WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.637 We have the OG American Dynamism founder on stage with us at the fourth annual 00:00:04.720 --> 00:00:08.797 summit. Um I think gosh, if we had had this >> this. 00:00:08.880 --> 00:00:12.157 Like [laughter] that. Yes. Um I think if we had had 00:00:12.240 --> 00:00:14.327 >> in the audience don't get that those are gang signs. 00:00:14.410 --> 00:00:18.197 >> [laughter] >> No, I I I think we all got the the reference. Um 00:00:18.280 --> 00:00:21.037 Maddy's in the audience. He [laughter] he doesn't get out much. He's like, 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:25.197 "Huh? What is that?" This is going to be a great conversation. So, I think uh if 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:29.237 we had this conversation 72 hours ago, it would have been very different. 00:00:29.320 --> 00:00:32.757 Um but of course, there's been a lot of news so I want to get straight to to the 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:35.677 news and what's happening [snorts] in the world um because Palantir is 00:00:35.760 --> 00:00:37.917 certainly um part of that story. So, 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:42.717 over the weekend uh the US and Israel bombed Iran in Operation Epic Fury. 00:00:42.800 --> 00:00:46.437 Ayatollah Khamenei is dead. The Middle East is now at war. 00:00:46.520 --> 00:00:48.917 What do you think the situation means for the future of the West, something 00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:52.197 you talk a lot about, and the future of America? Well, first of all, I'm 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:57.077 delighted to be on stage with you and um you know, for many of you in this 00:00:57.160 --> 00:00:59.957 audience, by the way, um I've been talking so much I'm kind of losing my 00:01:00.040 --> 00:01:03.397 voice, but I didn't I I would have probably canceled on anyone but you, but 00:01:03.480 --> 00:01:05.557 >> Well, that that means a lot. We're glad you're here. 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:08.917 Yeah, I love to cancel. By the way, for those of you cuz like it's my favorite 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:10.917 thing cuz I I actually am an introvert. 00:01:11.000 --> 00:01:15.037 Any excuse to cancel, as as Palantirians know, it's uh 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:18.717 yeah. Um but yeah, you've been such a force 00:01:18.800 --> 00:01:21.917 um in public and behind the scenes for 00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:25.117 you know, I think helping people in the 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:27.757 broadly speaking defense tech or let 00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:31.117 America wins or things that are good uh 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:35.117 broadly defined um and then we also align on something we could talk about 00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:40.157 later on like the importance of not putting our youth in straightjackets 00:01:40.240 --> 00:01:43.557 because they're divergent neurologically, Absolutely. 00:01:43.640 --> 00:01:45.797 >> uh a passion of of mine and should be a 00:01:45.880 --> 00:01:48.237 passion of everyone's since you could 00:01:48.320 --> 00:01:52.837 define our wonderful and great country as a country where everyone who is 00:01:52.920 --> 00:01:54.997 divergent in ideology, thought, 00:01:55.080 --> 00:01:59.037 religion, or quite frankly, like uh 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:02.757 neurologically, came to this country to have a better place where they could 00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:08.037 express their freedom and had the right to A, express what they thought, which 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:12.477 and there's a deep link between expressing what you think publicly and 00:02:12.560 --> 00:02:16.757 privately, first and fourth amendment, and being able to think it, and if that 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:18.357 doesn't work, being able to defend it 00:02:18.440 --> 00:02:21.717 with the second amendment. Uh and uh the 00:02:21.800 --> 00:02:24.957 and last not least, our our founders 00:02:25.040 --> 00:02:28.797 founders uh did not structure these rights the way 00:02:28.880 --> 00:02:30.717 they are in, say, where I lived for a 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:36.077 lot of my life in Germany, as rights granted to us by other bureaucrats. We 00:02:36.160 --> 00:02:39.957 They're given [snorts] to us. They're inalienable from a higher being. 00:02:40.040 --> 00:02:44.327 Uh and I would just say, before I get into uh how the world's changed, 00:02:44.410 --> 00:02:47.437 >> [snorts] >> we have American uh warfighters on the 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:50.997 battlefield uh sa- willing to sacrifice 00:02:51.080 --> 00:02:55.517 their lives, uh some of whom have sacrificed their lives, and they have 00:02:55.600 --> 00:02:59.037 families and kids the kids and families don't know if their loved ones are 00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:02.517 coming home, and uh you know, we uh I 00:03:02.600 --> 00:03:04.597 know in this room, but we should 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:08.117 publicly, privately, support them, and 00:03:08.200 --> 00:03:10.997 people who are not aware or somehow so 00:03:11.080 --> 00:03:13.237 effing spoiled that they don't realize 00:03:13.320 --> 00:03:15.357 what these people do for us, we should 00:03:15.440 --> 00:03:20.957 publicly humiliate them. Uh and everyone has a role in that. 00:03:21.040 --> 00:03:21.637 Uh 00:03:21.720 --> 00:03:24.477 um and especially those of us who are 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:28.437 riding a crest of of of 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:32.597 intergenerational cultural intellectual 00:03:32.680 --> 00:03:37.197 courage advantage, which it which it is to be an American nowadays, 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:41.117 uh should not obviously should not forget uh the warfighter, who are 00:03:41.200 --> 00:03:45.037 disproportionately uh from 00:03:45.120 --> 00:03:47.557 uh the middle of our our country, and 00:03:47.640 --> 00:03:50.317 disproportionately have gotten screwed, 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:54.197 uh and uh you know, I'm proud uh, very 00:03:54.280 --> 00:03:59.037 proud that at Palantir, uh, you know, we we get arrows and 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:02.957 people I mean, half the people attacking us, it'd be good if they spent 2 minutes 00:04:03.040 --> 00:04:07.277 on Wikipedia at least learning the talking points they're regurgitating. 00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:10.797 But, uh, but, [clears throat] um, you know, there's some legitimate 00:04:10.880 --> 00:04:12.157 criticisms 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:15.517 uh, of any company and but 00:04:15.600 --> 00:04:20.877 at the end of the day, the fact is the most important thing Palantir is doing 00:04:20.960 --> 00:04:24.837 and then I other people in this room are doing and people like you and other 00:04:24.920 --> 00:04:29.397 people adjacent or ancillary to building uh, 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:32.597 uh, more lethal and deadly weapons 00:04:32.680 --> 00:04:36.397 is to make sure that American 00:04:36.480 --> 00:04:39.957 warfighters uh, are much more likely to come home. 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:43.277 And quite frankly, the people who are trying to harm them 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:45.877 know that they won't be coming home. And 00:04:45.960 --> 00:04:47.357 that's the way you stop people from 00:04:47.440 --> 00:04:51.277 attacking us, in my opinion. And then on 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:53.797 the [clears throat] the kind of um, 00:04:53.880 --> 00:04:56.157 the leading up to what's going on, but I 00:04:56.240 --> 00:04:58.477 think that there are probably people in 00:04:58.560 --> 00:05:02.477 this room who are wildly supportive uh, 00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:04.597 and there are people who aren't. 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:07.117 It is hard to deny 00:05:07.200 --> 00:05:10.077 that America is exerting a deterrent 00:05:10.160 --> 00:05:13.957 capability that was eviscerated. 00:05:14.040 --> 00:05:17.077 You you can like or not like, that's 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:19.757 different than ignoring we now have a 00:05:19.840 --> 00:05:21.597 deterrent capability that no other 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:24.917 country appears to have. And that is for 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:30.277 for lots of reasons and obviously uh, the warfighter people organize the 00:05:30.360 --> 00:05:34.917 warfighter, the generals, the leadership, the president. 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:37.237 But, one advantage that often gets 00:05:37.320 --> 00:05:40.357 overlooked in a for reasons that make no 00:05:40.440 --> 00:05:43.637 sense is warfighting is technology. 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:45.997 You know, I I spent half my life in in 00:05:46.080 --> 00:05:49.357 Germany for familiar reasons and then I 00:05:49.440 --> 00:05:53.837 wrote my PhD there. It it the and then the rise of America 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:58.317 after World War II, the reason America was able to win World War II were 00:05:58.400 --> 00:06:02.557 technological advantages. And if you look what happened in, you 00:06:02.640 --> 00:06:06.397 know, Operation Midnight Hammer, what happened in Venezuela, what's so far 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:08.117 happening uh 00:06:08.200 --> 00:06:10.677 in in in Iran, 00:06:10.760 --> 00:06:13.517 you see one society 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:15.997 just totally dominating. That's our 00:06:16.080 --> 00:06:19.237 society. Now, you could get into I I 00:06:19.320 --> 00:06:23.157 would I I I'm in always in fights with my intellectual friends about They're 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:26.797 They're like, "But wouldn't it be better to have a rule 00:06:26.880 --> 00:06:28.557 a law-based system where everyone is 00:06:28.640 --> 00:06:31.197 equal?" Yeah, sure in theory. But in 00:06:31.280 --> 00:06:35.237 this world it's us or China or Russia. 00:06:35.320 --> 00:06:38.077 Yeah. And I don't know how you guys feel about 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:40.877 those decisions, but I think we're doing 00:06:40.960 --> 00:06:45.117 I literally believe we're doing the work of higher a higher purpose by making 00:06:45.200 --> 00:06:46.757 sure, and not just for America, but for 00:06:46.840 --> 00:06:49.317 the whole world, that we 00:06:49.400 --> 00:06:52.757 are the power that actually has the 00:06:52.840 --> 00:06:56.037 decisive vote. And there is only one way 00:06:56.120 --> 00:07:00.557 to do that, and that is with military superiority. And when I say military 00:07:00.640 --> 00:07:05.077 superiority, I don't mean that we're arguing on a PowerPoint. It means 00:07:05.160 --> 00:07:09.037 But America So, now you get to what has technology done. Now, again, I think 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:13.037 whenever people like me are talking about this, it you can't say enough that 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:14.797 it's the war fighter and their courage. 00:07:14.880 --> 00:07:17.437 And I'm not doing that. I'm sitting here. 00:07:17.520 --> 00:07:20.397 Um And, you know, and I'm not And we have 00:07:20.480 --> 00:07:25.317 Palantirians all over on like I'm talking to them constantly. So, they're 00:07:25.400 --> 00:07:30.277 doing They're putting themselves in harm's way. And, you know, um uh 00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:35.277 I'm I am kind of, but not directly. It's mostly all the people who yell at me, 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:40.197 and I guess maybe there are some people want to shoot at me, but um it 00:07:40.280 --> 00:07:41.637 the the 00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:44.917 If you look at the rise of like 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:47.277 in the in lifetime of Palantir, there's 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:52.277 been the rise of software, which essentially meant meant you're you know, 00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:54.237 software company that is supplying a 00:07:54.320 --> 00:07:57.117 steak dinner is obviously parasitic is 00:07:57.200 --> 00:08:01.837 not cutting it. That kind of those those companies are being eviscerated. 