I have not felt this sense of calm, of relief, and of hope in 10 years. The Amer
By Alanlewis · November 8, 2026 · Curated by George's Blog
I have not felt this sense of calm, of relief, and of hope in 10 years.
The American midterm elections weren't just about tech, but opposition to tech (especially AI data centers) was perhaps the most unifying, bipartisan issue.
And oh man, did Big Tech screw things up over the last few years. How did they get it so wrong?
I read The AGI Chronicles last weekend, and was surprised by how much I liked it (4.5 stars) since Roose is an unabashed AI booster. But he is also a very good, thorough reporter, and he shows how the most influential tech and AI leaders today think.
And what do they think? You get a taste for it in the intro where the author says he decided to write the book after he'd "stayed up too late the previous night at an AI-themed party in the Mission, where tech workers affiliated with a movement known as Effective Accelerationism lounged on beanbags in an art loft, snorting ketamine while debating the singularity."
This reminds me of conversations I'd have with my college roommate at 2 in the morning my freshman year (though he'd be smoking pot). But that's what you do at college - when you and others in your community (cult?) have positions of power and influence, you'd better have set such things aside.
But they haven't set them aside - and for the world's richest man it seems an foundational part of his personality: the wild speculation, the anti-social behavior, and for him (and far too many tech leaders), the outright cruelty and indecency.
Not all the tech leaders profiled are so toxic, but those who have some redeeming qualities as visionaries are also not suited to lead anything larger than an academic research lab. Why?
Because they seem allergic to what should be job number 1 for a business leader: finding a customer.
Customers, employees, investors, and, to bring it back to the election, the community at large are all means to their visionary ends. This week, they got a serious reality check.
Maybe the current leaders of the tech industry can change... but I'm not holding out hope.
We probably just need better leaders.