Episódios

  • Russell Clark is a hedge fund investor who has lived and worked in both Japan and China. He writes the widely followed Substack Capital Flows and Asset Markets: https://www.russell-clark.com/

    Steve and Russell discuss:

    0:00 Introduction

    0:52 Russell's background and experiences in Japan

    13:25 Hong Kong and finance

    31:53 China property bubble

    48:54 Dollar status as global reserve currency

    56:09 Japan and China economies from a long run perspective

    1:05:07 Inflation, US economy, and macro observations


    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.

  • Stephen Grugett is the co-founder of Manifold Markets, the world's largest prediction market platform where people bet on politics, tech, sports, and more.

    Steve and Stephen discuss:

    0:00 Introduction

    0:52 Stephen Grugett’s background

    5:20 The genesis and mission of Manifold Markets

    11:25 The play money advantage: Legalities and user engagement

    20:47 Manifold’s user base and the power of calibration

    23:35 Simplifying prediction markets for broader engagement

    27:31 Revenue streams and future business directions

    30:46 Legal challenges in prediction markets

    31:47 Dating markets

    32:53 The Art of PR

    38:32 Global reach and community engagement

    39:27 The future of Manifold Markets and user predictions

    43:38 Life in the Bay Area; Tech, culture, and crazy stuff

    Manifold Markets: https://manifold.markets/


    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

    Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on Twitter @hsu_steve.

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  • Raymond McGovern is a former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) analyst, serving from 1963 to 1990. His CIA career began under President John F. Kennedy and lasted through the presidency of George H. W. Bush. McGovern advised Henry Kissinger during the Richard Nixon administration, and during the Ronald Reagan administration he chaired National Intelligence Estimates and prepared the President's Daily Brief.

    He received the Intelligence Commendation Medal at his retirement but returned it in 2006 to protest the CIA's involvement in torture.

    Steve and Ray discuss:

    0:00 Introduction

    01:25 Ray McGovern's assessment of the JFK assassination

    26:10 Hunter Biden's laptop

    30:50 Ukraine and the U.S. intelligence services' role in the deep state

    55:20 Strategic implications of the Ukraine war for the U.S.

    01:03:38 Are things worse today, versus 1963?

    Books referenced in this episode:

    JFK and the Unspeakable

    https://www.amazon.com/JFK-Unspeakable-Why-Died-Matters/dp/1439193886

    Mary's Mosaic: The CIA Conspiracy to Murder John F. Kennedy

    https://www.amazon.com/Marys-Mosaic-Conspiracy-Kennedy-Pinchot/dp/1510708928/

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

    Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on Twitter @hsu_steve.

  • Steve discusses DNA and the origin of life on Earth, the Fermi Paradox (is there alien life?), AI and its implications for the Simulation Question: could our universe be a simulation? Are we machines, but don't know it?

    Slides: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CrWLiKYhLbDLG8yTOBySrsKrzAUbV-FES1toeJL-UWE/edit?usp=sharing

    Further discussion of the Simulation Question in light of AGI, and a refinement from quantum mechanics: The Quantum Simulation Question: https://infoproc.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-quantum-simulation-hypothesis-do-we.html

    CORRECTION: 31:25 The size of our galaxy is not 100 million light years. I should have said ~100 THOUSAND = 100k light years instead!!!

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

    Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on Twitter @hsu_steve.

  • Sean Reyes is Utah’s Attorney General and a producer for the movie “Sound of Freedom.” Steve and Sean discuss his personal story, human trafficking, and the role of technology in law enforcement.

    More on Reyes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Reyes

    NOTE: Reyes has announced that he will not seek re-election as Utah AG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEEj4UgjDL4

    00:00 Sean Reyes’ early life and family history

    14:21 Sean's personal journey and career

    21:28 Political journey and decision to run for AG

    24:08 The movie Sound of Freedom

    28:45 The reality of human trafficking

    31:40 Technology and law enforcement

    44:00 The horror of human trafficking: victims, aftercare, and the media

    01:05:23 Future plans and aspirations

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

    Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.

