The Containment Problem: Why AI and Synthetic Biology Can't Be Contained Artwork

Women talkin' 'bout AI

We’re Jessica and Kimberly – two non-computer scientists who are just as curious (and skeptical) about generative AI as you are. Each episode, we chat with people from different backgrounds to hear how they’re making sense of AI. We keep it real, skip the jargon, and and explore it with the curiosity of researchers and the openness of learners.

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Women talkin' 'bout AI

The Containment Problem: Why AI and Synthetic Biology Can't Be Contained

November 05, 2025 • Kimberly Becker & Jessica Parker • Season 2 • Episode 14

In this episode, Jessica teaches Kimberly about the "containment problem," a concept that explores whether we can actually control advanced technologies like AI and synthetic biology.

Inspired by Mustafa Suleyman's book The Coming Wave, Jessica and Kimberly discuss why containment might be impossible, the democratization of powerful technologies, and the surprising world of DIY genetic engineering (yes, you can buy a frog modification kit for your garage).

What We Cover:

What is the containment problem and why it matters
The difference between AGI, ASI, and ACI
Why AI is fundamentally different from nuclear weapons when it comes to containment
Synthetic biology: from AlphaFold to $1,099 frog gene editing kits
The geopolitical arms race and why profit motives complicate containment
How technology democratization gives individuals unprecedented power
Whether complete AI containment is even possible (spoiler: probably not)
The modern Turing test and why perception might be reality

Books & Resources Mentioned: