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This episode explores the fascinating journey of Demis Hassabis and the development of AI through the lens of Sebastian Mallaby's book, The Infinity Machine. We delve into the minds of AI pioneers, their motivations, and the race to achieve superintelligence, offering insights into the future of technology and humanity. Buy the book here: https://amzn.to/4sHzfS1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Dixon shares his journey from early programming experiences in the 1980s to becoming a prominent figure in venture capital and cryptocurrency. He discusses the founding of Site Advisor, the lessons learned from its acquisition by McAfee, and the challenges of starting Hunch. Dixon reflects on his experiences in angel investing, the creation of Founder Collective, and his role at Andreessen Horowitz, particularly in launching a crypto fund. Chapters: 00:00 The Early Days of Programming 02:46 Transitioning to Finance and Wall Street 04:59 The Shift to Entrepreneurship 09:03 Founding Site Advisor 16:16 The Journey with Hunch 20:50 Starting Founder Collective 26:58 The Evolution of Angel Investing 28:10 Joining Andreessen Horowitz 30:37 Investing in Futuristic Ideas 35:24 Key Investments: Oculus and Coinbase 40:20 Establishing a Crypto Fund 45:07 Current Landscape of Web 3 and Crypto 49:41 Lessons from Mark Andreessen and Ben Horowitz 51:22 New York vs. Silicon Valley: A Tech Hub Comparison Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Olivier Pomel is the cofounder/CEO of Datadog. We trace his path from French open-source tinkerer to NYC founder, the dev-vs-ops friction that sparked Datadog, finding product-market fit through integrations, and the choice to stay independent en route to a 2019 IPO and S&P 500. Olivier shares scaling war stories, culture and GTM lessons, and what observability means in an AI era. If you build software—or companies—this one’s packed with playbooks, from hiring to pricing to platform bets that work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 2 of the Amazing career of Susan Lyne. Working with Martha Stewart. Gilt Groupe. Becoming a VC. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I’ve maybe never interviewed anyone in my entire time as a historian and podcaster who has had a career as broad and varied as Susan Lyne. Yes, I obviously wanted to talk to Susan about her role helping startup Gilt Group, and her current role as the managing partner of the VC firm BBG Ventures. But, holy how. Susan also launched and oversaw the golden era of Premiere Magazine. She was the CEO of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia when Martha had to step away to, you know, go to prison. And she was the President of ABC Entertainment. She oversaw the development of shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Lost. So, like, yeah. We needed to do two episodes. So this is part one, with the great, Susan Lyne. Chapters: 00:00 From Boston to Berkeley: A Transformative Journey 08:00 The Rise of Alternative Media: Village Voice Era 16:06 Hollywood Calling: The IPC Films Experience 23:12 Launching Premier Magazine: Inside Hollywood 36:14 Navigating the ABC Landscape: A New Era 40:28 Developing Grey's Anatomy And Lost Takeaways Susan's upbringing in Boston shaped her perspective on expectations and identity.Her time at UC Berkeley was transformative, exposing her to diverse ideas.Freelancing in journalism helped her develop a passion for storytelling.Working at City Magazine under Francis Ford Coppola was a unique experience.The Village Voice was a golden era for alternative media in New York.Susan's transition to Hollywood was driven by her love for storytelling.Premier Magazine aimed to provide in-depth insights into the film industry.At ABC, she focused on creating shows that appealed to women.Susan learned the importance of having a supportive partner in leadership.Her experience at ABC taught her valuable lessons about resilience and change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the more than 200 episodes I’ve done for this podcast, never has the designation “legend” been more appropriate. Esther Dyson is a legend of modern technology, having been present for so many key moments from the early PC era through to the AI era. She’s advised, interviewed and mentored basically every major tech figure over the last several decades. Dyson shares her unique journey from growing up in a family of prominent scientists to becoming a leading figure in tech investing and journalism. She discusses her philosophy of embracing mistakes, the evolution of her career, and her insights into the tech landscape, including the dot-com bubble and the rise of AI. Dyson also reflects on her experiences in Eastern Europe, health tech initiatives, and her adventures in space, culminating in a captivating story about a cosmonaut suit. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Connection 03:42 Growing Up in a Unique Environment 10:12 Transitioning to Tech and Investing 18:03 Creating Impactful Conferences 22:35 Navigating the Dot Com Bubble 27:25 Reflections on Predictions and AI 32:31 Governance and the Evolution of the Internet 40:03 Investment Philosophy and Learning from Experience 45:19 Eastern Europe: A Tech Narrative 54:42 Investing in Space: A Personal Journey Takeaways Always make new mistakes to learn and grow. Understanding economics can change the world more than politics. Journalism trains you to ask the right questions. Investing is about learning, not just earning. Creating impactful conferences requires engaging formats. The dot-com bubble taught valuable lessons about business models. Investing in Eastern Europe was a rewarding experience. Health tech initiatives should aim to empower communities. AI's future is uncertain, but its impact is undeniable. Personal experiences shape investment decisions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Henry Blodget shares his journey from a history major to a prominent figure in finance and journalism, discussing the rise of the internet, the dot-com bubble, and the lessons learned from that era. He reflects on his career, including his famous $400 price target Amazon prediction, the evolution of media with the launch of Business Insider, and the current landscape of AI and investing. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Early Life 02:42 Career Beginnings in Journalism 05:44 Transition to Finance and Technology 08:19 Analyzing Internet Companies 11:33 The Internet Boom and IPOs 14:39 Lessons from the Dot-Com Bubble 17:40 The Rise of Influencers in Finance 20:34 The Amazon Call and Its Impact 23:21 Wall Street's Perspective on Tech Companies 26:45 The AOL Time Warner Lesson 29:47 Merrill Lynch and Global Internet Research 32:38 Post-Bubble Reflections and Reinvention 35:31 The Birth of Business Insider 38:39 The Evolution of Media and Journalism 41:37 Building a Talented Newsroom 44:28 Parallels Between AI and the Dot-Com Era 47:46 Advice for Individual Investors 50:33 New York City as a Startup Ecosystem 53:44 Current Projects and Future Aspirations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hugging Face Founder Clément Delangue discusses his journey to founding Hugging Face, emphasizing the importance of community, collaboration, and open-source technology in the AI landscape. He reflects on the evolution of AI technology, the significance of user feedback, and the need for a diverse range of AI models. Takeaways Clem's first computer experience involved internet trading with siblings.Minitel was a significant early digital communication tool in France.Clem transitioned from being a successful eBay seller to an intern at eBay.Unishared aimed to create a collaborative platform for students.Moot Stocks introduced Clem to computer vision and AI technologies.Mention was a social listening startup that brought Clem to New York.New York's tech scene offers a blend of European and American cultures.Hugging Face started as a chatbot project but pivoted to open-source AI.The name Hugging Face was inspired by the popularity of emojis.Clem emphasizes the importance of community feedback in product development. Chapters: 00:00 The Early Days of Computing and Internet Trading 03:02 Minitel: A French Innovation in Digital Communication 05:05 From eBay Seller to Intern: A Journey Begins 07:10 The Birth of Unishared: Collaborative Learning for Students 10:23 Moot Stocks: Exploring Computer Vision and AI 12:55 Mention: Social Listening and the Move to New York 14:44 The New York Tech Scene: A Blend of Cultures 16:45 Founding Hugging Face: The AI BFF Chatbot 19:06 The Name Behind Hugging Face: A Playful Choice 21:02 Pivoting to Open Source: The Birth of a New Vision 23:58 Building a Community: The Power of Collaboration 26:37 Navigating User Feedback: Balancing Vision and Signals 28:51 Investor Relations: Framing a Pivot 31:19 Positioning as Switzerland: Neutrality in AI 34:06 The Business Model of Hugging Face: Freemium Success 35:51 Evaluating AI Models: A New Approach 40:33 The Need for Open Source AI Models 42:27 Fostering Open Data Initiatives: A Call to Action 45:18 