28 January 2026
The Case Against AI
Alex Hanna and Emily Bender, co-authors of the book The AI Con, join Robert Wright to discuss and debate AI—including whether LLMs are more than “stochastic parrots” (a term Emily coined), AI's present and future impact on society, and more.
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In this video:
- Alex and Emily’s book, The AI Con
- Beyond the AI booster-doomer spectrum
- What—and who—is AI actually useful for?
- The AI productivity question(s)
- Emily: AI won’t take your job, it’ll just make it shi**ier
- Stochastic parrots, Chinese rooms, and semantics
- Are LLMs really black boxes?
- Do AIs “understand” things?
- Debating using AIs as experts
- How “neural” are neural nets, really?
The Past and Future of Digital Media
Robert Wright talks with Mike Pesca, host of the long-running daily podcast The Gist, about new technological challenges to independent journalists and the perils of opining on Israel.
The Minneapolis Shooting Rorschach Test
Robert Wright and Paul Bloom discuss the killing of Renee Good—and what it says about the state of the nation. Plus: Trump & Hitler compared (carefully); Elon & a madman compared (less so); Should professors fear AI?
AI Consciousness: The Hard Problem
Robert Wright and AI researcher Cameron Berg discuss whether AIs are (or may someday be) sentient–including why it matters, why it’s such a hard question to answer, and what Cameron’s innovative LLM experiments tell us about it.
Is Space Still the Final Frontier?
Robert Wright and Joel Achenbach, author of a recent Slate deep dive on America’s new moon program, discuss the history and future of NASA—and its Elon-friendly new chief. Plus: The prospects for a Star Trek future, Mars, aliens, and more.
What Era Are We Living In?
Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov grapple with the weirdness of our time—discussing whether Covid broke reality, the alienness of AI, the prospect of human obsolescence, why we need planetary unity pronto, and more!
Elon, Trump, Fuentes: Bad Men or Trolls or Both?
Robert Wright and Paul Bloom discuss the Brown shooting and Rob Reiner’s murder—and how Musk and Trump responded to them. Plus: Susie Wiles gone wild, Morgan/Fuentes, the Oliver Sacks revelations, and more.
The Hard Truth about Peace in Ukraine
Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov discuss the state of Russia-Ukraine—including the latest on peace negotiations and whether Trump’s bargaining strategy is working; the military and economic realities; Zelensky’s corruption scandal and political future; what the Blob is “thinking”; and more.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
New World Disorder
Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner of the American Prestige podcast join NonZero’s Robert Wright to discuss Trump’s latest foreign policy eruptions.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
AI After Us
Robert Wright and Daniel Faggella, host of the podcast The Trajectory, discuss the fate of humankind in a world of increasingly powerful AI—including the “succession” scenario.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
2025: A Year-End (And Quarter-Century-End) Reckoning
Robert Wright and Paul Bloom look back on the past year, and the past quarter century, and ahead to 2026—and 2050.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Does Trump have a coherent foreign policy?
Robert Wright reviews the year in US foreign policy with Connor Echols of Responsible Statecraft and Andrew Day of The American Conservative.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Venezuela, China, and Trump’s Incoherence
American Prestige podcast hosts Danny Bessner and Derek Davison join Robert Wright in trying to make sense of the second Trump administration’s foreign policy, one year in.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
The Life and Legacy of William F. Buckley
