The Beyond Tomorrow Podcast with Julian Issa

How close are we to AGI?

This episode is brought to you by AgelessRx, where aging becomes a puzzle that can be solved. The mission is to help you live longer and healthier by adding more life to your years through science-backed solutions and personalized care. Learn more at http://agelessrx.com/beyond-tomorrow

The race toward AGI is entering a new phase. Ben Goertzel explores alternative paths to intelligence beyond simply building bigger models.

The conversation also examines the global AI race. The U.S. and China are competing for technological leadership. But the future of AI may not remain centralized.

Then comes the bigger question: what happens after superintelligence? Goertzel imagines AI that could protect humanity. It could even help overcome aging, disease, and other human limitations.

Ben Goertzel is an AI researcher, futurist, and CEO of SingularityNET and BGI Labs. Widely recognized as one of the pioneers of Artificial General Intelligence, he has spent more than two decades developing decentralized AI systems designed to benefit humanity.

What You’ll Learn
Why the AI revolution may be bigger than previous technological shifts

How AI could become an extension of human intelligence

Why agency may matter more than machine consciousness

How the brain creates a simulated model of reality

Whether consciousness could emerge on different substrates

Why AI alignment is also a problem of human alignment

How AI could help humanity become smarter and more coherent

⏱ Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:07 What Happens in the Next 12 Months?
03:41 Why China Is Catching Up
07:36 Why China Wants AI Control
10:18 Can Governments Control AI?
13:02 Human-Level AGI vs Superintelligence
15:35 Will ASI be Chinese or American?
17:47 The Next Breakthrough to AGI
21:05 How AI Could Become More Intelligent
22:23 Why Language Powers AI
27:33 Can Decentralized AI Change Everything?
32:23 The Global Race vs Decentralized AI
36:22 Would Superintelligence Protect Humanity?
40:19 Can We Build Compassionate AGI?
46:27 Why AI Arms Races Are Dangerous
51:14 Why Governments Shouldn’t Control AI
53:17 Can the Government Keep Up With AI?
54:00 Will Open AI Challenge Big Tech?
55:12 The Future of Decentralized AI
56:27 Could 2045 Arrive by 2028?

Connect with Ben
Website: https://singularitynet.io/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bengoertzel 
X: https://x.com/bengoertzel 

Connect with Julian
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeyondtomorrowpodcast/  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliankissa/  
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/julian-issa  
Website: www.beyondtomorrowpodcast.com 
Email: bookings@beyondtomorrowpodcast.com 

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Ramesh Raskar explains how artificial intelligence is evolving and why the coming phase may be critical for its long-term impact on society. He discusses the role of economic systems in guiding responsible innovation and the importance of moving from simply using AI tools to actively participating in their development and governance.

Watch the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zyaecyejQCgbCQ2t2uTt5?si=faf738a4f4ea4a9d

What if we could add 20 healthy years to human life? 

This episode is brought to you by AgelessRx, where aging becomes a puzzle that can be solved. The mission is to help you live longer and healthier by adding more life to your years through science-backed solutions and personalized care. Learn more at https://agelessrx.com/.  

That’s the ambitious challenge behind the XPRIZE Healthspan competition, where 20 finalist teams are racing to find breakthroughs that could fundamentally change how we age. Driven by the moonshot vision championed by Peter Diamandis, the goal isn’t simply to live longer, it’s to preserve muscle, cognitive, and immune function as we get older.

In this episode, Jamie Justice takes us on a journey to better understand the XPRIZE competition as we take a closer look at Minicircle (Walter Patterson), Longeveron (Brian Rash), NYC Vita (Miriam Merad), Mitochondrial All Stars (David Brown), AgelessRx (Stefanie Morgan and Anar Isman), Ani.Ai (Bruno Balen), and Goqii (Vishal Gondal), exploring their very different approaches to extending healthy lifespan. From gene therapies and mitochondrial interventions to stem cells, AI-powered discoveries, and personalized health solutions, these teams are pushing longevity science into fascinating and largely uncharted territory.

Dr. Jamie Justice is a geroscience researcher and Executive Vice President of Health at XPRIZE, where she leads the organization’s efforts to accelerate breakthroughs in healthy aging.

⏱ Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:10 What Is the XPRIZE Competition?
04:09 Why XPRIZE Isn’t a Traditional Funding Program
05:37 The XPRIZE’s Approach to Innovation
08:27 Peter Diamandis on the XPRIZE Winner
08:54 Why the Moonshot Has to Be Daring
10:31 What Makes a Breakthrough Solution?
12:44 The Different XPRIZE Categories
13:54 Can More Teams Still Join?
15:24 Clinical Trials Must Finish by 2029
18:24 The Rise of AI Based Interventions
19:11 Unexpected Approaches to Healthspan
22:07 Minicircle: The Non Viral Plasmid DNA Vector

Minicircle
24:53 Why Minicircle’s Gene Therapy Approach Is Different
25:42 A Simpler Gene Therapy Platform
26:29 Why Plasmid Gene Therapy May Be Safer
28:57 The Challenges of Gene Therapy
30:39 Pushback Against Gene Therapy
33:04 The Future of Gene Therapy
34:18 How Teams Are Adapting
36:17 What It Takes to Reach the 20 Year Goal
37:17 No More New Teams in 2028
38:27 Why Some European Teams Are Struggling
40:56 Could Teams Merge to Move Forward?
42:07 Inside the Biologic Category

