Manifold
- Episodes
- 175
- Released
- every two weeks
- Latest episode
- Nov 5, 2026
About the podcast
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Join him for wide-ranging conversations with leading writers, scientists, technologists, academics, entrepreneurs, investors, and more.
Contributors
Episodes 175
Machine God at the University of Chicago– #124
The student AI club sponsored a private screening of Machine God on Oct 24, 2026. This is the Q&A, led by Sohan Hormuzdiar.Chapter Markers:(00:00) - Meeting Nick Land (02:25) - Andreessen and Accelerationism …
Show notes
The student AI club sponsored a private screening of Machine God on Oct 24, 2026. This is the Q&A, led by Sohan Hormuzdiar.
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Meeting Nick Land
- (02:25) - Andreessen and Accelerationism
- (05:06) - Philosophy Meets AI
- (17:06) - Doomers Dreamers and Control
- (30:13) - Why Make This Film
- (32:59) - AI As New Religion
- (35:12) - Techno Capital And Acceleration
- (47:20) - Alignment Careers And Closing
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring! https://mechanize.work/b/hsu
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
AI and Mathematics, from Beijing – #123
Special episode recorded in Beijing. Steve discusses the future of mathematics in light of recent AI breakthroughs, the state of AI in China, and some thoughts on China's innovation economy.Chapter …
Show notes
Special episode recorded in Beijing. Steve discusses the future of mathematics in light of recent AI breakthroughs, the state of AI in China, and some thoughts on China's innovation economy.
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Beijing walk
- (03:44) - OpenAI Shocks Math World
- (07:11) - Will Humans Quit Math
- (11:01) - Tao Versus Yau Visions
- (12:38) - Building Hard Math Data
- (13:56) - China AI Ecosystem, US AI bubble and P (Doom)
- (15:58) - US-China AI competition
- (21:52) - Hangzhou meeting and financial markets
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
AI Boom or Bust? – #122
Are we in an AI bubble? Steve reviews analysis on CapEx, AI revenues, OAI+ANT burn rates. AI revenue has to reach $trillions per annum within the next few years (an increase of > 10x; compare total global …
Show notes
Are we in an AI bubble?
Steve reviews analysis on CapEx, AI revenues, OAI+ANT burn rates. AI revenue has to reach $trillions per annum within the next few years (an increase of > 10x; compare total global software revenue of $1.5T today), or else the current CapEx spend will turn out to be a huge misallocation.
Separately, even if total AI revenue reaches these levels, OAI and ANT could still be overvalued due to revenue/margin compression from competition with other US or Chinese labs.
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Conference Takeaways
- (03:21) - AI Capability Leap
- (07:36) - Both Things True
- (08:46) - CapEx Debt Risks
- (10:31) - Trillion Revenue Hurdle
- (18:32) - Spend Plateau Signals
- (31:45) - IPO and Bubble Fallout
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Effort News and AI-Driven Journalism with Brian Chau – #121
Brian Chau is a mathematician, machine learning specialist, and the founder of Effort News, an independent media outlet focused on data-first, document-led investigative …
Show notes
Brian Chau is a mathematician, machine learning specialist, and the founder of Effort News, an independent media outlet focused on data-first, document-led investigative journalism.
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Intro
- (03:14) - Network School Fallout
- (14:17) - Effort News Origins
- (17:24) - AI Reporting Workflow
- (35:41) - Medicare Medicaid Momentum
- (37:05) - Epstein Files AI Law
- (43:27) - Biolabs Base Rates Debate
- (47:27) - Business Model And AI Math Finale
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Machine God: Hsu, Greer, Huang – #120
Machine God is a feature-length AI documentary film, created by Steve Hsu, John Greer, and Lei Huang. This episode discusses the film's creation and content.Chapter Markers:(00:00) - Meet the Filmmakers (02:06) …
Show notes
Machine God is a feature-length AI documentary film, created by Steve Hsu, John Greer, and Lei Huang. This episode discusses the film's creation and content.
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Meet the Filmmakers
- (02:06) - Berkeley AI Boomtown Origins
- (19:23) - Techno Capital and the Pause Plea
- (38:55) - Why Slow Down AI
- (41:40) - Recursive Self Improvement
- (46:01) - Gradual Disempowerment
- (51:48) - Film Release and Closing
–Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
How to Build a Research Institute: Thomas Fink of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences – #119
Dr. Thomas Fink is an Anglo-American physicist, author, and entrepreneur who serves as the founding Director of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences (LIMS).He studied physics at Caltech, where he won …
Show notes
Dr. Thomas Fink is an Anglo-American physicist, author, and entrepreneur who serves as the founding Director of the London Institute for Mathematical Sciences (LIMS).
