The Information's 411

David Kirtley, CEO of Helion Energy, talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about fusion power. We also talk with Brent Thill, Tech Sector Leader at Jefferies, about Palantir's earnings and AI's job impact, Merrill Lutsky, CEO of Graphite, about AI code review, Catherine Perloff about Google's "love-hate" ad relationship, and we get into AI's effect on investment banking with Aaron Holmes.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/advertisers-quit-google-despite-complaints-traffic-adshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/reflection-ai-targets-1-billion-take-meta-deepseek-open-sourcehttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/chatbots-eating-m-advisory-businesshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/chatbots-eating-m-advisory-business TITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.

Electric Air Taxis, Crypto AI Bets, AI Copyright Wars | Aug 4, 2025 Eric Allison, Chief Product Officer of Joby Aviation, talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about Joby's acquisition of Blade and the future of electric air taxis. We also talk with Paul Veradittakit, Managing Partner of Pantera Capital, about crypto's intersection with AI and robotics, and Sylvia Varnham O'Regan about the White House's mixed messaging on AI copyright.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/electric-surprising-acquisition-lets-electric-taxi-startup-joby-commercialize-earlyhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/behind-white-houses-mixed-messages-ai-copyrighthttps://www.theinformation.com/briefings/tesla-board-grants-elon-musk-23-7-billion-stock-awardhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/inside-openais-rocky-path-gpt-5 TITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.

Sapphire Ventures' Jai Das and WndrCo's Jeff Nykun talk with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about Figma's monster IPO and what it means for the market. We also talk with The Information's Cory Weinberg about whether the IPO window is truly open for other tech companies and Evan Tana from South Park Commons about "negative one to zero" seed investing. Finally, we get into Silicon Valley's new wellness obsession—microplastics—with our reporter Ann Gehan.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/figmas-shares-soar-250-ipo-making-hottest-string-tech-dealshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/figma-ipo-set-windfall-silicon-valleys-biggest-nameshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/microplastics-became-silicon-valleys-big-new-worryhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/figma-ipo-dylan-field-bounces-back-adobe-fiascohttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/krakens-15-billion-price-tag-dylan-fields-unusual-powerhttps://www.theinformation.com/projects/tech-ipo-trackerTITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.

Glean Founder & CEO Arvind Jain talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about the "gloves are off" phase of the AI data wars. We also talk with Beth Ferreira, General Partner at Serena Ventures, about her fund's unique strategy and plans to raise a new, larger fund, and Gorkem Yurtseven, Co-Founder of fal.ai, about his company's explosive growth to a $95 million revenue run rate. Lastly, we break down the profile of Google's new Chief AI Architect with our reporter Erin Woo.This episode also covers OpenAI hitting $12 billion in annualized revenue, Figma's IPO debut, and the latest earnings from Meta and Microsoft.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/googles-new-ai-architect-plans-spread-gemini-everywhere https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openai-hits-12-billion-annualized-revenue-breaks-700-million-chatgpt-weekly-active-usershttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/microsoft-meta-bonanza-june-quarterTITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET.

The Information reporter Miles Kruppa talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about AI chipmaker Groq's revenue projections. We also talk with Raquel Urtasun, Founder & CEO of Waabi, about autonomous trucking and Nikhil Buduma Co-Founder & Chief Scientist Ambience  about AI in healthcare. Lastly we break down Amazon, Google and Shopping AI agent wars with our reporter Ann Gehan. Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/amazon-locks-googles-ai-shopping-agentshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/ai-chipmaker-groq-slashes-projections-soon-sharing-investorsTITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.

Joe Marchese, Co-Founder of Human Ventures, talks with Jessica Lessin, our founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief, about AI's effect on ad businesses. Shaown Nandi, Director of Technology at Amazon Web Services, discusses the Chief AI Officer role. Kashish Gupta and Harsha Kapre join to discuss Snowflake's investment in Hightouch, and our reporter Aaron Holmes breaks down AI's impact on lowering software switching costs.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/cursors-global-success-lifted-chinahttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/ai-cloud-startup-fireworks-discusses-4-billion-valuation-deal-lightspeed-indexhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/microsofts-rivals-lean-ai-pry-away-longtime-customershttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/spotify-is-booming-except-for-its-ad-business TITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.

The Information's Cory Weinberg talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about Figma IPO winners. We also break down the busy earnings week ahead, with four of the Magnificent Seven – Meta, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon – with our co-executive editor Martin Peers. And AI reporter Stephanie Palazzolo discusses OpenAI's GPT-5.Articles discussed on this episode:  https://www.theinformation.com/articles/figma-ipo-set-windfall-silicon-valleys-biggest-nameshttps://www.theinformation.com/briefings/samsung-make-tesla-chips-16-5-billion-dealhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/ramp-talks-raise-21-billion-valuation-30-june-financinghttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/openais-gpt-5-shines-coding-tasksThe Information's TITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts. 

