The AI Apocalypse Cometh?

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.

Agency, AI, and the MAGA Impulse

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Using AI to Fight Cancer

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.

The Life and Legacy of William F. Buckley

Robert Wright talks with Sam Tanenhaus, author of a sweeping new biography of Buckley, about the conservative icon’s influence and impact, from moving the GOP rightward to foreshadowing the age of Trump and Tucker Carlson.

China Hawks in Retreat?

In conversation with Robert Wright, Kaiser Kuo, host of the Sinica Podcast, argues that China hawkism has waned and assesses the causes and consequences.

Larry Summers, Jeffrey Epstein, and Other Elite Malefactors

Robert Wright and psychologist Paul Bloom discuss the latest Epstein developments—including the Steve Bannon and Larry Summers revelations, whether MAGA can survive the fallout, and more!

Will One AI Rule Us All?

Robert Wright and Alex Komoroske, co-founder and CEO of Common Tools, discuss OpenAI’s business model and Alex’s plan to save us from its implications.

Is Reality Falling Apart?

Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov discuss Trump 2.0, Peter Thiel, Russia-Ukraine, Covid, “inner emigration,” deepfakes, and other ways disorder has become the new normal.

Pax Americana?

Robert Wright debates the uses and misuses of American military power with Shadi Hamid, author of the new book The Case for American Power.

Zohran, Epstein, and Two Decades of Bob and Mickey

Two decades after Bloggingheads.tv debuted, Robert Wright and Mickey Kaus look back on the blog era—and also discuss this week’s election results, Tucker-Fuentes, the AI bubble, and (of course) Jeffrey Epstein.

Tucker Carlson, Nick Fuentes, and the Gatekeeper Question

Robert Wright and Paul Bloom discuss whether podcasts and other DIY media have put an end to gatekeeping and speech codes. Plus: Tucker for prez? William F. Buckley as proto-MAGA; and more!

Trump-Xi Truce, Gaza Ceasefire & Other Sketchy Deals

Robert Wright and American Prestige hosts Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner discuss the US-China trade talks, the state of the Gaza ceasefire, Bill Gates’s climate change of heart, and more!

The Trump Doctrine

Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov discuss what the ongoing assault on Venezuela says about the president’s foreign-policy agenda—and his mind.

The US-China Microchip-Minerals Showdown

Paul Triolo of the Albright Stonebridge Group and AIStackDecrypted on Substack joins Robert Wright to unpack the latest on the Trump-Xi trade war—plus: how we got here and where things could go next.