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Tech executives typically come throughout as distant and a bit out of contact — Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch, cuts a distinct determine. Once I met with him at Amazon Studios in Los Angeles for The CEO Sequence, Clancy’s authenticity was evident from the beginning. Wearing an off-the-cuff hat and comfy in his pores and skin, he embodied a management type that felt extra like collaboration than command. Regardless of a résumé that features NASA, Google and YouTube — and a PhD in synthetic intelligence — Clancy does not carry the load of his credentials. As a substitute, he radiates curiosity, openness and a willingness to query even his personal assumptions.
We coated the whole lot from Twitch’s enterprise mannequin to the broader influence of social media on society. Whereas Clancy acknowledges the darkish sides of social media platforms, particularly for younger folks, he was fast to tell apart Twitch from the remaining. “It is not nearly curated posts or doom-scrolling,” he defined. “Twitch is about community-centric dwell streaming. It is people being current, connecting.” Based on Clancy, about two-thirds of Twitch’s income comes from followers supporting their favourite streamers instantly — a dynamic that he says fosters engagement over algorithmic manipulation.
One of many extra thought-provoking moments got here after we mentioned AI. Clancy has been engaged on synthetic intelligence for the reason that ’90s, lengthy earlier than the present generative increase. However he was fast to dispel the hype: “We have all the time had AI. What’s modified now’s the size and visibility of it.” He emphasised that AI will not change streamers however will as a substitute act as a artistic software. Nonetheless, his largest concern is not the expertise — it is the people who management it. “We have to keep targeted on who’s programming the AI and why,” he mentioned.
Clancy’s method to management is equally grounded. He does not shrink back from troublesome choices, resembling current layoffs, however insists on transparency and empathy. “It is laborious,” he admitted, “however typically you must do what’s proper for the long-term well being of the platform and the streamers.”
When requested about the way forward for social media, Clancy struck a philosophical tone. “We’re all creators,” he mentioned. “The aim needs to be to make it simpler for extra folks to precise themselves authentically.” That perception guides Twitch’s evolving mannequin, the place dwell interplay, not simply content material, is king. And it is why Clancy nonetheless streams himself: not for PR, however as a result of he genuinely enjoys it.
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As I left the studio, I could not assist however replicate on the dialog. Clancy’s management type — equal components engineer, thinker and group member — provides a glimpse into what trendy tech management can appear like. He is not simply operating a platform; he is taking part in it. And in a time when belief in tech management is fragile, it was a enjoyable instance to see, and I loved speaking with him.
Tech executives typically come throughout as distant and a bit out of contact — Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch, cuts a distinct determine. Once I met with him at Amazon Studios in Los Angeles for The CEO Sequence, Clancy’s authenticity was evident from the beginning. Wearing an off-the-cuff hat and comfy in his pores and skin, he embodied a management type that felt extra like collaboration than command. Regardless of a résumé that features NASA, Google and YouTube — and a PhD in synthetic intelligence — Clancy does not carry the load of his credentials. As a substitute, he radiates curiosity, openness and a willingness to query even his personal assumptions.
We coated the whole lot from Twitch’s enterprise mannequin to the broader influence of social media on society. Whereas Clancy acknowledges the darkish sides of social media platforms, particularly for younger folks, he was fast to tell apart Twitch from the remaining. “It is not nearly curated posts or doom-scrolling,” he defined. “Twitch is about community-centric dwell streaming. It is people being current, connecting.” Based on Clancy, about two-thirds of Twitch’s income comes from followers supporting their favourite streamers instantly — a dynamic that he says fosters engagement over algorithmic manipulation.
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