The James Altucher Show AI That Helps, Schools That Don’t, and How Not to Go Crazy with Prof. Brian Keating
Nov 22, 2025
Join astrophysicist Brian Keating as he unwraps his experiences and insights. He shares practical AI workflows that enhance productivity while maintaining personal voice. Brian critiques the broken state of higher education, revealing alarming findings on basic skills in math. He warns against outsourcing happiness to politics, emphasizing the importance of focusing on health and relationships. Dive into fascinating anecdotes from UC San Diego and NYC politics, and learn how to use AI effectively in daily life.
01:41:08
Loft Event With Mixed Tones
- Brian and James recount speaking at a Midtown loft event with comedians and public figures.
- The tone ranged from morbid from Michael Rappaport to lighthearted jokes from James and Brian.
Slogans Hide Bad Incentives
- Political slogans often mask incentives that ruin cities when implemented.
- Good intentions in policy can create perverse incentives and long-term decline if misapplied.
Remedial Findings At UCSD
- Brian describes UCSD remedial math findings showing alarming gaps in basic algebra among some undergraduates.
- He notices a marked decline in preparation compared with exchange students who outperform native freshmen.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app 1 chevron_right 2 chevron_right 3 chevron_right 4 chevron_right 5 chevron_right 6 chevron_right 7 chevron_right 8 chevron_right 9 chevron_right 10 chevron_right 11 chevron_right 12 chevron_right 13 chevron_right 14 chevron_right 15 chevron_right 16 chevron_right 17 chevron_right 18 chevron_right 19 chevron_right 20 chevron_right 21 chevron_right
Intro
00:00 • 1min
Election Day Loft Event and Speakers
01:25 • 2min
Why Some Voters Back Controversial Candidates
03:51 • 3min
Politics, Slogans, and Policy Consequences
06:56 • 3min
Don't Outsource Your Happiness to Politics
10:04 • 10min
UCSD Remedial Math Study Explained
20:22 • 2min
How Could Calculus Passers Miss Basic Algebra?
22:24 • 4min
Admissions, Standards, and Administrative Problems
26:41 • 8min
Why Many Professors Resist AI for Students
35:05 • 4min
Ad break
39:02 • 29sec
James on College Value and Career Trade-offs
39:31 • 6min
How AI Should Be Taught to Students
45:21 • 2min
Practical AI Use Cases and Workflows
47:16 • 9min
AI Hallucinations and 'Mad‑Bot' Disease
55:51 • 11min
Training Personal 'Style' Bots and Limits
01:06:22 • 3min
Ad break
01:09:42 • 4min
Economic Value, AI Adoption, and Job Effects
01:13:30 • 10min
Books, Publishing, and Self‑Publishing Tradeoffs
01:23:14 • 12min
Science Communication, Theories, and Nobel Culture
01:35:33 • 6min
Closing Topics: Moon Landing, UFOs, and Next Steps
01:41:05 • 4min
Outro
01:44:57 • 30sec
#21066
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
The Choose Yourself Guide to Wealth
James Altucher
#22718
• Mentioned in 2 episodes
Into the Impossible, Volume 2
Focus Like a Nobel Prize Winner
Brian Keating
#1066
• Mentioned in 28 episodes
How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big
Kind of the Story of My Life
Scott Adams
In 'How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big,' Scott Adams shares his personal story of numerous failures and how he transformed them into lasting successes.
Adams challenges conventional career advice by advocating for systems over goals, emphasizing the importance of personal energy, and highlighting how a combination of mediocre skills can be surprisingly valuable.
He recounts his experiences in the corporate world, his inventions, investments, and other ventures, offering practical tips such as prioritizing creative work, managing attitudes, and using affirmations.
The book is filled with humor and valuable insights into human psychology and the role of luck in achieving success.
#346
• Mentioned in 62 episodes
Jab, jab, jab, right hook
How to Tell Your Story in a Noisy, Social World
Gary Vaynerchuk
In 'Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook,' Gary Vaynerchuk provides a blueprint for effective social media marketing.
The book explains the 'jab, jab, jab, right hook' method, where 'jabs' are the value-providing content and interactions that build relationships with customers, and the 'right hook' is the call to action or sales ask.
Vaynerchuk stresses that to succeed, businesses must understand their audience, adapt content to specific social media platforms, and build trust through consistent value delivery.
