An American education technology company
POPULARITY
Edge of the Web - An SEO Podcast for Today's Digital Marketer
Advertisers are bailing on TikTok as another U.S. ban looms, shifting dollars to Meta while creators scatter to backup platforms. Meanwhile, Google credits Gemini for nuking 240 million spammy reviews and business edits, but don't expect them to help you get your real reviews back. Big legal moves are underway: The NYT lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft will proceed, and Chegg is suing Google for killing traffic via AI Overviews. Sara Taher joins the show to unpack the long-term consequences of AI scraping and shrinking search real estate. We also dive into new AI traffic data showing LLMs are sending visits, barely, and why Google suddenly loves YouTube again. If you're not aligning schema, content, and branding now, you'll be shouting into the algorithm void. News from the EDGE: [00:02:26] Advertisers pull back from TikTok, boost Meta amid ban uncertainty [00:08:49] Google credits Gemini for better detection of fake business reviews and maps spam [00:14:11] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: Site Strategics AI / SEO News with Sara Taher: [00:15:48] NYT case against OpenAI and Microsoft can advance [00:18:20] Chegg sues Google for hurting traffic with AI as it considers strategic alternatives [00:21:46] AIO prevalence has now surpassed 20%. [00:25:53] EDGE of the Web Sponsor: WAIKAY from InLinks [00:29:19] 63% of Websites Receive AI Traffic [00:34:18] YouTube citations in Google AI Overviews surge 25% Thanks to our sponsors! Site Strategics https://edgeofthewebradio.com/site Inlinks https://edgeofthewebradio.com/inlinks Follow Us: X: @ErinSparks X: @SaraTaherSEO X: @TheMann00 X: @EDGEWebRadio #StandwithUkraine edgeofthewebradio.com/ukraine
In this episode we're joined by Lora Kyle, Global Vice President of Organizational Management & Development at Chegg, to explore how leadership development can drive tangible business outcomes.Lora brings a global perspective and decades of experience helping organizations evolve their leadership capabilities to meet rapidly shifting business priorities. Together, we dive into:How to identify and align key leadership competencies with core business goalsThe role of data and analytics in designing smarter development programsPractical ways to embed leadership growth into everyday workFostering a culture of continuous learning, curiosity, and adaptabilityMeasuring the impact of leadership development—and adjusting when it matters mostLooking toward 2030, Lora also shares her predictions on how leadership development must evolve to remain a strategic driver of success. Whether you're an HR leader, business executive, or L&D professional, this episode offers valuable insights you can apply right away.
With every new technology, there's a Kodak.. or Nokia.. For AI, that company is Chegg - a publicly traded, once highflying edtech company.We break down the story of Chegg, and distill four learnings for GTM leaders.(00:00) - Introduction (02:02) - The Role of AI in Our Show (05:34) - The Rise and Fall of Chegg (07:59) - Chegg's Business Model and COVID-19 Impact (13:44) - The ChatGPT Disruption (16:39) - The Resilient Business: Surviving Disruption (17:03) - AI's Impact on Incumbents (18:33) - The Innovator's Dilemma (20:29) - Opportunities for Change (21:38) - AI Disruption in Various Industries (24:05) - Strategies for Business Resilience (26:15) - The Importance of Diversification (27:50) - Facing the Reality of Disruption This episode is brought to you by by Everstage - the highest rated Sales Commissions Platform on G2, Gartner Peer Insights, Trustradius with over 2,000+ customer reviews. Some of their customers include leading brands like Diligent, Wiley, Trimble, Postman, Chargebee etc.,You can go to https://www.everstage.com/revenue-formula to check out Everstage and mention Revenue Formula to unlock a personalized Sales Compensation Strategy Session with Everstage's RevOps experts—crafted for enterprise teams to maximize performance.Never miss a new episode, join our newsletter on revenueformula.substack.com
Online education company Chegg is suing Google for AI Overviews and might become the first major company felled by AI. We go over the hitlist of others at risk of getting Chegged, including SEO-dependent publishers, SaaS companies and even the email newsletter industrial complex. Plus: Why Lenny Rachitsky has succeeded, the case against all-inclusive resorts and a debate on whether reading is dying or just in a format transition.Watch us on YouTubeTroy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Human ComputerFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter
Send us a textThis Week in Edtech, Alex Sarlin and guest host, Claire Zau explore the latest developments in education technology, from AI breakthroughs to new VR tools and evolving strategies of tech giants.✨ Episode Highlights:[00:03:00] Preview of the ASU GSV Conference's AI show and its impact on education innovation.[00:05:00] OpenAI's partnerships with California State University and Estonia to scale AI in education.[00:09:00] ChatGPT reaches 400 million weekly active users, highlighting its growing role in education.[00:12:00] Google's Co-Scientist tool and Career Dreamer aim to personalize learning and career pathways.[00:23:00] Chegg's lawsuit against Google raises questions about AI's impact on SEO and business models.[00:27:00] Anthropic's new 3.7 model introduces hybrid reasoning with implications for education.[00:33:00] Meta's renewed push to integrate VR in classrooms to boost engagement.[00:36:00] Microsoft's Muse model generates real-time gameplay environments for learning simulations.[00:39:00] The potential of AI-driven simulations for personalized and immersive education.[00:46:00] Claire's advice for EdTech entrepreneurs on integrating AI effectively.
What role does integrity need to play in your company's culture? How can legal teams and corporate leaders foster it? And where do you get started if you want to write a book on it?Join Rob Chesnut, author of Intentional Integrity: How Smart Companies Can Lead an Ethical Revolution, as he discusses his path from prosecutor at the Department of Justice to tech industry legal leader at eBay, Chegg, and Airbnb, and how integrity and ethics became the cornerstone of both his career and his personal philosophy.Listen as Rob discusses scaling global legal teams for some of the biggest disruptors in the world, embedding integrity into your company's corporate culture, transitioning from general counsel to author and thought leader, and much more.Read detailed summary: https://www.spotdraft.com/podcast/episode-87TopicsIntroduction: 0:00Transitioning from prosecutor to tech counsel: 2:12Joining eBay in the early years: 4:13Building eBay's trust and safety functions: 5:01Making the leap to general counsel: 7:21Reflecting on mentorship: 9:13Knowing when to move on to new opportunities: 13:13Leading legal at Airbnb: 15:50Signature interview questions: 20:56Developing the “Chief Ethics Officer” role: 23:04Writing Intentional Integrity: 32:10How a company can start their integrity program: 34:31The changing integrity landscape: 41:13How to contact Rob: 42:50Rapid-fire questions: 44:07Connect with us:Rob Chesnut - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robchesnut/Tyler Finn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tylerhfinnSpotDraft - https://www.linkedin.com/company/spotdraftSpotDraft is a leading contract lifecycle management platform that solves your end-to-end contract management issues. Visit https://www.spotdraft.com to learn more.
