EP 67: "Humanity Was Dead. 36 Survivors Remained." — A Sci-Fi Author on AI, War & Our Future | Douglas Swatski

This episode was recorded live from the Ai4 conference podcast pavilion on the final day, where host Mac Goswami sat down with science-fiction author Douglas Swatski about his novel — two alien AI civilizations at war, humanity caught in the middle — and the ideas about AI, optimization, and our future that run underneath it. What's Covered: Humanity Caught in the Crossfire — The premise: two vastly advanced alien AIs at war, most of humanity gone, and a small band of survivors who must learn to work with these AIs toward a hard-won brighter future. Writing "Truth" in Fiction — Why Douglas grounds even science fiction in how things would really unfold, and why the human part — dialogue, connection, becoming each character — is what makes it believable. "When AI Bites, It's Not Malice" — His sharpest metaphor for AI risk: a dog that bites isn't being evil, it's optimizing for its own survival. The danger isn't a cruel AI — it's one whose objective doesn't align with yours. In his story, a civilization optimized for war can't pull itself back. Is Human Labor Becoming Obsolete? — Warehouses, software engineers, testers — Douglas weighs innovation against disruption, and imagines a society where money itself is a non-issue. Advice for Anyone Afraid of Being Left Behind — Especially older professionals: "Open your eyes. Try to learn and understand what it is as it relates to you. You have a role to play — go play it." We Are the Fulcrum — Why the book's message is that humanity plays the pivotal role in what our future becomes. Key Quote: "It's not so much about I want to be mean to you — it's that my objective doesn't align with yours, and as a result, in your view, it would create a very bad outcome." Connect with Douglas: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dswatski/ Website: djswatski.com Follow and subscribe to AsembleAI: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | iHeart Radio | YouTube | Substack