Anu Atluru: Will AI Change How We Use Social Utilities?

Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future

Lightspeed Venture Partners
Episode: Anu Atluru: Will AI Change How We Use Social Utilities?
Date: January 30, 2025
Host: Michael Mignano
Guest: Anu Atluru, founder/operator (Slang), ex-Clubhouse Head of Community, physician, writer

Overview

This episode explores the evolving landscape of social utilities—apps and products that enable social interaction without requiring users to build or leverage a new social graph. Host Michael Mignano sits down with Anu Atluru to dive into the distinction between social utilities, social networks, and the future of social consumer products, especially as generative AI accelerates software creation and changes how we build, use, and pay for these tools. They also unpack the “taste discourse” sweeping tech, the practical and philosophical future of healthcare in an AI world, and predictions for how software creation will expand to everyone.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Social Utilities vs. Social Networks

Defining Social Utilities
- Anu: Defines social utilities as products useful for interaction with others, but that don't require you to build a new network or friend graph within the app. Partyful is an example: you can plan events and engage attendees without having to form a network first.
- Quote:
  
  “A social utility…is a product that you can use with people socially, but you don’t need to already have built a graph on that product.” – Anu [03:01]
The Spectrum: Tool – Social Utility – Social Network
- Single-player tools: No built-in social component, e.g., a party page simply posted online.
- Social utility: Used with existing friends (e.g., Locket for two friends, Saturn for classmates).
- Social network: Building new connections and user graph is central to product experience.
- Michael:
  
  “That example sounds exactly like the old sort of adage: ‘Come for the tool, stay for the network.’” [05:17]
Strategic Choices & Wedges
- It's valuable to start with a utility and progress to a broader network—but timing and decision-making are critical for maintaining momentum and eventually capturing network effects.
- “At the one year timeframe you really have to be thinking about what is your second act because there’s kind of a limit to how long the magic moment is…” – Anu [07:51]

Centralized vs. Decentralized Social Platforms

User Behavior on Decentralization
- Attempts at decentralized social products like Bluesky are discussed; most users prioritize convenience over privacy or true ownership, making centralized platforms likely to win.
- Michael:
  
  “The long tail of users will probably always trade convenience for privacy.” [11:16]
- Anu:
  
  “I think the biggest pitch these days for decentralized is around privacy or security on the consumer side and on the creator side, ownership.” [10:21]
Substack as a Case Study
- Substack’s model of direct ownership (email lists), especially in the wake of platforms like TikTok facing bans, appeals to creators who want independence.
- However, the tradeoff is that users generally prefer ad-funded models over paying directly, except for products where they’re “power users.”
- Anu:
  
  “Every product that I'm a power user of, I want to unlock ad free... YouTube Premium—which I love—is probably like my favorite product.” [13:24]

Subscription Fatigue & User Willingness to Pay

Binary Subscription Model
- Anu advocates for an “all in or all out” approach: only pay for subscriptions that provide outsized value, ideally via annual or lifetime payments, to combat subscription fatigue.
- Quote:
  
  “I want to go binary. Am I not subscribed, or am I almost the highest tier of subscribed to that thing?” – Anu [14:35]
Emerging Payment Models
- Lifetime, pay-once, or pay-what-you-want models are gaining traction, especially from indie creators, as psychology around recurring payments becomes a barrier.

Building Social in 2025: AI’s Role & New Battlegrounds

AI: Background vs. Foreground
- Most successful new social utilities may not feature AI as a front-and-center component; instead, AI will increasingly run in the background, providing leverage for creators and builders.
- Anu:
  
  “AI is going to run in the background for most things, even if it’s a social network or a media network… There’s still a lot that can be created that isn’t really based on AI, but is assisted by AI.” [19:28]
AI in Content & Creativity
- Anecdotes about using AI for meme creation, creative self-expression, and lightweight gaming dynamics—emphasizing how AI can drive new forms of content and social play.
- Anu:
  
