The Challenger Launch Decision

‘This Is Nuts.’ An OpenAI Insider Explains Why He Quit.

The Ezra Klein Show, 7 October 2026. The book comes up at 1 hr 11 min in. Said by David Robinson.

David Robinson recommends this book (the author's name was garbled in the transcript, described only as "a social scientist") as a corrective to the popular story of the Challenger disaster. He explains that the O-ring risk was known, documented, and repeatedly accepted in safety documentation — not hidden by reckless managers. He draws a direct parallel to AI development, where incremental risk acceptance could lead to catastrophe, and says he has considered sending copies to former colleagues.

Listen to this episode ↗︎