Tom Hale, CEO of Ōura, talks with our Founder and Editor-in-Chief Jessica Lessin about the future of health tracking. We also talk with our reporter Theo Wayt about Tesla's Optimus robot and our weekend sports reporter Sarah Germano about sports league investments and AI's impact on sports.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openais-gpt-5-shines-coding-taskshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/elad-gil-plots-1-5-billion-fund-stretching-definition-solo-gphttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/inside-teslas-secretive-optimus-robot-programhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/sports-leagues-hunt-startup-investments-chummy-style-venture-capitalThe Information's TITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts. 

Host Akash Pasricha discusses Vanta's new funding round and growth in security and compliance software with CEO, Christina Cacioppo. We also talk with Amber Venz Box, co-founder of LTK, who explains their creator commerce marketplace, revenue streams, and perspective on AI's impact, emphasizing human-generated content. The Information reporter Sri Muppidi breaks down OpenAI's record-breaking $40 billion funding round and its complex governance. And lastly, insights into the Trump administration's new AI action plan, focusing on deregulation and ideological bias in AI development from our reporter Sylvia Varnham O'Regan. Articles discussed on this episode: A New AI Startup Takeover ListFounders Fund, Dragoneer Each Commit $1 Billion–Plus to OpenAI DealMusk Giggles as Tesla TanksBots or Bust: ServiceNow's Bill McDermott Makes an All-In Bet on AIThe Information's TITV airs on YouTube, X, Facebook and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts. 

This episode kicks off with an exclusive interview featuring Cristóbal Valenzuela, CEO of AI video company Runway, who discusses their innovative enterprise sales strategy and the "forward-deployed technical artists" helping companies embrace non-traditional content creation. Our second guest, Tomas Tungus, General Partner at Theory Ventures, reveals the key metrics he's fixated on when assessing AI startups, offering a data-heavy dive into financial health, growth rates, and the nuances of revenue reporting in the fast-paced AI market. Finally, the episode concludes with an update on Crusoe, the data center company making a bold play in the cloud computing space. Reporter Anissa Gardezy details Crusoe's ambitious revenue projections for its AI cloud business and its role in major projects like Stargate, as it aims to compete with industry giants like Oracle and ultimately become a leading cloud provider.Articles discussed on this episode:https://www.theinformation.com/articles/how-runway-hopes-to-outrun-openai-google-in-the-ai-video-race https://www.theinformation.com/articles/upstart-crusoes-audacious-plan-take-cloud-giantshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/inside-the-start-of-project-stargate-and-the-startup-powering-lt https://www.theinformation.com/articles/how-ai-can-upend-the-internet-ad-model

This episode features interviews about critical developments in artificial intelligence. Our Apple reporter, Aaron Tilley, discusses the brand's struggle to keep top AI talent. Steve Jang, Founder and Managing Partner at Kindred Ventures, discusses the future of ride-sharing with robotaxis and the ongoing "browser wars" between Perplexity's Comet and OpenAI. Our cloud reporter, Anissa Gardizy provides updates on OpenAI's significant data center expansion with Oracle and the evolving Stargate project. Additionally, Dani Yogatama, CEO of Reka, shares insights on his company's recent funding, efficient multimodal AI models, and strategies for attracting talent. Articles discussed on this episode:Why Apple Is Losing Ground in the AI Talent War (It's Not Just Money)OpenAI, SoftBank at Odds Over Data Center ProjectOpenAI Greatly Expands Data Center Deal With Oracle

Today's episode features Box CEO Aaron Levie, who discusses how AI is transforming enterprise software and whether it's a threat or an opportunity. We also analyze Figma's highly anticipated IPO valuation with our financial columnist Anita Ramaswamy, discussing its impressive growth and the impact of AI. Finally, cybersecurity and enterprise tech reporter Aaron Holmes unpacks the recent Microsoft SharePoint hack, its implications for government and businesses, and the ongoing cybersecurity challenges for Microsoft, including how CEO Satya Nadella's pay is now linked to security improvements.Articles discussed on this episode: Figma's IPO May Be Hot, but Its Outlook Is MurkyFigma Sets Tentative IPO Pricing RangeHackers Exploit Microsoft Flaw in File-Sharing Software

