Subvolts take Understand AI's middle game, job impacts, and the competitive race between major AI labs. Mar 19, 2026 - Developers
- Learn about the strategic positioning and competitive landscape of major AI labs and their approaches to safety.
- Business
- Understand the economic impacts of AI, including job displacement and productivity gains, and how AI leaders are strategizing.
- Everyday users
- Gain perspective on how AI is evolving and its potential societal effects, from job markets to the future of technology.
This episode features a prominent AI thinker discussing the current state and competitive dynamics of major AI labs.
Zvi's Mic Works! Recursive Self-Improvement, Live Player Analysis, Anthropic vs DoW + More!
Audio streams from Erik Torenberg, Nathan Labenz. Your place is remembered on this device.
From Subvolts
Summary and analysis by Subvolts editorial, AI-assisted.
Zvi Mowshowitz joins Nathan Labenz on The Cognitive Revolution to discuss AI's progression from its beginning to its middle game. They cover AI's impact on jobs, productivity, and the potential for a permanent underclass. The episode also assesses current AI players, including Anthropic, Google, Meta, and xAI, and touches on AI safety and responsible scaling.
This podcast episode explores where AI is heading, moving beyond early stages into its 'middle game.' It discusses how AI might change jobs and society, and who is currently leading the race to build powerful AI systems. Anyone interested in how AI affects our future will find this conversation valuable.
This episode offers a deep dive into the current state and future trajectory of AI development, making it essential for anyone tracking the frontier labs. Listeners will gain insights into the economic and ethical implications of AI, understand the competitive landscape between major AI players, and learn about Anthropic's approach to safety. It's for AI enthusiasts, policymakers, and business leaders concerned with AI's societal impact and the strategies of companies like Anthropic, Google, Meta, and xAI.
- HostNathan Labenz
- GuestZvi Mowshowitz
- Guest: Zvi Mowshowitz
- Show: The Cognitive Revolution
- Length: 207 minutes
- Topics Covered: Recursive self-improvement, AI job loss, AI productivity, AI endgame, live AI players, Anthropic's Responsible Scaling Policy, p(doom), AI safety.
Zvi Mowshowitz returns to survey the current AI landscape, from recursive self-improvement and the shift from the “beginning” to the “middle” of the AI story to what true AI end-game would look like. He and Nathan dig into AI-driven job loss, real-world productivity impacts, and the ethics of trying to escape a “permanent underclass.” They assess today’s AI live players, why Anthropic may be slightly ahead, and whether Chinese, xAI, or Meta can catch up. The conversation closes with Anthropic’s Responsible Scaling Policy, p(doom), AI safety options, and how they each use AI in their own work.
Sponsors:
Tasklet:
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Try it for free and use code COGREV for 50% off your first month at https://tasklet.ai
VCX:
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CHAPTERS:
(00:00) About the Episode
(02:25) Entering the middle game
(09:08) AI layoffs and jobs (Part 1)
(15:50) Sponsors: Tasklet | VCX
(18:43) AI layoffs and jobs (Part 2)
(18:44) AI growth and elites
(27:00) Defining the AI endgame
(36:09) Live players and laggards
(45:38) China, compute, and distillation
(56:03) Meta, Musk, and strategy
(01:06:41) Google's faltering AI strategy
(01:22:25) Anthropic's scaling policy shift
(01:36:29) Anthropic and domestic surveillance
(01:57:29) Courts, power, and Anthropic
(02:18:50) Model fatigue and productivity
(02:34:53) Alignment basins and doom
(02:47:24) Slowing AI and activism
(03:05:37) Forbidden techniques and choices
(03:22:31) Episode Outro
(03:26:31) Outro
PRODUCED BY:
SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: https://www.cognitiverevolution.ai
Twitter (Podcast): https://x.com/cogrev_podcast
Twitter (Nathan): https://x.com/labenz
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nathanlabenz/
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@CognitiveRevolutionPodcast
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yHyok3M3BjqzR0VB5MSyk
- recursive self-improvement
- Zvi Mowshowitz
- AI systems that can improve themselves over time.
- p(doom)
- Zvi Mowshowitz
- The probability of a catastrophic outcome from advanced AI.
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Questions people ask
- What is the current stage of AI development discussed?
- The episode discusses AI's progression from its 'beginning' to the 'middle' of its story, focusing on recursive self-improvement and the AI endgame.
- Which AI companies are assessed in the episode?
- The conversation assesses current AI live players, specifically mentioning Anthropic, and whether Chinese companies, xAI, or Meta can catch up.
Page generated Oct 19, 2026. Summaries are Subvolts' own; the audio, artwork and notes belong to Erik Torenberg, Nathan Labenz.