Origins & Early Life

Niklas Bostrom ( BOST-rəm; Swedish: Niklas Boström [ˈnɪ̌kːlas ˈbûːstrœm]; born 10 March 1973) is a philosopher known for his work on existential risk, the anthropic principle, human enhancement ethics, whole brain emulation, superintelligence risks, and the reversal test. He was the founding director of the later defunct Future of Humanity Institute at the University of Oxford and has become Principal Researcher at the Macrostrategy Research Initiative. Bostrom is the author of Anthropic Bias: Observation Selection Effects in Science and Philosophy (2002), Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies (2014) and Deep Utopia: Life and Meaning in a Solved World (2024). Bostrom believes that advances in artificial intelligence (AI) may lead to superintelligence, which he defines as "any intellect that greatly exceeds the cognitive performance of humans in virtually all domains of interest".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He views this as a major source of opportunities and existential risks. Born as Niklas Boström in 1973 in Helsingborg, Sweden, he disliked school at a young age and spent his last year of high school learning from home. He was interested in a wide variety of academic areas...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Akon — Contemporary (Born in 1973) (1973): Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, and influential figure in world music.
• Alfie Boe — Contemporary (Born in 1973) (1973): Acclaimed English musical theatre star, celebrated for roles like Jean Valjean.
• Banksy — Contemporary (Born in 1973) (1973): Pseudonymous street artist known for satirical stencil work and political activism.
• Alfred Peet — Shared historical date (03-10 · Born) (1920): Dutch-American founder credited with starting the US specialty coffee revolution.
• Bad Bunny — Shared historical date (03-10 · Born) (1994): Puerto Rican icon who redefined global Latin Trap music.
• Bobby Darin — Historical peer (Died in 1973) (1973): Iconic crooner known for blending pop, swing, and jazz with unparalleled charisma.
• Bruce Lee — Historical peer (Died in 1973) (1973): Pioneering martial artist and actor who founded Jeet Kune Do.
• Abba Eban — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Astrid Lindgren — Historical peer (Died in 2002) (2002): Iconic Swedish children's author, celebrated for imaginative tales and advocacy.
• 2014 League of Legends World Championship — Historical peer (Born in 2014) (2014): The 4th League of Legends World Championship, held in Asia in 2014.
• 1973 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1973
• March 10 (03-10) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 10