Eric Drexler is a Senior Research Fellow for the Future of Humanity Institute.
Dr. Drexler is best known as a pioneering nanotechnology researcher and author who introduced the concept of scalable atomically precise manufacturing (APM), a prospective technology using arrays of nanoscale devices to guide chemically-reactive molecular encounters, thereby structuring matter from the bottom up. His 1981 paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences established the fundamental principles of APM, and his 1992 book, Nanosystems: Molecular Machinery, Manufacturing, and Computation, presented a deeper analysis of key physical principles, devices, operations, and systems for implementing APM capabilities.
Dr. Drexler’s current research explores prospects for advanced AI technologies from the perspective of structured systems development, potential applications, and strategic competition. Key considerations in this work include ongoing AI-supported automation of AI R&D and the potential implications of thorough automation for accelerated development of high-level AI capabilities.