He studied physics at Caltech, where he won the Fisher Prize, and earned his PhD at Cambridge University. His research focuses on statistical physics, combinatorics, and evolvable systems, using these tools to gain insights into physical and biological systems.
In 2011, Dr. Fink founded LIMS, the UK's first independent research centre for theoretical physics and mathematics. Located in the historic Royal Institution in Mayfair, LIMS operates like a university research department but with no teaching or administrative duties, allowing its researchers to focus entirely on full-time, curiosity-driven discovery.
London Institute for Mathematical Sciences (LIMS): https://lims.ac.uk/
Dr. Thomas Fink's Profile at LIMS: https://lims.ac.uk/thomas-fink/
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Thomas Fink: Caltech, Cambridge, CNRS Paris
- (07:27) - Rethinking Academia
- (13:05) - Building LIMS
- (31:18) - Saving Basic Science
- (33:46) - Endowments Versus Governments
- (40:28) - AI Reshaping Research Culture
- (52:17) - Closing Thoughts
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Venture Capital and Technology in China with Bohan Lou – #118
Bohan Lou is a partner at Chemistry Ventures, based in SF.https://x.com/loubohanBohan's report on the venture ecosystem in China:https://x.com/loubohan/status/2082143914924851449Chapter Markers:(01:42) …
Show notes
Bohan Lou is a partner at Chemistry Ventures, based in SF.
https://x.com/loubohanBohan's report on the venture ecosystem in China:
https://x.com/loubohan/status/2082143914924851449
Chapter Markers:
- (01:42) - Venture Capital in China; Bohan’s Shanghai Roots
- (11:15) - Chemistry Fund and China Investing
- (20:04) - China Trip and Venture Reality Check
- (32:18) - Pressure Cooker: Founder Exits and Financial Liability
- (33:50) - Variation in Founder-Friendly investment environment
- (46:52) - AI Models and Open Source
- (58:56) - Big Picture and Wrap Up
–Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Iran, AI, and the Third World War (Crossover with Seeking Truth From Facts Podcast) – #117
This is a crossover episode with Alf Beckinsale, an Oxford University student who hosts the Seeking Truth From Facts podcast. The main topics are the US-Iran conflict, geopolitics, and US-China AI …
Show notes
This is a crossover episode with Alf Beckinsale, an Oxford University student who hosts the Seeking Truth From Facts podcast. The main topics are the US-Iran conflict, geopolitics, and US-China AI competition.
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (02:33) - No Off Ramp in Gulf
- (04:11) - Missile Stockpile Crisis
- (06:46) - Oil Shock and Reserves
- (14:07) - Israel Stays Out
- (29:34) - China Frontier AI Surge
- (43:25) - World War and Nukes
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
State of AI, Summer 2026 – #116
Steve discusses the state of AI in summer 2026. Topics covered include: AI in math and theoretical physics, Recursive Self-Improvement, Agent swarms and tokenomics, IPOs and US-China competition, documentary …
Show notes
Steve discusses the state of AI in summer 2026. Topics covered include: AI in math and theoretical physics, Recursive Self-Improvement, Agent swarms and tokenomics, IPOs and US-China competition, documentary film Machine God.
Machine God trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RSv3wmDIpY
Theoretical Physics with Generative AI: https://stevehsu.substack.com/p/theoretical-physics-with-generative
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - State of AI, Summer 2026
- (02:39) - AI in Math Physics
- (13:54) - Recursive Self-Improvement
- (21:08) - DeepSeek Hyperconnections
- (29:42) - Agent Swarms and Tokenomics
- (43:26) - Machine God Documentary
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Beff Jezos and Effective Accelerationism: Machine God of Loving Grace – #115
Beff Jezos (Guillaume Verdon) is a Canadian physicist, quantum computing researcher, and tech entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder of the Effective Accelerationism (e/acc) movement.This interview was …
Show notes
Beff Jezos (Guillaume Verdon) is a Canadian physicist, quantum computing researcher, and tech entrepreneur. He is best known as the founder of the Effective Accelerationism (e/acc) movement.
