Theo Von

AI position

Aware of x-risk

In the Sam Altman episode Von raised concerns about AI advancing too fast, loss of human purpose, and pressed on the "race" dynamic where slowing down could be costly, but this appears to be a one-off engagement rather than a recurring theme of his show.

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: culture; elections; mental health; candidate interviews.

Who pays attention

Campaigns seeking younger men, comedians, anti-establishment voters, cultural figures and digital media

Work samples

• Sam Altman | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #599

  Jul 23, 2025 · podcast

  Theo interviews OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at OpenAI's SF offices; covers AI risk, job displacement, purpose, and regulation.

• Vice President JD Vance | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von

  Jun 7, 2025 · podcast

  Wide-ranging political interview; touches on Musk/Trump fallout, not primarily AI-focused.

• Senator John Kennedy | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #666

  Jul 1, 2026 · podcast

  Interview touching on regulating Big Tech among other topics.

• Dr. Peter McCullough | This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #647

  Mar 19, 2026 · podcast

  Health/medical-focused episode, not AI-related; included to show recent output cadence.

AI-world contacts

• Sam Altman — CEO, OpenAI

  • Hosted / interviewedsource · interview · Jul 23, 2025 — Theo Von hosted Sam Altman for episode #599 of This Past Weekend, recorded at OpenAI's San Francisco office; discussed AI risk, the competitive AI race, job displacement, and human purpose. Also covered by Fortune: https://fortune.com/2025/07/24/sam-altman-theo-von-podcast-ai-fears-humanity/