The a16z Show artwork

Aug 2, 2026 · 34m, Episode 1161

Ruby Thelot on Internet Culture, AI, and the Future of Taste

From The a16z Show

— Player

?t=90 · ?t=1:30 · ?t=1h2m3s

0:00--:--
Timestamp sharing

— Episode notes

Sophia Dew and Sofia Puccini are joined by Ruby Thelot, designer, artist, cyberethnographer, professor at NYU, and founder of 13101401, for a wide-ranging conversation about internet culture, AI, digital communities, and how technology is reshaping the way we relate to one another. Drawing on years of research into online behavior, Ruby explains how digital cultures form, why algorithms shape more than just what we see, and what AI is changing about creativity, communication, and identity. They discuss cyberethnography, online subcultures, "machinic taste," AI companions, social norms, internet language, and why Americans often say they dislike AI—even as th...

— Timestamp deep links

Share any moment by clicking "Copy @ timestamp" in the player above. Supported formats: ?t=90 (seconds), ?t=1:30 (mm:ss), ?t=1h2m3s (hms).