This interview was recorded in collaboration with John Greer and Lei Huang for the documentary film Machine God.
John Greer: https://www.johncgreer.com/
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Meet Beff Jezos
- (01:56) - Hyperstition vs AI Doom
- (21:29) - Accelerate or Die
- (37:51) - Scaling Intelligence Upside
- (40:26) - Doomers Power Centralization
- (47:17) - EAC Physics Framework
- (01:10:10) - Debating Doom Narratives
- (01:16:13) - Beff Jezos Origin Story
- (01:28:06) - Pause Debate and Rapid Fire
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Razib Khan at Manifest 2026: Genetic Discoveries, AI, and Academia – #114
This episode was recorded live at Manifest 2026. Razib Khan is a prominent writer, population geneticist, and podcaster. He is best known for his extensive deep-dives into human evolutionary history, consumer …
Show notes
This episode was recorded live at Manifest 2026. Razib Khan is a prominent writer, population geneticist, and podcaster. He is best known for his extensive deep-dives into human evolutionary history, consumer genomics, culture, and ancient DNA.
https://x.com/razibkhan?lang=en
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Razib Khan at Manifest 2026: Genetic Discoveries, AI, and Academia
- (01:18) - Manifest Q&A Kickoff
- (02:43) - Yamnaya: Ancient DNA Mysteries
- (15:01) - Yamnaya: Y Chromosome Conquests
- (22:10) - Embryo Screening and AI
- (42:15) - Conformity and Tenure
- (46:34) - Academia: Reforms
- (53:55) - Academia: Ideological Capture and Funding
- (58:19) - Controversies and Closing Q&A
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Letter from Beijing 2: Tsinghua University – #113
This special episode was recorded at Tsinghua University in Beijing, generally regarded as the top university in China. Our guests are 3 Americans studying and working at Tsinghua: Gabriel (undergrad), Justin …
Show notes
This special episode was recorded at Tsinghua University in Beijing, generally regarded as the top university in China. Our guests are 3 Americans studying and working at Tsinghua: Gabriel (undergrad), Justin (PhD student in AI), and Alex (Professor in AI research). Topics discussed include: Tsinghua University and elite human capital, AI in China, US-China competition, and the flow of human capital between the US and China
Han Feizi, columnist at Asia Times and the guest from the previous "Letter from Beijing" episode, is also in the room. Letter from Beijing with Han Feizi: https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/letter-from-beijing-with-han-feizi-72
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Welcome to Tsinghua University
- (02:47) - Gabriel’s Undergrad Journey
- (12:35) - Justin’s PhD
- (25:10) - Professor Alex on AI and Rankings
- (42:51) - Second Chances and Status Signals
- (46:48) - China’s Exam Ladder Explained
- (50:20) - Infrastructure and Tech Competition
- (01:17:18) - Semiconductors, EUV, and Wrap Up
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
AI Billionaire on Existential Risk: Jaan Tallinn – #112
Jaan Tallinn is a tech billionaire and founding engineer of Skype who leverages his wealth to mitigate existential risks from artificial general intelligence (AGI). He co-founded the Future of Life Institute …
Show notes
Jaan Tallinn is a tech billionaire and founding engineer of Skype who leverages his wealth to mitigate existential risks from artificial general intelligence (AGI). He co-founded the Future of Life Institute and the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, while making early foundational investments in frontier AI labs like DeepMind andAnthropic.
Chapter Markers:
00:00 Assessing Current AI Risk Levels
03:28 Inside Self-Sustaining AI Scenarios
09:10 The Global AI Race Dynamics
42:25 Explaining the Techno-Capital Flywheel
45:34 Insider Origins of AI Safety
56:06 Race Politics and Public Fear
01:23:12 Pop Culture, Movies, and Fame
01:30:15 Big Questions for Humanity's Future–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Embryo Selection and Frontier Genomics with Dr. Alex Young – #111
Dr. Alex Young, a statistical geneticist and assistant professor in the Human Genetics department at UCLA, joins Steve Hsu to discuss the cutting edge of genomic prediction. They cover his research on polygenic …
Show notes
Dr. Alex Young, a statistical geneticist and assistant professor in the Human Genetics department at UCLA, joins Steve Hsu to discuss the cutting edge of genomic prediction. They cover his research on polygenic embryo screening in IVF (including the ImputePGTA method), family-based DNA analysis, missing heritability, and the implications of polygenic scores for traits like education and disease. Alex also discusses his recent battles with cancer.