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:06.317 You have the rise of defense tech and now you have a hybrid software hardware 00:08:06.400 --> 00:08:09.917 AI where you really need all three. 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:13.997 Um interestingly from an investment perspective, um 00:08:14.080 --> 00:08:17.717 you know, I would say the last company standing before we all 00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:22.307 have to salute the overlord of the LM will be Palantir, but it's mainly 00:08:22.390 --> 00:08:24.757 [laughter] We're going to get into that. I promise. 00:08:24.840 --> 00:08:27.477 >> it's mainly because um 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:31.957 you you there it's a it's the specificity of and the security and the 00:08:32.040 --> 00:08:35.757 orchestration. But none of that has to make any sense 00:08:35.840 --> 00:08:39.077 to anyone in this room. I'll tell you what, it makes a lot of sense to our 00:08:39.160 --> 00:08:40.717 adversaries right now. 00:08:40.800 --> 00:08:43.597 How is America doing this? Now again, 00:08:43.680 --> 00:08:46.517 it's specialized ways. It's 25, 30 years 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:50.957 of experience in fighting. It's meritocracy. The Department of War is 00:08:51.040 --> 00:08:54.997 the most meritocratic environment. It integrated in Korea before our society 00:08:55.080 --> 00:08:59.597 did. Uh it's it it is the most popular institution 00:08:59.680 --> 00:09:03.837 and most revered institution and probably the only institution in America 00:09:03.920 --> 00:09:09.277 that is actually revered by the American people across every demographic. And 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:13.077 it's revered by the American people across every demographic precisely 00:09:13.160 --> 00:09:15.317 because it's been meritocratic. It if 00:09:15.400 --> 00:09:18.477 you were a black American, uh you got 00:09:18.560 --> 00:09:23.117 your break in America by going to the military. If you wanted to be treated 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:27.797 fairly, uh and you were from a group that you felt that every demographic has 00:09:27.880 --> 00:09:31.557 somebody who is in the military, whose life was 00:09:31.640 --> 00:09:35.237 changed and it did something noble and wonderful for America. They also have 00:09:35.320 --> 00:09:38.837 the experience of coming home in America not sticking up for them. 00:09:38.920 --> 00:09:41.917 We should change that. Now you get to Silicon Valley. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:44.437 Uh my one message for and again I I 00:09:44.520 --> 00:09:46.437 don't I'm without getting in specific 00:09:46.520 --> 00:09:49.317 people or cuz I'm like 00:09:49.400 --> 00:09:52.837 if Silicon Valley believes we are going 00:09:52.920 --> 00:09:57.357 to take away everyone's white-collar job 00:09:57.440 --> 00:10:00.277 meaning primarily Democratic 00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:04.477 shaped uh people that whom I grew up with, 00:10:04.560 --> 00:10:07.917 highly educated people who went to elite schools or went to schools that are 00:10:08.000 --> 00:10:10.717 almost elite, who vote for one party. 00:10:10.800 --> 00:10:13.117 And you're going to screw the military. 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:16.597 If you don't think that's going to lead to nationalization of our technology, 00:10:16.680 --> 00:10:18.197 you're 00:10:18.280 --> 00:10:20.197 And you might be particularly 00:10:20.280 --> 00:10:23.877 cuz you have a 160 IQ, but it's you This 00:10:23.960 --> 00:10:26.277 is where that path is going. Yeah. Like 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:29.197 you cannot have technologies that 00:10:29.280 --> 00:10:32.077 simultaneously take away everyone's job 00:10:32.160 --> 00:10:36.717 and then be perceived Again, there's a lot of subtlety here 00:10:36.800 --> 00:10:40.557 behind the curtain. I've been heavily involved in that subtlety. What can be 00:10:40.640 --> 00:10:42.477 where it can be deployed, what can be 00:10:42.560 --> 00:10:44.637 deployed. There's a difference between 00:10:44.720 --> 00:10:48.077 US military and surveillance. And 00:10:48.160 --> 00:10:52.117 despite what everyone thinks, Palantir is the anti-surveillance company. I know 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:55.157 your personal online thinks that's not true, but every technical expert does, 00:10:55.240 --> 00:10:57.637 so I end up in every conversation that I 00:10:57.720 --> 00:10:59.957 don't want to be in, but 00:11:00.040 --> 00:11:04.717 the the danger for our industry is that 00:11:04.800 --> 00:11:08.397 America, you get a you get a famous horseshoe effect 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:11.997 where there's only one thing people agree on and that's that this is not 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:13.917 paying the bills and people in our 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:16.597 industry should be nationalized. And 00:11:16.680 --> 00:11:19.717 and so the the the societal benefit that 00:11:19.800 --> 00:11:21.997 is going on in Iran besides the fact 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:27.037 that I think I suspect the Iranian people feel like finally someone's on my 00:11:27.120 --> 00:11:30.837 side and it wasn't the Berkeley faculty that was supposed to like me. 00:11:30.920 --> 00:11:34.117 Uh it's uh um 00:11:34.200 --> 00:11:37.837 a big lesson for you. Yeah, it's so 00:11:37.920 --> 00:11:40.997 and but then as America we and the 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:42.357 people who are prominent in the tech 00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:44.877 industry, you know, we have to find a 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:48.437 way to make sure that we're not just 00:11:48.520 --> 00:11:52.957 popular in Palo Alto. Yeah. I want to get back to something you just 00:11:53.040 --> 00:11:57.317 said which is that you know, it's it's either us winning or China 00:11:57.400 --> 00:12:00.397 winning or Russia winning or another country that it's a zero sum game and it 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:03.997 feels like the people in this room in Washington really understand that AI is 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:07.717 zero sum but that Silicon Valley doesn't. Silicon Valley doesn't like to 00:12:07.800 --> 00:12:10.717 think in terms of zero sum. They like to think that everything is a positive sum 00:12:10.800 --> 00:12:14.477 game. So how would you explain to the people in Silicon Valley who are again 00:12:14.560 --> 00:12:18.317 building the LLMs, you know, building what what they would say is a brand new 00:12:18.400 --> 00:12:20.997 net new technology that hasn't existed before and therefore it needs to be 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:23.397 treated differently. What would you say to them about this game? 