Nat Friedman: The Visionary Behind GitHub and the Global AI Revolution

Bittime - Imagine someone who fell in love with computers as a child, grew up to shape the modern developer world through GitHub, and is now a key driver behind the global artificial intelligence revolution.

That name is Nat Friedman — a technologist, builder, and visionary who combines open source idealism with a new direction for superintelligence technology.

Born in Virginia and raised in the early days of the internet, Friedman is not a theoretical scientist, but rather a builder. He has always believed that the best technology is the one that helps humanity the most.

From MIT to Microsoft, then to GitHub and now the world of AI, his life journey is not just about code, but about how vision and humanity can drive innovation.

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From Open Source to the Corporate World: Nat Friedman's Early Career

Nat Friedman's journey began with his passion for open source. Together with Miguel de Icaza, he founded Ximian in 1999—a startup focused on developing GNOME, the legendary Linux desktop project. While open source was still considered experimental, Friedman already saw it as the future of digital collaboration.

After Novell acquired Ximian in 2003, Friedman served as CTO of the open source division. He learned how to balance community ideals with business needs—a valuable lesson he would carry over to his next major projects.

In 2011, Friedman and Miguel launched another innovation by founding Xamarin, which made it easier for developers to build cross-platform applications with a single codebase. This innovation caught the attention of Microsoft, which acquired Xamarin in 2016, paving the way for Friedman to make greater contributions to the global technology world.

Becoming GitHub CEO: Reviving the Open Source Spirit

When Microsoft acquired GitHub in 2018 for $7.5 billion, the developer community feared the platform would lose its soul. However, the appointment of Nat Friedman as CEO brought a breath of fresh air.

He leads GitHub with a simple philosophy: “Listen to developers, encourage innovation, and maintain the open source spirit.”

Under his leadership, GitHub launched several major breakthroughs such as:

• GitHub Copilot, an AI assistant for writing code faster.

• Codespaces, a cloud-based workspace.

• Advanced Security, a new security system for open source projects.

GitHub Copilot was a pivotal moment — a clear demonstration of how AI can amplify human creativity, not replace it. Friedman transformed GitHub from a mere code repository into an innovative collaboration ecosystem for the AI ​​era.

Stepping Back from GitHub: Returning to the World of Development and Experimentation

In November 2021, Friedman stepped down as CEO of GitHub. His decision wasn't to back down from a challenge, but rather to return to building something from scratch. On his personal blog, he wrote, "I want to get back to building."

After leaving Microsoft, he founded nat.dev, an experimental platform for comparing AI models like GPT, Claude, and Mistral. His goal is simple but ambitious: to help people understand the power and limitations of AI in an open and inclusive way.

Friedman also serves as an investor and advisor to projects such as Midjourney (generative visual AI) and the Arc Institute (biotechnology research). He continues to build bridges between science, technology, and human creativity.

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The Era of Superintelligence: Friedman's Steps into the World of AI

In 2025, Friedman reportedly joined the Meta Advisory Group and became a key figure in its Superintelligence division, alongside Alexandr Wang of Scale AI. This move marked a new chapter in his career—one that combines AI, creativity, and human values.

Friedman believes the future of AI isn't about replacing humans, but rather about expanding their ability to think, create, and innovate. He rejects the view of AI as a threat and sees it as a tool to accelerate humanity's collective progress.

Lessons from Nat Friedman for the World of Tech and Crypto

While not a crypto figure, Friedman's philosophy has great significance for the blockchain world:

• Open collaboration: The open source principles it adheres to align with the decentralized values ​​of blockchain.

• Adaptation to change: From Linux to mobile to AI, Friedman shows that flexibility is key.

• Real impact matters more than hype: The focus is always on solutions that help people, not temporary trends.

For developers, investors, or digital innovators, Friedman's story is a reflection that true technology grows from curiosity and empathy.

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Conclusion

Nat Friedman's journey is a story of vision, courage, and humanity in the face of change. From open source to AI superintelligence, Friedman proves that true innovation isn't about creating intelligent machines—it's about helping humans become wiser and more creative.

In an era where AI dominates the global conversation, Friedman is an example that the best technology is not the most powerful, but the one that cares most about people.

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FAQ

Who is Nat Friedman?

Nat Friedman is the founder of Xamarin and former CEO of GitHub who is now active in the world of AI and superintelligence projects.

What is his greatest contribution to the world of technology?

He led the launch of GitHub Copilot, which marked the beginning of the integration of AI into the developer world.

Is Nat Friedman involved in the crypto world?

Not directly, but its open source principles align with blockchain's decentralized values.

What is Friedman's main philosophy on technology?

The best technology is that which most helps humans and expands their thinking capacity.

What is Nat Friedman working on now?

He is involved in AI projects such as nat.dev, Midjourney, and the Meta superintelligence team.