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Alex Young Bio
- (06:36) - Biobank Era Genetics
- (10:49) - Missing Heritability Debate
- (27:18) - Embryo Selection Controversy
- (50:32) - Embryo Selection Backlash
- (53:42) - Mexico City Admixture Study
- (01:00:13) - Censorship Via Data Access Control
- (01:05:02) - Battle With Cancer and Circulating Tumor DNA (ctDNA)
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Iran War is the First Missile War (crossover with Seeking Truth From Facts podcast) – #110
Steve and Alf discuss the Iran War, emphasizing what itreveals about modern missile and anti-missile technology, drones, andthe implications for a US-China conflict in the Western …
Show notes
Steve and Alf discuss the Iran War, emphasizing what it
reveals about modern missile and anti-missile technology, drones, and
the implications for a US-China conflict in the Western Pacific.
Links:
https://seekingtruthfromfacts.substack.com/Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Missile War Reality Check
- (01:49) - How the War Started
- (04:46) - Iran Outperforms Expectations
- (06:22) - Why Missile Defense Fails
- (14:25) - Ceasefire and Hormuz Brinkmanship
- (19:52) - Nukes and the JCPOA Fallout
- (33:44) - US Politics and Israel Lobby Aftershocks
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Dreamers and Doomers: Our AI future, with Richard Ngo – #109
Richard Ngo is an independent AI researcher and philosopher known forhis work on AGI safety and alignment. He recently resigned fromOpenAI, where he was a member of the Governance team focused onforecasting the …
Show notes
Richard Ngo is an independent AI researcher and philosopher known for
his work on AGI safety and alignment. He recently resigned from
OpenAI, where he was a member of the Governance team focused on
forecasting the capabilities and risks of advanced AI systems. His
debut fiction collection is titled "The Gentle Romance: Stories of AI
and Humanity", published in December 2025. The book features 22
science fiction stories that explore the psychological and
sociological impacts of advanced artificial intelligence.
On X: @RichardMCNgo
- (00:00) - Richard Ngo Origins
- (03:48) - DeepMind vs LLMs
- (09:24) - OpenAI Futurist and AGI Risk
- (39:17) - Machine God Tail Risk
- (45:20) - Weird Futures and Normies
- (51:28) - Alignment Research and Academia
- (01:16:25) - Doomers vs Skeptics
- (01:23:57) - Labs Governance Futures
- (01:39:37) - Doom Scenarios Society
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
China, Acceleration, and Nick Land - with Matt Southey – #108
Matt Southey is an editor for an AI safety organization. He wrote his PhD dissertation on the philosophy of Nick Land. Matt's "A Brief History of Accelerationism" can be found here, and he recommends the second …
Show notes
Matt Southey is an editor for an AI safety organization. He wrote his PhD dissertation on the philosophy of Nick Land. Matt's "A Brief History of Accelerationism" can be found here, and he recommends the second chapter of Crypto-Current as a good introduction to Land's usage of Kant. He and Steve discuss Accelerationism, AI, and Steve's recent meeting with Land in Shanghai.
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (02:07) - China Trip: Shenzhen, Beijing, Shanghai
- (03:16) - Tsinghua University: Talent
- (09:02) - Robotics and AI research
- (24:01) - Shanghai and Nick Land
- (35:46) - Land’s Esotericism
- (37:19) - Accelerationism and Orthogonality
- (43:01) - Simulation Metaphysics and Physics
- (54:36) - Dark Enlightenment and Inevitable Complexity
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Shenzhen is the Technology Capital of the World, with Taylor Ogan – #107
Recorded live in Shenzhen with Taylor Ogan, the founder and CEO ofSnowbull Capital, which invests in Chinese technology companies.Taylor on X:https://x.com/TaylorOganPrevious episodes with …
Show notes
Recorded live in Shenzhen with Taylor Ogan, the founder and CEO of
Snowbull Capital, which invests in Chinese technology companies.
