In this discussion, Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, delves into the complexities surrounding AI regulation amidst rising skepticism towards authority. He argues for a balance between optimism and caution in tech advancements and advocates for decentralized governance. Buterin also addresses the dual nature of technology as a tool for self-defense and government control. He shares insights on navigating social dynamics within AI debates, emphasizing the importance of diverse perspectives to combat misinformation and foster ethical practices in innovation.

We close out Season 8 with the most ambitious organization we've ever covered on Acquired: Ethereum, and it's celebrity wunderkind founder Vitalik Buterin. If you thought Mark Zuckerberg IPO-ing Facebook at $100B by age 27 was something, just wait until you hear the story of this high school junior creating $500B (!!) of market cap by the same age — and oh yeah, maybe seeding the future dethroning of Facebook, Google, Amazon and all of big tech in the process. Regardless whether you're a crypto neophyte, a die-hard bull, or a skeptical bear, this is a story you need to hear, and Ethereum is an innovation you need to understand. Buckle in for a wild ride... and some special surprises from a few Acquired friends. :) Sponsors:WorkOS: https://bit.ly/workos25Huntress: https://bit.ly/acqhuntressStatsig: https://bit.ly/acquiredstatsig24More Acquired!:Get email updates with hints on next episode and follow-ups from recent episodesJoin the SlackSubscribe to ACQ2Merch Store!© Copyright 2015-2025 ACQ, LLCLinks:The Ethereum Whitepaper: https://ethereum.org/en/whitepaper/Yung Spielburg https://open.spotify.com/artist/273so0X2Yuo93vfeX2nLDI and Mike Taylor https://open.spotify.com/artist/30ejUciK31BCg0IVCbt1dW on Spotify Carve Outs:Arthur C. Clarke: https://www.amazon.com/Arthur-C-Clarke/e/B000APF21M? (especially Rendezvous with Rama and The City & The Stars)Disney-Marvel's Loki: https://www.disneyplus.com/series/loki/6pARMvILBGzFThe Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson:  https://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Age-Illustrated-Primer-Spectra/dp/0553380966Nier Automata: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nier:_AutomataMagic the Gathering IRL:  https://magic.wizards.com/en/events/event-types/friday-night-magic

Introduction 0:00 Haseeb’s background 0:22 Vitalik’s background 2:43 A blockchain you can build any app on top of 7:02 Eth trades efficiency for transparency 10:18 Like plain text, Eth is simple and efficient 12:41 Only high-value transactions can afford the blockchain 13:08 Doing away with ‘trusted’ third parties 14:09 Trading performance for security 14:43 ‘Impregnable castles made of math’ 16:23 Ethereum’s limitations are latency and privacy 16:56 There are ways to get back your privacy 19:32 Can Eth provide a high level of decentralization and a high level of scaling at the same time? 20:39 Sharding leads to more centralization 21:49 Verifiability at the expense of scaling 24:00 How much decentralization is the right amount? 25:11 What happens when subsidies to join nodes disappear? 27:07 Stateless clients make it possible to verify the chain with very little on your hard drive 28:18 Staking culture is difficult to cultivate 28:52 New blockchain players tend to go for minimum viable decentralization 29:54 People don’t value privacy until somebody goes to jail over it 30:32 Eth is ‘simple at the base’ 31:12 Social recovery wallets make it easier to be your own bank 31:44 Block space is getting expensive 32:41 There’s not a lot of innovation on Bitcoin, by design 33:35 Blockchain’s ‘free-rider effect’ 34:57 Innovation is slowest at Layer 1 35:34 Layer 2 moves faster because it’s permissionless 36:59 What if we froze Layer 1 today? 37:25 Data for computation trade-off 38:57 Benchmarking blockchains apples-to-apples 40:02 Enshrining decentralization 41:43 Tensions between scaling and preserving value 42:27 There will be multiple stores of value 43:54 — Transcript http://nav.al/vitalik

Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum and a pioneer in decentralized technologies, joins Noah Smith to discuss the looming question of whether authoritarianism could outpace liberal democracies. They dive into how the digital age and cheap information production are reshaping governance and the dynamics of power. The conversation touches on information warfare, examining how different nations approach information control. They also explore the transformative potential of technology like blockchain in preserving democratic values.