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:26.957 >> Well, I mean there's first of all it's it's by the way I just want to push back 00:12:27.040 --> 00:12:28.637 slightly. They do think it's zero sum. 00:12:28.720 --> 00:12:31.037 They think it's zero sum versus each other. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:32.877 So like they absolutely are fighting. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:36.477 There will be like it being it's my own rhetoric but I happen to think it's 00:12:36.560 --> 00:12:40.637 true. It's going to be chips, ontology and I suspect in the end one one and a 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:44.077 half provider. So they pretend they don't think it's zero sum but then ask 00:12:44.160 --> 00:12:47.317 them how they feel about their competitor. So it's very very I mean 00:12:47.400 --> 00:12:51.717 these people are fighting very very hard for the dominant position. So like what 00:12:51.800 --> 00:12:53.717 they don't understand is in the world 00:12:53.800 --> 00:12:56.797 it's zero sum but I I I actually think 00:12:56.880 --> 00:12:59.437 the primary issue in the valley is it's 00:12:59.520 --> 00:13:02.637 going to be zero sum vis-a-vis you when 00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:07.197 America decides it okay, I have a I I interact with a lot of political 00:13:07.280 --> 00:13:11.277 figures. I have a lot of respect. I think in some are 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:14.517 when politicians figure out this is the one winning issue. It is going to be 00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:17.917 zero sum. It's going to be your money 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:21.837 and your company being zero sum nationalized. So that's the part they 00:13:21.920 --> 00:13:23.237 don't understand. 00:13:23.320 --> 00:13:25.797 Helping people understand that you know, 00:13:25.880 --> 00:13:30.717 either we set the rules or de facto like I'm I'm much more 00:13:30.800 --> 00:13:35.437 I'm much more on America should be strong so that we don't have to worry about the 00:13:35.520 --> 00:13:37.437 enemies than our enemies are evil kind 00:13:37.520 --> 00:13:39.757 of thing. So, I'm not super neocon. It 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:42.877 seems to be very hard in this culture as 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:47.037 someone who's lived abroad a lot of my life. It's very hard in this culture to 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:48.797 explain to people that we're in a 00:13:48.880 --> 00:13:51.677 competitive environment because things 00:13:51.760 --> 00:13:54.477 here are so good they don't understand 00:13:54.560 --> 00:13:57.437 how different it will be and how much we 00:13:57.520 --> 00:14:01.677 will change and how much the pressure will be on America, not just legally, 00:14:01.760 --> 00:14:04.157 but militarily and culturally if we fall 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:07.157 behind. And I I I one of the things that 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:09.997 again, it's So, I I personally think the 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:14.117 better way to get people to change is to 00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:18.837 Okay, it it go bring people like that to Iowa. Bring 00:14:18.920 --> 00:14:23.077 them to DC. And explain to our American political 00:14:23.160 --> 00:14:27.317 leadership why you make a hundred million dollars and why a soldier from 00:14:27.400 --> 00:14:31.957 Iowa can't explain to his wife he has the best technology. And then go across 00:14:32.040 --> 00:14:35.317 the hall, so let's classically Republican shape, then go across the 00:14:35.400 --> 00:14:39.557 hall and talk to progressive Democrats about how every one of their 00:14:39.640 --> 00:14:42.437 constituencies is not going to have a job. 00:14:42.520 --> 00:14:45.317 And then leave and imagine what's going to happen to you. 00:14:45.400 --> 00:14:49.077 You know, the funny thing about those of us who spent most of our life abroad, 00:14:49.160 --> 00:14:52.197 like in Germany, which is a phenomenal culture, 00:14:52.280 --> 00:14:53.917 we have a much better sense of how 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:57.357 fragile this ex experiment is America. 00:14:57.440 --> 00:15:00.277 It could go wrong and it will go wrong 00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:04.597 if if all wealth is going to a small number of people and those people do not 00:15:04.680 --> 00:15:08.317 appear to be on side. Now, that perception might is obviously a 00:15:08.400 --> 00:15:12.357 caricature. It is a caricature in the sense this is new technology and you're 00:15:12.440 --> 00:15:17.037 not going to be able to use the same kind of framework and you're going to need 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:20.757 people who appreciate how it's different. And there are real questions 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:25.117 about Fourth Amendment protections, like our right to privacy. What is privacy in 00:15:25.200 --> 00:15:28.357 a world where you can impute what someone's doing at home through 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:32.197 technology? How How do you protect our right to have our own thoughts, our own 00:15:32.280 --> 00:15:34.837 ideas, our own practices at home, our 00:15:34.920 --> 00:15:39.357 own health records? That those are real issues when the 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:43.637 technology can also help you to be healthier, live longer, 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:46.557 uh have a higher economic status potentially, certainly if you're a 00:15:46.640 --> 00:15:48.997 vocational worker. But so those issues 00:15:49.080 --> 00:15:50.997 have to be unpacked. And where Silicon 00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:54.717 Valley is right is you're going to need 00:15:54.800 --> 00:15:58.397 a forum to talk about that that doesn't pretend 00:15:58.480 --> 00:16:01.877 you know, it large language models is the same thing as 00:16:01.960 --> 00:16:05.157 machine learning is the same thing as software is the same thing as a bullet. 