The book includes concrete examples from major social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and highlights the importance of storytelling and context in social media marketing.
#561
• Mentioned in 44 episodes
The art of learning
An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance
Josh Waitzkin
The Art of Learning takes readers through Josh Waitzkin’s unique journey to excellence in both chess and Tai Chi Chuan.
The book explains how a well-thought-out, principled approach to learning separates success from failure.
Waitzkin discusses how achievement is a function of a lifestyle that fuels a creative, resilient growth process.
He shares his methods for systematically triggering intuitive breakthroughs, honing techniques, and mastering performance psychology.
The book also emphasizes the importance of embracing defeat, making mistakes work for you, and turning weaknesses into strengths.
It is divided into sections that cover his rise in chess, his transition to Tai Chi, and the similarities in preparation and execution between the two disciplines.
#3360
• Mentioned in 11 episodes
Skip the Line
The 10,000 Experiments Rule and Other Surprising Advice for Reaching Your Goals
James Altucher
In 'Skip the Line', James Altucher shares his personal journey from struggling and depressed to achieving his personal, financial, and creative dreams.
The book challenges the 10,000-hour rule of achieving mastery and instead advocates for the '10,000 Experiments Rule'.
Altucher provides tools and strategies to help readers execute ideas, become expert negotiators, attract attention, scale promising ideas, and improve leadership.
He emphasizes the importance of curiosity, embracing fear, and constant growth, encouraging readers to navigate uncertainty and find success by doing what comes naturally and loving what they do.
#1134
• Mentioned in 27 episodes
Choose Yourself
James Altucher
In 'Choose Yourself,' James Altucher argues that the traditional paths to security such as college, employment, and retirement are no longer viable.
He advocates for individuals to take control of their own lives, focusing on building physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.
The book provides actionable steps for personal growth and creating a fulfilling career and life on one's own terms.
Altucher emphasizes the importance of doing what you enjoy, surrounding yourself with positive people, and continually expanding your horizons to achieve success and happiness.
#935
• Mentioned in 31 episodes
TRIBE OF MENTORS
Tim Ferriss
In 'Tribe of Mentors', Tim Ferriss collects and shares deep, meaningful, and life-changing tips and hacks from a diverse group of mentors.
These mentors include iconic entrepreneurs, elite athletes, artists, and billionaire investors.
The book is structured around a set of 11 questions that Ferriss asked these mentors, covering topics such as morning routines, overcoming failure, achieving work-life balance, and reassessing priorities.
It offers a rich tapestry of experiences and viewpoints, ensuring there is something valuable for readers from all walks of life.
#115
• Mentioned in 130 episodes
Mastery
Robert Greene
In 'Mastery', Robert Greene argues that mastery is not an innate talent but a skill that can be developed through a rigorous process.
The book outlines several key stages: finding your life's task, undergoing an ideal apprenticeship, finding the right mentor, acquiring social intelligence, and fusing intuitive with rational thinking.
Greene draws on the lives of historical and contemporary masters such as Mozart, Einstein, and Temple Grandin to illustrate his points.
He emphasizes the importance of deep practice, self-directed learning, and the ability to read and navigate social dynamics.
The book challenges the conventional notion of genius as a genetic gift and offers practical steps for anyone to achieve mastery in their chosen field.
#495
• Mentioned in 48 episodes
A Brief History of Time
From the Big Bang to Black Holes
Stephen Hawking
In 'A Brief History of Time', Stephen Hawking delves into fundamental questions about the universe, including its origin, the nature of space and time, and the fate of the cosmos.
The book discusses key concepts such as the Big Bang, black holes, and the theories of general relativity and quantum mechanics.
Hawking also explores the possibility of time travel and wormholes, and he reflects on the intersection of science and philosophy, including the search for a unifying theory of everything and the implications for our understanding of existence and the universe.
#2877
• Mentioned in 13 episodes
Into the Impossible
Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner
James Altucher
Barry C. Barish
Brian Keating
This book distills the wisdom of nine Nobel laureates, highlighting the importance of soft skills like communication and curiosity in achieving greatness.
It emphasizes collaboration and perseverance as key factors in scientific success and personal growth.
#7115
• Mentioned in 5 episodes
The Icarus Deception
How High Will You Fly?
Seth Godin
In 'The Icarus Deception: How High Will You Fly?', Seth Godin uses the myth of Icarus to argue against the conventional wisdom of playing it safe.
