hours and hours of podcast & audio interviews
countering the hype cycle around AI
In January 2024 David Brin appeared again on Tim Ventura’s interview podcast, focusing primarily on the rapidly evolving Artificial Intelligence (AI) crisis with “GoLLeMs,” or Generative Large Language Models, explaining how these Golems work ... and how they cannot yet be sapient beings, no matter how well they mimic it. (Something more is needed. Like a sense of perspective, scale... and history.)
why privacy is overrated
The mighty physics-YouTuber and host of Into the Impossible — my friend Brian Keating — says: “Here’s my exciting interview with @DavidBrin". We go into a lot more than "mere freedom and AI"! Like the fate of the universe and quirks in physical laws of nature! And sure... UFOs...
addressing AI's risks
A fairly brief (1/2 hr) podcast interview with Ron S. Friedman at Sci and Sci-Fi offers a concise/rapid view of half a dozen important concepts — re AI — that you'll not get elsewhere.
what are we worrying about?
David Brin's NEWSWEEK op-ed (June'22) dealt with 'empathy bots' that feign sapience. Here also is a YouTube pod where he gives an expanded version of the original essay.
is ChatGPT AI's 'soft landing'?
Interviewed in April 2023 for the Skeptics Society's Shermer Podcast, mostly for the hot topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and my impudently unusual proposal for how to achieve that fabled 'soft landing.'
3 writers talk ... writing
This podcast poses an hour's worth of questions about writing to the great Sci Fi author Allen Steele, rising star Dan Haight, and David Brin.
where technology is taking us
I talk about Artemis and deep space and robotics and the future on the Media Death Cult channel.
is sci fi a good predictor?
Does science fiction still influence or predict technological advances? Brin is one of several sages interviewed on this terrific-yet-too-brief NPR show about the ideas and influence of science fiction in creating the modern world.
is everything simulated?
The brilliant and insight-filled Closer to Truth TV series features David Brin in a few episodes on consciousness, on alien life, new parameters constraining religion... and whether we live in a simulation.
getting creative
Now live, Ed Willett's podcast at The Worldshapers, where David Brin gives some of his best advice on writing science fiction to would-be best-selling authors!
writing and the Hugonauts
A very well-produced podcast interview that’s about my science fiction (for a change!) and life/career as a writer.
coronavirus & humanity
On April 2, 2020 acclaimed science fiction authors David Brin, Kevin J. Anderson, and Ramez Naam appeared on the "Breaking Banks" show to talk about how the Covid-19 crisis might affect humanity on a long term basis, looking out short-term and then 50 years from now.
rebuilding after coronavirus
Hosted by Dr. David Bray of the Atlantic Council: A conversation with internationally recognized author and scientist Dr. David Brin and noted public policy professor and expert Dr. Kathryn Newcomer on the technologies, investments, and policy actions that could help us rebuild from COVID-19 on a global scale.
the future of privacy policy
As technology advances, there will be no hiding from surveillance. What we should instead fight for is transparency: the watchers must feel just as exposed as the watched. AE Ideas, a public policy blog issued by the American Enterprise Institute, asks: What will privacy policy mean when applied to the government versus the increasingly powerful tech titans?
outrage fatigue?
In this episode of Intellectual Explorers David discusses our culture’s addiction to self-righteous indignation, how we engage in 'ritual combat' over ideas, and possible ways out, such as setting up disputation arenas to debate issues — and more.
let's surveil the surveilers
One response to stepped-up surveillance is a stepped-up effort to hide from it — more laws regulating what people and governments are allowed to record, and more funds devoted to encryption and other privacy-protecting resources. But while this approach reflects the right instincts, it is insufficient. Especially as technology advances, there will be no hiding from surveillance. What we should instead fight for is transparency: the watchers must feel just as exposed as the watched.
space, astronomy, alien life and AI, oh my!
MacObserver runs an interesting interview podcast series. This one with David Brin covers a wide range, from his education at Caltech and UCSD and how he started writing fiction to where he imagines "things" heading.
science fiction in the genes!
Check out daughter Ari Brin's iTunes podcast Novum: A Science Fiction Exploration, broadcasting live out of JAM Radio in Dundee, Scotland. Her episodes "explore" sci fi tropes and themes — where it's been, where it could go — including an episode reading David's short story, "The Logs."
it’s exhausting — and addictive
Are we, as a nation, addicted to anger? That's the question posed by the To the Best of Our Knowledge podcast interview of David's essay, "Addicted to Self-Righteousness?"
podcasting @ Mars
Planetary Radio podcasts Science Fiction Greats at the Mars Society — Gregory Benford, David Brin, Geoffrey Landis and Larry Niven — about terraforming Mars, the origin of life, the drive to explore and more.
where is my privacy?
