Anja Manuel on AI, China, and national security

What role can AI play in international diplomacy and national security?

In this episode, Reid and Aria sit down with Anja Manuel, a former diplomat, author, and one of the leading voices in AI and foreign policy. She has the unique ability to bridge the gaps between technology, policy and diplomacy. They discuss international AI governance, China, potential threats of bio-terrorism, and the strategic decisions that the US and its allies must make to navigate this complex landscape of innovation with regulation.

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit possible.fm/podcast

For the referenced Possible episode featuring Kim Stanley Robinson: link.chtbl.com/8YMsBlzg

Topics:
1:21 - Episode introduction
3:44 - Hellos and intros
4:38 - Where the U.S. and China rank in the Great AI Race
6:09 - Deepseek explainer
7:27 - Which technologies the U.S. should prioritize
9:05 - Why it’s important for the U.S. to stay in the lead
10:41 - How to maintain that lead
16:27 - Current examples of AI in national security work
18:30 - Impediments to further integrating AI
20:13 - How to connect national security to cutting edge technology
24:35 - The potential risks to incorporating AI
28:50 - Midroll ad
28:55 - How to stay safe against the risks
32:05 - The helpfulness of AI Safety Institutes
33:25 - International treaties for AI
36:11 - The current U.S.-China relationship
38:50 - How to return to a more positive relationship
41:28 - The economic race
43:25 - Anja’s advice for the new administration
45:01 - Key players and swing states
50:24 - How to make a cyber treaty work
52:57 - Rapid-fire questions

Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. These conversations also showcase another kind of guest: AI. Whether it's Inflection’s Pi, OpenAI’s ChatGPT or other AI tools, each episode will use AI to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.