The Future of Open AI: Efficiency and Specialization 48:05 The AI Bubble: Reality vs. Perception 49:30 The Growing Startup Ecosystem in Europe 51:11 Why New York City is Ideal for AI Startups Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Borthwick shares his journey from a tech-savvy youth to a prominent figure in the New York tech scene. He discusses his early experiences with computers, the transformative impact of the World Wide Web, and the vibrant tech culture of the 90s. Borthwick reflects on his role in creating Total New York, the lessons learned from the AOL acquisition, and the challenges faced during the dot-com bubble burst. He also highlights the rise of social media platforms like Photolog and the evolution of BetaWorks as a hub for innovation, particularly in the AI space. Throughout the discussion, Borthwick emphasizes the importance of creativity, constraints, and the ever-changing landscape of technology. Chapters: 00:00 The Early Days of Tech and Personal Journey 02:11 Education and Its Impact on Career 05:15 Experiencing the World Wide Web 08:09 The New York Tech Scene in the 90s 11:08 Creative Projects and the Internet 16:01 Total New York: A Local Information Hub 21:40 Lessons in Distribution and Audience Engagement 24:57 The Evolution of Internet Distribution 27:58 AOL: The Internet's First Giant 35:54 The Dot-Com Bubble and Its Aftermath 37:46 Photolog: A Precursor to Social Media 44:56 Navigating Abundance and Constraints in AI 49:37 BetaWorks: A Hub for Founders and Innovation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome BACK to the Internet History Podcast. After essentially a 5 year hiatus, the Internet History Podcast is back, fully back, a whole slate of episodes coming to you, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have our relaunch episode be with Jimmy Wales. What can I tell you? He’s the founder of Wikipedia. We get deep into the history of all that but also get into how he’s thinking about the web and Wikipedia in this age of AI. Chapters 00:00 The Return of the Internet History Podcast 00:58 Exploring Trust in the Digital Age 04:09 Growing Up with Knowledge 11:53 The Journey into Technology and Finance 16:58 The First Encounters with the Internet 18:38 The Spark of Entrepreneurship 20:09 The Birth of Bomis and New Ideas 27:13 The Transition from Newpedia to Wikipedia 31:57 Navigating Challenges and Building Trust 42:25 Moments of Realization and Trust in Wikipedia 48:05 From Startup to Nonprofit: A New Direction 51:17 Lessons in Nonprofit Fundraising 53:02 Transparency and Community Engagement 01:00:21 Wikipedia in the Age of AI 01:07:29 The Future of the Open Web 01:08:58 Defining Purpose in Knowledge Platforms 01:12:05 Building Trust in Personal and Political Life Takeaways Wikipedia's growth was fueled by community engagement and open editing. Trust is essential for the success of any platform. The transition from Newpedia to Wikipedia was a pivotal moment. Transparency in operations fosters community trust. AI's impact on knowledge sharing is significant but manageable. Defining a clear purpose helps in moderating content. Wikipedia's model demonstrates the power of decentralized knowledge. The importance of assuming good faith in online interactions. Nonprofit status allows for a focus on mission over profit. Building trust in personal and political life is crucial for society. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People know that a16z changed tech by turning VCs and founders into rock stars. You know the names. But there’s one name you might not know, that real heads, deep inside the industry have known very well over the years. The legend, Margit Vennmachers. You know all those a16z names because of Margit, because of how she helped Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz and others build a16z into the most prominent VC firm in the world. This is a conversation with Margit about her entire career, her philosophy on coms and marketing and PR, and how a16z evolved. From the story behind Software Is Eating The World to how startups can build and burnish their own legend, from the woman who, behind the scenes, those in the know knew was making it happen. Chapters 00:00 Intros 02:13 From Farm Life to Tech Dreams 03:56 Navigating Grief and Independence 09:38 Cultural Shifts: From Germany to Silicon Valley 12:25 The Early Days of Silicon Valley 21:05 Launching Outcast Communications 25:15 Building Credibility in the Startup World 27:31 The Rise of Facebook and Industry Cycles 29:43 Navigating Economic Cycles and Client Relationships 