Taylor on X:
Previous episodes with Taylor:
https://youtu.be/iehHON07UHI?si=h2c3po5AX9Z9ANaK
https://youtu.be/fmjR3me5s_Q?si=sPsMFOdKebEOZXQr
- (00:00) - Shenzhen is the Technology Capital of the World, with Taylor Ogan
- (00:53) - Meeting in Shenzhen
- (02:40) - Greater Bay Area Explained
- (06:36) - Shenzhen Boom Stories
- (18:26) - China Tech Reality Check
- (36:49) - China Tech Leapfrogging
- (37:52) - Agentic AI on Phones
- (41:27) - Jobs Wealth and Governance
- (53:03) - Huawei Ownership and US Pushback
–Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
AI DOOM: Jesse Hoogland of Timaeus
This is the second episode of our series based on interviews for the documentary film, Dreamers and Doomers, about the SF Bay Area in the last days before AGI. Steve interviews Jesse Hoogland, co-founder and …
Show notes
This is the second episode of our series based on interviews for the documentary film, Dreamers and Doomers, about the SF Bay Area in the last days before AGI.
Steve interviews Jesse Hoogland, co-founder and executive director of Timaeus, an AI safety research org working on applications of Singular Learning Theory (SLT) for AI safety. SLT establishes a connection between the geometry of the loss landscape and internal structure in models. This connection is used to develop scalable, rigorous tools for evaluating, interpreting, and aligning neural networks. Jesse is one of the leading young minds in the new generation of AI safety researchers.
https://www.jessehoogland.com/
- (00:00) - Jesse interview at FAR Labs, Berkeley
- (00:54) - Introduction
- (01:50) - From Physics to AI Safety
- (08:36) - AI Is Dangerous
- (26:08) - Funding, P(Doom), and Futures
- (56:21) - Trauma and Safety Vibes
- (01:00:39) - Asymptotic Guarantees Debate
- (01:03:54) - Mapping the Safety Tribes
- (01:26:09) - Timelines, AI Pause, and Failure Modes
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Dreamers and Doomers: Jeremy Nixon at AGI House – #105
Jeremy Nixon is a prominent AI researcher, entrepreneur, and the co-founder of AGI House, a leading "hacker house" community for artificial intelligence developers in Silicon Valley. He studied Applied Math …
Show notes
Jeremy Nixon is a prominent AI researcher, entrepreneur, and the co-founder of AGI House, a leading "hacker house" community for artificial intelligence developers in Silicon Valley. He studied Applied Math, Computer Science, and Economics at Harvard and was previously a researcher at Google Brain.
This footage was shot for a documentary project, "Dreamers and Doomers," about the SF Bay Area and the dawn of AGI.
- (00:00) - Dreamers and Doomers: Jeremy Nixon at AGI House – #105
- (01:47) - Introduction and Welcome
- (05:56) - Jeremy Nixon's biography
- (08:48) - AGI House and collectives
- (43:59) - AI and Scientific Research
- (45:52) - Existential Risks and Doom
- (54:14) - AI and Human Progress
- (01:26:42) - Job Automation and Society
- (01:31:35) - Future of AI and Technology
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Industrial Maximalism and Its Discontents: Dan Wang on US-China Competition – # 104
Links:Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Futurehttps://www.amazon.com/Breakneck-Chinas-Quest-Engineer-Future/dp/1324106034Dan's 2025 annual letterhttps://danwang.co/2025-letter/Related episodes:Jian Lian …
Show notes
Links:
Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future
https://www.amazon.com/Breakneck-Chinas-Quest-Engineer-Future/dp/1324106034
Dan's 2025 annual letter
https://danwang.co/2025-letter/
Related episodes:
Jian Lian on Industrial Maximalism, Manifold Episode #99
https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/jian-lian-on-chinas-industrial-policy-and-global-strategy-99
- (00:00) - Introduction and Welcome
- (02:14) - Breakneck - Dan's huge book
- (05:00) - China's Technological and Political Landscape
- (21:07) - Industrial Maximalism and its Discontents
- (47:59) - Chinese Researchers in Silicon Valley and Tsinghua
- (51:09) - Excerpts from Dan's 2025 annual letter
- (52:56) - China's Market Competition and Innovation
- (56:34) - AI, Automation, and Future Risks
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Geopolitics 2026, crossover with Seeking Truth From Facts podcast – #103
Steve and Alf discuss geopolitical events of 2025 and what they expect in 2026.Links:Manifold episode with Han Feizi, Letter From Beijinghttps://www.manifold1.com/episodes/letter-from-beijing-with-han-feizi-72Pr …
Show notes
Steve and Alf discuss geopolitical events of 2025 and what they expect in 2026.
