Rogue AI Agents, AI Regulation & the AI Race Against China

This week on Bourbon with Brad, the guys pour another round of Iron City Distilling's outstanding Bessemer Rye. After enjoying it so much on a previous episode, they decided it deserved a second chance to be fully appreciated, and it does not disappoint.

With glasses in hand, Brad breaks down the biggest artificial intelligence headlines from the past few weeks, including a stunning development: top executives from four of the world's leading AI companies are now publicly calling for government regulation to slow and control AI development. But is this a legitimate concern for humanity's safety, especially in light of recent rogue agent incidents involving major AI platforms? Or is it something more strategic, an attempt at regulatory capture designed to cement the dominance of today's AI giants while keeping future competitors locked out of the market?

The conversation dives deep into the latest AI developments, including Anthropic's new Opus 5.5 model, OpenAI's rapid-fire response just 24 hours later with their latest model, and Meta's new consumer AI app, Muse, which exploded to the top of the download charts. Brad also gives the guys a look inside a real-world AI agent project he and Claude Fable 5.0 are training to monitor cryptocurrency markets in real-time to try to identify opportunities.

The discussion turns philosophical and occasionally alarming as the crew debates what the true "worst-case scenario" might look like if artificial intelligence advances beyond our ability to govern and control it. Lou offers his trademark observations while the group wrestles with another popular talking point in the tech world: what exactly does it mean when people say America is in an AI race with China?

Of course, it would not be Bourbon with Brad without a few detours. The guys talk Steelers football, debate whether Aaron Rodgers is the right veteran to lead the team, and make their predictions for who will come out on top in golf's prestigious Presidents Cup.

Then, in The Fifth Segment, things get wonderfully weird. Inspired by a thought-provoking question seen online from a scientist, the group explores the possibility that our entire universe may simply be the inside of a brain. They also revisit one of their favorite subjects: the revolutionary health and longevity breakthroughs AI could help unlock in the not so distant future.

From whiskey and football to artificial intelligence and the nature of reality, this episode has a little bit of everything