CEOInterviews.AI
Start App
Try: AI strategy tariffs earnings guidance layoffs interest rates growth

Kevin Roose

Co-host, Machine Gods; former Hard Fork co-host and New York Times tech columnist, Machine Gods

Search every verified Kevin Roose interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Kevin Roose, former New York Times technology columnist and co-host of the podcast Hard Fork, has been promoting his new book, "The AGI Chronicles: The Inside Story of the Race to Create an Artificial Superintelligence," which was released in October 2026. The book, based on interviews with more than 150 people at OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind, examines the personal rivalries and motivations of AI leaders such as Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and Demis Hassabis, as well as the history of the race toward artificial general intelligence. During appearances on podcasts and news programs, Roose has discussed his reporting on topics including the origins of Anthropic's split from OpenAI, the "scaling hypothesis" memo written by Amodei, and the small group of decision-makers he says has driven AI development. Roose has also spoken publicly about AI safety concerns, stating that he believes the industry should slow down and that he assigns a roughly 10% probability to the risk of human extinction from AI, a figure he has described as relatively optimistic by Silicon Valley standards. He has expressed skepticism about the likelihood of strong federal regulation, noting that Congress has not passed laws regulating social media, and has advocated for measures such as independent evaluators embedded in AI labs and a coordinated slowdown mechanism among American labs. In addition to the book, Roose has launched a new podcast and media company called Machine Gods with former Hard Fork co-host Casey Newton, with the first episode scheduled for the week of October 19, 2026. He has also described using a team of AI agents to assist with fact-checking and organizing interview transcripts for his book, while stating that he does not let AI do the writing.

Recent appearances

  • The AI Revolution with Kevin Roose & Casey Newton | Quest on Stage

    October 16, 2026 · 📺 Quest Science Center

    Artificial intelligence is transforming the way we work, learn, communicate, and create. What does it mean for our future? Watch Kevin Roose and Casey Newton, hosts of the acclaimed New York Times podcast Hard Fork, in conversation at Quest on Stage: The AI Revolution. Drawing on their reporting at the forefront of AI and emerging technology, they explore what’s real, what’s hype, and how these technologies are reshaping our lives. Recorded live on August 14, 2026, at 7:30 pm at the Bankhead Theater in Livermore, California. Quest on Stage brings science, big ideas, and engaging conversatio…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • AI Leaders Can't Get Along. So How Will They Keep Us Safe? — With Kevin Roose

    October 15, 2026 · 📺 Alex Kantrowitz

    Kevin Roose is the author of The AGI Chronicles,. Roose joins Big Technology Podcast to discuss whether an AI industry rife with personal rivalries, infighting, and mistrust can be trusted to develop technology more powerful than humans. Tune in to hear why Roose emerged from years of reporting inside OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind more concerned about AI safety, why he believes the industry should slow down, and what happens if AI systems begin improving themselves. We also cover Sam Altman's leadership style, Dario Amodei's motivations, Sergey Brin's return to Google, Microsoft's AI…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Inside the race to AGI: Rivalries, fear, and the people in charge (Kevin Roose)

    October 14, 2026 · 📺 Pioneers of AI and Masters of Scale

    Pioneers of AI Host Rana el Kaliouby sits down with journalist Kevin Roose to explore what his new book “The AGI Chronicles” reveals about the AI headlines we’re all obsessing over, his concerns around AI safety, and whether AGI is already here. 🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6gbpjgc... 💻 LEARN MORE Our website: https://www.pioneersof.ai/ ⚡JOIN OUR COMMUNITY LinkedIn:   / pioneersofai   Facebook:   / pioneersofai   Instagram:   / pioneersofai   X:   / pioneersofai   TikTok:   / pioneersofai   💡ABOUT U…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Diesel Deal Struck with Putin, Isaias Makes Landfall

