Summary of Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism? w/Zoe Weinberg (ex/ante) | S8 E6

00:00:00 - 00:50:00

In the "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" episode of the Rehash podcast, Zoe Weinberg, the founder and managing partner at Xan, the first venture fund dedicated to agentic tech, shares her experiences and insights on the relationship between technology, privacy, and human agency. Weinberg's background in emerging markets investing and humanitarian work in conflict zones, including Iraq and Somalia, fueled her fascination with the potential of cryptocurrencies as a means of financial security and freedom. She also discusses her concerns about surveillance and authoritarianism in the digital age, arguing that both state-sponsored and corporate digital authoritarianism are threats to privacy and user control. Weinberg's venture fund, Xan, is dedicated to agentic technology, which includes cybersecurity, cryptography, AI, and digital identity, and aims to give individuals more control over their digital lives. She emphasizes the importance of user control, distributed systems, and privacy-enhancing technologies in building a democratic and resilient technology future. Weinberg also discusses her concerns about deep fakes and manipulation, and the potential of blockchain technology and smart contracts for content authenticity. She remains optimistic about the potential of agentic tech to provide both privacy and accountability and encourages listeners to believe in the power of meaningful invention and innovation.

• 00:00:00 In this section of the podcast episode titled "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" on Rehash, Zoe Weinberg, the founder and managing partner at X anti, the first venture fund dedicated to agentic tech, shares her unique background that has contributed to her work in privacy and human agency. With a career focused on emerging markets investing and humanitarian work in conflict zones, including Somalia, South Sudan, DRC, Liberia, and Iraq, Zoe became fascinated by the complex relationship between technology, surveillance, and empowerment in these settings. From observing the use of technology for manipulation and control to witnessing individuals using it for secure communication and even mining Bitcoin in Iraq due to unreliable local currency, Zoe's experiences planted the seed for her current work in agentic tech, which aims to give humans full agency over their information and data.
• 00:05:00 In this section of the "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" YouTube video, Zoe Weinberg shares her personal experiences that led her to identify the potential of cryptocurrencies as a form of financial security and freedom, especially for people living in unstable regions or countries with unreliable currencies. Weinberg's first encounter with Bitcoin was in Iraq during the retaking of Mosul from ISIS, where she met Bitcoin miners who saw the digital currency as a means to protect their assets and potentially leave the country if necessary. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the real-world implications of crypto and the financial freedom it can offer to those who need it most. Weinberg's perspective is shaped by her experiences working in conflict zones and politics, which have given her a unique perspective on the importance of financial stability and the limitations of traditional financial systems.
• 00:10:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?", Zoe Weinberg discusses her experiences with surveillance and authoritarianism in various countries, particularly in the context of the digital age. She acknowledges that surveillance is not a new concept, but the development of technology has opened up new channels for it, leading to what she calls "digital authoritarianism." Weinberg explains that our increasing digital presence has resulted in massive data footprints that can be passively collected by companies, raising concerns about privacy and the potential misuse of data. She argues that while state-sponsored digital authoritarianism is often discussed, there is also a form of corporate digital authoritarianism that is synonymous with surveillance capitalism. Weinberg highlights the examples of facial recognition technology being used for targeted advertising and censorship, and the increasing difficulty of opting out of digital platforms in today's world. She concludes by expressing her concern over the effectiveness of these strategies in controlling the flow of information and the potential for oppression of citizens.
• 00:15:00 In this section of the "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" YouTube video, Zoe Weinberg discusses the merging of state-sponsored and corporate surveillance, the erosion of user consent, and potential solutions. Weinberg explains that corporations, driven by ad-based revenue models, have become increasingly interested in collecting user data, leading to concerns about data misuse and potential collaboration between corporations and governments. She also touches upon the issue of meaningful user consent and the lengthy, complex terms of service that users often agree to without fully understanding. Weinberg suggests that changes may be on the horizon, including increased regulation and a greater emphasis on trust between companies and their customers.
• 00:20:00 In this section of the "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" YouTube video, Zoe Weinberg discusses how companies can build trust with users by explaining how their data will be used, proactively. She also touches upon the evolving regulatory landscape, which is causing some movement in the industry. Weinberg explains that while regulatory compliance can be costly for larger companies, it can also be advantageous for smaller, more nimble startups. The conversation then shifts to Weinberg's venture fund, Xan, which is dedicated to agentic technology. Agentic Tech is defined as any technology that enhances human agency and gives individuals more control over their digital life. The focus is on digital agency and digital control. Weinberg also clarifies that an AI agent can be considered agentic if it truly operates on a user's behalf with their consent and preferences embedded. The conversation continues with a discussion on the broader implications and potential investments in this space.
