The Matrix Is a Documentary: Riz Virk on the Simulation Hypothesis

Get my new book Focus Like a Nobel Prize Winner for just 99 cents while the sale lasts: https://a.co/d/hi50U9U Please join my mailing list here 👉 https://briankeating.com/list to win a meteorite 💥 What if your life wasn’t real—not metaphorically, but literally? That’s the premise my guest today has been exploring for years. Rizwan Virk, MIT graduate, gaming entrepreneur, and author of The Simulation Hypothesis, believes that physics, computing, and even ancient wisdom traditions point to the same unsettling conclusion: we may be living inside a programmed reality. In this conversation, we dive into the science, philosophy, and technical roadmaps that could one day prove—or disprove—this theory. We explore quantum mechanics, AI, and the limits of spacetime itself, asking whether reality is an unshakable foundation… or just a beautifully rendered illusion. Key Takeaways: 00:00 Intro 00:00:42 The Simulation Hypothesis 00:10:14 The limitations of AGI 00:15:17 Rizwan’s religious background 00:21:43 Energetic physical limitations in a simulation 00:28:33 Quantum computing and the simulation hypothesis 00:34:45 Judging a book by its cover 00:37:11 The Planck length 00:41:59 Is Deja Vu a consequence of the simulation? 00:43:41 Ethical and moral considerations 00:48:35 How to avoid collapsing the wave function 00:54:33 Cracks in the matrix 01:02:21 What’s the purpose of the simulation? 01:07:28 Rizwan’s next project 01:09:02 The winning strategy 01:10:37 Outro — Additional resources: ➡️ Follow Rizwan Virk: ✖️ Twitter: https://x.com/rizstanford?lang=en ➡️ Follow me on your fav platforms: ✖️ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrBrianKeating 🔔 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 📝 Join my mailing list: https://briankeating.com/list ✍️ Check out my blog: https://briankeating.com/cosmic-musings/ 🎙️ Follow my podcast: https://briankeating.com/podcast — Into the Impossible with Brian Keating is a podcast dedicated to all those who want to explore the universe within and beyond the known. Make sure to follow/subscribe so you never miss an episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices