David Sacks: Crypto, AI, Tech Power & Political Influence
David Sacks, a longtime associate of Peter Thiel and Elon Musk, is playing a key role in the tech project to reshape American politics.
In Episode 2 of The Nerd Reich podcast, I dive into a fascinating conversation with journalist Jacob Silverman and comedian/tech critic Kate Willett about David Sacks, Trump's “Crypto and AI Czar.”
We examine Sacks’ influential rise in Silicon Valley, tracing his PayPal mafia connections and growing reactionary political influence. The episode unpacks his early ideological foundations and reveals the concerning implications of tech elites' increasing control over politics — with San Francisco serving as their testing ground for national strategies.
Watch now to understand how Sacks – a longtime associate of Peter Thiel and Elon Musk – is now playing a key role in the tech project to reshape American politics.
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In 2022, Silverman wrote a New Republic piece titled “The Quiet Political Rise of David Sacks, Silicon Valley’s Prophet of Urban Doom.” The piece greatly inspired my own work on tech politics, and was far ahead of its time in predicting Sacks' rise to prominence. (Follow Jacob Silverman on BlueSky.)
Willett is co-host of Dystopia Now, a podcast that explores the philosophies and religions of Silicon Valley. (Follow Kate Willett on BlueSky.)
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