Tony Marx on the Future of Libraries, AI, and Trust
What can public libraries teach us about finding and sharing trustworthy information in the age of AI? How can—and should—AI build upon the technology that is books? This week, Reid and Aria head to the New York Public Library in Manhattan for a conversation with the storied institution’s president and CEO, Tony Marx. They explore the function of libraries in the age of AI, debate the future of work, and discuss what it looks like for civic institutions to embrace transformative technology without sacrificing core values.
For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/
Topics:
2:54 - Hellos and intros
3:23 - Tony’s studies and work in South Africa
5:25 - Taking a job as president of Amherst College
8:43 - Eliminating library fines and fees
9:23 - Visiting the Inwood Library
13:30 - Determining what gets digitized
16:20 - New media
17:42 - AI’s function for libraries
23:08 - Navigating hallucinations
27:57 - AI becoming our epistemology
29:36 - Technological advancements at the NYPL
33:54 - Future of work and human costs of AI
39:41 - Can AI close the educational gap?
42:43 - Trust, reliability, and AI
45:18 - Rapid-fire questions
Select mentions:
Possible | Kim Stanley Robinson on the future of civilization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6OlJbPDpyc
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. Each episode seeks to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.
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51:45
Reid riffs on AI adoption, sensitive data, and digital twins
On Part II of last week’s Live Riff, co-hosted with Village Global, Reid fields audience member questions about scale product-market fit, license modeling, data sensitivities, and the future of customer service, along with positive use cases for deepfake technology and the making of Reid AI, his digital twin. He also tells a story from his PayPal days, when Peter Thiel gave him five days to come up with a solution to a problem that was putting money and user trust on the line.
For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/
For Reid and Allie Miller’s agent experiment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeLSq9D65m4
For Reid AI giving Reid’s Perugia speech in multiple languages: https://www.reidhoffman.org/perugia-speech/
For the Masters of Scale episode about building trust featuring Daniel Ek: https://mastersofscale.com/daniel-ek-how-to-build-trust-fast/
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24:21
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24:21
Reid riffs on acquihires, agents, and new startup norms
What’s the deal with hyperscalers’ recent string of acquisitions betting big on AI talent? When will business schools start requiring classes on managing agents? And how is—and isn’t—AI changing the path to scale and the future of work? Aria asks Reid about all of this and more in a special two-part Riff, recorded for a live audience of AI leaders and founders in New York City in partnership with Village Global in June.
Special thanks to our friends at Village Global for co-hosting this Live Reid Riffs. Tune in next week for Part II of the conversation.
For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/
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40:16
Reid riffs on cryptocurrency, stablecoins and regulation
Crypto often feels like a microcosm of the broader government–tech relationship. On one extreme, you have true believers who see blockchain as the next frontier of economic empowerment and radical transparency. On the other, skeptics who point to ransomware attacks, illicit finance, and the flipside of anonymity—and call for an outright ban.
This week on Possible, Reid and Aria talk crypto –– both the positives and negatives –– and how we can iterate toward better outcomes. Reid discusses pro-innovation regulation, where crypto fits into waves of anti-technology sentiment, and the potential for cryptocurrency to benefit a range of communities.
For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/
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28:04
David Autor on AI’s impact on jobs, expertise, and labor markets
What if AI helped people develop and deepen their existing expertise, and better outfitted them for the jobs of the future? This week, Reid and Aria are joined by one of the world’s leading labor economists, David Autor, Ford Professor of Economics at MIT and co-director of its Work of the Future Task Force. He is also a Visiting Fellow in the Google Technology and Society Program. David’s landmark research on the China Shock has become foundational for policymakers grappling with globalization’s labor impacts. Reid, Aria, and David discuss the parallels between China Shock and AI Shock, the labor market, how AI can help us make better decisions, automation vs. collaboration, and AI’s potential to enhance human-centered jobs.
For more info on the podcast and transcripts of all the episodes, visit https://www.possible.fm/podcast/
Topics:
2:27 - Hellos and intros
4:30 - China Shock vs. AI Shock
10:56 - How AI could affect skill-based labor
15:37 - Google Gemini aside: more about the air traffic controller shortage
16:31 - How technologies can be amplifiers of expertise
22:09 - AI as a collaboration tool
24:52 - Why speed of labor market change makes a difference
29:25 - How AI can be good for the middle class
31:04 - Learning to use AI to your advantage
34:27 - More upward mobility at work
41:39 - Technology increasing quality of life
47:34 - Tools to put in place to ensure improvements for all
50:29 - Successfully transitioning to a new AI future
56:51 - Rapid-fire questions
Select mentions:
Geoffrey Hinton
WALL-E
Mad Max: Fury Road
NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series
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. Each episode seeks to enhance and advance our discussion about what humanity could possibly get right if we leverage technology—and our collective effort—effectively.
What if, in the future, everything breaks humanity's way? Possible is an award-winning, weekly podcast that sketches out the brightest version of the future—and what it will take to get there. Hosts Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger explore what’s possible with forward-thinking leaders, deep thinkers, and ambitious builders across many fields, such as technology, art, education and healthcare. These conversations center on the ways technology—and, in particular, AI—is shaping the future. In episodes, AI tools such as OpenAI’s GPT-4 and Inflection’s Pi are at work, offering informational asides, prompting guests, or demoing what they can do. Lastly, between guest episodes, Aria interviews her co-host Reid on his latest takes on what’s possible if we use technology—and our collective effort—effectively.
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