Co-editors David Brin and Stephen Potts were interviewed on KPBS radio about Chasing Shadows. Among the questions posed: what happens in a society without privacy?
can sf writers prevent nuclear war?
BBC reports: "Catherine Asaro and David Brin are both science fiction writers. They’ve also both advised the US government on challenges society could someday face. Reporter Daniel Gross recently spoke to them about their jobs."
predicting — inventing! — the future
In this Bloomberg RealClear Radio Hour interview with Bill Frezza, David Brin explores how science fiction can improve the future, by helping us chart technological dangers to avoid and promising goals to pursue.
the note show
Brin talks about the power of sci fi to create self-preventing prophecies on The Note Show. The host seemed pleased, despite hardly getting a word in! Also available on itunes and stitcher.
partially examined living
David Brin participated in a podcast radio panel discussion about Philosophy(!) on the Partially Examined Life show with some very smart co-panelists. All sorts of implications of SETI, the Fermi Paradox, transparency, humanity, life, the universe... and almost everything.
next-gen futurism
For a garrulous ramble that will take you from Pericles to Popper to Pluto — though mostly focusing on transparency and accountability and re-learning the art of pragmatism — here's a podcast interview Brin gave about the future of freedom.
author stories
David Brin joins writer Hank Garner for Episode 172 of The Author Stories Podcast, where they talk about: Why authors should first write a murder mystery, moving the plot along in science fiction stories, writing believable stories with believable characters... and more.
finding quicksand
In this Tech Emergenceinterview, Dan Faggella talks with David about fiction's unique role in helping humanity find a beneficial future — a job done in large part by pointing out what we want to avoid most.
overlordzing robotz
The Robot Overlordz guys had David on their show for an audio interview about topics ranging from SETI to tech freedom to why Hollywood sci fi plots are so dumb.
what about EXISTENCE?
Here's a podcast interview David Brin did with Scott Sigler about Existence.
our newest civil war
Here's an informal recording at a Portland restaurant... in which Brin explores the roots of today’s phase of the American Civil War.
what's the point of thinking?
The brainiac philosophers at "A Partially Examined Life" have posted both the two hour podcast of our interview and their followup notes.
space for enlightenment
Here's an interview David Brin gave Veritas Radio about SETI and space and maintaining a scientific civilization.
Continue for more podcast and audio interviews, or listen to DAVID BRIN's podcasted short stories.
a brief intro to science fiction author DAVID BRIN
To learn more, visit his books page, or see his "about me" page or detailed biography.
novels
David Brin's science fiction novels have been New York Times Bestsellers, winning multiple Hugo, Nebula and other awards. At least a dozen have been translated into more than twenty languages. They range from bold and prophetic explorations of our near-future to Brin's Uplift series, envisioning galactic issues of sapience and destiny (and star-faring dolphins!). Learn More
shorter fiction
Short stories and novellas have different rhythms and artistic flavor, and Brin's short stories and novellas, several of which earned Hugo and other awards, exploit that difference to explore a wider range of real and vividly speculative ideas. Many have been selected for anthologies and reprints, and most have been published in anthology form. Learn More
Contrary Brin blog
Since 2004, David Brin has maintained a blog about science, technology, science fiction, books, and the future — themes his science fiction and nonfiction writings continue to explore. Learn More
social media influencer
Who could've predicted that social media — indeed, all of our online society — would play such an important role in the 21st Century — restoring the voices of advisors and influencers! Lively and intelligent comments spill over onto Brin's social media pages. Learn More
scientist
David Brin's Ph.D in Physics from the University of California at San Diego (the lab of nobelist Hannes Alfven) followed a masters in optics and an undergraduate degree in astrophysics from Caltech. Every science show that depicts a comet now portrays the model developed in Brin's PhD research. Learn More
transparency expert
Brin's non-fiction book, The Transparent Society: Will Technology Force Us to Choose Between Freedom and Privacy?, continues to receive acclaim for its accuracy in predicting 21st Century concerns about online security, secrecy, accountability and privacy. Learn More
speaker & consultant
Brin speaks plausibly and entertainingly about trends in technology and society to audiences willing to confront the challenges that our rambunctious civilization will face in the decades ahead. He also talks about the field of science fiction, especially in relation to his own novels and stories. To date he has presented at more than 300 meetings, conferences, corporate retreats and other gatherings. Learn More
future/tech advisor
Brin advises corporations and governmental and private defense- and security-related agencies about information-age issues, scientific trends, future social and political trends, and education. Urban Developer Magazine named him one of four World's Best Futurists, and he was appraised as "#1 influencer" in Onalytica's Top 100 report of Artificial Intelligence influencers, brands & publications. Past consultations include Google, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, and many others. Learn More