• 00:25:00 In this section of the YouTube video titled "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?", Zoe Weinberg from ex/ante Ventures discusses their fund's focus on agentic technology, which includes cybersecurity, cryptography, data infrastructure, AI, and digital identity. They are thematically focused and thesis-driven but agnostic to the industry vertical or technology type. Weinberg mentions that there are other funds with similar interests but no exclusively agentic tech-focused fund to their knowledge. The concept of an AI agent acting as a proxy for individuals to manage their privacy and digital lives is also explored, with the potential for an AI agent to understand individual preferences and execute actions on their behalf. Weinberg also recommends checking out Privacy Party, a company that helps users manage their privacy settings and hidden data. The impact of agentic tech on daily life is discussed, focusing on the collection of data and the influence of ads.
• 00:30:00 In this section of the "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" YouTube video, Zoe Weinberg discusses the importance of user control and distributed systems in building a democratic and resilient technology future. She reflects on her background in humanitarian aid and the impact of agentic tech on people living in oppressive regimes or war zones. Weinberg also shares her belief that agentic tech is crucial in countering authoritarian surveillance states and constructing technology structures that prioritize user control. She references the early vision of the internet as a distributed system that was user-owned and sovereign, but notes that we have moved away from this vision due to operating system lock-in, proprietary software, the migration to the cloud, and the accumulation of market power in the form of data. Weinberg's North Star is to empower individuals, particularly those living in hostile regimes, with technology that ultimately enhances their autonomy and privacy. She sees synergies between the goals of the fund and the broader Web 3 movement, which emphasizes public data and user control. The challenge lies in marrying these concepts and ensuring that privacy is not compromised in the process.
• 00:35:00 In this section of the "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" YouTube video, Zoe Weinberg discusses the trade-off between privacy and accountability and the potential of privacy-enhancing technologies to thread the needle and provide both. She mentions the innovations in crypto web 3, privacy pools, and zero-knowledge proofs as examples of solutions that aim to strike this balance. Weinberg also shares her optimism about the potential of agentic tech to satisfy both values and emphasizes the importance of responsible and ethical use of data. The conversation then shifts to discussing investments in companies focused on deep fake detection and open banking as examples of agentic tech in the AI and finance spaces, respectively. Weinberg highlights the importance of information integrity and control as essential components of a functioning society.
• 00:40:00 In this section of the "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" YouTube video, Zoe Weinberg discusses her concerns about deep fakes and manipulation of public figures, particularly during election seasons. She shares a scenario where a friend receives a voice mail about polling location closures, which turns out to be fake, potentially preventing someone from voting. Weinberg expresses her worry that people are unprepared for this type of manipulation and finds it more dangerous than overt censorship in countries like China. She also touches upon the challenge of identifying manipulated information in a free-speech society like the US, where people expect unfettered access to information. The conversation then shifts to the potential use of blockchain technology and smart contracts for content authenticity. Weinberg remains open-minded about their potential but questions their usefulness without critical adoption.
• 00:45:00 In this section of the "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" YouTube video, Zoe Weinberg discusses her ideal end state for the digital world, where users have complete autonomy over their data and the ability to share and revoke it with anyone they choose in a simple way. She also emphasizes the importance of interoperability, allowing users to move their data to other services if needed. Weinberg expresses her desire for an end to censorship, free and open access to the internet, and secure communication methods. Although she acknowledges the challenges, she remains optimistic that new tools and architecture can lead to a more favorable digital environment for users. She encourages listeners not to give up hope and to believe that meaningful invention and innovation are still possible. To learn more about Zoe Weinberg and her company, Exante, visit buildxan.com.
• 00:50:00 In this section of the "Can Agentic Tech Take Down Surveillance Capitalism?" episode of the podcast Rehash, host Diana Chen thanks her guest Zoe Weinberg for appearing on the show and encourages listeners to check out her work on the ex/ante website. Chen also mentions that more information about Hent Tech, which is the focus of the conversation, can be found on their website. She reminds the audience that Rehash is supported by its community of NFT holders and sponsors, and encourages those interested in becoming a guest or sponsor to visit their website. Chen invites viewers to follow Rehash on various social media platforms and to rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast.