Verdon's startup Extropic, founded in 2022, is reportedly designing a microchip to run large language models and has raised $14.1 million from various venture capital firms. Verdon has used his Jezos persona to attract talent, investors, and partnerships for Extropic. He also believes that AI technology should not be developed in secret but should be open-sourced, and criticizes the AI safety industry as a pretense for securing more control. Despite some criticism from within the e/acc community, Verdon plans to continue using his Jezos persona to promote the e/acc philosophy.
Key takeaways:
- Guillaume Verdon, a former Google engineer and founder of AI startup Extropic, has been revealed as the person behind the influential Twitter account promoting the 'effective accelerationism' movement in Silicon Valley.
- Effective accelerationism, or e/acc, is a philosophy that advocates for rapid technological innovation and growth, often at the expense of other considerations. It has gained support from several high-profile figures in the tech industry.
- Verdon's startup, Extropic, is reportedly working on a microchip specifically designed to run large language models. The company has raised $14.1 million from various investors.
- Despite some criticism from within the e/acc community, Verdon defends his approach and believes that his philosophy can inspire more people to take risks and make a positive impact on the world.