In The Mind Of Sriram Krishnan, Donald Trump's New AI Advisor

In another round of big-ticket appointments before his return to the White House, President-elect Donald Trump has hired Sriram Krishnan as the Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence. Krishnan will be responsible for "ensuring continued American leadership in A.I., and help shape and coordinate A.I. policy across Government". He brings over two decades of experience across technology majors like Microsoft, Twitter (now X), Yahoo!, Facebook and Snap.

In his previous role, Krishnan was general partner at Andreessen Horowitz (aka a16z), a venture capital firm. However, one of his major claims to fame is his podcast, which he co-hosts with his wife, Aarthi. The podcast, called The Aarthi and Sriram Show, has hosted celebrated names across categories, such as Arvind Srinivas, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Rio Ferdinand, to give you a hint of the vast expanse of topics they talk about. The couple have also interviewed Elon Musk in one of their initial editions.

Their podcast is also an insightful platform to interpret and probably predict the vision of Sriram Krishnan and what one may expect once he joins the office of the 47th President of the United States. Here are a few curated snippets that give you a peek inside Sriram Krishnan's mind.

A Flagbearer for Skilled Immigration

Krishnan, himself an immigrant, passionately addresses the hurdles faced by skilled professionals, particularly Indians, seeking opportunities in the US. In one of their chats, Aarthi and Sriram discuss their own harrowing experience navigating the immigration process and how, at one point, they almost "gave up the American dream to move to Canada instead". Krishnan mentions that their immigration has been processed successfully, and he actively engages with officials, lobbying them to streamline the process. Krishnan has spoken in several episodes to push for a "points-based immigration system similar to the one in the United Kingdom".

Navigating the Political Minefield

In candid discussions with his wife, Aarthi Ramamurthy, Krishnan has also talked about the politicisation of tech. He critiques the Democratic party's approach to figures like Elon Musk and technologies like cryptocurrency, arguing that their antagonism alienates potential allies. Krishnan also acknowledges Musk's influence on the political landscape and how he was instrumental in driving up the sentiment for the Trump campaign. Krishnan is also optimistic about the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), claiming it will cut through bureaucratic red tape, drawing parallels to his experience at Twitter/X.

Woke for what?

In his podcast, Krishnan has also been critical of the "unnecessary wokeness" on general user platforms like social media or even journalistic portals. In one of his podcasts, he argues that journalism doesn't always need to focus on social justice, and cites the example of 'Wired', a technology website, and how it has "suggested stories on racial justice". "Wired is not the natural place for it," declares Krishnan.

On a similar tangent, in another episode, Sriram posed a question to Vivek Ramaswamy about whether he feels that "social media, particularly X, is now less woke after Elon Musk took over?" To which Ramaswamy agrees, and says "The best way to solve a problem is to name a problem and see it with clarity. I do think the peak woke craze - I hope and expect - is behind".

The Regulatory Riddle

With guests like Martin Casado of Andreessen Horowitz, Krishnan dissects the complexities of AI regulation. He analyzes proposed US bills, highlighting potential consequences and questioning the efficacy of regulatory interventions in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

He declares his distaste for AI regulation with a Game of Thrones reference and mentions that it's difficult to foresee where it'll land. "When you set regulation in motion, it's hard to predict where it often winds up. The folks who thought about GDPR had good intentions, they were like 'Hey, let's stop big social media companies from abusing privacy. Very good intentions, right? But what they actually end up doing is anybody who goes to Europe is clicking on a bunch of cookie accept, decline buttons which nobody ever reads. And in some ways you actually help the big social media companies," states Krishnan.

For The People Behind The Tech

In conversations with industry leaders like Arvind Srinivas, founder of Perplexity, Krishnan confidently explores the complex landscape of AI development. He emphasizes the importance of rapid innovation in AI while acknowledging the need for thoughtful oversight. "One thing which I think is very interesting about what you do is the rate of shipping product development and also the kind of energy you have in getting it around," says Krishnan appreciating Srinivas' dedication to his craft and company.

Krishnan questions the effectiveness of current regulatory approaches, suggesting that a more nuanced understanding of AI's potential and limitations is necessary.

Lessons from Two Decades in Tech

In one of his episodes, reflecting on his journey in Silicon Valley, Krishnan shares some strong lessons from years of experience. He emphasises the importance of product-market fit and the necessity of a long-term vision for sustainable success in the tech world.

In a significant segment, Krishnan stressed the significance of assembling a talented and dedicated team, emphasizing the importance of finding individuals who are passionate and share a common vision.

Perhaps, Trump got the word somewhere.