  • TP Huang returns for the third time to discuss the US-China strategic competition in terms of military technology.

    Previous episodes with TP include:

    China's EV Market Dominance and the Challenges Facing Tesla — #48: https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/chinas-ev-market-dominance-and-the-challenges-facing-tesla-48Huawei and the US-China Chip War — #44: https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/huawei-and-the-us-china-chip-war-44


    Steve and TP discuss:

    (00:00) - Introduction(02:23) - Hypersonic weapons and A2AD(08:15) - The evolution of China’s military technology(13:30) - Hypersonic missiles: targeting and interception(29:52) - Surprise attack on Hawaii or Seattle?(33:36) - Japan's role in a U.S.-China military conflict(36:15) - Chinese invasion of Taiwan(42:44) - Amphibious landing, boots on the ground(45:20) - Red lines and Taiwan independence(48:38) - PRC nuclear weapons buildup(51:17) - PRC-Russia alliance: natural resources, technology; Ukraine strategy disaster(59:37) - Future developments of military technology in China(01:11:44) - Predictions regarding US-PRC balance of power

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

    Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on X @hsu_steve.

  • Louis-Vincent Gave of Gavekal discusses China's economic growth, its focus on education, and the global implications of its economic and political policies.

    https://research.gavekal.com/

    Steve and Louis discuss:

    (00:00) - Early life - Gave as French infantry officer(14:42) - Founding Gavekal(23:50) - Understanding China economic growth(32:57) - China real estate market(42:48) - The impact of China’s economic growth(48:19) - Comparing the size of the Chinese and U.S. economies(01:07:09) - China’s trade surplus and U.S. debt(01:18:11) - Will there be a U.S. debt crisis?
    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (Superfocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU. Follow him on X @hsu_steve.

  • Charles Miller is co-founder and CEO of Lynk. He is a serial space entrepreneur with 30 years of experience in the space industry.

    Lynk - https://lynk.world/

    Steve and Charles discuss:

    0:00 Introduction and guest background

    1:27 Miller's early passion for space

    3:54 Evolution of commercial space

    6:42 Impact of Elon Musk and SpaceX

    8:01 The challenges of early stage startups

    11:26 The birth of Lynk, its technical challenges, and breakthroughs

    33:11 Use cases for satellite connectivity

    35:20 The plan for Lynk satellites

    36:41 Competition with Starlink

    39:25 Investment opportunities in Lynk

    47:04 Satellite technology and global competition

    50:21 Impact of Huawei’s satellite phone features

    59:01 Advice for entrepreneurs


    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

  • TP Huang is a computer scientist and analyst of global technology development. He posts often on X: https://twitter.com/tphuang.

    0:00 Introduction

    2:21 How TP Huang became interested in electric vehicles

    6:30 The perception and reality of Chinese products, future of Chinese auto market

    9:24 The impact of Tesla on the Chinese electric vehicle market

    14:41 Buying a car in China

    27:05 China dominates with electric vehicle batteries

    30:44 The challenges facing Tesla in China

    40:11 The evolution of smart cars, autonomous vehicles, and self driving

    50:48 LIDAR technology and autonomous driving

    59:08 BYD, China’s energy independence, and power grid

    1:14:04 The downstream impact of China leading in tech and electric vehicles

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

  • Taylor Ogan is Chief Executive Officer of Snow Bull Capital, based in Shenzhen, China.

    Follow him on X @TaylorOgan.

    Steve and Taylor discuss:

    0:00 Introduction
    1:02 Taylor's background and why he moved his firm to China
    20:43 China post-pandemic and economic dynamism
    33:43 China dominance in electric vehicles; LIDAR
    56:55 Investment research: factory and site visits
    1:06:52 US-China competition - the future of innovation is in China


    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

  • Bharat Karnad is an Emeritus Professor in National Security Studies at the Center for Policy Research in Delhi. He was a member of India's first National Security Advisory Board and has authored several books on nuclear weapons and Indian security.

