Making Sense with Sam Harris - Subscriber Content #453 - AI and the New Face of Antisemitism
47 snips
Jan 16, 2026 
Judea Pearl, a Turing Award-winning computer scientist and advocate for Jewish identity, discusses profound connections between AI and antisemitism. He explains why current AI models fall short of achieving true AGI and explores the pressing cultural challenges surrounding alignment in AI. Drawing from his personal tragedy, Pearl addresses the alarming rise of anti-Zionism post-October 7, the historical roots of antisemitism, and the need for defending open societies against modern threats, all while promoting practical solutions for peace in the Middle East.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Scaling Limits Of Current LLMs
- Judea Pearl argues LLM scaling alone won't produce AGI because they summarize human-authored world models rather than discover causal structures.
- He claims mathematical limits prevent crossing from correlation to causation without new inputs or breakthroughs.
Take AGI Risk Seriously And Fund Safety
- Prepare for existential risk by acknowledging that AGI could become a dominating species without known theoretical controls.
- Invest in research on control and alignment because we currently lack technical instruments to predict or ensure safety.
Doha Meeting And The Israel Precondition
- After Daniel Pearl's murder, Judea Pearl launched dialogues between Muslims and Jews and traveled widely to foster understanding.
- In Doha (2005) he found modernization discussions stalled because some delegates insisted Israel be removed first.
