X, Alphabet Inc.’s “moonshot factory,” dares to solve big problems with breakthrough technologies. Most of their projects fail. But some — like self-driving cars and the AI that powers Google — are already changing the world. CEO Astro Teller joins Azeem Azhar to explain how he built a culture of radical creativity, where employees are encouraged to dream — and to fail — big.
In this episode they explore:
- Why allowing the right amount of chaos is vital for flourishing creativity.
- The five basic principles at the heart of X.
- Why innovation dies if only success is rewarded.
- What inspiration Astro takes from Willy Wonka.
Further reading:
-
- “Inside X, Google’s top-secret moonshot factory” (Wired, 2020)
- “Astro Teller on How to Handle Failure” (Wired, 2019)
- “Astro Teller, ‘Captain of Moonshots’ at Alphabet’s X, Is on a Roll” (WSJ, 2018)
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