    Karnad's blog: https://bharatkarnad.com/

    Karnad on the death of Homi Bhabha and of other atomic weapons scientists:
    https://bharatkarnad.com/2020/12/06/kill-scientists-disrupt-n-weapons-programmes/

    An excellent documentary film on the life of Indian theoretical physicist Homi Bhabha:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6GEGOvXh4g&ab_channel=InternationalCentreforTheoreticalSciences

    Steve and Bharat discuss:

    0:00 Introduction

    0:58 Karnad's educational background, nuclear research, journalism career

    26:50 Refocusing India's defense posture from Pakistan to China

    45:21 Why don't India and China have better relations?

    53:33 India's nuclear arsenal

    1:04:31 The mysterious death of Homi Bhabha, India's Oppenheimer

    1:28:50 Land of subjugation, the caste system, and English as the language of Indian elites

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

  • Yasheng Huang is the Epoch Foundation Professor of Global Economics and Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management. His new book is The Rise and Fall of the EAST: How Exams, Autocracy, Stability, and Technology Brought China Success, and Why They Might Lead to Its Decline.

    Steve and Yasheng discuss:

    0:00 Introduction
    1:11 From Beijing to Harvard in the 1980s
    15:29 Civil service exams and Huang's new book, "The Rise and Fall of the EAST"
    37:14 Two goals: Developing human capital and indoctrination
    48:33 Impact of the exam system
    57:04 China's innovation peak and decline
    1:12:23 Collaboration and relationship with the West
    1:21:31 How will the U.S.-China relationship evolve?

    Yasheng Huang at MIT
    https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/yasheng-huang

    Web site:
    http://www.yashenghuang.com/


    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

  • TP Huang is a computer scientist and analyst of global technology development. He posts often on X: https://twitter.com/tphuang.

    Steve and TP discuss:

    0:00 Introduction: TP Huang and semiconductor technology

    5:40 Huawei’s new phone and SoC

    23:19 SMIC 7nm chip production in China: Yield and economics

    28:21 Impact on Qualcomm

    36:08 U.S. sanctions solved the coordination problem for China

    semiconductor companies

    42:48 5G modem and RF chips: impact on Qualcomm, Broadcom, Apple, etc.

    47:14 5G and Huawei

    52:50 Satellite capabilities of Huawei phones

    56:46 Huawei vs Apple and Chinese consumers

    1:01:33 Chip War and AI model training


    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

  • Steve discusses 10 key graphs related to meritocracy and university admissions. Predictive power of SATs and other factors in elite admissions decisions. College learning outcomes - what do students learn? The four paths to elite college admission. Laundering prestige at the Ivies.

    Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1n-nwoeKe_DcA5tJxTwqTeZBEY7nObxkujKLxVfAzRAY/edit?usp=sharing

    CLA and College Learning outcomes:

    https://infoproc.blogspot.com/2015/01/measuring-college-learning-outcomes.html

    Harvard Veritas: Interview with a recent graduate

    https://infoproc.blogspot.com/2022/08/harvard-veritas-interview-with-recent.html

    Defining Merit - Human Capital and Harvard University:

    https://infoproc.blogspot.com/2009/11/defining-merit.html

    Chapter markers:

    0:00 Introduction

    1:28 University of California system report and the use of SAT scores admissions

    8:04 Longitudinal study on gifted students and SAT scores (SMPY)

    12:53 Unprecedented data on earnings outcomes and SAT scores

    15:43 How SAT scores and university pedigree influence opportunities at elite firms

    17:35 Non-academic factors fail to predict student success

    20:49 Predicted earnings

    24:24 Measured benefit of Ivy Plus attendance

    28:25 CLA: 13 university study on college learning outcomes

    32:34 Does college education improve generalist skills and critical thinking?

    42:15 The composition of elite universities: 4 paths to admission

    48:12 What happened to meritocracy?

