In his thought-provoking presentation at OODAcon, Gil Verdon, physicist and CEO of Extropic, outlined his vision for a future where technological innovation drives humanity toward extraordinary achievements. Introduced by Bob Gourley as a critical voice in the high-tech sector and founder/leader of the techno-optimist movement of e/acc, Verdon emphasized the importance of accelerating innovation despite regulatory challenges. Drawing inspiration from the OODA Loop framework, he detailed how principles of observation, orientation, decision, and action have shaped his pioneering work in quantum and thermodynamic computing. His journey, deeply rooted in his childhood dream of scaling civilization to the stars, has been guided by a relentless focus on enabling transformative breakthroughs.

Verdon described his evolution from studying quantum cosmology to spearheading advancements in quantum computing, including co-developing TensorFlow Quantum and contributing to Google’s quantum lab. However, recognizing the physical and energy limitations of current computational paradigms, he turned his attention to thermodynamic computing. This emerging field seeks to harness mesoscale physical systems to create adaptive, energy-efficient computers inspired by the human brain’s capabilities. Verdon shared Extropic’s recent milestone: the development of a commercial-grade thermodynamic chip capable of delivering thousand-fold improvements in energy efficiency and speed for AI and decision-making systems.

Beyond the technical frontier, Verdon provided insights into the e/acc movement. He stressed the importance of cultural engineering to foster an optimistic, exploration-driven society. He highlighted the role of cultural beliefs in shaping policies and capital flows that drive technological innovation, advocating for a “human-techno-capital machine” where human creativity, technological progress, and economic growth reinforce each other. Warning against decelerationist ideologies, Verdon urged policymakers and innovators to embrace risk in pursuit of transformative advancements. His presentation underscored the need for adaptive systems, both technological and societal, to thrive in an era of exponential change, leaving the audience inspired by the possibilities on the horizon.