  “That’s probably the most non-leverage, more content or creative thing that I have seen with Grok.” [21:35]
Games & Competitive Content as Opportunities
- As AI lowers the barrier to creation, games and content that are not strictly competitive (i.e., positive-sum experiences) continue to present opportunities for differentiation and community.
- “Games... are a really good place to be placing bets right now if you have some conviction and you actually have some sense of quality.” – Anu [25:30]

The "Taste" Discourse in Tech

Defining 'Taste' & Its New Importance
- Taste is seen as the ultimate filter amid content/software abundance; however, its meaning is being co-opted and diluted by overuse in public discourse.
- Anu:
  
  “Taste is discernment, probably discernment expressed in some way.” [30:53]
- Michael:
  
  “Now everyone wants to co-opt taste and say that they have taste and say that taste is the thing… The word itself is being bastardized.” [27:07]
- Taste as a fundamentally human attribute tied to discernment rather than pure aesthetic judgment or selection, which AI might be able to simulate but not fully embody.
AI, Taste, & Slop
- The “slop” discussion—distinguishing human-created from AI-created content—may shape perceptions of taste/quality in the future.
- Anu doubts AI will ever truly "have taste," though it may recommend taste-aligned things by imitating cultural aesthetics.

The Future of Software Creation

Everyone Becomes a Builder
- AI will democratize software creation just as UGC did for media—expect a rise of semi-pro/hobbyist software creators and vast new classes of local, networked, or personal utilities.
- Anu:
  
  “There will be just like a non-professional class of software creators or builders…expanding the base of hobbyist builders.” [34:54]
Distribution & Marketplace Opportunities
- The most valuable platforms will likely be those that connect end-to-end creation and consumption, not necessarily consumer-facing “Instagrams for software,” but perhaps something akin to a new marketplace for micro-apps.
- “What are the big things that help people create and what are the big things that help people distribute?” – Anu [40:20]
Will Abundance Matter?
- As AI floods the world with tools and content, the question is whether creation retains value; human taste and discernment may be the ultimate differentiator.
- “If we don’t believe… that humans will value human things and there will be economic value in the things that humans value… then the thing preceding it wouldn’t necessarily matter.” – Anu [45:00]

AI’s Impact on Healthcare & The Doctor’s Future

AI Transforming Medicine and Healthcare Professions
- AI will vastly expand understanding of rare diseases, research, diagnosis, and could shift the physician’s role to a more service-oriented, relational profession.
- “Physicians will do less of that cognitive work themselves... it’ll become a little bit more trade-like in the sense that a lot of what you’re doing is more the implementation aspect as opposed to a holistic assessment independently.” – Anu [47:52]
The Path to 'AI Doctors'
- For routine, low-acuity care, the AI doctor could soon be a reality—pending regulatory and trust hurdles.
- “I might argue we already have the AI doctor on our phone.” – Anu [52:35]
- Michael recounts using Claude with his own health data to get personalized advice—demonstrating a DIY, but cumbersome, version of future consumer health.
- Quote:
  
  “Sometimes I’ll take photos of my food and it’ll immediately make assumptions about…calories, protein…and it will tell me whether or not it recommends it based on my health history and goals.” – Michael [56:34]
Adoption Barriers
- Consumer adoption could precede regulatory acceptance; hospitals and clinics will lag due to conservatism and system inertia.
- “The reason hospitals will adopt this stuff is because it’ll make their physicians more efficient…No doubt, but I think that’s just a matter of time.” – Anu [63:53]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Privacy vs. User Convenience

“The long tail of users will probably always trade convenience for privacy…”
– Michael [11:16]
On Taste in an AI World

“Taste is discernment, probably discernment expressed in some way.”
– Anu [30:53]
On AI’s Limits with Taste

“AI will be able to have aesthetic judgment and it will be able to have selection…but I don’t know that those two things add up to taste.”
– Anu [30:05]
On Subscription Fatigue

“I want to go binary. Am I not subscribed, or am I almost the highest tier of subscribed to that thing?”
– Anu [14:35]
On the AI Doctor