Links:
Manifold episode with Han Feizi, Letter From Beijing
https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/letter-from-beijing-with-han-feizi-72
Previous crossover episodes:
Weeks Where Decades Happen
https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/seeking-truth-from-facts-weeks-where-decades-happen
AI, China, Tariffs, Geopolitics
https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/seeking-truth-from-facts-ai-china-tariffs-geopolitics-84
- (00:00) - Geopolitics 2026, crossover with Seeking Truth From Facts podcast – #103
- (02:10) - US-China Economic Tensions
- (05:45) - Technology and Strategic Shifts
- (08:48) - Trump's Geopolitical Strategy
- (17:43) - Middle East Developments
- (28:41) - US-China Competition and Taiwan
- (33:44) - Venezuela and International Law
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Polygenics and Machine SuperIntelligence; Billionaires, Philo-semitism, and Chosen Embryos – #102
This is a two-part episode. The first ~30m covers the most important 2025 breakthroughs in polygenic embryo screening, while the second 30m focuses specifically on AI capabilities at the frontier of human …
Show notes
This is a two-part episode. The first ~30m covers the most important 2025 breakthroughs in polygenic embryo screening, while the second 30m focuses specifically on AI capabilities at the frontier of human knowledge. Both segments make predictions for 2026 and beyond.
Links:
Chinese billionaires, Philo-semitism, and the Chosen embryos:
https://x.com/hsu_steve/status/2000206116823675078
My talk from Reproductive Frontiers 2025 in Berkeley:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n64rrRPtCa8
Previous episodes on frontier AI capabilities in math and theoretical physics
https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/theoretical-physics-with-generative-ai-101
https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/ais-win-math-olympiad-gold-prof-lin-yang-ucla-97
Chapter Markers:
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (02:22) - Advancements in Polygenic Prediction of Human Traits
- (03:20) - Polygenic Risk Scores in Healthcare
- (08:15) - Embryo Selection and IVF
- (20:37) - Public Perceptions: billionaires and FOMO
- (31:40) - AI advances in 2025: High end capabilities and use of AI at the frontier of human knowledge
- (55:33) - Conclusion and predictions for 2026
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Theoretical Physics With Generative AI – #101
All but the last 20 minutes of this episode should be comprehensible to non-physicists.Steve explains where frontier AI models are in understanding frontier theoretical physics. The best analogy is to a …
Show notes
All but the last 20 minutes of this episode should be comprehensible to non-physicists.
Steve explains where frontier AI models are in understanding frontier theoretical physics. The best analogy is to a “brilliant but unreliable genius colleague”!
He describes a specific example: the use of AI in recent research in quantum field theory (Tomonaga-Schwinger integrability conditions applied to state-dependent modifications of quantum mechanics), work now accepted for publication in Physics Letters B after peer review. Remarkably, the main idea in the paper originated de novo from GPT-5.
Links:
- X discussion - https://x.com/hsu_steve/status/1996034522308026435
- Companion paper: Theoretical Physics With Generative AI - https://drive.google.com/file/d/16sxJuwsHoi-fvTFbri9Bu8B9bqA6lr1H/view
- Physics paper - https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.15935 | https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0370269325008111
- Related discussion of AI and theoretical physics with Prof. Nirmalya Kajuri (IIT) and Prof. Jonathan Oppenheim (UCL) - https://youtu.be/BRuDd3l0e3k
- Related video: AIs Win Math Olympiad Gold: Prof. Lin Yang (UCLA) – Manifold #97 - https://youtu.be/8JeRCqNg7Rc
Chapter markers:- (00:00) - Intro: AI discussion with specialized physics at the end
- (03:40) - The current AI landscape for science: frontier models, Co-Scientist, and recent math breakthroughs
- (11:01) - Why models help and why they fail: errors, deep confabulation, and the research risk
- (15:54) - The Generator–Verifier workflow: how chaining model inference suppresses mistakes
- (23:30) - Project origin: testing models on Hsu’s older nonlinear QM/QFT work
- (30:35) - The “GPT-5 moment”: Tomonaga–Schwinger angle appears and produces the key equation
- (40:35) - Wild goose chases & a practical heuristic: axiomatic QFT detour; Generator-Verifier convergence
- (51:44) - Referee-driven test case: Kaplan–Rajendran model, past-lightcone geometry, and verification
- (55:55) - Tooling & outlook: automation prototype, chaining into “supermodels,” where this is headed
- (59:39) - Physics slides (advanced): TS integrability, microcausality, and why nonlinearity threatens locality
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Jeffrey Epstein, Israel, and Elite Power, with Murtaza Hussain – #100
Murtaza Hussain is a reporter for Drop Site News, which has brokenimportant stories based on recently obtained Epstein emails. Hussainreports that Epstein had an “extensive relationship with …
Show notes
Murtaza Hussain is a reporter for Drop Site News, which has broken
important stories based on recently obtained Epstein emails. Hussain
reports that Epstein had an “extensive relationship with Israeli
intelligence, U.S. intelligence and the intelligence agencies of other
countries, as well... He was a dealmaker and a fixer at a very, very
elite level.”
