Amal Rajan

Indeed. Why is today a great day forward for the space race? For those who don't follow it as closely as you do, Dr. Kramer, why is today significant?

Well, I'm very, very struck by the fact that anyone who's followed your career will know that as boss of Google, go back to nearly 25 years ago, you've generally been an advocate of technology, an optimist, someone who tries to use technology to advance human goals, human ends, to satisfy human demands.

And yet in your recent remarks, Eric, I'm very struck by the fears that you have about the potential of AI. For instance, you said in December 2024 that AI systems might need a kill switch. What did you mean?

There are people, Eric, who fear that actually the whole dynamic that we've got for AI is the wrong one. It's a race. It's a competition. It's one that pits the US against China, against Europe. It's one where we don't have a system of global regulation. And it's also one where most of the innovation is being driven by companies rather than by states.

What's your concern, if you do have one, about the current dynamic?

It's extraordinary to read really about what happened to you, Peter, because you, as I understand it, were posted to Egypt. You didn't necessarily know you were going to be in Cairo for a long time. You found yourself in jail and this, you know, Allah was one of the first people you met there as you were heading into solitary confinement.

Well, you were in solitary confinement in Cairo, which doesn't sound too pleasant.

You're joining his mother with this hunger strike. Her name's Leila Suif, and I understand your plan is to do a 21-day hunger strike. Where did the thought, the idea of elevating this story to a hunger strike come to you?