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Could AI really take control of humanity? With ex-NASA scientist Will Marshall

The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim

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Episode  ·  38:48  ·  Sep 23, 2026

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Space entrepreneur and former NASA scientist, Will Marshall, believes we're on the cusp of "the most profound choice humanity has ever made".He tells Richard about the extraordinary potential of AI – and the risks it could pose to humanity.Will, who is co-founder and chief executive of space company Planet, believes there could be a 50% or greater risk of humans losing control of AI if we continue on our current trajectory.He suggests we could be approaching recursive self-improvement – when machines independently improve their own code and capabilities.And he discusses what could happen if AI begins to develop at an accelerating pace, and the potential "one-way door" of handing over power.You can email your questions to Richard and Yalda at theworld@sky.uk. You can also watch our podcasts on our YouTube channel here.

38m 48s  ·  Sep 23, 2026

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