A discussion between Vitalik Buterin and Balaji Srinivasan on starting new countries, improving yourself, and upgrading Ethereum. OUTLINE 00:00 - Introduction 01:27 - A brief history of Ethereum 16:54 - The DAO hack 20:32 - The Devcon 2 attack 33:24 - The Merge 35:52 - Ethereum Roadmap 47:41 - The de-OFACization of Ethereum? 1:06:18 - Starting new countries 1:22:20 - Svalbard 1:27:29 - Network effects 1:33:12 - Regulation as a bounding box 1:35:42 - What new country would Vitalik start? 1:39:39 - Network states and social networks 1:43:19 - Advice on leveling up 1:51:17 - How Vitalik learned Chinese 1:55:14 - Learning by doing LINKS 1) Ethereum Average Block Time: https://ycharts.com/indicators/ethereum_average_block_time 2) What is EIP-1559: https://consensys.net/blog/quorum/what-is-eip-1559-how-will-it-change-ethereum 3) Quadratic Hash problem: https://bitcoinclassic.com/devel/Quadratic%20Hashing.html 4) The merge: https://ethereum.org/en/upgrades/merge 5) MEV watch: https://www.mevwatch.info 6) Sousveillance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sousveillance 7) Best weather cities to live in the US: https://wired.com/2014/02/see-u-s-cities-get-least-days-pleasant-weather 8) Global passport ranking: https://passportindex.org/byRank.php?ccode=cn 9) Longyearbyen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longyearbyen 10) Demography of the Roman Empire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demography_of_the_Roman_Empire VIDEO YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xhPqZZYJSE CREDITS Editing: twitter.com/DholakiaJaydeep Images: twitter.com/elijah10t SOCIAL thenetworkstate.com twitter.com/VitalikButerin twitter.com/balajis

Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin returns to the podcast to discuss his recent article Endgame, as well as the massive year we observed in 2021. From the future of Ethereum to the rise of alternative Layer 1 platforms, it only makes sense to kick off 2022 by exploring how far we’ve come and figuring out where we’re headed. How far are we along on Ethereum’s roadmap? What challenges lie ahead? In a recent tweet, Vitalik posted a graphic of the updated progress of the Ethereum roadmap, and there are five throughlines that are progressing in parallel: • The Merge • The Surge • The Verge • The Purge • The Splurge We dive into what each of these means, as well as discuss what Ethereum will look like as these milestones are met. Holding this up against conversations of maximalism and alternative L1s, now is the time to start asking the big questions. ✨ WATCH THE DEBRIEF ✨ https://youtu.be/v__0GOC-XYE  ------ 📣 ONJUNO | Crypto from your Checking Account! https://bankless.cc/OnJuno  ------ 🚀 SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER: https://newsletter.banklesshq.com/  🎙️ SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST: http://podcast.banklesshq.com/  ------ BANKLESS SPONSOR TOOLS: ⚖️ ARBITRUM | SCALING ETHEREUM https://bankless.cc/Arbitrum  🍵 MATCHA | SMART ORDER ROUTING https://bankless.cc/Matcha  🚀 SLINGSHOT | LAYER 2 SOCIAL TRADING https://bankless.cc/Slingshot  🏦 GEMINI | TURN FIAT INTO CRYPTO https://bankless.cc/Gemini  🦁 BRAVE | THE BROWSER NATIVE WALLET https://bankless.cc/Brave  🦄 UNISWAP | DECENTRALIZED FUNDING https://bankless.cc/UniGrants  ------ Topics Covered: 0:00 Intro 4:09 Debrief 7:27 Vitalik Returns after 2021 11:40 2021 Ethereum Milestones 16:33 Roadmap Progress 19:35 The Merge (Proof of Stake) 24:20 The Surge (Rollups & Sharding) 32:59 Life after Sharding 42:40 The Verge (Verkle Trees) 49:35 The Purge (History Expiry) 57:03 State Expiry & Snake 1:03:40 Snakes & States 1:08:20 The Splurge (Everything Else) 1:15:20 What Makes Vitalik Happy 1:20:17 Rise of Alt Layer 1s 1:26:03 Gas Costs & Decentralization 1:29:11 Maximalism 1:34:03 Endgame 1:40:16 Alt L1s and Rollups 1:44:02 Multi-Rollup World 1:49:21 The Ground Floor 1:53:56 Solving the World’s Problems 1:58:33 Closing & Disclaimers ------ Resources: VITALIK'S ARTICLES Endgame https://vitalik.ca/general/2021/12/06/endgame.html  The Limits to Blockchain Scalability https://vitalik.ca/general/2021/05/23/scaling.html  Verkle Trees https://vitalik.ca/general/2021/06/18/verkle.html  Pragmatic Destruction of Self-Destruct https://hackmd.io/@vbuterin/selfdestruct  Crypto Cities https://vitalik.ca/general/2021/10/31/cities.html  Legitimacy https://vitalik.ca/general/2021/03/23/legitimacy.html  Moving beyond coin voting governance https://vitalik.ca/general/2021/08/16/voting3.html  VITALIK ON BANKLESS Legitimacy https://shows.banklesshq.com/p/-legitimacy-vitalik-buterin Beyond Coin Voting https://shows.banklesshq.com/p/beyond-coin-voting-vitalik-buterin Vitalik Speaks (Playlist) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmkdAgtxf3agqnA5IieA7OkKBjlhx9mn- MISC. Roadmap Tweet https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin/status/1466411377107558402?s=20  Merge Testnet https://kintsugi.themerge.dev/  ETH TPS https://ethtps.info/  ----- Not financial or tax advice. This channel is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This video is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research. Disclosure. From time-to-time I may add links in this newsletter to products I use. I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Bankless writers hold crypto assets. See our investment disclosures here: https://newsletter.banklesshq.com/p/bankless-disclosures 

Vitalik Buterin is the co-founder of Ethereum. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: – Athletic Greens: https://athleticgreens.com/lex and use code LEX to get 1 month of fish oil – Magic Spoon: https://magicspoon.com/lex and use code LEX to get $5 off – Indeed: https://indeed.com/lex to get $75 credit – Four Sigmatic: https://foursigmatic.com/lex and use code LexPod to get up to 60% off – BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/lex to get 10% off EPISODE LINKS: Vitalik’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/VitalikButerin Vitalik’s Blog: https://vitalik.ca/ PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: – Check out the sponsors above, it’s the best way to support this podcast – Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman – Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman – Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman – Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) – Introduction (08:18) – Shiba Inu story (25:35) – Regulation (29:48) – Crime (34:54) – Proof of stake vs proof of work (47:43) – Miner extractable value (53:19) – Scaling (54:42) – Bitcoin blocksize wars (1:00:51) – Hard fork vs soft fork (1:04:34) – Craig Wright (1:11:18) – Scaling: Sharding (1:18:07) – Scaling: Rollups (1:26:30) – Polygon and other Layer 2 technologies (1:34:11) – Merging PoS and PoW chains (1:43:49) – Lessons learned from Ethereum 2.0 failure incidents (1:52:35) – Bitcoin vs Ethereum (1:58:30) – Dogecoin (2:04:38) – Elon Musk (2:07:15) – Chainlink (2:10:35) – Charles Hoskinson and Cardano (2:18:08) – AI safety (2:23:07) – NFTs (2:25:57) – Scams (2:35:34) – Longevity (2:44:55) – Does death give meaning to life? (2:50:38) – Lex and Vitalik speak Russian (2:54:29) – Meaning of life (2:59:48) – Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History and WWII

Vitalik Buterin, founder of Ethereum, joins the hosts to discuss the societal debate on AI technology. They explore perspectives on technological acceleration vs deceleration, the risks and benefits of AI, and the philosophy of DAC for navigating the world. They also highlight the need for defensive technology and the potential of human beings to drive progress.

