The Tech-God Complex: Why We Need to be Skeptics
About this episode
Silicon Valley's interest in AI is driven by more than just profit and innovation. There’s an unmistakable mystical quality to it as well. In this episode, Daniel and Aza sit down with humanist chaplain Greg Epstein to explore the fascinating parallels between technology and religion. From AI being treated as a godlike force to tech leaders' promises of digital salvation, religious thinking is shaping the future of technology and humanity. Epstein breaks down why he believes technology has become our era's most influential religion and what we can learn from these parallels to better understand where we're heading.
Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology. Follow us on X.
If you like the show and want to support CHT's mission, please consider donating to the organization this giving season: https://www.humanetech.com/donate. Any amount helps support our goal to bring about a more humane future.
RECOMMENDED MEDIA
“Tech Agnostic” by Greg Epstein
Further reading on Avi Schiffmann’s “Friend” AI necklace
Further reading on Blake Lemoine and Lamda
Blake LeMoine’s conversation with Greg at MIT
Further reading on the Sewell Setzer case
Further reading on Terminal of Truths
Further reading on Ray Kurzweil’s attempt to create a digital recreation of his dad with AI
The Drama of the Gifted Child by Alice Miller
RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES
’A Turning Point in History’: Yuval Noah Harari on AI’s Cultural Takeover
How to Think About AI Consciousness with Anil Seth
Can Myth Teach Us Anything About the Race to Build Artificial General Intelligence? With Josh Schrei
How To Free Our Minds with Cult Deprogramming Expert Dr. Steven Hassan
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Get every episode summarized
Each time Your Undivided Attention publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Your Undivided Attention
Flock is Just the Beginning: Inside the Era of AI-Powered Policing
Your Undivided Attention
We Measure What AI Can Do. We Should Measure What It Does to Us.
Your Undivided Attention
Enough Debate about the AI Jobpocalypse. We Need To Plan for the Messy Middle.
Your Undivided Attention
Can AI Be Built in Service of Life? A Conversation with Krista Tippett
Your Undivided Attention