Dwarkesh Patel is the host of The Lunar Society podcast, where he interviews scientists, historians, economists, intellectuals, & founders about their ideas. He also writes about tech, progress, talent, science, and the long-term over at his Substack . Dwarkesh has been described as “one of the best young podcasters alive”, and his Substack has been praised by the likes of Jeff Bezos, Paul Graham and Tyler Cowen. Important Links: The Lunar Society Dwarkesh’ Twitter The Mystery of the Miracle Yea...
Feb 16, 2023•1 hr 36 min•Ep. 147
David Ha is the Head of Strategy at Stability AI, and one of the top minds working in AI today. He previously worked as a research scientist in the Brain team at Google. David is particularly interested in evolution and complex systems, and his research explores how intelligence may emerge from limited resource constraints. He joins the show to discuss the advantages of open-source models, modelling AI as an emergent system, why large language models are bad at maths and MUCH more! Important Lin...
Feb 09, 2023•56 min•Ep. 146
Jesse Michels is an investor at Thiel Capital and the creator and host of ‘American Alchemy’, a Youtube channel dedicated to highlighting the most heretical thinkers and ideas of our time. He joins the show to discuss the transmission theory of consciousness, whether mushrooms are aliens, the reawakening of the Boomers and MUCH more! Important Links: American Alchemy Jesse’s Twitter Show Notes: The modern-day Robert Anton Wilson Why Jesse started American Alchemy The transmission theory of consc...
Feb 02, 2023•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 145
Mark Nelson is the Managing Director of Radiant Energy Group, a consultancy which advises governments, nonprofits and industry about nuclear energy. He joins the show to discuss Chernobyl the memes vs Chernobyl the molecules, introducing nuclear festivals, adopting an abundance mindset, and a whole lot more. Important Links: Mark’s Twitter Radiant Energy Group Mark’s LinkedIn Show Notes: Why does the nuclear industry have a confidence problem? Electricity deaths vs nuclear deaths Chernobyl the m...
Jan 26, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 144
Author, CEO of VUDU Marketing and digital nomad Sam McRoberts returns for his second appearance on Infinite Loops. This week, Sam and Jim discuss Sam’s latest book ‘The Grand Redesign’. Part science-fiction, part operating manual for upgrading human OS, ‘The Grand Redesign’ touches on a number of recurring Infinite Loops themes, and is available for free online (see ‘Important Links’ section below). Important Links: The Grand Redesign Sam’s Twitter Sam’s Substack The Thinker and The Prover Tinke...
Jan 19, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 143
Cliff Asness is the Founder, Managing Principal and Chief Investment Officer at AQR Capital Management. Prior to co-founding AQR Capital Management, he was a Managing Director and Director of Quantitative Research for the Asset Management Division of Goldman, Sachs & Co. Cliff joins the show to discuss FTX, AMC , why hedge funds aren’t hedging, the role of index funds and a whole lot more. Important Links: Cliff’s Twitter Cliff’s Blog AQR Capital Management Do Hedge Funds Hedge? Show Notes: Clif...
Jan 12, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 142
Ben Tossell writes Ben’s Bites, a daily newsletter on AI that’s read by over 15,000 others from Google, a16z, Sequoia, Amazon, Meta and more. He previously founded Makerpad, a no-code education side which was acquired by Zapier in March 2021. Important Links: Ben’s Newsletter Ben’s Twitter Show Notes: Ben’s journey into AI The importance of ease of use How AI will impact our lives Ben’s hackathon Balancing originality and usefulness Why Ben is wary of providing strategic advice Achieving ground-...
Jan 05, 2023•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 141
We’ve landed. After 3 months of stealth mode, sneak-peeks, and surprise announcements, we have finally hit launch day. In this special episode of Infinite Loops, hosted by Patrick O’Shaughnessy, Jim chats through the rationale behind founding OSV, the positive impact he wants it to have on the world, and the ways you can get involved. Important Links: OSV’s Website Jim’s Twitter Show Notes: The origins of OSV Why OSV does not invest third parties’ money The story of Jim’s investment in Stability...
Jan 01, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 140
Tom Morgan returns for his third appearance on Infinite Loops with Jim, Infinite Loops’ own Ed William and special guest Brett Andersen, an evolutionary psychology PhD student at the University of New Mexico. We discuss the implications of the ideas presented in Brett’s fantastic essay ‘Intimations of a New Worldview’, whether the rise of anti-heroes is a challenge to Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, the influence of conscious vs unconscious design, and much more. Important Links: Intimations of a New...
Dec 29, 2022•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 139
Brom Rector is the founder of Empath Ventures, a VC fund that in invests in early-stage psychedelics startups. Prior to founding Empath, Brom sent several years as a portfolio manager and quantitative researcher. Brom joins the show to discuss the current state of the psychedelics industry, the lessons learned founding a VC fund, the differences between psychedelics and cannabis, and a whole lot more. Important Links: Empath Ventures Brom’s LinkedIn Brom’s Twitter The Brom Podcast Show Notes: Ho...
