Lex Fridman Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#472 – Terence Tao: Hardest Problems in Mathematics, Physics & the Future of AI Jun 15, 2025

Show notes

Terence Tao is widely considered to be one of the greatest mathematicians in history. He won the Fields Medal and the Breakthrough Prize in Mathematics, and has contributed to a wide range of fields from fluid dynamics with Navier-Stokes equations to mathematical physics & quantum mechanics, prime numbers & analytics number theory, harmonic analysis, compressed sensing, random matrix theory, combinatorics, and progress on many of the hardest problems in the history of mathematics.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep472-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/terence-tao-transcript

CONTACT LEX:
Feedback – give feedback to Lex: https://lexfridman.com/survey
AMA – submit questions, videos or call-in: https://lexfridman.com/ama
Hiring – join our team: https://lexfridman.com/hiring
Other – other ways to get in touch: https://lexfridman.com/contact

EPISODE LINKS:
Terence’s Blog: https://terrytao.wordpress.com/
Terence’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TerenceTao27
Terence’s Books: https://amzn.to/43H9Aiq

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Notion: Note-taking and team collaboration.
Go to https://notion.com/lex
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
NetSuite: Business management software.
Go to http://netsuite.com/lex
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex
AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drink.
Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(00:36) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections
(09:49) – First hard problem
(15:16) – Navier–Stokes singularity
(35:25) – Game of life
(42:00) – Infinity
(47:07) – Math vs Physics
(53:26) – Nature of reality
(1:16:08) – Theory of everything
(1:22:09) – General relativity
(1:25:37) – Solving difficult problems
(1:29:00) – AI-assisted theorem proving
(1:41:50) – Lean programming language
(1:51:50) – DeepMind’s AlphaProof
(1:56:45) – Human mathematicians vs AI
(2:06:37) – AI winning the Fields Medal
(2:13:47) – Grigori Perelman
(2:26:29) – Twin Prime Conjecture
(2:43:04) – Collatz conjecture
(2:49:50) – P = NP
(2:52:43) – Fields Medal
(3:00:18) – Andrew Wiles and Fermat’s Last Theorem
(3:04:15) – Productivity
(3:06:54) – Advice for young people
(3:15:17) – The greatest mathematician of all time

PODCAST LINKS:
– Podcast Website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast
– Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr
– Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8
– RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/
– Podcast Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4
– Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/lexclips

#471 – Sundar Pichai: CEO of Google and Alphabet Jun 05, 2025

Show notes

Sundar Pichai is CEO of Google and Alphabet.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep471-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/sundar-pichai-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
Sundar’s X: https://x.com/sundarpichai
Sundar’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/sundarpichai
Sundar’s Blog: https://blog.google/authors/sundar-pichai/
Google Gemini: https://gemini.google.com/
Google’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Google

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Tax Network USA: Full-service tax firm.
Go to https://tnusa.com/lex
BetterHelp: Online therapy and counseling.
Go to https://betterhelp.com/lex
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drink.
Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(00:07) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections
(07:55) – Growing up in India
(14:04) – Advice for young people
(15:46) – Styles of leadership
(20:07) – Impact of AI in human history
(32:17) – Veo 3 and future of video
(40:01) – Scaling laws
(43:46) – AGI and ASI
(50:11) – P(doom)
(57:02) – Toughest leadership decisions
(1:08:09) – AI mode vs Google Search
(1:21:00) – Google Chrome
(1:36:30) – Programming
(1:43:14) – Android
(1:48:27) – Questions for AGI
(1:53:42) – Future of humanity
(1:57:04) – Demo: Google Beam
(2:04:46) – Demo: Google XR Glasses
(2:07:31) – Biggest invention in human history

#470 – James Holland: World War II, Hitler, Churchill, Stalin & Biggest Battles May 24, 2025

Show notes

James Holland is a historian specializing in World War II. He hosts a podcast called WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep470-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/james-holland-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
James’s Books: https://amzn.to/4caapmt
James’s X: https://x.com/James1940
James’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/jamesholland1940
James’s Substack: https://james1940.substack.com
WW2 Pod (Podcast – Apple): https://apple.co/4l93Dl3
WW2 Pod (Podcast – YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@wehaveways
WW2 Pod (Podcast – Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/34VlAepHmeloDD76RX4jtc
WW2 Pod (Podcast – X): https://x.com/WeHaveWaysPod

