Have you ever wondered what oligarchs talk about when they think no one is listening? Wonder no more. This week we dissect Eric Schmidt’s recent Q&A at Stanford University where he talks about remote work culture, the future of AI and how big tech intervenes at the highest levels of government. The kicker is…he thought it was private and didn’t realize it was being recorded. Some of his comments regarding the laziness of remote workers and the “arrogance” of the programmer community went viral prompting Schmidt to apologize and scramble to have the video removed. Considering he ran the world’s biggest internet search engine he should have known that nothing ever really disappears. In fact, we dug up his own words from 2013 when he said exactly that. Beyond the comments that got the most attention in the media (for a minute) the conversation reveals much more about the dark side of oligarchy in the United States.

Resources

TechCrunch: Video of Eric Schmidt blaming remote work for Google's woes mysteriously vanishes

The Verge: Ex-Google CEO: AI startups can steal IP, hire lawyers to “clean up the mess”

Digital Music News: Ex-Googler Eric Schmidt on AI — They Steal IP, Then Hire Lawyers

Disconnect: Roundup: Eric Schmidt says the quiet part out loud

TIME: Eric Schmidt: The 100 Most Influential People in AI 2024

Eric Schmidt, Jared Cohen: The New Digital Age: Transforming Nations, Businesses, and Our Lives

Ex-Google CEO's BANNED Interview LEAKED: "You Have No Idea What's Coming"

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