Dec 22, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 138
Ahead of the release of the next episode of his lecture series on René Girard, Johnathan Bi returns for his second appearance on the show. He and Jim discuss Girard, prestige, innovation, AI, and much more. Enjoy! Important Links: Johnathan’s website Johnathan’s Twitter Johnathan’s lecture series with David Perell Our research note on Johnathan Johnathan’s first appearance on the show Show Notes: The Girardian notion of prestige What proof is there for mimesis? The difference between mimesis and...
Dec 15, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 137
Rohit is a VC and essayist who writes fascinating, thought-provoking essays on complexity, progress, innovation and technology over at Strange Loop Canon . He joins the show for a second time to discuss the lessons learned from the FTX meltdown, why there isn’t a philosophy of business, creating an AI picture book, and a whole lot more. Important Links: Rohit’s Twitter Rohit’s Substack Our research note on Rohit Show Notes: What can VCs learn from FTX? FTX, hubris and good manners “Don’t let any...
Dec 08, 2022•1 hr 46 min•Ep. 136
Julia is the co-founder of Rosetta Analytics Inc, “an alternative asset manager that is pioneering the use of advanced artificial intelligence to build and actively manage liquid investment strategies.” Prior to co-founding Rosetta, Julia served as President of Wilshire Consulting and was a member of Wilshire’s Board of Directors and Consulting Investment Committee. Julia joins the show to take a deep dive into deep reinforcement learning and Rosetta’s pioneering work using AI as the basis of it...
Dec 01, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 135
Creator and curator Liberty RPF returns for his second appearance on Infinite Loops. He and Jim discuss the art of curation, the opportunities and risks of AI, the curse of creativity, the future of learning, and MUCH more!
Nov 24, 2022•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 134
Title: Description: Lulu Cheng Meservey is the Chief Communications Officer and Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Activision Blizzard. She joins Infinite Loops to provide us with a masterclass in communications for startups. A must-listen for current and aspiring founders. Important Links: • Lulu’s Twitter • Lulu’s Substack Show Notes: • Why people write hit pieces • The insurgency framework • How to access your audience’s neural real estate • How to develop a spontaneous elevator...
Nov 17, 2022•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 133
“With enough curiosity, self-confidence is irrelevant.” Tinkered Thinking is a writer, artist, author and creator. He is also the worthy winner of our ‘ White Mirror ’ competition. His writing includes a series of ‘Lucilius Parables’, short stories dispersed throughout time and space designed to help readers reconceptualise their experience of being alive. He joined the show to discuss writing, technology, curiosity, optimism and MUCH more! Important Links: Website Twitter The Lucilius Parables,...
Nov 10, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 132
Edward Slingerland is a University Scholar and Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia. He has authored a number of books, including ‘Trying Not to Try’ and ‘Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization’. He joins the show to discuss the paradox of effortless action, the history of Chinese philosophy, the benefits of alcohol, and a whole lot more. Important Links: Edward’s Twitter Edward’s Website Drunk Trying Not to Try Show Notes: The paradox of tryi...
Nov 03, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 131
Jeremiah Lowin is the founder & CEO of Prefect, a dataflow automation company. Jeremiah joins Jim for his second appearance on Infinite Loops to discuss executing, storytelling, artificial intelligence and, of course, puns. Important Links: Prefect.io Disney Research Hub The story of the fake statue of Venus Show Notes: Slack, puns and the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Planning, executing and the story of Prefect in 2022 Why naming things is a superpower If you can’t pivot, you’re dead Make o...
Oct 27, 2022•1 hr 31 min•Ep. 130
Herbert is a writer and editorial director who has been writing online since he was 15. He is the editor of 'The World According to Kanye' and has written for publications such as Forge, TIME and Quartz. Herbert joins the show to discuss his book 'Creative Doing: 75 Practical Exercises to Unblock Your Creative Potential in Your Work, Hobby, or Next Career', and to share some practical, actionable methods of harnessing the creative impulses that lie inside us all. Important Links: Herbert’s Twitt...
Oct 20, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 129
Emad Mostaque is the founder and CEO of Stability AI, the company behind Stable Diffusion. Emad joins Stability AI’s recently announced Executive Chair of the board of directors Jim O’Shaughnessy to discuss the future of AI, the benefits of open source software, and much more. Important Links: Stability AI Stable Diffusion Launch Announcement Stability AI’s Twitter Emad’s Twitter Jim’s announcement as Executive Chair Show Notes: The open vs closed AI debate How will open AI lead to better outcom...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 128
“To get me stop, they’re going to have to pry the microphone out of my cold dead hand”. Hot on the heels of his hugely popular appearance on ‘Invest Like The Best’, David Senra joins a marathon episode of Infinite Loops to discuss obsession, education, optimism, podcasting, and so much more. Unsurprisingly, this one is not to be missed. Important Links: Founders Podcast Founders on Colossus David’s Twitter David’s Substack Runnin’ Down a Dream - Bill Gurley Show Notes: David’s grandfather, refug...
Oct 13, 2022•1 hr 54 min•Ep. 127
Dr Michael Donnino is the founder/director of the Psychophysiologic Research Group, and the first person in the country to complete a residency/fellowship program leading to board certification in internal medicine, emergency medicine, and critical care. Liz Wallenstein is a licensed mental health counselor who has trained in, among other areas, the methodology of ‘TMS Mind Body-Connection’. Liz and Dr Michael join the show to discuss the profound influence of Dr John Sarno on their lives, and t...
Oct 06, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 126
The brilliant Kyla Scanlon returns for her second appearance on Infinite Loops. As well as being a prolific creator, curator and writer, Kyla is the founder of the financial education company Bread. Kyla joins the show to discuss the vibecession, her plans for Bread, the creator economy, and much more. Important Links: Kyla’s website Kyla’s Twitter Kyla’s TikTok Kyla’s Instagram Kyla’s Substack Kyla’s Youtube Show Notes: Losing control of the meme Everything is vibes Inflation is a tax Are vibes...
Sep 29, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 125
Is this the greatest crossover event in history? Fresh from their individual appearances on Infinite Loops, Trung Phan and Rob Henderson join forces to discuss TV, film, and why Rob still hasn’t seen Apocalypse Now. Important Links: Rob’s Substack Rob’s Twitter Trung’s Substack Trung’s Twitter Show Notes: Hearts of Darkness: one of the craziest stories in Hollywood history The beginning of TV’s golden age Breadth or depth? The two paths to prestige TV What TV can teach you about elite America Th...
Sep 22, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 124
Nick Gillespie is the host of the Reason Interview and an editor at large at Reason. Nick is one of the most interesting libertarian thinkers in America, and has been described by the New York Times as being to libertarianism “what Lou Reed is to rock ‘n’ roll, the quintessence of its outlaw spirit". Important Links: Nick’s Substack Nick’s Twitter Nick’s Podcast Reason Show Notes: Is libertarianism dead? Saying what you think The case for rational optimism Labels and empathy President Nixon, the...
Sep 15, 2022•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 123
Will Storr is an award winning journalist and author. His book ‘The Status Game’ transforms our understanding of human nature by demonstrating how our unconscious desire for status ultimately drives our behaviour. Important Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/wstorr?s=21&t=ZdtIqP9eE3_a5qZocDjEXQ Website: https://willstorr.com The Science of Storytelling: https://www.thescienceofstorytelling.com Show Notes: Will’s origin story The strange case of David Irving The fundamental nature of status game...
Sep 08, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 122
Vitaliy Katsenelson is the CEO of a value investment firm IMA, author of two books on investing, and a recently published non-investing book named “Soul In The Game”. Known for his uncommon common sense, Forbes magazine called him "The New Benjamin Graham." Vitaliy loves to read, listen to classical music, play chess, and write about life, investing, and music. Important Links: Blog: https://contrarianedge.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/vitaliyk Twitter: https://twitter.com/vitaliyk IMA: ...
Sep 01, 2022•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 121
Dennis McKenna is the founder of the McKenna Academy and has conducted research in ethnopharmacology for over 40 years. He is a founding board member of the Heffter Research Institute, and was a key investigator on the Hoasca Project, the first biomedical investigation of ayahuasca. Important Links: McKenna Academy: https://mckenna.academy/ ESPD 55 (Ethnopharmacologic Search for Psychoactive Drugs): https://espd55.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DennisMcKenna4 ICEERS (International Center for ...
Aug 25, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 120
David Perell is prolific writer and online educator, who runs a writing school called “Write of Passage”. David also hosts the “The North Star Podcast” featuring interviews with writers, athletes, and entrepreneurs. Important Links: Website: https://perell.com/ Writing School: https://writeofpassage.school/ Friday Finds Links: https://perell.com/friday-finds-links/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/david_perell Show Notes: Origins of “Write of Passage” Writing leads to thinking David’s ever expanding...
Aug 18, 2022•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 119
Shreyas Doshi is a startup advisor who has formerly worked in the product teams of tech firms like Stripe, Twitter, Google, Yahoo. He regularly writes about product, strategy, org psychology, leadership, and life! Important Links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/shreyas LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shreyasdoshi Show Notes: Shreyas’s childhood Operating with the owner mindset The LNO framework Getting good at leveraging time The antithesis principle Having a great manager Individual vs. gro...
Aug 11, 2022•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 118