    51:48 Hard versus Soft career tracks

    54:43 Cognitive elite at Ivies vs state flagship universities

    57:11 What happened to Caltech?


    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction, Othram) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

  • Aella is a sex worker, sex researcher, and data scientist.

    Aella on X: https://twitter.com/Aella_Girl

    Interviews with ex-prostitutes on the pimp life (Las Vegas)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAlXdyjmWUo&ab_channel=PeterSantenello

    An earlier Aella interview with Reason:

    https://reason.com/podcast/2022/04/27/aella-libertarian-sex-worker-turned-data-scientist/

    Steve and Aella discuss:

    (00:00) - Introduction(01:22) - Aella's background and upbringing(12:45) - Aella's experiences as a sex worker and escorting(29:52) - Pimp culture(38:01) - Seeking Arrangement(43:50) - Cheating(46:50) - OnlyFans, farming simps(51:49) - Incels and sex work(56:24) - Porn and Gen-Z(01:12:43) - Embryo screening(01:21:43) - How far off is IVG?

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

  • Tim Dettmers develops computationally efficient methods for deep learning. He is a leader in quantization: coarse graining of large neural networks to increase speed and reduce hardware requirements.

    Tim developed 4-and 8-bit quantizations enabling training and inference with large language models on affordable GPUs and CPUs - i.e., as commonly found in home gaming rigs.

    Tim and Steve discuss: Tim's background and current research program, large language models, quantization and performance, democratization of AI technology, the open source Cambrian explosion in AI, and the future of AI.

    0:00 Introduction and Tim’s background

    18:02 Tim's interest in the efficiency and accessibility of large language models

    38:05 Inference, speed, and the potential for using consumer GPUs for running large language models

    45:55 Model training and the benefits of quantization with QLoRA

    57:14 The future of AI and large language models in the next 3-5 years and beyond

    Tim's site: https://timdettmers.com/

    Tim on GitHub: https://github.com/TimDettmers

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

    Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on Twitter @hsu_steve.

  • Paul Huang is a journalist and research fellow with the Taiwan Public Opinion Foundation. He is currently based in Taipei, Taiwan.

    Sample articles:

    Taiwan’s Military Has Flashy American Weapons but No Ammo (in Foreign Policy): https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/08/20/taiwan-military-flashy-american-weapons-no-ammo/

    Taiwan’s Military Is a Hollow Shell (Foreign Policy): https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/02/15/china-threat-invasion-conscription-taiwans-military-is-a-hollow-shell/

    Steve and Paul discuss:

    0:00 Introduction

    1:44 Paul’s background; the Green Party (DPP) and Blue Party (KMT) in Taiwan

    4:40 How the Taiwanese people view themselves vs mainland Chinese

    15:02 Taiwan taboos: politics and military preparedness

    15:27 Effect of Ukraine conflict on Taiwanese opinion

    29:56 Lack of realistic military planning

    37:20 Is there a political solution to reunification with China? What influence does the U.S. have?

    51:34 The likelihood of peaceful reunification of Taiwan and China

    56:45 Honest views on Taiwanese and U.S. military readiness for a

    conflict with China

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (SuperFocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

    Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on Twitter @hsu_steve.

  • Steve Hsu, Richard Hanania, and Rob Henderson were scheduled for a June 2023 panel as part of the University of Austin (UATX) Forbidden Courses series. Steve missed the panel due to travel issues, but the three have gathered on this podcast to recreate the fun!

