Polygenics and Machine SuperIntelligence; Billionaires, Philo-semitism, and Chosen Embryos – Manifold #102
Happy 2026!
This is a two-part episode. The first ~30m covers the most important 2025 breakthroughs in polygenic embryo screening, while the second 30m focuses specifically on AI capabilities at the frontier of human knowledge. Both segments make predictions for 2026 and beyond.
Chapter Markers:
(00:00) - Introduction
(02:22) - Advancements in Polygenic Prediction of Human Traits
(03:20) - Polygenic Risk Scores in Healthcare
(08:15) - Embryo Selection and IVF
(20:37) - Public Perceptions: billionaires and FOMO
(31:40) - AI advances in 2025: High end capabilities and use of AI at the frontier of human knowledge
(55:33) - Conclusion and predictions for 2026
Links:
Chinese billionaires, Philo-semitism, and the Chosen embryos:
My talk from Reproductive Frontiers 2025 in Berkeley:
Previous episodes on frontier AI capabilities in math and theoretical physics
https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/theoretical-physics-with-generative-ai-101
https://www.manifold1.com/episodes/ais-win-math-olympiad-gold-prof-lin-yang-ucla-97
Audio-only version and transcript:
Steve, excellent video.
While AI has already been a great benefit to humanity, its most critical potential lies in serving as a tool for human genetic enhancement. It is regrettable that our society currently has such an aversion to studying and enhancing intelligence and other positive human traits. (what you refer to as 'edgy')
We are on the cusp of significant breakthroughs in human genetics, yet, at least in the US, there is strong pushback against research; perhaps China will be the one to forge ahead.