Algorithms and Armageddon: The Race Between AI and Safeguards

More than three years ago, we asked a difficult question: Can AI fight an “ethical” war? A 2023 white paper from the Future of Life Institute brings that question back with urgency, examining how artificial intelligence is beginning to intersect with nuclear weapons systems and decision-making.

In this episode, we break down the risks of faster, automated warning systems, compressed human decision time, and the potential for AI-driven errors or escalation. We also explore the paper’s policy recommendations and explain why global safeguards may need to move faster than the technology itself.

This isn’t science fiction—it’s a real policy debate happening now.