Episode 578: X-Risk Premium

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

Okay, let's talk about something now that seems futuristic, but actually it isn't anymore. I'm talking about AI, artificial intelligence. I recently watched a Fox News segment where the host discussed how AI is quickly advancing to the point where it can replicate human emotions, generate your friend's voices, and even act as sort of a therapist or counselor. Elon Musk put it this way. He said that AI could end up becoming an immortal dictator from which we would never escape. Now, am I suggesting that AI is the Antichrist? No, but could it be a part of the End Times Scenario? I think it's very possible. As a matter of fact, the Bible tells us that Antichrist is going to erect an image of himself in the Rebuilt Temple. Remember I said that a few moments ago.

And he's going to commend people to worship it and it's going to somehow be animated. That sounded so futuristic a long time ago.

Now with the advances in robot technology, AI technology and more, it doesn't seem far-fetched at all.

Liz Franczak (1:38)

Hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, I'm Liz. I'm producer Young Chomsky. And this is True Anon.

Astra Taylor (1:44)

Hello.

Liz Franczak (1:45)

Hi. We're in the studio.

Astra Taylor (1:47)

It's nice.

Liz Franczak (1:47)

It's so nice. Also, because Bryce isn't here.

Astra Taylor (1:50)

That's why it's nice or?

Liz Franczak (1:51)

Well, it's one of the reasons why it's nice.

Naomi Klein (1:53)

Yeah.

Liz Franczak (1:53)

Or maybe it isn't, but I'm saying it's nice, and I've noticed that he's not here. We're doing a lot of things that we haven't done in a while or that we haven't done ever. I've never been, not to be gendered about it again, but I've never been the only man in this studio with three women.

Naomi Klein (2:07)

Yes.

Liz Franczak (2:08)

Did you feel, were you intimidated?

Astra Taylor (2:10)

I was thinking my job is to amplify women's voices.

Liz Franczak (2:13)

Sure, literally.

Naomi Klein (2:14)

Yeah.

Liz Franczak (2:15)

And you did.

Naomi Klein (2:15)

Right.

Liz Franczak (2:17)

And now you can go home.

Naomi Klein (2:18)

I can't wait.

Liz Franczak (2:21)

We do have, it is ladies, it's ladies' lunch hour here on True Anon. Even though we did this before lunch.

It's crazy. Yeah. Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor. It is like a true, yeah, ladies' moment.

Astra Taylor (2:35)

Yeah.

Liz Franczak (2:36)

It's... And I support it. I'm, you know what? And thank you.

Astra Taylor (2:39)

You're welcome.

Liz Franczak (2:42)

I think we have a great conversation. They have a new book out, End Times Fascism. There was actually so much to talk about. And I feel like, unfortunately, they had a, cause they're quite busy running around for the book. We could have gone for a lot longer. I'm kind of sad we didn't get to, but I think we talked about a lot of really good stuff here. Yeah, covered a lot of ground.

But I just kind of want to get right into it. Let's go.

I always prefer just starting the conversation, and then it's sort of like, oh, mid-conversation, I forgot to introduce you. It's Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor, authors of End Times Fascism And the Fight for the Living World. And you see how I did that, and it was just, that's how you know the pro is back in the studio. This is my first time back in the studio in so long. I'm so happy to have you both here to do that. For us to go on this journey. We were talking right before we started recording. We were saying that this is just such an opportune time for you guys to be doing this book, to be talking about this book, for this, the book came out today, when it seems like basically over the weekend, the national conversation is now completely focused on the threat of human extinction by killer robots, not by climate change, which is something that you've been working on for a long time. How does like, how do you even, you know, start to approach talking about this book while everyone is kind of, I feel like everyone's kind of coming into this conversation that you guys have been having for some time?

Astra Taylor (4:32)

Yeah, this is Astra. Should I say that so people know our voices? In a way, it feels like it's just letting people in on the world we've been in together as we've been writing this, right? Like we have been in the throes of following this discourse around human extinction and the end of the world and well, the I annihilate humanity as we've been writing this book.