Christopher Bartlett

I didn’t begin my career in technology. I trained as a theologian, worked as a social worker, and learned to code in a Sydney youth refuge in 2009. That gave me a people-first lens shaped by trust, relationships, and values — a perspective that still guides how I build today. Since then, I’ve spent my career building: 90+ software products, a few companies I’ve founded and sold, and projects with brands like Uber, Hoyts, and Kmart. That journey led me to a deeper question at the heart of AI adoption: Can we trust this technology? In 2023, David Yuan popularised the System of Action — the next step after Geoffrey Moore's Systems of Engagement and the earlier System of Record. Unlike those before it, Systems of Action don’t just record or inform decisions — they execute them in real time. But the next platform shift isn’t just about speed. It’s about certainty. I’ve written a thesis on what I believe comes next: The System of Trust. In it, I introduce several ideas already shaping the market: - The confidence gap — why AI adoption stalls without proof - Compounding trust — how verified outcomes accelerate adoption and lower CAC - Two-layer feedback — combining economic signals and societal values - The infrastructure for trust — data standards, governance, marketplaces, and legal rails If you’re interested in how predictions become proof — and proof becomes growth — I’d love your read and perspective. Link here --> tapestry.ai/thesis-the-sys…

A lot of people are understandably worried about artificial intelligence and its impact on the economy. Jobs will change. Industries and categories will shift. So the deeper question becomes: where does human value sit in the future? Are we being commoditised — or is there still hope? I’ve been thinking about this a lot. And given my background in theology, two concepts from classical philosophy and later theological tradition influenced by Greek and Hebrew worldviews keep coming to mind: logos and rhēma. Logos means word, reason, order, structure, logic. It represents the systems that make the world feel stable — our institutions, processes, and shared mental models. Rhēma means that which is spoken into a moment. It is expression, vision, individuality, creativity — meaning made visible in time. These two are often held in tension. Logos without rhēma becomes rigid and lifeless. Rhēma without logos burns brightly — but doesn’t endure. So what does this have to do with AI? AI is trained on the accumulated logos of history. It is extraordinarily good at patterning, iteration, optimisation, and recombination. And many roles built primarily on those capabilities will change or disappear. But rhēma cannot be automated. The expression of lived experience. Judgment shaped by context. The ability to recognise what matters now — and bring something new into the world. That is where new value will form. That is where meaning persists. And that is where there is real hope for the future.

Energy makes the world go round. Every rich place uses lots of energy. Every poor place does not. Find a stronger correlation in all of the social sciences. But our conversation is wrong. We are talking about an energy replacement, when we should be talking about how to have an energy revolution. A world that is universally rich in 2100 has 3x energy, 12x electricity, and 30x low-carbon electricity. The race for the future will be an electrification race. In our book A Century of Plenty, we show how it can be done (hint: ☢️ ) A link to our book is in the comments

@jamestynan He didn’t break the system. He revealed its limits - and painted what came next. Most people iterate. Very few reframe.

For 500 yrs western painters rendered reality naturally then in 1910 Picasso broke that entire system He was responding to a world that was moving too fast for a single view pt Today we’re in a similar place - old systems don’t feel valid Who’s breaking the mold like this?

The real question is this: what is the ultimate verification signal, economically?

Prediction → Action is a good start. But real impact happens when you close the loop: Prediction → Action → Verified Outcome → Trust → Better Action

Part II. Coming Soon.

Confidence costs are too high, and trusted feedback loops reduce friction.

It’s fine, my mum and ChatGPT both said I’m doing amazing.

A lot of quantitative people living in a largely qualitative world. Let’s make sure we’re balancing the two.

Sure, AI is cool. You know what’s cooler? A data pipeline. (Because even the smartest models are only as good as their inputs.)

Qual → Quant → Qual

Remember folks — hiking is free. Lands End trail. Bridge views.