We hear from Tom Schmidt of Dragonfly Capital about what the stablecoin legislation means for startups and why crypto M&A is so hot right now. Co-executive editor talks about how Netflix has matured over the years, Weekend editor Abe Brown goes into detail about our flying cars story, and our CEO Jessica Lessin gets into our Vibe Coding survey results. Hosted by Akash Pasricha. Articles discussed on this episode: A Flying Taxi Finally Nears Takeoff With an Unlikely Boost From ToyotaAs Crypto Bill Passes, Bank Bosses Feel HeatThe Education of Roku's Anthony Wood25 Great Books for Summer 2025The Information Survey: Nearly 75% of Respondents Are Vibe Coding

The Information's Asia Bureau Chief Jing Yang gives us a view from the ground on the AI startup scene in China, diving deep into DeepSeek's challenges, Manus, and the hurdles humanoid robotics companies are facing there. Plus, banking reporter Michael Roddan shares his findings from an investigation into quantum and AI company SandboxAQ, and TITV host Akash Pasricha speaks with Slow Ventures General Partner Sam Lessin about why seed investing is a tale of two cities right now. Articles discussed on this episode: DeepSeek's Progress Stalled by U.S. Export ControlsWhy Humanoid Robots Are the Latest Front in America's Tech War With ChinaLavish Spending and Weak Growth Engulf Billionaire-Backed AI Startup SandboxAQThe Information's Creator Economy Database

OpenAI is working on agent tools that build spreadsheets and presentations, and The Information's Stephanie Palazzolo and TITV Host Akash Pasricha break down her reporting. Plus, we talk with our IPO reporter Cory Weinberg about his exclusive story on blockchain lending company Figure's IPO and the IPO market broadly. And TITV sits down with 500 Global CEO and founding partner Christine Tsai to talk about her latest exit and which country outside the U.S. she is investing more in.

Meta's Mark Zuckerberg sits down with The Information's Jessica Lessin to talk about his vision of personal super intelligence and how that differs from the way the world is talking about AI today. The conversation also covered Zuckerberg's strategy for deploying capital and why he's putting servers inside tents.

Jessica sits down with journalist and Pivot host Kara Swisher to discuss what's wrong with Silicon Valley and next in news. 

Sand Hill Road has gone crypto-crazy, making it the best time ever to be a cryptocurrency or blockchain-based startup. Six such companies drew our attention enough to make it into this year's The Information 50 list of promising startups. They range from an environmentally friendly cryptocurrency to the “picks and shovels” businesses enabling others to develop crypto products—such as nonfungible token marketplaces—or make sure they're legally compliant. In today's episode, executive editor Amir Efrati speaks with crypto reporter Hannah Miller about the startups that made the cut. Then Hannah talks to the co-founder of one of them—Audius, a blockchain-based music-streaming service trying to give musicians a bigger cut of streaming revenue. Its crypto tokens are already worth $1 billion collectively. Check out the final episode of our five-part series.

Cryptocurrency is soaking up attention, but financial services technologies involving fiat currency have also never been hotter. This week we continue our special five-episode series on The Information 50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion, by taking a look at five fintech startups that made the cut. In this episode, The Information's Amir Efrati speaks with reporter Kate Clark about the startups that made our list, why “banking as a service” is on the rise, and why this year's record $87 billion in fintech startup funding doesn't represent the peak. Then Kate interviews Itai Damti, co-founder of Unit, the top startup on our list, and Henrique Dubugras, co-founder and co-CEO of corporate card startup Brex, about the fintech frenzy and what's coming next.

This week we continue our special five-episode series on The Information 50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion, by taking a look at the B2B category. More than half the startups in this group reflect two big pandemic related trends: companies trying to control spending on subscription software apps, and their constant search for new employees. The Information's Amir Efrati talks to reporter Kevin McLaughlin about the six startups that made the cut and valuation trends in enterprise software. Efrati then talks to Jonathan Siddarth, founder and CEO of Turing, which helps companies hire pre-vetted, remote engineers from all over the world. Listen to find out why the fast-growing company, barely three year old, is No. 1 on our list.

This week we continue our special five episode series on The Information 50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion. In episode two, executive editor Amir Efrati first talks to reporter Malique Morris about commerce startups worth watching, including a budding rival to Shopify, a fashion marketplace and a facilitator of limited-edition merchandise “drops” for celebrities and shows such as “Succession." Next, Malique talks to Rachel Tipograph, founder and CEO of MikMak, an advertising-tech provider for consumer brands, which could be a beneficiary of Apple's restrictions on iPhone advertisers.

This week, The Information released TI50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion. Over the next five episodes of The Information 411 podcast, you'll hear from The Information reporters who put the list together and from the founders whose companies made the list. In episode one, executive editor Amir Efrati first talks to reporter Kevin McLaughlin about the companies in the list's Enterprise AI category and how machine learning tools and services are proliferating and being applied in the real world. Next, Amir talks to Clement Delangue, co-founder and CEO of Hugging Face, the #1 ranked company in the Enterprise AI category. It's a conversation you don't want to miss.

Why are so many instant delivery startups popping up? Cory talks to The Information's Mark Di Stefano about the buzzy sector and one controversial company in particular, Gorillas. Then, Steve LeVine, author of the new The Information newsletter The Electric, explains the geopolitical dynamics in the battery industry.

What happens when a small town becomes a choke point for tens of thousands of Amazon deliveries every day? Cory talks to The Information's Paris Martineau about what residents' struggles in a small Massachusetts town tell us about the challenges of Amazon's rapid physical expansion. Then, Hong Kong bureau chief Shai Oster explains why the Chinese government cracked down on ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing just after it went public.

Does one of the most storied venture capital firms need to adapt to a changing startup environment? Cory talks to The Information's Berber Jin about his profile of Benchmark, known for a deliberative style that could handcuff it amid more fast-paced dealmaking. Then, Josh Sisco breaks down what the latest antitrust news means for Facebook and Amazon.

Why did Amazon fail to protect an employee who disclosed labor violations at a Foxconn factory that makes Amazon devices? Cory talks to The Information's Wayne Ma about the lack of corporate whistleblower protections in China and why U.S. tech companies aren't living up to their own standards in the manufacturing hub. Wayne broke the news this week that Amazon continues to work with the Foxconn factory, even after the whistleblower was sent to prison.

BuzzFeed might become the first of its generation of digital media upstarts to go public. How is CEO Jonah Peretti trying to grow the company? Cory talks to The Information's Jessica Toonkel and Sahil Patel about Peretti's consolidation strategy. Plus, reporter Paris Martineau discusses the implications of Amazon's growing air cargo fleet.

It's been a difficult couple of years for self-driving car developers trying to bring robotaxis to the public. How do they get out of the so-called "trough of disillusionment?" Listen to highlights of The Information's Autonomous Vehicles Summit. Amir Efrati interviews Argo AI CEO Bryan Salesky and former Zoox CEO Tim Kentley Klay about where the industry goes from here.

Amazon has been making big moves in Hollywood. What does that tell us about the company's new CEO Andy Jassy? Cory talks to The Information's Kevin McLaughlin and Jessica Toonkel about their recent reporting on what Amazon's incoming boss is up to. Then, Cory and senior editor Wendy Pollack discuss the downfall of Katerra, the SoftBank-backed construction startup that burned through $2 billion on its way to shutting down.

Why are Instagram, Snap and TikTok rushing to build ways for influencers to make money? Cory talks to The Information's Kaya Yurieff about what she is tracking with her new creator economy newsletter. Then, did the momentum shift in the Apple–Epic trial? Josh Sisco covered the trial for The Information, and explains how the judge might rule in the antitrust case.

Fast deliveries by Amazon and other online retailers have brought tremendous convenience for consumers, but the e-commerce boom has come at a cost. A five-month investigation by The Information identified a pattern of serious and sometimes deadly crashes involving drivers moving freight for Amazon. We explore the toll of Amazon’s trucking surge. Related stories: The Deadly Toll of the Amazon Trucking Boom Amazon Expands Secretive Trucking Program

The Information found evidence of Apple working with suppliers suspected of using forced labor. How? Cory talks to Wayne Ma about how he discovered Apple's links to the Xinjiang region of China. Then, an interview with scholar Laura T. Murphy about how tech companies can look for evidence of forced labor in their supply chains. Read the story: Seven Apple Suppliers Accused of Using Forced Labor From Xinjiang

How is Mark Zuckerberg planning to revamp his public image? Cory talks to The Information's Sylvia Varnham O'Regan and Alex Heath about why Facebook's co-founder is going on another charm offensive. Then, Cory interviews Justin Bedecarre, CEO of Raise Commercial Real Estate, a Founders Fund-backed startup, about how tech firms are experimenting with sending their workers back to offices, with more flexibility to work from home. "Running a hybrid workplace is the hardest workplace to run," he said.

Apple's app store in on trial. Will Epic Games be able to loosen Apple's grip on app developers? Cory talks to The Information's legal reporter Josh Sisco about how Apple got in this situation and why it's likely to pull out a victory next month. Then, Cory and The Information's senior editor Wendy Pollack discuss whether Philadelphia-based delivery startup Gopuff can ditch its juvenile reputation to reach a more mainstream audience. Further reading: Why Apple Has the Edge in Epic Antitrust Trial The Guardians of Apple’s App Store Gird for Battle Gopuff Revenue Triples, but Growing Competition to Test Expansion

Cory talks to Kate Clark about what her recent reporting on Andreessen Horowitz tells us about the firm's history and strategy to win deals. Then, Kevin McLaughlin discusses his story on why high-profile artificial intelligence startup DataRobot ousted its CEO.

