Shaun Macgillivray

Filmmaker. Investor. Interested in AI, energy, biotech, the future and big ideas. Learning in public.

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

I’ve spent years building IMAX films with scientists, founders, and global companies.

The pace of innovation—AI, energy, biotech, the future of work—feels like we’re standing at the edge of the most transformative decade yet.

I’ll share what I’m learning along the way.

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

@ElliotHershberg Love this story.

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

@sytses So inspiring.

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

@ScottAdamsSays An incredible person, so thoughtful. So sad.

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

@BrentBeshore Love this Brent. Thank you for sharing.

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

@marktilbury Influence by robert cialdini is one of my favorites

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

Loved this podcast. Here are a few things that really stuck with me:

One of the biggest reminders was that the highest value use of time isn’t grinding harder—it’s thinking clearly about what’s actually worth working on right now. Being busy on the wrong things is still wasted energy.

Another was leverage. Writing notes helps you. Writing something for others—an article, a post, an idea shared publicly—creates leverage and optionality you can’t fully predict. Impact compounds.

And the idea that hit closest to home: just start. For me, starting is often the hardest part. Once I begin—writing an email, reviewing a cut, going for a workout—I usually enjoy it far more than I expect and get pulled in quickly. Momentum follows action, not the other way around.

Sometimes even starting by thinking helps—figuring out what needs to be done, breaking a multi-step project into pieces, identifying the very first move. Action creates clarity. One of those conversations that quietly resets how I approach work, time, and procrastination.

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

Just finished the The Knowledge Project conversation with James Clear, and it really stuck with me. One big reminder: the highest value use of time isn’t grinding harder—it’s thinking clearly about what is actually worth working on right now. Being busy on the wrong things is still wasted effort.

Another idea that landed was leverage. Writing notes is helpful for me. Writing something for others—an article, a post, a thought shared publicly—creates leverage and optionality you can’t fully see in advance. Impact compounds in unexpected ways.

But the part that resonated most was the idea of just starting. For me, starting is often the hardest part—especially when I’m procrastinating. Once I actually begin—writing an email, reviewing a cut, going for a workout—I usually enjoy it way more than I expected and get pulled in quickly. Momentum shows up fast after the start.

Sometimes even starting by thinking—what actually needs to get done, what are the steps, what’s the first small move—breaks the resistance. Action creates clarity, clarity creates momentum. One of those conversations that subtly but meaningfully resets how I think about time, work, and progress. 👇https://t.co/txlPOnTxp1

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

@BookNoteApp Good list! Loved zero to one and the power broker.

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

@curiosityonx What a perspective, beautiful video!

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

@JamesLucasIT Amazing photo!

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

I like this graphic. Here to all having a great next year.

[Tim Urban @waitbutwhy]

It’s that day when I make you all look at this

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

In the age of AI, intelligence is no longer scarce.
Agency is.

I never thought raising smart kids was the goal. But I did underestimate how much we overvalue intelligence—and how much we undervalue agency.

Agency is the belief that my choices matter, I am responsible, and I can act, even without certainty. It’s what turns ability into action and belief into follow-through.

That idea aligns naturally with faith. Faith isn’t just knowing what’s true; it’s trusting enough to take responsibility for what’s been entrusted to you. That’s stewardship—and it requires agency.

AI can provide answers instantly. It can’t choose, persist, or own consequences. Used poorly, it trains passivity. Used well, it becomes a tool under human responsibility.

So parenting has to reflect that. Less rescuing. More ownership. Fewer answers. More space to struggle and reflect—held inside love and grace.

If we want resilient, grounded kids in an AI-shaped world, the muscle we should be building isn’t intelligence.

It’s agency.

Love the below from one of the smartest people on the planet.

[Andrej Karpathy @karpathy]

Agency > Intelligence

I had this intuitively wrong for decades, I think due to a pervasive cultural veneration of intelligence, various entertainment/media, obsession with IQ etc. Agency is significantly more powerful and significantly more scarce. Are you hiring for agency? Are we educating for agency? Are you acting as if you had 10X agency?

Grok explanation is ~close:

“Agency, as a personality trait, refers to an individual's capacity to take initiative, make decisions, and exert control over their actions and environment. It’s about being proactive rather than reactive—someone with high agency doesn’t just let life happen to them; they shape it. Think of it as a blend of self-efficacy, determination, and a sense of ownership over one’s path.

People with strong agency tend to set goals and pursue them with confidence, even in the face of obstacles. They’re the type to say, “I’ll figure it out,” and then actually do it. On the flip side, someone low in agency might feel more like a passenger in their own life, waiting for external forces—like luck, other people, or circumstances—to dictate what happens next.

It’s not quite the same as assertiveness or ambition, though it can overlap. Agency is quieter, more internal—it’s the belief that you *can* act, paired with the will to follow through. Psychologists often tie it to concepts like locus of control: high-agency folks lean toward an internal locus, feeling they steer their fate, while low-agency folks might lean external, seeing life as something that happens *to* them.”

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

Loved this episode of Founders. A masterclass in obsession, craftsmanship, and building something extraordinary over decades.⁦@davidsenra⁩ 👇🔥 https://t.co/gBjc2bni5t

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

By 2050, people over 80 will outnumber infants. Healthspan isn’t optional—it’s infrastructure. Regenerative medicine is how we close the gap between living longer and living well. The future is buildable. 🚀 @nabsicle 👇Nabiha is incredible.

[Dr. Nabiha Saklayen @nabihasaklayen]

just wrote my first editorial for the @wef!

By 2050, more than 2.1 billion people will be over 60, and for the first time in history, those over 80 will outnumber infants. Isn't that amazing? But it also means we need to fundamentally rethink how we deliver health.

Regenerative medicine and health are no longer a distant sci-fi dream. They are an economic and societal necessity - our chance to close the gap between lifespan and healthspan, restore independence, and unlock global prosperity.

I outline a four-pillar framework for building healthspan infrastructure:

▶️ Strategic public-private investment
▶️ Harmonized global regulatory standards
▶️ Proactive national biobanking
▶️ Distributed, automated manufacturing

We have the science. We have the tools. The question now is whether innovators will build the systems to bring this future to everyone. At @CellinoBio, we're all in on this conversation and can't wait to see what comes next! 💜🥳🚀

https://t.co/STfGHila7K

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

⁦⁦@GavinSBaker⁩ love hearing Gavin’s story around how he landed on his career. Also fun to hear about the future of data centers in space! Great podcast. https://t.co/YCqXwY5Wii

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

Makes me think of our film Dream Big @ASCETweets 👇

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

Popsicle stick bridge holds 948lbs

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

Polyphron’s founders lay out a bold vision:
They’re building a scalable tissue foundry — a platform to engineer any human tissue, of any size or complexity.
Powered by compute + automation (not headcount), their tissues aim to both cure disease and enhance human function.
Exciting vision below 👇

[Matthew Osman @thematthewosman]

Human tissue, per gram, is one of the most valuable substances on earth. Engineering it at scale will allow us restore heathy function to organs and maximally extend life. Our early data shows it's tractable. Here's our vision for the company we are building: https://t.co/Qw9fN7UONc

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

Love Ravi’s quotes 👇

[Reads with Ravi @readswithravi]

Keep showing up.

[Shaun Macgillivray @SHAUNIMAX]

CEO Clay $ORCL pushed back on analyst estimates that the company would need ~$100B+ to complete data-center/AI build-outs. Says they expect to need “less, if not substantially less” than that. Big signal on capex efficiency + financing needs.