Why Tech Bros Are Now Obsessed with Taste

With artificial intelligence continuing to dominate corporate strategies and news headlines, Silicon Valley has embraced a new buzzword, one that may feel too close to home for those already feeling embattled by automation. That word is “taste,” and in recent months it has become as much of a tech-world cliché as “disruption” was in the twenty-tens. The esteemed technologist Paul Graham posted on X, “In the AI age, taste will become even more important.” Koen Bok, a founder of the booming A.I. design tool Framer, said on a podcast that “great taste” is what will create the best new products. The bookmarking app Sublime promises to build “a library that reflects your taste,” with the help of A.I.-driven recommendations.