American entrepreneur — former CEO of GitHub (2018–2021) — co-founder of Xamarin (sold to Microsoft) — co-founder of the AI Grant fellowship — who funded the Vesuvius Challenge (successfully decoded Herculaneum scrolls using AI) — one of the most intellectually adventurous tech figures.
Creates the Vesuvius Challenge as the first successful AI-enabled archaeological breakthrough — Friedman and Daniel Gross's Vesuvius Challenge (open competition to read the Herculaneum scrolls using CT scanning and AI) produced the first legible text from the carbonized scrolls in 2000 years, demonstrated in months what archaeologists had failed to do in decades.
Discussing
Ask anything about Nat Friedman — their ideas, influences, contradictions, legacy.
Sign in to start a conversation.