"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

E30: Aaron Ginn on the Moral Idea Maze, the GPU Revolution, and US-China Relations

Oct 27, 2023

Erik Torenberg speaks with Aaron Ginn, CEO and co-founder of Hydra Host and co-founder of the Lincoln Network, about tech and politics, US-China relations, the GPU revolution, and foreign policy predictions.

56:09

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Episode guests

Aaron Ginn

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

GPU revolution creates opportunities for regionalized, GPU-focused data centers in the cloud infrastructure.

Politics has become an important aspect in the tech community, influencing investment strategies.

Entrepreneurship is shifting towards prioritizing social change and considering metaphysical concerns.

Deep dives

The Rise of GPUs and Its Impact on Public Cloud

GPUs are revolutionizing parallel computing and have significant implications for the public cloud. Public cloud providers have built their infrastructure around low-cost CPUs, but GPUs offer much more power and potential. The public cloud is not yet prepared for the demands of GPU-based computing, requiring specialized data centers, higher energy consumption, and advanced networking capabilities. This creates an opportunity for highly regionalized, GPU-focused data centers to emerge as the next wave of cloud infrastructure. Additionally, national security concerns surrounding GPUs are leading to government intervention, with restrictions on GPU sales to certain countries. The ongoing geopolitical conflicts, particularly between the US and China, contribute to the scarcity and competition in the GPU market.

Introduction

2min

Eclectic Backgrounds and the Intersection of Technology and Politics

10min

Belief in Founding Principles and the Need for Refreshing

6min

Views on Communism, Companies Behaving Better, and the Role of Politics in Tech

2min

The Dominance of NVIDIA in the GPU Market

32min

Decision-making, Shifting Ideologies, and Bipartisan Consensus

5min

Erik Torenberg sits down with Aaron Ginn, the CEO and co-founder of Hydra Host and the co-founder of the Lincoln Network (now Foundation for American Innovation). They discuss tech and politics, US-China relations, the GPU revolution, and foreign policy predictions. Upstream is proudly sponsored by Vanta. Get $1000 off Vanta with https://www.vanta.com/upstream

Upstream is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

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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.

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Timestamps:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(01:55) Aaron's background

(07:23) Aaron's journey on his moral idea maze

(11:30) Innovation and progress in the human experiment

(15:09) Sponsors: Mercury | Vanta

(17:15) Can a right wing parallel economy for everything happen?

(19:51) NVIDIA versus the public cloud

(28:55) Status of GPUs 6 months to a year from now

(34:19) Kinetic interaction with China

(42:05) GPUs: Foreign policy concerns and predictions

(51:20) Comparison of Biden's and Trump's foreign policy

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LINKS:

Hydra Host: https://hydrahost.com/

Book: The Terrible Truth About Liberals

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Terrible_Truth_About_Liberals

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X/ Twitter

Aaron @aginnt

Erik: @ErikTorenberg

Upstream : @upstream__pod

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.