Dwarkesh Podcast AMA ft. Sholto & Trenton: New Book, Career Advice Given AGI, How I'd Start From Scratch
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Mar 25, 2025 
Join AI researchers Sholto Douglas and Trenton Bricken for an engaging discussion on the intricacies of artificial intelligence. They dive into the challenges AI faces in connecting ideas and the implications for tech careers. Sholto reveals insights from his new book on AI’s evolution, while Trenton shares unique career advice inspired by AGI. The conversation meanders through humorous takes on podcast guest selection, and the qualities needed to lead an AI lab, all served with a side of beard maintenance tips!
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Connecting Disparate Fields
- LLMs haven't demonstrated the ability to connect disparate fields like humans can, exemplified by Donald Swan's magnesium-migraine discovery.
- Current LLM training focuses on next-word prediction, hindering their ability to form meaningful connections across diverse topics.
Career Advice in the Age of AGI
- Focus on increasing individual leverage with AI tools in the next few years.
- Deep technical knowledge will still be valuable as managing AI agents becomes crucial.
Guest Selection Criteria
- Dwarkesh chooses podcast guests based on personal research interest rather than popularity.
- His most popular episodes often feature lesser-known experts like Sarah Payne and David Reich.
