Neal Stephenson on AI, Rome, and How Civilizations Decline
From Old School with Shilo Brooks by The Free Press
April 9, 2026 · 49 min
About this episode
Neal Stephenson discusses the decline of civilizations and the implications of AI in modern society.
Neal Stephenson, the prophetic author of cyberpunk classics like Snow Crash and The Diamond Age, has shaped how we imagine the future, from the metaverse to crypto to AI. His science fiction has a way of becoming reality. But Stephenson’s thinking is just as rooted in the past, returning to timeless questions of empire and decline. In this episode, he joins Shilo to discuss Edward Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, a sweeping work that has captivated readers from Winston Churchill to Iggy Pop. Was Rome undone by barbarians, Christianity, decadence, or elite failure? And what do those patterns reveal about our own age of technological upheaval—and the risks of AI? Old School is proudly brought to you by the Jack Miller Center. If you believe in the importance of civic education and want to help prepare the next generation to carry on our democracy, join us at JackMillerCenter.org. Become a paid subscriber to The Free Press today to enjoy exclusive bonus episodes and reduced ads. Click here to subscribe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Shilo Brooks
Guest: Neal Stephenson
Topics covered
- AI
- civilizations
- decline
- Roman Empire
- technological upheaval
- cyberpunk
- civic education
Keywords
- Neal Stephenson
- AI
- Roman Empire
- Edward Gibbon
- cyberpunk
- civic education
- technological upheaval
Sponsors
Jack Miller Center
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Free Press
Books & works: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
More episodes of Old School with Shilo Brooks
- Walter Isaacson on the Sentence That Created America · June 11, 2026 · 53 min
- The WWII Novel That Explains America · June 4, 2026 · 55 min
- Agatha Christie and the Kidnapping That Inspired Her Greatest Mystery · May 28, 2026 · 55 min
- Inside the Supreme Court with Amy Coney Barrett · May 21, 2026 · 51 min
- A New Series From The Free Press | The Lindbergh Conspiracies · May 19, 2026 · 43 min
- Roald Dahl: Genius and Bigot · May 7, 2026 · 49 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Old School with Shilo Brooks podcast page.