#217 Josh Wolfe: Human Advantage in the World of AI

The Knowledge Project with Shane Parrish

Farnam Street

Business, Investing, Entrepreneurship

4.7 • 2.9K Ratings

🗓️ 4 March 2025

⏱️ 117 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

While Silicon Valley chases unicorns, Josh Wolfe hunts for something far more elusive: scientific breakthroughs that could change civilization. As co-founder and managing partner of Lux Capital, he's looking for the kind of science that turns impossible into inevitable. Josh doesn’t just invest in the future—he sees it coming before almost anyone else. In this conversation, we explore: The rapid evolution of AI and potential bottlenecks slowing its growth The geopolitical battle for technological dominance and rise of sovereign AI models How advances in automation, robotics, and defence are shifting global power dynamics Josh's unfiltered thoughts on Tesla and Elon Musk AI's revolution of medical research Parenting in a tech-dominated world How AI is forcing us to rethink creativity, intellectual property, and human intelligence itself Why the greatest risk isn't AI itself—but our ability to separate truth from noise Despite the challenges ahead, Josh remains profoundly optimistic about human potential. He believes technology isn't replacing what makes us human—it's amplifying it. This episode will challenge how you think about innovation, risk, and the forces shaping our future. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, you can't afford to miss it. Josh Wolfe co-founded Lux Capital to support scientists and entrepreneurs who pursue counter-conventional solutions to the most vexing puzzles of our time. He previously worked in investment banking at Salomon Smith Barney and in capital markets at Merrill Lynch. Josh is a columnist with Forbes and Editor for the Forbes/Wolfe Emerging Tech Report. (00:00:00) Introduction (00:02:46) Current Obsessions (00:05:11) AI and its Limitations (00:10:58) Memory Players in AI (00:13:27) Human Intelligence as a Limiting Factor (00:15:38) Disruption in Elite Professions (00:17:15) AI and Blue-Collar Jobs (00:18:29) Implications of AI in Coding (00:19:40) AI and Company Margins (00:25:48) AI in Pharma (00:26:44) AI in Entertainment (00:28:04) AI in Scientific Research (00:33:31) AI in Patent Creation (00:34:49) AI in Company Creation (00:35:33) Discussion on Tesla and Elon Musk (00:40:54) AI in Investment Decisions (00:42:20) AI in Analyzing Business Fundamentals (00:45:27) AI, Privacy, and Information Gods (00:53:04) AI and Art (00:56:43) AI and Human Connection (00:58:22) AI, Aging, and Memory (01:00:46) The Impact of Remote Work on Social Dynamics (01:03:18) The Role of Community and Belonging (01:05:44) The Pursuit of Longevity (01:11:58) The Importance of Family and Purpose (01:14:18) Information Processing and Workflow (01:26:03) Investment in Military Technology (01:28:09) Global Conflict and Military Deterrence (01:31:28) Information Warfare (01:32:32) Infiltration and Weaponization of Systems (01:37:06) Infrastructure Maintenance and Growth (01:38:27) DOGE Initiative (01:40:09) Attracting Capital and Global Competitiveness (01:43:16) Attracting Talent and Immigration (01:45:42) Designing a System from Scratch (01:47:30) AI and Intellectual Property (01:51:56) The Fear of AI Newsletter - The Brain Food newsletter delivers actionable insights and thoughtful ideas every Sunday. It takes 5 minutes to read, and it’s completely free. Learn more and sign up at fs.blog/newsletter Upgrade — If you want to hear my thoughts and reflections at the end of the episode, join our membership: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fs.blog/membership⁠⁠ and get your own private feed. Watch on YouTube: @tkppodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Look at AI right now, billions of dollars being spent.
0:04.0	The flurry of all of this benefits us as consumers, always and everywhere.
0:08.0	Just wait, and they'll compete and compete and it will accrue to us as users.
0:12.0	How do we create an unfair advantage in a world of AI?
0:15.0	I think the limits to human intelligence are rooted in our biology.
0:20.0	AIs over time will understand us in many ways better than we understand ourselves.
0:25.1	We can still beat computers and chess.
0:26.8	Done.
0:27.7	We can still beat them in go, done.
0:29.1	We can beat them in video games.
0:30.1	Done.
0:30.6	Okay, but we still have creativity.
0:32.1	Done.
0:32.8	All these things have been trained on the sum total of all human creation. And now they're being trained
0:39.5	on the sum total of human creation plus artificial creation. I'm absolutely convinced that we are
0:45.0	going to have machines doing science 24-7. I just think it's going to be part of the total
0:50.0	overture, over of creation. And I think it's a beautiful thing.
1:09.8	Music overture of creation and I think it's a beautiful thing. Welcome to the Knowledge Project.
1:11.6	I'm your host, Shane Parrish.
1:13.8	In a world where knowledge is power,
1:15.7	this podcast is your toolkit for mastering the best
1:18.4	of what other people have already figured out.
	...

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