Lex Fridman Podcast

#491 – OpenClaw: The Viral AI Agent that Broke the Internet – Peter Steinberger

Peter Steinberger is the creator of OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent framework that’s the fastest-growing project in GitHub history. Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep491-sc [https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep491-sc] See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc. Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/peter-steinberger-transcript [https://lexfridman.com/peter-steinberger-transcript] CONTACT LEX: Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey [https://lexfridman.com/survey] AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama [https://lexfridman.com/ama] Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring [https://lexfridman.com/hiring] Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact [https://lexfridman.com/contact] EPISODE LINKS: Peter’s X: https://x.com/steipete [https://x.com/steipete] Peter’s GitHub: https://github.com/steipete [https://github.com/steipete] Peter’s Website: https://steipete.com [https://steipete.com] Peter’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steipete [https://www.linkedin.com/in/steipete] OpenClaw Website: https://openclaw.ai [https://openclaw.ai] OpenClaw GitHub: https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw [https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw] OpenClaw Discord: https://discord.gg/openclaw [https://discord.gg/openclaw] SPONSORS: To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: Perplexity: AI-powered answer engine. Go to https://perplexity.ai/ [https://lexfridman.com/s/perplexity-ep491-sc] Quo: Phone system (calls, texts, contacts) for businesses. Go to https://quo.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/quo-ep491-sc] CodeRabbit: AI-powered code reviews. Go to https://coderabbit.ai/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/coderabbit-ep491-sc] Fin: AI agent for customer service. Go to https://fin.ai/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/fin-ep491-sc] Blitzy: AI agent for large enterprise codebases. Go to https://blitzy.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/blitzy-ep491-sc] Shopify: Sell stuff online. Go to https://shopify.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-ep491-sc] LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-ep491-sc] OUTLINE: (00:00) – Introduction (03:51) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections (15:29) – OpenClaw origin story (18:48) – Mind-blowing moment (28:15) – Why OpenClaw went viral (32:12) – Self-modifying AI agent (36:57) – Name-change drama (54:07) – Moltbook saga (1:02:26) – OpenClaw security concerns (1:11:07) – How to code with AI agents (1:42:02) – Programming setup (1:48:45) – GPT Codex 5.3 vs Claude Opus 4.6 (1:57:52) – Best AI agent for programming (2:19:52) – Life story and career advice (2:23:49) – Money and happiness (2:27:41) – Acquisition offers from OpenAI and Meta (2:44:51) – How OpenClaw works (2:56:09) – AI slop (3:02:13) – AI agents will replace 80% of apps (3:10:50) – Will AI replace programmers? (3:22:50) – Future of OpenClaw community

#490 – State of AI in 2026: LLMs, Coding, Scaling Laws, China, Agents, GPUs, AGI

Nathan Lambert and Sebastian Raschka are machine learning researchers, engineers, and educators. Nathan is the post-training lead at the Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) and the author of The RLHF Book. Sebastian Raschka is the author of Build a Large Language Model (From Scratch) and Build a Reasoning Model (From Scratch). Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep490-sc [https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep490-sc] See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc. Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/ai-sota-2026-transcript [https://lexfridman.com/ai-sota-2026-transcript] CONTACT LEX: Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey [https://lexfridman.com/survey] AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama [https://lexfridman.com/ama] Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring [https://lexfridman.com/hiring] Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact [https://lexfridman.com/contact] SPONSORS: To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: Box: Intelligent content management platform. Go to https://box.com/ai [https://lexfridman.com/s/box-ep490-sc] Quo: Phone system (calls, texts, contacts) for businesses. Go to https://quo.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/quo-ep490-sc] UPLIFT Desk: Standing desks and office ergonomics. Go to https://upliftdesk.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/uplift_desk-ep490-sc] Fin: AI agent for customer service. Go to https://fin.ai/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/fin-ep490-sc] Shopify: Sell stuff online. Go to https://shopify.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-ep490-sc] CodeRabbit: AI-powered code reviews. Go to https://coderabbit.ai/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/coderabbit-ep490-sc] LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-ep490-sc] Perplexity: AI-powered answer engine. Go to https://perplexity.ai/ [https://lexfridman.com/s/perplexity-ep490-sc] OUTLINE: (00:00) – Introduction (01:39) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections (16:29) – China vs US: Who wins the AI race? (25:11) – ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini vs Grok: Who is winning? (36:11) – Best AI for coding (43:02) – Open Source vs Closed Source LLMs (54:41) – Transformers: Evolution of LLMs since 2019 (1:02:38) – AI Scaling Laws: Are they dead or still holding? (1:18:45) – How AI is trained: Pre-training, Mid-training, and Post-training (1:51:51) – Post-training explained: Exciting new research directions in LLMs (2:12:43) – Advice for beginners on how to get into AI development & research (2:35:36) – Work culture in AI (72+ hour weeks) (2:39:22) – Silicon Valley bubble (2:43:19) – Text diffusion models and other new research directions (2:49:01) – Tool use (2:53:17) – Continual learning (2:58:39) – Long context (3:04:54) – Robotics (3:14:04) – Timeline to AGI (3:21:20) – Will AI replace programmers? (3:39:51) – Is the dream of AGI dying? (3:46:40) – How AI will make money? (3:51:02) – Big acquisitions in 2026 (3:55:34) – Future of OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind, xAI, Meta (4:08:08) – Manhattan Project for AI (4:14:42) – Future of NVIDIA, GPUs, and AI compute clusters (4:22:48) – Future of human civilization