30:53 The Decision to Sell Outkast 32:43 Founding A16Z: The Backstory 36:48 Marketing Strategies for A16Z 42:00 The Evolution of Tech Leadership 43:53 The Role of an Operating Partner 46:39 Crisis Management in Tech 51:42 The Concept of 'Software is Eating the World' 55:41 Lessons from Two Decades with Mark and Ben 56:49 The Future of Tech and AI 58:06 Margit's Transition to Partner Emeritus Takeaways: Margit's upbringing on a small farm shaped her resilience. Grief can lead to early maturity and self-reliance. Her first tech job sparked a curiosity about the industry. Cultural differences in Silicon Valley were eye-opening. Founding Outcast Communications was driven by inspiration, not frustration. Crisis management is crucial in maintaining a company's reputation. PR for startups requires a focus on storytelling and relationships. The dot-com bubble taught valuable lessons about sustainability. A16Z's approach to venture capital emphasizes personality and visibility. The future of tech is intertwined with the responsible use of AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For my entire career in tech and startups, Fred Wilson has been like the god-level VC in the New York City ecosystem. Fred got his start investing before the dotcom bubble, rode the bubble investing in the earliest internet companies to great success, and then turned Union Square Ventures into the premier venture capital firm on the east coast. Hear the story of Fred’s investments in Geocities, Etsy, Coinbase, MongoDB among others. When I first started this podcast almost 12 years ago, Fred was one of the top 5 people I wanted to talk to. Chapters 00:00 The Four Technological Revolutions 11:08 Fred Wilson's Journey into Venture Capital 21:34 The Rise of New York's Tech Scene 34:53 Founding Union Square Ventures 48:00 The Evolution of Web 2.0 57:16 Current Technological Intersections and Future Outlook Takeaways There are four major technological revolutions happening simultaneously: AI, synthetic biology, energy transition, and crypto. Fred Wilson transitioned from naval engineering to venture capital due to a passion for technology and finance. The New York tech scene began to emerge in the early 90s with digital media and online services. Flatiron Partners was founded to focus on internet investments during the dot-com boom. Investing in companies like GeoCities and Etsy showcased the potential of the internet. The dot-com crash taught valuable lessons about sustainable business models. Union Square Ventures was founded during a challenging economic period, emphasizing the importance of the application layer of the internet. The rise of social media and user engagement became central to investment strategies in the 2000s. Fred's blog became a platform for sharing ideas and attracting founders to his firm. Current technological advancements are driven by the convergence of AI, biology, energy, and crypto. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Serial entrepreneur Shirish Nadkarni came to the U.S. as a teenager with $25 in his pocket. After graduating from Harvard Business School, he worked at Microsoft where he engineered the $400 million acquisition of Hotmail and launched MSN.com, the world’s leading web portal. Striking out on his own in 1999 at the height of the dot-com boom, he founded TeamOn Systems, an early pioneer of mobile email that was later acquired by BlackBerry before becoming BlackBerry Internet Email servicing over 50 million users at its peak. His great new book is: From Startup to Exit: An Insider's Guide to Launching and Scaling Your Tech Business Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joshua Schachter, founder of del.icio.us, is someone I’ve wanted to talk to from the very first day of this podcast. As we’ll discuss, del.icio.us was such a standard bearer of the web 2.0 era. Of user generated content. Of sharing long before Facebook or Twitter or any of that. If my email chain is to be believed, this episode has been four years in the making, and I’m glad Josh and I found the time to do this episode and bring the podcast back. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Angelika Fuellemann is a designer who worked early on with BookSense.com, then got hired by Audible early on, so this is the early story of Audible. It’s funny… audio, streaming music, podcasts, audiobooks, it seems so obvious now, but it really is funny to look back and think about how off the wall this seamed before the smartphone. You mean books on tape will be a thing?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.