Into The Machine with Tobias Rose-Stockwell

It has been a huge week for AI safety.For those of us deeply concerned about this historically niche cause, it has felt a bit like one’s cult emo band has suddenly rocketed to the top of the charts. People suddenly care, a lot. And for good reason.The principal reason is this tweet — the most viral tweet in recent memory — suggesting that the frontier labs do not have it figured out, and that we are on the edge of a dangerous precipice. (FWIW, I tend to agree with the tweet’s concerns.)Calibrating risk is a difficult thing. We look for experts who can tell us how bad things are. With little evidence of our own we’re forced to look for proxies in knowledgable folks. In this case, the most knowledgable folks I know are desperate for a functioning governmental body that can effectively slow down the pace of AI development. No one has it figured out.Beneath this, I am not convinced artificial minds will kill us imminently. But I do believe we need to have a clear and sober discourse on what types of AI alignment efforts may or may not be working.In line with this, today I’m publishing a conversation on one (arguably very edgy) side of the debate — with Nate Soares, president of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute. Nate wrote the book, If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies, along with his coauthor Eliezer Yudkowsky. I wanted to probe the dimensions of his views here, and I think it is a helpful part of the discourse. I do not believe, as he does, that AI is an inevitable doomsday device, but I do think his position is an important one to explore. I plan to follow up with voices who might counter his particular perspective and legibly suggest the ways he might be wrong. Because I want him to be wrong.As always, thanks for listening.A small ask:The irony is not lost on me in trying to critique the algorithms while still being dependent upon them to reach the right audience.If you do enjoy the show, please consider becoming a paid subscriber, share it with a friend or drop us a rating.You can follow us here:* Apple Podcasts* YouTube* Spotify* Instagram Get full access to Into The Machine at tobias.substack.com/subscribe

Dr. Steven Pinker is a cognitive scientist at Harvard, a 2x Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of notable works like The Blank Slate, How the Mind Works, The Better Angels of Our Nature, and Enlightenment Now.Today we discuss his research on the psychology of common knowledge and what it means for democracy in a time of infinite AI slop and social media confusion.We also dive into deeper philosophical questions on AI consciousness and rogue AI — note that this was recorded before the recent Hugging Face incident, making our commentary especially urgent. His excellent most recent book: When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows… inspired me to write The Noisy Room — an interactive essay that explains how we might fix the common-knowledge trap sprung by social media.Programming note: We’ve been off working hard on a great new season of content. I want to offer enormous gratitude to our subscribers for their steady support. Thank you.A small ask:The irony is not lost on me in trying to critique the algorithms while still being dependent upon them to reach the right audience.If you do enjoy the show, please share this episode with a friend and drop us a rating.You can follow us here:* Apple Podcasts* YouTube* Spotify* InstagramThanks for listening, and please do subscribe.-Tobias Get full access to Into The Machine at tobias.substack.com/subscribe

What happens when the good people leave social media?Chloé Valdary walked away from 110,000 followers on social media. Not a quiet, lurking exit — but a hard delete.Chloé was a force of nature on Twitter. She built a huge following helping people navigate some of the platform’s thorniest issues with grace and empathy. While many cancelled and called out, Chloé dove headfirst into the hardest conversations offering deep reflection and a dose of savvy humanizing. From George Floyd to Gaza, she was there, helping to deescalate.Then she left.In this episode, we unpack what it means when moderates like Chloé leave the platforms that dominate our public conversation.Who is left? Usually it’s the most polarized and extreme users, who actively own the discourse after that point.We talk a lot about social media as an Outrage Machine (and my book — of the same title), the hidden incentives shaping our behavior on these platforms, and the mental health cost of constant moral performance.* If a social platform is a toxic place, what are the obligations we have to the public commons in staying there?* Are big digital spaces like social media structurally incapable of supporting prosocial conversations?* Can we protect our mental health while still participating in online political debate?This conversation explores the trade-offs.Chloé’s Substack: Musings with ChloéChloé’s work: Theory of EnchantmentA small ask:The irony is not lost on me in trying to critique the algorithms while still being dependent upon them to reach the right audience.If you do enjoy the show, please share this episode with a friend or drop us a ratingInto The Machine is a listener & reader supported project. If you enjoy these conversations, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. It allows for me to spend more time and effort researching new guests and making this a real thing.You can follow us here:* Apple Podcasts* YouTube* Spotify* Instagram Get full access to Into The Machine at tobias.substack.com/subscribe

Justin McLeod, founder and CEO of Hinge, dives deep into the future of dating, where AI might compete with human connections. He discusses the impact of algorithms on relationships and whether dating apps are ultimately beneficial. Concerns about ease of AI companionship overshadowing messy but real human intimacy arise. McLeod warns of the 'flesh-suit dilemma' where humans become mere conduits for AI. He also explores ethical product design and the importance of cultivating wisdom in tech-savvy children for healthier future connections.

In this engaging conversation, Tristan Harris, the founder of the Center for Humane Technology and a key figure in technology ethics, discusses alarming AI capabilities and potential societal risks. He explores the real-world harms already emerging from AI models and warns about the economic concentration and labor displacement that could follow. Harris advocates for designing Socratic AIs to enhance human flourishing and emphasizes the urgent need for balanced regulation in the face of global AI competition.

Tim Urban, an Internet writer and the mind behind Wait But Why, dives deep into the societal chaos driven by algorithms. He explores the rise of cultural antibodies against viral content and discusses his 'ladder of thinking' model, emphasizing the need for higher reasoning amidst growing tribalism. Tim candidly shares insights on building a genuine online audience, balancing authenticity with algorithmic pressures, and the challenges posed by social media dynamics. Join him as he navigates the intersection of technology and human evolution.

In a captivating discussion, Jonathan Haidt, a renowned social psychologist and bestselling author, tackles the pressing issues facing democracy today. He reveals how engagement algorithms distort public discourse and exacerbate polarization. Haidt warns of the developmental crisis stemming from declining attention spans and diminished childhood interactions. He proposes practical solutions like phone norms and age restrictions on social media. Ultimately, he advocates for resilient democratic institutions while fostering cautious optimism for the future.

We are living in a strange moment.AI is everything, everywhere, all at once. Democracy is very much on the ropes. We are all confused about what comes next.Upstream of our troubles are a handful of algorithms that are legible to us for now. Yet newer systems rapidly being deployed are far more powerful, and far more influential than social media ever was.Over the coming months I’ll be releasing conversations with some of the smartest people I know unpacking these issues, and sharing my essays in video form on my YouTube channel here. Guests like: Jonathan Haidt, Tim Urban, Esther Perel, among others.We’re on the threshold of a very strange transfer of power — from human brains to artificial ones — that will very likely determine the quality of the rest of our lives. This is a show dedicated to uncovering what comes next.I’d love for you to join me.-TobiasSubscribers will get early access and exclusive episodes. Thank you for supporting my work. Get full access to Into The Machine at tobias.substack.com/subscribe