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:08.837 They're They're not. Yeah. Um uh but um 00:16:08.920 --> 00:16:12.997 but but but but de facto, I I very much 00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:15.037 believe uh 00:16:15.120 --> 00:16:19.357 as a critique of the uh like uh economic 00:16:19.440 --> 00:16:23.637 elite, especially in in the technical area, there's there's like a to use an 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:27.997 economic a kind of overlay economic uh a philosophical 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:31.597 term, they reify, meaning they turn it into a thing. 00:16:31.680 --> 00:16:34.357 our rights. But those rights, you know, 00:16:34.440 --> 00:16:38.917 when I was in Germany, I I was there and there were I spent a lot of time 00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:42.357 I did a PhD. Uh but I you know, there were a lot of 00:16:42.440 --> 00:16:46.237 older Germans and I I would spend time with them in the countryside. In the 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.157 city, of course, they they didn't know anybody who was a Nazi. In the 00:16:49.240 --> 00:16:52.757 countryside, they're like, "We were all Nazis." So I would ask them. But one of 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:57.117 the more fascinating conversations is why they became Democrats or not like 00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:59.397 left-right, but capital D. And it was 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:04.437 always because it worked. And then the unwinding of it that we don't ask if it 00:17:04.520 --> 00:17:08.237 unwinds, you know, our it will we will not be 00:17:08.320 --> 00:17:13.077 protected. And it it's just the dialogue we have 00:17:13.160 --> 00:17:16.957 currently is not acknowledging what's going to happen politically, what is 00:17:17.040 --> 00:17:21.677 happening politically. The wealth tax is a derivative of this because everyone 00:17:21.760 --> 00:17:24.717 knows the wealth tax isn't going to help the poor, it's just going to the 00:17:24.800 --> 00:17:27.637 rich. And that's enough to get it done. 00:17:27.720 --> 00:17:31.797 And if if that's happening, just imagine what's going to happen when it's like 00:17:31.880 --> 00:17:35.787 there's going to be 50 unlikable people with all the money. 00:17:35.870 --> 00:17:39.317 >> [laughter] >> Anybody here like that? And you guys are doing well. 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:41.957 Yeah. No, I I I want to get back to to 00:17:42.040 --> 00:17:46.437 kind of the conversation about how um how we ensure that the Department of War 00:17:46.520 --> 00:17:50.157 continues to lead on AI because I think this has been top of mind for everyone 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:54.517 in the room for the last 48 hours. Um our adversaries are looking at, you 00:17:54.600 --> 00:17:57.797 know, contracting wars um that are playing out in press releases. You know, 00:17:57.880 --> 00:18:00.917 what is your view on how we can ensure that we win this AI race against the 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:03.957 PRC? If you If you're giving advice to 00:18:04.040 --> 00:18:08.037 all the founders and CEOs of of, you know, the the the companies 00:18:08.120 --> 00:18:10.637 >> part of what I'm doing and part of what part of the reason I'm here besides your 00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:14.357 charm and importance what part of the reason I'm here is uh 00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:18.197 I want My reputation in the val Every You 00:18:18.280 --> 00:18:20.437 always have reputations. My reputation 00:18:20.520 --> 00:18:22.077 which I'm not even saying the reputation 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:25.237 is true. But in my case, like I'm viewed 00:18:25.320 --> 00:18:29.917 as the batshit crazy guy who is often telling you something you don't want to 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:34.357 hear and you may not like but is probably right. 00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:37.797 And That's true. [laughter] So Yeah. 00:18:37.880 --> 00:18:40.397 And that's why I want you to send this 00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:45.357 first step. We have to They're not understanding the stakes. And what I 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:48.677 Nothing's going to happen till people understand the stakes. This will affect 00:18:48.760 --> 00:18:52.037 you. Now, then the question is like what 00:18:52.120 --> 00:18:55.077 Hollywood did is Hollywood got together. 00:18:55.160 --> 00:18:59.757 The whole rating system was Hollywood realized if we don't do rating ratings, 00:18:59.840 --> 00:19:04.237 Washington's going to. And Washington is going to butcher it. 00:19:04.320 --> 00:19:06.237 And it goes even say Washington doesn't 00:19:06.320 --> 00:19:08.517 want to butcher it. But like it it 00:19:08.600 --> 00:19:11.357 doesn't understand the metier. So 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:15.597 the first step is everybody and I'm already on the phone with people saying, 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:20.157 "Okay, great. I understand your issue, but you realize the wolves are at the 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:23.237 gate and they already have tasted blood." 00:19:23.320 --> 00:19:27.157 Yeah. Uh second step is we have to find ways 00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:31.357 where we get together and say, "Okay, like if you 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:32.637 just want to go through the issues." 