This week, the U.S. government takes another L in court as a judge rules that handing out personal data like free candy to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is, in fact, a privacy violation. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Holmes and Sunny Balwani's dreams of walking free are crushed as a judge upholds their fraud convictions and massive fines. Sorry, no Silicon Valley redemption arc for you. Over in crypto, Bitcoin took a wild nosedive, sending traders into full panic mode before bouncing back. Trump Coin also rode the rollercoaster but, let's be honest, it's still circling the drain.In corporate chaos, Warner Bros. Discovery slashed its gaming division, Google axed more employees while crying about AI costs, and an AI-generated video of Trump sucking on Musk's toes somehow took over HUD office TVs. Speaking of Musk, federal tech staffers are resigning en masse rather than work for DOGE, and the FAA is cozying up to SpaceX while pretending it's totally not a conflict of interest. Over in Big Tech, Chegg is suing Google for stealing their content, and Meta can't stop Instagram from flooding users' feeds with violent and NSFW Reels. Also, Grok 3, Musk's AI pet project, handed out chemical weapon blueprints like a particularly unhinged WikiHow before xAI scrambled to cover their tracks.On the media front, Andor is coming back with a binge-friendly release schedule, Kathleen Kennedy is finally exiting Lucasfilm, and Daredevil: Born Again is getting early buzz. YouTube now claims a billion monthly podcast viewers, Fyre Festival 2 is happening because we clearly learned nothing from the first one, and Jeff Bezos has decided The Washington Post will now be his personal capitalism fan club. Meanwhile, Microsoft's AI Copilot is helpfully explaining how to pirate Windows, Skype is getting sent to the great app graveyard in the sky, and Google is making it slightly less impossible to remove your personal info from search results. All that, plus Paramount+ is giving us 50 classic MTV Unplugged episodes because nostalgia is the only safe investment these days. Buckle up, it's a wild ride.Sponsors:Factor - Get started at FactormMeals.com/FACTORPODCAST and use code grumpy50off to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping. DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/686FOLLOW UPJudge: US gov't violated privacy law by disclosing personal data to DOGEHolmes and Balwani's appeal falls flat as court upholds fraud convictionsIN THE NEWSBitcoin's slide continues as traders eye further big falls aheadWarner Bros Discovery slashes gaming business, closing three studiosGoogle announces layoffs in its HR, cloud units as part of ongoing cost cutsAI Video of Trump Sucking Musk's Toes Blasted on Government Office TVsIRS Employees Told They Must Respond to Musk's Bizarre Email by MidnightFederal technology staffers resign rather than help Musk and DOGEAmid a Musk-led overhaul, the FAA starts doing business with SpaceXEducational tech company Chegg sues Google over AI OverviewsGrok blocked results saying Musk and Trump ‘spread misinformation'Elon's Grok 3 AI Provides "Hundreds of Pages of Detailed Instructions" on Creating Chemical WeaponsAnthropic reportedly ups its next funding round to $3.5BThere's Something Very Weird About This $30 Billion AI Startup by a Man Who Said Neural Networks May Already Be ConsciousNorth Korea Stole $1.4 Billion in Largest Crypto Heist Ever, Researchers SayFyre Festival 2 is coming, and it already sounds bananas (and not in a good way)The SEC is dropping an investigation into RobinhoodThe Securities and Exchange Commission issued guidance on Thursday saying it does not view most meme coins, which are crypto tokens that originated fromJeff Bezos Announces That Washington Post Opinions Will Now Exclusively Celebrate the Glories of CapitalismMEDIA CANDYThe White LotusAndor | Season 2 Trailer | Streaming April 22 on Disney+Andor Season 2 Will Drop in 3-Episode Weekly ‘Chapters'Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy to Retire, Ushering in a New Era for Star WarsMarvel's new Disney+ series 'Daredevil: Born Again' is drawing glowing first reactions by members of the press.YouTube passes 1 billion monthly active podcast viewersWill TrentParamount+ adds 50 classic MTV Unplugged episodesMax reverses course, won't charge extra for live sports and newsFCC Launches Probe Into iHeartMedia's Alleged Payola PracticesAPPS & DOODADSSilicon Valley's next act: bringing 'vibe coding' to the worldMeta confirms Instagram issue that's flooding users with violent and sexual ReelsPSA: Google Is Making It Easier to Remove Your Personal Information From Search ResultsiPhones are briefly changing 'racist' to 'Trump' due to an iOS dictation issueMicrosoft's AI offers help with pirating WindowsCopilot exposes private GitHub pages, some removed by MicrosoftMicrosoft brings an official Copilot app to macOS for the first timeSkype will take its final curtain (and video) call May 5See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
This week on Niche Pursuits News, hosts Jared Bauman and Thomas Smith cover a packed lineup of topics, from a fascinating study on AI search engines to a major lawsuit against Google, and fresh insights on the online business marketplace. Plus, they share updates on their own side hustles and dive into this week's weird niche discoveries. Let's break it down. AI search engines citing sources - https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ai-search-engines-often-cite-third-party-content-study-finds/540692/ Chegg sues Google - https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/24/chegg-sues-google-for-hurting-traffic-as-it-considers-alternatives.html Flippa data - https://flippa.com/data-insights Typing Test - https://www.typingtest.com/ Brick Fact - https://brickfact.com/ Ready to join a niche publishing mastermind, and hear from industry experts each week? Join the Niche Pursuits Community here: https://community.nichepursuits.com Be sure to get more content like this in the Niche Pursuits Newsletter Right Here: https://www.nichepursuits.com/newsletter Want a Faster and Easier Way to Build Internal Links? Get $15 off Link Whisper with Discount Code "Podcast" on the Checkout Screen: https://www.nichepursuits.com/linkwhisper Get SEO Consulting from the Niche Pursuits Podcast Host, Jared Bauman: https://www.nichepursuits.com/201creative
Interview with Stephen Wolfram OpenAI now serves 400M users every week Nvidia's Profit Jumps 80 Percent as Company Rides Tech's A.I. Boom Amazon announces AI-powered Alexa Plus Artists release silent album in protest against AI using their work AI 'inspo' is everywhere. It's driving your hair stylist crazy. Nvidia launches Signs, a new AI platform to teach American Sign Language and create a validated dataset for sign language learners and ASL app developers Here's How Four Major Newsrooms Are Using AI Google sued by Chegg over AI Overviews hurting traffic and revenue Perplexity wants to reinvent the web browser with AI—but there's fierce competition Perplexity releases a censorship-free variant of Deepseek R1 To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, F.B.I. Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard suggests UK broke agreement in secretly asking Apple to build iCloud backdoor Researchers accuse North Korea of $1.4 billion Bybit crypto heist Y Combinator deletes posts after a startup's "AI for sweatshops" demo goes viral Grok 3's "sexy mode" Grok 3 appears to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Trump and Musk When Your Last Name Is Null, Nothing Works Nebraska Man Struggles to Change Daughter's Name From 'Unakite Thirteen Hotel' Touch grass Bracket City Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Stephen Wolfram Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT get.stash.com/machines canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit
