80k After Hours

Nick Joseph, an expert at Anthropic, dives into the intricacies of AI safety policies. He discusses the Responsible Scaling Policy (RSP) and its pivotal role in managing AI risks. Nick expresses his enthusiasm for RSPs but shares concerns about their effectiveness when not fully embraced by teams. He debates the need for wider safety buffers and alternative safety strategies. Additionally, he encourages industry professionals to consider capabilities roles to aid in developing robust safety measures. A thought-provoking chat on securing the future of AI!

Jonathan Birch, an expert in sentience, dives into intriguing discussions on the history of neonatal surgery sans anesthesia and the misconceptions surrounding pain in newborns. He sheds light on the complex link between fetal sentience and abortion, arguing for bodily autonomy in advocacy. The conversation delves into the ethical stakes of neural organoids and the potential for AI sentience through computational emulation. Birch also champions the importance of citizen assemblies in policymaking, highlighting the value of public perspectives in scientific ethics.

Sella Nevo, a frontier AI models expert, delves into the precarious world of AI security. He discusses the critical need to protect model weights and the risks of unauthorized access. Drawing parallels to the notorious SolarWinds hack, he highlights vulnerabilities in machine learning infrastructure. Nevo also sheds light on nation-state threats exploiting weaknesses and the dangers of side-channel attacks. Additionally, he reveals how everyday USB devices can pose significant security risks, even for seasoned users.

Vitalik Buterin, a leading voice in blockchain and cryptocurrency, shares his insights on defensive accelerationism and the challenges of AI regulation. He emphasizes the need for democratic governance in tech and explores bio-defense lessons from the pandemic. The conversation touches on community solutions, like Community Notes, and innovative funding through quadratic voting. Buterin also reflects on a philosophy of 'half-assing' life, advocating for moderation over absolute commitment in various aspects of self-improvement.

Sihao Huang, an expert on US-China AI dynamics, explains the fast-paced advancements in Chinese AI and the implications for global safety. He discusses how China’s growing capabilities may lead to competitive tensions, with risks of human rights violations and state control. Huang emphasizes the need for dialogue between the US and China to foster collaboration on AI safety. He warns that unchecked AI development could exacerbate authoritarian regimes, urging a critical examination of how these technologies might reshape governance and democracy.

Annie Jacobsen, national security expert, discusses the chaos post a North Korean nuclear attack on the US, exploring decision-making complexities and the inevitability of escalation. Delving into Russian vs American missile warning systems, secretive war plans, and the catastrophic effects of a super EMP strike.

Maria Gutierrez Rojas discusses 80k's aesthetics, religion, bad billionaires, and org challenges. Topics include balancing aesthetics vs functionality in art, loneliness, moral dilemmas, making med school tuition free, transitioning to a permanent position at ADK, reflections on philanthropy, navigating uncertainty in discussions, and the enigma of 'Club Club'. Experiences with Christianity and Catholicism are also shared.

Carl Shulman, an expert on government and society after AGI, discusses AI advisors' potential role in handling the COVID-19 crisis, the reasons for not supporting enforced pauses in AI research, value lock-in, how democracies prevent coups, and building trust between adversaries regarding AI models. Opportunities for listeners are also highlighted.

Carl Shulman, an expert on the economy and national security post-AGI, discusses the impact of AI on the workforce, advantages of robot nannies, economic growth rates post-AGI, historical production comparisons, building restrictions on housing costs, revenue generation through construction, skepticism towards future transformations, and income and wealth distribution in a post-AI world.

Philosopher Eric Schwitzgebel discusses nested consciousness in the US, challenging intuitive thinking and exploring dream experiences. The conversation delves into emergent consciousness in ants, reliability of human intuition, and the moral significance of dreams, questioning the boundaries between wakefulness and dreams.