The Tech Tipping Point: A Thoughtful Exchange with Brett Hurt and William "whurley" Hurley

Austin Next

We welcome back tech pioneers Brett Hurt and William “whurley” Hurley for a deep dive into the transformative influence of technological convergence. Drawing from their vast experiences, Brett and Whurley shed light on the intersection of advanced techs, such as generative AI and quantum computing, that are rapidly redefining our world. In our engaging discussion, we uncover the profound implications these emergent technologies have on industries, their role in supercharging productivity, and how they could catalyze an unprecedented surge in startup creation.

Episode Highlights

• The conversation highlights a pivotal tech convergence, where AI intersects with quantum computing, Big Data, data privacy, and every other fundamental platform that has come before.
• Generative AI's rapid rise has been met with excitement and unease, calls for political regulation, all amidst highly divergent dystopian and utopian views.
• Echoing similar themes, Brett envisions AI as potentially the "biggest startup and job creation engine we've ever seen," while whurley posits it leading to a "rise of the non-creative creative class," amplifying the transformative potential of the technology.
• Brett highlights the importance of creativity for engineers in the AI era, suggesting that those who can combine their technical skills with imagination will thrive, while those who can't may face commoditization.
• Whurley’s recent dialogues with DC leaders underscores Austin's growing influence in shaping national technology policy and wider industry trends.
• What’s next Austin?
  • Brett Hurt: “I think that we're going to have an absolute explosion in the number of startups created. And as an effect of that, a derivative explosion in the number of jobs...I really want Austin to be the leader of that.”
  • William “whurley” Hurley: “Everybody's talented, everybody plays an instrument, everybody paints or does art or they sculpt or whatever. It is a very creative city. So when you take those kinds of people and you give them this kind of power...like absolutely, Austin is next. If we're lucky.”

Episode links

William “whurley” Hurley: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter, Strangeworks

Brett Hurt: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter, data.world

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