AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Economist Podcasts
The Intelligence: The Economist reads
Dec 28, 2023
Oliver Morton, the Planetary Affairs Editor for The Economist, and Shashank Joshi, the Defence Editor, dive into the insights literature offers on pressing societal issues. They discuss how 'A Space Odyssey' reflects our anxieties about AI, while Shakespeare's 'Othello' serves as a cautionary tale for today's political landscape. The conversation links historical wars, like the Yom Kippur conflict, to modern strategies and highlights the fragility of democracy, drawing parallels with contemporary political figures and global struggles.
35:41
Episode guests
AI Summary
Highlights
AI Chapters
Episode notes
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Exploring different aspects of artificial intelligence, science fiction books like '2001: A Space Odyssey' and 'I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream' shed light on AI's potential for self-awareness and its impact on human society.
- Books such as 'The Control of Nature' and 'The Yom Kippur War' provide valuable insights into human efforts to control nature and the lessons learned from historical conflicts, emphasizing the need to adapt to our changing environment and the role of military strategies in shaping the outcomes of wars.
Deep dives
Books that explore AI in science fiction
In the podcast episode, the speaker discusses several science fiction books that delve into the topic of artificial intelligence. Some notable mentions include '2001: A Space Odyssey' by Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick, 'The Life Cycle of Software Objects' by Ted Chang, 'I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream' by Harlan Ellison, and 'Queen of Angels' by Greg Bear. These books explore different aspects of AI, from its potential for self-awareness to its impact on human society.
Get the Snipd
podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any
moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share
& Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover
highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode