Tony Kim: Investing in the AI Era and the Shift to Compute
BlackRock's Tony Kim discusses the shift from a software-centric world to a compute-centric AI era and what it means for global technology investing today.
Best quote from Tony Kim: Investing in the AI Era and the Shift to Compute
We’ve moved from an asset-light, software-centric world to an asset-heavy, compute-centric world where the physical limits of chips and power are suddenly more important than the code itself.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Tony Kim is the head of the global technology team at BlackRock. He is a prominent figure in the investment world, focusing on how major technological shifts impact the global stock market. In this discussion, he provides insights into the transition from the traditional software-dominated landscape to the new AI era, which he refers to as the "AD" era of technology.
According to Tony Kim, the script has flipped between software and hardware. In the previous "BCE" era, software was king, and high-margin applications were built on cheap, commodity hardware. Today, we have moved into a compute-centric world where hardware is no longer just plumbing. The base layer of compute has seen a massive transformation, with server costs jumping from ten thousand dollars to million-dollar machines.
A compute-centric world represents a complete transformation of value in the technology sector. While the market previously prioritized the ten trillion dollars in software and internet services, the focus has shifted toward the infrastructure that powers artificial intelligence. This shift is characterized by a 10,000x jump in the cost and importance of the base layer of compute, making hardware the central driver of the AI era.
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
