LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman’s interview with an artificial intelligence version of himself started off with Jerry Seinfeld impressions and speaking in Klingon and only got more uncanny as it went on.
The investor — a loud supporter of AI — said he wanted to experiment with the technology and video while learning how he might be challenged by a deepfake known as Reid AI. Despite his pro-AI stance, he admitted he was on the fence about the interview.
“I initially thought I would hate this,” Hoffman said. “But, I’ve actually found it kind of interesting.”
The bot was built on OpenAI’s GPT-4 and trained on over 20 years’ worth of material provided by Hoffman’s public speaking engagements and the books he’s published. Reid AI and Hoffman asked each other questions throughout the interview posted Wednesday.
In their conversation, the two Reids discussed AI regulation, its capabilities, and ways Hoffman can improve his LinkedIn profile. When Hoffman was asked about the ethics of deepfakes, he said setting “rules of the road” is important for both public and private citizens.
Reid AI — ironically — also asked about the risks of technology stealing jobs away from real people. The real Hoffman compared it to the invention of the steam engine.
“We win by embracing it first, learning early, and doing it as a society even though it will create some pain in transition,” he said.
Surprisingly, Reid AI showed support for the government regulating technology like itself as advancements continue.
“There’s a need for a framework that not only fuels innovation but also ensures AI benefits are fairly distributed, all while focusing on enhancing public good,” Reid AI said.
As technology advances, the billionaire has been a champion of AI adoption for the “elevation of humanity.” Hoffman has told Time that “blitzscaling,” a strategy that puts the growth of a business above all else, should be applied to AI.
