Do We Like What We See When We Look in the Mirror?
Techstrong.ai, Monday, October 12th, 2026
Alan Shimel reads Hollywood's darker take on Silicon Valley as a warning that AI firms must not repeat social media's mistakes.
Alan Shimel compares HBO's Silicon Valley, whose founders audiences still rooted for, with the new series Cupertino and Aaron Sorkin's The Social Reckoning about Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.
He sees a shift in public perception from celebrating founders to questioning the power and accountability of tech leaders.
Scrutiny of Big Tech has grown while legislation and accountability lag.
As AI companies promise another revolution amid declining public trust, Shimel argues the industry needs to confront its history rather than repeat the mistakes of the social media era.