Samuel Hammond is a Canadian-born, DC-based senior economist for the Foundation for American Innovation, a think tank focused on bridging the cultures of Silicon Valley and DC. His research focuses on innovation and the institutional impact of disruptive technologies. He is an unconventional thinker and writer (Substack: https://www.secondbest.ca/) who participates in nuanced dialogue with different thinkers across economics, tech, policy, and philosophy. In this conversation we discuss Sam’s views on AI, mental models for his worldview, polarization, and how political influence really works. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/upstream

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TOPICS:
How Sam characterizes his worldview
The great Founder theory
What does regulation look like after
Between AI safety concerns and E/Acc beliefs, here does Samuel fall on AI?
What would Sam say to LIbertarians?
What can we learn from Mormonism about AI risks and regulations
AI “Leveling the playing Field”
Instead of Libertarian, AI is communitarian
Lessons of Mormonism for adapting to technological revolutions
Do right or left beliefs qualify as a religion, with their own institutions?
Mental model for government dysfunction
The think tank ecosystem and how influence really work in DC?
Why are our government institutions failing?
Samuel’s interesting disagreements with: Balaji Srinivasan, Robin Hanson, Tyler Cowen, Bryan Caplan
What’s the best argument for pluralism?
Ezra Klein and Chris Caldwell actually make the same argument about polarization

LINKS:
thefai.org
https://www.secondbest.ca/

X/ TWITTER:
@hamandcheese
@joinfai
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@upstream__pod

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