Jodi Anderson Jr.

CEO of Rézme, Inc.

Product engineer / startup founder / idealist

“We [came] from a place where they have rotary phones and [prison] cages. There aren’t even any trees. You’re lifting weights that are made of cement and bricks. That’s the world we come from. Then, you [leave and can suddenly access] cameras, drones, and robots. Clearly, I am living in another reality. But that is possible… Anything’s possible, right? I think that is still a newer principle in my mind that makes me optimistic about the future … that things can change or things will change.”

Designing for Growth

Human-driven growth

“People are pursuing their version of utopia[n] success, and that, somehow, is contingent on someone else’s suffering. There has to be a way that everyone wins, without trampling other people in the process. I think systems, if constructed correctly — and that’s the big if — the right inputs will get us closer to that. If people trust that, that’s what I’m hopeful for … [We could] get the most intelligent minds [and] all of that data in the right place and co-design. Because the only way to optimize choices is to be good for everybody. That’s [a] very complex problem. So I think that we’re going to trend in that direction in order to get the best version of humanity. We all have these inputs so that everyone is on their track, and that tracking changes [lives], [so] everyone is trending towards this ultimate vision.”

AI-driven growth

“I think the conversation around AI and this explosion into the modern human psyche is a phenomenon. There’s this conversation around training models: How do we make sure that it’s serving the best interests of humanity? How do we make sure that the foundation is solid? [If we’re not careful] I think we’re never going to be able to go back and undo all that — in the same way the issues of society now are remnants of other paths, ills, and -isms that were committed a long time ago. You can’t just erase that. I think it’s the same thing for technology, because it’s a race — the state of the world that we’re in now. The human part is acknowledging that this is the state of technology … Whatever direction you choose to take, the technology will only accelerate and accelerate … I think we always have the ability to pivot and take it to the next frontier.

An illustration that represents AI and technology with three lines evolving in colors with a gradient. The primary graphic are the letters AI inside of a technological chip

AI vs. Human-driven growth

“Whatever we create, humans are leading the development and deployment of everything, even the advancements in technology, the reflections of who we are and what we care about. We may accelerate the rate of that progress. We’re just getting closer to who we actually are, [what we] care about, [and] what actually matters.… We can look back at any period of rapid transformation for those times. You can imagine going from a horse to a car was pretty wild.… Electricity was probably wild to people, and that rate of change had to be incredible for them, too. I think it leans towards innovation and bettering our conditions overall, and participation. [The] point is, I think [we are] going to be in favor of those who want a future that is better. I think there are more people who want a better future than there are people who don’t. I would bet on them.… Given time, I think we’re all gonna land on the right side of history.”

AI, at least in our generation, has always existed. It’s right out of sight, out of mind, because it’s been influencing your money and decisions, but it wasn’t in our finances in a way that we can interact with it today. [Until now] the decision matrix [where] people have choices has been restricted by an AI optimized to pursue a particular aim. You have five choices, but those five choices aren’t unbiased. So AI has definitely restricted what we think is possible, which I think is a massive fail, because it has all of this information, right? Those choices: it’s overwhelming if you have them all, but I think there are more choices [we’re not aware of]
Jodi Anderson Jr.

Designing for Agency

Human-driven agency

“I think there’s two groups here. My older sister, she is not an academic in any sense, not a scientist in any traditional sense or even like a visionary entrepreneur like any of those accolades are normally ascribed to people that we would hold in high esteem. [She] just has insight into human nature and potential, how to mold that into something that is useful, no matter how long it takes for it to manifest itself. I think the second [group is a] cohort of individuals who are able to really make the most of [opportunity]. These are people who have no problem trading social capital. They don’t guard it. They’re not trying to hide it. It’s just they’re not in communication or community with people who come from different environments [who might need it]. I think that’s the only barrier. I think there’s a healthy amount of individuals who have no qualms about extending that as far as it can go.”

AI-driven agency

“[AI] takes all of the information, the collective knowledge of humanity, and then deliver[s] that to a person: whatever they need to know and what’s the best pathway to be successful. In streamlining that – and operationalizing that so any individual could access it in the same way — these networks find a way to repeat success and prosperity. I see AI as a democratizing element.”

AI vs. Human-driven agency

“AI can democratize access by enabling marginalized communities to participate in education, employment, and the knowledge of different social networks in ways that were previously out of reach. By providing tailored learning paths, career recommendations, or virtual mentorship, AI empowers individuals to overcome traditional barriers. This expanded participation drives the creation of new, more inclusive products and services, as the specific needs and perspectives of underserved groups are incorporated into the design process. The result is a broader, more innovative range of solutions that benefit society as a whole.”

I’ve been influenced by this notion that our decisions ought to be driven by data. Are there historical trends and patterns that we can rely on to optimize our decision making? You can’t eliminate intuition. That’s what I mean is uniquely human…. If you want to become, let’s say, an engineer, or you want to work for NASA, I think there are things that you ought to know or care about to make your chances of pursuing those endeavors more likely
Jodi Anderson Jr.

Designing for Belonging

Human-driven belonging

“If you find a way into the social circle, you didn’t get [t]here by accident. [Individuals with social capital] owe it to everyone in that social circle to spend all the social capital possible and to create as much opportunity as they can. That virtuous cycle never stops happening —[keeping] an open mind to the power of social networks. Then, people help each other out, help to make the community stronger, and more and more vibrant.

AI-driven belonging

“When more people, particularly from underserved communities, gain access to technology, it fuels innovation by introducing diverse perspectives. Increased participation leads to the development of new products that address previously overlooked needs. These often serve as the greatest market opportunities. For example, as more individuals engage with technology, their unique challenges inspire solutions that cater to a broader audience. Without widespread access and participation, technological advancements risk benefiting only a privileged few, and thus limiting their scope. Expanding access ensures that the innovations being developed are reflective of and responsive to a more inclusive range of societal needs.”

AI vs. Human-driven belonging

The reason why I really like scientists and inventors is because in real life, every invention or scientific story is based on something someone [made]. [When] this [happens] accidentally, magical things happen … If we have everyone doing some version of this, we’re going to discover things all the time. But we need to give them the information, the knowledge, and framework to make this more likely, so that they do participate. And then what we yield from that, we actually spread that to the rest of our community or to the rest of the world.”

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