"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg What AI Means for Anthropic, Washington, and Jobs
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Mar 24, 2026 
Noah Smith, economist and Noahpinion writer, offers sharp analysis on AI and government policy. He discusses why powerful AI will be regulated like weapons. He examines Anthropic’s ties to Washington, mass surveillance tradeoffs, and biosecurity as a top near-term risk. He also explains why widespread job loss from AI is unlikely.
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Government Will Inescapably Control Powerful AI
- Powerful AI will inevitably involve the government rather than remain purely private.
- Noah Smith compares AI to a weapon like nuclear bombs, arguing national security and procurement cycles make government control unavoidable.
Anthropic Fears AGI Misalignment More Than Surveillance
- Anthropic's core worry is AGI alignment rather than conventional privacy or war use.
- Noah explains their fear is creating a superintelligent autonomous 'god' that must be given correct values, not merely a concern about surveillance.
Send Experts To Washington To Shape AI Policy
- Do flood government channels with people who share your technical views if you want influence on AI policy.
- Noah Smith urges Anthropic to send experts to conferences, White House meetings, and hearings to explain near-term model capabilities and risks.