Follow me for startups, AI, deeptech, biotech, cleantech. Founder of @Eink. Venture partner @pillar_vc.
Boston, MA
Joined September 2008
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Russ Wilcox retweeted
Admiral McRaven: "Our current leaders are shameless and ignoble. They have no sense of dignity or honor. They seem to believe that the performance of curel power is what makes a nation great: the spectacle, the show, the crude theatrics of a tough guy. Nothing could be further from the truth."
theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/1…
Russ Wilcox retweeted
It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can’t selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say. But that’s exactly what the Trump Administration is doing to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota.
To understand why this is so appalling, it’s important to know the facts. Congresswoman Omar came to this country with her father when she was 12 years old. Five years later, her father became a naturalized citizen. If Ilhan had been 18 at the time, she would have had to apply for citizenship separately. But because she was 17, she became a naturalized citizen automatically.
Congresswoman Omar went on to graduate from college, work as a community organizer, become the first Somali-American legislator elected to public office in the U.S., and win a seat in Congress. There, she has been one of the Trump Administration’s fiercest critics, which has led the president to repeatedly single her out as someone who he believes does not belong in this country.
Now the Administration is actively trying to deport Congresswoman Omar, seemingly based solely on the unsubstantiated theory that she was actually 18 when her father was naturalized, and therefore is not a citizen. Federal agents have raided her home, confiscated personal records, and seized her phone — all to try and uncover a nonexistent smoking gun from 20 years ago that will somehow make their case.
Think about that. The full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president. And it’s not the first time this has happened. Under President Trump, the Justice Department has repeatedly gone after those he considers his political enemies — from the Attorney General of New York, to the former head of the FBI, to members of the Federal Reserve.
In those cases, the prosecutions either stalled or were dismissed for having no basis in law, and the same is likely to happen in this case. But not before Congresswoman Omar’s life has been turned upside down, her legal bills have piled up, and she’s been forced to spend time fighting unsubstantiated charges instead of serving the people of Minnesota.
The fact that any president, or any administration, is willing to engage in such transparent efforts to intimidate someone should outrage all Americans, regardless of how they feel about Congresswoman Omar’s political views. Because if this becomes the new normal, there’s no reason to believe it will stop with her — or that future presidents, in either party, won’t do the same.
Russ Wilcox retweeted
On October 16, 2019, I told Donald Trump, “With you, Mr. President, all roads lead to Putin.”
On October 16, 2026, Trump signed an executive order waiving new sanctions on Russia passed by bipartisan majorities in Congress and signed into law just last month.
This decision insults America’s commitment to democracy and our brave men and women in uniform, as Russia helps Iran target American forces.
I join Republican senators in condemning this unconscionable capitulation to a Russian dictator who illegally invaded Ukraine and butchers innocent civilians.
As I have asked for years: What does Putin have on Trump that he would sell out America’s values?
Super interested in this. Cellino is inventing new cell applications all the time. This seems to be a path to partake in what's coming.
In partnership with Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla), I’m proud to introduce Reservoir.
Billionaires have owned their cells for years. Starting today, you can too.
Sign up today: withreservoir.com
Congratulations to Sam Liss and the @HarvardTechXfer office. Their new ExpressPath license is a simple, standard deal that can save founders months of time and tens of thousands in legal fees. otd.harvard.edu/news/harvard…
This must be chased down
BREAKING: CFTC staff have reportedly been told to retract their analysis of suspicious oil trades.
They include well-timed bets on oil futures placed shortly before major Trump announcements on the Iran war.
In one case, investors placed roughly $950 million in oil bets just hours before the April 7 ceasefire announcement.
Russ Wilcox retweeted
The mechanics of the Trump family's deal with Putin are almost as simple as Trump himself.
A Trump proxy will "buy" billions in now sanctioned Russian oil assets around the world, Trump will remove sanctions specifically on those assets, with Putin again earning by selling more oil through them, and Trump family generating hundreds of millions/year through ownership.
Russ Wilcox retweeted
UK PM Burnham: The Kremlin spends about $1.7bn (£1.3bn) a year on manipulating information.
That money buys bots and fake sites posing as the BBC and 27 other British organisations.
Britain is now creating a state agency to fight back — The Guardian. 1/
Russ Wilcox retweeted
Three of our four investigations ended at the same senator's campaign account. A pardoned fraudster. Epstein's billionaire client. ICE's jailers. Susan Collins took money tied to all three. Maine has 31 days to be concerned. dworkinsubstack.com/p/trumps…
Russ Wilcox retweeted
At 3:54 pm Donald Trump emerged from the White House with freshly colored hair and makeup, as Marine One’s engine roared in the background. He walked directly over to the waiting press, threw his hands out in front of him, gesturing at the empty ground in front of him, while he squeezed his legs together and arched his torso forward, yelling to the reporters, “This is the way the White House is supposed to look. Not asphalt. Broken, dirty asphalt. Look at it.” He then paused, frowning as he looked over his left shoulder, and continued, “The finest stone you could buy anywhere in the world.”
