Larry Weber Asks Tech Giants to Stop Wasting Innovation and Start Saving the World
In a thought-provoking interview on the That Said podcast, Larry Weber doesn’t hold back on his bold vision for the future of technology. As he discusses his latest book, The New Age of Reason: Harnessing the Power of Tech for Good, Weber makes it clear—technology’s potential to reshape society is enormous, but it’s being wasted if we don’t act decisively.
Weber recounts his early days as a PR pioneer, launching companies like SAP and AOL, and helping Tim Berners-Lee introduce the World Wide Web. He has seen the arc of technological evolution firsthand. “I was sitting with Berners-Lee when he asked me if I liked the name ‘World Wide Web.’ I said, ‘I don’t know what it means, but it sounds okay,’” Weber reveals. Now, decades later, he’s still on the frontlines, pushing for the next big shift—one that will merge technology with human welfare in unprecedented ways.
Throughout the interview, Weber repeatedly stresses his optimism about AI, a point of view sharply contrasting the fear-driven narratives circulating today. “Yes, people are scared AI will take jobs,” he acknowledges, “but look at the history of innovation. Every major technological shift—the steam engine, the computer—yes, they disrupted jobs, but they created more in the long run.” He’s adamant that AI, despite the dystopian anxieties surrounding it, will follow the same trajectory. “The narrative has to shift. AI is going to be a greater job creator than a destroyer.”
And yet, Weber doesn’t sugarcoat AI’s problems, particularly in its current form. He calls out one of its most dangerous flaws—its potential to plagiarize. “AI is the biggest plagiarist out there. It’s taking information without attribution, and that needs to change. Guardrails have to be built around this technology,” he insists, noting that AI is still in its infancy, and there’s time to refine it. Weber urges more regulation and ethical standards to prevent the misuse of AI, especially in journalism, where he sees the technology’s unchecked power as a threat to independent reporting.
Weber's sense of urgency becomes even more striking when he talks about the life-and-death implications of technological advancements in healthcare. The potential of robotics in surgeries is vast, he explains. “There aren’t enough surgeons in the world, but robotics can change that. Imagine a surgeon in Columbus, Ohio, using robotic technology to perform surgery in rural Africa,” Weber says, painting a picture of a future where healthcare disparities are closed by cutting-edge tech.
But not all is rosy. Weber admits that the tech world hasn’t moved fast enough in combating climate change. His frustration is palpable as he describes how today’s innovations could already be saving the planet. “We have the technologies to solve this—AI, carbon capture, sustainable farming practices—it’s all there. But we’re not using them fast enough. Corporations are the ones that need to step up. The government isn’t going to fix this,” Weber states bluntly.
Where Weber really goes deep is his vision for reshaping the corporate world. His call for a paradigm shift in corporate leadership is both audacious and pointed. “Every company now is a software company. It doesn’t matter if you sell groceries or cars, technology is at the heart of it. And because of that, every company needs a soul,” Weber declares. He insists that companies should be leading the charge in solving global problems, not just making profits. “We need Chief Innovation Officers and Chief Ethics Officers at every company,” he says, outlining his belief that these roles should be central in ensuring that technology is used not just for financial gain but for the betterment of society.
In an especially revealing part of the interview, Weber criticizes the lack of accountability at some of the largest tech companies, using Facebook as a prime example. “Facebook was built on an outdated model of platform technology where they just threw it out there and let people do whatever they wanted with it. That doesn’t work anymore,” he says pointedly. Weber believes companies like Facebook need to own up to their responsibilities for how their platforms are shaping society.
He doesn’t stop there. Weber challenges companies like Amazon to go beyond their current missions. “Amazon’s drones could be used to fight California wildfires, deliver supplies to disaster zones—they have the technology, but they’re not using it for that,” he argues. For Weber, it’s no longer enough for companies to be technology leaders—they must also be moral leaders.
Ultimately, Weber leaves listeners with a powerful message: We’re at a crossroads, and it’s time to demand that the technology we’ve spent decades developing be used to solve real problems. “These inventions need to be applied for the common human good,” Weber insists, a challenge he doesn’t direct only at CEOs and innovators, but at society as a whole. He closes with a call to action: “We can’t wait for divine intervention. We need to make this happen now.”
Weber’s insights are not just a reflection on where we are—they are a bold prediction of what must come next if humanity is to harness the true potential of technology. It’s clear he believes that the future is up for grabs, and whether it turns dystopian or utopian depends on the choices we make right now.