Interview with Stephen Wolfram OpenAI now serves 400M users every week Nvidia's Profit Jumps 80 Percent as Company Rides Tech's A.I. Boom Amazon announces AI-powered Alexa Plus Artists release silent album in protest against AI using their work AI 'inspo' is everywhere. It's driving your hair stylist crazy. Nvidia launches Signs, a new AI platform to teach American Sign Language and create a validated dataset for sign language learners and ASL app developers Here's How Four Major Newsrooms Are Using AI Google sued by Chegg over AI Overviews hurting traffic and revenue Perplexity wants to reinvent the web browser with AI—but there's fierce competition Perplexity releases a censorship-free variant of Deepseek R1 To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, F.B.I. Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard suggests UK broke agreement in secretly asking Apple to build iCloud backdoor Researchers accuse North Korea of $1.4 billion Bybit crypto heist Y Combinator deletes posts after a startup's "AI for sweatshops" demo goes viral Grok 3's "sexy mode" Grok 3 appears to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Trump and Musk When Your Last Name Is Null, Nothing Works Nebraska Man Struggles to Change Daughter's Name From 'Unakite Thirteen Hotel' Touch grass Bracket City Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Stephen Wolfram Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT get.stash.com/machines canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit
Interview with Stephen Wolfram OpenAI now serves 400M users every week Nvidia's Profit Jumps 80 Percent as Company Rides Tech's A.I. Boom Amazon announces AI-powered Alexa Plus Artists release silent album in protest against AI using their work AI 'inspo' is everywhere. It's driving your hair stylist crazy. Nvidia launches Signs, a new AI platform to teach American Sign Language and create a validated dataset for sign language learners and ASL app developers Here's How Four Major Newsrooms Are Using AI Google sued by Chegg over AI Overviews hurting traffic and revenue Perplexity wants to reinvent the web browser with AI—but there's fierce competition Perplexity releases a censorship-free variant of Deepseek R1 To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, F.B.I. Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard suggests UK broke agreement in secretly asking Apple to build iCloud backdoor Researchers accuse North Korea of $1.4 billion Bybit crypto heist Y Combinator deletes posts after a startup's "AI for sweatshops" demo goes viral Grok 3's "sexy mode" Grok 3 appears to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Trump and Musk When Your Last Name Is Null, Nothing Works Nebraska Man Struggles to Change Daughter's Name From 'Unakite Thirteen Hotel' Touch grass Bracket City Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Stephen Wolfram Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT get.stash.com/machines canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit
Interview with Stephen Wolfram OpenAI now serves 400M users every week Nvidia's Profit Jumps 80 Percent as Company Rides Tech's A.I. Boom Amazon announces AI-powered Alexa Plus Artists release silent album in protest against AI using their work AI 'inspo' is everywhere. It's driving your hair stylist crazy. Nvidia launches Signs, a new AI platform to teach American Sign Language and create a validated dataset for sign language learners and ASL app developers Here's How Four Major Newsrooms Are Using AI Google sued by Chegg over AI Overviews hurting traffic and revenue Perplexity wants to reinvent the web browser with AI—but there's fierce competition Perplexity releases a censorship-free variant of Deepseek R1 To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, F.B.I. Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard suggests UK broke agreement in secretly asking Apple to build iCloud backdoor Researchers accuse North Korea of $1.4 billion Bybit crypto heist Y Combinator deletes posts after a startup's "AI for sweatshops" demo goes viral Grok 3's "sexy mode" Grok 3 appears to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Trump and Musk When Your Last Name Is Null, Nothing Works Nebraska Man Struggles to Change Daughter's Name From 'Unakite Thirteen Hotel' Touch grass Bracket City Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Stephen Wolfram Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT get.stash.com/machines canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit
Chegg, the online tutoring company, says Google's AI stole its business. Now, it's suing. Does it have a case?
Interview with Stephen Wolfram OpenAI now serves 400M users every week Nvidia's Profit Jumps 80 Percent as Company Rides Tech's A.I. Boom Amazon announces AI-powered Alexa Plus Artists release silent album in protest against AI using their work AI 'inspo' is everywhere. It's driving your hair stylist crazy. Nvidia launches Signs, a new AI platform to teach American Sign Language and create a validated dataset for sign language learners and ASL app developers Here's How Four Major Newsrooms Are Using AI Google sued by Chegg over AI Overviews hurting traffic and revenue Perplexity wants to reinvent the web browser with AI—but there's fierce competition Perplexity releases a censorship-free variant of Deepseek R1 To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, F.B.I. Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard suggests UK broke agreement in secretly asking Apple to build iCloud backdoor Researchers accuse North Korea of $1.4 billion Bybit crypto heist Y Combinator deletes posts after a startup's "AI for sweatshops" demo goes viral Grok 3's "sexy mode" Grok 3 appears to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Trump and Musk When Your Last Name Is Null, Nothing Works Nebraska Man Struggles to Change Daughter's Name From 'Unakite Thirteen Hotel' Touch grass Bracket City Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Stephen Wolfram Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT get.stash.com/machines canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit
A quick but hardly deep dive into what Elon Musk's D.O.G.E. is doing and the technologies they're abusing to do it starts a conversation about the newest outrages of the week from around the Oval Office. We also talk about OpenAI4.5, a delay in data from the GSC API, CoPilot flying folks into the wrong repositories, the Chegg vs. Google case, Bing's AI Search tests, Google's crawler update spikes and crawl efficencies, Scrubbing search results, and nearly a dozen other Googley things. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/webcology/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Interview with Stephen Wolfram OpenAI now serves 400M users every week Nvidia's Profit Jumps 80 Percent as Company Rides Tech's A.I. Boom Amazon announces AI-powered Alexa Plus Artists release silent album in protest against AI using their work AI 'inspo' is everywhere. It's driving your hair stylist crazy. Nvidia launches Signs, a new AI platform to teach American Sign Language and create a validated dataset for sign language learners and ASL app developers Here's How Four Major Newsrooms Are Using AI Google sued by Chegg over AI Overviews hurting traffic and revenue Perplexity wants to reinvent the web browser with AI—but there's fierce competition Perplexity releases a censorship-free variant of Deepseek R1 To Identify Suspect in Idaho Killings, F.B.I. Used Restricted Consumer DNA Data Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard suggests UK broke agreement in secretly asking Apple to build iCloud backdoor Researchers accuse North Korea of $1.4 billion Bybit crypto heist Y Combinator deletes posts after a startup's "AI for sweatshops" demo goes viral Grok 3's "sexy mode" Grok 3 appears to have briefly censored unflattering mentions of Trump and Musk When Your Last Name Is Null, Nothing Works Nebraska Man Struggles to Change Daughter's Name From 'Unakite Thirteen Hotel' Touch grass Bracket City Hosts: Leo Laporte, Jeff Jarvis, and Paris Martineau Guest: Stephen Wolfram Download or subscribe to Intelligent Machines at https://twit.tv/shows/intelligent-machines. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT get.stash.com/machines canary.tools/twit - use code: TWIT expressvpn.com/twit
AI Unraveled: Latest AI News & Trends, Master GPT, Gemini, Generative AI, LLMs, Prompting, GPT Store
A Daily Chronicle of AI Innovations on February 26th 2025Google launched a free AI coding assistant, while Anthropic and Alibaba unveiled enhanced AI models with improved reasoning and coding capabilities. Perplexity AI introduced a new AI-powered web browser, potentially challenging established search engines. Meanwhile, Chegg sued Google over AI-generated content, sparking debates about copyright and AI.Innovations also include a communication protocol for AI agents, Amazon's enhanced Alexa+, Meta's massive investment in AI infrastructure, and the release of open-source video generation models. Furthermore, security concerns emerged regarding AI tools exposing previously private data, and several companies announced funding rounds, new AI features, and partnerships, showing a vibrant and rapidly evolving AI landscape.
