Marc Andreessen's 2020 treatise "It's Time to Build" is one of the most influential pieces written about American dynamism. Published during the dark night of the COVID-19 pandemic, the venture capitalist articulates a hopeful future where Americans embrace optimism. He explains that there are two approaches we can take: One is a fixed mindset that continues our nation down the road of mediocrity and stagnation; the other is a growth mindset that embraces challenges and builds a better future through developing new innovations and launching emerging industries.
His essay predicted many current debates around emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). In California, for example, we saw a concerted legislative effort to strangle open-source AI in its cradle, creating a regulatory framework that would drive leading AI companies to flee the Bear Republic. Andreessen's essay has been a rallying cry for effective accelerationism and other free market advocates who want a light-touch approach that allows AI in the U.S. to flourish instead of legislating against hypothetical harms.
