Book · 2016 · Business & Economics
The Age of Em
Work, Love, and Life when Robots Rule the Earth
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I like the idea of portfolio of descendants, and we'll talk about portfolios with your idea of, you briefly mentioned, we'll return there with Em, E-M, "The Age of Em: Work, Love, and Life when Robots Rule the Earth." E-M, by the way, is emulated minds.
Lex Fridman · Lex Fridman Podcast · Jun 2022 Listen at 1:03:30 Why people recommend it
The Age of Em by Robin Hanson is a speculative nonfiction book exploring a future where human minds are emulated on computers and rule the earth. The book became a point of discussion during an October 2026 episode of the a16z Podcast, where host Erik Torenberg spoke with Nick Bostrom about navigating artificial superintelligence. Torenberg questioned Bostrom about potential disagreements with Hanson's framework, noting that current technological trajectories suggest society may achieve artificial superintelligence before developing emulated minds. Additionally, in June 2022, Lex Fridman explored the concepts from the book during an interview with Robin Hanson on the Lex Fridman Podcast. Fridman introduced the premise of emulated minds, or ems, and referenced the book's subtitle regarding work, love, and life under such conditions to discuss portfolios of descendants and the future of humanity. Across both podcasts, the book served as a vital touchstone for debating existential futures, artificial intelligence timelines, and the profound social transformations that might accompany advanced technological developments in human or post-human societies.
Every mention
Erik Torenberg Do you have any disagreements with Robin Hansen's age of M on this topic yeah I mean I guess the most obvio… 1
“Do you have any disagreements with Robin Hansen's age of M on this topic yeah I mean I guess the most obvious is that it doesn't look like we will be getting M's before we have super intelligence artificial super intelligence”
Lex Fridman I like the idea of portfolio of descendants, and we'll talk about portfolios with your idea of, you briefly… 1
“I like the idea of portfolio of descendants, and we'll talk about portfolios with your idea of, you briefly mentioned, we'll return there with Em, E-M, "The Age of Em: Work, Love, and Life when Robots Rule the Earth." E-M, by the way, is emulated minds.”
Other mentions (3: passing, ad reads, own books)
“He is the co-author of a book titled "The Elephant in the Brain: Hidden Motives in Everyday Life," "The Age of Em: Work, Love, and Life when Robots Rule the Earth."”
“So I have this book called "The Age of Em: Work, Love, and Life when Robots Rule the Earth," and it's about what happens if brain emulations become possible.”
“Then my attempt in "Age of Em," is to analyze the next era after that.”