Possible with Reid Hoffman

Reid reflects on his early exposure to AI as an undergraduate at Stanford and on navigating the space between academia and industry. Plus, he and Aria discuss human outcomes of technology—and how human-centered technologists such as Fei-Fei Li, Mustafa Suleyman, and Kevin Scott have helped him keep those outcomes top of mind.

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/

How can scientists leverage AI and machine learning to more effectively research, develop, and deliver new drugs? This week, Reid and Aria talk drug development with renowned computer scientist and executive Dr. Daphne Koller, whose company, insitro, uses machine learning to improve the quality and speed of drug discovery. She addresses several ways AI and ML are already being used to redefine diseases and create better therapeutic interventions. Plus, she shares her experience transitioning from academia to industry. 

Read the transcript of this episode here: https://www.possible.fm/podcasts/dkoller

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/ 

Topics:

00:01: Cold open

00:43: Hellos and intros

3:20: Early involvement in AI 

5:00: Overview of drug discovery and its evolution over the last five years 

7:50: AI and machine learning impact on biology and drug development 

9:09: Pi aside defining AlphaFold 

11:37: Areas of acceleration and opportunity in AI and drug discovery 

17:21: Synthetic data 

21:21: AI implications on therapeutic hypotheses 

23:54: Personalized vs. precision medicine 

27:04: Closing the data feedback loop 

30:31: Exciting announcements 

34:24: Privacy and data

36:41: GPT-4 story 

38:48: Stuart Russell’s comments on the applications of Koller’s thesis 

43:36: AI as a moving target

47:24: How can academia and industry positively impact society and humanity

51:58: insitro’s culture 

54:18: - Rapid-fire questions

Select mentions: 

Not the End of the World: How We Can Be the First Generation to build a Sustainable Planet by Hannah Ritchie

Stuart Russell

Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. These conversations also showcase another kind of guest: AI. Whether it's Inflection’s Pi, OpenAI’s ChatGPT or other AI tools, each episode will use AI to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.

This week, Reid veers toward science fiction, tackling big questions including: Is a single mentally-linked network in our future? Can and should humans create other sentient beings? 

Select mentions: 

David Brin

What might it look like if we used AI to make democracy work better and to make society more equal? In this special live recording of Possible, Aria turns the tables on her co-host, interviewing Reid alongside Atlantic CEO Nick Thompson. They discuss AI-native generations, the future of friendship and social connections, media, data, privacy, and democracy in the age of AI. To kick off the episode, Reid’s avatar makes a cameo. 

Read the transcript of this episode here: https://www.possible.fm/podcasts/nthompson

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/ 

Topics:

1:53 - Hellos and intros

2:15 - A question from Reid’s AI Avatar

6:24 - Defining this moment in technology

10:08 - AI, journalism, and democracy

13:32 - AI and empathy 

20:17 - Why AI is exciting for young people

22:44 - How impacts the world of friendship 

33:07 - AI and privacy

41:21 - Looking ahead 

47:51 - Rapid-fire questions

Select mentions: 

The Worlds I See by Fei-fei Li

Earth Species Project

Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. These conversations also showcase another kind of guest: AI. Whether it's Inflection’s Pi, OpenAI’s ChatGPT or other AI tools, each episode will use AI to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.

This week, Aria asks Reid about government regulation of AI, including where the U.S. fits in on the global stage and how America can learn from where the early regulation of social media fell short. 

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/

How can the U.S. government support the use of AI to stimulate innovation, bring healthcare to people more effectively, and educate people more equitably—all while thoughtfully navigating technology’s impact on people’s way of life? 

On this week’s episode, Reid and Aria sit down with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to discuss her work leading the government’s efforts to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of AI for Americans. She gets into the federal government’s approach to AI innovation and safety, emphasizing the importance of global partnerships. Plus, she shares how the U.S. can make hardware “sexy” again—and why it matters.  