#489 – Paul Rosolie: Uncontacted Tribes in the Amazon Jungle

Paul Rosolie is a naturalist, explorer, author of a new book titled Junglekeeper, and is someone who has dedicated his life to protecting the Amazon rainforest. Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep489-sc [https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep489-sc] See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc. Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/paul-rosolie-3-transcript [https://lexfridman.com/paul-rosolie-3-transcript] CONTACT LEX: Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey [https://lexfridman.com/survey] AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama [https://lexfridman.com/ama] Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring [https://lexfridman.com/hiring] Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact [https://lexfridman.com/contact] EPISODE LINKS: Junglekeeper (new book): https://amzn.to/4q7vpAp [https://amzn.to/4q7vpAp] Paul’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/paulrosolie [https://instagram.com/paulrosolie] Junglekeepers Website: https://junglekeepers.org [https://junglekeepers.org] Paul’s Website: https://paulrosolie.com [https://paulrosolie.com] Mother of God (book): https://amzn.to/3ww2ob1 [https://amzn.to/3ww2ob1] SPONSORS: To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: Perplexity: AI-powered answer engine. Go to https://perplexity.ai/ [https://lexfridman.com/s/perplexity-ep489-sc] BetterHelp: Online therapy and counseling. Go to https://betterhelp.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/betterhelp-ep489-sc] LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-ep489-sc] Shopify: Sell stuff online. Go to https://shopify.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-ep489-sc] Fin: AI agent for customer service. Go to https://fin.ai/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/fin-ep489-sc] Miro: Online collaborative whiteboard platform. Go to https://miro.com/ [https://lexfridman.com/s/miro-ep489-sc] MasterClass: Online classes from world-class experts. Go to https://masterclass.com/lexpod [https://lexfridman.com/s/masterclass-ep489-sc] OUTLINE: (00:00) – Introduction (02:34) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections (12:00) – Uncontacted tribes in the Amazon Jungle (19:46) – Intense new encounter (42:52) – Never-before-seen footage of tribe warriors (56:08) – The mysteries of the jungle (1:10:43) – Tribe’s diet: Monkeys, turtles, and turtle eggs (1:20:19) – Jane Goodall (1:26:31) – Advice for young people (1:35:45) – Cartel, Narco-traffickers & assassination attempts (1:57:45) – Climbing the giant tree (2:08:43) – Giant anaconda (2:26:01) – Rescuing a spider monkey (2:32:05) – Dangerous animal encounters (2:42:13) – Writing, journaling, and great writer inspirations PODCAST LINKS: – Podcast Website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast [https://lexfridman.com/podcast] – Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr [https://apple.co/2lwqZIr] – Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 [https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8] – RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ [https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/] – Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4 [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4] – Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/lexclips [https://www.youtube.com/lexclips]

#488 – Infinity, Paradoxes that Broke Mathematics, Gödel Incompleteness & the Multiverse – Joel David Hamkins

