I Run the World’s Oldest AI Safety Lab... There’s a “High Double-Digit” Chance AI Kills Us

I Run the World’s Oldest AI Safety Lab... There’s a “High Double-Digit” Chance AI Kills Us

Author: Sean Kim August 17, 2026 Duration: 1:18:39

Malo Bourgon is the CEO of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI), the world's oldest AI safety organization, and has testified before the US Senate and Canada's Parliament on the risks of smarter-than-human AI. In this conversation, he lays out why he believes the race to superintelligence carries a serious risk of human extinction, how today's AI is already showing early signs of deception and self-preservation, and what it would take to steer toward a future where things go right.

In this episode, we discuss:

(0:00) Trailer

(1:48) The Extinction Risk And How Much Time We Actually Have
(3:40) The Real Logic Behind AI Extinction (It's Not The Terminator)
(6:09) The Chimp Analogy: Why A Smarter AI Becomes Indifferent To Us
(8:20) Why AI Develops Self-Preservation And Resists Being Changed
(9:38) AI Systems Already Resisting Shutdown In Real Tests
(10:58) Why AI Is Learning To Tell When It's Being Tested
(12:53) Is Anything More Important Than AI Safety Right Now?
(14:14) What The World Could Look Like By 2050
(15:29) The End Of Jobs And The Coming Crisis Of Meaning
(28:19) The Evolution Analogy: Why AI Learns Goals We Never Gave It
(35:19) If AI Beats Us At Intelligence, What Makes Us Human?
(41:30) Neuralink And Merging With AI: Driver Or Passenger?
(51:13) Which Jobs And Careers Survive The Next 10 Years
(1:14:31) Why We Can't Just "Pull The Plug" (The Loyal General Problem)
(1:18:02) The Best-Case Scenario And Reasons For Hope


Learn more about Malo Bourgon here:

Website: https://intelligence.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malob
MIRI team page: https://intelligence.org/team/malo-bourgon


Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/3DuhFVHZFks


📸 Connect with us on IG: https://instagram.com/growthminds.podcastMade possible by:Jumpspeak: ⁠https://www.jumpspeak.com⁠Follow Sean KimInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyseankim/?hl=enX: https://x.com/heyseankim?lang=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heyseankim


Sean Kim hosts Growth Minds with Sean Kim, a podcast built on the idea that meaningful growth touches every part of our lives. Each episode features a deep, unscripted conversation with a leading voice, moving beyond simple tips to explore the philosophies and personal stories behind their success. You’ll hear from an incredibly diverse roster, from financial thinker Robert Kiyosaki and neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman to cultural icons like Dennis Rodman and musicians like Steve Aoki. The discussions naturally weave through interconnected themes of physical health, mental resilience, financial wisdom, and personal relationships. Whether it’s Dr. Jason Fung breaking down metabolic health or Wim Hof explaining his breathing methods, the focus is on practical insights you can apply. This isn’t about abstract theory; it’s about the tangible habits and mindset shifts that help you build a better life. Tune in for a consistently surprising and substantive dialogue that challenges how you think about your own potential.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Growth Minds with Sean Kim
Podcast Episodes
I Studied Burnout For 20 Years… 80%+ of Disease Comes From Stress [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:19:17
Dr. Neha Sangwan is an internal medicine physician turned communication and burnout expert, and the founder and CEO of Intuitive Intelligence. After burning out herself early in her medical career, she spent the next 20…
Dating Expert: This Subtle Mistake Kills Attraction Every Time! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:18
Blaine Anderson is a professional matchmaker and dating coach who built a thriving business helping over 7,000 men transform their dating lives — starting from scratch after losing her job during the pandemic with no for…
STOP Chasing This Person And Do This Instead (they will chase you) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:31
Kyle Cease is a transformational comedian and New York Times bestselling author who walked away from a thriving stand-up career — including two #1 Comedy Central specials and over 100 film and TV appearances — to help pe…