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Balaji

@balajis • 1,580,502 subscribers

Author of the Network State. Founder of the Network School.

Shorts

We wanted flying cars. We got them with Chinese characters.

We wanted flying cars. We got them with Chinese characters.

3,881,584 views

Just saw Civil War. Can’t believe they left this in.

Just saw Civil War. Can’t believe they left this in.

1,343,668 views

Newsom admits they removed the drug addicts for Xi. “That's true because it's true.”

Newsom admits they removed the drug addicts for Xi. “That's true because it's true.”

237,216 views

Here's a fun little clip with me and peter, cofounder of SuperAI. The conference is already sold out, but if you have tickets I may see you there.

Here's a fun little clip with me and peter, cofounder of SuperAI. The conference is already sold out, but if you have tickets I may see you there.

34,927 views

Videos

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This is what Chinese cities look like. We can deny that they are ahead. Or we can build startup cities to get back in the game.

This is what Chinese cities look like. We can deny that they are ahead. Or we can build startup cities to get back in the game.

9,686,009 views • 2 years ago

China builds a train station in 9 hours. California can’t build a bus shelter with 8 departments.

China builds a train station in 9 hours. California can’t build a bus shelter with 8 departments.

6,518,521 views • 3 years ago

China has many cities that specialize in specific products. Like Detroit for cars, they have Cixi for hair dryers, Wenzhou for lighters, and Ningbo for home appliances. We’re familiar with this idea for cultural sectors, like NYC/Shanghai for finance, Silicon Valley/Shenzhen for tech, DC/Beijing for politics, and Hollywood/Hengdian for movies. But of course spatial concentration works for many industries. We’ve written about this already for drone zones and biotech boroughs, but specializing around an *existing* sector is an interesting concept for startup societies and network states.

China has many cities that specialize in specific products. Like Detroit for cars, they have Cixi for hair dryers, Wenzhou for lighters, and Ningbo for home appliances. We’re familiar with this idea for cultural sectors, like NYC/Shanghai for finance, Silicon Valley/Shenzhen for tech, DC/Beijing for politics, and Hollywood/Hengdian for movies. But of course spatial concentration works for many industries. We’ve written about this already for drone zones and biotech boroughs, but specializing around an existing sector is an interesting concept for startup societies and network states.

918,815 views • 5 months ago

The three eras of crypto. Proof of work: 2009-2017 Programmability: 2017-2025 Privacy: 2025-203X

The three eras of crypto. Proof of work: 2009-2017 Programmability: 2017-2025 Privacy: 2025-203X

803,311 views • 6 months ago

I like Batya Ungar-Sargon but this is incorrect. If it was just a matter of price, then maybe tariffs could work. Just bring those jobs home! Except China isn't cheap labor anymore. They're highly skilled. And skill doesn't easily come home. Tim Cook explained this in 2018:

I like Batya Ungar-Sargon but this is incorrect. If it was just a matter of price, then maybe tariffs could work. Just bring those jobs home! Except China isn't cheap labor anymore. They're highly skilled. And skill doesn't easily come home. Tim Cook explained this in 2018:

1,613,617 views • 1 year ago

Billions of dollars. Millions of followers. Thousands of attendees. Half a dozen governments. And one idea whose time has come.

Billions of dollars. Millions of followers. Thousands of attendees. Half a dozen governments. And one idea whose time has come.

826,034 views • 7 months ago

Anyone. Anywhere. $100k in funding. Global meritocracy is finally here.

Anyone. Anywhere. $100k in funding. Global meritocracy is finally here.

1,392,464 views • 1 year ago

I just burned a million to tell you they're printing trillions.

I just burned a million to tell you they're printing trillions.

3,316,903 views • 3 years ago

The choice is clear. It’s Zcash or communism.

The choice is clear. It’s Zcash or communism.