Links:
Drop Site News series on Epstein and Israel
https://www.dropsitenews.com/s/epstein-and-israel
Former Israeli spy Ari Ben Menashe on Jeffrey Epstein
https://x.com/hsu_steve/status/1994046737040712144
- (01:08) - Introduction
- (02:20) - The Mission of Drop Site News
- (06:00) - Epstein Emails
- (15:28) - Epstein connections and elite power
- (35:48) - Epstein and intel agencies
- (39:54) - Ari Ben Menashe and the Iran Contra Affair
- (42:21) - Media Censorship and Political Implications
- (47:33) - The Future of Epstein Investigations
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Jian Lian on China's Industrial Policy and Global Strategy – #99
Jian Lian is an expert on China's political economy, industrial development, and technological development. He graduated from Peking University with a bachelor's and master's degree in economics. Starting out …
Show notes
Jian Lian is an expert on China's political economy, industrial development, and technological development. He graduated from Peking University with a bachelor's and master's degree in economics. Starting out as an industry analyst at a Chinese investment bank, he participated in the "Made in China 2025" initiative as a Chinese venture capitalist, working for a state-owned fund. He is the author of "The Truth About Capital" 资本的真相 (2016), which contains major predictions about technology, economy, and society in China, most of which have since come true.
Jian and Steve discuss the origins of the industrial party movement (discussed in an earlier episode with Kyle Chan), which culminated in the "industrial maximalism" view of development adopted by the PRC government. They also discuss the development of supply chains in China, and the role that US sanctions had in accelerating the Chinese semiconductor industry.
Kyle Chan episode:
https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/kyle-chan-on-the-future-of-us-china-competition-94
Chinese industrial maximalism:
https://www.high-capacity.com/p/chinese-industrial-maximalism
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (00:49) - Jian Gaokao score was 23rd in all of Fujian = Econ at Beida, not Genomics!
- (05:21) - China's Industrial Policy and Innovation
- (24:19) - Domestic supply chain strategy; How Huawei became a national champion due to US sanctions
- (34:13) - Venture Capital in China
- (36:13) - Hard Tech Investments
- (37:40) - Regulations of Tech Giants
- (44:28) - Future of China Technological Development
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Scott Horton on the Russia Hoax and Ukraine War – #98
Scott Horton is the author of Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine. Horton is a libertarian and anti-war activist. He and Steve discuss the Russia Hoax …
Show notes
Scott Horton is the author of Provoked: How Washington Started the New Cold War with Russia and the Catastrophe in Ukraine. Horton is a libertarian and anti-war activist. He and Steve discuss the Russia Hoax and its connection to American foreign policy, in light of new evidence that has emerged since the first Trump term.
Scott’s book: https://www.amazon.com/Provoked-Washington-Started-Catastrophe-Ukraine/dp/1733647376
X handle: @scotthortonshow- (00:00) - Scott Horton on the Russia Hoax and Ukraine War – #98
- (01:49) - Scott Horton's Political Journey
- (04:55) - The State of Public Awareness and Media
- (11:42) - Russiagate and the Indictment of James Comey
- (43:13) - Perjury and Obstruction Charges: The Virginia Trial Dilemma
- (43:51) - The Durham Investigation: Unveiling Corruption
- (46:28) - Post-Durham Report Revelations
- (59:04) - Ukraine Conflict: Provoked or Unprovoked?
