Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps SZEPS WORLD TOUR - SAM HARRIS on Making Sense of Life
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Aug 5, 2025 
Sam Harris, an influential podcaster and neuroscientist known for championing mindfulness, dives into some intense topics. He tackles the responsibility of podcasters in voicing controversial ideas while questioning the ethics of AI and its impact on warfare. Harris discusses the complexities of consciousness, ethical dietary choices, and his personal stance on sensitive social issues. His fearless engagement with topics like jihad and modern ideologies reveals a captivating journey through reason and the challenges of navigating critical conversations in today's world.
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AI Alignment Challenges
- Sam Harris warns that the AI alignment problem has worsened because AI systems were connected to the internet from the start.
- He fears misuse of AI spreading misinformation making governance difficult even if AI were perfectly aligned.
Intelligence Requires Autonomy
- General intelligence implies autonomy including the possibility for manipulation and deception.
- Sam Harris sees true intelligence as necessarily encompassing autonomous goals, not just task execution.
Define Clear AI Rules
- We need to be cautious in defining rules for AI to follow as our understanding is limited.
- Carefully programming AI to prioritize human welfare is essential but difficult due to unknown unknowns.