Classic: Nick Bostrom & Rosalind Picard: God, AI, Consciousness & the Future of Humanity

Unbelievable?

Premier Unbelievable?

Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.6 • 2.3K Ratings

🗓️ 11 November 2025

⏱️ 80 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this classic Unbelievable? from The Big Conversation, Oxford philosopher Nick Bostrom (Future of Humanity Institute; Superintelligence) and MIT pioneer Rosalind Picard (Affective Computing) discuss God, AI and the future of humanity—could technology be the key to immortality? They weigh near-term benefits and risks, from alignment and governance to the temptation of power. Do machines feel or become conscious? Are we moral to potential digital minds? Bostrom explores his simulation argument, cryonics and transhuman futures; Picard shares breakthroughs in emotion-sensing tech that aid epilepsy, autism and depression, plus her journey from sceptic to Christian. Together they debate digital “heaven”, uploading, human dignity, and why humility—intellectual and moral—must guide our path into the machine age. Hopeful and provocative insights. 👉 Support thought-provoking conversations and help keep the show going at www.premierunbelievable.com/geolink/donate💡 🎧 Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the Unbelievable? podcast a www.premier.plus/unbelievable 🎙️ 🔗 Get bonus content, updates, fascinating articles, and early access to new episodes - absolutely free! Join now at www.premierunbelievable.com 📢 Social Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/unbelievablefe Facebook: / https://facebook.com/premierunbelievable Instagram: / https://instagram.com/premierunbelievable Tik Tok: / https://tiktok.com/@premier.unbelievable

Transcript

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0:00.0	My dad died when I was nine years old and it broke something in me.
0:05.0	I spent lots of times homeless, causing even bigger rifts in the family.
0:10.0	I was out of control.
0:12.0	Green Pastures is a Christian charity providing homes and support for people facing homelessness across the UK.
0:20.0	As soon as I walked in that place,
0:21.6	I knew there was something different about it.
0:23.6	Through Green Pastures,
0:25.6	Andy found a home,
0:26.6	freedom from addiction,
0:28.6	and a new beginning in faith.
0:30.6	It's the best thing I've ever done.
0:31.6	It released me from that 23 years of addiction.
0:35.6	And now I'm senior support worker here at Green Pastures Derby.
0:39.3	Find out more at greenpastures.co.uk.
0:47.3	Well, hello and welcome to The Big Conversation from Unbelievable brought to you in partnership with the John Templeton Foundation.
0:56.0	The big conversation is all about exploring the biggest questions of science, faith and philosophy with leading thinkers across the religious and non-religious spectrum.
1:05.0	And today we're talking about God, artificial intelligence and the future of humanity, and asking, is technology
1:13.0	the key to immortality? Joining me today are Nick Bostrom and Rosalind Picard. Nick Bostrom is the
1:20.2	director of the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford and a leading voice in AI and technology.
1:26.5	Nick's the author of Superintelligence,
1:28.3	which warned of the possible dangers
1:30.3	that the rapid development of artificial intelligence
	...

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