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
Check out Erik's interviews with:
Samo Burja: https://youtu.be/wLwppfZH0R0
Bryan Kaplan: https://youtu.be/fH2OKLFNHw0
Ezra Klein: https://youtu.be/l1vBO8SYvto
TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Episode Preview
(02:00) How Sam characterizes his worldview
(06:25) The great founder theory
(10:47) Between AI safety concerns and e/acc beliefs, where does Samuel fall on AI?
(14:24) What would Sam say to LIbertarians?
(15:00) Sponsor: NetSuite
(17:11) What can we learn from Mormonism about AI risks and regulations
(20:19) AI leveling the playing field
(24:00) Instead of libertarian, AI is communitarian
(26:10) Lessons of Mormonism for adapting to technological revolutions
(29:00) Do right or left beliefs qualify as a religion, with their own institutions?
(39:57) Humanism, grey goo, and why waste is good
(43:40) Mental model for government dysfunction
(47:09) The think tank ecosystem and how influence really work in DC?
(49:53) Samuel’s interesting disagreements with: Balaji Srinivasan, Robin Hanson, Tyler Cowen, Bryan Caplan
(51:27) What’s the best argument for pluralism?
(51:48) Ezra Klein and Chris Caldwell actually make the same argument about polarization
LINKS:
https://www.thefai.org/
https://www.secondbest.ca/
X/ TWITTER:
@hamandcheese
@joinfai
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@upstream__pod
SPONSOR:
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