# Zvi Mowshowitz

Zvi Mowshowitz is an American writer who primarily discusses new developments in artificial intelligence. He is a former competitive Magic: The Gathering player and was CEO of MetaMed.

## Career

Mowshowitz was the CEO of MetaMed, a medical research analysis firm. After that, he worked at Jane Street Capital. He also attempted to launch an online trading card game, Emergents.

### Magic: The Gathering

Mowshowitz held a developer intern position at Wizards of the Coast Magic R&D.
Mowshowitz is known in the MTG community for creating the decks TurboZvi and My Fires. His first-place finishes at major competitions were the 1999 World Championships as part of the four-person United States national team, the 2001 Pro Tour Tokyo, and two 2003 Grand Prix. He has placed in the top eight of four Pro Tours, and earned over $140,000 playing Magic competitively. In 2007, Mowshowitz was elected into the Magic Hall of Fame.
Mowshowitz was also an avid internet writer on gaming, previously with The Dojo, Mindripper, Brainburst, StarCityGames, and then for the official Magic website MagicTheGathering.com. In April 2006, he stopped writing for MagicTheGathering.com.

#### Top 8 appearances

| Season | Event type | Location | Format | Date | Rank |
| 1998–99 | Grand Prix | Boston | Block Constructed | 5–6 September 1998 | 4 |
| 1998–99 | Pro Tour | New York | Block Constructed | 30 April–2 May 1999 | 3 |
| 1998–99 | Grand Prix | Washington D.C. | Limited | 19–20 June 1999 | 4 |
| 1998–99 | Nationals | | Special | 2–4 July 1999 | 4 |
| 1998–99 | Worlds | Yokohama | National team | 4–8 August 1999 | 1 |
| 1999–00 | Invitational | Kuala Lumpur | Special | 2–5 March 2000 | 3 |
| 2000–01 | Grand Prix | Manchester | Limited | 7–8 October 2000 | 8 |
| 2000–01 | Pro Tour | Chicago | Standard | 1–3 December 2000 | 7 |
| 2000–01 | Pro Tour | Tokyo | Block Constructed | 16–18 March 2001 | 1 |
| 2000–01 | Masters | Barcelona | Booster Draft | 1–4 May 2001 | 4 |
| 2001–02 | Masters | New Orleans | Booster Draft | 31 October–3 November 2001 | 5 |
| 2001–02 | Masters | Osaka | Team Limited | 14–17 March 2002 | 5 |
| 2001–02 | Grand Prix | New Jersey | Team Limited | 29–30 June 2002 | 2 |
| 2002–03 | Grand Prix | New Orleans | Extended | 3–4 January 2003 | 1 |
| 2002–03 | Grand Prix | Boston | Limited | 22–23 February 2003 | 7 |
| 2002–03 | Masters | Yokohama | Booster Draft | 8–11 May 2003 | 5 |
| 2002–03 | Grand Prix | Pittsburgh | Team Limited | 31 May–1 June 2003 | 1 |
| 2003–04 | Grand Prix | Atlanta | Standard | 29–30 August 2003 | 5 |
| 2003–04 | Invitational | Los Angeles | Special | 11–13 May 2004 | 4 |
| 2012–13 | Grand Prix | Portland | Modern | 11–12 May 2013 | 3 |
Last updated: 12 May 2013 Source: Wizards.com

#### Other accomplishments

* Magic Hall of Fame class of 2007

### Writing

Since then has focused more on writing for his newsletter, LessWrong and his blog, all under the name "Don't Worry about the Vase". He focusses on variety of topics, but primarily on Artificial intelligence, Economics and the COVID-19 pandemic, when the pandemic was ongoing. As part of this work he also founded Balsa Research, a nonprofit think tank which focuses on the repeal of the Jones Act, increasing the housing supply and reform of the National Environmental Policy Act.

## Personal life

Mowshowitz is the son of American biochemist Deborah Mowshowitz.
Mowshowitz is an alumnus of Columbia University and holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics.