Dean Ball, author of Hyperdimensional and until now a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation, joins Nathan to announce he is joining OpenAI to build a team focused on frontier AI policy. They examine the first year of America’s AI Action Plan, Dean’s concerns about export controls and intelligence-community testing, and his broader argument against concentrating frontier AI decisions inside a small circle of government officials. The episode frames frontier labs as emerging centers of political and economic power, where consequential choices about internal deployments and recursive self-improvement may happen before public release or regulation. The stakes are who gets to shape AI governance as capabilities accelerate: federal agencies, states, labs, independent verifiers, households, or some fragile mix of them all.
For full show notes, links, and references, read the episode page:
https://www.cognitiverevolution.ai/dean-ball-on-joining-openai-new-power-centers-frontier-ai-policy-main-character-energy/
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Wyatt Thomson of OpenAI speaks with economists Tyler Cowen and Alex Tabarrok about AI, labor markets, and the future of economic growth.
The conversation explores one of the most common fears surrounding AI: that increasingly capable systems will eliminate jobs. Cowen and Tabarrok argue instead that economic growth remains the key variable. Throughout history, productivity-enhancing technologies have transformed work, created new industries, and expanded living standards, even as they disrupted existing jobs and institutions.
They discuss automation, comparative advantage, inequality, education, healthcare, energy, and the kinds of work that may become more valuable in an AI-driven economy. Along the way, they examine longer-term questions about abundance, ownership, AI agents, and how societies can adapt to rapid technological change.
Resources:
Follow Tyler on X: https://x.com/tylercowen
Follow Alex on X: https://x.com/ATabarrok
Follow Wyatt on X: https://x.com/dataWyatt
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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This year-end live show features nine rapid-fire conversations to make sense of AI’s 2025 and what might define 2026. PSA for AI builders: Interested in alignment, governance, or AI safety? Learn more about the MATS Summer 2026 Fellowship and submit your name to be notified when applications open: https://matsprogram.org/s26-tcr. New York Assemblymember Alex Boris breaks down the RAISE Act's bid to curb catastrophic AI risks, the governor negotiations, and why a16z-backed ads are targeting him. Former White House AI adviser Dean Ball maps the emerging coalitions on AI, federal preemption, and what fast-improving coding agents could mean for policy and jobs. Forecaster Peter Wildeford debates selling vs "renting" chips to China and offers a 2026 outlook on agents, costs, and robotics. Recorded live as part of our AI 2025→2026 series (Part 2).
Sponsors:
Gemini 3 in Google AI Studio:
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MATS:
MATS is a fully funded 12-week research program pairing rising talent with top mentors in AI alignment, interpretability, security, and governance. Apply for the next cohort at https://matsprogram.org/s26-tcr
Framer:
Framer is the all-in-one tool to design, iterate, and publish stunning websites with powerful AI features. Start creating for free and use code COGNITIVE to get one free month of Framer Pro at https://framer.com/design
Shopify:
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Tasklet:
Tasklet is an AI agent that automates your work 24/7; just describe what you want in plain English and it gets the job done. Try it for free and use code COGREV for 50% off your first month at https://tasklet.ai
CHAPTERS:
(00:00) Sponsor: Gemini 3 in Google AI Studio
(00:31) RAISE Act status
(04:52) Catastrophic risk focus
(10:47) Super PAC backlash
(16:17) Data centers and grid
(19:47) Palantir and surveillance
(23:42) Dean Ball joins (Part 1)
(23:46) Sponsors: MATS | Framer
(27:05) Dean Ball joins (Part 2)
(32:00) Social media lessons
(36:22) Trump preemption and chips (Part 1)
(40:51) Sponsors: Shopify | Tasklet
(43:59) Trump preemption and chips (Part 2)
(44:50) Structural US-China decoupling
(49:39) Peter on chip ban
(55:43) Threat model and renting
(01:02:55) Cost drops, revenue
(01:16:03) Forecasting paradigm shifts
(01:20:38) 2026 agents and robots
(01:31:41) Show wrap and markets
(01:42:28) Outro
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Max Tegmark and Dean Ball debate whether we should ban the development of superintelligence in a crossover episode from Doom Debates hosted by Liron Shapira. PSA for AI builders: Interested in alignment, governance, or AI safety? Learn more about the MATS Summer 2026 Fellowship and submit your name to be notified when applications open: https://matsprogram.org/s26-tcr. They unpack the Future of Life Institute's call for a moratorium until there is broad scientific consensus and public buy-in, contrasting Tegmark’s precautionary stance with Dean’s emphasis on experimentation, competition, and practical policy hurdles. Listeners will get clear takes on p(doom), the limits of FDA-style regulation, unilateral ban risks, and what safe, beneficial advanced AI might realistically look like.
LINKS:
AMA episode feedback survey form
Doom Debates Substack newsletter
Sponsors:
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Agents of Scale:
Agents of Scale is a podcast from Zapier CEO Wade Foster, featuring conversations with C-suite leaders who are leading AI transformation. Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts
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Tasklet is an AI agent that automates your work 24/7; just describe what you want in plain English and it gets the job done. Try it for free and use code COGREV for 50% off your first month at https://tasklet.ai
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PRODUCED BY:
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CHAPTERS:
(00:00) About the Episode
(05:43) Cold open and intro
(09:21) Opening statements: ban debate (Part 1)
(14:49) Sponsors: Framer | Agents of Scale
(17:11) Opening statements: ban debate (Part 2)
(17:11) Licensing-style AI regulation
(26:52) Liability, tail risks (Part 1)
(33:24) Sponsors: Tasklet | Shopify
(36:32) Liability, tail risks (Part 2)
(39:23) Timelines and precautionary regulation
(47:03) Defining superintelligence and risk
(52:26) Risk-based safety standards
(56:28) Current regulations and definitions
(01:05:23) Max's doom scenario
(01:19:46) P-doom gap and adaptation
(01:34:40) National security and China
(01:43:57) Closing statements and reflections
(01:55:22) Host debrief and outro
(02:02:10) Outro
In many respects, AI technology is already mind-blowing, and can perform many tasks far better than the average person. And yet by and large, its impact has been hard to detect. We haven't seen some huge labor displacement, for example. There's nothing dramatic yet happening in the productivity data. So when will the impact really start to be felt? On this episode, we speak with Tyler Cowen, a professor at George Mason University and the co-author of the famed econ blog Marginal Revolution. He's also the host of the Conversations with Tyler podcast. We talk about when we'll really start feeling AIs impact, as well as other topics, like food, music, and the general state of discourse.
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This week, we talk about Google’s new plan to build data centers in space. Then, we’re joined by Dean Ball, a former adviser at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Ball worked on the Trump administration’s A.I. Action Plan, and he shares his inside view on how those policies came together. Finally, Professor Mark Humphries joins us to talk about a strange Gemini model that offered mind-blowing results on a challenging research problem.
Guests:
Dean Ball, senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation and former White House senior policy adviser for artificial intelligence and emerging technology
Mark Humphries, professor of history at Wilfrid Laurier University
Additional Reading:
Towards a Future Space-Based, Highly Scalable A.I. Infrastructure System Design
What It's Like to Work at the White House
Has Google Quietly Solved Two of AI’s Oldest Problems?
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Today Dean W. Ball, former White House AI policy advisor joins The Cognitive Revolution to discuss his role in crafting the Trump administration's AI Action Plan, his reasons for leaving government, and his perspectives on AI policy, US-China competition, and the future of AI regulation and adoption.
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White House Experience & Government Role: Dean Ball served as senior policy advisor for AI and emerging technology at the White House Office for Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) for four months.
AI Regulation & Government Approach: Information asymmetry exists between government and AI labs, "Having worked at the White House, I don't know tremendously more about what goes on inside the Frontier Labs than you do."
Private Sector Innovation: Dean emphasizes the importance of private sector-led initiatives in AI safety and standards.
Future AI Developments: Dean believes agentic commerce is "right around the corner" but sees little discussion about it from regulatory or conceptual perspectives.
AI Action Plan Development: It emphasized concrete actions for AI implementation across government agencies rather than just theoretical frameworks.
Personal Updates: Dean is reviving his weekly Hyperdimensional Substack, joining the Foundation for American Innovation as a senior fellow, and plans to share his long-held insights on recent AI developments.
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Labelbox:
Labelbox pairs automation, expert judgment, and reinforcement learning to deliver high-quality training data for cutting-edge AI. Put its data factory to work for you, visit https://labelbox.com
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure:
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is the next-generation cloud that delivers better performance, faster speeds, and significantly lower costs, including up to 50% less for compute, 70% for storage, and 80% for networking. Run any workload, from infrastructure to AI, in a high-availability environment and try OCI for free with zero commitment at https://oracle.com/cognitive
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Shopify powers millions of businesses worldwide, handling 10% of U.S. e-commerce. With hundreds of templates, AI tools for product descriptions, and seamless marketing campaign creation, it's like having a design studio and marketing team in one. Start your $1/month trial today at https://shopify.com/cognitive
In this episode, general partner Chris Dixon joins economist and author Tyler Cowen to explore the themes behind Chris’s book, Read, Write, Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet.
They trace the internet’s evolution from open, decentralized beginnings to today’s consolidated platforms—and ask: how can we build something better? From stablecoins, tokenized payments, and open blockchains to AI's impact on coding, media, and politics, this wide-ranging conversation dives deep into how technologies like crypto and AI could help redistribute power online and reshape the future of ownership and innovation.
The two also debate:
Whether banks and legacy institutions will adopt stablecoins
The long-term role of NFTs and digital property rights
How AI might rewrite venture capital, education, and economic planning
Whether we're heading toward a creative renaissance—or a world of AI-generated monoculture
Listen to similar conversations, listen to web3 with a16z: https://web3-with-a16z.simplecast.com/
Resources:
Listen to Conversations with Tyler: https://conversationswithtyler.com/
Find Chris on X: https://x.com/cdixon
Find Tyler on X: https://x.com/tylercowen
Join a16z’s Crypto Substack:https://a16zcrypto.substack.com/
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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Nabeel Qureshi is an entrepreneur, writer, researcher, and visiting scholar of AI policy at the Mercatus Center (alongside Tyler Cowen). Previously, he spent nearly eight years at Palantir, working as a forward-deployed engineer. His work at Palantir ranged from accelerating the Covid-19 response to applying AI to drug discovery to optimizing aircraft manufacturing at Airbus. Nabeel was also a founding employee and VP of business development at GoCardless, a leading European fintech unicorn.
What you’ll learn:
• Why almost a third of all Palantir’s PMs go on to start companies
• How the “forward-deployed engineer” model works and why it creates exceptional product leaders
• How Palantir transformed from a “sparkling Accenture” into a $200 billion data/software platform company with more than 80% margins
• The unconventional hiring approach that screens for independent-minded, intellectually curious, and highly competitive people
• Why the company intentionally avoids traditional titles and career ladders—and what they do instead
• Why they built an ontology-first data platform that LLMs love
• How Palantir’s controversial “bat signal” recruiting strategy filtered for specific talent types
• The moral case for working at a company like Palantir
—
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Where to find Nabeel S. Qureshi:
• X: https://x.com/nabeelqu
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nabeelqu/
• Website: https://nabeelqu.co/
—
Where to find Lenny:
• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com
• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/
—
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introduction to Nabeel S. Qureshi
(05:10) Palantir’s unique culture and hiring
(13:29) What Palantir looks for in people
(16:14) Why they don't have titles
(19:11) Forward-deployed engineers at Palantir
(25:23) Key principles of Palantir's success
(30:00) Gotham and Foundry
(36:58) The ontology concept
(38:02) Life as a forward-deployed engineer
(41:36) Balancing custom solutions and product vision
(46:36) Advice on how to implement forward-deployed engineers
(50:41) The current state of forward-deployed engineers at Palantir
(53:15) The power of ingesting, cleaning and analyzing data
(59:25) Hiring for mission-driven startups
(01:05:30) What makes Palantir PMs different
(01:10:00) The moral question of Palantir
(01:16:03) Advice for new startups
(01:21:12) AI corner
(01:24:00) Contrarian corner
(01:25:42) Lightning round and final thoughts
—
Referenced:
• Reflections on Palantir: https://nabeelqu.co/reflections-on-palantir
• Palantir: https://www.palantir.com/
• Intercom: https://www.intercom.com/
• Which companies produce the best product managers: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/which-companies-produce-the-best
• Gotham: https://www.palantir.com/platforms/gotham/
• Foundry: https://www.palantir.com/platforms/foundry/
• Peter Thiel on X: https://x.com/peterthiel
• Alex Karp: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Karp
• Stephen Cohen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Cohen_(entrepreneur)
• Joe Lonsdale on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtlonsdale/
• Tyler Cowen’s website: https://tylercowen.com/
• This Scandinavian City Just Won the Internet With Its Hilarious New Tourism Ad: https://www.afar.com/magazine/oslos-new-tourism-ad-becomes-viral-hit
• Safe Superintelligence: https://ssi.inc/
• Mira Murati on X: https://x.com/miramurati
• Stripe: https://stripe.com/
• Building product at Stripe: craft, metrics, and customer obsession | Jeff Weinstein (Product lead): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-product-at-stripe-jeff-weinstein
• Airbus: https://www.airbus.com/en
• NIH: https://www.nih.gov/
• Jupyter Notebooks: https://jupyter.org/
• Shyam Sankar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shyamsankar/
• Palantir Gotham for Defense Decision Making: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxKghrZU5w8
• Foundry 2022 Operating System Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF-GSj-Exms
• SQL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SQL
• Airbus A350: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airbus_A350
• SAP: https://www.sap.com/index.html
• Barry McCardel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrymccardel/
• Understanding ‘Forward Deployed Engineering’ and Why Your Company Probably Shouldn’t Do It: https://www.barry.ooo/posts/fde-culture
• David Hsu on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dvdhsu/
• Retool’s Path to Product-Market Fit—Lessons for Getting to 100 Happy Customers, Faster: https://review.firstround.com/retools-path-to-product-market-fit-lessons-for-getting-to-100-happy-customers-faster/
• How to foster innovation and big thinking | Eeke de Milliano (Retool, Stripe): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-foster-innovation-and-big
• Looker: https://cloud.google.com/looker
• Sorry, that isn’t an FDE: https://tedmabrey.substack.com/p/sorry-that-isnt-an-fde
• Glean: https://www.glean.com/
• Limited Engagement: Is Tech Becoming More Diverse?: https://www.bkmag.com/2017/01/31/limited-engagement-creating-diversity-in-the-tech-industry/
• Operation Warp Speed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Warp_Speed
• Mark Zuckerberg testifies: https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-testifies-congress-libra-cryptocurrency-2019-10
• Anduril: https://www.anduril.com/
• SpaceX: https://www.spacex.com/
• Principles: https://nabeelqu.co/principles
• Wispr Flow: https://wisprflow.ai/
• Claude code: https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/agents-and-tools/claude-code/overview
• Gemini Pro 2.5: https://deepmind.google/technologies/gemini/pro/
• DeepMind: https://deepmind.google/
• Latent Space newsletter: https://www.latent.space/
• Swyx on x: https://x.com/swyx
• Neural networks in chess programs: https://www.chessprogramming.org/Neural_Networks
• AlphaZero: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlphaZero
• The top chess players in the world: https://www.chess.com/players
• Decision to Leave: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12477480/
• Oldboy: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364569/
• Christopher Alexander: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Alexander
—
Recommended books:
• The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West: https://www.amazon.com/Technological-Republic-Power-Belief-Future/dp/0593798694
• Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future: https://www.amazon.com/Zero-One-Notes-Startups-Future/dp/0804139296
• Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre: https://www.amazon.com/Impro-Improvisation-Theatre-Keith-Johnstone/dp/0878301178/
• William Shakespeare: Histories: https://www.amazon.com/Histories-Everymans-Library-William-Shakespeare/dp/0679433120/
• High Output Management: https://www.amazon.com/High-Output-Management-Andrew-Grove/dp/0679762884
• Anna Karenina: https://www.amazon.com/Anna-Karenina-Leo-Tolstoy/dp/0143035002
—
Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.
—
Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Housing affordability remains one of the single greatest sources of economic stress. Even if inflation measures were to come down, the simple cost of shelter is a huge burden on a wide swathe of the population. Hardly anyone disagrees with the idea of increasing supply, but this is easier said than done. There isn't a lot of spare construction capacity and the political fights over liberalizing zoning are tedious and slow. On this episode, we speak with Kevin Erdmann, a senior affiliated scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, who proposes a simple idea. He argues that after the Great Financial Crisis, regulators over-tightened lending standards, and in so doing, took out the entire "starter home" segment of the new housing market. He says that if Fannie and Freddie were to liberalize their lending standards, homebuilders would be incentivized to build more homes that cater to people with lower incomes and lower FICO scores, essentially re-creating a whole slice of the new home market that's disappeared over the last 15 years.
Read More:
US Homebuilders Face a Supply Chain Snarl From Tariff Battles
US Mortgage Rates Decline to 6.88%, Lowest Level This Year
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I interviewed Tyler Cowen at the Progress Conference 2024. As always, I had a blast. This is my fourth interview with him – and yet I’m always hearing new stuff.
We talked about why he thinks AI won't drive explosive economic growth, the real bottlenecks on world progress, him now writing for AIs instead of humans, and the difficult relationship between being cultured and fostering growth – among many other things in the full episode.
Thanks to the Roots of Progress Institute (with special thanks to Jason Crawford and Heike Larson) for such a wonderful conference, and to FreeThink for the videography.
Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform. Read the full transcript here.
Sponsors
I’m grateful to Tyler for volunteering to say a few words about Jane Street. It's the first time that a guest has participated in the sponsorship. I hope you can see why Tyler and I think so highly of Jane Street. To learn more about their open rules, go to janestreet.com/dwarkesh.
Timestamps
(00:00:00) Economic Growth and AI
(00:14:57) Founder Mode and increasing variance
(00:29:31) Effective Altruism and Progress Studies
(00:33:05) What AI changes for Tyler
(00:44:57) The slow diffusion of innovation
(00:49:53) Stalin's library
(00:52:19) DC vs SF vs EU
Get full access to Dwarkesh Podcast at www.dwarkesh.com/subscribe
In this episode of The Cognitive Revolution, Nathan explores AI forecasting and AGI Lab oversight with Dean W. Ball and Daniel Kokotajlo. They discuss four proposed requirements for frontier AI developers, focusing on transparency and whistleblower protections. Daniel shares insights from his experience at OpenAI, while Dean offers his perspective as a frequent guest. Join us for a compelling conversation on concrete AI governance proposals and the importance of collaboration across political lines in shaping the future of AI development.
Check out:
Time Article - 4 Ways to Advance Transparency in Frontier AI Development: https://time.com/collection/time100-voices/7086285/ai-transparency-measures/
Alignment Forum Article - What 2026 looks like: https://www.alignmentforum.org/posts/6Xgy6CAf2jqHhynHL/what-2026-looks-like
Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess
SPONSORS:
Shopify: Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system and exclusive AI apps like Quikly. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/cognitive
Notion: Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://notion.com/cognitiverevolution
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers13. OCI powers industry leaders with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before December 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive
RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg
CHAPTERS:
(00:00:00) Teaser
(00:00:53) About the Show
(00:01:16) About the Episode
(00:04:47) Introducing Daniel Kokotajlo
(00:09:29) Daniel's 2026 Prediction
(00:16:11) Sponsors: Shopify | Notion
(00:19:07) AI Propaganda & Censorship
(00:26:58) Internet Balkanization
(00:35:38) Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)
(00:38:24) AGI Timelines & Futures
(00:48:15) Automated R&D
(00:54:48) Superintelligence & AGI
(00:58:25) AI Transparency Proposals
(01:06:11) Four Pillars of Transparency
(01:19:02) Red Teaming Transparency
(01:41:07) Whistleblower Protections
(01:46:32) Internal Information Sharing
(01:54:55) External Oversight & Governance
(01:58:56) Future Outlooks
(02:00:44) Outro
SOCIAL LINKS:
Website: https://www.cognitiverevolution.ai
Twitter (Podcast): https://x.com/cogrev_podcast
Twitter (Nathan): https://x.com/labenz
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanlabenz/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CognitiveRevolutionPodcast
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-cognitive-revolution-ai-builders-r...
Nathan Labenz discusses the latest developments in California's AI bill SB 1047 with experts Nathan Calvin, Dean W. Ball, and Steve Newman. In this episode of The Cognitive Revolution, we explore the updated version of the bill, its implications for frontier AI companies, and the debate surrounding its potential impact. Join us for an insightful analysis of this crucial legislation and its role in shaping AI governance.
Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj
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🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast
SPONSORS:
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The Brave search API can be used to assemble a data set to train your AI models and help with retrieval augmentation at the time of inference. All while remaining affordable with developer first pricing, integrating the Brave search API into your workflow translates to more ethical data sourcing and more human representative data sets. Try the Brave search API for free for up to 2000 queries per month at https://bit.ly/BraveTCR
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CHAPTERS:
(00:00:00) About the Show
(00:00:22) Sponsor: WorkOS
(00:01:22) About the Episode
(00:07:03) Introduction and Recap of SB 1047
(00:13:40) Key Changes and Current Status of SB 1047
(00:19:51) Sponsors: Oracle | Brave
(00:21:55) Dean's Perspective on SB 1047
(00:33:30) Sponsors: Omneky | Squad
(00:35:16) Steve's AI Sensemaking Project
(00:39:03) Differing Views on AI Regulation Necessity
(00:46:34) Nathan's Case for SB 1047
(00:55:07) Dean's Response and Liability Concerns
(01:10:48) Potential Scenarios and Impacts of SB 1047
(01:29:29) Final Thoughts and Predictions on SB 1047
(01:38:16) Closing Remarks on AI Policy Challenges
(01:39:51) Outro
Dive into the nuanced debate over California's SB 1047 AI legislation with Nathan Calvin, Dean Ball, and Steve Newman. Our expert panel discussion explores the bill's intent, dispels misconceptions, and debates its potential impact on technology and regulation. Learn about AI's tail risks, the role of government, and hear suggestions for improving the legislation. Share your thoughts and join the conversation around shaping a positive AI future.
You can reach out and share your thoughts by using the contact form here : https://www.cognitiverevolution.ai/contact/
RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
The AI Daily Brief If you’re looking for an edge to stay up to date on everything AI, subscribe to Nathaniel Whittemore's AI Daily Brief which delivers tight episodes covering all things AI from legislation to new technologies to the philosophical debates around generalized intelligence.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7gKwwMLFLc6RmjmRpbMtEO
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-ai-daily-brief-formerly-the-ai-breakdown/id1680633614
SPONSORS:
The Brave search API can be used to assemble a data set to train your AI models and help with retrieval augmentation at the time of inference. All while remaining affordable with developer first pricing, integrating the Brave search API into your workflow translates to more ethical data sourcing and more human representative data sets. Try the Brave search API for free for up to 2000 queries per month at https://bit.ly/BraveTCR
Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off https://www.omneky.com/
Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention "Turpentine" to skip the waitlist.
CHAPTERS:
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:05:45) Opinions
(00:11:57) The Bill
(00:17:05) Elevated discussion
(00:18:51) Sponsors: Brave | Omneky
(00:20:18) AI Doctor
(00:22:55) Centralized Regulator
(00:26:29) SB 1047
(00:27:47) Critical infrastructure
(00:31:51) Should we regulate?
(00:39:00) Sponsors: Squad
(00:40:28) Safety standards for training
(00:46:09) What is 10^26 flops?
(00:52:10) Regulating general purpose technology
(00:53:42) AI regulation
(00:58:31) Societal adaptation
(01:01:18) AI safety
(01:04:20) AI regulations
(01:07:19) The current state of the industry
(01:10:08) What industry wants changed
(01:25:42) Safety is hard to legislate
(01:33:06) How to decide the trajectory of AI?
(01:45:52) Testing, Transparency, Whistleblower Provision
(01:55:17) Closing thoughts
In this podcast, we dive into the fascinating world of brain-computer interfaces with Dean W. Ball. We learn about the latest technologies, from non-invasive EEG and ultrasound stimulation to invasive Neuralink implants. We also discover the state-of-art tools, technical challenges, and the big questions around thought dimensionality, ethical considerations, and the societal impact of brain reading and writing.
SPONSORS:
The Brave search API can be used to assemble a data set to train your AI models and help with retrieval augmentation at the time of inference. All while remaining affordable with developer first pricing, integrating the Brave search API into your workflow translates to more ethical data sourcing and more human representative data sets. Try the Brave search API for free for up to 2000 queries per month at https://bit.ly/BraveTCR
Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data. Mention "Cog Rev" for 10% off https://www.omneky.com/
Plumb is a no-code AI app builder designed for product teams who care about quality and speed. What is taking you weeks to hand-code today can be done confidently in hours. Check out https://bit.ly/PlumbTCR for early access.
Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.
CHAPTERS:
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:04:00) Background
(00:06:50) Journey to Neurotech Interest
(00:07:56) Concept of Human-Machine Merge
(00:12:01) Impact of Language Models
(00:15:53) Sponsors: Brave / Omneky
(00:17:20) Adoption of AI Tools like ChatGPT
(00:22:33) Neural Technologies as Sensor Fusion
(00:26:03) Brain Signals and EEG Devices
(00:29:09) Electrodes and Electrical Field Measurement
(00:37:04) Sponsors: Plumb / Squad
(00:39:01) Neurofeedback and Brain Training
(00:48:44) The Rise of Neural Networks
(00:57:29) Shared Latent Space for Brain Signals
(01:09:18) Trajectory of Brain-Computer Interface
(01:14:44) Near-Term Possibilities
(01:26:25) Limitations of Brain-Computer Interfaces
(01:38:31) Stimulating Brain Activity
(01:46:08) Policy Considerations
(01:52:02) Solved World and Artificial Constraints
(02:04:27) Acclimating to Merge Technology
(02:08:33) Advice for Understanding Neural Interfaces
It was a great pleasure speaking with Tyler Cowen for the 3rd time.
We discussed GOAT: Who is the Greatest Economist of all Time and Why Does it Matter?, especially in the context of how the insights of Hayek, Keynes, Smith, and other great economists help us make sense of AI, growth, animal spirits, prediction markets, alignment, central planning, and much more.
The topics covered in this episode are too many to summarize. Hope you enjoy!
Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform. Read the full transcript here. Follow me on Twitter for updates on future episodes.
Timestamps
(0:00:00) - John Maynard Keynes
(00:17:16) - Controversy
(00:25:02) - Fredrick von Hayek
(00:47:41) - John Stuart Mill
(00:52:41) - Adam Smith
(00:58:31) - Coase, Schelling, & George
(01:08:07) - Anarchy
(01:13:16) - Cheap WMDs
(01:23:18) - Technocracy & political philosophy
(01:34:16) - AI & Scaling
Get full access to Dwarkesh Podcast at www.dwarkesh.com/subscribe
How will GPT4 change the world? How will US-China 'racing dynamics' play out and what are the implications for AI safety? Nathan Labenz was invited to record a special "emergency" episode of ChinaTalk podcast this week to discuss the implications GPT4 will have for policy, economics, and society. Thanks to Jordan Schneider of ChinaTalk, and fellow "AI justice league" guests Zvi Mowshowitz of 'Don't Worry About the Vase' and Matthew Mittelsteadt of Mercatus.
We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.
(0:00) Intro
(2:09) GPT-4 emergency podcast
(9:26) GPT-4 use cases
(22:51) What GPT-4 can and can’t do
(35:50) AI safety
(45:38) OpenAI v. Anthropic
(48:54) Governments’ role in AI
(55:50) AI will improve physical health and healthcare the most
(59:19) Facebook’s LLaMA model
(01:05:55) VR/AR
(01:08:59) Concerns with GPT4
(01:15:26) GPT-5 and GPT-6
(01:18:45) Optimism in the AI revolution
SPONSOR: SHOPIFY | OMNEKY
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Thank you Omneky for sponsoring The Cognitive Revolution. Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work, customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real time advertising data, to generate personalized experiences at scale.
Twitter:
@CogRev_Podcast
@labenz (Nathan)
@jordanschnyc (Jordan)
Websites:
cognitivervolution.ai
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The HR industry is at a crossroads. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact? Hosts Nolan Church and Kelli Dragovich have been through it all, the highs and the lows – IPOs, layoffs, executive turnover, board meetings, culture changes, and more. With a lineup of industry vets and experts, Nolan and Kelli break down the nitty-gritty details, trade offs, and dynamics of constructing high performing companies. Through unfiltered conversations that can only happen between seasoned practitioners, Kelli and Nolan dive deep into the kind of leadership-level strategy that often happens behind closed doors. Check out the first episode with the architect of Netflix’s culture deck Patty McCord.
https://link.chtbl.com/hrheretics
This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.
✨ DEBRIEF | Unpacking the Episode: https://shows.banklesshq.com/p/tyler-cowen-debrief
------ Tyler Cowen is an American economist, columnist, and blogger. He’s also a professor at George Mason University, where he also produces the Conversations with Tyler podcast with guests like Vitalik Buterin. Marc Andreessen, and Ray Dalio.
In today’s episode, Tyler shares why he thinks regulators should pause and wait before passing crypto regulation in the wake of FTX, how FTX and Enron are similar, why he calls himself a crypto-hopeful (even though he thinks Balaji’s Network State idea is utterly wrong). And finally, we play Tyler's favorite game—Overrated vs. Underrated—about everything relevant in 2023: Crypto AI, Inflation, America, China, Social Media, Wealth Inequality, and more.
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------ Topics Covered
0:00 Intro 6:10 Tyler’s 2023 Crypto Thoughts 6:50 Why Crypto is Confusing 9:04 Is Crypto Overrated? 10:25 Is Crypto Worth it? 12:19 Regulation 19:33 On-Chain Privacy, Taxes, Surveillance 24:00 FTX vs. Enron 27:35 Wealth Inequality 32:05 Crypto Regulation vs. Innovation 34:48 Can the U.S. Choke Crypto? 36:24 Crypto vs. the Internet 37:56 Whose at Fault for FTX? 40:00 Crypto Self-Regulation 45:16 A.I. Regulation 46:46 A.I.’s SBF Moment? 48:05 Is the Future Closer than it Appears? 50:31 Human Self-Regulation 51:16 Economists & Crypto 53:20 Vitalik 54:16 Free Markets & Greed 55:21 Overrated vs. Underrated 1:00:24 Balaji’s Network State 1:01:47 Banks 1:02:15 Closing & Disclaimers
------ Resources:
Tyler on Twitter https://twitter.com/tylercowen
Tyler’s Blog https://marginalrevolution.com/
Tyler’s Podcast https://conversationswithtyler.com/
Beware the Dangers of Crypto Regulation https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/beware-the-dangers-of-crypto-regulation/2023/01/03/27f6f31a-8b63-11ed-b86a-2e3a77336b8e_story.html
----- Not financial or tax advice. This channel is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This video is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research.
Disclosure. From time-to-time I may add links in this newsletter to products I use. I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Bankless writers hold crypto assets. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures
It was my great pleasure to speak once again to Tyler Cowen. His most recent book is Talent, How to Find Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Across the World.
We discuss:
- how sex is more pessimistic than he is,
- why he expects society to collapse permanently,
- why humility, stimulants, & intelligence are overrated,
- how he identifies talent, deceit, & ambition,
- & much much much more!
Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform. Read the full transcript here.
Follow me on Twitter for updates on future episodes.
You may also enjoy my interviews of Bryan Caplan (about mental illness, discrimination, and poverty), David Deutsch (about AI and the problems with America’s constitution), and Steve Hsu (about intelligence and embryo selection).
Timestamps
(0:00) -Did Caplan Change On Education?
(1:17) - Travel vs. History
(3:10) - Do Institutions Become Left Wing Over Time?
(6:02) - What Does Talent Correlate With?
(13:00) - Humility, Mental Illness, Caffeine, and Suits
(19:20) - How does Education affect Talent?
(24:34) - Scouting Talent
(33:39) - Money, Deceit, and Emergent Ventures
(37:16) - Building Writing Stamina
(39:41) - When Does Intelligence Start to Matter?
(43:51) - Spotting Talent (Counter)signals
(53:30) - Will Reading Cowen’s Book Help You Win Emergent Ventures?
(1:02:15) - Existential risks and the Longterm
(1:10:41) - Cultivating Young Talent
(1:16:58) - The Lifespans of Public Intellectuals
(1:24:36) - Is Stagnation Inevitable?
(1:30:30) - What are Podcasts for?
Get full access to Dwarkesh Podcast at www.dwarkesh.com/subscribe
Tyler Cowen, an economist and professor at George Mason University, discusses his latest book, “Talent: How to Identify Energizers, Creatives, and Winners Around the World.” Tyler also shares his thoughts on macroeconomic trends including whether the US is heading for a recession and controlling inflation. Follow Tyler on Twitter, @tylercowen.
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My guests today are Tyler Cowen and Daniel Gross. Tyler is an economics professor and creator of one of the most popular economics blogs on the internet. Daniel is the founder of start-up accelerator Pioneer, having previously been a director at Apple and a partner at Y Combinator. Both Daniel and Tyler are prolific talent spotters and that is the focus of our discussion and their new book, which is called Talent. Please enjoy this conversation with Tyler Cowen and Daniel Gross.
For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.
-----
This episode is brought to you by Canalyst. Canalyst is the leading destination for public company data and analysis. If you're a professional equity investor and haven't talked to Canalyst recently, you should give them a shout. Learn more and try Canalyst for yourself at canalyst.com/Patrick.
-----
This episode is brought to you by Brex. Brex is the integrated financial platform trusted by the world's most innovative entrepreneurs and fastest-growing companies. With Brex, you can move money fast for instant impact with high-limit corporate cards, payments, venture debt, and spend management software all in one place. Ready to accelerate your business? Learn more at brex.com/best.
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Invest Like the Best is a property of Colossus, LLC. For more episodes of Invest Like the Best, visit joincolossus.com/episodes.
Past guests include Tobi Lutke, Kevin Systrom, Mike Krieger, John Collison, Kat Cole, Marc Andreessen, Matthew Ball, Bill Gurley, Anu Hariharan, Ben Thompson, and many more.
Stay up to date on all our podcasts by signing up to Colossus Weekly, our quick dive every Sunday highlighting the top business and investing concepts from our podcasts and the best of what we read that week. Sign up here.
Follow us on Twitter: @patrick_oshag | @JoinColossus
Show Notes
[00:02:38] - [First question] - Defining what talent is to them writ large
[00:03:34] - The differences between means and ends in regards to talent
[00:04:14] - What the Diet Coke idea is and why it’s relevant
[00:06:32] - Types of energy that are valuable and the subtle differences between them
[00:07:40] - Thoughts on using a moneyball-like approach to acquiring and evaluating talent
[00:11:49] - The talent market and thinking about pricing talent specifically
[00:13:14] - What is seemingly overpriced in today’s talent landscape
[00:15:50] - Relationship between experience and/or age when it comes to talent
[00:20:34] - Lessons about the utility of intelligence and where they’ve lead them wrong
[00:23:35] - What’s beneath being an outsider and why it’s important
[00:24:46] - Why what people do in their downtime is worth considering
[00:31:41] - Things to try and get out of a reference call as an objective
[00:32:40] - Disabilities and what lead them write that chapter specifically
[00:35:01] - Whether or not talented people are happier
[00:38:40] - Lack of contentment and it’s dynamic influence over individuals
[00:41:01] - Where they think the other is most talented
[00:43:33] - Thinking about the physical side of mental performance
[00:45:49] - What was frustrating about writing the book
[00:48:25] - How they evaluate talent most differently now after having finished the book
[00:50:41] - What makes for a good bat signal and how to cast one well
[00:53:27] - Personality inventories and what they would and wouldn’t recommend
[00:54:15] - Geographical frictions and their role in high success rates
[00:56:08] - Antonio Gracias; Existing supply constraints on talent development
[01:00:01] - How they would redesign the current attractors of talent that we rely on today
[01:01:18] - Assembly line development and how we can improve and scale talent filters
[01:02:29] - The biggest open questions for talent today writ large
[01:05:16] - The kindest thing anyone has ever done for Tyler
Tyler Cowen is an economist, writer, and podcaster. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(07:24) – Economics
(09:16) – Nuclear war
(16:03) – The American dream
(23:16) – Capitalism: pros and cons
(29:50) – Is competition good for the world?
(31:53) – Free market
(32:57) – Anarchy
(35:23) – Ayn Rand
(40:04) – The case for big business
(44:31) – Clubhouse
(49:35) – Loneliness
(51:47) – Eric Weinstein and economic growth
(56:08) – Communism
(58:58) – Putin
(1:04:29) – China
(1:09:21) – UBI
(1:13:17) – Disagreement with Eric Weinstein
(1:17:09) – Money, Bitcoin, and Ethereum
(1:25:20) – WallStreetBets
(1:29:16) – MIT
(1:36:44) – UFO sightings
(1:44:03) – Contemporary art is misunderstood
(1:51:06) – Mexican food is the best in the world
(1:55:56) – Jiro Dreams of Sushi
(1:59:59) – Book recommendations
(2:02:15) – Advice for young people
(2:05:53) – Love
(2:11:35) – Mortality
(2:13:25) – Meaning of life
Tyler Cowen is Holbert L. Harris Professor of Economics at George Mason University and also Director of the Mercatus Center.
Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform.
Transcript + Podcast website here.
