12 June 2026
The AI Lobby’s Dirty Tricks
Tyler Johnston, founder of the Midas Project, joins Robert Wright to discuss the funding and activities of the group Build American AI. Plus: Elon’s OpenAI grievance, the singularity, and more.
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Trump’s Iran War Merry-Go-Round
Robert Wright and American Prestige hosts Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner discuss the state of the US-Iran conflict, Trump’s midterm prospects, Russia-Ukraine updates, Victoria Nuland’s “monster” theory of diplomacy, the Pope on AI, and more.
The Pope Takes On AI
Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov discuss Pope Leo XIV’s warnings about AI’s role in war and consolidation of power, and look at how Ukraine’s drone-powered “Kill Zone” is changing rules of warfare.
Can Rituals Save Us?
Robert Wright and Bruce Feiler, author of Walking the Bible and the Council of Dads, gather to discuss the role of ritual in humanity’s past, present and future—the subject of Bruce’s new book, A Time to Gather: How Ritual Created the World—and How It Can Save Us.
Understanding Iran
Social scientist Hamidreza Azizi, author of The Axis of Resistance, joins Robert Wright to discuss the forces that shaped the Iranian regime and its attitude toward the US and Israel.
Is the AI Takeoff Starting?
Timothy B. Lee, author of the Understanding AI newsletter and host of the AI Summer podcast, joins Robert Wright to discuss whether AI is a “normal technology” or something much, much more.
Trump Lost the Hormuz Round
Robert Wright explains why Iran won the latest round in Hormuz and why Trump’s counter-blockade was never going to work. Nikita Petrov reports on a domestic crisis brewing inside Russia—with drone attacks, mobile internet shutdowns, and frustration boiling up where it didn’t before.
Why Mattering Matters
Rebecca Newberger Goldstein, author of the new book The Mattering Instinct, joins Robert Wright to discuss the human need to justify one’s own existence, the different ways we do that, and how these differences can divide us.
The Future of Intelligence
Psychologist Paul Bloom joins Robert Wright to discuss Paul’s cute new baby, our uncertain AI future, whether eugenics is making a comeback, whether intelligence is overrated, and more.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
The Secret of AI’s Power
Psychologist Paul Bloom, author of the Small Potatoes newsletter, assesses Robert Wright’s forthcoming book The God Test: Artificial Intelligence and Our Coming Cosmic Reckoning.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Seeing China Clearly
Trans-Pacific tech watcher Tianyu Fang joins Robert Wright to take a close look at China—including how the government works (and doesn’t), online censorship, how China sees AI and the chip war, the legacy of the one-child policy, and more. Plus: Silicon Valley’s hawkish turn.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Rethinking China
Zhengyu Huang, author of the new book Rethinking China, joins Robert Wright to discuss whether prevailing US narratives about China—on IP theft, chips, AI, Taiwan, human rights, and more—hold up to scrutiny.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
The New Middle East
Annelle Sheline of the Quincy Institute and Robert Wright look at ways the Iran war could change the Middle East. New fissures among Gulf states? New Turkey-Iran bonding? Israel’s Waterloo? America’s?
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Mythos and the Future of AI Arms Races
Tech analyst Lennart Heim joins Robert Wright to discuss Mythos, the new superhacking AI from Anthropic, and what it means for US-China relations and global stability.
Nonzero (The Wright Show)
Can Trump and Iran Make a Deal?
