Philosophies & Movements
Techno-optimism
The belief that technological progress is the main driver of human well-being and that problems created by technology are best solved with more technology, not by slowing it down. In AI debates it usually means opposing regulation or pauses and treating fast development as a moral good. Critics say it downplays who bears the costs and treats unequal outcomes as temporary. The word is also spelled “techno optimism” or “technological optimism.”
Origin
“Technological optimism” is a long-standing term in the history and philosophy of technology. Its current Silicon Valley use was popularized by venture capitalist Marc Andreessen’s “The Techno-Optimist Manifesto,” published by Andreessen Horowitz in October 2023.