Follow Tyler Cowen on Twitter. Follow me on Twitter for updates on future episodes.
Timestamps
(0:00) - The Great Reset
(2:58) - Growth and the cyclical view of history
(4:00) - Time horizons, growth, and sustainability
(5:30) - Space travel
(8:11) - WMDs and end of humanity
(10:57) - Common sense morality
(12:20) - China and authoritarianism
(13:45) - Are big businesses complacent?
(17:15) - Online education vs university
(20:45) - Aesthetic decline in West Virginia
(23:20) - Advice for young people
(25:18) - Mentors
(27:15) - Identifying talent
(29:50) - Can adults change?
(31:45) - Capacity to change men vs women
(33:10 ) - Are effeminate societies better?
(35:15) - Conservatives and progress
(36:50) - Biggest mistake in history
(39:05) - Nuke in my lifetime
(40:35) - Age and learning
(42:45) - Pessimistic future
(43:50) - Optimistic future
(46:28) - Closing
Get full access to Dwarkesh Podcast at www.dwarkesh.com/subscribe
For years, people have been predicting the demise of the U.S. dollar as the global reserve currency. Although the U.S. economy has been shrinking as a share of the world's GDP, the dollar continues to grow ever more dominant. Yet its strength is increasingly cited as a factor behind economic problems around the world. On this week's Odd Lots, the economist David Beckworth, a research fellow at the Mercatus Center, explains the dollar's persistent and growing strength.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
with Marc Andreessen (@pmarca), Ben Horowitz (@bhorowitz), and Tyler Cowen (@tylercowen)
Continuing our 10-year anniversary series since the founding of Andreessen Horowitz (aka "a16z"), we’re resurfacing some of our previous episodes featuring Andreessen Horowitz founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz.
This episode was actually recorded in 2018 at our annual innovation Summit, and features economist Tyler Cowen interviewing Ben and Marc about everything from their partnership and how it works to talent, tech trends, and software eating culture.
You can find other episodes in this series at a16z.com/10.
Stay Updated:
Find a16z on YouTube: YouTube
Find a16z on X
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Listen to the a16z Show on Spotify
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Follow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg
Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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with Marc Andreessen (@pmarca), Ben Horowitz (@bhorowitz), and Tyler Cowen (@tylercowen)
This episode of the a16z Podcast features the rare combination of a16z co-founders Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz in conversation, together, with economist Tyler Cowen (chair of economics at George Mason University and chairman and general director of the Mercatus Center there, and host of his own podcast.) The conversation originally took place at our most recent annual innovation Summit -- which features a16z speakers and invited experts from various organizations discussing innovation at companies large and small, as well as tech trends spanning bio, consumer, crypto, fintech, and more.
This discussion covers Ben and Marc's marriage, er, partnership; the evolution of VC and "talent as a network"; and where are we right now on industries being affected by tech (such as retail) and tech trends (such as VR/AR and wearables) -- and where are we going next? Finally, is software eating culture... or is it the other way around?
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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The irony of our systems working so well -- technological, corporate, and yes, even political -- is that we've become too comfortable: matching to others just like us, producing less, taking fewer risks. But isn't the very point of technology to make our lives more comfortable? Yes... until "we" -- whether an entire class, generation, ethnic group, or country like the U.S. -- become a little too complacent. Or so argues Tyler Cowen in his new book, The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream.
We've even outsourced our mobility to immigrants, observes Cowen (who is also a prolific economics blogger, columnist, and professor at George Mason University and director of the Mercatus Center there). Which is great... until you realize we're also giving up so much of that dynamism ourselves. This complacency affects everything from how economies to corporations to individuals grow, and we discuss how in this episode of the a16z Podcast (with Alex Rampell and Sonal Chokshi).
"The general problem is that 'veto points' build up in a lot of systems as they grow larger and more bureaucratic." That's why we have NIMBYism (and a bunch of other such -isms). Corporate cash becomes the new stagnant pool (watch out for those mosquitos!). The stability of real estate becomes a trap. Social media (and even some protest) becomes signaling vs. actually doing something. As for culture: Who defines it? And is it time to bring back the individual quest?
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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There's a lot to process from last week's U.S. election. One surprising thing already is the market reaction. Equities surged following the vote, and interest rates are sharply higher. Market measures of inflation expectations and Fed hikes now suggest that people see more inflation and more rate hikes in the future. This is something our top central bankers have had a very difficult time in doing. How come? On this week's Odd Lots, we spoke with David Beckworth, a research fellow at the Mercatus Center, about Trump, fiscal policy, monetary policy and the changing market outlook for interest rates and inflation.
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The internet as it has evolved in the United States is perhaps the best example of “permissionless innovation” -- the idea that you can innovate without first waiting for permission or clearance. And so academics, entrepreneurs, and people took up the internet, developed technologies over it, and in the process created fantastically valuable companies that are now household names around the world.
But such innovation hasn't happened outside the U.S., argues Adam Thierer -- research fellow with the Technology Policy Program at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University -- because other regions have reversed the model of "innovate first, regulate later" (or rather, regulate only as necessary and if not already covered by existing laws).
Thierer, who has also authored a book on Permissionless Innovation, joins this segment of the a16z podcast to discuss "technopanic" cycles; emerging areas of interest; and where "best practices" help ... or hurt when it comes to soft regulation.
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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Tyler Cowen and I discuss why he thinks Elon Musk is overrated, religion is underrated, happiness overrated, and much more. Tyler Cowen is one of my favorite economists and bloggers - check out his blog here: http://marginalrevolution.com