Advanced AI is coming. Is it time for the government to step in and regulate? Or is it better in the hands of the market and tech CEOs? Or is there a more nuanced way to think about this topic entirely? Welcome to the ANTI-DEBATE. It's debating, but with a positive-sum twist! My guests today are two of the most qualified people on either side this topic: former Trump AI advisor Dean Ball, and OpenAI researcher-turned-whistleblower Daniel Kokotajlo. Can they find a way to bridge their differences...
Apr 01, 2026•1 hr 26 min
Free speech is often treated as a political issue. But what if it’s the foundational technology that makes peaceful civilization possible in the first place? I sat down with Greg Lukianoff — free speech advocate, first amendment attorney, and longtime leader of FIRE.org — to explore why freedom of expression is humanity’s ultimate win-win innovation.Greg strongly believes free speech is at risk across the globe. It's under threat from government censorship, and from the attitudes of citizens the...
Mar 11, 2026•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 54
Which LLM is best at POKER? What about the social deception game Werewolf? This week I'm collaborating with @googledeepmind and @kaggle to explain their new “AI Game Arena” project, designed to test all the top LLMs at various games. The Game Arena is a massive research project to create new AI benchmarks, and understand what really makes these general-purpose AIs tick. It also helps us evaluate how far along the path to true AGI we are, NBD.So who better to speak to than Deepmind resear...
Feb 06, 2026•36 min
Superintelligence is predicted to arrive within a decade. If that's true, then what comes AFTER? And how can we prepare for it?Which is why I sat down with one of the few people actively thinking about this: philosopher Will MacAskill. Will heads up Forethought, a research nonprofit focused on how to navigate the transition to a world with superintelligent AI systems. He’s also a former Oxford University professor, and a co-founder of the effective altruism movement. In this special Win-Win Live...
Jan 27, 2026•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 52
What if the biggest risk from AI isn’t superintelligence gone rogue, but the inflexibility of our human institutions? My guest today, Tyler Cowen, thinks so. Tyler is a professor at George Mason university and one of the most celebrated economists in the world. And unlike many AI proponents, Tyler strongly challenges the idea that intelligence alone determines outcomes in society, and instead points to us humans as the real bottlenecks shaping our future, for better or worse. Together with my oc...
Jan 12, 2026•1 hr 52 min
What if the purpose of life is to find ways of harmonizing the forces of nature, including the nature of ourselves? My guest this week thinks so. I sat down with systems thinker and "True Human" author Samantha Sweetwater to talk about the metacrisis and the future of civilization in the age of AI. Samantha’s work bridges complexity science, indigenous wisdom, embodiment, and systems theory to explore how humans might transition from domination and extraction toward relationship, reciprocity, an...
Dec 17, 2025•2 hr 12 min
Britain was once a beacon of liberty, and the birthplace of the industrial revolution. So why is its economy floundering, while the USA is surging? Has a culture of extreme bureaucracy turned the former global powerhouse into a stagnant "nanny state"? My guest today is Katie Lam, a Member of Parliament willing to speak uncomfortable truths. From the grooming gangs scandal, to anarcho-tyranny, to an environmental planning system that prioritises newts over nuclear electricity, we learn how an ina...
Nov 25, 2025•2 hr 20 min
Capitalism has historically been our biggest blessing. But what if it's now turning into our biggest curse? Is it time to change the game? My guest today believes so. Jim Rutt is an early internet pioneer, complexity scientist, former chairman of the Santa Fe Institute, and co-founder of the Game B movement... and he has a lot to say about how our economic and technological systems have trapped us in addictive, self-reinforcing feedback loops. From smartphones engineered like slot machines to ma...
Oct 08, 2025•2 hr 31 min
Superintelligent AI is rapidly approaching, and humanity (specifically, the labs building it) is still a long way from proving it can be safely controlled. But what if that’s the wrong way of viewing the problem? Is there a way to instill values to the mutual benefit of both humans and machines? In this episode of the Win-Win Podcast, Liv sits down with Emmett Shear — Twitch co-founder, former interim CEO of OpenAI and founder of Softmax — for a groundbreaking conversation on the future of AI al...
Sep 25, 2025•1 hr 43 min
Energy is the lifeblood of civilization. Is nuclear power the source of abundant clean energy that's been under our noses this whole time? In this episode of the Win-Win Podcast, Liv sits down with Isabelle Boemeke (founder of Isodope & energy expert) to tackle the debate between abundance and degrowth, sustainability, safety & energy infrastructure concerns, AI and emerging technologies, and why biomass “renewables” are a giant planet destroying scam. We also get into some history: stor...