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex
AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drink.
Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex
Notion: Note-taking and team collaboration.
Go to https://notion.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(00:34) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections
(07:25) – World War II
(17:23) – Lebensraum and Hitler ideology
(24:36) – Operation Barbarossa
(40:49) – Hitler vs Europe
(1:02:35) – Joseph Goebbels
(1:12:29) – Hitler before WW2
(1:17:25) – Hitler vs Chamberlain
(1:39:31) – Invasion of Poland
(1:44:07) – Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
(1:52:09) – Winston Churchill
(2:16:09) – Most powerful military in WW2
(2:38:31) – Tanks
(2:48:30) – Battle of Stalingrad
(3:01:21) – Concentration camps
(3:10:53) – Battle of Normandy
(3:24:45) – Lessons from WW2

#469 – Oliver Anthony: Country Music, Blue-Collar America, Fame, Money, and Pain May 20, 2025

Show notes

Oliver Anthony is singer-songwriter who first gained worldwide fame with his viral hit Rich Men North of Richmond. He became a voice for many who are voiceless, with many of his songs speaking to the struggle of the working class in modern American life.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep469-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/oliver-anthony-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
Oliver’s X: https://x.com/AintGottaDollar
Oliver’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/oliver_anthony_music_
Oliver’s YouTube: https://youtube.com/@oliveranthonymusic
Oliver’s TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@oliveranthonymusic
Oliver’s Website: https://oliveranthonymusic.com/
Oliver’s FaceBook: https://facebook.com/OliverAnthonyMusicOfficial/
Oliver’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/oliveranthonymusic

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
MasterClass: Online classes from world-class experts.
Go to https://masterclass.com/lexpod
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
Oracle: Cloud infrastructure.
Go to https://oracle.com/lex
Tax Network USA: Full-service tax firm.
Go to https://tnusa.com/lex
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(09:00) – Open mics
(13:03) – Mainstream country music
(22:10) – Fame
(28:06) – Music vs politics
(36:56) – Rich Men North of Richmond
(47:06) – Popularity, money, and integrity
(1:01:54) – Blue-collar people
(1:13:57) – Depression
(1:38:50) – Nature
(2:01:26) – Three-legged cat
(2:09:57) – I Want to Go Home (live performance)
(2:13:36) – Guitar backstory
(2:17:58) – Playing live this year

#468 – Janna Levin: Black Holes, Wormholes, Aliens, Paradoxes & Extra Dimensions May 05, 2025

Show notes

Janna Levin is a theoretical physicist and cosmologist specializing in black holes, cosmology of extra dimensions, topology of the universe, and gravitational waves.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep468-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/janna-levin-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
Janna’s X: https://x.com/JannaLevin
Janna’s Website: https://jannalevin.com
Janna’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/jannalevin
Janna’s Substack: https://substack.com/@jannalevin
Black Hole Survival Guide (book): https://amzn.to/3YkJzT5
Black Hole Blues (book): https://amzn.to/42Nw7IE
How the Universe Got Its Spots (book): https://amzn.to/4m5De8k
A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines (book): https://amzn.to/3GGakvd

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Brain.fm: Music for focus.
Go to https://brain.fm/lex
BetterHelp: Online therapy and counseling.
Go to https://betterhelp.com/lex
NetSuite: Business management software.
Go to http://netsuite.com/lex
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drink.
Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(00:51) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections
(09:21) – Black holes
(16:55) – Formation of black holes
(27:45) – Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb
(34:08) – Inside the black hole
(47:10) – Supermassive black holes
(50:39) – Physics of spacetime
(53:42) – General relativity
(59:13) – Gravity
(1:15:47) – Information paradox
(1:24:17) – Fuzzballs & soft hair
(1:27:28) – ER = EPR
(1:34:07) – Firewall
(1:42:59) – Extra dimensions
(1:45:24) – Aliens
(2:01:00) – Wormholes
(2:11:57) – Dark matter and dark energy
(2:22:00) – Gravitational waves
(2:34:08) – Alan Turing and Kurt Godel
(2:46:23) – Grigori Perelman, Andrew Wiles, and Terence Tao
(2:52:58) – Art and science
(3:02:37) – The biggest mystery

#467 – Tim Sweeney: Fortnite, Unreal Engine, and the Future of Gaming Apr 30, 2025

