Podcast Notes Key Takeaways

• Synthetic biology will be first to deliver world-ending capability to individuals
  • Just think forward – it’s probably safe to say that a desktop DNA synthesizer from the year 2038 will be capable of things that the entire synthetic biology project is capable of today
  • A single individual, if they chose to do so, would be able to wipe out the entire species
• Consider the worst possible synthetic biology attack being something that wiped out humanity
  • If something like this was attempted, and ended up being a failure (say it only killed 1% of the population) – it would still cripple society
• But it gets even worse…
  • If today, a synthetic biology attack were to sicken only 1% of the population (not kill), most cities don’t even have a fifth that much hospital bed capacity
• The “Ender”
  • This is the term Naval coined for an individual trying to kill everyone on earth
  • What’s the best way to stop “enders”? – Make sure there aren’t any in the first place
    • How do we do this? – Make sure NOBODY GOES UNLOVED
      • “At some point, if someone tries to end the world, it will be because they weren’t loved enough”
• What’s the point of talking about all these potential negative outcomes from AI, synthetic biology, mass terrorism etc.?
  • In a sense, we’re training the “societal immune system” to have some awareness and concern about these potential occurrences
  • Awareness > no awareness

Read the full notes @ podcastnotes.org

A rampage killer with a knife can kill a few. With a gun, dozens. With a jetliner, way more. What might future tech enable? In Part Two of our conversation, Naval and I discuss "The Ender."And how to preclude this monstrosity.