A recently published report about Dialog, an exclusive invite-only conference network connected to billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel, has sparked widespread discussion—and now several of the public figures named in the report are sharing their own perspectives.
Among them are Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Sophia Bush, both of whom have publicly clarified their involvement after their names appeared in reporting tied to leaked information from the organization’s website.
Dialog describes itself as a space where leaders gather to discuss ideas off the record. While the conference has attracted influential figures from technology, media, politics, and entertainment, recent reporting has brought renewed attention to its connections and membership.
The scrutiny largely stems from Dialog’s association with Peter Thiel, the entrepreneur and investor known for co-founding PayPal and Palantir Technologies. Thiel has long been a prominent figure in conservative political circles, having supported Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and later becoming a major supporter of JD Vance during his successful 2022 Senate run.
Following the publication of the report, Joseph Gordon-Levitt took to Instagram to explain his experience with the organization and address assumptions about his relationship to Thiel.
The actor wrote:
“I understand why people have questions and are suspicious. Some of the headlines and posts circulating about this are alarming, if not bizarre. So let me clarify:
I have been to two Dialog conferences. But, I do not know Peter Thiel. I’ve never met him. I’ve never spoken with him or his representatives. I’ve never seen him at an event. From what I’ve read about his views, we are political and ideological opposites.
At the Dialog conferences I’ve been to, there were a wide variety of people, with a wide variety of opinions, some I agreed with, some I didn’t. I can’t speak to every person named in the reporting, but my experience was not of a single ideological gathering.
Over the last couple of years, l’ve been focused on trying to make a positive impact on how the future unfolds, especially when it comes to tech and Al. Part of that work means forming relationships with all kinds of people, trying to understand their perspective, and trying to get them to understand mine. Sometimes it’s productive to engage with those we oppose.”
His statement emphasized that his participation stemmed from an interest in discussions surrounding technology and artificial intelligence, rather than any ideological alignment with Thiel.
Sophia Bush also shared a detailed response on Threads, explaining that her attendance at the conference was tied to advocacy work she has pursued for years.
Bush wrote:
“I go to a lot of conferences and have for close to 20 years. Last year (and the year before), I accepted nearly every single invitation I received to discuss ANOTHER BODY — the documentary Nia and I executive produced that explains and demands action be taken against Al deepfake abuse — and the DEFIANCE Act, legislation I’ve championed for years to help hold criminals accountable and protect women and girls (97% of the victims of deepfake abuse) with it.
You can imagine my surprise to learn that a conference I was invited to as a guest who could counter the ‘it’s-all-progress’ narrative of this seeming runaway Al race was founded by someone you could not pay me to be in a room with, let alone charge me money to be in a room with!? To be clear, that individual was not present, was never brought up during my experience there at all, and as I’ve since learned he has not been involved whatsoever in approximately 15 years. My values are very clear and consistent. I work to protect families—by defending democratic institutions and safeguarding basic human rights.
I did find the conference weekend valuable, in the same way I find it valuable to meet with and important to engage with people who see the world differently than I do in addition to the work I do alongside likeminded allies. (It’s why I meet with both Democratic and Republican Congressional leaders when I campaign on Capitol Hill.) I watched diverse perspectives be heard and considered around tables.
I do wish I would have researched the event beforehand, but even if I had, I probably still would have gone because I firmly believe that having women standing up for women (and ringing alarm bells about our common and dangerous experiences with emerging technology) in rooms like these is of paramount importance. I want to ensure people are made to have that conversation. I want them to see us and to demand that they protect us. By the time I left the event early (had to fly to NC for another) I felt I had been heard, and I felt like I’d listened too.
I am proud of who I am in any room where I am advocating. And I’m proud of the values I brought into those conference rooms and conversations I had while there, and I feel the same way about the other artists and activists I attended with.”
The discussion surrounding Dialog has also drawn attention because of the wide range of notable names reportedly linked to the organization. Among those listed in reporting were Josh Brolin, Scooter Braun, Isaac Lee, Scott Belsky, Benj Pasek, Eva Price, Teresa Hsiao, Zach Shields, Nick Thompson, and Ezra Klein.
For now, both Gordon-Levitt and Bush appear focused on clarifying the same key point: attendance at a conference does not necessarily signal endorsement of every person associated with it. Their statements offer a reminder of the increasingly complicated intersections between technology, politics, advocacy, and public perception in today’s cultural landscape.
