At a Glance
- LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman used AI to generate a full Christmas album as gifts for friends
- Trump has twice threatened DOJ investigations into Hoffman, most recently citing Epstein ties
- Hoffman urges Silicon Valley to abandon “neutrality” and speak up against administration policies
- Why it matters: One of tech’s most prominent Trump critics shows no signs of backing down despite legal threats
Reid Hoffman, the billionaire behind LinkedIn and early investor in Meta and Airbnb, says he turned his holiday gift-giving into an AI experiment. For Christmas 2025 he produced a complete, vinyl-released album of AI-generated music and lyrics that fooled even his partner. “My better half was listening… ‘Wait, that’s not an actual singer?’ I’m like, ‘Nope,'” he told News Of Fort Worth‘s The Big Interview.
The stunt doubles as marketing for his new book Superagency, which argues artificial intelligence multiplies rather than replaces human capability. Hoffman claims anyone not yet using frontier models as everyday tutors, research aides, or medical second-opinion tools “is not actually trying hard enough.”
Political Persecution
Hoffman’s outspoken opposition to President Trump has drawn retaliation. The administration has twice called for Department of Justice probes, most recently demanding Attorney General Pam Bondi investigate his fundraising contacts with Jeffrey Epstein a decade ago. Hoffman has apologized for those contacts, limited to MIT fundraising, and supports full public release of Epstein files.
The threats have not silenced him. In the December interview he accuses Trump of “degrading American government” and blames peers for keeping quiet. “When you feel fear about speaking what you think is true… that’s precisely the degradation of American society,” he says.
Valley Silence
Hoffman divides Silicon Valley into factions he says avoid criticism of the administration:
- Crypto investors angry at Biden-era regulatory pressure
- Executives who believe Democrats are hostile to Israel
- Pure opportunists seeking influence
- Founders afraid regulatory retaliation will hurt their companies
He urges all to abandon neutrality: “Speak up about the things that you think are true… do not let fear and intimidation… quiet you.”
AI Optimism
Hoffman frames AI as the next mass-market equalizer, comparing today’s free chatbot tiers to the universal smartphone. He rejects claims the technology will centralize power, arguing competitive deployment already reaches hundreds of millions and will hit billions in 2026.
On creativity, he welcomes AI tools in writing, music and film. “I have no objections to someone who says art is something specifically created by humans… I do have objections to people who say you’re not allowed to use new technology to make art.”
Regulation Stance
He supports the Biden administration’s AI executive order on transparency and red-team testing, and favors limited pre-deployment rules-analogous to mandating car brakes-followed by iterative fixes and broader regulation such as seat-belt mandates. Hoffman says Anthropic’s cybersecurity focus provides a model.
Power & Responsibility
Asked why a billionaire spends political capital, Hoffman cites Spider-Man ethics: “With power comes responsibility.” He began serving on nonprofit boards early in his career and views wealth as society’s investment, requiring civic payback.
Quick Takes
Asked to Control, Alt, Delete tech elements:
- Control: Social-media access for children
- Alter: Shape AI to reflect American values of empowerment and freedom
- Delete: Disinformation at scale
Hoffman remains committed to using his public platform-books, podcasts, media-to push for broader civic engagement, whatever the political cost.
