Dialog, the invitation-only private network co-founded by Peter Thiel, used a concealed ranking system to score attendees on wealth, fame, perceived influence, industry standing, seniority, and who recommended them, according to leaked files reviewed by WIRED. In this system, C was the highest tier and A the lowest. The rankings were not symbolic. They were tied to where people sat, who they were introduced to, and how much they paid to attend.
Leaked records linked ratings to access and pricing
WIRED reported that Dialog used the internal scores to sort participants across tables, introductions, and session access. The documents indicate the system also helped determine which attendees should meet one another. The base registration fee was about $16,000, while some participants were charged amounts that extended into the tens of thousands of dollars depending on their tier.
The leaked material also showed that AI tools were used to build profiles for at least 26 attendees. Those profiles included details such as Instagram follower counts and assets under management, or AUM. Dialog was founded in 2006 by Peter Thiel and entrepreneur Auren Hoffman and has operated as a closed-door annual gathering for figures from Silicon Valley and Washington.
Josh Brolin received a C, while Reihan Salam was rated B
Examples from the files drew attention because they exposed how the group classified status. Actor Josh Brolin, attending Dialog for the first time, was assigned a C, which under the group’s internal hierarchy meant the top tier. After learning of the rating, Brolin publicly responded by listing his background, including an Oscar nomination, a book, and connections across artistic circles.
Another example involved Manhattan Institute president Reihan Salam, who was rated B. The stated reason in the file was that the institute might not be as widely recognized by the general public as some larger organizations. A television writer and producer was listed as A even though the file described that person as highly accomplished, because the achievements were seen as concentrated in a single field.
Leak exposed private contact data and discussion topics
The internal material was first exposed through an anonymous tip handled by Swiss hacker maia arson crimew, with WIRED later conducting its own verification. The leak included more than rankings. It also contained member names, private email addresses, phone numbers, and confidential discussion topics covering AI disruption, Third World War scenario planning, god-making and belief-building, politics, and private relationships among members.
The files said Dialog’s 2026 gathering had been scheduled for August 12 to 16 near Dublin, Ireland. The report also pointed to Thiel’s earlier history with privacy disputes: in 2016, he was revealed to have secretly funded Hulk Hogan’s lawsuit against Gawker, a case that ended with the media outlet going bankrupt. The exposure of Dialog’s internal rules has now pushed another secretive network connected to Thiel into public view.