San Mateo County Libraries invites you to meet James Wang, author of What You Need to Know About AI, for a timely and engaging author talk at Atherton Library. Join us on Friday, August 7, from 3-4 PM as James speaks with featured host Nydia Zhang about one of the most transformative technologies of our time.
Attendees will have the opportunity to receive a free copy of What You Need to Know About AI at the event, while supplies last. Giveaway copies are limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Come early and get your free copy signed after the talk!
Whether you're curious about how AI works, wondering how it may affect your life or simply looking for a clear place to begin, this talk is for you. Come learn, ask questions and explore new ideas with neighbors, readers and fellow lifelong learners.
Join the Discussion
"This is the book I will give to everyone in my life to help them get to grips with the future."
— Jordan Schneider, Founder of ChinaTalk and Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS)
Artificial intelligence is no longer something waiting in the distant future. It's already shaping the way we work, learn, create and connect with the world around us. But for many of us, AI can still feel overwhelming, fast-moving and full of big questions.
At San Mateo County Libraries, we believe libraries are places where curiosity grows, ideas are shared and futures become brighter. This author talk offers a welcoming space to learn about AI together, ask meaningful questions and imagine what comes next.
Join us at Atherton Library for an afternoon of learning, connection and exploration with James Wang and Nydia Zhang. Come curious, bring your questions and leave inspired.
Meet James Wang
James Wang is a technologist, investor and writer with over a decade of experience in AI and deep tech. He is a general partner at Creative Ventures, an early-stage deep tech fund backing breakthroughs in AI, synthetic biology and advanced materials since 2016. Previously, he was on the investment team at Bridgewater Associates and worked at Google's "moonshot" innovation lab, X.
James has served as a board director at startups working in AI, healthcare and robotics and co-founded Lioness as CTO. He is a regular guest lecturer at UC Berkeley on entrepreneurship and startup financing and has spoken at the Sonoma Valley Authors Festival alongside Pulitzer Prize–winning authors.
He holds a Master’s in Computer Science from Georgia Tech and an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, where he was a Jack Larson Fellow in Entrepreneurship.
His Substack, Weighty Thoughts, opens a new window, is read by thousands of technologists, investors and policymakers around the world, offering clear, thoughtful analysis at the intersection of AI, innovation and society.
Meet Featured Host Nydia Zhang
Nydia Zhang is an art gallerist, investor and social entrepreneur whose work brings together art, technology and social impart.
An art history major by training, Nydia began her career in Hong Kong’s gallery world before moving into venture capital and private investments, with a focus on food-tech and emerging technologies. She co-founded a grant-making foundation for blockchain social impact initiatives and serves as an ambassador to the Global Blockchain Business Council, a UN partner organization advancing technology for the Sustainable Development Goals.
With her background across the arts, innovation and mission-driven technology, Nydia brings a thoughtful and wide-ranging perspective to this conversation with James Wang. Together, James and Nydia will guide a conversation that helps make the fast-changing world of AI feel more approachable, relevant and connected to our everyday lives.
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