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How to PR the End of the World

David Yelland and Lauren Beeching discuss how to put a positive spin on the potential destruction of humanity.

When an interviewer's first question is whether your product could kill all humans, you know it's serious.

This week, David Yelland and Lauren Beeching look at how the boss of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, handled himself following insider claims that AI could indeed wipe us all out.

As Amodei outlined the risks - and benefits - the vital thing to look at is the timing. With Anthropic preparingto sell its shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange, he needed to appeal to investors more than the general public. And explaining just how incredibly powerful your product is, is not necessarily a bad thing. Even if it could lead to the end of the world.

Also - the secret game being played behind-the-scenes when your client is given a right to reply. David and Lauren discuss what options you have - including how quickly to respond and how much or how little detail to give. And they explain how these days, you can be given as little as an hour to put your side, as publications try to stop people going on social media to control the narrative.

And it's never a good idea to get on the wrong side of a National Treasure. Sir Tom Jones has made it very clear he's not happy at being offered a reduced role on The Voice. He says ITV told him it was due to a 'financial difficulty with insurance'. With producers looking to 'refresh' the show, is everything as it seems?

Producer: Duncan Middleton
Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

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32 minutes

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  • Wed 16 Sep 202616:00
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