You’re reading AI at the Top - Our new series on Sundays, where we share how leading companies and their executives use AI in business.
Reid Hoffman co-founded LinkedIn and Inflection AI, and has invested in dozens of AI companies (including an early investment in OpenAI). He is also a member of the PayPal Mafia, a podcast host, and an author. That’s some resume!
His dual role as an entrepreneur and AI pioneer gives him unique insights only a few executives possess.
In today’s AI at the Top, we break down Hoffman's AI philosophy, how he uses AI, and the specific tools he relies on every day.
What is Hoffman’s take on AI?
Hoffman reframes the entire AI conversation with a simple shift in language: “AI is not just artificial intelligence, it's amplification intelligence. It gives us superpowers.”
At the heart of this philosophy is what Hoffman calls Superagency: the idea that agency isn't just what you can control externally, but how you perceive and respond to change internally.
When Uber first launched, many felt a loss of agency because they weren't driving. But widespread adoption proved it was actually a gain of agency. You can get home safely after some drinks, avoid parking hassles, and have instant transportation access.
It stems from a perspective that we are too worried about how AI might replace our jobs. But if you shift the narrative and replace fear with curiosity, we will learn how AI transforms jobs and creates new opportunities.
Take the internet and Airbnb, for example. There’s no way you can create a product like Airbnb without the internet.
Now with AI capabilities, think what you can possibly create that was only an imagination once.
In the AI at the Top series, we interview executives and share how leaders use AI to improve business efficiency. If you are one such leader, reach out to us.
How does Reid Hoffman use AI? (and how he wants you to use)
Among many use cases like research, learning, and coding assistance, we found AI cloning most intriguing.
Reid created an AI avatar of himself (calls it his digital twin) to deliver keynotes to media professionals. His twin also handles the first 2-3 discovery meetings, so he can only come in when he’s needed. Talk about saving time!
From Silicon Valley Girl Podcast
While he keeps improving his efficiency with AI, this is his advice for you:
Don’t sleep on AI. Pick tools every day and just play around. Early adaptation is key; it helps you adjust to any new tools that emerge in the market tomorrow.
Don’t just use AI for trivial tasks like “Give me a recipe” or “Write an email.” But for a more meaningful impact on your skills. He calls it Iterative Development, meaning you constantly engage with AI to improve your expertise.
AI is great at adapting to the role you assign it. Use AI to serve as your critique, identifying gaps in ideas and improving your cognitive development.
Think of AI as a co-pilot, business partner, or assistant. As long as you’re leading the narrative, you can make projects fast and efficient. Fun Fact: Reid co-authored his book, Impromptu, with GPT-4.
How Reid urges you to improve your cognitive abilities with AI
Hoffman's Favourite AI Tools
Inflection's Pi: This is Reid’s creation, trained on EQ as much as IQ, and focuses on being your companion with empathy, playfulness, and safety.
ChatGPT: Uses primarily as a research assistant and as a starting point for complex analysis and writing.
Open AI Deep Research: To automate complex, multi-step research tasks.
Midjourney: To feed his imagination into visual creatives. He always wanted to do this, but it was previously impossible.
Microsoft Co-Pilot: For coding assistance. He believes that by the end of 2025, all engineers will use a co-pilot.
Claude: Same prompts, across models to find the best outputs.
Dall-E: Hopping between Dall-E and Midjourney for the best images.
Replit: To quickly Prototype Ideas
ElevenLabs: Used for AI voice cloning for his digital twin
Hour One: Hoffman mentioned he used Hour One to create his digital one. Now it’s not in operations, so our estimate is he’s using one of HeyGen, Colossyan, or Powtoon.
Leader, Hoffman’s message to you is clear:
Start serious AI experimentation today to build a competitive advantage.
The goal isn't to create perfect AI strategies but to develop the muscle memory of working with AI tools before they become table stakes.
AI has the potential to democratize capabilities and raise the bar for everyone.
The question isn't if AI will transform your industry. It's whether you'll be leading that transformation or reacting to it.
Stay curious, {{first_name | leaders}}
PS. If you missed yesterday’s issue, you can find it here.