Josh Barro

AI position

Aware of x-risk

Hosted Dean Ball for one episode weighing AI existential risk against regulatory models.

Why influential

Builds a direct, recurring relationship with audiences through long-form or personality-led media; guests and clips can quickly alter candidate incentives and issue salience. Primary policy lanes: economics; politics; culture; media.

Who pays attention

Policy analysts, economists, media professionals, moderates, lawyers and professional-class listeners

Work samples

• AI Probably Won't Kill Everyone

  Jun 23, 2026 · podcast

  Central Air episode with Dean Ball on AI regulation modeled on bank regulation, export controls, and AI existential-risk concerns; Barro voices unease about applying banking-style regulation to a technology industry leaders themselves call potentially civilization-threatening.

• Introducing Central Air

  Oct 1, 2025 · newsletter

  Announcement of the new podcast (successor to Very Serious) co-hosted with Megan McArdle and Ben Dreyfuss.

• On the Very Serious Podcast: Tyler Cowen on Identifying Talent

  Jan 1, 2024 · podcast

  Economics-focused interview; Cowen is an economist, not an AI-world figure, included to show show format.

• Listen to These Experts

  Jan 1, 2023 · podcast

  General Very Serious episode; exact topic unconfirmed, included as archive reference.

AI-world contacts

• Dean Ball — AI policy advisor, OpenAI (incoming); formerly Trump White House AI policy

  • Wrote aboutdirectness unclassified — Guest on Josh Barro's Central Air podcast discussing AI regulation models and existential risk framing (June 2026).