Julia Shaw

Psychological scientist, author, and co-founder of the workplace reporting tool Spot, specializing in memory, criminal psychology, and bisexuality.

Claims

As speaker

Mentioned in

Key positions and views

Autobiographical memory is fundamentally unreliable and malleable, to the point that detailed false memories of committing crimes can be implanted in a majority of subjects in an experimental setting.

Extreme harm and 'evil' are not innate traits but are developed through socialization and life experiences; individuals high in all four 'dark tetrad' traits are the most likely to harm others.

Generative AI poses a significant societal threat as an 'ultimate false memory machine' because it can create personalized, believable falsehoods, and major AI labs are not adequately addressing this risk.

Human intuition is a poor guide for assessing truthfulness and trustworthiness, with even trained professionals like police officers performing no better than chance at lie detection.

Common perceptions of murder are incorrect; most are not premeditated but are escalations of mundane conflicts, and convicted murderers have a surprisingly low recidivism rate (1-3%) compared to perpetrators of other serious crimes.

Podcast consensus on Shaw

Points of consensus

▶All claims consistently portray human memory as fundamentally flawed and malleable. Shaw's PhD research demonstrated the ability to implant detailed false memories of committing crimes [1, 2], and she asserts that virtually every autobiographical memory is false to some degree [15].Apr 2026

▶Shaw's perspective consistently frames harmful behavior as a product of environment and psychology rather than innate evil. She argues people develop the capacity for harm through socialization [3], that most murders are escalations of trivial fights [8], and that loneliness is a key factor for serial killers [13].Apr 2026

▶A recurring point is the unreliability of human intuition and professional judgment in assessing others. Shaw cites studies showing intuition about trustworthiness is unreliable [18] and that police officers are no better than chance at detecting lies, despite their confidence [23].Apr 2026

▶Shaw consistently highlights the potential dangers of AI in relation to memory. She labels generative AI the 'ultimate false memory machine' [12], points to research showing AI-generated videos can create false memories [25], and criticizes major AI labs for not addressing this risk [26].Apr 2026

Points of debate

▶Shaw presents a nuanced view on criminality and rehabilitation, contrasting the very low recidivism rate for homicide (1-3%) [4] with the high rates for crimes like fraud and sexual violence [14], challenging a monolithic view of criminal re-offense.

▶There is a tension between the reported prevalence of violent thoughts and the reality of violent action. Shaw cites studies that ~70% of men and >50% of women have fantasized about killing someone [7, 19], yet also states most murders are unplanned escalations [8], suggesting a significant disconnect between fantasy and behavior.Apr 2026

▶Shaw's perspective on AI is dual-sided, presenting both a significant threat and a potential benefit. While she warns that AI is a 'false memory machine' [12, 25], she also believes it can help overcome memory shortcomings if applied in a science-backed manner [20].Apr 2026

▶Shaw's work challenges traditional approaches to dealing with psychopathy. She highlights historical concerns that empathy-focused treatment can make psychopaths more manipulative [21], while promoting alternative treatments that focus on achieving goals through pro-social behavior [6].Apr 2026

Key themes

▶The Fallibility and Malleability of MemoryApr 2026

This theme is central to Shaw's work, stemming from her PhD research on implanting false memories of committing crimes. She posits that all autobiographical memories are inherently false to some degree and that this vulnerability can be exploited, both in interrogation settings and by new technologies like AI.

Analysts should be highly skeptical of eyewitness testimony or self-reported histories in due diligence, as this research suggests even detailed, confidently held memories can be entirely fabricated.

▶Deconstructing Criminality and 'Evil'Apr 2026

Shaw systematically breaks down common misconceptions about violent crime. She argues that 'evil' is socialized, not innate, that most murders are mundane escalations rather than premeditated acts, and that personality traits like the 'dark tetrad' are better predictors of harm than simplistic labels.

This perspective suggests that risk models for violent crime should focus less on past offense types (given low homicide recidivism) and more on measurable psychological traits and social factors like loneliness.

▶The Intersection of Psychology and TechnologyApr 2026

This theme connects Shaw's academic research with her entrepreneurial ventures and critique of modern technology. She applies principles of memory recall to her compliance reporting tool, Spot, while simultaneously warning that generative AI functions as a powerful 'false memory machine' that major tech companies are failing to control.

Investors in AI and HR tech should consider the 'memory risk' vector; technologies that can verifiably document events may become more valuable as AI-driven misinformation and memory distortion become more prevalent.

▶Challenging Social Intuitions and Norms

Shaw frequently cites research that undermines common-sense beliefs about human behavior. This includes the unreliability of intuition in judging trustworthiness, the inability of police to detect lies, the high prevalence of non-monogamy, and the fluidity of sexual identity.

This consistent debunking of intuition implies that data-driven, systematic processes are superior to subjective human judgment in areas like hiring, compliance investigations, and security screening.

Source episodes

Timeline

Post-WWII

Cites Alfred Kinsey's research from this era, which found that a significant portion of the population was not exclusively heterosexual or homosexual, establishing an early scientific basis for fluid sexuality [27].

Undisclosed 'decade'

References the decade-long Volkswagen emissions scandal as an example of large-scale corporate malfeasance where a 'defeat device' was used to falsify tests [9].

PhD Research Period

Conducted her PhD research, becoming the first to demonstrate that detailed false memories of committing a crime could be successfully implanted in individuals [1].

2017

Co-founded the company Spot with Evernote founder Phil Libin. The company pivoted from a general memory tool to a workplace compliance and reporting tool [17].

Recent

Discusses a recent study by a team including Elizabeth Loftus, which showed that AI-generated videos of personal photos can implant false memories of how events occurred [25].

Current

Expresses the view that major AI labs like OpenAI, Google's Gemini team, and Anthropic are not adequately focused on preventing their models from planting false memories [26].

Suggested prompts

How does Julia Shaw's research on memory implantation inform her critique of generative AI's potential for misinformation and memory distortion? &nearr;What are the practical implications of Shaw's view that 'evil' is socialized, not innate, for criminal justice reform and rehabilitation programs? &nearr;How does Shaw reconcile the high prevalence of homicidal fantasies she cites with the low incidence of premeditated murder in her psychological framework? &nearr;Given her work on the unreliability of human intuition, what systemic changes does Shaw's company, Spot, propose for workplace reporting and investigation processes? &nearr;

Key concepts

False Memory 6 ep Criminal Psychology 6 ep Artificial Intelligence 5 ep Psychopathy & Dark Tetrad 3 ep Sexuality & Relationships 3 ep Corporate Compliance 3 ep Lie Detection & Trust 2 ep Homicidal Fantasies 2 ep Recidivism 2 ep

Notable quotes

“basically every single autobiographical memory you have is false. The question isn't whether it's false, the question is how false.”

Julia Shaw · Julia Shaw: Criminal Psychology of Murder, Serial Killers, Memory & Sex | Lex Fridman Podcast #483

“so in my research 70 of people became convinced that they committed a crime that never happened”

Julia Shaw · Julia Shaw: Criminal Psychology of Murder, Serial Killers, Memory & Sex | Lex Fridman Podcast #483

“what we've created with gen ai is basically the ultimate false memory machine we have created a tailored experience of something that is most of the time telling you what it thinks you want to hear”

Julia Shaw · Julia Shaw: Criminal Psychology of Murder, Serial Killers, Memory & Sex | Lex Fridman Podcast #483

“recidivism for homicide is only 1% to 3%.”

Julia Shaw · Julia Shaw: Criminal Psychology of Murder, Serial Killers, Memory & Sex | Lex Fridman Podcast #483

Report last updated: Apr 21, 2026

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