About this episode

Anthony Aguirre discusses the importance of building AI tools that enhance human capabilities rather than replacing them.

Anthony Aguirre is the CEO of the Future of Life Institute. He joins the podcast to discuss A Better Path for AI, his essay series on steering AI away from races to replace people. The conversation covers races for attention, attachment, automation, and superintelligence, and how these can concentrate power and undermine human agency. Anthony argues for purpose-built AI tools under meaningful human control, with liability, access limits, external guardrails, and international cooperation. LINKS: A Better Path for AI What You Can Do CHAPTERS: (00:00) Episode Preview (01:03) Attention, attachment, automation (13:58) Superintelligence power race (26:39) Escaping replacement dynamics (40:15) Pro-human tool AI (53:30) Guardrails and verification (01:03:24) Defining pro-human AI (01:10:37) Agents and accountability (01:17:28) International AI cooperation (01:25:28) Rethinking AI alignment (01:32:43) Optimism and action 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…

People in this episode

Host: Future of Life Institute

Guest: Anthony Aguirre

Topics covered

• AI tools
• human agency
• superintelligence
• international cooperation
• automation
• power dynamics

Keywords

• AI
• human control
• superintelligence
• automation
• power concentration
• international cooperation
• pro-human AI

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Future of Life Institute

Books & works: A Better Path for AI

More episodes of Future of Life Institute Podcast

• Why AI Chatbots Are a Rival to the Family (with Michael Toscano) · May 26, 2026 · 1h 14m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Future of Life Institute Podcast podcast page.