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:37.117 Yes, there are, you know, using technologies in the context of 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:41.317 eviscerating a Fourth Amendment rights in America is 00:19:41.400 --> 00:19:45.157 a is something left and right in this country actually don't want. It's a 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:48.717 caricature to believe that either side wants it. There are people on the 00:19:48.800 --> 00:19:51.957 Honestly, I'm in private rooms. There are people on the left who don't care 00:19:52.040 --> 00:19:55.317 about these issues, who pretend to do it in public do in public, but there are 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:59.597 people and there people on the right who pretend not to care, who do care. Both 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:02.157 parties have significant coalitions and 00:20:02.240 --> 00:20:06.997 the American people cares care and it's in our Constitution, but then you have 00:20:07.080 --> 00:20:10.997 to get be very granular about what's going to happen on the battlefield 00:20:11.080 --> 00:20:15.117 because there the the two issues Americans care about are their 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:17.437 prosperity and their safety. 00:20:17.520 --> 00:20:22.197 So, if the if if the two things that Silicon Valley has 00:20:22.280 --> 00:20:26.117 to figure out it is what are we going to How are we going to 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:28.517 ethically talk about what's going to 00:20:28.600 --> 00:20:31.117 happen to our economy? 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:36.477 I In my view, you have you could create a lot of prosperity with trade-shaped 00:20:36.560 --> 00:20:40.117 people. Uh okay, but what is going to happen to the 00:20:40.200 --> 00:20:45.037 white-collar workers and what are we going to do? That's one issue and then 00:20:45.120 --> 00:20:49.557 we we're not going to agree, but we have to have something like a we're going to 00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:53.477 do these initiatives just like Hollywood did. And then you're going to have to 00:20:53.560 --> 00:20:56.037 have a discussion on the battlefield 00:20:56.120 --> 00:20:58.477 where, you know, the rebuttable 00:20:58.560 --> 00:21:03.277 presumption, meaning it doesn't happen, is that the we are going to do the 00:21:03.360 --> 00:21:07.837 maximal amount to make sure our warfighters come home safely. And if you 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:12.197 are sitting in Silicon Valley making an argument that somehow would eviscerate 00:21:12.280 --> 00:21:16.237 that or conversely you're not able to understand what 00:21:16.320 --> 00:21:19.477 Silicon Valley saying. Meaning there's going to have to be a medium. Without 00:21:19.560 --> 00:21:22.437 going into details on all these breakdowns cuz 00:21:22.520 --> 00:21:25.677 I was in the middle of it and I want to stay in the middle of it. There there 00:21:25.760 --> 00:21:28.597 are substantive issues and there are cultural issues. 00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:31.957 If we could get rid of the cultural misunderstanding, we could get pretty 00:21:32.040 --> 00:21:36.157 close to agreements here. Yeah. But you you're dealing with worlds that never 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:39.437 ever ever talk. Yes. >> And don't have an ability to talk to 00:21:39.520 --> 00:21:42.797 each other. Yeah. Well, and you've been building a bridge between these cultures 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:45.677 for 20 years. I mean, that's what's so interesting. I mean, that's in some ways 00:21:45.760 --> 00:21:48.397 why we have this conference is to bring together people who speak two different 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:52.637 languages, very different value sets and try to get them aligned. I I'd love your 00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:55.477 advice for these founders who maybe are new. You know, it's sort of like that 00:21:55.560 --> 00:21:58.837 meme, the first time meme with Coen brothers film, you know, where it's like 00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:01.397 a lot of these people are having their first conversations with the Department 00:22:01.480 --> 00:22:04.477 of War. Or they don't or they maybe they don't have any family in the military. 00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:08.237 Maybe they never met a warfighter. What is your advice to some of these CEOs who 00:22:08.320 --> 00:22:12.877 are maybe new to these conversations that you've been having for for 20 years now? 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:14.717 Well, the best thing you could do is go 00:22:14.800 --> 00:22:17.997 to Iowa or go to a base and have a like 00:22:18.080 --> 00:22:20.317 I don't think look, put it this way. 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:24.400 Um maybe the first time 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:27.237 was probably not PG, but you know, I'm 00:22:27.320 --> 00:22:29.517 happily not married, not divorced. So, 00:22:29.600 --> 00:22:34.437 don't follow how I live, but you don't have to maybe if you're going to meet 00:22:34.520 --> 00:22:37.877 somebody you really want to impress it may not maybe you have an advantage if 00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:41.077 it's your third girlfriend or boyfriend, not your first. 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:44.837 Like go have a conversation with somebody like if you're going to meet a 00:22:44.920 --> 00:22:47.797 general or somebody like that and you've 00:22:47.880 --> 00:22:52.317 never talked to somebody who's actually done something on the battlefield 00:22:52.400 --> 00:22:56.637 or someone who has family who's done something on the battlefield and you 00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:00.917 don't have any because of that you don't have an ability to emphasize with their 00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:05.957 perspective. That's probably a huge mistake. Yeah. 00:23:06.040 --> 00:23:07.637 And I it's probably going to backfire. 