Joe Lonsdale: American Optimist
by Joe Lonsdale
American Optimist, hosted by Joe Lonsdale: entrepreneur, investor, and founder of four multi-billion dollar companies and other mission-driven organizations. American Optimist is an alternative to the fear, cynicism, and zero-sum thinking in mainstream media. Learn from the innovators and leaders who are solving our nation’s most pressing challenges, and doing it in a way that will lift everyone up. Hope should dominate our discourse, and American Optimist will show you why. blog.joelonsdale.com
Episodes
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Ep 168: Sky Harbour CEO Tal Keinan on Why America Stopped Building Airports, the AI Wealth Wave & Private Jet Boom
In the 1930s and 40s, the United States built thousands of airports; today that number is virtually zero. What happened? Why is it nearly impossible to build major new airports or even find hangar space in large cities? And how will the coming AI wealth creation exacerbate the supply and demand...
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Ep 167: The Company That Evaluates the AI Labs — Vals AI CEO Rayan Krishnan on Measuring Frontier Models & the Race to Recursive Self-Improvement
Rayan Krishnan is the co-founder and CEO of Vals AI, a leader in the independent evaluation of frontier AI models. What is the science behind model evaluation? What role should independent evaluators play as we debate AI oversight? How soon will models reach recursive self-improvement — and what...
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Ep 166: Eric Glyman on Ramp's Meteoric Growth, Selling Outcomes vs Products, and the Future of White-Collar Work
Eric Glyman is the co-founder and CEO of Ramp, the finance platform doing over two billion in annual revenue and growing over 100 percent year per year. How did a company built on the promise of helping customers spend less become one of the fastest-growing AI businesses? What’s Eric’s unique...
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Ep 165: OPM Director Scott Kupor on Shrinking Government, Bringing Merit Back, and Why America’s Best Minds Should Join the U.S. Tech Force
Scott Kupor is the Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and has achieved some of the most important reforms in DC in only a couple years. How has he reduced the size of the federal government for the first time in generations? How is he bringing merit back to the civil service? And...
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Ep 164: Inside Anthropic with Sholto Douglas & Nicholas Marwell — AGI, Optimism vs Risks, Regulatory Capture, Open Source & More!
Anthropic is one of the fastest-growing companies in history and sits at the forefront of the AI race. This week, we’re joined by two key leaders on Anthropic’s technical team — Sholto Douglas and Nicholas Marwell — for an inside look at the AI frontier. Are we on the cusp of AGI — and what does...
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Ep 163: John Jovanovic on Turning Around the U.S. Export-Import Bank, Trump’s $12B Critical Mineral Reserve, and "Revenge of the Physical World"
John Jovanovic is the President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States. After years of mismanagement, Ex-Im is now profitable and has become a key driver of American reindustrialization. How did he turn the bank around? What's behind a new $12 billion critical mineral reserve...
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Ep 162: Brian Chau Built an AI That Uncovers Fraud — It Just Found a $21 Billion Racial Wealth Transfer
Brian Chau is an investigative journalist using AI to uncover widespread corruption and billions in fraud. He recently revealed how the Effective Altruism movement bought and planted AI doomer articles, and he exposed the firm behind the frontier lab hack that's fueling AI hysteria. Now he's...
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Ep 161: Generalist CEO Pete Florence on the Robot Revolution & Bringing General Intelligence to the Physical World
Until recently, robots were constrained to narrow, specific tasks. Think assembly lines, medical devices, or household vacuum cleaners. But now all that is changing. One robot trained by Generalist's foundation model can do everything from folding clothes and washing dishes to sorting objects and...
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Ep 160: Box CEO Aaron Levie on Silicon Valley's AI Problem, Evidence for AI Job Creation & What Doomers and Accelerationists Get Wrong
Aaron Levie has spent two decades building Box into a cloud storage leader — and he's never been more excited for the future. What's next in the AI wave? Where is he already seeing evidence for new job creation? What do the doomers and accelerationists both get wrong? And why is Silicon Valley's...
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Ep 159: Aaron Cannon Is Building the Leading AI Customer Research Platform; It's About to Upend a $140B Industry
Aaron Cannon is applying AI to solve one of the oldest and most important challenges in business: understanding exactly what customers want and need. Traditional consumer surveys often provide low-quality data, while one-on-one interviews are cost-prohibitive and not scalable. But AI unlocks...