    October 10, 2026 · 📺 Bloomberg Podcasts

    The news doesn’t stop when markets close. Hosts David Gura, Christina Ruffini and Lisa Mateo bring clarity, context and a bit of humor to the weekend’s biggest headlines, LIVE from New York. Joined by Nancy Yousef - The Atlantic Staff Writer, Bill Wadell - AccuWeather Reporter, Kevin Roose - Tech Journalist, Author “The AGI Chronicles,” Shannon Kingston - ABC News State Department Reporter, Jesse Cole - Banana Ball Championship League Owner, Amanda Agati - PNC Asset MGMT Group Chief Investment Officer, Dr. Peter Hotez - Baylor College of Medicine School of Tropical Medicine Dean, Joanne Hsu -…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • The Race for AI Supremacy Raises Safety Concerns

    October 10, 2026 · 📺 Bloomberg Podcasts

    Technology Journalist and Author Kevin Roose tells Bloomberg This Weekend that a relatively small group of researchers and executives at OpenAI, Anthropic and Google DeepMind has driven the race toward artificial general intelligence, raising questions about who controls the technology and its potential risks. Speaking with hosts David Gura and Christina Ruffini, Roose discusses his new book, The AGI Chronicles, and the challenges of regulating increasingly capable AI systems as developers pursue technology that could surpass human intelligence. -------- Watch Bloomberg Radio LIVE on YouTube…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Washington is AGI-Pilled | Kevin Roose

    October 09, 2026 · 📺 ChinaTalk

    Kevin Roose, formerly of the New York Times and Hard Fork, joins ChinaTalk to discuss AGI Chronicles, his new history of OpenAI, Anthropic, DeepMind, and the people who believed in artificial general intelligence long before anyone else did. Kevin is launching his own show, Machine Gods, later this October. We discuss… Why AGI was built on belief, not just money, GPUs, or talent, and how Google had every piece of the puzzle except the conviction. What drives Sam, Dario, and Demis, some of the most competitive people alive. Whether the Manhattan Project analogy holds, and why the government c…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • CNBC Squawk Box with Kevin Roose - October 9th, 2026

    October 09, 2026 · 📺 StreetPulse Markets

    This CNBC highlights video brings together coverage of SpaceX’s spectrum deal, OpenAI, and the Nasdaq’s bid for a fourth consecutive positive week. The Squawk Box segments feature headlines about spectrum enabling Starlink mobile service and a decline in telecom stocks following the SpaceX announcement. OpenAI also appears in the technology and market coverage. The video also includes a Morning Call appearance by John Stoltzfus, Chief Investment Strategist at Oppenheimer Asset Management. Watch for the market headlines, technology developments, and the featured interview. Which topic inter…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • 83: Kevin Roose and the Race to Superintelligence

    October 08, 2026 · 📺 Washington AI Network

    Leading tech journalist and podcast host Kevin Roose reveals the warfare between the leaders in AI, how Google missed its moment, and how some technologists are making progress on understanding what happens inside AI “black box.” His new book, “The AGI Chronicles,” traces the early days of the race for AGI.  Roose joins Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad for a live taping with DC policymakers and media. He reports on the latest efforts to understand how AI works and warns that AI capabilities are outpacing our understanding of the system. He also cautions that AI agents are superhuma…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Tech journalist Kevin Roose on the Race to Create Artificial Superintelligence | Authors & Insights

    October 08, 2026 · 📺 Johns Hopkins University

    Award-winning journalist, cohost of the hit tech podcast, Hard Fork, and bestselling author Kevin Roose joins the Hopkins Bloomberg Center’s Authors & Insights series to launch his behind-the-scenes account of the trillion-dollar sprint to create artificial general intelligence (AGI) in his new book, “The AGI Chronicles: The Inside Story of the Race to Create an Artificial Superintelligence.” More about Authors & Insights: https://washingtondc.jhu.edu/events/s...