Aug 13, 2025•2 hr 17 min
Dominic Cummings is one of the most polarizing figures in Britain. He's a political strategist who masterminded the main campaign for Brexit. He was also Chief Advisor to Prime Minister Boris Johnson for some of his term, including through COVID. He even had Benedict Cumberbatch play him in a movie! He's also a student of systems, having worked in or around government and civil institutions all his life, which is why I wanted to talk to him, because he's someone who has seen the depth of systemi...
Jul 30, 2025•2 hr 21 min
The world is having fewer babies than ever. But how bad is this, really? What's causing it? Is there a win-win solution out there that can help people have more babies, if they want them? In this special "Win-Win Live" event, I speak to Professor Dean Spears - a demographer and economist whose research examines the impact of population decline. He's the author of the book "After The Spike" which explores why people are choosing to have fewer babies, and the stark realities it would mean if the p...
Jul 10, 2025•1 hr 41 min
Democracy is in deep trouble. Could replacing politicians with real data save it? In this episode Liv sits down with Jamie Joyce – founder of the Society Library — to explore one of the most urgent questions of our time: how do we make sense of complex issues in the age of misinformation, algorithmic bias, and AI slop?We hear what happens when you treat information not as content to consume, but as infrastructure to build. Jamie shares how her nonprofit is transforming fraught topics—from nuclea...
Jun 17, 2025•1 hr 43 min•Ep. 43
Humanity is in a race to build superintelligent AI gods. What happens if we create beings smarter than us—and can no longer steer them? In this special Win-Win IRL episode, Liv Boeree sits down with Anthony Aguirre (CEO of Future of Life Institute) and Malo Bourgon (CEO of MIRI) for a no-holds-barred conversation on finding alignment, avoiding power concentration and surveillance states, and the geopolitical implications of the race to AGI. Questions include: Why can’t the market be trusted to s...
May 21, 2025•1 hr 8 min
What if AI isn’t replacing us—but redefining what it means to be skilled? Liv talks with engineer and educator Harper Carroll about how AI is transforming education, leveling the playing field for creators, and reshaping how we build, learn, and make decisions. A grounded look at the tools, challenges, and surprising upsides of the AI era, as well as a personal exploration of the spirituality (or lack of it) in Silicon Valley. Chapters 01:04 - Intro & Harper’s Story 04:58 - Growing a Followi...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 39 min
Factory farming is one of the most universally loathed industries on Earth —so why is it still growing? Today I chat with Lewis Bollard, a leading researcher in farm animal welfare and global food policy, to understand the true scale and impact of industrial animal agriculture, and what we can do to improve it. We hear how corporate lobbying and political corruption have allowed the normalization of practices so harmful to both human and animal health they will take your breath away… including i...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 48 min
AI is developing at breakneck speed—but are we properly prepared for what’s coming? To explore this question Igor and I grabbed leading AI researcher and forecaster Daniel Kokotajlo for a conversation about why he left OpenAI, what's right and wrong with their company culture, and how tabletop wargames are one of the best tools we have to prepare for AGI and superintelligence in the current hyper-competitive environment. Learn how these simulations—often used by militaries—can help us better for...
Apr 03, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 39
Protests, lock-ins, encampments…the culture on university campuses is certainly fraught these days! As political discourse worsens among young people, I couldn’t think of anyone better to explore this issue with than Manu Meel . Manu is the founder and CEO of Bridge USA ; a movement to help students and other young people engage in constructive dialogue and disagreement to improve the quality of politics and democracy, and in this conversation we hear his powerful journey from pre-med student to...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 30 min
In this episode of the Win Win Podcast, Liv and Igor sit down with Wait But Why creator Tim Urban to explore everything from his unexpected pet tortoise, Winston, to the mind-bending implications of superintelligent AI.We hear about his latest foray into book writing, and how he’s structured his workflow to overcome his damn procrastination monkey. The crew also discuss such classics as free will, parenthood and the current state of (un) freedom of speech in the UK. Fun stuff. Chapters:0:00 - In...
Mar 13, 2025•1 hr 37 min
A deep dive into the game theory and exponential growth underlying our modern economic system, and how recent advancements in AI are poised to turn up the pressure on that system -- and our wider environment -- in ways we have never seen before. Not a conversation for the faint hearted, but crucial nonetheless. Daniel Schmachtenberger is a founding member of The Consilience Project, a research organization aimed at improving public sense-making around global catastrophic risks and technology. Th...
