The landscape of human health and aspiration is being fundamentally reshaped, and at the epicenter of this seismic shift is former entrepreneur Bryan Johnson. Speaking to Katie Drummond for WIRED in an interview, Johnson outlines a philosophical and molecular commitment to "existence" that challenges the historical inevitability of death. Johnson asserts that when asked if he will die, the answer is a resolute "False". This conviction stems from the belief that civilization has reached a critical juncture where everyone will achieve some degree of immortality, either through radical physical lifespan extension or by transferring consciousness into computational systems. Johnson already maintains a primitive form of "Brian AI" trained on everything he has ever said, which he expects to improve as it ingests more of his thoughts. In Johnson’s view, the emerging possibility of drastically extending life devalues traditional pursuits like wealth, status, and accomplishment, making "existence itself" the highest virtue.
He acknowledges that he has prepared for contingencies—he possesses a will and has made practical decisions regarding a comatose state—but he is betting on a future where the current generation is the first that "won't die". Katie Drummond notes that Johnson's rigorous daily protocol goes far beyond simple healthy eating and exercise, acknowledging its extreme nature. Johnson’s commitment is absolute, dedicating every second of his existence to identifying and counteracting everything that could shorten his life while implementing everything that could extend it at a molecular level.
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This dedication starts with sleep, which Johnson’s entire existence is built around. His 12-month average is 8 hours and 34 minutes of sleep, including over four hours of deep and REM restorative sleep, achieving 94% sleep efficiency. He typically wakes between 4:30 and 5 AM, immediately seeking light and commencing a four-hour regimen of measurements and therapies. Intriguingly, Johnson’s body temperature has dropped nearly four degrees Fahrenheit over the past four years, now averaging around 94 degrees Fahrenheit, a phenomenon supported by evidence that species with a lower basal temperature live longer.
Johnson views his systematized life through the pragmatic lens of an engineer. Automating daily, low-level decisions, such as breakfast choice, reduces the "metabolic cost" of decision-making, thereby allocating his "scarce brain capacity" to higher-level thinking, such as the future of humanity.
During the interview, Drummond, a former newsroom leader at Vice who had previously published a story on Johnson, raised concerns that Johnson’s disciplined approach—including past struggles with food control and his current practice of finding joy in going to bed hungry—echoes "disordered behavior" or an eating disorder. Johnson countered that addiction is a "widespread societal problem" in America, arguing that most people struggle with being "powerless" against late-night cravings for scientifically addictive foods. He sees his disciplined approach as a move toward greater "freedom and agency," rejecting the corporate forces that engineer addiction to their products. Regarding American public health, Johnson is sharply critical, calling the status quo "embarrassingly bad". He points out that the U.S. spends 1.8 times more on healthcare than peer countries ($13,000 per person) but receives fewer health benefits. Johnson congratulated President Trump after his election and met with RFK Jr., stating that while he supports the idea that we need to change what is clearly not working, he is generally in favor of "creative destruction" in policy. Johnson’s ultimate goal for the country is unification around the objective of making the U.S. number one globally for life expectancy.
Johnson expects that the "weirdness" currently associated with him will fade. He predicts that as health automation advances, he will be viewed as a "normal dude" by 2030, simply having been ahead of his time. He understands the strong negative reactions he provokes, including the wish that he "get hit by a bus," seeing this anger as others' painful reconciliation with their own unfulfilled aspirations.
