Reid Hoffman on How AI Might Answer Our Biggest Questions

TL;DR: It’s Christmas Eve, so we’re republishing one of our favorite episodes from our podcast AI & I. Dan Shipper goes in-depth with Reid Hoffman, the cofounder of LinkedIn, author, and venture capitalist. They dive into understanding the way AI functions through the lens of philosophy and using it as a tool to make better business decisions. Though the conversation is from 18 months ago, the insights resonate even when we’re almost in 2026. Watch on X or on YouTube, or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Here’s a link to the episode transcript.

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Reid Hoffman thinks a master’s in philosophy will help you run your business better than an MBA.

Reid is the cofounder of LinkedIn, a partner at venture capital firm Greylock Partners, the host of the Masters of Scale podcast, a prolific author, and an investor in Every. But before he did any of these things, Reid studied philosophy—and by helping him understand how to think, it made him a better entrepreneur.

A good student of philosophy rigorously engages with questions about truth, human nature, and the meaning of life, and, over time, learns how to think clearly about the big picture. This is a powerful tool for founders faced with existential questions about their product, consumers, and competitors, and enables them to respond with well-reasoned answers and enviable clarity of thought.