00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:10.517 Last Secondly though, you have to be 00:23:10.600 --> 00:23:12.957 honest about where your aptitude is. 00:23:13.040 --> 00:23:15.477 Like, you know, um 00:23:15.560 --> 00:23:17.717 Silicon Valley tech builders broadly 00:23:17.800 --> 00:23:21.037 defined hardware, software, AI. 00:23:21.120 --> 00:23:23.117 I would say we build in the military 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:25.997 context uh essentially uh 00:23:26.080 --> 00:23:30.197 software scaffolding much more like in a weird way more more like hardware 00:23:30.280 --> 00:23:34.637 software but it's in software uh managing LLMs. 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:37.877 Um uh It is 00:23:37.960 --> 00:23:42.357 the single biggest mistake people make in this area is because they're 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:46.637 intelligent in one area they assume they're intelligent in all 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:49.117 areas. And a big failure mechanism in 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:51.597 the Valley is every Valley person is 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:56.397 forced to present as if they're the smartest in all areas at all time. 00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:59.997 And that's like if you don't know who the mark is, you're the mark. Yeah. Like 00:24:00.080 --> 00:24:03.077 if you think you're the smartest person So I I'm dyslexic and I think one of the 00:24:03.160 --> 00:24:07.357 reasons I've done so well is I do think I'm one of the better people 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:09.397 at certain things at least I believe it 00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:12.037 and I know I'm not at everything. It's a 00:24:12.120 --> 00:24:15.237 very small It's like but a failure mode 00:24:15.320 --> 00:24:17.437 for the Valley is I'm the smartest on 00:24:17.520 --> 00:24:22.277 every issue. I For example, I need to be the person negotiating this contract. 00:24:22.360 --> 00:24:24.277 What if you have no aptitude for that? 00:24:24.360 --> 00:24:29.517 Just cuz you can do X does not mean you've imputed high aptitude at Y. In 00:24:29.600 --> 00:24:31.237 fact, it's very unlikely it's true. 00:24:31.320 --> 00:24:35.477 Yeah. It's It's almost certain that you're just not smart enough to realize 00:24:35.560 --> 00:24:38.557 how bad you are. That's probably one of the most important lessons for for 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:43.277 company builders in the room. I actually I I want to um end the conversation on 00:24:43.360 --> 00:24:46.957 Palantir is the OG American dynamism company. Um I think a lot of our 00:24:47.040 --> 00:24:48.437 founders in this room are indebted. 00:24:48.520 --> 00:24:51.757 They've worked for you. They've um you know, built their playbooks inside of 00:24:51.840 --> 00:24:55.517 Palantir. They built new companies that, you know, are are epic in their own 00:24:55.600 --> 00:24:59.557 right but they started at Palantir in many cases. And so I want to dive into 00:24:59.640 --> 00:25:01.877 you brought up the neuro-divergent fellowship. It's one of my favorite 00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:04.237 things you've ever done. You've done a lot of great things, but I think it's 00:25:04.320 --> 00:25:08.917 it's one of the most extraordinary stands that you've taken in the company. 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:12.477 But you've always looked for people who are different and somehow cultivated 00:25:12.560 --> 00:25:15.997 them and brought together people who are Democrats, Republicans, on the right, on 00:25:16.080 --> 00:25:20.877 the left, people who are of all walks of life. How do you lead such a diverse 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:22.517 group of people, especially at scale 00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:25.517 like at the scale you are? 00:25:25.600 --> 00:25:27.957 Well, I mean 00:25:28.040 --> 00:25:33.317 it's always hard to know when you're like I I I view myself as an artist. So 00:25:33.400 --> 00:25:37.077 you really it's like well, how do you create the art? And it's funny because I 00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:41.077 I mean I look I I like the freedom money gives me and I 00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:46.077 I certainly don't want to like do some philanthropy to prove that I'm good 00:25:46.160 --> 00:25:49.117 when because I did something bad cuz I think what we do is 00:25:49.200 --> 00:25:52.677 very important. Um but it's like at the 00:25:52.760 --> 00:25:55.517 end of the day it's like an artistic 00:25:55.600 --> 00:25:59.797 thing, but you know, I had it's always helpful. I had 00:25:59.880 --> 00:26:04.197 my parents are among the most talented people I've ever met and 00:26:04.280 --> 00:26:07.437 I feel they don't agree with me that you know, 00:26:07.520 --> 00:26:11.677 like they should have they could like it's kind of weird. I'm so famous. 00:26:11.760 --> 00:26:15.237 Put it that way from and uh um 00:26:15.320 --> 00:26:20.517 I uh um uh 00:26:20.600 --> 00:26:23.717 I I and I then there's the American thing 00:26:23.800 --> 00:26:27.117 where we are I really believe in the 00:26:27.200 --> 00:26:30.677 magical liberating inalienable right for 00:26:30.760 --> 00:26:34.877 all of us to be individuals and that's what I see as 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.677 particularly moral and special in the 00:26:36.760 --> 00:26:39.197 world. I don't like these things that 00:26:39.280 --> 00:26:42.157 like I I've been famously anti-woke, but 00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:47.197 in the thing I find offensive about it is actually that it's people pretending 00:26:47.280 --> 00:26:49.557 to be different while all being the same. 00:26:49.640 --> 00:26:51.597 And so I don't like 00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:54.917 uh I tend to gravitate towards 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:56.597 people who are unique and yeah I don't 00:26:56.680 --> 00:26:58.837 really care their politics. I care about 00:26:58.920 --> 00:27:02.837 like their ability to think and do. Um 00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:07.077 