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Tim Allwine
Senior Software Engineer at O'Reilly Media, Inc.
Tim O'Reilly is a prominent figure in the technology and publishing industries, best known as the founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media, Inc. He has played a significant role in shaping the discourse around technology trends for several decades.
Background and Education
Born on June 6, 1954, in County Cork, Ireland, O'Reilly moved to San Francisco as a child. He attended Harvard College, where he studied classics and graduated cum laude in 1975. His career began in technical writing, and he founded O'Reilly Media in 1983, initially focusing on publishing computer manuals and technical books.4
Contributions to Technology and Publishing
O'Reilly Media has been influential in the tech community, known for its extensive catalog of technical books and for organizing conferences that foster innovation. The company popularized key concepts such as "open source" and "Web 2.0," and has been a significant player in the evolution of internet culture. Notable publications include The Whole Internet User's Guide & Catalog, which was among the first popular books about the internet, and WTF? What's the Future and Why It's Up to Us, which explores the implications of technology on society.124
Advocacy and Influence
O'Reilly is also recognized for his advocacy in various areas, including open source software and internet policy. He has served on the boards of several organizations, including Code for America and Maker Media, and has invested in numerous tech startups through O'Reilly AlphaTech Ventures.24
Current Role
As of now, O'Reilly continues to lead O'Reilly Media, which has adapted to changing market dynamics by expanding into online learning and digital content. His insights into technology and its future remain highly regarded within the industry.13
Overall, Tim O'Reilly's contributions to technology, publishing, and advocacy have made him a pivotal figure in the ongoing dialogue about the role of technology in society.
Highlights
My latest post focuses on how regulating how well AI vendors fund AI safety might be more effective than trying to specify HOW they should practice it. https://t.co/M3BugQvW9S
In our latest Asimov's Addendum post, @IlanStrauss and I explore persuasiveness, one of the AI risks detailed in OpenAI's model cards for GPT-4o and GPT-4o1, and ask a few questions: Do the evals that OpenAI describes actually measure persuasiveness in a real world context? Might commercial incentives lead companies to decide that higher persuasiveness is a feature, not a risk? And if it is a risk, what controls ought to be in place to mitigate it?