Godin points out that while the myth warns against flying too high, it also cautions against flying too low, which can be just as dangerous.
He encourages readers to unleash their artistic and creative potential, arguing that in a world where machines are taking over routine tasks, human creativity and passion are the keys to success.
The book emphasizes the importance of taking risks, defying corporate and cultural myths, and creating one's own path rather than following the traditional corporate ladder.
#476
• Mentioned in 50 episodes
Turning pro
tap your inner power and create your life's work
Steven Pressfield
In 'Turning Pro,' Steven Pressfield provides a practical and inspirational guide for entrepreneurs and creatives to shift from an amateur mindset to a professional one.
The book is divided into three parts: the first describes the addictive nature of the amateur, the second paints a vision of what it means to be a pro, and the third focuses on cultivating professionalism.
Pressfield emphasizes the importance of overcoming fear, self-doubt, and procrastination, and adopting habits such as discipline, regularity, and a constant striving for excellence.
He also discusses the concept of 'shadow careers' and the need to align one's work with their true calling for authentic fulfillment.
#866
• Mentioned in 33 episodes
Losing the Nobel Prize
A Story of Cosmology, Ambition, and the Perils of Science’s Highest Honor
Brian Keating
In 'Losing the Nobel Prize,' Brian Keating recounts the story of the BICEP2 experiment's detection of what was initially believed to be evidence of gravitational waves from the Big Bang.
However, the findings were later disputed due to potential interference from intergalactic dust.
Keating reflects on the competitive and often ruthless world of modern science, arguing that the Nobel Prize system hampers scientific progress by encouraging speed, competition, and greed over collaboration and innovation.
He proposes reforms to the Nobel Prize criteria, including the possibility of posthumous awards and greater recognition for serendipitous discoveries.
The book is a blend of personal history, scientific narrative, and a critical examination of the Nobel Prize's impact on science.
Episode Description:
James sits down with astrophysicist Brian Keating for a candid, useful tour through three hot zones: how to think about AI (and where it actually helps), what’s broken in higher ed and admissions right now, and why outsourcing your mood to politics is a losing strategy. You’ll hear first-hand stories (from UC San Diego classrooms to New York City politics), specific ways James and Brian really use AI daily, and a simple framework for protecting your attention and happiness—even when everything feels polarized.
What You’ll Learn:
- A practical AI workflow you can copy today (research prompts, personal “style” bots, and where LLMs fail at original insight).
- A filter for political noise that keeps 99% of your happiness anchored in health, family, friends, and work you control.
- What the UCSD admissions/placement findings really mean for preparation and standards (and why “remedial” can mask deeper gaps).
- A simple admissions/common-sense principle: standards matter; “portfolio” evaluation shouldn’t ignore basic skills.
- How to use AI without losing your own voice—James’ test for “write it in my style” and why generic outputs still fall short.
Timestamped Chapters:
- [02:00] Loft event stories, comedy beats, and setting the tone for a heavy topic.
- [05:00] NYC politics, leadership, and the “why would they vote for him?” question.
- [07:32] Slogans vs. reality: chants, charters, and what words actually imply.
- [09:30] Economics that sound nice vs. incentives that ruin cities.
- [12:00] “Don’t outsource your happiness to politicians.” A sanity reset.
- [20:48] Inside UCSD’s placement data: how did calculus passers miss first-grade algebra?
- [30:02] Standards, SATs, and what “remedial” hides (plus grade inflation).
- [77:49] How James and Brian actually use AI; “mad-bot disease” and why voice still matters.
Additional Resources
- Brian Keating's "Monday M.A.G.I.C." Newsletter
- Brian Keating — personal website
- Losing the Nobel Prize: A Story of Cosmology, Ambition, and the Perils of Science’s Highest Honor by Brian Keating
- Into the Impossible: Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner by Brian Keating
- Into the Impossible Volume 2: Focus Like a Nobel Prize Winner
- University of California, San Diego — Brian Keating faculty page
Topics & Documents Mentioned
- UC San Diego Admissions/Placement Working Group report (PDF). UCSD Senate
- Coverage of UCSD preparedness findings
- Hamas charters (1988; 2017 update) & “Intifada” context
- Matt Wolfe — AI tutorials (site & YouTube)
- Book.sv - AI book recommendations based on books you've read.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.