New Podcast Launch

Walter Isaacson launches podcast to examine AI builders including Elon Musk.

“ai is the most transformative technology we've had maybe since the advent of electricity, 130 years ago”

Podcast Guests

The Builders features open ai co-founder elon musk, palantir co-founder peter thiel, fei-fei li, anthropic co-founders dario and daniela amodei, palantir ceo alex karp, and ocular vr creator palmer luckey.

AI Transformation

Isaacson says ai is the most transformative technology since electricity, 130 years ago, happening so fast he wanted a timely deep dive.

“ai is the most transformative technology we've had maybe since the advent of electricity, 130 years ago”

Podcast Details

Podcast launched october 20 with musk episode, continues twice weekly into january, with isaacson taping more interviews through fall.

Isaacson's Background

Isaacson is known for steve jobs and elon musk biographies, including his 2023 release of elon musk which drew criticism for not fully interrogating musk's darker side.

Musk and AI

Musk internalized asimov novels as a kid, worried about robots turning against us, started openai, and had a falling out with sam altman.

Musk's Current State

Musk is prone to demon mode, great engineering triumphs, imagination, and dark conspiratorial political views, especially after buying twitter.

Guest Insights

Peter thiel has been demonized through talks about the antichrist, making technology polarizing and divisive despite pushing it forward.

Autonomous Agents

Isaacson wants to know why companies build autonomous agents if they can't control them, but guests say it's a competitive environment.

AI Safety Concerns

Guests think ai needs guardrails, regulation, or self-regulation, but governments react too slowly to these issues.

Current AI Fascination

Public fascination with ai figures stems from backlash against technology removing control of lives and creating a small group in control without checks.

Steve Jobs Philosophy

Isaacson argues we must return to steve jobs' philosophy of tight human-machine partnership, not ai that replaces human creativity.