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Ep 158: Nima Ghamsari on Blend's Comeback & the Power of AI Agents and Infinite Workforce
Nima Ghamsari was a top talent at Palantir before founding Blend Labs to digitize the mortgage process. Blend became one of Silicon Valley’s hottest SaaS companies until the mortgage industry came to a screeching halt in recent years. Now, the AI wave has Blend poised for a comeback. What will…
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Ep 157: Scott Nolan on the AI Energy Crisis & America's Nuclear Renaissance
In 2010, the U.S. and China were at parity in electricity generation. Today, China boasts triple our capacity. We’re at the vanguard of the AI revolution but falling dangerously behind in energy production. Scott Nolan has identified a key bottleneck in nuclear energy and is at the forefront of…
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Ep 156: Coleman Hughes Takes on America's Most Contentious Debate: the Legacy of Slavery
Is America’s national wealth built on slavery? Are disparities between races today attributable to past injustices? Will we ever overcome race politics? These difficult questions are at the heart of Coleman Hughes’ new course at the University of Austin titled “The Legacy of Slavery.” Coleman is...
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Ep 155: Eric Scott on the Biggest Missed Opportunity in Venture Investing
As a former Principal at Founders Fund, Founding Partner at SciFi VC, and 8VC advisor, Eric Scott has invested in and helped build numerous technology leaders. He’s launching his new fund, Overlook Capital, where he sees missed opportunities in the market. How has venture investing evolved in...
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Ep 154: Jacob Helberg on Pax Silica & the New Global Order in the AI Age
Jacob Helberg is leading the State Department's efforts to secure critical supply chains and win the global AI race. How is the U.S. shifting from dependency on China to building new partnerships around energy, minerals, and infrastructure? Which economies will grow fastest in the AI era? Who…
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Ep 153: Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar on Heretics, AI Weapons, and Rebuilding the Arsenal of Democracy
Shyam Sankar is one of my favorite American innovators. As CTO of Palantir, he's been a key leader for over 20 years and built much of what the company stands for. He's also a patriot, and recently commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. His new best-selling book "Mobilize"...
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Ep 152: Ben Black Runs America's $200B Foreign Investment Fund; Here's His Plan to Counter China & Rebuild American Influence
Ben Black is the CEO of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Backed by a $205 billion budget, his mandate is to invest in U.S. strategic interests, build new markets, and deliver real returns for taxpayers. What projects is the DFC prioritizing? How is he countering…
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Ep 151: The Myth of Michael Milken with Richard Sandler
Michael Milken revolutionized American finance and democratized access to capital for thousands of companies that Wall Street had previously written off. Yet he was unjustly attacked in the 1980s in one of the most controversial prosecutions in U.S. history. As one of Michael’s key defense…
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Ep 150: How AI Is Transforming Diligence, Decision-Making & the Future of Investing with John Melas-Kyriazi
John Melas-Kyriazi is the co-founder and CEO of Standard Metrics, which powers portfolio management for more than 150 venture capital firms and 10,000 companies. He runs a high-growth SaaS company at the leading edge of the AI wave. How is AI transforming how investors source and diligence deals?...
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Ep 149: Will Fry on the Small Business Succession Crisis & New Opportunities in the AI Age
In the coming years, over two million small businesses will change hands or close their doors as Baby Boomers retire. Will Fry, Founder and CEO of American Operator, is on a mission to save Main Street and seize this opportunity for the next generation of local owners and operators. How does the...
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Ep 148: JoeBen Bevirt, Founder & CEO of Joby Aviation — Flying Cars Have Arrived
Last year, JoeBen Bevirt joined the show to discuss the vision behind Joby Aviation and bringing air taxis to life. Now, he's back to talk execution and getting to market this year! What states will be first to offer Joby rides — and when? How is Joby ramping up manufacturing to meet the moment?...
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Ep 147: Scott Wu & Russell Kaplan on the New Era of Software Abundance
Scott Wu and Russell Kaplan, co-founders of Cognition, are leading one of the fastest-growing, talent-dense AI companies. Their mission: make expert software engineering ubiquitous. What does a world of software abundance look like? How is Cognition delivering massive productivity gains inside…
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Ep 146: Jake Paul & Geoff Woo on Building Anti Fund, the Future of the Creator Economy & How to Change the Culture
Jake Paul is a social media influencer-turned-entrepreneur and boxer. He’s not only one of the most popular figures on the planet among Gen Z, but also an outspoken patriot, capitalist, and builder. Together, he and Geoff Woo founded Anti Fund and have backed OpenAI, Anduril, Ramp, among others....
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Ep 145: SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler on Exposing Billions in Fraud & What AI Means for Small Business
Small Business Administrator Kelly Loeffler is playing a pivotal role in our nation on two fronts: supporting the next generation of small business owners, while exposing and combating billions of dollars in fraud. How is AI impacting small businesses? Could this be a golden age for Main Street...