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 30 min
In this episode of the Win-Win podcast we are floating off the coast of Starbase, watching the live launch of Starship 6 with Bill Perkins. Bill is a founder of two satellite imaging companies that aim to address environmental issues by making satellite data—once inaccessible to the public—widely available, revolutionizing everything from climate monitoring to illegal fishing enforcement. We also see a rocket launch, and Liv cries (again). Something for everyone. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 2:17 - L...
Jan 29, 2025•24 min
Explore the future of cooperation and technology in this thought-provoking episode of the Win Win Podcast ! Liv chats to Allison Duettman from the Foresight Institute about how to harness emerging technologies like AI, nanotechnology, and blockchain to create a freer, more coordinated world. They explore concepts like "existential hope," "multipolar active shields," and "Pareto-topia," along with strategies for fostering decentralized cooperation. Allison shares her insights on navigating Moloch...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 35
n case you missed it, Liv just won a record-breaking $2,800,000 in the World Series of Poker last month In this episode, she and Igor discuss her victory, why it represents a win-win for both her and animals... how to fix social media... Magnus Carlsen's jeans drama, a drunken game of backgammon and much more. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro and Backgammon 2:45 - Liv’s World Series of Poker Win 10:19 - Liv’s Charity Pledge & Cultivating Win-Wins 14:15 - The Physics of Women’s Feet 17:06 - Addressing ...
Jan 09, 2025•52 min•Ep. 34
The Botez sisters are no strangers to competition. But how do they manage their competitive urges? How does it affect their relationship to one another, as sisters? These are just some of the many intimate topics we cover in today's Win-Win episode. Best known for their hilarious chess streaming videos, Andrea and Alexandra Botez are some of the world's most celebrated gamers - born into a household that demanded excellence, they both competed on the chess circuit to a high level before turning ...
Dec 22, 2024•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 33
How fast is the AI race really going? What is the current state of Quantum Computing? What actually *is* the P vs NP problem? - former OpenAI researcher and theoretical computer scientist Scott Aaronson joins Liv and Igor to discuss everything quantum, AI and consciousness. We hear about his experience working on OpenAI's "superalignment team", whether quantum computers might break Bitcoin, the state of University Admissions, and even a proposal for a new religion! Strap in for a fascinating con...
Dec 04, 2024•2 hr 25 min•Ep. 32
How do we escape Moloch’s trap for good? In this special Burning Man edition of Win-Win, Liv forgoes the usual purple chairs for dusty playa to chat with Kristian Rönn. Kristian is the CEO and co-founder of Normative, a platform for helping industries strive for net zero emissions. With intellectual roots in Oxford’s Future of Humanity Institute and his own mission to create positive-sum solutions to climate change, Kristian has just launched a new book - The Darwinian Trap - and in this convers...
Oct 31, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 31
Can we still accurately model elections in such chaotic times? Are prediction markets the future of news? Nate Silver thinks so - Nate is a renowned election analyst, author and former professional poker player. He's the founder of FiveThirtyEight, whose statistical models revolutionized election forecasting, earning him national acclaim. His two books "On The Edge: The Art of Risking Everything." and "Signal in Noise" are inspirations for today's Win-Win conversation with Liv and Igor. We discu...
Oct 03, 2024•1 hr 35 min
Open-source movements have historically been a great source of collaboration. Can we harness the power of open source software, science or AI to help solve the world's coordination problems? Or could it just make everything worse? This is the main topic covered in today's episode of the Win-Win Podcast. Liv is joined by Peter Wang, a physicist, computer scientist, and founder of Anaconda, one of the most widely used open source platforms for Python development. Peter leads Anaconda’s AI Incubato...
Sep 17, 2024•2 hr 40 min•Ep. 29
What are the key ingredients of successful long-term relationships? How can couples better navigate conflict? What about jealousy? In this very personal Win-Win episode, professional poker couple Liv and Igor discuss what they've learned from the ten years of dating each other. Prepare yourself for plenty of strategy, anecdotes and smack talk! Chapters 00:00:00 - Intro 00:01:29 - Secret Ingredient? 00:04:26 - Dumbbell Theory 00:07:59 - The Power of Banter & Radical Honesty 00:11:22 - Dealing...
Aug 16, 2024•50 min•Ep. 28
Is complexity the new frontier of physics? How should we approach metaphysical uncertainty? What makes a great Physicist? These are just some of the questions covered in this Win-Win episode with the incredible Sean Carroll. Sean is a theoretical physicist and philosopher who specializes in quantum mechanics, cosmology, and philosophy of science. Chapters 00:01:59 - New Discoveries of the Webb Telescope 00:11:05 - Complexity The New Frontier in Physics 00:16:42 - How Physicists See The World 00:...
Jul 25, 2024•1 hr 59 min