there is an aptitude thing where can you recognize 00:27:07.160 --> 00:27:09.717 somebody who is truly unique in 00:27:09.800 --> 00:27:14.917 something you've not done yourself as a just something you're born with. 00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:17.277 Um I 00:27:17.360 --> 00:27:22.277 I do think it's a form of neuro divergence like outlier IQ is a in the 00:27:22.360 --> 00:27:26.357 certain way it's not that different than being autistic. Like you just can't 00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:30.477 you're not going to you're not going to decomp a problem the way somebody who is 00:27:30.560 --> 00:27:32.957 all just normal smart will. Um and I 00:27:33.040 --> 00:27:35.597 find that very very charismatic. The 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:39.517 trick to doing it is you have to 00:27:39.600 --> 00:27:44.197 it's it's very hard thing where somebody who is the best I I believe the 00:27:44.280 --> 00:27:46.197 Palantirians 00:27:46.280 --> 00:27:51.477 while manage at Palantir and sometimes in many and most cases presumably after 00:27:51.560 --> 00:27:56.997 a Palantir I am helping them to express something that only they can do 00:27:57.080 --> 00:27:59.957 at that moment. And if you look at our products and what we've done it is 00:28:00.040 --> 00:28:04.117 actually true. Even what we're doing in in like right now it all across the 00:28:04.200 --> 00:28:08.517 Middle East and obviously in America each single product at each single part 00:28:08.600 --> 00:28:11.997 was built by the one person in the world that could have done it. 00:28:12.080 --> 00:28:14.237 But that and then I have to somehow get 00:28:14.320 --> 00:28:19.037 them to do things that they don't actually think are valuable but on their 00:28:19.120 --> 00:28:23.317 terms. And that's basically my job because at that level of aptitude you 00:28:23.400 --> 00:28:26.917 can't just say do this idiot cuz they're like why would I do that? You're the 00:28:27.000 --> 00:28:29.837 idiot. Uh and so um 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:34.157 and and then what I think is very special about the Palantirians 00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:37.517 ex-Palantirians and current Palantirians is 00:28:37.600 --> 00:28:39.877 when you're at Palantir you're not 00:28:39.960 --> 00:28:42.597 learning to to actually follow my 00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:44.957 playbook. You're learning to follow your 00:28:45.040 --> 00:28:49.637 playbook where I'm inserting some things that may not have occurred to you. Maybe 00:28:49.720 --> 00:28:51.477 you don't know I'm doing that. 00:28:51.560 --> 00:28:54.997 To make sure that your playbook gets rid of your dyslexia, basically. I'm 00:28:55.080 --> 00:28:59.757 anti-dyslexifying your playbook. It But around you. And if 00:28:59.840 --> 00:29:03.357 you take like the I don't know, there's so many really important 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:06.317 ex-Palantirians, what you'll see is 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:10.797 they're a kind of caustic people, and they're not going to build the same 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:14.077 company Palantir was. They're also not going to build the same company of the 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:18.477 ex-personnel of Palantir. And that's why they play such a disproportionate role. 00:29:18.560 --> 00:29:21.757 And at the end of the day, that's why Palantir is like 00:29:21.840 --> 00:29:23.677 playing such a big role, because like 00:29:23.760 --> 00:29:28.117 Foundry, PG, Apollo, Ontology, 00:29:28.200 --> 00:29:33.077 the management of Ontology, the Maven, which is like, you know, we've just like 00:29:33.160 --> 00:29:36.237 been able to target in a way no other country can. It's like, the other 00:29:36.320 --> 00:29:39.557 countries are like, "What the happened here? Like, we were thinking 00:29:39.640 --> 00:29:42.597 Afghanistan. Like, what is this?" 00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:45.157 Meaning [snorts] our retreat. Like 00:29:45.240 --> 00:29:50.117 meaning And like like America has reestablished deterrence. 00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:54.317 That actually just happened. It's happened in the last year. Like that 00:29:54.400 --> 00:29:58.317 right, left, center, I don't care what party you're in in 00:29:58.400 --> 00:30:01.237 private. Obviously, you can't say this in public. 00:30:01.320 --> 00:30:04.237 In private, that is a phenomenal asset 00:30:04.320 --> 00:30:08.397 that America now has that it did not have. And there are lots of reasons for 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:12.757 it. But a one, maybe not the most important, is a concatenation of the 00:30:12.840 --> 00:30:17.077 most unusual in some cases otherwise maybe functional 00:30:17.160 --> 00:30:20.837 talent built around building something that was 00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:25.397 an absolutely scandalous, unpopular dream rejected by many people called 00:30:25.480 --> 00:30:26.957 Maven. 00:30:27.040 --> 00:30:32.637 And that's how this country By the way, if we are going to outperform the rest 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:33.957 of the world, 00:30:34.040 --> 00:30:38.197 our single advantage is to augment 00:30:38.280 --> 00:30:40.477 neurodivergent 00:30:40.560 --> 00:30:44.437 highly individual people to be their 00:30:44.520 --> 00:30:48.357 absolutely unique best and protect their first, second, fourth, and fifth 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:51.517 amendment rights so that they don't get screwed. 00:30:51.600 --> 00:30:56.877 Absolutely. Well, again, the OG American Dynamism founder, thank you so much for 00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:57.797 all you've done for the country. 00:30:57.880 --> 00:31:00.277 >> Thank you. Vampire Dad Cool here. If you found 00:31:00.360 --> 00:31:03.157 value in this video, please smash the like button. Let me know your favorite 00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:05.117 part of the video by commenting below. 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:06.597 And most importantly, don't forget to 00:31:06.680 --> 00:31:12.840 subscribe and ding that bell. Until next time, keep it real.