Longeveron
42:39 The Next Generation of Biologic Therapies
46:50 What Makes This Team Unique?
47:48 Engineering New Biologic Therapies
53:56 Building a Super Team for Healthspan
Featured Team: Mitochondrial All Stars
57:28 The Role of Mitochondria in Aging
59:27 Specializing in Mitochondrial Health
01:00:48 The Power of a Multi Modal Team

NYC Vita
01:03:11 Combining Different Approaches to Aging
01:06:37 Sharing Data Across Teams
01:08:50 Why Collaboration Could Change the Game
01:13:33 A Novel Drug Target for Aging

AgelessRX
01:14:59 A Strategic Approach to Intervention
01:15:52 Can We Achieve 20 Years of Rejuvenation?
01:17:18 The Chemical Combination
01:22:12 The Science Behind the Approach
01:22:46 The Potential of NAD+
01:23:58 Why Japanese Teams Stand Out
01:26:18 The $100 Million Incentive
01:28:10 Inside the Drug Category
01:31:57 Can We Add Healthy Life in One Year?

Ani.Ai 
01:32:49 Healthy Life in Just One Year
01:33:22 The Antibiome Approach
01:36:52 What the Future of Healthspan Could Look Like
01:38:37 The Best Piece of Advice

Connect with Jamie
Website: https://www.xprize.org/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.n.justice/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-justice-ph-d-6b933146 
X: https://x.com/j_n_justice  
The Teams:
Minicircle: https://minicircle.io/
Longeveron: https://longeveron.com/ 
NYC Vita: https://www.mountsinai.org/ 
AgelessRX: https://agelessrx.com/ 
Ani.Ai: https://www.ani.ai/ 
Goqii: https://goqii.com/us-en

Is democracy already becoming obsolete in the age of AI?

Emad Mostaque, founder of Intelligent Internet, shares why he believes the status quo is over, why democracy as we know it cannot survive the rise of superintelligent AI, and why the race for AGI could determine who controls the future of humanity.

In this clip, Emad explains why AI may eventually replace human decision-making, how power is becoming concentrated in the hands of a few AI companies, and why governments must rethink ownership, governance, and the role of AI before it's too late.

Watch the full episode here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6oqWQWDYX90uQUmZ5hcB4Q?si=2ada02e898e44ea6

What if the key to aging better is taking care of your body's batteries?
For 20% off all Timeline products, go to timeline.com/beyondtomorrow
Dr. Singh explains why mitochondrial health is becoming a major focus in longevity science. He unpacks the research behind urolithin A, how it supports cellular renewal, and why supplements should never replace the basics.
The conversation covers the habits that matter most, from exercise and sleep to fasting and gut health. They also explore how to separate real science from longevity hype.
Finally, they look ahead to the future of healthy aging, where better diagnostics, AI, and preventive medicine could help us stay healthier for longer, not just live longer.
Dr. Singh is the Chief Medical Officer at Timeline and a physician-scientist specializing in immunology, mitochondrial health, and longevity. His research focuses on translating cutting-edge science into evidence-based interventions that help people age healthier.
What You’ll Learn
Why mitochondrial health matters for longevity

How urolithin A supports healthy aging

The habits that have the strongest evidence

How to spot longevity hype

Where longevity science is headed next

⏱ Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:14 Why Urolithin A Matters
02:20 The Best Ways to Boost Mitochondria
03:20 Can We Reverse Aging?
06:37 Why Your Immune System Ages First
08:20 Targeting the Hallmarks of Aging
10:53 Fifteen Years, One Mission
12:24 The Search for a Longevity Superfood
15:26 Do You Really Need Supplements?
17:58 Three Ways to Improve Mitochondrial Health
20:02 Creatine + Urolithin A Explained
21:41 What Early Users Reported
24:13 Where Skincare Meets Longevity
25:42 Why Longevity Takes Time
28:15 The Three Pillars of Healthy Aging
30:01 The Shift to Preventive Medicine
31:50 Why Mitochondria Are Going Mainstream
34:35 Mitophagy vs. Autophagy
35:38 How Antibiotics Affect Aging
37:49 Rebuilding Your Gut Microbiome
39:59 Prebiotics vs. Probiotics vs. Postbiotics
42:11 The Most Underrated Longevity Habit
43:30 The Gut-Brain Connection
45:04 Melatonin and Mitochondrial Health
45:58 The Biggest Longevity Myth
46:35 Why Metabolic Health Matters
48:19 When GLP-1 Drugs Make Sense
49:32 The Hidden Downsides of GLP-1s
51:12 What Centenarians Can Teach Us
52:48 Mitochondrial Health in 2031
54:17 If Tomorrow Is Your Last Day...

Connect with Dr. Singh
Website: https://www.timeline.com/ 
Connect with Julian
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebeyondtomorrowpodcast/  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliankissa/  
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/julian-issa  
Website: www.beyondtomorrowpodcast.com 
Email: bookings@beyondtomorrowpodcast.com 
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube for more stories from the edge of what is possible.