“I might argue we already have the AI doctor on our phone.”
– Anu [52:35]

Timestamps for Major Topics

[03:01] Defining “social utilities” vs. social networks
[07:51] Strategic wedges & the “magic moment” in building social products
[10:21] Centralized vs. decentralized platforms; convenience vs. privacy/ownership
[14:35] Subscription fatigue and binary approach to subscriptions
[19:28] AI’s role as background/assistive tech in the new wave of products
[25:30] The enduring value of games & non-zero-sum content
[27:07] The “taste discourse”—what taste means in a world of abundant content
[30:53] Human discernment as the core of taste—distinguishing from AI’s capabilities
[34:54] The democratization of software creation & rise of hobbyist builders
[40:20] Opportunity in new creator/distribution marketplaces
[45:00] Abundance, AI, and the future value of human stuff
[47:52] How AI will reshape healthcare and the physician’s role
[52:35] The near future of AI as a primary medical interface
[56:34] Michael’s experiment using Claude for personalized health management

Lightning Round – Personal Recommendations & Favorites

Most recent app installed: Nikita’s new social utility/app [65:33]
Recent annual subscription: Copilot (personal finances) [65:51]
Favorite substacks:
- “Astral Codex Ten” by a physician/writer for deep tech/culture syntheses [67:10]
- “Feed Me” by Emily Sundberg for link commentary and cultural curation [68:00]
Favorite NYC neighborhood (not her own): Flatiron [68:49]
Deep work background music: “Intro” by The xx (YouTube version on loop) [69:17]
Series she’s watching: Survivor (still a favorite!) [71:22]

Final Thoughts

Anu and Michael share optimism for both the new era of abundant software creation and the ways AI will enhance—but also challenge—how we build, pay for, and discover social products and services. They see tremendous possibility in the continued rise of hobbyist creators and “software for one,” but acknowledge that challenges around value, taste, discovery, and trust loom large—especially in sectors like healthcare where the stakes are highest.

For more episodes: Follow Generative Now from Lightspeed wherever you get your podcasts.

Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Social Utilities vs. Social Networks

Defining Social Utilities
- Anu: Defines social utilities as products useful for interaction with others, but that don't require you to build a new network or friend graph within the app. Partyful is an example: you can plan events and engage attendees without having to form a network first.
- Quote:
  
  “A social utility…is a product that you can use with people socially, but you don’t need to already have built a graph on that product.” – Anu [03:01]
The Spectrum: Tool – Social Utility – Social Network
- Single-player tools: No built-in social component, e.g., a party page simply posted online.
- Social utility: Used with existing friends (e.g., Locket for two friends, Saturn for classmates).
- Social network: Building new connections and user graph is central to product experience.
- Michael:
  
  “That example sounds exactly like the old sort of adage: ‘Come for the tool, stay for the network.’” [05:17]
Strategic Choices & Wedges
- It's valuable to start with a utility and progress to a broader network—but timing and decision-making are critical for maintaining momentum and eventually capturing network effects.
- “At the one year timeframe you really have to be thinking about what is your second act because there’s kind of a limit to how long the magic moment is…” – Anu [07:51]

Centralized vs. Decentralized Social Platforms

User Behavior on Decentralization
- Attempts at decentralized social products like Bluesky are discussed; most users prioritize convenience over privacy or true ownership, making centralized platforms likely to win.
- Michael:
  
  “The long tail of users will probably always trade convenience for privacy.” [11:16]
- Anu:
  
  “I think the biggest pitch these days for decentralized is around privacy or security on the consumer side and on the creator side, ownership.” [10:21]
Substack as a Case Study
- Substack’s model of direct ownership (email lists), especially in the wake of platforms like TikTok facing bans, appeals to creators who want independence.
- However, the tradeoff is that users generally prefer ad-funded models over paying directly, except for products where they’re “power users.”
- Anu:
  