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Ep 144: Jared Isaacman's Bold Vision for Moon Bases, Nuclear Power in Space, and Returning NASA to Greatness
As a teenager, Jared Isaacman built a billion-dollar payments company. He then pursued aviation, acquiring the world's largest private air force and creating “Top Gun as a service,” before commanding the first all-civilian spaceflight. Now, he's taking on his greatest challenge: returning NASA to...
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Ep 143: JD Ross on the New Invention Era & Building with AI in 2026
JD Ross is one of my favorite entrepreneurs. I hired him out of college at Addepar where he quickly became Head of Product. He went on to co-found Opendoor with Keith Rabois and is now building WithCoverage — one of the fastest growing AI-first service companies. JD believes we're entering an...
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Ep 142: Understanding the AI Wave with 8VC's Alex Kolicich & Jack Moshkovich
Advances in AI are occurring at a pace we haven’t seen before in Silicon Valley. How do we know what’s real versus hype? What does it mean for large software incumbents? And how are the top investors and builders thinking about the new possibilities? This week, we talk with two of my partners at...
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Ep 141: AI Hackers Are Here; Cybersecurity Legend Kevin Mandia Is Building the Answer
When Kevin Mandia’s phone rings, it’s often a Fortune 500 CEO or government leader with a billion-dollar problem. How did he become the go-to expert in cybersecurity? What new threats from AI led him back into the arena? And what is he building to protect the good guys? Kevin began his career in...
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Ep 140: SEC Chairman Paul Atkins on Making IPOs Great Again, Crypto's Comeback & New Rules for Retail Investors
America’s capital markets are the envy of the world, but in recent years, misguided policies have driven innovation offshore and stifled the number of companies going public. SEC Chairman Paul Atkins is reversing course. What’s his plan to make IPOs great again? What will it take for America to...
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Ep 139: Make Government Beautiful & Functional Again with America's Chief Design Officer Joe Gebbia
First, he digitized the entire federal retirement process, cutting it from six months to a few days. Now, he’s overhauling the U.S. government’s online presence, one website at a time. And Joe Gebbia has been in Washington, D.C. less than a year! Learn why he stepped up to serve, and the impact…
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Ep 138: AI, Space-Based Interceptors & the Bleeding Edge of Warfare with Pentagon R&D Chief Emil Michael
Emil Michael directs the U.S. military’s research and development of advanced technologies. Previously, he led global business growth for Uber — one of the fastest moving organizations in Silicon Valley history. Can he bring that startup speed to the Department of War? What are the six critical...
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Ep 137: Gov. Chris Sununu on AI vs Harvard, DOGE 2.0, and a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution
Chris Sununu is an MIT-educated engineer who won four terms as governor of New Hampshire. Now, he's leading the charge for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. What are his key lessons in political leadership? Why is he telling Harvard students to be wary of AI? And are real…
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Ep 136: OPM Director Scott Kupor on Launching the U.S. Tech Force & Bringing Merit Back to Government
This week, OPM Director Scott Kupor launched the U.S. Tech Force to recruit an elite cohort of engineering talent into the federal government. What will it take to make public service cool again? What can he do to ensure the government hires, fires, and promotes based on performance? And what is…
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Ep 135: Philip Howard on Saving the American Spirit
For decades, Philip Howard has been sounding the alarm: our government is broken, and tinkering around the edges won’t work. We need a new operating system. How did it break? What do both parties get wrong? And what will it take to revive the American spirit? Philip is the Founder of the Common...
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Ep 134: Inside the White House and the AI Race with OSTP Director Michael Kratsios
Michael Kratsios is the man of the hour, charged by President Trump to usher in the golden age of AI and American innovation. How is the White House approaching this revolution in technology? What does AI mean for the American worker? How do we stay ahead of China — and also persuade other…
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Ep 133: Matt Ridley on the Fight to Save the UK & How Extraordinary Ideas Evolve
Do great men alter the course of history, or is everything more bottom-up than we realize? Or both? We credit Thomas Edison for the light bulb, but what about the 20 competitors that were right on his heels? What can the evolution of language, biology, and complex systems teach us about...
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Ep 132: Sen. Bill Hagerty on Saving Memphis & Designing Regulatory Frameworks for AI and Crypto
In 2023, Memphis earned the distinction of the nation’s most violent and dangerous city. Senator Bill Hagerty had seen enough. Together with President Trump, he helped orchestrate the most important public safety initiative you probably haven’t heard of — until now. Thousands of criminals…
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Ep 131: How AI + Incentives Can 10X Learning & Save American Education with Tech Legend Joe Liemandt
Joe Liemandt is a legend in the technology world. Starting in the 1990s, he built a multi-billion dollar software empire, before quietly stepping out of the public spotlight for 20 years. Now, he’s back to reveal his next breakthrough: new schools that can 10X learning in two hours a day with AI...
