Microsoft’s Philosopher Glen Weyl: AI Could End Capitalism & Usher in “Gaia”

Silicon Valley is building AI on the wrong assumptions, says Microsoft economist and researcher Glen Weyl.

Glen Weyl has spent his life at the intersection of tech and politics and sees a critical gap in tech driven by Bay Area culture, where the voices of religious and culturally grounded communities are almost entirely absent. He argues that this lack of perspective has shaped Silicon Valley’s AI culture, creating blind spots with enormous consequences. 

Rather than viewing history through the "great man" lens, as driven by virtuosic leaders often acting unilaterally, Glen takes a systems view of what drives progress and his current work focuses on bringing religious conservatives into the conversation, balancing tech’s internal logic with the realities of the world it seeks to reshape.

This week on Endgame, Glen joins Amanda to explore a future where AI may replace capitalism with a 'Gaia'-like system. He draws on examples from India and Taiwan, where tech and religion are integrated to drive innovation, design public infrastructure, and create neutral protocols that produce hyper-competitive markets, offering a model for how Bay Area–driven tech could close its own gaps.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Future of Labor and Capital

05:18 Eschatology and AI Doomerism

11:09 The Role of Religion in Technology

17:01 Human Value in an AI-Driven World

22:57 Rethinking Value and Hierarchies

29:50 Global Perspectives on Innovation and Governance

31:45 The Role of Individuals vs. Collective Systems

37:09 Democracy in the Age of Information

43:42 Balancing Spirituality and Technological Advancement

50:59 Decentralization through Technology: The India Stack

55:38 Government Intervention and Economic Growth

RESOURCES:Follow Glen: https://x.com/glenweylSubscribe to Endgame: https://www.youtube.com/@endgamepodcast Amanda on X: https://x.com/amandacassatt Serotonin on X: https://x.com/serotonin Endgame on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6iSvbKOJWoEPiAoGmiulkd Endgame on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/endgame-with-amanda-cassatt/id1801809440 Substack: https://substack.com/@UCInZsV3L1nDGoFjxoNUnPQQ