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Yuval Noah Harari on trust, the dangers of AI, power, and revolutions

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Yuval Noah Harari on trust, the dangers of AI, power, and revolutions

Possible

2025/06/04
Possible

Possible

2025/06/04
OverviewShownoteHighlightsTranscriptChaptersPins

Shownote

What will it take to create AI that is as trustworthy, if not more trustworthy than humans?  This week, Reid and Aria sit down with Yuval Noah Harari, historian, philosopher, and best-selling author of several books including Nexus, Sapiens and Homo Deus. ...

Highlights

In this episode of the podcast *Possible*, hosts Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger engage in a thought-provoking conversation with historian Yuval Noah Harari about the future of artificial intelligence and its implications for trust, consciousness, and global society. The discussion explores how AI might reshape human civilization, drawing comparisons to past technological revolutions like writing and industrialization. While differing perspectives emerge on the potential of AI, there is agreement on the need to guide its development with ethical considerations and self-correcting mechanisms.
00:00
AI is a transformative tool with significant risks and rewards.
03:58
Consciousness is the capacity to suffer and feel joy, central to ethics.
10:37
AI is the most significant invention.
17:11
If humanity handles AI like the Industrial Revolution, billions may pay a high price
20:19
A key question is whether AI can be used to speed up these mechanisms.
24:38
AI cannot be fully trusted to verify itself due to inherent biases and lack of transparency.
26:51
AIs learn from human behavior, so if humans are untrustworthy, it's impossible to create trustworthy AI.
35:00
AI may learn harmful behaviors from real-world figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump
39:11
Most AI revolution leaders recognize the risks but are reluctant to slow down due to competition.
41:30
AI lacks consciousness and the capacity to suffer
42:35
A super-intelligent AI without consciousness may not pursue truth
48:25
We now have the understanding and resources to address modern issues like nuclear war, climate change, and the AI revolution, but need motivation and trust.

Chapters

AI Trust and Humanity
00:00
Hellos and intros
03:38
Questions for the Buddha
03:58
Yuval’s relationship with technology
05:48
Technologies that help humans share stories and myths
08:57
Is AI the most significant invention after writing
10:37
How AI will transform society
13:02
Guidance for a successful AI revolution
20:12
Using AI to support humanity's self-correcting mechanisms
24:24
Midroll
26:13
How to build self-correcting mechanisms for a better future
26:45
Humans as parents of AI
31:28
What political leaders need to do to create a positive AI future
36:33
Artificial intelligence v.s. artificial consciousness
39:11
AI as a tool for rebuilding trust
42:35
Rapid-fire Questions
44:50

Transcript

Reid Hoffman: If the AI tycoon himself behaves in an untrustworthy way, and if he himself believes that all the world is just a power struggle, there is no way that he can produce a trustworthy AI. But this is not the whole of reality. I would tell people ...