Nick Bostrom

Nick Bostrom, who has been referred to as “the Swedish superbrain,” has a background in theoretical physics, computational neuroscience, logic, and artificial intelligence, along with philosophy. He is one of the most-cited philosophers in the world.

He was until recently Professor at Oxford University, where he served as the founding Director of the Future of Humanity Institute from 2005 until its closure in 2024. He is the Founder and Principal Researcher of the nonprofit Macrostrategy Research Initiative.

Bostrom is the author of 200 publications, including "Anthropic Bias," "Global Catastrophic Risks," "Human Enhancement," and "Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies," a prescient New York Times bestseller which helped spark a global conversation about the future of AI that continues to this day. His work has pioneered many of the ideas that frame current thinking about humanity’s future (e.g. the concept of existential risk, the simulation argument, the vulnerable world hypothesis, differential technological development, crucial considerations, the moral status of digital minds, etc.). His most recent book, "Deep Utopia: Life and Meaning in a Solved World," was published in 2024.

His writings have been translated into more than 30 languages; he is a repeat main-stage TED speaker; he has been on Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Global Thinkers list twice and was included in Prospect’s World Thinkers list, the youngest person in the top 15. As a graduate student, Bostrom dabbled in stand-up comedy on the London circuit.