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Ep 130: "Free speech is not enough" — UATX President Carlos Carvalho on Charlie Kirk, Fighting Communists & the Duty of a University
Universities called for “free speech” after Charlie Kirk’s murder — UATX President Carlos Carvalho says they’re missing the point entirely. Is more speech really the answer? Should universities stay neutral and out of politics? Or do they have a higher duty, especially now?We discuss these...
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Ep 129: Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt Steps Up to Save Tulsa — and Prove What's Possible
America’s cities are dangerous and broken, and for too long, governors stood by as city officials failed their citizens. But Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt has stepped up to prove that we don’t have to tolerate incompetence or lawlessness. What bold actions did he take? Why were the results...
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Ep 128: Hollywood Star Zachary Levi on Speaking Out for Trump, AI vs the Arts, and His $100M Texas Studio Project
Zachary Levi is best known for starring in the popular TV series Chuck and hit movies like Shazam!, while millions of children, my daughters included, know him as Flynn Rider in Disney’s Tangled. But recently, he did something even more noteworthy in his industry: he endorsed Robert Kennedy Jr.…
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Ep 127: Max Meyer, Arena Magazine, and the Battle for Truth, Beauty & Progress
Max Meyer is the Editor and Publisher of Arena — an American technology magazine that is pro-America and pro-technology! How did legacy media become cynically motivated and ideologically captured? Will "AI slop" only make things worse? And, most importantly, what is the antidote? We discuss these...
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Ep 126: Will AI Spark A New Logistics Revolution? Harish Abbott Helped Pioneer Next-Day Shipping — And He’s Betting Yes.
Harish Abbott is a serial entrepreneur at the forefront of the logistics revolution. He sold his last company to Shopify in 2022 for over $2 billion, and now he's back in the arena again. What are the new possibilities with AI? How will it impact workers? And what's the business opportunity he…
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Ep 125: Sen. Eric Schmitt on Exposing Mass Censorship & Outsmarting the Far-Left
Sen. Eric Schmitt is a fighter for our country — and knows how to win. In November 2022, as Missouri Attorney General, he sued the Biden administration for colluding with Big Tech to impose mass censorship on the American people. His actions exposed the most chilling government intrusion of our...
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Ep 124: The Fearless Adversary of Venezuela's Dictators - A Special Interview with Maria Corina Machado
This week, we're honored to be joined by Venezuela's "Iron Lady" — Maria Corina Machado. She's been physically assaulted, forced into hiding, and separated from her children, but that hasn't stopped her from standing up to dictators and fighting for liberty. Right now, she believes the end of...
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Ep 123: The New Space Age with Palantir Alum & Apex Space CEO Ian Cinnamon
Reusable rockets, new economics, and surging investment are quickly making space one of the most promising areas for growth and innovation. Like other areas of defense, we're in a transition from billion-dollar, exquisite satellites to the proliferation of attritable platforms. What are the new...
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Ep 122: The AI Services Revolution with Shreyas Parab & Anton Lin of DayDream
This week we're talking dental billing! Why? Because large parts of the $5 trillion US services economy, like medical billing, are inefficient and dysfunctional, which holds back growth and increases costs for Americans. How is AI transforming these broken sectors? What's possible now that wasn't...
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Ep 121: Reid Hoffman on AI Optimism & How the Democratic Party Alienated Silicon Valley
Reid Hoffman is a longtime leader in Silicon Valley and vocal AI optimist; he's also a major Democratic Party donor. What happens when AI runs headfirst into labor unions and key Democratic interests? Why is Reid calling out his party for alienating Silicon Valley? And can a divided country unite...
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Ep 120: OMB Director Russ Vought on the Big Beautiful Bill, Making DOGE Permanent & the Looming Battle over Impoundment
We're joined this week by a key architect of President Trump's budget and regulatory agenda: Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought. How much does the Big Beautiful Bill actually rein in spending? Will DOGE cuts become permanent? What is the Impoundment Act of 1974 and why…
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Ep 119: Former Waymo Leader Boris Sofman on Autonomous Construction & Bringing AI into the Physical World
Construction is a $2 trillion U.S. industry ($13 trillion globally) that impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. Yet, building has become too expensive and too slow to meet rising demand and aging infrastructure. What if we can apply breakthroughs from self-driving to construction? And what if…
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About this show
American Optimist, hosted by Joe Lonsdale: entrepreneur, investor, and founder of four multi-billion dollar companies and other mission-driven organizations. American Optimist is an alternative to the fear, cynicism, and zero-sum thinking in mainstream media. Learn from the innovators and leaders who are solving our nation’s most pressing challenges, and doing it in a way that will lift everyone up. Hope should dominate our discourse, and American Optimist will show you why.
blog.joelonsdale.com
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Joe Lonsdale
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