Endgame with Amanda Cassatt GDP is fake, electricity is real | George Hotz
Mar 4, 2026
George Hotz, computer engineer and entrepreneur famous for iPhone jailbreaking and autonomous driving work. He debates AI’s true productivity versus illusion. They probe algorithmic manipulation, power concentrated in chips and software moats. Conversation touches on a possible split between augmented humans and a ‘monkey class’ and why electricity and steel are more honest measures of progress.
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AI Scaling Often Has Exponential Cost Curves
- Improving AI quality often requires exponentially more resources for linear gains.
- George Hotz notes 10x more spend to get roughly linear returns, which favors entities with deep pockets unless gaps stay small.
New Models Maintain Hours Of Coherence
- George Hotz reports new models sustain coherent internal state for hours, not just a single prompt.
- He describes models with a 'memory' metric that can stay coherent about four hours, making them feel more alive.
Fix Extraction Through Cultural Norms
- Do pursue cultural change to resist algorithmic extraction.
- George Hotz argues regulation alone won't suffice and communities must stigmatize extractive work and advertising practices.