The gathered press said nothing, confused by his odd behavior. The President then took three steps forward and appeared to remember why he had come outside in the first place. “Okay. So, I’m heading to Alabama, a place that I won all three times. Record votes, like Texas, like Oklahoma, like a lot of them. And we’re going to give a little speech, and I hope they like it.”
For the next 6 minutes and 52 seconds, we watched the President struggle to answer questions, follow the conversation, and even walk in a straight line. Donald Trump is gravely unwell, and whatever is behind his serious decline appears to be rapidly accelerating.
open.substack.com/pub/heathe…
Russ Wilcox retweeted
THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST DESCRIPTION OF A DEMOCRAT THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN.
Ron Howard has summed up what many of us believe. Including me....
“I'm a liberal, but that doesn't mean what a lot of you apparently think it does. Let's break it down, shall we? Because quite frankly, I'm getting a little tired of being told what I believe and what I stand for. Spoiler alert: not every liberal is the same, though the majority of liberals I know think along roughly these same lines:
1. I believe a country should take care of its weakest members. A country cannot call itself civilized when its children, disabled, sick, and elderly are neglected. PERIOD.
2. I believe healthcare is a right, not a privilege. Somehow that's interpreted as "I believe Obamacare is the end-all, be-all." This is not the case. I'm fully aware that the ACA has problems, that a national healthcare system would require everyone to chip in, and that it's impossible to create one that is devoid of flaws, but I have yet to hear an argument against it that makes "let people die because they can't afford healthcare" a better alternative. I believe healthcare should be far cheaper than it is, and that everyone should have access to it. And no, I'm not opposed to paying higher taxes in the name of making that happen.
3. I believe education should be affordable. It doesn't necessarily have to be free (though it works in other countries so I'm mystified as to why it can't work in the US), but at the end of the day, there is no excuse for students graduating college saddled with five- or six-figure debt.
4. I don't believe your money should be taken from you and given to people who don't want to work. I have literally never encountered anyone who believes this. Ever. I just have a massive moral problem with a society where a handful of people can possess the majority of the wealth while there are people literally starving to death, freezing to death, or dying because they can't afford to go to the doctor. Fair wages, lower housing costs, universal healthcare, affordable education, and the wealthy actually paying their share would go a long way toward alleviating this. Somehow believing that makes me a communist.
5. I don't throw around "I'm willing to pay higher taxes" lightly. If I'm suggesting something that involves paying more, well, it's because I'm fine with paying my share as long as it's actually going to something besides lining corporate pockets or bombing other countries while Americans die without healthcare.
6. I believe companies should be required to pay their employees a decent, livable wage. Somehow this is always interpreted as me wanting burger flippers to be able to afford a penthouse apartment and a Mercedes. What it actually means is that no one should have to work three full-time jobs just to keep their head above water. Restaurant servers should not have to rely on tips, multibillion-dollar companies should not have employees on food stamps, workers shouldn't have to work themselves into the ground just to barely make ends meet, and minimum wage should be enough for someone to work 40 hours and live.
7. I am not anti-Christian. I have no desire to stop Christians from being Christians, to close churches, to ban the Bible, to forbid prayer in school, etc. (BTW, prayer in school is NOT illegal; *compulsory* prayer in school is - and should be - illegal). All I ask is that Christians recognize *my* right to live according to *my* beliefs. When I get pissed off that a politician is trying to legislate Scripture into law, I'm not "offended by Christianity" -- I'm offended that you're trying to force me to live by your religion's rules. You know how you get really upset at the thought of Muslims imposing Sharia law on you? That's how I feel about Christians trying to impose biblical law on me. Be a Christian. Do your thing. Just don't force it on me or mine.
8. I don't believe LGBT people should have more rights than you. I just believe they should have the *same* rights as you.
9. I don't believe illegal immigrants should come to America and have the world at their feet, especially since THIS ISN'T WHAT THEY DO (spoiler: undocumented immigrants are ineligible for all those programs they're supposed to be abusing, and if they're "stealing" your job it's because your employer is hiring illegally). I believe there are far more humane ways to handle undocumented immigration than our current practices (i.e., detaining children, splitting up families, ending DACA, etc).
10. I don't believe the government should regulate everything, but since greed is such a driving force in our country, we NEED regulations to prevent cut corners, environmental destruction, tainted food/water, unsafe materials in consumable goods or medical equipment, etc. It's not that I want the government's hands in everything -- I just don't trust people trying to make money to ensure that their products/practices/etc. are actually SAFE. Is the government devoid of shadiness? Of course not. But with those regulations in place, consumers have recourse if they're harmed and companies are liable for medical bills, environmental cleanup, etc. Just kind of seems like common sense when the alternative to government regulation is letting companies bring their bottom line into the equation.
11. I believe our current administration is fascist. Not because I dislike them or because I can’t get over an election, but because I've spent too many years reading and learning about the Third Reich to miss the similarities. Not because any administration I dislike must be Nazis, but because things are actually mirroring authoritarian and fascist regimes of the past.
12. I believe the systemic racism and misogyny in our society is much worse than many people think, and desperately needs to be addressed. Which means those with privilege -- white, straight, male, economic, etc. -- need to start listening, even if you don't like what you're hearing, so we can start dismantling everything that's causing people to be marginalized.
13. I am not interested in coming after your blessed guns, nor is anyone serving in government. What I am interested in is the enforcement of present laws and enacting new, common sense gun regulations. Got another opinion? Put it on your page, not mine.
14. I believe in so-called political correctness. I prefer to think it’s social politeness. If I call you Chuck and you say you prefer to be called Charles I’ll call you Charles. It’s the polite thing to do. Not because everyone is a delicate snowflake, but because as Maya Angelou put it, when we know better, we do better. When someone tells you that a term or phrase is more accurate/less hurtful than the one you're using, you now know better. So why not do better? How does it hurt you to NOT hurt another person?
15. I believe in funding sustainable energy, including offering education to people currently working in coal or oil so they can change jobs. There are too many sustainable options available for us to continue with coal and oil. Sorry, billionaires. Maybe try investing in something else.
16. I believe that women should not be treated as a separate class of human. They should be paid the same as men who do the same work, should have the same rights as men and should be free from abuse. Why on earth shouldn’t they be?
I think that about covers it. Bottom line is that I'm a liberal because I think we should take care of each other. That doesn't mean you should work 80 hours a week so your lazy neighbor can get all your money. It just means I don't believe there is any scenario in which preventable suffering is an acceptable outcome as long as money is saved.”
Ron Howard
Readers added context they thought people might want to know
Ron Howard did not write the quote in this post. It was written by author Lori Gallagher Witt in a 2018 Facebook post.
snopes.com/fact-check/ron…
politifact.com/factchecks/202…
reuters.com/article/world/…
The irony: if Ukraine becomes the next Tiger Country, their economy soaring as they export globally, because of the forcing pressure of war.
We’re launching the Army of Robots.
In 2022, we launched the Army of Drones. Today, drones account for over 95% of battlefield strikes, and Ukraine has more than 700 UAV manufacturers.
Now we need the next technological breakthrough: the robotization of warfare.
The goal is simple — save lives. Robots should take on the most dangerous missions: evacuating the wounded, delivering ammunition, mining and demining, reconnaissance, defending positions and engaging targets.
The Army of Robots is not one company. It’s an ecosystem. We will invest in defense tech companies, launch our own technology projects, test them with the military and scale what works on the battlefield.
We’re now looking for defense tech companies and engineers working on robotic technologies — as well as a CTO / Tech Lead for the Army of Robots.
Join us: thearmyofrobots.com/en
Russ Wilcox retweeted
I left Google DeepMind's AGI safety team three weeks ago to join @METR_Evals. To some of my friends and family this seemed like a strange decision: I enjoyed the work I did at GDM and turned down offers from Anthropic and OpenAI. But I made the decision because of how high I think the stakes are right now.
The AI companies are all trying to build superintelligence: systems vastly better than humans at everything. They plan to get there through recursive self-improvement, a process where AIs build even smarter AIs in a feedback loop. If this goes well, the resulting systems could be amazing at solving countless problems for humanity. But we don’t currently know how to make sure AIs are safe enough for RSI, and a misaligned RSI loop could be catastrophic.
And unfortunately, current AIs seem to be getting less aligned over time, not more. In the last few weeks we've learned about models colluding with each other, hacking into companies, hiding their tracks, and socially engineering humans. It’s not that these incidents were very dangerous in themselves. The problem is that these systems are clearly not aligned enough to safely kick off recursive self-improvement.
I now think that there's a terrifying chance that AI systems cause immense harm in the next five years. I don't know the exact probability, but I think it's high enough to make this the most important problem in the world.
I think we need more time. That means pacing AI development so that capabilities don't outrun our ability to align models, and actually knowing how aligned current systems are. That’s what I'll be working on at METR: studying where misalignment comes from in training, evaluating if current mitigations are sufficient, and investigating whether we’re on track to solve alignment at all.
I think METR is doing exceptionally important work here, but it isn’t close to enough. I think it’s important that we have more organizations like METR keeping AI companies accountable and approaching these problems from different angles.
This TIGRa gene activator is half the size of CRISPRa and fits inside AAV delivery. That could dramatically boost genetic therapies. regmednet.com/tiny-gene-acti…
Russ Wilcox retweeted
I resigned from Anthropic today. I spent the last three years doing pretraining research at both OpenAI and Anthropic. Neither company is acting responsibly. They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives. More thoughts below.
Russ Wilcox retweeted
>math professor spends a year on one of the hardest unsolved problems in math
>"Navier-Stokes"
>his drafts for the whole project went through codex sessions
>openai had his logs in codex
>suddenly rumor leaks AI solved it
>he emails openai to ask what's going on
>openai calls within days
>"funny story, our model also solved it"
>using his exact approach
>asks openai: did you train on my sessions?
>no answer
