David Robinson speaks with Ezra Klein after leaving OpenAI, where he worked on safety reports for new models. The conversation explores his concerns about safety culture and the risks of advanced artificial intelligence.
The episode’s closing reading list ranges from an investigation of NASA’s Challenger disaster to illustrated woodland stories and a reflection on sacred time. Below are the three books named in the published recommendations.
Guest: David Robinson
Episode: ‘This Is Nuts.’ An OpenAI Insider Explains Why He Quit.
Released: October 7, 2026
David’s three picks
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The Challenger Launch Decision
Diane Vaughan reconstructs the organizational decisions behind the Challenger disaster. Her study shows how workplace routines, institutional pressures, and accepted assumptions can make dangerous choices seem normal.
Little Witch Hazel
Four illustrated seasonal stories follow a tiny forest witch and her neighbors. Phoebe Wahl’s woodland community offers stories of friendship, care, and the rhythms of the natural world.
The Sabbath
Heschel reflects on the Sabbath as a way of making time sacred. This short work explores rest, spiritual life, and a form of freedom beyond production and possession.
An independent reading guide. Not affiliated with The Ezra Klein Show or The New York Times. Recommendations are sourced from the episode’s published show notes.