Episode · Lenny's Podcast · 2025-10-09

Lenny Rachitsky & Jason Droege: books mentioned on Lenny's Podcast

First interview with Scale AI’s CEO: $14B Meta deal, what’s working in enterprise AI, and what frontier labs are building next | Jason Droege

4 books · With Jason Droege · Listen · Watch on YouTube

Jason Droege is the CEO of Scale AI, a company that provides foundational training data to every major AI lab. He previously co-founded Scour with Travis Kalanick and built Uber Eats from idea to $20 billion in revenue.

Jason Droege recommended The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins, The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, Good to Great by Jim Collins, and Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman.

Books mentioned, in the order they came up

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1. 

   The Selfish Gene

   Richard Dawkins · at 1:15:47

   Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene is a landmark work of evolutionary biology that popularizes the gene-centric view of evolution and introduces foundational concepts regarding replication and altruism.

   Recommended

   “The Selfish Gene is like one of my favorite books. I love that book.”

   Jason Droege First interview with Scale AI’s CEO: $14B Meta deal, what’s working in… 2025-10-09 Listen at 1:15:47

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon
2. 

   The Road Less Traveled

   M. Scott Peck · at 1:15:54

   The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck is a landmark personal growth and mental health book that challenges readers to embrace life's difficulties rather than make excuses.

   Recommended

   “I think selfish gene um road less traveled I've read more than once just uh I mean it's just a like one of the classic human psychology book.”

   Jason Droege First interview with Scale AI’s CEO: $14B Meta deal, what’s working in… 2025-10-09 Listen at 1:15:54

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon
3. 

   Good to Great

   Jim Collins · at 1:16:06

   Good to Great by Jim Collins is a prominent business book that explores how companies can transition from mediocre performance to sustained excellence through disciplined leadership and strategic focus.

   Recommended

   “And then I think in business I think uh uh like good to great. It's it's not the like it's not the read that you're going to be most excited to you know enjoy on a vacation.”

   Jason Droege First interview with Scale AI’s CEO: $14B Meta deal, what’s working in… 2025-10-09 Listen at 1:16:06

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon
4. 

   Thinking, Fast and Slow

   Daniel Kahneman · at 1:16:38

   Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman is a landmark exploration of human psychology that contrasts the intuitive, emotional system one mind with the deliberate, logical system two mind to explain cognitive biases and errors in judgment.

   Recommended

   “I would also recommend uh uh uh thinking slow and fast, right? That's the Yes. Thinking fast and slow. Thinking fast and slow.”

   Jason Droege First interview with Scale AI’s CEO: $14B Meta deal, what’s working in… 2025-10-09 Listen at 1:16:38

   Where to get it

   Listen free with an Audible trialAmazon