After Things Podcast

Andrew opens by talking about how he uses ChatGPT and related tools throughout his work and daily life, arguing that AI is already accelerating coding, research, and other tasks. From there the conversation expands into a speculative case that widespread AI, more abundant intelligence, cheaper manufacturing, and improved energy systems could make a much more expansive future possible, including Starfleet-like space development, orbital habitats, and terraforming. The discussion then turns to the mechanics and scale of space travel, especially the difficulty of slowing down at the destination. Andrew describes beam propulsion and other near-relativistic ideas for reaching places like Alpha Centauri, but emphasizes that braking and destination infrastructure are the hard parts. The second half of the episode shifts into ethics: how to think about non-interference, the prime directive, slavery, genocide, refugees, uncontacted tribes, and whether the right moral response is to preserve cultures or offer individua