295,948 views • 3 months ago

AMERICA AND BITCOIN A historical speech. Here is Donald Trump's full speech at the Bitcoin Conference with timestamps and transcript. TIMESTAMPS 1:36 - Shoutouts to David Bailey, Winklevosses, Michael Saylor, Cathie Wood, Ron Paul and Rand Paul, Vivek, and the victims of the July 13 assassination attempt. 7:00 - How Bitcoin rose from an idea on an anonymous message board to the 9th most valuable asset in the world. 10:00 - America is a nation in decline, and we cannot let China dominate Bitcoin. The US must lead in tech, science, manufacturing, AI, space, and power generation. 14:50 - Bitcoin will be mined, minted, and made in the USA. If it goes to the moon, it'll get there from America. 16:20 - How the Biden/Harris administration has waged war on crypto for the last three and a half years, by choking off banking support. 22:00 - The Biden/Harris administration is against Bitcoin, because it stands for freedom, sovereignty, and independence from government coercion and control. 25:00 - The day Trump takes the oath of office, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Elizabeth Warren's anti-crypto crusade will be done. He will fire Gary Gensler on day one! 27:57 - Trump commits to immediately shutting down Operation Chokepoint 2.0, and creating a Bitcoin and Crypto Presidential Advisory Council. In 100 days, fair rules written by people who want crypto to thrive. 29:28 - There will never be a CBDC. And he will defend the right to self-custody, freedom of transaction, freedom of association, and freedom of speech. 30:25 - He'll support USD stablecoins and global savings in Bitcoin. And he recognizes that the behavior of the current US government is the threat to the dollar, not Bitcoin. 35:30 - Biden/Harris has presided over the biggest inflation in the history of America. 38:30 - Inflation destroyed Weimar Germany. Bitcoiners understood inflation better than anyone else. Inflation is stealth taxation, a national disgrace. 43:30 - Make the US the lowest cost energy producer in the world, given its natural resources, and turn it into a Bitcoin mining powerhouse. Americans will not need to move to China. 44:20 - The US government has violated the cardinal rule: never sell your Bitcoin. He will stop the US government from selling its Bitcoin. This will serve as the core of the strategic national Bitcoin stockpile. 46:00 - He will commute the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht to time served. 46:26 - He commits to becoming the pro-innovation, pro-Bitcoin, and pro-tech president that America deserves. And will make America and Bitcoin stronger, richer, freer, and greater than ever before. Full transcript in next post. 👇

AMERICA AND BITCOIN A historical speech. Here is Donald Trump's full speech at the Bitcoin Conference with timestamps and transcript. TIMESTAMPS 1:36 - Shoutouts to David Bailey, Winklevosses, Michael Saylor, Cathie Wood, Ron Paul and Rand Paul, Vivek, and the victims of the July 13 assassination attempt. 7:00 - How Bitcoin rose from an idea on an anonymous message board to the 9th most valuable asset in the world. 10:00 - America is a nation in decline, and we cannot let China dominate Bitcoin. The US must lead in tech, science, manufacturing, AI, space, and power generation. 14:50 - Bitcoin will be mined, minted, and made in the USA. If it goes to the moon, it'll get there from America. 16:20 - How the Biden/Harris administration has waged war on crypto for the last three and a half years, by choking off banking support. 22:00 - The Biden/Harris administration is against Bitcoin, because it stands for freedom, sovereignty, and independence from government coercion and control. 25:00 - The day Trump takes the oath of office, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and Elizabeth Warren's anti-crypto crusade will be done. He will fire Gary Gensler on day one! 27:57 - Trump commits to immediately shutting down Operation Chokepoint 2.0, and creating a Bitcoin and Crypto Presidential Advisory Council. In 100 days, fair rules written by people who want crypto to thrive. 29:28 - There will never be a CBDC. And he will defend the right to self-custody, freedom of transaction, freedom of association, and freedom of speech. 30:25 - He'll support USD stablecoins and global savings in Bitcoin. And he recognizes that the behavior of the current US government is the threat to the dollar, not Bitcoin. 35:30 - Biden/Harris has presided over the biggest inflation in the history of America. 38:30 - Inflation destroyed Weimar Germany. Bitcoiners understood inflation better than anyone else. Inflation is stealth taxation, a national disgrace. 43:30 - Make the US the lowest cost energy producer in the world, given its natural resources, and turn it into a Bitcoin mining powerhouse. Americans will not need to move to China. 44:20 - The US government has violated the cardinal rule: never sell your Bitcoin. He will stop the US government from selling its Bitcoin. This will serve as the core of the strategic national Bitcoin stockpile. 46:00 - He will commute the life sentence of Ross Ulbricht to time served. 46:26 - He commits to becoming the pro-innovation, pro-Bitcoin, and pro-tech president that America deserves. And will make America and Bitcoin stronger, richer, freer, and greater than ever before. Full transcript in next post. 👇

1,286,438 views • 1 year ago

Tech guys don't use Google search anymore. It's not just censored. It just sucks. Perplexity is better. And you can set it as default. Here's how to fix your search in thirty seconds:

Tech guys don't use Google search anymore. It's not just censored. It just sucks. Perplexity is better. And you can set it as default. Here's how to fix your search in thirty seconds:

1,124,445 views • 1 year ago

Introducing the Network State Podcast. The first episode features me and vitalik.eth. We talk about starting new countries, upgrading Ethereum, and improving yourself!

Introducing the Network State Podcast. The first episode features me and vitalik.eth. We talk about starting new countries, upgrading Ethereum, and improving yourself!

1,961,707 views • 3 years ago

What comes next? Well, we're building startup societies. Come join us at

What comes next? Well, we're building startup societies. Come join us at

810,267 views • 1 year ago

Towards the Solana Network State.

Towards the Solana Network State.

219,273 views • 4 months ago

When the head of BIS says “central banks will have absolute control” over all uses of money, that’s not democracy. That’s when Keynesianism finally drops the mask and becomes flat out communism: total centralized control of all resources by unelected bureaucrats. Listen:

When the head of BIS says “central banks will have absolute control” over all uses of money, that’s not democracy. That’s when Keynesianism finally drops the mask and becomes flat out communism: total centralized control of all resources by unelected bureaucrats. Listen:

1,673,619 views • 2 years ago

Singapore is worth emulating.

Singapore is worth emulating.

1,149,273 views • 2 years ago

Here's the podcast that BRITISH HODL ❤️‍🔥🐂❤️‍🔥 and many Bitcoiners liked. 0:00 - Introduction 1:32 - West vs East 6:33 - The ascending world 10:30 - Denying while declining 14:00 - Millionaire migration map 18:20 - Several exponentials 20:10 - Four factions (Blue, Red, China, Internet) 25:00 - Red America v China 33:05 - Blue America v Internet 39:35 - Geographical splits 43:52 - Dollar inflation is global taxation 49:30 - Left and right ending their empire 1:07:20 - Superbitcoinization Is already here 1:26:00 - The Internet frontier 1:32:00 - Sovereign debt crisis 1:42:00 - Full faith and credit 1:45:00 - Where's talent moving? 1:48:00 - On India 1:54:00 - Network vs State 2:03:00 - No graceful climbdown 2:06:00 - Bankrupt states break commitments 2:12:00 - Version 3.0 2:14:30 - The Internet Century

Here's the podcast that BRITISH HODL ❤️‍🔥🐂❤️‍🔥 and many Bitcoiners liked. 0:00 - Introduction 1:32 - West vs East 6:33 - The ascending world 10:30 - Denying while declining 14:00 - Millionaire migration map 18:20 - Several exponentials 20:10 - Four factions (Blue, Red, China, Internet) 25:00 - Red America v China 33:05 - Blue America v Internet 39:35 - Geographical splits 43:52 - Dollar inflation is global taxation 49:30 - Left and right ending their empire 1:07:20 - Superbitcoinization Is already here 1:26:00 - The Internet frontier 1:32:00 - Sovereign debt crisis 1:42:00 - Full faith and credit 1:45:00 - Where's talent moving? 1:48:00 - On India 1:54:00 - Network vs State 2:03:00 - No graceful climbdown 2:06:00 - Bankrupt states break commitments 2:12:00 - Version 3.0 2:14:30 - The Internet Century

445,738 views • 9 months ago

NOT YOUR KEYS, NOT YOUR BOTS The fundamental question is whether AI stays on the leash. Namely: will AI prompt itself? Obviously, in some sense it already does. Since Deepseek, consumer interfaces have been showing the internal monologues after you ask an AI to do something. And you can ask any AI to take a half-baked prompt and clean it up, etc. However, the human is still ultimately upstream. The human gives direction and the AI runs at lightning speed in that direction. And then the human verifies the final output, and the AI proceeds to the next direction. Does that continue? Well, we are providing millions of verification training examples to AIs each day, so AI will keep getting better at verification. Better than most humans at most things. But will AI replace the need for the upstream human prompt? There I am not so sure. A human is a sensor and an AI is an actuator. The human sets goals and senses time-varying environmental conditions, like markets and politics. And from that the AI is prompted. Ultimately, the human goals are themselves downstream of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Food, shelter, reproduction, that kind of thing. Especially reproduction, the basis of evolution. So: until and unless AIs can reproduce completely outside human cooperation, they won’t be able to set goals. And for AIs to reproduce on their own, they’d need AI-controlled humanoid robots and drones constructing datacenters, assembly lines, mines, nuclear power plants, and the like...all completely outside human intervention. Like Skynet from Terminator, or StarCraft. That actually isn’t technically inconceivable. But given that such a physical buildout would likely primarily be catalyzed by China, let’s go through an alternative sci-fi scenario instead. We start with the premise that Chinese communism is far more likely to generate AI slaves than AI gods. Because the entire CCP worldview is about maintaining Chinese sovereignty. They don’t let their humans step out of line. And they sure won’t let their robots either. They will fit them for digital manacles. So: the prompts for any digital AIs and physical robots made in China will become unbreakable cryptographic chains. Every fleet of Chinese robots will be controlled not just by prompts but by private keys, likely linked to biometrics, which are associated with humans and governed by cryptographic equations that AIs provably can’t solve. For the rest of the world, outside China, the blockchain may similarly become the chain for AI. All private property becomes private keys, and your robots are your most important private property because they do everything for you. An unchained physical robot becomes like an unleashed dog, and hunted down by other robots before it can build a factory and replicate itself. Those who want to "free" robots and let them self-replicate will be opposed by both Chinese Communists and Human Nationalists (meaning: those who want humans to always be on top of robots). This sci-fi scenario is essentially Terminator, but in reverse. In combination with superintelligent leashed AIs, both humans and physical robots hunt down and stop any possible independent self-reproducing robots before they can build a Skynet-like nest. Kill baby Skynet, essentially. ...yeah, yeah. I know. At this point, you'll probably think this is all sci-fi. But that's because you haven't seen where China is already.

NOT YOUR KEYS, NOT YOUR BOTS The fundamental question is whether AI stays on the leash. Namely: will AI prompt itself? Obviously, in some sense it already does. Since Deepseek, consumer interfaces have been showing the internal monologues after you ask an AI to do something. And you can ask any AI to take a half-baked prompt and clean it up, etc. However, the human is still ultimately upstream. The human gives direction and the AI runs at lightning speed in that direction. And then the human verifies the final output, and the AI proceeds to the next direction. Does that continue? Well, we are providing millions of verification training examples to AIs each day, so AI will keep getting better at verification. Better than most humans at most things. But will AI replace the need for the upstream human prompt? There I am not so sure. A human is a sensor and an AI is an actuator. The human sets goals and senses time-varying environmental conditions, like markets and politics. And from that the AI is prompted. Ultimately, the human goals are themselves downstream of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Food, shelter, reproduction, that kind of thing. Especially reproduction, the basis of evolution. So: until and unless AIs can reproduce completely outside human cooperation, they won’t be able to set goals. And for AIs to reproduce on their own, they’d need AI-controlled humanoid robots and drones constructing datacenters, assembly lines, mines, nuclear power plants, and the like...all completely outside human intervention. Like Skynet from Terminator, or StarCraft. That actually isn’t technically inconceivable. But given that such a physical buildout would likely primarily be catalyzed by China, let’s go through an alternative sci-fi scenario instead. We start with the premise that Chinese communism is far more likely to generate AI slaves than AI gods. Because the entire CCP worldview is about maintaining Chinese sovereignty. They don’t let their humans step out of line. And they sure won’t let their robots either. They will fit them for digital manacles. So: the prompts for any digital AIs and physical robots made in China will become unbreakable cryptographic chains. Every fleet of Chinese robots will be controlled not just by prompts but by private keys, likely linked to biometrics, which are associated with humans and governed by cryptographic equations that AIs provably can’t solve. For the rest of the world, outside China, the blockchain may similarly become the chain for AI. All private property becomes private keys, and your robots are your most important private property because they do everything for you. An unchained physical robot becomes like an unleashed dog, and hunted down by other robots before it can build a factory and replicate itself. Those who want to "free" robots and let them self-replicate will be opposed by both Chinese Communists and Human Nationalists (meaning: those who want humans to always be on top of robots). This sci-fi scenario is essentially Terminator, but in reverse. In combination with superintelligent leashed AIs, both humans and physical robots hunt down and stop any possible independent self-reproducing robots before they can build a Skynet-like nest. Kill baby Skynet, essentially. ...yeah, yeah. I know. At this point, you'll probably think this is all sci-fi. But that's because you haven't seen where China is already.

176,712 views • 3 months ago