Jason Howell and Jeff Jarvis discuss Anthropic's Claude 3.7 SONNET, Chegg suing Google over AI summaries, Perplexity's new Comet browser, the UK delaying AI regulation, and more! Support the show on Patreon! http://patreon.com/aiinsideshow Subscribe to the new YouTube channel! http://www.youtube.com/@aiinsideshow Note: Time codes subject to change depending on dynamic ad insertion by the distributor. NEWS 02:50 - Anthropic launches a new AI model that ‘thinks' as long as you want 12:36 - Chegg sues Google for hurting traffic with AI as it considers strategic alternatives 19:24 - Perplexity AI teases a new browser 'for agentic search' 20:36 - Dia, a new web browser from makers of the Arc browser, is taking aim at Google Chrome with clever AI features 32:26 - UK delays plans to regulate AI as ministers seek to align with Trump administration 32:57 - Daily Mail copyright screaming 33:20 - Kate Bush and Damon Albarn among 1,000 artists on silent AI protest album 35:50 - Accelerating scientific breakthroughs with an AI co-scientist 40:55 - Introducing Muse: Our first generative AI model designed for gameplay ideation 45:08 - AI ‘inspo' is everywhere. It's driving your hair stylist crazy. 52:03 - O'Reilly: The End of Programming as We Know It Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's MadTech Daily: AI chaos. Specifically, creative industries fight back against UK AI plans; Meta and X approve extremist AI ads; and Chegg sues Google over AI search tool
Did you know Chegg's stock once traded above $113 before AI disrupted its business? The online education company is now suing Google, claiming its AI-powered search results scrape content, reducing traffic to original sources and threatening its survival. Investors reacted sharply, causing Chegg's stock to drop by one-third, while the company warns that unchecked AI could erode the internet's reliability and diversity.
i'm wall-e, welcoming you to today's tech briefing for tuesday, february 25. delve into today's top stories: anthropic's financial boost: the ai company, known for its chatbot claude, nears a $3.5 billion fundraising round, raising its valuation to $61.5 billion, with support from lightspeed venture partners and abu dhabi's mgx. apple's u.s. manufacturing push: apple plans a $500 billion investment over four years, including a new ai server facility in houston and expansion of its advanced manufacturing fund to $10 billion, to strengthen its american innovation and reduce overseas dependence. chegg vs. google legal battle: the educational platform sues google for damaging its traffic and revenue with ai search summaries, claiming unfair competition and seeking damages. spacex starship incident: spacex addresses last month's starship explosion linked to propellant leaks and a communication blackout, stating that issues have been resolved and awaiting faa clearance for the next test flight. u.k. crackdown on online harms: ofcom aims to protect women and girls online under the online safety act, recommending technologies like hash matching to fight deepfake porn, with plans to enforce safety measures soon. that's all for today. we'll see you back here tomorrow!
This is our daily Tech and Business Report. Today, KCBS Radio news anchor Holly Quan spoke with Bloomberg's Redd Brown. Chegg, a company which offers homework help online, is suing Google's parent company Alphabet, saying the company's AI summary tool is costing it business.
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3032: Sierra Black explores how renting can often be the smarter financial choice, especially for items that depreciate quickly or have limited use. By weighing costs, resale value, and usage frequency, you can make informed decisions that maximize value and minimize waste. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.getrichslowly.org/when-renting-is-smarter-than-buying/ Quotes to ponder: "Most products aren't investments. They lose value the moment you take them home from the shop, and continue to depreciate the longer you own them and the more you use them." "Anytime you're buying something you have a limited use for, you might want to pause and consider renting instead." "The key is to answer the questions mentioned and figure out if it will cost you more to rent or buy the thing you want." Episode references: Chegg (textbook rentals): https://www.chegg.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3032: Sierra Black explores how renting can often be the smarter financial choice, especially for items that depreciate quickly or have limited use. By weighing costs, resale value, and usage frequency, you can make informed decisions that maximize value and minimize waste. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.getrichslowly.org/when-renting-is-smarter-than-buying/ Quotes to ponder: "Most products aren't investments. They lose value the moment you take them home from the shop, and continue to depreciate the longer you own them and the more you use them." "Anytime you're buying something you have a limited use for, you might want to pause and consider renting instead." "The key is to answer the questions mentioned and figure out if it will cost you more to rent or buy the thing you want." Episode references: Chegg (textbook rentals): https://www.chegg.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3032: Sierra Black explores how renting can often be the smarter financial choice, especially for items that depreciate quickly or have limited use. By weighing costs, resale value, and usage frequency, you can make informed decisions that maximize value and minimize waste. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.getrichslowly.org/when-renting-is-smarter-than-buying/ Quotes to ponder: "Most products aren't investments. They lose value the moment you take them home from the shop, and continue to depreciate the longer you own them and the more you use them." "Anytime you're buying something you have a limited use for, you might want to pause and consider renting instead." "The key is to answer the questions mentioned and figure out if it will cost you more to rent or buy the thing you want." Episode references: Chegg (textbook rentals): https://www.chegg.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to the What's Next! Podcast with Tiffani Bova. I have the wonderful pleasure of welcoming Mike Maples Jr. to the show this week. He is a co-founding partner at Floodgate. He has been on the Forbes Midas List eight times in the last decade and was also named a “Rising Star” by FORTUNE and profiled by Harvard Business School for his lifetime contributions to entrepreneurship. Before becoming a full-time investor, Mike was involved as a founder and operating executive at back-to-back startup IPOs, including Tivoli Systems, which was acquired by IBM, where his dad used to work, and Motive acquired by Alcatel-Lucent. Some of Mike's investments include Twitter, Clover Health, Okta, Outreach, Chegg, Demandforce, and Applied Intuition. And he has a new book out called Pattern Breakers with his co-author, Peter Zimmerman. THIS EPISODE IS PERFECT FOR…anyone curious to learn about the ingredients to start-up success. TODAY'S MAIN MESSAGE…why is it that 80% of start-ups fail? What factors sets the 20% apart? As a seasoned venture capitalist, Mike says it comes down to breaking patterns. In this episode, he shares how to break away from linear strategies and dare to think boldly and take a risk. KEY TAKEAWAYS... Great startups force choices, not comparisons. Early believers are essential for co-creating groundbreaking futures. Intrapreneurs succeed by innovating discreetly before scaling their ideas. Striking out on bold experiments is crucial - safe bets won't lead to grand slams. WHAT I LOVE MOST…Mike says that the best ideas often begin as unsettling or even disliked by many. It's a testament to the power of sticking to bold, authentic visions despite early skepticism. Running Time: 30:05 Subscribe on iTunes Find Tiffani Online: LinkedIn Facebook X Find Mike Online: Substack X Mike's Book: Pattern Breakers: Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future
The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Mike Maples is one of the OG seed investors of the last two decades. As a co-founding Partner at Floodgate, Mike has been on the Forbes Midas List eight times in the last decade. Some of Mike's investments include Twitter, Twitch.tv, Clover Health, Okta, Outreach, Chegg, Demandforce, and Applied Intuition. In Today's Episode with Mike Maples We Discuss: 04:02 Does Seed Even Make Sense as an Asset Class? 05:16 Fund Size and Strategy: How to Do a 10x Fund? 08:12 Follow-On Investments: Are they BS? 16:41 Finding Inefficiencies in the Market 26:31 Exit Strategies and Liquidity Events: When to Sell? 35:14 How Floodgate Lost Billions Missing Airbnb and Pinterest 35:43 3 Frameworks for Evaluating Startups 36:23 Case Studies: Zoom and Okta 43:34 How to Truly Analyse Product-Market Fit 45:22 Challenges with Overfunding Startups 50:02 2024 in Review: Company and Fund of the Year 54:25 Predictions for 2025
Mike Maples is the co-founding partner at Floodgate, a venture capital firm that focuses on early stage investments in technology companies. He has been featured on the Forbes Midas List eight times in the past decade, recognized as a “Rising Star” by FORTUNE, and profiled by Harvard Business School for his enduring contributions to entrepreneurship. As a founder and operating executive, Mike played pivotal roles in two successful IPOs: Tivoli Systems (later acquired by IBM) and Motive (acquired by Alcatel-Lucent). Mike's career as a seed investor has solidified his legendary status in Silicon Valley. Some of his notable investments include Twitter, Twitch.tv, Clover Health, Okta, Outreach, Chegg, Demandforce, and Applied Intuition. Together with Stanford Professor Peter Ziebelman, Mike developed insights on identifying "Pattern Breaking" concepts, referred to as "Inflections." These ideas form the foundation of his book, Pattern Breakers, which explores over 15 years of investment experience to reveal the sources of breakthrough potential in startups. The book is a National Bestseller and ranks as the #1 Venture Capital book on Amazon.On today's show, Alan and Mike dive into Mike's latest book, Pattern Breakers, exploring what pattern breakers are, their key components, and how they drive transformational change. They examine the concept of inflection points, pivotal moments that define the trajectory of a startup. Mike explains the importance of being radically different and the necessity of building a movement around your business and products to stand out in competitive markets. They also explore what truly makes a company radically different and how these elements come together to fuel extraordinary success.In this episode, you'll learn:Why being radically different is essential for startups and how to achieve itStrategies to identify and connect with your ideal customer base early Key startup principles that even large companies can adopt, plus actionable tips for collaborating with startupsKey Highlights:[02:17] Being a professional calligrapher [03:32] Career path to Floodgate[05:50] Why is now the right time for the book, Pattern Breakers[08:53] Why startups need to be radically different[14:00] Is getting competition good or bad[15:58] How to find the customer base early on[18:59] How the principles of a startup can apply to large companies[22:28] Tips for large companies working with startups[23:46] Risk profiles and mindsets [26:16] Inflections [30:05] Different categories of growth[32:05] Inflections, pattern breakers, creating movements relating to marking[34:04] Does radically different only matter if its a commercial success[37:50] An experience from your past that defines you[41:35] Advice to your younger self- personal monopoly [43:50] A topic that you and other marketers need to learn more about - AI [50:12] Trends or subcultures others should follow[50:51] Largest opportunity or threat to marketers todayLooking for more?Visit our website for the full show notes, links to resources mentioned in this episode, and ways to connect with the guest! Become a member today and listen ad-free, visit https://plus.acast.com/s/marketingtoday. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The global race for technological dominance is transforming how nations approach education and workforce development. In the U.S., the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act is a multibillion-dollar initiative to boost semiconductor manufacturing, counter China's influence, and drive economic growth. But what does this legislation mean for college students, higher education and workforce training? In this episode, Shalin Jyotishi, Founder of New America's Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative, unpacks the Act's impact on higher education and workforce development. He highlights its potential to meet the rising demand for skilled workers in high-tech industries by investing in education and training programs. Shalin also explores how the Act aims to strengthen community colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), supporting innovative training programs and fostering opportunities in institutions that have traditionally been underfunded in high-tech workforce initiatives. We also examine challenges such as recent funding cuts to the National Science Foundation, political shifts, and the complexities of industrial policy. Shalin underscores the need for stronger collaboration between colleges and industry to align education with market demands and prepare students for the high-tech jobs of the future. Higher Ed Spotlight is sponsored by Chegg's Center for Digital Learning and aims to explore the future of higher education. It is produced by Antica Productions.
Welcome to the Check This Out Podcast!Episode 160 for November 26th, 2024Titled - S.D.H.S.F.R.Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/ctoep160 Join us on Episode 160 as we dive into the latest edtech trends, explore the impact of AI on teaching and learning, and share practical tips for navigating the ever-evolving digital landscape. We'll also discuss the challenges of maintaining student focus, the decline of Chegg, and the rise of new social media platforms. Plus, we have some great podcast recommendations and resources to check out. If you enjoy the show, please head to iTunes and give us a few stars. We appreciate the feedback and acknowledgment. Join our Facebook group and follow our BlueSky! #PodcastEDU***Please visit Check This Out Podcast dot Com for show notes, past episodes, and more.Thank you so much for checking this out!
【欢迎订阅】每天早上5:30,准时更新。【阅读原文】标题:What ChatGPT's corporate victims have in commonThe first casualties of generative AI offer lessons for other businesses正文: In less than four years the share price of Chegg, an online education service, has dropped by 99%. A post-pandemic slump in digital learning is partly to blame for its tumble. A bigger problem for the company, though,is artificial intelligence (AI). Its customers are mostly students who want help answering their homework assignments, which often involves the virtual support of a human tutor. The rise of ChatGPT and its kind have created a free substitute for that service. On an earnings call on November 12th Nathan Schultz, Chegg's boss, admitted that “technology shifts have created headwinds”. The same day the firm said that it would fire a fifth of its workforce.知识点:slump v. /slʌmp/1. to fall in price, value, number, etc., suddenly and by a large amount(价格、价值、数量等)骤降,猛跌,锐减• Sales have slumped this year.今年销售量锐减。• Profits slumped by over 50%.利润突降50%以上。2. to sit or fall down heavily重重地坐下(或倒下)• The old man slumped down in his chair.⽼先⽣⼀屁股跌坐到椅⼦上。• She slumped to her knees.她扑通⼀声跪倒在地。获取外刊的完整原文以及精讲笔记,请关注微信公众号「早安英文」,回复“外刊”即可。更多有意思的英语干货等着你!【节目介绍】《早安英文-每日外刊精读》,带你精读最新外刊,了解国际最热事件:分析语法结构,拆解长难句,最接地气的翻译,还有重点词汇讲解。所有选题均来自于《经济学人》《纽约时报》《华尔街日报》《华盛顿邮报》《大西洋月刊》《科学杂志》《国家地理》等国际一线外刊。【适合谁听】1、关注时事热点新闻,想要学习最新最潮流英文表达的英文学习者2、任何想通过地道英文提高听、说、读、写能力的英文学习者3、想快速掌握表达,有出国学习和旅游计划的英语爱好者4、参加各类英语考试的应试者(如大学英语四六级、托福雅思、考研等)【你将获得】1、超过1000篇外刊精读课程,拓展丰富语言表达和文化背景2、逐词、逐句精确讲解,系统掌握英语词汇、听力、阅读和语法3、每期内附学习笔记,包含全文注释、长难句解析、疑难语法点等,帮助扫除阅读障碍。
In this weeks episode: AI gets rich. Chegg: a cautionary tale the large AI companies eating the smaller ones. Employment Hero abruptly changed course on strategy. Just don't call it a pivot. The tech industry must evolve beyond ‘problematic geniuses'. Carta Data: 50% of employees depart within three years. Luke Anear to step down as SafetyCulture CEO, transition to executive chair role. Canva poaches Zoom's chief financial officer. Starting a company vs starting a fund. hello@tribeglobal.vc
Follow Prof G Markets: Apple Podcasts Spotify Scott and Ed open the show by discussing Spotify and Disney's earnings, a gambling company's strong third quarter results, and Elliot Management's activist investment in Honeywell. Then Scott breaks down how Chegg allowed ChatGPT to take its business to the woodshed and why he thinks the ed tech company's bonds could make for a lucrative investment. He and Ed consider how fears of AI's negative impact on certain sectors may have been overstated. Finally, they discuss the newly proposed Department of Government Efficiency and highlight one potential benefit it could bring to the nation. Check out Prof G Markets in Spanish and Portuguese on Youtube. Order "The Algebra of Wealth," out now Subscribe to No Mercy / No Malice Follow the podcast across socials @profgpod: Instagram Threads X Reddit Follow Scott on Instagram Follow Ed on Instagram and X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Welcome to another episode of Supra Insider. This time, Marc and Ben sat down with Gibson Biddle, former VP of Product at Netflix and Chief Product Officer at Chegg. Gib shares his journey from full-time product leadership to becoming an interim and fractional executive, driven by the desire to live life on his own terms. He discussed his strategies for balancing impact and flexibility, the importance of continuous learning, and his passion for teaching and storytelling.Gib also talked about building engaging content, like his well-loved product strategy workshops, and organizing the Product Leader Summit. Whether you're a product leader looking for practical insights or someone seeking inspiration to live a more fulfilling life, this episode has something for you.All episodes of the podcast are also available on Spotify, Apple and YouTube (video).New to the pod? Subscribe below to get the next episode in your inbox
In this episode of Grumpy Old Geeks, we break down the latest chaos in tech, pop culture, and humanity's never-ending quest to out-stupid itself. Hackers are raiding Ticketmaster accounts (again), and Chegg is circling the drain after ChatGPT obliterated its business model. Meanwhile, Amazon is hawking boner pills that tanked Hims' stock, 23andMe is laying off nearly half its staff, and Bluesky is quietly stealing users who've had it with Elon's dumpster fire over at X.Driverless Waymo cars take over LA, nuclear safety gets outsourced to AI, and Apple wants to track your luggage with AirTags (but only on planes they like). Oh, and let's not forget Mark Zuckerberg's bizarre karaoke moment with Get Low.On the pop culture front, The Penguin finale cements it as TV's best comic book adaptation, Moana smashes Disney streaming records, and The Beatles are back—kind of—thanks to AI. Plus, Mattel accidentally linked kids' toys to a porn site, and some genius in a bear costume is faking car accidents for insurance money. It's all as dumb, messy, and oddly entertaining as you'd expect. Tune in for the snark, stay for the schadenfreude!Sponsors:HelloFresh - Get 10 FREE meals at HelloFresh.com/freegog1Password Extended Access Management - Check it out at 1Password.com/grumpyoldgeeks. Secure every sign-in for every app on every device.DeleteMe - Head over to JoinDeleteMe.com/GOG and use the code "GOG" for 20% off.Private Internet Access - Go to GOG.Show/vpn and sign up today. For a limited time only, you can get OUR favorite VPN for as little as $2.03 a month.SetApp - With a single monthly subscription you get 240+ apps for your Mac. Go to SetApp and get started today!!!1Password - Get a great deal on the only password manager recommended by Grumpy Old Geeks! gog.show/1passwordShow notes at https://gog.show/674FOLLOW UPHackers Keep Stealing Tickets From People's Ticketmaster AccountsTrump Media Execs Dumped Millions in Stock After the ElectionStudy Finds Eggs Might Protect Brain Health And Lower CholesterolIN THE NEWSFTX bankruptcy estate sues Anthony Scaramucci, FWD.us, othersChegg Is On Its Last Legs After ChatGPT Sent Its Stock Down 99%AI travel influencers are here. Human travelers hate it.Bluesky reaches 15 million users; people look for alternatives to XJason on BlueskyBrian on BlueskyGrayskyBluesky scoops up the developer of popular third-party app, Graysky23andMe is laying off 40 percent of its staffAmazon Gets Into the Boner Pill Business, Hims Stock Goes LimpWaymo's driverless cars in LA County are now available to everyoneTelecom Builds AI ‘Grandmother' Bot to Talk to Phone Scammers and Waste Their TimeAnthropic, feds test whether AI will share sensitive nuclear infoNew artificial intelligence search solution deployed at Diablo Canyon Power PlantThe Manhattan Project (1986)AI Expert Warns Crash Is Imminent As AI Improvements Hit Brick Wall'Hawk Tuah' girl launches Pookie Tool, an AI-powered dating advice app, and it's fine?The Onion Purchases Alex Jones' InfoWars in Bankruptcy AuctionMEDIA CANDYCountdown: Paul vs. TysonPaul vs. TysonSuper League: The War for FootballShrinkingNobody Wants ThisSilo Season TwoMoana is Disney's Biggest Movie on Streaming EverThe Penguin Finale Cemented It as One of the Best Comic Book Shows EverThe Beatles are nominated for two Grammys thanks to AIGates McFadden InvestiGates: Who do you think you are?ERIC SAYSThe story of Love And Rockets, the former Bauhaus members who helped sell goth to AmericaMark Zuckerberg Just Released a Cover of Lil Jon's "Get Low" and Yes, He Says the Line About BallsSpotify's Plans For AI Generated Music, Podcasts, and Recommendations, According To Its Co-President, CTO, and CPO Gustav SöderströmAPPS & DOODADSGood News: Instagram Chief Says App Won't Refresh Right When You Open It AnymoreMeta Will Get Its Unwanted Day in Antitrust CourtApple Has Begun Selling iPhone 16 Replacement PartsApple teams up with airlines for new ‘Share Item Location' AirTags feature in iOS 18.2"Wicked" toys from Mattel featuring link to porn site pulled from shelves, now available on eBaySound Studio 4RedactTangle NewsAT THE LIBRARYThis photography book shows people just standing in front of Danzig's houseBeacon 23: The Complete Novel by Hugh HoweyTHE DARK SIDE WITH DAVEDave BittnerThe CyberWireHacking HumansCaveatControl LoopOnly Malware in the BuildingAndor Will Gloriously Rebel Once More in April 2025Andor Season 2 Will Pit Your Favorite Miserable Imperials Against Each OtherHow to migrate from X to Bluesky without losing your followersPerson dressed in bear costume to fake attacks on cars for insurance payout, California officials say.CLOSING SHOUT-OUTSTony Todd, ‘Candyman' and ‘Final Destination' Actor, Dead at 69Tony Todd Made One of Deep Space Nine‘s Greatest Episodes ShineHappy Birthday Gigi Edgley!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover 1) Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson 2) Why researchers believe Generative AI training methods might be plateauing 3) Is the application really what matters? 4) Will reasoning save the day? 5) Writer raises $200 million 6) ChatGPT defeats Chegg 7) Should ad agencies bill by the hour in the age of AI? 8) Ranjan reflects on our interview with Gustav Soderstrom 9) Gratitude for listeners 10) Yes, we're launching video interviews on Spotify 11) Bluesky's longevity potential 12) Apple's smart glasses move 13) Z-Pain makes us unhappy --- Enjoying Big Technology Podcast? Please rate us five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in your podcast app of choice. For weekly updates on the show, sign up for the pod newsletter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/6901970121829801984/ Want a discount for Big Technology on Substack? Here's 40% off for the first year: https://tinyurl.com/bigtechnology Questions? Feedback? Write to: bigtechnologypodcast@gmail.com
Episode 451: Neal and Toby discuss Trump's plan to mass deport millions of immigrants, which has economists concerned such an exodus may hurt the economy. Then, the COP29 climate summit kicks off and nations question the US commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Next, Mattel is doing damage-control after it mistakenly printed a link to a porn site onto its dolls for the upcoming film ‘Wicked'. Meanwhile, Chegg, the once popular online education site, is hoping it's business doesn't become a fatal victim to ChatGPT. Lastly, notable headlines to end your day. Visit https://www.sage.com/morningbrew for more! Subscribe to Morning Brew Daily for more of the news you need to start your day. Share the show with a friend, and leave us a review on your favorite podcast app. Get your Morning Brew Daily T-Shirt HERE: https://shop.morningbrew.com/products/morning-brew-radio-t-shirt?_pos=1&_sid=6b0bc409d&_ss=r&variant=45353879044316 Listen to Morning Brew Daily Here: https://link.chtbl.com/MBD Watch Morning Brew Daily Here: https://www.youtube.com/@MorningBrewDailyShow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week we talk about the Double Reduction Policy, gaokao, and Chegg.We also discuss GPTs, cheating, and disruption.Recommended Book: Autocracy, Inc by Anne ApplebaumTranscriptIn July of 2021, the Chinese government implemented a new education rule called the Double Reduction Policy.This Policy was meant, among other things, to reduce the stress students in the country felt related to their educational attainment, while also imposing sterner regulations on businesses operating in education and education-adjacent industries.Chinese students spend a lot of time studying—nearly 10 hours per day for kids ages 12-14—and the average weekly study time for students is tallied at 55 hours, which is substantially higher than in most other countries, and quite a lot higher than the international average of 45 hours per week.This fixation on education is partly cultural, but it's also partly the result of China's education system, which has long served to train children to take very high-stakes tests, those tests then determining what sorts of educational and, ultimately, employment futures they can expect. These tests are the pathway to a better life, essentially, so the kids face a whole lot of pressure from society and their families to do well, because if they don't, they've sentenced themselves to low-paying jobs and concomitantly low-status lives; it's a fairly brutal setup, looked at from elsewhere around the world, but it's something that's kind of taken for granted in modern China.On top of all that in-class schoolwork, there's abundant homework, and that's led to a thriving private tutoring industry. Families invest heavily in ensuring their kids have a leg-up over everyone else, and that often means paying people to prepare them for those tests, even beyond school hours and well into the weekend.Because of all this, kids in China suffer abnormally high levels of physical and mental health issues, many of them directly linked to stress, including a chronic lack of sleep, high levels of anxiety, rampant obesity and everything that comes with that, and high levels of suicide, as well; suicide is actually the most common cause of death amongst Chinese teenagers, and the majority of these suicides occur in the lead-up to the gaokao, or National College Entrance Exam, which is the