On this special episode of the podcast, Emilia Javorsky interviews Sean Ekins about the dangers of AI drug discovery. They talk about how Sean discovered an extremely toxic chemical (VX) by reversing an AI drug discovery algorithm.
Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 00:46 Sean’s professional journey 03:45 Can computational models replace animal models? 07:24 The risks of AI drug discovery 12:48 Should scientists disclose dangerous discoveries? 19:40 How should scientists handle dual-use technologies? 22:08 Should we open-source potentially dangerous discoveries? 26:20 How do we control autonomous drug creation? 31:36 Surprising chemical discoveries made by black-box AI systems 36:56 How could the dangers of AI drug discovery be mitigated?
Claire Boine discusses how AI companion apps can foster attachment and dependency through design and freemium models. The episode examines privacy, risks for children and teens, legal gaps in the EU and US, and policy approaches to social harms.
Michael Toscano discusses family-centered AI policy, including AI companions, sexualized chatbots, self-harm risks, schools, and smartphone use. He argues that governance should hold technology accountable to families and children’s development.
Anthony Aguirre of the Future of Life Institute discusses A Better Path for AI, arguing against races to replace people and for purpose-built AI tools with human control, guardrails, accountability, and international cooperation.