  “Every product that I'm a power user of, I want to unlock ad free... YouTube Premium—which I love—is probably like my favorite product.” [13:24]

Subscription Fatigue & User Willingness to Pay

Binary Subscription Model
- Anu advocates for an “all in or all out” approach: only pay for subscriptions that provide outsized value, ideally via annual or lifetime payments, to combat subscription fatigue.
- Quote:
  
  “I want to go binary. Am I not subscribed, or am I almost the highest tier of subscribed to that thing?” – Anu [14:35]
Emerging Payment Models
- Lifetime, pay-once, or pay-what-you-want models are gaining traction, especially from indie creators, as psychology around recurring payments becomes a barrier.

Building Social in 2025: AI’s Role & New Battlegrounds

AI: Background vs. Foreground
- Most successful new social utilities may not feature AI as a front-and-center component; instead, AI will increasingly run in the background, providing leverage for creators and builders.
- Anu:
  
  “AI is going to run in the background for most things, even if it’s a social network or a media network… There’s still a lot that can be created that isn’t really based on AI, but is assisted by AI.” [19:28]
AI in Content & Creativity
- Anecdotes about using AI for meme creation, creative self-expression, and lightweight gaming dynamics—emphasizing how AI can drive new forms of content and social play.
- Anu:
  
  “That’s probably the most non-leverage, more content or creative thing that I have seen with Grok.” [21:35]
Games & Competitive Content as Opportunities
- As AI lowers the barrier to creation, games and content that are not strictly competitive (i.e., positive-sum experiences) continue to present opportunities for differentiation and community.
- “Games... are a really good place to be placing bets right now if you have some conviction and you actually have some sense of quality.” – Anu [25:30]

The "Taste" Discourse in Tech

Defining 'Taste' & Its New Importance
- Taste is seen as the ultimate filter amid content/software abundance; however, its meaning is being co-opted and diluted by overuse in public discourse.
- Anu:
  
  “Taste is discernment, probably discernment expressed in some way.” [30:53]
- Michael:
  
  “Now everyone wants to co-opt taste and say that they have taste and say that taste is the thing… The word itself is being bastardized.” [27:07]
- Taste as a fundamentally human attribute tied to discernment rather than pure aesthetic judgment or selection, which AI might be able to simulate but not fully embody.
AI, Taste, & Slop
- The “slop” discussion—distinguishing human-created from AI-created content—may shape perceptions of taste/quality in the future.
- Anu doubts AI will ever truly "have taste," though it may recommend taste-aligned things by imitating cultural aesthetics.

The Future of Software Creation

Everyone Becomes a Builder
- AI will democratize software creation just as UGC did for media—expect a rise of semi-pro/hobbyist software creators and vast new classes of local, networked, or personal utilities.
- Anu:
  
  “There will be just like a non-professional class of software creators or builders…expanding the base of hobbyist builders.” [34:54]
Distribution & Marketplace Opportunities
- The most valuable platforms will likely be those that connect end-to-end creation and consumption, not necessarily consumer-facing “Instagrams for software,” but perhaps something akin to a new marketplace for micro-apps.
- “What are the big things that help people create and what are the big things that help people distribute?” – Anu [40:20]
Will Abundance Matter?
- As AI floods the world with tools and content, the question is whether creation retains value; human taste and discernment may be the ultimate differentiator.
- “If we don’t believe… that humans will value human things and there will be economic value in the things that humans value… then the thing preceding it wouldn’t necessarily matter.” – Anu [45:00]

AI’s Impact on Healthcare & The Doctor’s Future

AI Transforming Medicine and Healthcare Professions
- AI will vastly expand understanding of rare diseases, research, diagnosis, and could shift the physician’s role to a more service-oriented, relational profession.
- “Physicians will do less of that cognitive work themselves... it’ll become a little bit more trade-like in the sense that a lot of what you’re doing is more the implementation aspect as opposed to a holistic assessment independently.” – Anu [47:52]
The Path to 'AI Doctors'
- For routine, low-acuity care, the AI doctor could soon be a reality—pending regulatory and trust hurdles.
- “I might argue we already have the AI doctor on our phone.” – Anu [52:35]
- Michael recounts using Claude with his own health data to get personalized advice—demonstrating a DIY, but cumbersome, version of future consumer health.
- Quote:
  