    They discuss:

    0:00 Introduction
    1:20 The University of Austin and forbidden courses
    17:37 Will woke campus culture change anytime soon?
    29:57 Common people vs elites on affirmative action
    35:42 Why it’s uncomfortable to disagree about affirmative action
    41:22 Fraud and misrepresentation in higher ed
    44:20 The adversity carveout in the Supreme Court affirmative action ruling
    50:10 Standardized testing and elite university admissions
    1:06:18 Divergent views among racial and ethnic groups on affirmative action; radicalized Asian American males
    1:10:00 Differences between East and South Asians in the West
    1:23:03 Class-based preferences and standardized tests
    1:31:57 Rob Henderson’s next move

    LINKS

    Richard Hanania’s new book: The Origins of Woke: Civil Rights Law, Corporate America, and the Triumph of Identity Politics: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/the-origins-of-woke-richard-hanania?variant=41004650528802

    Richard Hanania’s newsletter: https://www.richardhanania.com/

    The Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology: https://www.cspicenter.com/

    Rob Henderson’s newsletter: https://www.robkhenderson.com/

    Rob Henderson’s new book: Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Troubled/Rob-Henderson/9781982168537

    UATX: https://www.uaustin.org/forbidden-courses

    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (Superfocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

    Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on Twitter @hsu_steve.

  • Richard Sander is Jesse Dukeminier Professor at UCLA Law School. AB Harvard, JD, PhD (Economics) Northwestern.

    Steve and Richard discuss the recent Supreme Court ruling in Students For Fair Admissions vs Harvard and UNC.

    Sander has studied the structure and effects of law school admissions policies. He coined the term "Mismatch" to describe negative consequences resulting from large admissions preferences.

    0:00 Introduction

    1:09 Richard Sander’s initial reaction to the Supreme Court ruling

    4:03 How data influenced the court’s decision

    7:58 Overview of the court’s ruling

    11:27 Carve outs in the court’s ruling

    16:59 The litigation landscape

    21:25 Workarounds to race-blind admissions and the UC system

    32:22 Remedies: What will happen with Harvard and UNC now?

    38:02 The landscape of college admissions

    44:47 Effects of the Supreme Court ruling beyond higher education


    LINKS

    SCOTUS decision on Affirmative Action:

    https://int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/supreme-court-decision-on-race-based-admissions/0a725aaabb459074/full.pdf

    Richard Sander’s amicus brief: https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-1199/222805/20220509134743957_20-1199%2021-707%20Amicus%20BOM.pdf

    Richard Sander on SCOTUS Oral Arguments: Affirmative Action and Discrimination against Asian Americans at Harvard and UNC: https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/richard-sander-on-scotus-oral-arguments-affirmative-action-and-discrimination-against-asian-americans-at-harvard-and-unc

    Richard Sander: Affirmative Action, Mismatch Theory, and Academic Freedom: https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/richard-sander-affirmative-action-mismatch-theory-academic-freedom-6


    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

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    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (Superfocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

  • In this episode, Steve talks to three AI engineers from his startup SuperFocus.AI.

    0:00 Introduction

    1:06 The Google memo and open-source AI

    14:41 Sparsification and the size of models: AI on your phone?

    30:16 When will AI take over ordinary decision-making from humans?

    34:50 Rapid advances in AI: a view from inside

    41:28 AI Doomers and Alignment

    Links to earlier episodes on AI and LLMs.

    Artificial Intelligence & Large Language Models: Oxford Lecture — #35: https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/artificial-intelligence-large-language-models-oxford-lecture-35

    Bing vs. Bard, US-China STEM Competition, and Embryo Screening — #30: https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/bing-vs-bard-us-china-stem-competition-and-embryo-screening-30

    ChatGPT, LLMs, and AI — #29: https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/chatgpt-llms-and-ai


    Music used with permission from Blade Runner Blues Livestream improvisation by State Azure.

    --

    Steve Hsu is Professor of Theoretical Physics and of Computational Mathematics, Science, and Engineering at Michigan State University. Previously, he was Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation at MSU and Director of the Institute of Theoretical Science at the University of Oregon. Hsu is a startup founder (Superfocus.ai, SafeWeb, Genomic Prediction) and advisor to venture capital and other investment firms. He was educated at Caltech and Berkeley, was a Harvard Junior Fellow, and has held faculty positions at Yale, the University of Oregon, and MSU.

    Please send any questions or suggestions to [email protected] or Steve on Twitter @hsu_steve.