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OpenAI last week released its most powerful language model yet: GPT-4, which vastly outperforms its predecessor, GPT-3.5, on a variety of tasks.\n\nGPT-4 can pass the bar exam in the 90th percentile, while the previous model struggled around in the 10th percentile. GPT-4 scored in the 88th percentile on the LSAT, up from GPT-3.5\u2019s 40th percentile. And on the advanced sommelier theory test, GPT-4 performed better than 77 percent of test-takers. (It\u2019s predecessor hovered around 46 percent.) These are stunning results \u2014 not just what the model can do, but the rapid pace of progress. And Open AI\u2019s ChatGPT and other chat bots are just one example of what recent A.I. systems can achieve.\n\nKelsey Piper is a senior writer at Vox, where she\u2019s been ahead of the curve covering advanced A.I., its world-changing possibilities, and the people creating it. Her work is informed by her deep knowledge of the handful of companies that arguably have the most influence over the future of A.I.\n\nWe discuss whether artificial intelligence has coherent \u201cgoals\u201d \u2014 and whether that matters; whether the disasters ahead in A.I. will be small enough to learn from or \u201ctruly catastrophic\u201d; the challenge of building \u201csocial technology\u201d fast enough to withstand malicious uses of A.I.; whether we should focus on slowing down A.I. progress \u2014 and the specific oversight and regulation that could help us do it; why Piper is more optimistic this year that regulators can be \u201con the ball\u2019 with A.I.; how competition between the U.S. and China shapes A.I. policy; and more.\n\nThis episode contains strong language.\n\nMentioned:\n\n\u201cThe Man of Your Dreams\u201d by Sangeeta Singh-Kurtz\n\n\u201cThe Case for Taking A.I. Seriously as a Threat to Humanity\u201d by Kelsey Piper\n\n\u201cThe Return of the Magicians\u201d by Ross Douthat\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s Think About Slowing Down A.I.\u201d by Katja Grace\n\nBook Recommendations:\n\nThe Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes\n\nAsterisk Magazine\n\nThe Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien\n\nThoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.\n\nYou can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of \u201cThe Ezra Klein Show\u201d at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.\n\n\u201cThe Ezra Klein Show\u201d is produced by Emefa Agawu, Annie Galvin, Jeff Geld, Roge Karma and Kristin Lin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris and Kate Sinclair. Mixing by Jeff Geld. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Carole Sabouraud and Kristina Samulewski.