Uncanny Valley | WIRED

BIG INTV: Reid Hoffman Wants Silicon Valley to ‘Stand Up’

42 snips
Jan 13, 2026
Reid Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn and a prominent venture capitalist, calls for Silicon Valley to stand up for truth and democracy. He discusses how his education shaped his entrepreneurial spirit and the philosophical basis behind his tech investments. Hoffman introduces the concept of AI as a 'super agency' that enhances human capabilities and addresses the implications of AI in art and learning. He emphasizes the need for technologists to speak out against political silence, balancing innovation with responsibility to protect democratic values.
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ANECDOTE

AI-Generated Christmas Album On Vinyl

  • Reid generated a completely AI-made holiday album and pressed it to vinyl as gifts.
  • He used separate models for lyrics and music and found the result surprisingly convincing.
INSIGHT

Theory Of Human Nature Powers Product Strategy

  • Hoffman links philosophy to entrepreneurship through theories of human nature.
  • He argues products succeed when they reflect deep, testable views of human behavior.
INSIGHT

AI As A Shapable Agency Multiplier

  • Reid Hoffman argues AI is a tool we shape, not an unstoppable natural event.
  • He sees AI as amplifying human agency when guided by builders and society.
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