In this episode of Upstream, Erik sits down with theoretical physicist and startup founder Steve Hsu. They discuss political polarization in academia, the fertility crisis, AI, and more. Make informed decision for high impact donations with GiveWell, which is offering Upstream listeners donation matching up to $100. To claim your match, go to https://www.givewell.org ➡️ pick “Podcast” and enter "Upstream with Erik Torenberg" at checkout.
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SPONSORS: Shopify | GiveWell
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GiveWell: https://www.givewell.org/
Have you ever wondered where your donation could have the most impact? GiveWell has now spent over 15 years researching charitable organizations and only directs funding to the HIGHEST-IMPACT opportunities they’ve found in global health and poverty alleviation. Make informed decisions about high-impact giving. If you’ve never donated through GiveWell before, you can have your donation matched up to $100 before the end of the year, or as long as matching funds last. To claim your match, go to https://www.givewell.org/ and pick “Podcast” and enter "Upstream with Erik Torenberg" at checkout.
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LINKS
Superfocus: https://superfocus.ai/
Othram: https://othram.com/index.html
Manifold: https://www.manifold1.com/
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X / TWITTER:
@hsu_steve (Steve)
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@upstream__pod
@turpentinemedia
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Intro
(02:21) Political polarization in academia
(05:47) The decline of meritocracy in academia
(10:00) Why can't academia change?
(13:27) Truth-seeking in startups
(20:36) Sponsors | Shopify | Givewell
(23:36) The fertility crisis
(32:11) AI and labor
(41:06) What industries are safe from AI automation?
(44:05) AI Safety vs accelerationism
(47:51) Understanding the rise of China
(58:46) The future of the US/China relationship
(01:00:41) How does Steve allocate his time?
(01:04:41) Steve's suggestions for underexplored opportunities
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Upstream is a production from Turpentine
Producer: Sam Kaufman
Editor: Michelle Poreh
For guest or sponsorship inquiries please contact Sam@turpentine.co