  “Sometimes I’ll take photos of my food and it’ll immediately make assumptions about…calories, protein…and it will tell me whether or not it recommends it based on my health history and goals.” – Michael [56:34]
Adoption Barriers
- Consumer adoption could precede regulatory acceptance; hospitals and clinics will lag due to conservatism and system inertia.
- “The reason hospitals will adopt this stuff is because it’ll make their physicians more efficient…No doubt, but I think that’s just a matter of time.” – Anu [63:53]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Privacy vs. User Convenience

“The long tail of users will probably always trade convenience for privacy…”
– Michael [11:16]
On Taste in an AI World

“Taste is discernment, probably discernment expressed in some way.”
– Anu [30:53]
On AI’s Limits with Taste

“AI will be able to have aesthetic judgment and it will be able to have selection…but I don’t know that those two things add up to taste.”
– Anu [30:05]
On Subscription Fatigue

“I want to go binary. Am I not subscribed, or am I almost the highest tier of subscribed to that thing?”
– Anu [14:35]
On the AI Doctor

“I might argue we already have the AI doctor on our phone.”
– Anu [52:35]

Timestamps for Major Topics

[03:01] Defining “social utilities” vs. social networks
[07:51] Strategic wedges & the “magic moment” in building social products
[10:21] Centralized vs. decentralized platforms; convenience vs. privacy/ownership
[14:35] Subscription fatigue and binary approach to subscriptions
[19:28] AI’s role as background/assistive tech in the new wave of products
[25:30] The enduring value of games & non-zero-sum content
[27:07] The “taste discourse”—what taste means in a world of abundant content
[30:53] Human discernment as the core of taste—distinguishing from AI’s capabilities
[34:54] The democratization of software creation & rise of hobbyist builders
[40:20] Opportunity in new creator/distribution marketplaces
[45:00] Abundance, AI, and the future value of human stuff
[47:52] How AI will reshape healthcare and the physician’s role
[52:35] The near future of AI as a primary medical interface
[56:34] Michael’s experiment using Claude for personalized health management

Lightning Round – Personal Recommendations & Favorites

Most recent app installed: Nikita’s new social utility/app [65:33]
Recent annual subscription: Copilot (personal finances) [65:51]
Favorite substacks:
- “Astral Codex Ten” by a physician/writer for deep tech/culture syntheses [67:10]
- “Feed Me” by Emily Sundberg for link commentary and cultural curation [68:00]
Favorite NYC neighborhood (not her own): Flatiron [68:49]
Deep work background music: “Intro” by The xx (YouTube version on loop) [69:17]
Series she’s watching: Survivor (still a favorite!) [71:22]

Final Thoughts

For more episodes: Follow Generative Now from Lightspeed wherever you get your podcasts.

wavePod

Powered by Wave AI

Summary

Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Social Utilities vs. Social Networks

Centralized vs. Decentralized Social Platforms

Subscription Fatigue & User Willingness to Pay

Building Social in 2025: AI’s Role & New Battlegrounds

The "Taste" Discourse in Tech

The Future of Software Creation

AI’s Impact on Healthcare & The Doctor’s Future

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Major Topics

Lightning Round – Personal Recommendations & Favorites

Final Thoughts

Summary

Generative Now | AI Builders on Creating the Future

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Social Utilities vs. Social Networks

Centralized vs. Decentralized Social Platforms

Subscription Fatigue & User Willingness to Pay

Building Social in 2025: AI’s Role & New Battlegrounds

The "Taste" Discourse in Tech

The Future of Software Creation

AI’s Impact on Healthcare & The Doctor’s Future

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Major Topics

Lightning Round – Personal Recommendations & Favorites

Final Thoughts