Infinite Loops

Key Takeaways

AI is not thinking-as-a-service but collaboration-as-a-service: The wrong way to approach AI is to sit back and see what it comes up with; the right way is to tinker with it and poke it in different ways so that novel patterns emerge
Banning AI in schools is like stopping humans from using fire because they might burn themselves
- After discovering how to use fire, we created fire departments, firemen, and fire exits; the same thing will happen with AI
- “AI is a mirror, not a mold.” – Jim O’Shaughnessy
Creation is fundamentally about choices: The choices reflect what the creator considers; the creation is the result of what the creator decides
The best writers use the best prompts – the same skills that make them great writers help them get the best from AI
“A lot of things that are revolutionary in the history of technology have taken something that was encoded into the substrate and then made it an abstraction.” – Nathan Baschez
AI in 2025 is roughly where the internet was in 1995: So even if there is an AI ‘crash’, value creation will take place post-crash just as it did with internet companies following the Dot Com Bubble
Understanding cumulative cultural evolution: Recognizing cultural shifts before others do gives you a competitive edge in both life and business
The thinking that you should let the world pull companies out of your creative projects may be wrong; the vast majorities of successful businesses were started by people who wanted to create a successful business
Do not fall victim to the “Disney Princess Co-Founder” Fallacy: Instead of waiting to start because you have not found the perfect co-founder, just start on your idea!
A common misconception about writing is that it is not only a way to communicate our thoughts, but also a way to formulate our thoughts
Learn more by doing: Set aside preconceived expectations and follow your curiosity

Nathan Baschez is the cofounder and CEO of Lex, an AI word-processor. He also cofounded Every, was the first employee at Substack AND co-created Product Hunt.

Suffice to say, Nathan knows a thing or two about building on the internet.

He joins the show to discuss how AI is changing writing, why it’s time to rethink the article, the rise of solo founders and MUCH more.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, “Hmm, that’s interesting!”, check out our Substack.

Important Links:

Show Notes:

Lex: Your Spotter In the Writing Gym
Letting People Into Your Creative Process
Collaboration-as-a-Service
Creation Is Fundamentally About Choices
What Will Become of the AI Holdouts?
AI Is Like the Internet In 1995
Can AI Unfuck the Government?
Blindspots While Working In Organizations
Rethinking The ‘Article’ As A Medium
Memes Are Dense Information Packets
It’s Time for Solo Founders
Why Learning About Cumulative Cultural Evolution Is Vital
What’s Next for Lex?
Writing As A Way To Design Thoughts
Nathan As World Emperor

Books Mentioned:

A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life; by George Saunders
The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous; by Joseph Henrich
The Secret of Our Success: How Culture Is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter; by Joseph Henrich

Nathan Baschez — On AI Writing, Thought Design & Solo Foundership (EP.265)

Podcast Notes Playlist: Business