Seeing Shaw's return instantly brought my thoughts back to this time last year. That was the peak moment of the AI16z ecosystem, and the entire industry was in a state of excitement.

Speaking of Shaw, my initial impression was that he was a very solid programmer with strong technical skills. Later, with the support of capital, the pace began to change—frequent industry events, various alliances being organized, and less time spent on development. The $degenai project he once led gradually faded from view, which many people noticed.

However, when he officially announced his return yesterday, my first reaction was not suspicion. To be honest, I don't think this is a story about someone coming back after running out of money. If it were about "cutting leeks," there's no need to spend so many years on it. It seems more like a shift in professional mindset—perhaps after experiencing years of restlessness, he rediscovered his passion for technology itself. The wave of AI16z has already passed, and now returning to development and construction feels somewhat unusual.