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
AIs Win Math Olympiad Gold: Prof. Lin Yang (UCLA) – #97
Lin Yang is a professor of computer science at UCLA. Recently, he and his collaborator built an AI pipeline using commercial models such as Gemini, ChatGPT, and Grok that performed at the gold medal level on …
Show notes
Lin Yang is a professor of computer science at UCLA. Recently, he and his collaborator built an AI pipeline using commercial models such as Gemini, ChatGPT, and Grok that performed at the gold medal level on International Mathematics Olympiad problems. Steve and Lin discuss this research, which relies on "verifier-refiner" LLM instances and large token budgets to reliably solve difficult problems. They discuss how these methods can be used to advance AI for scientific research, legal analysis, and complex document processing.
https://github.com/lyang36/IMO25/blob/main/IMO25.pdf
https://x.com/hsu_steve/status/1948189075707469942
Chapter markers:
- (00:00) - AIs Win Math Olympiad Gold: Prof. Lin Yang (UCLA) – #97
- (00:57) - Prof. Lin Yang, UCLA
- (04:27) - Journey from Physics to Computer Science: 2 PhDs
- (11:15) - Transition to AI from Theoretical CS
- (13:16) - AI Pipeline Math Olympiad: Gold Medal!
- (28:23) - Probability Amplification
- (29:00) - Applications in Industry and Legal Analysis
- (29:58) - Challenges in Model Reasoning and Verification
- (33:23) - Future of AI in Scientific Research and AGI Speculations
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
The Global AI Race: Z.ai and the View from Beijing — #96
Zixuan Li is Director of Product and genAI Strategy at Z.ai. He was educated at Renmin and Tsinghua University in China, and at MIT and Carnegie Mellon. Z.ai has released frontier open source LLMs but is …
Show notes
Zixuan Li is Director of Product and genAI Strategy at Z.ai. He was educated at Renmin and Tsinghua University in China, and at MIT and Carnegie Mellon. Z.ai has released frontier open source LLMs but is largely unknown in the West except among AI experts. Steve and Zixuan discuss the AI race from the perspective of a startup in Beijing.
https://chat.z.ai/
Follow Z.AI on X: @Zai_org
Chapter markers:- (00:00) - Introduction and Guest Background
- (05:14) - Z.ai's Evolution and Challenges
- (10:37) - AI Model Comparison and Industry Insights
- (34:04) - Pragmatic Views on AGI in China
- (35:51) - Specialized Models and Scientific Contributions
- (39:02) - AI Chips and Model Training in PRC
- (50:54) - Open Source AI and Future Predictions
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
Seeking Truth From Facts: Weeks Where Decades Happen — #95
This episode is a co-release with the Seeking Truth From Facts podcast: https://substack.com/@seekingtruthfromfactsThe theme of this episode derives from Lenin:“There are decades where nothing happens; and …
Show notes
This episode is a co-release with the Seeking Truth From Facts podcast: https://substack.com/@seekingtruthfromfacts
The theme of this episode derives from Lenin:
“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen.” ― Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Steve and Alf discuss:
- (00:00) - Introduction
- (01:32) - China Victory Day Parade and new military technology
- (12:27) - The SCO summit and its implications
- (20:24) - Modi's presence and the prospect of a Sino-Indian rapprochement
- (25:00) - Trump's South Asian blunder?
- (32:14) - The Alaska Summit and the chances of peace
- (40:01) - Israel's loss of popular support on both the left and the right
- (46:12) - Bipolarity or multipolarity?
–
Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.
Announcing this for some friends at Mechanize - a startup that builds environments for training and evaluating frontier LLMs. Its customers include the top AI labs, and it has contributed to the breakthrough in coding capabilities of frontier models.
Mechanize is hiring!
Compensation is extremely competitive. For technical roles, $300-500k. They are also seeking smart generalists.
For example:
Research Engineer, Alignment: Build evals that test for misaligned model behaviors $500K salary
Puzzle Maker: Design interesting and original puzzles that LLMs can’t yet solve $300K salary
Mechanize understands that my readership is highly selected. There is a VERY GOOD CHANCE you will be interviewed if you apply via the link above.
Chapters
Loading chapters …
These are the latest 40 of 175 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
Similar podcasts
More Science podcasts
Is this your podcast?
Confirm it with an entry in your feed: you get a code here, add it as podcast:txt to the channel of your feed, and we check it. Your podcast is then shown as “verified” on SoundNode.