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • The People Building AI Are Terrified of What They've Created

    October 08, 2026 · 📺 The Next Big Idea Podcast

    Artificial intelligence was supposed to be a tool. Kevin Roose explains how OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind turned the race to AGI into a fight over superintelligence, AI safety, and the future of humanity. In this episode, Kevin and Rufus discuss the strange human story behind the future of AI. Kevin explains how OpenAI was born out of fear, why the race to AGI became driven by belief, rivalry, and personal grudges, and how breakthroughs like the transformer and chain-of-thought reasoning pushed the world closer to superintelligence. He also shares why AI safety concerns are not just…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • Kevin Roose and the Race to Superintelligence

    October 07, 2026 · 📺 Washington AI Network

    Leading tech journalist and podcast host Kevin Roose's new book “The AGI Chronicles” reveals the internecine warfare between AI leaders from the early days in the race for AGI. He warns that AI labs now expect self-improving AI could begin as soon as this year, and urges Washington to move faster. Roose joined Washington AI Network founder Tammy Haddad for a live taping with DC policymakers and media. He reports on the latest efforts to understand how AI works and warns that AI capabilities are outpacing both our understanding of the systems and the government's ability to respond. Topics rang…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

  • OpenAI vs Anthropic vs Google: Inside the 21st Century’s Manhattan Project | The Big Interview

    October 07, 2026 · 📺 Uncanny Valley by WIRED

    WIRED Global Editorial Director Katie Drummond speaks with tech journalist and author of The AGI Chronicles about the all things artificial intelligence. Katie and Kevin deep-dive into the AI hype train, the risk to humanity imposed by AI and the “blood feud” nature of AI’s leading companies going toe-to-toe in a race towards superintelligence. Check out 'Uncanny Valley' podcast ►► https://swap.fm/l/wired-uv-youtube #KevinRoose #AI #Podcast Still haven’t subscribed to WIRED on YouTube? ►► http://wrd.cm/15fP7B7 Download the WIRED app: https://wired.com/app Listen to the Uncanny Valley po…

    Read the verified transcript → Watch on YouTube ↗

Verified interview transcripts

Notable quotes

“I think the real answer to this is they just have to demonstrate that AI is safe and beneficial, right? Like nobody had to prove to you that an iPhone was safe and beneficial. You just saw other people using them and it was clearly very helpful to them and so people bought them and people don't protest when an Apple store goes up in their neighborhood, right? We need to get to a similar place with AI. It needs to jus”

“I don't think we are in the midst of a humanoid robot revolution. So if you ask Elon Musk, which I often do, doesn't return my calls, but he will tell you that we are on the brink of every home in the world having a humanoid robot doing tasks in it. And he actually has made some predictions. He says that by 2030, Tesla will be producing a million of its Optimus humanoid robots a year. And by 2040 there will be 10 to ”

“I'm a pause guy. I'm not a stop guy. I think we should slow down because what you're hearing from these lab leaders and the people at these labs and what I've been hearing from them for years now is that the technology, the capabilities are outpacing the safety research and the control methods. So like we are getting these systems that are now capable of solving math problems that humans have struggled with for decad”

“I don't think we can trust any individual in this race. I think there are certain groups like I just mainly think that the group of people who have been building this stuff in secret for the last decade is too small. Like all of the relevant decisions in AI have been made by like a couple dozen people maybe, right? And I just think that is like no matter whether you know whether those people are trustworthy or not, w”

“I think it's practical. I'm not sure it's enough. So, I think embedded evaluators, yes, totally. We should totally have independent neutral people sitting in the AI labs with their employees with full access to their internal systems making sure that those systems are safe, are not going out and committing cyber attacks, are not stealing people's money, are not behaving in ways that we don't want them to. That is sor”

“I was very surprised by the fact that all of the major AI leaders, Dario Amodei, Sam Altman, Demis Hassabis, Elon Musk even, and these are all guys who are not like they're not besties. No, they hate each other. I mean, that's like the one of the primary things that I learned while reporting this book is like it is personal with these guys. This is not like Coke versus Pepsi. They have like deep personal grudges with”

The summary and quote tags on this profile are produced with AI assistance from verified, first-person interview transcripts, then checked by our team to confirm the speaker's identity and the accuracy of every quote. See how we verify →