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The sage venture capitalist Fred Wilson looks back at his predictions for 2017 — and what really happened — and ahead to what he foresees for 2018. Three macro themes dominated the past year in tech, he says: The breakout of crypto/blockchain, the beginning of the end of white male dominance and the backlash against tech. Wilson sketches the likely narrative of the next 30 years: “Human beings don’t want to be controlled by machines. And we are increasingly being controlled by machines.” Meanwhile, for 2018, Wilson predicts more tech IPOs, even as mega-funds like SoftBank make it easier for big tech companies to stay private by raising huge rounds. [Fred Wilson / A VC]
A network of 300 prominent Hollywood women launched Time’s Up, an ambitious initiative to fight systemic sexual harassment in Hollywood and media — and in blue-collar workplaces. Continuing the momentum of 2017’s cascading revelations of sexual harassment, the movement was announced in major U.S. newspapers, with an open letter signed by actresses America Ferrera, Eva Longoria and Reese Witherspoon, producer Shonda Rhimes and many other A-listers; the group already has a legal defense fund backed by $13 million in donations. [Cara Buckley / The New York Times]
Verizon approached Rupert Murdoch about buying much of 21st Century Fox this summer. Murdoch ended up selling to Disney instead, but the Verizon offer, reported in a long look at the Disney/Fox deal, is a reminder of the telco’s big media ambitions. [Brooks Barnes and Sydney Ember / The New York Times]
The New Yorker’s China expert, Evan Osnos, observes China’s growing stature on the world stage — and how Beijing has learned to use U.S. President Trump to its advantage. While Trump dumps American commitments, President Xi Jinping is increasing China’s investments in the types of assets that established American authority in the previous century: Foreign aid and influence, overseas security and the most advanced new technologies, such as artificial intelligence. [Evan Osnos / The New Yorker]
Otto, the startup that wanted to sell a $700 smart lock, is shuttering before it ever shipped a product. In a Medium post, CEO Sam Jadallah tells his version of the story, which includes plans to sell his firm to a public company.
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This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