We dive into some of the tech questions facing the potential rollout of vaccine passports. Paul Meyer, CEO of the nonprofit Commons Project, discusses why it is important that people's proof of vaccination not get locked up in walled gardens. Then, Cory talks to The Information's Juro Osawa about Grab's $40 billion SPAC deal and Didi Chuxing's struggles to develop autonomous vehicles.

Cory talks to Kate Clark about the new king of venture capital deals: Tiger Global Management. The New York hedge fund has invested at a rapid pace, at higher and higher valuations. What does it mean for venture capital in 2021? Plus, Wendy and Cory discuss whether venture-backed travel firms will get a lift after a bleak year.

Why are startups like Stripe, Plaid, Brex, Ramp and Fast raising so much money so quickly? Cory talks about the phenomenon with Bain Capital Ventures partner Merritt Hummer and The Information's venture capital reporters Kate Clark and Berber Jin. Plus, an interview with Henrique Dubugras, co-CEO of Brex, a corporate credit card startup, about the pandemic, fintech valuations and company's future strategy.

Cory and Kevin McLaughlin talk about why Google Cloud loses so much money, and why this year will be crucial for the company. Then, The Information’s Kevin Delaney talks with former Google executive and “Radical Candor” author Kim Scott about how women and non-white employees sometimes face prejudice when being candid at work, and what organizations can do about it.

Cory and Wendy dive into the disaster that befell Katerra, the construction tech startup that's struggling to stay alive. They also explore what the future of construction tech is. Also, co-host Tom bids a fond farewell to the podcast we launched 5 years ago.

Tom speaks to Roger Lynch, the CEO of magazine giant Conde Nast about how he's trying to turn the company around and build out newer businesses like e-commerce, longform video and digital subscriptions. He also talks about how the company handled its cultural reckoning last year. Then Alex and Mat join to recap their interview with Mark Zuckerberg and his plans around AR and VR.

Alex Heath and Mathew Olson interview Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg about the promise of augmented and virtual reality. They discuss why he's investing so much time and money on the technology, how it could forever change entertainment and the workplace and what technical hurdles still need to be overcome for the technology to reach its potential.

Cory chats with Josh Sisco about the reason regulators are probing Facebook's deal to acquire Kustomer. Tom talks to Kevin McLaughlin about the next group of enterprise software companies to go public.

Tom talks to Zoe about the next wave of companies going public that are led by female CEOs. Cory chats with Katie and Ross about the reason SPACs are looking at early-stage companies.

Reporters Alex Heath and Wayne Ma discuss their exclusive reporting on Facebook's efforts to build a smartwatch and Apple's work on a mixed-reality headset. This is another Facebook vs. Apple battle worth following.

Tom Dotan and Jessica Toonkel discuss their reporting on how NBCUniversal is trying to pluck its way to streaming success, and why a merger with WarnerMedia might make sense. Then, Wayne Ma explains the logistical feats that helped Apple avoid the kind of shipping delays that plagued other companies.

This week, we bring you two of the most revealing interviews from The Information's Future of Startups conference. Expensify CEO David Barrett and Cameo CEO Steven Galanis spar over the right way to lead a startup in an extreme political climate. Then, Jessica Lessin interviews former Google CEO Eric Schmidt about antitrust scrutiny and employee activism.

The Information columnist and former Facebook executive Sam Lessin talks to Cory and helps us make sense of online communities, internet populism and the GameStop stock surge. Then, reporters Tom Dotan and Jessica Toonkel explain why ESPN is no longer the favorite child of parent company Disney.

What happens when VC firms become publishers? Tom talks with The Information's Zoe Bernard and Newcomer.co's Eric Newcomer about Andreessen Horowitz' latest moves, and startups' relationships with journalists. Then, Cory breaks down his reporting on Airbnb's efforts to keep white nationalists and hate groups off of the travel site.

Cory and Alex tell the story of the messaging app Telegram and its mysterious founder, who find themselves in the global spotlight after rapid growth recently. Can the company figure out a business model? And will it crack down further on chat groups with the potential to spark real-world violence?

Following the announcement of the new union of Alphabet employees, we dive into the rising trend of worker unionization in the tech industry. Then Cory talks to Alex about how social media companies will handle President Trump's presence on their platforms after his incitement of the riot at the Capitol.