Read the transcript of this episode here: https://www.possible.fm/podcasts/raimondo

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/ 

Topics:

3:30 - Hellos and intros

6:44 - Hopes and goals for American citizens

9:34 - America’s approach to AI compared to its approach to other digital innovations

14:15 - How the U.S. can “make building hardware sexy again”

18:21 - International cooperation on AI

21:39 - How technology leaders can contribute to private-public partnerships

24:14 - What excites Secretary Raimondo most right now

26:35 - How industry can relieve anxiety about job security in an AI-world

Select mentions: 

AI Safety Institute

CHIPS Act

Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. These conversations also showcase another kind of guest: AI. Whether it's Inflection’s Pi, OpenAI’s ChatGPT or other AI tools, each episode will use AI to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.

In this episode, Aria asks Reid about his general and AI-specific investment philosophies, including what draws him to a pitch and what raises red flags. They discuss agentic AI, robots, and hardware. 

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/

This week, Reid and Aria are joined by Ashton Kutcher. While you might know him as the actor and producer who rose to fame on That ‘70s Show, Dude, Where’s My Car, and MTV’s Punk’d, Ashton is also an accomplished venture capitalist. He is co-founder of the VC firm Sound Ventures, and he has been investing in AI for more than a decade. Ashton, Reid, and Aria discuss the future of AI software and hardware, startups, and the AI revolution’s impact on society. 

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/ 

Topics:

3:00 - Hellos and intros

3:56 - Ashton and Reid’s trip to the South Pole

8:20 - What’s exciting about AI for investors 

13:31 - How Ashton brings AI into his daily life

19:02 - Changes to the job market in an age of AI

22:01 - How people can maintain their agency and find more time in the age of AI

26:37 - AI and talent-sourcing

30:40 - How to be a “tryer” 

35:14 - Rapid-fire questions 

Select mentions

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

Dædalus

Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. These conversations also showcase another kind of guest: AI. Whether it's Inflection’s Pi, OpenAI’s ChatGPT or other AI tools, each episode will use AI to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.

Reid discusses what aspects of urban planning need to be reimagined. He advocates that prioritizing smart technology, clean energy, and data can vastly improve residents’ quality of life. Plus, Aria asks Reid about the potential of technologies existent and forthcoming—including self-flying cars.

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/

What if we built cities focused around community, leveraging technology to actually increase human connection, health, and fulfillment? Devon Zuegel, the leader of Edge Esmeralda—a pop-up village that took place in June 2024—joins Possible to discuss how she is reimagining cities to optimize for community. In this episode, Devon, Aria, and Reid get into why designing cities with intention can impact quality of life and strengthen communities. Devon shares what she has learned from Edge Esmeralda—and what she plans to build from here. 

Read the transcript of this episode here.

For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/ 

Topics:

2:20 - Hellos and intros

4:39 - Computers are like gardens

6:25 - Fictional Cities

8:15 - Cities are the platforms we build our lives on

10:10 - City as a networks and places of opportunities 

13:40- Best and worst designed cities

15:40 - AI element 

19:20 - What is Edge Esmerelda? 

26:00 - Devon’s learnings thus far

31:50- Scaling Cities of the Future

36:30- Intersections between technology and cities 

39:10- Philosophical manifestos of cities 

43:30- Devon’s thoughts on California Forever 

44:10 -Rapid-fire Questions

Select mentions: 

Edge Esmerelda ( https://www.edgeesmeralda.com/welcome) 

Chautauqua (https://devonzuegel.com/chautauqua-an-idea-embedded-in-a-place) 

Possible is an award-winning podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Most of all, it asks: what if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Tune in for grounded and speculative takes on how technology—and, in particular, AI—is inspiring change and transforming the future. Hosted by Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, each episode features an interview with an ambitious builder or deep thinker on a topic, from art to geopolitics and from healthcare to education. These conversations also showcase another kind of guest: AI. Whether it's Inflection’s Pi, OpenAI’s ChatGPT or other AI tools, each episode will use AI to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.