1 tech thing: Full interview: "Godfather of AI" on hopes, fears, and predictions for the future of AI

Pictured: Geoffrey Hinton, known as the 'Godfather of AI.' Known for his work in artificial neural networks, Geoffrey speaks openly in this interview about the huge opportunities — and serious risks — that AI brings.

It’s honest, raw, and an unfiltered perspective from someone who helped create modern AI and is now sounding the alarm about its future.

Curious where AI is headed? Hit play and hear it straight from the pioneer himself.

(Note: The interview might seem long, 50 mins straight, but once you get hooked, there's no going back)

2 quotes on point!

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one."
― Elbert Hubbard

“If you’re not upsetting anyone, you’re not changing the status quo.”
― Seth Godin

3 Founder power moves – are you doing these?

1. Build a relationship before they are even needed
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Constantly nurture relationships with investors, talent, and partners — before you need to hire, fundraise, or ask for help. Think of it as farmers who sow seeds well before. A perfect example can be Airbnb's case study. When Airbnb was in its struggling phase, they didn’t just cold-email investors. They tapped early friendships they had built long before they needed a check.
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Because of those relationships, they survived when 99% of VCs said no.

2. Prioritize ruthlessly!
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Say no to 90% of things — even "good" opportunities — to protect focus on what moves the business most. Early at Stripe, Patrick and John Collison had a thousand ideas thrown at them — new markets, fancy partnerships, and product experiments. Instead of chasing everything, they focused relentlessly on just one thing: making payments for developers dead simple.

And the result? Today, Stripe is one of the largest privately-owned fintech companies with a valuation of about $91 billion and over $1.4 trillion in payment volume!
Founders win not by doing more, but by doing fewer things insanely well.

‍3. Lead with energy & certainty

During Covid-19, Shopify's Tobi Lütke had to make a decision: panic, or lead with bold energy. He didn't waffle — he announced the entire company was going remote forever overnight, and rallied everyone around a new mission. While competitors stumbled, Shopify’s market cap exploded.
Always remember, your team feeds off your Energy! The energy you showcase is the energy they capture.