How AI Can Help Humanity Reason Better (with Oly Sourbut)

How AI Can Help Humanity Reason Better (with Oly Sourbut)

From Future of Life Institute Podcast by Future of Life Institute

January 20, 2026 · 1h 18m

About this episode

Oly Sourbut discusses how AI can enhance human reasoning and judgment.

Oly Sourbut is a researcher at the Future of Life Foundation. He joins the podcast to discuss AI for human reasoning. We examine tools that use AI to strengthen human judgment, from collective fact-checking and scenario planning to standards for honest AI reasoning and better coordination. We also discuss how we can keep humans central as AI scales, and what it would take to build trustworthy, society-wide sensemaking. LINKS: FLF organization site Oly Sourbut personal site CHAPTERS: (00:00) Episode Preview (01:03) FLF and human reasoning (08:21) Agents and epistemic virtues (22:16) Human use and atrophy (35:41) Abstraction and legible AI (47:03) Demand, trust and Wikipedia (57:21) Map of human reasoning (01:04:30) Negotiation, institutions and vision (01:15:42) How to get involved PRODUCED BY: https://aipodcast.ing SOCIAL LINKS: Website: https://podcast.futureoflife.org Twitter (FLI): https://x.com/FLI_org Twitter (Gus): https://x.com/gusdocker LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/future-of-life-institute/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-rCCy3FQ-GItDimSR9lhzw/ Apple: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1170991978 Spotify…

People in this episode

Host: Future of Life Institute

Guest: Oly Sourbut

Topics covered

  • AI
  • human reasoning
  • collective fact-checking
  • scenario planning
  • trustworthy AI
  • sensemaking

Keywords

  • AI
  • human reasoning
  • fact-checking
  • scenario planning
  • trustworthy AI
  • sensemaking

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Future of Life Foundation

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