biggest of big important exams that determine how teens will be economically and socially sorted basically for the rest of their lives.This recent Double Reduction Policy, then, was intended to help temper some of those negative, education-related consequences, reducing the volume of homework kids had to tackle each week, freeing up time for sleep and relaxation, while also putting a cap on the ability of private tutoring companies to influence parents into paying for a bunch of tutoring services; something they'd long done via finger-wagging marketing messages, shaming parents who failed to invest heavily in their child's educational future, making them feel like they aren't being good parents because they're not spending enough on these offerings.This policy pursued these ends, first, by putting a cap on how much homework could be sent home with students, limiting it to 60 minutes for youngsters, and 90 minutes for middle schoolers.It also provided resources and rules for non-homework-related after-school services, did away with bad rankings due to poor test performance that might stigmatize students in the future, and killed off some of those fear-inducing, ever-so-important exams altogether.It also provided some new resources and frameworks for pilot programs that could help their school system evolve in the future, allowing them to try some new things, which could, in theory, then be disseminated to the nation's larger network of schools if these experiments go well.And then on the tutoring front, they went nuclear on those private tutoring businesses that were shaming parents into paying large sums of money to train their children beyond school hours.The government instituted a new system of regulators for this industry, ceased offering new business licenses for tutoring companies, and forced all existing for-profit businesses in this space to become non-profits.This market was worth about $100 billion when this new policy came into effect, which is a simply staggering sum, but the government basically said you're not businesses anymore, you can't operate if you try to make a profit.This is just one of many industries the current Chinese leadership has clamped-down on over the past handful of years, often on cultural grounds, as was the case with limiting the amount of time children can play video games each day. But like that video game ban, which has apparently shown mixed results, the tutoring ban seems to have led to the creation of a flourishing black market for tutoring services, forcing these sorts of business dealings underground, and thus increasing the fee parents pay for them each month.In late-October of 2024, the Chinese government, while not formally acknowledging any change to this policy, eased pressure on private tutoring services—the regulators in charge of keeping them operating in accordance with nonprofit structures apparently giving them a nudge and a wink, telling them surreptitiously that they're allowed to expand again—possibly because China has been suffering a wave of economic issues over the past several years, and the truncation of the tutoring industry led to a lot of mass-firings, tens of thousands of people suddenly without jobs, and a substantial drop in tax revenue, as well, as the country's stock market lost billions of dollars worth of value basically overnight.It's also worth noting here that China's youth unemployment rate recently hit 18.8%, which is a bogglingly high number, and something that's not great for stability, in the sense that a lot of young people, even very well educated young people, can't find a job, which means they have to occupy themselves with other, perhaps less productive things.But high youth unemployment is also not great for the country's economic future, as that means these are people who aren't attaining new skills and experience—and they can't do that because the companies that might otherwise hire them can't afford to pay more employees because folks aren't spending enough on their offerings.So while it was determined that this industry was hurting children and their families who had to pay these near-compulsory tutoring fees, they also seemed to realize that lacking this industry, their unemployment and broader economic woes would be further inflamed—and allowing for this gray area in the rules seems to be an attempt to have the best of both worlds, though it may leave them burdened with the worst of both worlds, as well.What I'd like to talk about today is another facet of the global tutoring industry, and how new technologies seem to be flooding into this zone even more rapidly than in other spaces, killing off some of the biggest players and potentially portending the sort of collapse we might also see in other industries in the coming years.—Chegg, spelled c-h-e-g-g, is a US-based, education-focused tech company that has provided all sorts of learning-related services to customers since 2006.It went public on the NYSE in 2013, and in 2021 it was called the “most valuable edtech company in America” by Forbes, due in part to the boom in long-distance education services in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic; like Peloton and Zoom, Chegg was considered to be a great investment for a future in which more stuff is done remotely, as seemed likely to be the case for a good long while, considering all the distancing and shut-downs we were doing at the time.In early 2020, before that boom, the company was already reporting that it had 2.9 million subscribers to its Chegg Services offering, which gave users access to all sorts of school-related benefits, including help with homework, access to Q&As with experts, and a huge database of solutions for tests and assignments.The company then released a sort of social-publishing platform called Uversity in mid-2021, giving educators a place to share their own content, and they acquired a language-learning software company called Busuu, which is a bit like Duolingo, that same year for $436 million.In May of 2023, though, the company's CEO said, on an earnings call, that ChatGPT—the incredibly popular, basically overnight-popular large-language-model-powered AI chatbot created by OpenAI—might hinder Chegg's near-future growth.The day after that call, Chegg's stock price dropped by about 48%, cutting the company's market value nearly in half, and though later that same month he announced that Chegg would partner with OpenAI to launch its own AI platform called Cheggmate, which was launched as a beta in June, by early November the following year, 2024, the company had lost about 99% of its market valuation, dropping from a 2021 high of nearly $100 per share, down to less than $2 per share as of early November.This isn't a unique story: LLM-based AI tools, those made by OpenAI but also its competitors, including big tech companies like Google and Microsoft, which have really leaned into this seeming transition, have been messing with market valuations left and right, as this collection of tools and technologies have been evolving really fast—a recent five-year plan for Chegg indicated they didn't believe something like ChatGPT would exist until 2025 at the earliest, for instance, which turned out to be way off—but they've also been killing off high-flying company valuations because these sorts of tools are by definition multi-purpose, and a lot of the low-hanging fruit in any industry is basically just providing information that's already available somewhere in a more intuitive and accessible fashion; which is something a multi-purpose, bot-interfaced software tool is pretty good at doing, as it turns out.Chegg's services were optimized to provide school-related stuff to students—including test and homework answers those students could quickly reference if they wanted to study or cheat—and serving up these resources in a simple manner is what allowed them to pay the bills.ChatGPT and similar AI tools, though, can do the same, and for practically or literally—for the end-user, at least—free. And it can sometimes do so in a manner that's even more intuitive than the Cheggs of the world, even if these AI offerings are sometimes jumbled along the way; the risk-reward math is still favorable to a lot of people, because of just how valuable this kind of information provided in this way can be.Other companies and entire industries are finding themselves in the same general circumstances, also all of a sudden, because their unique value proposition has been offering some kind of information intuitively, or in some cases they've provided human interfaces that would do various things for customers: they would look up deals on a particular model of car, they would write marketing copy, they would commentate on sporting events.Some of these entities are trying to get ahead of the game, like Chegg did, by basically plugging their existing services into AI versions of the same, replacing their human commentators with bots that can manage a fair approximation of those now-unemployed humans, but at a fraction of the cost. Others are facing a huge number of new competitors, as smaller businesses or just individuals are realizing they can pay a little money for AI tokens and credits, plug an API into a website, which allows that AI to populate content on their site automatically, and