Videos

This week on Upstream, Nathan Labenz of The Cognitive Revolution podcast and Brian Chau, a machine learning engineer who recently founded the Alliance for the Future, talk about Brian's efforts in Washington, D.C. to influence AI policy based on informed AI optimism. Access global engineering without the headache and at…

This week on Upstream, we’re releasing an episode from Turpentine’s show Live Players with Samo Burja. Erik and Samo discuss China’s universities and the future of China’s elites. Access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com and mention “Turpentine” to skip the…

This episode was initially recorded before a live audience in 2018. Erik talks with Naval Ravikant and Balaji Srinivasan about the history of money and centralization and why crypto has the potential to fulfill the promise of the internet. Access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of…

This week on Upstream, Erik is joined by Nathan Labenz and Noah Smith for a deep dive on how AI will impact job markets, the social contract, and the role of the government. Access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com and…

This week on Upstream, Erik is joined by David Friedman for a deep dive on anarcho-capitalism, utilitarianism, and more. To get Brave: Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign. -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Autopilot explores the adoption and rollout of AI…

In this special roundtable episode, Erik Torenberg is joined by Brad Hargreaves (the founder of Common, co-founder of General Assembly, and writer of Thesis Driven) and Noah Smith (podcast host, economist and writer of Noahpinion). They discuss the future of real estate and housing in America, the impact of regulations,…

This week on Upstream, Erik is joined by Alex Blania, who, with Sam Altman, co-founded Tools for Humanity, the organization behind Worldcoin. Erik and Alex go deep on Worldcoin, AGI, and other future tech. To get Brave: Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount…

This week on Upstream, Erik is joined by Igor Kurganov, poker player and founder of Raising for Effective Giving. They discuss similarities between poker and Effective Altruism, the successes and failures of EA, and where EA should go next. To get Brave: Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing…

This week on Upstream, Erik is joined by Liron Shapira to discuss the case against further AI development, why Effective Altruism doesn’t deserve its reputation, and what is misunderstood about nuclear weapons. Upstream is sponsored by Brave: Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount…

This week on Upstream, Erik is joined by Rob Henderson, psychologist and author of the newly released Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class. They discuss dating, cancel culture, luxury beliefs, and more. Upstream is sponsored by Brave: Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up…

This week on Upstream, Erik is joined by Lyn Alden, an investment strategist known for her unique blend of engineering, tech, and finance expertise. They discuss her book Broken Money, macro trends, and her best advice in the face of an uncertain economic future. Upstream is sponsored by Brave: Head…

On this episode of Upstream, Erik sits down with e/acc founder Bayeslord and writer Nadia Asparouhova to discuss the foundations and future of the e/acc movement. Upstream is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg for a $1/month trial period. -- Check out Erik's new show Request for Startups featuring a rotating cast…

On this episode of Upstream, Erik sits down with Tyler Cowen to discuss Harvard, AI, Javier Milei's legacy, the value of non-legibility in talent spotting, and more. Upstream is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg for a $1/month trial period. -- We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal…

This week on Upstream, political scientist and writer Richard Hanania returns to the show. Erik and Richard discuss wokeness, the Israel-Palestine conflict, the mythos of the modern right, Richard's upcoming debate with Curtis Yarvin, and more. Upstream is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg for a $1/month trial period. -- We're hiring…

This week on Upstream, the tables are turned, and Erik is sitting in the guest seat. We're airing an episode from Greg Isenberg's podcast Where It Happens. Greg and Erik discuss B2B creators, how to find profitable niches, how to monetize media businesses, and more. Upstream is sponsored by Shopify:…

In this episode of Upstream, Erik sits down with theoretical physicist and startup founder Steve Hsu. They discuss political polarization in academia, the fertility crisis, AI, and more. Make informed decision for high impact donations with GiveWell, which is offering Upstream listeners donation matching up to $100. To claim your…

Erik interviews Itay Vinik to understand the current macro environment, learn frameworks for adjusting an investing strategy based on rising or falling interest rates, and debunk common investment myths. They cover the Fed's role in a globalized economy, discuss the strategies that stabilize markets, and evaluate different asset classes during…

On today's Upstream, we're sharing a recent episode where Balaji Srinivasan joined Nathan Labenz to discuss the future of AI: polytheistic AI and AI gods, human-AI symbiosis, and how AI will be controlled. Upstream is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg for a $1/month trial period. This episode is a feed drop…

This week, in a departure from Upstream's usual format, Erik sits downs with friends Nick DeWilde, Sean Linehan, and Justin Mares to exchange startup ideas. Please note that this episode contains some vulgar humor and won't be for everyone. Make informed decision for high impact donations with GiveWell. To claim…

In this episode, Erik sits down with Noor Siddiqui, founder and CEO of Orchid. They discuss Orchid's recent breakthrough in embryo whole genome sequencing, the fertility crisis, parenting, dating, and more. Make informed decision for high impact donations with GiveWell, which is offering Upstream listeners donation matching up to $100.…

Beff Jezos, the anonymous co-founder of the effective accelerationism movement (also known as "e/acc") recently had his identity revealed by Forbes reporters. He shares the inside story here. Make informed decision for high impact donations with GiveWell, which is offering Upstream listeners donation matching up to $100. To claim your…

In this episode, Erik sits down with Samo Burja, political scientist and founder of Bismarck Analysis. They discuss Samo's term "live player" and today's live players, including Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and George Soros. Make informed decision for high impact donations with GiveWell, which is offering Upstream listeners…

In this episode, Erik is joined by Byrne Hobart, author of tech and finance newsletter The Diff, to discuss Sam Altman's ousting from OpenAI and the new competitive landscape for AI companies. Make informed decision for high impact donations with GiveWell, which is offering Upstream listeners donation matching up to…

Today on Upstream we’re dropping a special episode of @age-of-miracles which dives into the rise and fall of nuclear power in the 20th century. Make informed decision for high impact donations with GiveWell, which is offering Upstream listeners donation matching up to $100. To claim your match, go to https://www.givewell.org…