The Last Invention
The Last Invention

The Last Invention

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The AI revolution has begun – the product of a seventy-year quest by scientists, mathematicians, and visionaries who set out to build machines that could think. But what began as a fringe idea has now become one of the most powerful forces of the 21st century. This is the story of that journey: its rivalries, its competing visions of utopia and apocalypse, and the race to build what may be humanity’s last invention.

Recent Episodes

The AI Skeptics
FEB 20, 2026
The AI Skeptics
In this episode, we dive into the views of the people who think the AGI race is being oversold, misunderstood, or misframed. As you’ll hear, we break them down into three distinct camps: “AI Is Grift” (a tech-industry con), “Wrong Path” (LLMs can’t reach AGI without new ideas), and “AI as Normal Technology” (powerful, but adoption will be slow and institution-bound). Through interviews with Ed Zitron, Gary Marcus, and Princeton’s Arvind Narayanan, the episode argues that the real fight isn’t just about capability—it’s about incentives, architecture, and how human systems actually change. FEATURING: Ed Zitron, Gary Marcus, Arvind Narayanan LINKS: ⁠Ed Zitron’s website/podcast Ed Zitron’s newsletter “Where’s Your Ed At” Gary Marcus’s most recent book, “Taming Silicon Valley” Gary Marcus’s Substack Arvind Narayanan’s most recent book, “AI Snake Oil” Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor’s paper “AI As Normal Technology” CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Matthew Boll, Seth Andrews, Ethan Mannello, and Carmen Hilbert Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠Scott Devendorf⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Ben Lanz⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by ⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. This is a paid sponsorship link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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75 MIN
EP 8: The Accelerationists
NOV 20, 2025
EP 8: The Accelerationists
Meet the accelerationists: a rising movement that believes expediting AI development is not only inevitable but morally necessary – humanity’s best chance at transcending its limits. What happens when the world’s most powerful technologists treat AI progress as a duty rather than a danger? THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Olivier Oullier, Guido de Croon, Alex Williams, Reid Hoffman, Guillaume Verdon/“Beff Jezos” LINKS: Beff Jezos/Guillaume Verdon’s Twitter David Sinclair’s website Olivier Oullier’s Company Alex Williamss is a contributor here Reid Hoffman’s Personal Website CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner. Music for this episode was composed by Scott Devendorf, Ben Lanz, Cobey Bienert, and Matthew Boll Listen to the soundtrack Music From The Last Invention by Devendorf Lanz The Last Invention artwork by Jacob Boll To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FIRE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is a paid sponsorship link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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53 MIN
EP 7: The Scouts
NOV 13, 2025
EP 7: The Scouts
A decade ago, the leading minds in AI gathered to make sure this technology would benefit everyone. Today, those hopes are colliding with the reality of an AI arms race. Today, game theorist Liv Boeree and philosopher William MacAskill lay out what they see as the “narrow path” between a future of limitless potential and one of irreversible loss. THIS EPISODE FEATURES: Max Tegmark, Nick Bostrom, Liv Boeree, William MacAskill LINKS: Max Tegmark’s book “Life 3.0, Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence” Nick Bostrom's book "Superintelligence" Liv Boeree’s Website Liv Boeree’s Podcast William MacAskill’s book “What We Owe the Future” CREDITS: This episode of The Last Invention was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Gregory Warner, Andrew Parsons, Megan Phelps-Roper, Matthew Boll, Seth Temple Andrews, and Ethan Mannello. It is hosted by Gregory Warner Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Scott Devendorf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben Lanz⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and Matthew Boll The Last Invention artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND NEWS⁠:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠groundnews.com/invent⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get 40% off unlimited access to global coverage of the stories shaping our world. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FIRE⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ This is a paid sponsorship link Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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55 MIN