Economist Noah Smith and Ethereum Founder Vitalik Buterin discuss the case for authoritarianism in the age of information warfare. They explore the challenges of liberalism, the role of blockchains in societal structures, and the potential rise of totalitarian regimes. The conversation covers the impact of technology on authoritarian states, info wars, and solutions for decentralized app development.

Vitalik Buterin, Creator of Ethereum, on Understanding Ethereum, ETH vs. BTC, ETH2, Scaling Plans and Timelines, NFTs, Future Considerations, Life Extension, and More (Featuring Naval Ravikant) | Brought to you by Wealthfront automated investing, Pique's Daily Immune (Vitamin C optimized for absorption), and Theragun percussive muscle therapy devices.Vitalik Buterin (@VitalikButerin) is the creator of Ethereum. He first discovered blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies through Bitcoin in 2011, and was immediately excited by the technology and its potential. He co-founded Bitcoin magazine in September 2011, and after two and a half years looking at what the existing blockchain technology and applications had to offer, wrote the Ethereum white paper in November 2013. He now leads Ethereum’s research team, working on future versions of the Ethereum protocol. In 2014, Vitalik was a recipient of the two-year Thiel Fellowship, tech billionaire Peter Thiel’s project that awards $100,000 to 20 promising innovators under 20 so they can pursue their inventions in lieu of a post-secondary institution. You can find his website at vitalik.ca. Naval Ravikant (@naval) is the co-founder and chairman of AngelList. He is an angel investor and has invested in more than 100 companies, including many mega-successes, such as Twitter, Uber, Notion, Opendoor, Postmates, and Wish. You can subscribe to Naval, his podcast on wealth and happiness, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find his blog at nav.al.Please enjoy!*This episode is brought to you by Pique and their brand-new supplement, Daily Immune—Vitamin C optimized for absorption. Pique’s Daily Immune is maximized for absorption with liposomal encapsulation technology and Pique’s unique formula supports a healthy immune system. It’s so easy and tastes so good—think black European elderberries—you might choose to take it once or twice a day, as I do.Try it for yourself risk-free—with their 30-day satisfaction guarantee, you either love it or get your money back. Go to PiqueTea.com/Tim and use code TIM at checkout to get 5% off your first order plus free shipping when you purchase a bundle.*This episode is also brought to you by Theragun! Theragun is my go-to solution for recovery and restoration. It’s a famous, handheld percussive therapy device that releases your deepest muscle tension. I own two Theraguns, and my girlfriend and I use them every day after workouts and before bed. The all-new Gen 4 Theragun is easy to use and has a proprietary brushless motor that’s surprisingly quiet—about as quiet as an electric toothbrush.Go to Theragun.com/Tim right now and get your Gen 4 Theragun today, starting at only $199.*This episode is brought to you by Wealthfront! Wealthfront pioneered the automated investing movement, sometimes referred to as ‘robo-advising,’ and they currently oversee $20 billion of assets for their clients. It takes about three minutes to sign up, and then Wealthfront will build you a globally diversified portfolio of ETFs based on your risk appetite and manage it for you at an incredibly low cost. Smart investing should not feel like a rollercoaster ride. Let the professionals do the work for you. Go to Wealthfront.com/Tim and open a Wealthfront account today, and you’ll get your first $5,000 managed for free, for life. Wealthfront will automate your investments for the long term. Get started today at Wealthfront.com/Tim.*If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissDisclaimer: I am not an investment adviser. All opinions are mine alone. There are risks involved in placing any investment in securities or in Bitcoin. None of the information presented today is intended to form the basis for any offer or recommendation or have any regard to the investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of any specific person.Past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more. 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