Show notes

Tim Sweeney is a legendary video game programmer, founder and CEO of Epic Games that created the Unreal Engine, Fortnite, Gears of War, Unreal Tournament, and many other groundbreaking and influential video games.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep467-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/tim-sweeney-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
Tim’s X: https://x.com/timsweeneyepic
Epic Games: https://epicgames.com/

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Notion: Note-taking and team collaboration.
Go to https://notion.com/lex
MasterClass: Online classes from world-class experts.
Go to https://masterclass.com/lexpod
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drink.
Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(08:25) – 10,000 hours programming
(11:42) – Advice for young programmers
(19:54) – Video games in the 80s and 90s
(22:02) – Epic Games origin story
(34:40) – Indie game development
(40:34) – Unreal Engine
(1:06:30) – Technical details of Unreal Engine
(1:11:23) – Constructive solid geometry
(1:17:21) – Dynamic lighting
(1:21:51) – Volumetric fog
(1:25:19) – John Carmack
(1:27:05) – Evolution of Unreal Engine
(1:33:21) – Unreal Engine 5
(1:44:32) – Creating realistic humans
(1:53:41) – Lumen global illumination
(1:58:11) – Movies
(2:12:53) – Simulating reality
(2:25:08) – Metaverse
(2:27:44) – Fortnite
(2:31:40) – Scaling
(2:47:04) – Game economies
(2:48:33) – Standardizing the Metaverse
(2:56:46) – Verse programming language
(3:18:19) – Concurrency
(3:25:56) – Unreal Engine 6
(3:30:34) – Indie game developers
(3:33:32) – Apple
(3:48:12) – Epic Games Store
(4:11:03) – Future of gaming
(4:17:03) – Greatest games ever made
(4:22:39) – GTA 6 and Rockstar Games
(4:25:58) – Hope for the future

SOCIAL LINKS:
– X: https://x.com/lexfridman
– Instagram: https://instagram.com/lexfridman
– TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@lexfridman
– LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/lexfridman
– Facebook: https://facebook.com/lexfridman
– Patreon: https://patreon.com/lexfridman
– Telegram: https://t.me/lexfridman
– Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/lexfridman

#466 – Jeffrey Wasserstrom: China, Xi Jinping, Trade War, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mao Apr 24, 2025

Show notes

Jeffrey Wasserstrom is a historian of modern China.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep466-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/jeffrey-wasserstrom-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
Jeffrey Wasserstrom’s Books:
China in the 21st Century: https://amzn.to/3GnayXT
Vigil: Hong Kong on the Brink: https://amzn.to/4jmxWmT
Oxford History of Modern China: https://amzn.to/3RAJ9nI
The Milk Tea Alliance: https://amzn.to/42DLapH

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Oracle: Cloud infrastructure.
Go to https://oracle.com/lex
Tax Network USA: Full-service tax firm.
Go to https://tnusa.com/lex
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex
AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drink.
Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(00:06) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections
(10:29) – Xi Jinping and Mao Zedong
(13:57) – Confucius
(21:27) – Education
(29:33) – Tiananmen Square
(40:49) – Tank Man
(50:49) – Censorship
(1:26:45) – Xi Jinping
(1:44:53) – Donald Trump
(1:48:47) – Trade war
(2:01:35) – Taiwan
(2:11:48) – Protests in Hong Kong
(2:44:07) – Mao Zedong
(3:05:48) – Future of China

#465 – Robert Rodriguez: Sin City, Desperado, El Mariachi, Alita, and Filmmaking Apr 17, 2025

Show notes

Robert Rodriguez is a legendary filmmaker and creator of Sin City, El Mariachi, Desperado, Spy Kids, Machete, From Dusk Till Dawn, Alita: Battle Angel, The Faculty, and his newest venture Brass Knuckle Films.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep465-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/robert-rodriguez-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
Robert’s X: https://x.com/rodriguez
Robert’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/rodriguez/
Brass Knuckle Films: https://brassknucklefilms.com/
Rebel without a Crew (book): https://amzn.to/3G7gtQJ
Rebel without a Crew (audiobook): https://amzn.to/3Ri5wyc