@OpenAI really? even you product thinks this is a bad idea --> chatgpt.com/share/689c33ad…

Thursday 6/12 ‣ AI Innovators Forum: Databricks AI Summit Finale at JPMorgan Chase SF lu.ma/eu7wqk6q?utm_s… @founderscreate ‣ Visas, Ventures & AI: Your U.S. Tech Immigration Roadmap lu.ma/3m7tlgd6 ‣ [MLOps Now SF] AI Infrastructure for AI Agents by VESSL AI and HAC lu.ma/pukke9cn @vesslai ‣ Zero to Ek: The Power of One (Celebrating South Asian Entrepreneurship) lu.ma/j0gytgh6 ‣ Immigrant Founders Networking @ Microsoft Reactor lu.ma/immigrantfound… @atalovesyou @cityscopeTO ‣ San Francisco Data & AI Tech Drinks lu.ma/ncshurjp @chipershot ‣ Unusual Ventures & Carta Exclusive: Navigating Al Valuations and Fundraising Trends in Today's Venture Landscape lu.ma/a0wgpnao @thatniamhod

Getting publicly roasted by comedians while pitching? Sounds like NYC Tech Week. I’m Aussie—we eat rejection for breakfast 🇦🇺🥣 Come see me + Friendi.fi + legends like @noahobstfeld @harshal_ash at Pitch Roast Live this Thurs. Free tix? DM me. 👇 lnkd.in/gcrFHQuR

Good morning, NYC! It's officially the first day of #NYTechWeek! 116+ events kick off an incredible week with an a16z SPEEDRUN mixer, The Pitch Lift (a literal elevator pitch 🤯), and the Official a16z NYTW Kickoff! Here's what's happening on Day 1: a16z Events • 9 AM – Live a16z Podcast Recording, a16z Podcast • 10 AM – The Hidden Infra of High-Performance Startups, a16z • 1 PM – a16z SPEEDRUN One Last Round • 6 PM – Official a16z NY Tech Week Kickoff Early Morning • 7:30 AM – Coffee Kickoff, Daap • 8 AM – A Wellness Celebration for Women in Tech, Betterness • 8:30 AM – Bloomberg × TechNYC Defense Tech Breakfast Reception, Bloomberg • 9 AM – Female Founders Breakfast, Puzzle × Women Tech Meetup • 9 AM – Executive Breakfast with Pinecone, Pinecone • 9:30 AM – Finding Your Passion, Imera AI • 9 AM – Empire State of Innovation: Where AI Meets Quantum, IBM • 10 AM – Building AI Solutions in Health & Bio, 2048 Ventures • 10 AM – AI Real-Time Data Monitoring in HealthTech, PACE • 12 PM – The Big (Apple) Bet: VCs Investing in NY’s Quantum & AI Future, IBM • 4 PM – Next Play: How AI Is Rewriting the Rules of Sports, IBM • 4 PM – AI Unleashed: AWS × Lux Kickoff!, AWS • 6 PM – LangChain Presents: The Future of AI Agents Dinner • 6 PM – Commerce in Space: Imagining Forward Demo Days & Kickoffs • 9 AM – AM to IPO: SaaS Founders Kickoff Breakfast, Deel • 9 AM – Industry Bloc Demo Day, Steel Atlas • 12 PM – The World’s First VIBEATHON, ATTAP • 2:30 PM – Techstars Demo Day Spring 2025, Techstars × Google Cybersecurity • 10 AM – Generation Vulnerable: Cybersecurity, Gen Z & AI Risk, Girls Who Code • 11 AM – Verifying Data in the World of AI, Blue Check • 4 PM – Scaling Cyber: Founders, Investors & Government, Fenwick Networking • 12 PM – Crossing the Pond: European Expansion Panel, Deel • 2 PM – Sweet Scoops & Smooth Systems, CORXLY • 4 PM – Founders’ Landing, Deel • 5 PM – The Room Podcast × Partiful Interview • 6 PM – Tech on the Terrace: Sunset Reception, IBM • 6 PM – The Pitch Lift (Literally an Elevator Pitch!), Hands On Angel Events from a16z, IBM, Deel, Bloomberg, Techstars, and 100+ more hosts. 😊 Full schedule at tech-week.com/calendar Follow @techweek_ for live updates

Containment is the currency of conformity. Be uncontainable. That’s how you become inevitable.

Perfectly explained. The super tax on unrealised gains is a terrible tax on innovation in Australia. afr.com/policy/tax-and…

We don’t build products. We build tables. Where the right people arrive, the right conversation unfolds, and something true is called into form. The product is just the artifact. What happens at the table is what matters.