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Nonzero (The Wright Show)

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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. Play entire video

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Nonzero (The Wright Show)

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.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

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.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

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)

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.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

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.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

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.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Malley—a lead negotiator for Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal with Iran—and Robert Wright discuss what kind of deal between Trump and Iran is conceivable and what kinds of leverage both sides have.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

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.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

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.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

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)

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)

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)

Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov discuss whether AI could help resolve international conflicts as the world edges toward catastrophe. Plus: Trump’s “act of war” in the Strait of Hormuz, a case for an Iranian tollgate, the AI model so dangerous Anthropic delayed its release, and more.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Shakeel Hashim, editor of the Transformer newsletter, joins Robert Wright to assess Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and Demis Hassabis—and to discuss the senses in which their character does and doesn’t matter.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Wright and The Free Press reporter Eli Lake debate the Iran war in light of the history that brought us here—from the 1953 coup and its aftermath to the origins of Hamas and Hezbollah to Obama’s nuclear deal, to the Gaza war, etc.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Curt Mills and Andrew Day of The American Conservative join Robert Wright to discuss the state of the war, hopes for ending it, Trump’s psychology, the Israel lobby’s role, the future of MAGA, and more.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Wright and ControlAI founder and CEO Andrea Miotti discuss the dynamics propelling us toward artificial superintelligence and how we can keep control of our future.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Wright and journalist Ron Kampeas discuss the (il)logic of the Iran war, Joe Kent’s resignation, the MAGA rift over the Iran war, whether anti-antisemitism efforts are backfiring, and more.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Wright and AI pause advocate (and Doom Debates host) Liron Shapira discuss Claude Code, OpenClaw and other AI developments—and whether they’ve brought us closer to doom. Plus: A civil(-ish) debate on Israel-Palestine.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Wright and British–Israeli Middle East expert Daniel Levy discuss Bibi’s aims for the Iran war—and how he’s using the Trump moment to pursue them. Plus: Iran’s strategy, Israel’s ongoing radicalization, the Gulf States’ dilemma, and more.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Hooman Majd, author of the memoir Minister Without Portfolio, joins Robert Wright to discuss Iran’s strategic goals, the prospects for regime survival, and the US’s missed opportunities for entente with Iran.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Wright and Peter Beinart, publisher of The Beinart Notebook, discuss how Trump and Bibi’s war with Iran risks fueling antisemitism. Plus: Tucker vs Fuentes on Israel, the ADL’s counterproductive speech policing, the Epstein effect, and more.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner of the American Prestige podcast join NonZero’s Robert Wright to discuss evolving US war aims and their chances of success.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov unpack the logic—and illogic—behind Israel’s and America’s strikes on Iran. Plus: the dopamine theory of MAGA foreign policy, how the Anthropic story got buried by the bombings, and more.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Wright and Middle East expert Joshua Landis discuss the logic (or lack thereof) behind air strikes—and the implications for the US, Israel, and the wider region.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Holly Elmore, executive director of PauseAI US, makes the case for naming and shaming people who are fueling an AI race whose perils they understand

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Robert Wright and Paul Bloom discuss whether reports of AI acceleration are greatly exaggerated—and what’s at stake if they’re not. Plus, in Overtime: Bob’s Epstein files cameos and Paul’s big news.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Nikita Petrov argues MAGA and similar movements are collective responses to a felt lack of agency. Robert Wright warns AI is about to make that feeling universal. Plus: Spanish rituals as a survival model, the “Claude Code hangover,” and Bob’s case for slowing AI development down.