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Invideo AI: AI video generator.
Go to https://invideo.io/i/lexpod
Brain.fm: Music for focus.
Go to https://brain.fm/lex
NetSuite: Business management software.
Go to http://netsuite.com/lex
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(10:04) – Explosions and having only one take
(17:39) – Success and failure
(26:28) – Filmmaking on a low budget
(38:41) – El Mariachi
(50:10) – Creativity
(1:12:06) – Limitations
(1:18:22) – Handling criticism
(1:34:32) – Action films
(1:45:53) – Quentin Tarantino
(1:55:52) – Desperado
(1:56:54) – Salma Hayek
(2:01:40) – Danny Trejo
(2:06:55) – Filming in Austin
(2:13:05) – Editing
(2:22:35) – Sound design
(2:27:43) – Deadlines
(2:31:14) – Alita: Battle Angel
(2:39:36) – James Cameron
(2:52:39) – Sin City
(3:06:48) – Manifesting
(3:18:12) – Memories and journaling
(3:27:56) – Mortality

#464 – Dave Smith: Israel, Ukraine, Epstein, Mossad, Conspiracies & Antisemitism Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

Dave Smith is a comedian, libertarian, political commentator, and the host of Part of the Problem podcast.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep464-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/dave-smith-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
Dave’s X: https://x.com/ComicDaveSmith
Dave’s YouTube: https://youtube.com/DSmithcomic
Dave’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/theproblemdavesmith
Dave’s Website: https://comicdavesmith.com/
Part of the Problem Podcast: https://partoftheproblem.com/

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Call of Duty: First-person shooter video game.
Go to https://callofduty.com/warzone
Tax Network USA: Full-service tax firm.
Go to https://tnusa.com/lex
Notion: Note-taking and team collaboration.
Go to https://notion.com/lex
Shopify: Sell stuff online.
Go to https://shopify.com/lex
BetterHelp: Online therapy and counseling.
Go to https://betterhelp.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(00:10) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections
(09:32) – Libertarianism
(10:47) – Ron Paul
(13:59) – Military–industrial complex
(20:53) – War on Terror
(33:12) – China and Taiwan
(41:00) – Just war theory
(48:09) – Israel and Gaza
(1:05:35) – Douglas Murray
(1:13:29) – Hamas
(1:29:48) – Hitler and Stalin
(1:32:01) – Darryl Cooper
(1:41:13) – Antisemitism
(1:54:46) – World leaders
(2:07:21) – Jeffrey Epstein
(2:15:24) – Sam Harris
(2:28:07) – Ukraine and Russia
(2:47:32) – Joe Rogan
(3:00:01) – Conspiracy theories
(3:17:52) – Hope

#463 – Douglas Murray: Putin, Zelenskyy, Trump, Israel, Netanyahu, Hamas & Gaza Mar 30, 2025

Show notes

Douglas Murray is the author of On Democracies and Death Cults, The War on The West, and The Madness of Crowds.
Thank you for listening ❤ Check out our sponsors: https://lexfridman.com/sponsors/ep463-sc
See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.

Transcript:
https://lexfridman.com/douglas-murray-2-transcript

EPISODE LINKS:
Douglas’s X: https://x.com/DouglasKMurray
Douglas’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@douglasmurray
Douglas’s Instagram: https://instagram.com/douglaskmurray
Douglas’s Website: https://douglasmurray.net
On Democracies and Death Cults (book): https://amzn.to/4jahsxL
The War on the West (book): https://amzn.to/38L7B36

SPONSORS:
To support this podcast, check out our sponsors & get discounts:
Call of Duty: First-person shooter video game.
Go to https://callofduty.com/warzone
Oracle: Cloud infrastructure.
Go to https://oracle.com/lex
LMNT: Zero-sugar electrolyte drink mix.
Go to https://drinkLMNT.com/lex
AG1: All-in-one daily nutrition drink.
Go to https://drinkag1.com/lex

OUTLINE:
(00:00) – Introduction
(02:04) – Sponsors, Comments, and Reflections
(09:31) – War in Ukraine
(13:17) – Trump and Zelenskyy
(27:47) – Putin
(48:40) – Peace
(58:31) – Zelenskyy
(1:13:11) – Israel-Palestine
(1:23:57) – Hamas
(1:38:30) – Corruption
(1:41:40) – Gaza
(2:02:18) – Benjamin Netanyahu
(2:19:29) – Hate
(2:43:59) – Iran
(2:54:48) – Interview advice
(3:09:12) – War

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected