Anja Manuel on AI, China, and national security

What role can AI play in international diplomacy and national security?

In this episode, Reid and Aria sit down with Anja Manuel, a former diplomat, author, and one of the leading voices in AI and foreign policy. She has the unique ability to bridge the gaps between technology, policy and diplomacy. They discuss international AI governance, China, potential threats of bio-terrorism, and the strategic decisions that the US and its allies must make to navigate this complex landscape of innovation with regulation.

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/ 

For the referenced Possible episode featuring Kim Stanley Robinson: https://link.chtbl.com/8YMsBlzg

Topics:

1:21 - Episode introduction 

3:44 - Hellos and intros 

4:38 - Where the U.S. and China rank in the Great AI Race

6:09 - Deepseek explainer

7:27 - Which technologies the U.S. should prioritize

9:05 - Why it’s important for the U.S. to stay in the lead

10:41 - How to maintain that lead

16:27 - Current examples of AI in national security work 

18:30 - Impediments to further integrating AI

20:13 - How to connect national security to cutting edge technology 

24:35 - The potential risks to incorporating AI

28:50 - Midroll ad 

28:55 - How to stay safe against the risks 

32:05 - The helpfulness of AI Safety Institutes

33:25 - International treaties for AI

36:11 - The current U.S.-China relationship

38:50 - How to return to a more positive relationship

41:28 - The economic race 

43:25 - Anja’s advice for the new administration

45:01 - Key players and swing states

50:24 - How to make a cyber treaty work 

52:57 - Rapid-fire questions 

Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. These conversations also showcase another kind of guest: AI. Whether it's Inflection’s Pi, OpenAI’s ChatGPT or other AI tools, each episode will use AI to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.