Highlights: #215 – Tom Davidson on how AI-enabled coups could allow a tiny group to seize power

Highlights: #215 – Tom Davidson on how AI-enabled coups could allow a tiny group to seize power

Author: The 80,000 Hours team May 16, 2025 Duration: 37:19

Throughout history, technological revolutions have fundamentally shifted the balance of power in society. The Industrial Revolution created conditions where democracies could dominate for the first time — as nations needed educated, informed, and empowered citizens to deploy advanced technologies and remain competitive.

Unfortunately, there’s every reason to think artificial general intelligence (AGI) will reverse that trend.

In a new paper, Tom Davidson — senior research fellow at the Forethought Centre for AI Strategy — argues that advanced AI systems will enable unprecedented power grabs by tiny groups of people, primarily by removing the need for other human beings to participate.


These highlights are from episode #215 of The 80,000 Hours Podcast: Tom Davidson on how AI-enabled coups could allow a tiny group to seize power, and include:

  • "No person rules alone" — except now they might (00:00:13)
  • The 3 threat scenarios (00:06:17)
  • Underpinning all 3 threats: Secret AI loyalties (00:10:15)
  • Is this common sense or far-fetched? (00:13:46)
  • How to automate a military coup (00:17:41)
  • If you took over the US, could you take over the whole world? (00:22:44)
  • Secret loyalties all the way down (00:26:27)
  • Is it important to have more than one powerful AI country? (00:29:59)
  • What transparency actually looks like (00:33:08)

These aren't necessarily the most important or even most entertaining parts of the interview — so if you enjoy this, we strongly recommend checking out the full episode!

And if you're finding these highlights episodes valuable, please let us know by emailing podcast@80000hours.org.

Highlights put together by Ben Cordell, Milo McGuire, and Dominic Armstrong


From the team behind 80,000 Hours comes 80k After Hours, a companion podcast that ventures beyond the main feed's structured career advice. Here, the researchers and producers gather for more informal, wide-ranging conversations that reflect their ongoing curiosities. You'll hear discussions that dig into the nuances of effective altruism, grapple with complex ideas in philosophy and policy, and explore unexpected topics in culture and science-all through the lens of how we might better understand and improve the world. The tone is conversational and exploratory, often feeling like you're listening in on a lively lunch debate among experts who don't take themselves too seriously. While the core mission of finding impactful ways to do good remains, this podcast allows for the tangents, personal reflections, and deeper dives that don't always fit a standard format. It’s a space for the team to think out loud, test arguments, and share the interesting, sometimes quirky, material they're engaging with in their own work. For listeners of the main show, it offers valuable background and new perspectives; for newcomers, it provides an accessible entry point into a community of ideas focused on practical problem-solving and self improvement. Tune in for a blend of thoughtful documentary-style analysis, societal deep dives, and candid chats that aim to be both intellectually substantive and genuinely enjoyable.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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