We Debated the Future of AI Safety in Brussels — Here's What Happened

In this episode of For Humanity, John travels to Brussels, Belgium for PauseCon — the global gathering of Pause AI volunteers and advocates — joined by board member and author Louis Berman and filmmaker Beau Kershaw.The goal: train activists to be more effective in the fight against AI risk. What unfolded was one of the most honest conversations in the AI safety movement about why, despite 80% public support, almost nobody is actually showing up.John didn’t pull punches. Nothing is working. Not fast enough. Not at the scale we need. But the energy is out there — and this episode is about where to find it and how to channel it.The centerpiece is a live debate between John and Max Winga of Control AI on one of the most divisive strategic questions in the movement:Should we talk about extinction risk directly — or meet people where they are with the harms happening right now?Together, they explore:* Why 80% public support hasn’t translated into mass mobilization* The case for leading with existential risk vs. “mundane” AI harms* Data centers, community opposition, and financial pain as a strategy* Why John believes laws and treaties alone won’t save us* The winning state: making unsafe AI bad for business* What’s actually moving the needle in the US right now* How to talk to someone about AI risk without losing them* The “yes and” approach vs. the AI safety world’s love of “no but”If you've ever wondered why the AI safety movement struggles to break through despite overwhelming public agreement — this episode is required viewing.📺 Subscribe to The AI Risk Network for weekly conversations on how we can confront the AI extinction threat. Get full access to The AI Risk Network at theairisknetwork.substack.com/subscribe