"I'm Less Afraid of Zombies and More Afraid of Robots" | Official Preview
Actor Josh Dell discusses his transition away from Hollywood to focus on family, faith, and off-grid preparedness at his 26-acre compound in North Dakota. He shares concerns about AI's exponential growth and its potential dangers, drawing on his experience filming the Transformers franchise. The conversation also touches on fatherhood, leading by example, and prepping for potential societal collapse.
Summary
The interview features Josh Dell, an actor known for roles in Transformers, Safe Haven, Las Vegas, and Netflix's Ransom Canyon, who began his career on All My Children and earned a Daytime Emmy. The conversation opens with a discussion about stepping back from Hollywood to prioritize family, personal roots in North Dakota, and a slower lifestyle — framing this not as retreat but as intentional redirection.
A significant portion of the discussion centers on Dell's fears about artificial intelligence. Having spent a decade in Transformers films — where robots threatening humanity is the central premise — Dell told Fox News he is '72% ready for the apocalypse' at his off-grid cabin and that he is 'less afraid of zombies and more afraid of AI robots now.' He recounts a conversation where experts warned him that AI would be 60 times more powerful within a year of their meeting, and that it would continue growing exponentially from there. Dell expresses hope that smart minds will slow AI development down, though he's uncertain whether that's even possible at this stage.
The interview also explores Dell's 26-acre compound located 40 miles from the nearest store, which he built over 15 years. He frames it not as an escape from Hollywood but as a place he could fully retreat to if society broke down. He and the host bond over a shared enthusiasm for prepping and survivalism, with the host asking about gear, gadgets, and guns for building a similar setup.
On fatherhood, Dell reflects on the power of leading by example, citing how his own father unknowingly taught him through the way he treated people. He acknowledges that children are always watching, and that the best parenting advice he can offer is to model the behavior you want your children to adopt. The host echoes this with a personal anecdote about his son mimicking his own poor behavior toward an airline employee at an airport — a humbling moment that reinforced the same lesson.
Dell is also described as the founder of Gatlin, a men's and women's health and performance company. Throughout the conversation, he is characterized as a Christian, husband, and father who has deliberately chosen authenticity and preparedness over Hollywood celebrity.
Key Insights
- Josh Dell states he is 'less afraid of zombies and more afraid of AI robots now,' despite spending a decade in Transformers films — suggesting his real-world AI fears have surpassed the fictional threats he portrayed on screen.
- Dell recounts being told by experts that AI would be 60 times more powerful within a year of their conversation, and that from there it would keep growing exponentially — leaving him doubtful that humanity can meaningfully slow it down.
- Dell clarifies that his 26-acre off-grid compound 40 miles from the nearest store was not built to escape Hollywood, but as a place he could live fully unplugged if 'shit hits the fan' — framing prepping as practical insurance rather than paranoia.
- Dell argues that the most important fatherhood lesson he learned — from watching his own father — is that children are always closely watching how you treat people, and that example-setting is more powerful than any explicit instruction.
- Dell expresses skepticism about whether Americans who claim to be fighting for the country are actually doing so versus just talking, questioning whether collective civic action is real or largely performative.
Topics
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to Access