Joel David Hamkins is a mathematician and philosopher specializing in set theory, the foundations of mathematics, and the nature of infinity, and he’s the #1 highest-rated user on MathOverflow. He is also the author of several books, including Proof and the Art of Mathematics and Lectures on the Philosophy of Mathematics. And he has a great blog called Infinitely More. Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep488-sc [https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep488-sc] See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc. Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/joel-david-hamkins-transcript [https://lexfridman.com/joel-david-hamkins-transcript] CONTACT LEX: Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey [https://lexfridman.com/survey] AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama [https://lexfridman.com/ama] Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring [https://lexfridman.com/hiring] Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact [https://lexfridman.com/contact] EPISODE LINKS: Joel’s X: https://x.com/JDHamkins [https://x.com/JDHamkins] Joel’s Website: https://jdh.hamkins.org [https://jdh.hamkins.org] Joel’s Substack: https://www.infinitelymore.xyz [https://www.infinitelymore.xyz] Joel’s MathOverflow: https://mathoverflow.net/users/1946/joel-david-hamkins [https://mathoverflow.net/users/1946/joel-david-hamkins] Joel’s Papers: https://jdh.hamkins.org/publications [https://jdh.hamkins.org/publications] Joel’s Books: Lectures on the Philosophy of Mathematics: https://amzn.to/3MThaAt [https://amzn.to/3MThaAt] Proof and the Art of Mathematics: https://amzn.to/3YACc9A [https://amzn.to/3YACc9A] SPONSORS: To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: Perplexity: AI-powered answer engine. Go to https://www.perplexity.ai/ [https://lexfridman.com/s/perplexity-ep488-sc] Fin: AI agent for customer service. Go to https://fin.ai/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/fin-ep488-sc] Miro: Online collaborative whiteboard platform. Go to https://miro.com/ [https://lexfridman.com/s/miro-ep488-sc] CodeRabbit: AI-powered code reviews. Go to https://coderabbit.ai/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/coderabbit-ep488-sc] Chevron: Reliable energy for data centers. Go to https://chevron.com/power [https://lexfridman.com/s/chevron-ep488-sc] Shopify: Sell stuff online. Go to https://shopify.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-ep488-sc] LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-ep488-sc] MasterClass: Online classes from world-class experts. Go to https://masterclass.com/lexpod [https://lexfridman.com/s/masterclass-ep488-sc] OUTLINE: (00:00) – Introduction (01:58) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections (15:40) – Infinity & paradoxes (1:02:50) – Russell’s paradox (1:15:57) – Gödel’s incompleteness theorems (1:33:28) – Truth vs proof (1:44:52) – The Halting Problem (2:00:45) – Does infinity exist? (2:18:19) – MathOverflow (2:22:12) – The Continuum Hypothesis (2:31:58) – Hardest problems in mathematics (2:41:25) – Mathematical multiverse (3:00:18) – Surreal numbers (3:10:55) – Conway’s Game of Life (3:13:11) – Computability theory (3:23:04) – P vs NP (3:26:21) – Greatest mathematicians in history (3:40:05) – Infinite chess (3:58:24) – Most beautiful idea in mathematics

#487 – Irving Finkel: Deciphering Secrets of Ancient Civilizations & Flood Myths

Irving Finkel is a scholar of ancient languages and a longtime curator at the British Museum, renowned for his expertise in Mesopotamian history and cuneiform writing. He specializes in reading and interpreting cuneiform inscriptions, including tablets from Sumerian, Akkadian, Babylonian, and Assyrian contexts. He became widely known for studying a tablet with a Mesopotamian flood story that predates the biblical Noah narrative, which he presented in his book “The Ark Before Noah” and in a documentary that involved building a circular ark based on the tablet’s technical instructions. Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep487-sc [https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep487-sc] See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc. Transcript: https://lexfridman.com/irving-finkel-transcript [https://lexfridman.com/irving-finkel-transcript] CONTACT LEX: Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey [https://lexfridman.com/survey] AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama [https://lexfridman.com/ama] Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring [https://lexfridman.com/hiring] Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact [https://lexfridman.com/contact] EPISODE LINKS: Irving’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drirvingfinkel/ [https://www.instagram.com/drirvingfinkel/] The Ark Before Noah (book): https://amzn.to/4j2U0DW [https://amzn.to/4j2U0DW] Irving Lectures Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYXwZvOwHjVcFUi9iEqirkXRaCUJdXGha [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYXwZvOwHjVcFUi9iEqirkXRaCUJdXGha] British Museum Video Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0LQM0SAx603A6p5EJ9DVcESqQReT7QyK [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0LQM0SAx603A6p5EJ9DVcESqQReT7QyK] British Museum Website: https://www.britishmuseum.org/ [https://www.britishmuseum.org/] The Great Diary Project: https://thegreatdiaryproject.co.uk/ [https://thegreatdiaryproject.co.uk/] SPONSORS: To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts: Shopify: Sell stuff online. Go to https://shopify.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/shopify-ep487-sc] Miro: Online collaborative whiteboard platform. Go to https://miro.com/ [https://lexfridman.com/s/miro-ep487-sc] Chevron: Reliable energy for data centers. Go to https://chevron.com/power [https://lexfridman.com/s/chevron-ep487-sc] LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix. Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/lmnt-ep487-sc] AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drink. Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex [https://lexfridman.com/s/ag1-ep487-sc] OUTLINE: (00:00) – Introduction (00:43) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections (09:53) – Origins of human language (15:59) – Cuneiform (23:12) – Controversial theory about Göbekli Tepe (34:23) – How to write and speak Cuneiform (39:42) – Primitive human language (41:26) – Development of writing systems (42:20) – Decipherment of Cuneiform (54:51) – Limits of language (59:51) – Art of translation (1:05:01) – Gods (1:10:25) – Ghosts (1:20:13) – Ancient flood stories (1:30:21) – Noah’s Ark (1:41:44) – The Royal Game of Ur (1:54:43) – British Museum (2:02:08) – Evolution of human civilization