In 2001, before he cofounded Reddit, before he married the world’s greatest tennis player, before he became the face of devoted fatherhood and a serial entrepreneur, Alexis Ohanian gave a 3-minute, 20-second high school commencement speech. “The size of your impact shouldn’t be measured in the amount of media coverage or the number of figures on your paycheck,” he told his fellow graduates, “but rather the effect you have on the world around you.”
Ohanian’s advice to his class was something of a preview of his future: The now 42-year-old Reddit cofounder created a social network that once called itself “the front page of the internet,” and despite leaving Reddit, he’s never stopped being an entrepreneur. Over the past two decades, he has invested in, advised, and mentored a wide range of early-stage startups. He’s used his celebrity to advocate for paternity leave, net neutrality, and inclusivity in tech, among other causes.
In March of this year, Ohanian announced that he’s jumping back into the world of social networks. Along with Kevin Rose, his former competitor and the creator of the social network Digg, the duo has repurchased the platform for an official relaunch.
Ohanian joined me on Uncanny Valley for the podcast’s first Big Interview. Check your feeds for a new episode each week, featuring one-on-one conversations with a range of voices from WIRED’s world.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
KATIE DRUMMOND: We always start these conversations with a little bit of rapid fire. Are you ready?
ALEXIS OHANIAN: Yes. I’ve had my coffee.
OK, good. What’s your most active text thread?
With my wife and our nannies.
That sounds right. Parent of two over there. ChatGPT or Claude?
You know, I dabble between both. I’d say I use ChatGPT more, but I feel like Claude does a much better job writing and programming. ChatGPT was trained largely on tons and tons and tons of Reddit data, so I guess I should use it more.
We’re going to talk a little bit about that later. Now I hate to do this, but you did work at Pizza Hut in high school.
I did. Nothing I hate about that.
I worked at Tim Horton’s, so I agree. Favorite pizza topping?
Jalapenos.
Bold. First video game purchase?
Oh my God. With my own money?
Yes.
It was probably this helicopter action sim called Comanche: Maximum Overkill. I’d just gotten this computer, this 486SX monster. I was so excited.
Now you’re really making me want to look and relive this game on YouTube.
My first game was probably something like SimTower, and sometimes I get these cravings. I crave building those condos. New York or San Francisco?
New York. I was born in Fort Greene. Come on.
American football or soccer?
I’m forever going to be a die-hard American football fan. That was the sport I played, the sport I loved. I’ve come to love the beautiful game, but I definitely was indoctrinated in the NFL.
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