinton LINKS: Keach Hagey’s book The Optimist Sam Altman testifies at Senate artificial intelligence hearing, May 16, 2023 Sam Altman testifies at Senate hearing on artificial intelligence, May 8, 2025 Kevin Roose’s article on Sydney Kevin’s podcast: Hard Fork CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Scott Devendorf⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Lanz⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE ⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠:⁠⁠⁠ Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. ⁠⁠⁠⁠FIRE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠ This is a paid sponsorship link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A decade ago, the leading minds in AI gathered to make sure this technology would benefit everyone. Today, those hopes are colliding with the reality of an AI arms race. Today, game theorist Liv Boeree and philosopher William MacAskill lay out what they see as the “narrow path” between a future of limitless potential and one of irreversible loss. THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Max Tegmark, Nick Bostrom, Liv Boeree, William MacAskill LINKS: Max Tegmark’s book “Life 3.0, Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” Nick Bostrom's book "Superintelligence" Liv Boeree’s Website Liv Boeree’s Podcast William MacAskill’s book “What We Owe the Future” CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scott Devendorf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Lanz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FIRE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is a paid sponsorship link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meet the accelerationists: a rising movement that believes expediting AI development is not only inevitable but morally necessary – humanity’s best chance at transcending its limits. What happens when the world’s most powerful technologists treat AI progress as a duty rather than a danger? THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Olivier Oullier, Guido de Croon, Alex Williams, Reid Hoffman, Guillaume Verdon/“Beff Jezos” LINKS: Beff Jezos/Guillaume Verdon’s Twitter David Sinclair’s website Olivier Oullier’s Company Alex Williamss is a contributor here Reid Hoffman’s Personal Website CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner. Music for this episode was composed by Scott Devendorf, Ben Lanz, Cobey Bienert, and Matthew Boll Listen to the soundtrack Music From The Last Invention by Devendorf Lanz The Last Invention artwork by Jacob Boll To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FIRE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is a paid sponsorship link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ezra Klein – New York Times opinion columnist and an influential voice on the American left – joins us at a hinge moment in the A.I. revolution. As artificial intelligence accelerates, Klein examines what’s at stake politically, socially, and morally: the role that government should play in shaping this technology, the disruptions he believes matter most, and how to think clearly when the landscape is shifting so rapidly. LINKS: Ezra Klein’s book Abundance The Ezra Klein Show This Changes Everything CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. Music for this episode was composed by ⁠Scott Devendorf⁠, ⁠Ben Lanz⁠, ⁠Cobey Bienert⁠, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by ⁠Jacob Boll⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. This is a paid sponsorship link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices