What Superagency by Reid Hoffman and Greg Beato Taught Me About Designing for Human Agency in an AI World
In this edition of eChai’s Books for Entrepreneurs series, I want to explore a question that’s been on my mind:
What if AI doesn’t replace us—but helps us become more of who we already are?
That’s the central idea behind Superagency, and it hit home.
What if AI doesn’t replace us—but helps us become more of who we already are?
That’s the central idea behind Superagency, and it hit home.
The book is co-authored by Reid Hoffman — co-founder of LinkedIn, partner at Greylock, and someone who’s been at the heart of Silicon Valley’s most transformative moments, from PayPal to OpenAI. What makes his perspective stand out is that he’s not observing AI from the sidelines — he’s actively shaping it.
His co-author, Greg Beato, adds a sharp cultural and editorial lens. Together, they make Superagency feel less like a tech manual, and more like a thoughtful invitation to build more consciously — and more responsibly — with AI.
I picked up Superagency one quiet evening, thinking I’d skim through it.
But somewhere between page 10 and 30, I realized… this wasn’t just a book about AI.
It felt like a mirror — one that made me reflect on how I think, design, and build in tech. And more than anything, how we show up as founders and product people inside this massive wave of change.
Reid talks about something he calls “superagency” — the idea that AI, when built right, doesn’t replace us.
It amplifies us.
It helps individuals — not just institutions — make faster decisions, navigate systems better, and express themselves more fully.
That clicked instantly for me.
As a product strategist and community builder, I’ve seen how badly we need that kind of tech. Not just smart. Not just scalable. But human-first.
One metaphor that stuck with me was this:
“AI is your cognitive GPS.”
You still set the destination.
You’re still the driver.
But the AI helps you navigate faster, with fewer wrong turns, and more context.
You’re still the driver.
But the AI helps you navigate faster, with fewer wrong turns, and more context.
That’s how I now look at GenAI tools.
Not as a replacement. Not as magic.
But as possibility multipliers.
Not as a replacement. Not as magic.
But as possibility multipliers.
Another line I underlined:
“Technology isn’t destiny. It’s a tool. What matters is who uses it — and how.”
I paused after reading that.
Because in our race to integrate the latest models, plug in AI features, and use the right buzzwords…
we rarely ask: What kind of agency are we actually giving the user?
Because in our race to integrate the latest models, plug in AI features, and use the right buzzwords…
we rarely ask: What kind of agency are we actually giving the user?
Are we designing for decision-making?
Or just for dopamine?
Or just for dopamine?
Reading Superagency made me more intentional.
- About how I design AI interactions.
- About how I talk about AI in panels and community meetups.
- About what kind of future I’m helping shape through the small choices I make at work.
Because here’s the thing: founders and PMs may not control the whole AI narrative —
But we do decide how it lands in the hands of users.
This book won’t give you 10 frameworks or a product checklist.
But we do decide how it lands in the hands of users.
This book won’t give you 10 frameworks or a product checklist.
But if you lead product, build startups, or simply think about what tech should mean in the next 5–10 years, it will reframe your mental model.
I closed the book feeling more responsible — and more optimistic.
And that’s a rare combo in this space.
I’ll leave you with Reid’s line:
“The surest way to prevent a bad future is to steer toward a better one.”
If you’re building AI-first, AI-lite, or even just AI-curious — I’d say: read this one.
It’s thoughtful. Grounded. Real.
It’s thoughtful. Grounded. Real.
And it’ll stay with you longer than your average AI blog post ever could.
PS: If you're curious to hear Reid Hoffman unpack these ideas himself — this conversation with DJ Patil at Commonwealth Club World Affairs is worth your time.
PS: If you're curious to hear Reid Hoffman unpack these ideas himself — this conversation with DJ Patil at Commonwealth Club World Affairs is worth your time.
It’s not just about AI trends — it’s about what kind of future we want to design.
They explore everything from AI tutors and healthcare breakthroughs to the moral responsibility of builders.
If you're a founder shaping with tech, this one’s for you.
They explore everything from AI tutors and healthcare breakthroughs to the moral responsibility of builders.
If you're a founder shaping with tech, this one’s for you.
https://youtu.be/y0zsSR0r3BM?si=yYa2zwcgqY1WOo_f
What folks are talking about it
https://x.com/krynsky/status/1895291445206229366
Superagency!
https://x.com/reidhoffman/status/1913265771087626547
