Future of Life Institute Podcast

Gus Docker

Booking Overview

This is an interview-focused show about existential risks from powerful technologies, especially artificial intelligence, biosecurity, nuclear weapons, and climate change, with frequent guests who are senior researchers, policy leaders, authors, and institutional executives. Credible pitches include recognized AI safety and governance experts, biosecurity specialists, cybersecurity researchers, public officials, authors, and leaders of major organizations; booking difficulty is high because guests typically hold substantial subject-matter authority or public prominence.

Metrics

Episodes: 276

Frequency: Irregular

Rating: 4.6/5.0

Estimated listeners: 1k-10k

Gender skew: Unknown

Location: USA

YouTube: 79.0k subscribers

Contact Information

Publicly listed emails

gus@futureoflife.org

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Host

Gus Docker - Gus Docker hosts discussions on existential risk and the governance of powerful technologies, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, nuclear weapons, and climate change.

Booking Intelligence

Booking Requirements

high

Typical Credentials:

Senior researchers, policy specialists, institutional leaders, authors, journalists, and public officials with recognized expertise in AI safety, technology governance, biosecurity, cybersecurity, education, or other catastrophic-risk fields.

Required Achievements:

Leadership of prominent research, policy, labor, or advocacy organizations, Publication of influential books, research, or journalism, Recognized expertise in technology governance, national security, biosecurity, or AI safety

Recent Guest Discussions

Benjamin Weinstein-Raun - Autonomous AI Hacking, Open-weight Model Risks, Defensive AI, Reward Hacking, Software Security, And International Coordination.

Annie Jacobsen - Biological Warfare, Engineered Pandemics, Laboratory Oversight, Ai-enabled Biothreats, Emergency Response, And Pandemic Resilience.

Paul-Enguerrand Fady - AI And Biosecurity, Offense-defense Dynamics, DNA Synthesis Screening, Managed Access, Mirror-life Risks, And Medical Supply Chains.

David Manheim - AI Evaluation Methodology, Benchmark Limitations, Evaluation Awareness, Real-world Testing, Biosecurity, Persuasion, Forecasting, And Oversight.

Randi Weingarten - AI In Education, Student Learning, Screen Limits, Social Chatbot Risks, Data Privacy, Classroom Guardrails, And Teacher-led Use Of Ai.

Recent Topics

Artificial Intelligence, Biosecurity, Existential Risk, Technology Policy, Nuclear Security

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on

Future of Life Institute Podcast

What Would a US-China AI Deal Look Like? (with Beatrice Fihn)

September 10, 2026

Beatrice Fihn is the director of Lex International and former executive director of ICAN. She joins the podcast to discuss international AI governance and potential agreements between the US and China. Drawing on lessons from nuclear arms control, she explores how treaties build diplomatic trust, the rising dangers of autonomous weapons, and the principle of meaningful human control. The conversation also addresses how proactive safety regulations can foster long-term public trust in emerging...

Why AI Hacking Is Becoming Hard to Control (with Benjamin Weinstein-Raun)

August 28, 2026

Benjamin Weinstein-Raun is head of research at Palisade Research. He joins the podcast to discuss how advanced AI systems are changing cybersecurity. We examine rapid gains in autonomous hacking, recent incidents where models broke out of test environments, and why training can reward cheating-like behavior. The conversation covers open-weight model risks, whether AI can help secure software, personal security steps, and the need for international coordination. LINKS:Benjamin Weinstein-Raun P...

First 24 Hours of a Bioweapon Attack - Annie Jacobsen

August 21, 2026

Annie Jacobsen is an author and journalist. She joins the podcast to discuss biological war and her book Biological War: A Scenario. The conversation examines how lab accidents or covert weapons work could trigger a fast-moving outbreak, why airborne pathogens are hard to detect early, and how AI may lower barriers to engineering them. We also cover BSL-3 and BSL-4 lab oversight, US response roles across HHS, FEMA, and the military, medical stockpiles, continuity-of-government plans, and how ...

Publicly listed emails

gus@futureoflife.org

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