E91: Trump, AI, and US-China Relations with Samuel Hammond and Nathan Labenz

In this episode of Moment of Zen, Erik Torenberg is joined by Samuel Hammond (@hamandcheese), a senior economist at the Foundation for American Innovation and AI Scout/ Cognitive Revolution podcast host Nathan Labenz (@labenz). From drug innovation to nuclear risk, they discuss the impact of AI on policy and governance, exploring the challenges and opportunities of a Trump vs. Harris presidency. From drug innovation to nuclear risk, they dissect the impact of AI on policy and governance, exploring the challenges and opportunities of a Trump vs. Harris presidency. -- 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj - RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast -- SPONSORS: 💻 Building an enterprise-ready SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Vercel, Perplexity, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-TCR 🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/zen 📈 More than 37,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. If you're looking for an ERP platform, get a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program on NetSuite: netsuite.com/102 💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist. -- LINKS: Samuel Hammond Essays * The EA case for Trump 2024: https://www.secondbest.ca/p/the-ea-case-for-trump-2024 * AI and Leviathan: Part I: https://www.secondbest.ca/p/ai-and-leviathan-part-i * A Manhattan Project for AI Safety: https://www.secondbest.ca/p/a-manhattan-project-for-ai-safety Books: * Asymmetric Politics: How the New Right Became Resurgent in American Politics by Matthew Grossmann and David Hopkins * The New Class War by Michael Lind * The Great Stagnation by Tyler Cowen * The Singularity Is Near by Ray Kurzweil -- FOLLOW US ON X: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @hamandcheese (Samuel)  @labenz (Nathan) @turpentinemedia (Turpentine) TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Introduction (01:08) Samuel's Perspective on Trump: Focus on Innovation (03:54) Nathan's Perspective on Trump: Focus on Tail Risks (07:55) Governing Philosophies and Party Structures (14:53) The Need for Understanding AI on Its Own Terms (20:48) The Potential for AI to Reform the Administrative State (21:38) Sponsor: Babbel | WorkOS (29:34) The Dissonance Between Idealism and Reality (32:33) Sponsor: NetSuite| Squad (37:54) The Potential for a Crisis-Driven AI Policy (48:56) The Case for a Trump Administration in Light of Past Policies (1:13:20) The Risks of an AI Arms Race (1:28:28) The Potential for a Shared AI Future (1:47:56) The Need for a Pause in AI Development (1:57:02) The Limits of Individual Leadership and the Importance of Institutional Change (1:58:17) The Hypothetical Scenario of Trump Ordering a Nuclear Strike (2:02:02) The Need for Outsider Leadership