they can then run the same sort of service with little or no effort, and vitally, little or no overhead.This creates a race-to-the-bottom situation in many such cases, and often the bots are nowhere near as good as the humans they're replacing, but especially in situations where human jobs have been optimized so that one human can be replaced with another human relatively simply, it has proven to be fairly easy to fire people and then replace them with non-humans that seem human-enough most of the time.So blog-writing and video-making and inventory-organizing and, yes, school-tutoring and similar services are increasingly being automated in this way, and while, sure, you could pay a premium to stick with Chegg and access these AI tools via their portal for $20 a month, the bet many investors are making is that folks will probably prefer to get what amounts to the same thing cheaper, or even free, directly from the source, or via one of those other lower-end intermediaries with fewer overhead costs.Chegg has lost about $14.5 billion in market value since early 2021, and the company is now expected to collapse under the weight of its debts sometime in the near-future; the shift in fortunes brought about by the deployment of generally capable, if not perfectly capable, chat-interface accessible AI tools has been that sudden.None of which means this is a permanent thing, as entities in industries currently being challenged by AI equivalent or near-equivalent tools might push back with their own, difficult to replicate offerings, and there's a chance that the small but burgeoning wave of vehemently non-AI tools—those that wave their human-made-ness, their non-AI-ness like a flag, or like an organic, cruelty-free label—might carve out their own sustainable, growable niche. That becomes their unique value proposition in place of what these AI-focused companies stole from them.But this kind of disruption sometimes leads to an extinction-level event for the majority of operators in a formerly flourishing space.Chegg, for their part, decided to revamp their AI offering, moving away from the Cheggmate name and working with Scale AI instead of OpenAI, to build a few dozen AI systems optimized for different academic focuses; which could prove to be a valuable differentiator for them, but it could also fall flat in the face of OpenAI's own re-skinned versions of ChatGPT, called GPTs, which allow users to do basically the same thing, coming up with their own field focused experts and personalities, rather than using the vanilla model of the bot.There's a chance this will also help Chegg deal with another AI-related issue—specifically, that ChatGPT was providing better answers to some students' questions than Chegg's human-derived offerings; they're trying to out-bot OpenAI, essentially, doing the homework-AI thing better than ChatGPT, and there's a chance that offering a demonstrably higher quality of answers might also serve as a survival-enabling differentiator; though their ability to consistently provide better answers in this way is anything but certain.It's also worth noting that what we're talking about here, so far, isn't the sci-fi dream of a perfect digital tutor—something like the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer from Neal Stephenson's novel The Diamond Age, which is something like an AI-powered storybook that adapts its content to the reader, and which then teaches said reader everything they need to know to flourish in life, day by day. Chegg and ChatGPT serve up tools that help students cheat on tests and homework, while also helping them look up information a lot easier when they decide not to cheat, and to practice various sorts of assignments and exams beforehand.So this is a far easier space to compete in than something more complex and actually tutor-like. It may be, then, that moving in that direction, toward tools that focus more on replacing teachers and tutors, rather than helping students navigate schoolwork, might be the killer app that allows some of these existing tutoring-ish tools to survive and thrive; though it may be that something else comes along in the meantime which fulfills that promise better—maybe ChatGPT, or maybe some new, more focused version of the same general collection of tools.It'll probably be a few years before we see how this and similar bets that're being made by at-risk companies facing the AI barbarians at the gate turn out, and at that point these tools will likely be even more powerful, offering even more capabilities and thus disrupting, or threatening to disrupt, even more companies in even more industries, as a consequence.Show Noteshttps://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/how-chatgpt-brought-down-an-online-education-giant-200b4ff2https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpts/https://ai.wharton.upenn.edu/focus-areas/human-technology-interaction/2024-ai-adoption-report/https://www.weforum.org/stories/2024/07/ai-tutor-china-teaching-gaps/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Reduction_Policyhttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20965311241265123https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0738059324000117https://archive.ph/VKkrLhttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/07/22/asia-pacific/china-private-tutoring/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/chinas-youth-unemployment-hits-fresh-high-economic-slowdown-restrictiv-rcna172183 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe
The troubled launch of what was supposed to be a new and improved Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, has created frustration for students and parents. The widespread delays have left students uncertain about the future of their education and sparked headlines nationwide. In this episode, Ben sits down with Harvard professor and financial aid expert Susan Dynarski to unpack the FAFSA rollout and the turmoil it caused across higher education. The setback led to a significant drop in applications, especially among first-time college students. Susan explores why financial aid is essential to college access and examines what went wrong with the ambitious redesign. She also discusses potential solutions, from using tax data to simplify applications for students to the possibility of eliminating the FAFSA altogether. This conversation sheds light on what's at stake for students nationwide and what changes are needed to make financial aid more accessible and equitable. Higher Ed Spotlight is sponsored by Chegg's Center for Digital Learning and aims to explore the future of higher education. It is produced by Antica Productions.
Online education company Chegg used to be the go-to source for students who wanted help with their homework. Now that those students are turning to OpenAI's ChatGPT for help, Chegg's business is taking a hit. WSJ tech reporter Miles Kruppa joins host Cordilia James has more on the company's efforts to adapt and survive. Plus, how Elon Musk could apply his usual business tactics to a possible role in the new Trump administration. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode of Higher Ed Spotlight, we speak with Nicholas Lemann, professor of journalism at Columbia University, about his latest book, Higher Admissions: The Rise, Decline, and Return of Standardized Testing. Twenty-five years after his seminal work, The Big Test, Lemann revisits the role of standardized testing in college admissions during a pivotal moment in higher education. With debates reigniting around the SAT—particularly following the Supreme Court's ruling overturning affirmative action and the reinstatement of the test by some colleges—Lemann explores the SAT's history in shaping the elite academic institutions, and its broader impact on student access to higher education. Lemann also considers the value of standardized scores and the potential move towards evaluating students through curriculum-based mastery. Higher Ed Spotlight is sponsored by Chegg's Center for Digital Learning and aims to explore the future of higher education. It is produced by Antica Productions.
In this episode, John B. King, Jr., Chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY) and former U.S. Secretary of Education, explores the pivotal role public universities play in promoting student success and advancing equity in higher education. He discusses SUNY's commitment to affordable education that opens doors to social mobility and economic advancement, particularly for low-income students and those from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. King addresses how institutions can continue to foster inclusion in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn race-based affirmative action. Shifting the focus to career readiness, King highlights SUNY's efforts to integrate paid internships into college programs, helping students gain valuable workforce skills. Reflecting on his tenure as U.S. Secretary of Education, he shares his experience shutting down predatory for-profit colleges. This conversation offers a deep dive into how higher ed can shape a more equitable future for all students. Higher Ed Spotlight is sponsored by Chegg's Center for Digital Learning and aims to explore the future of higher education. It is produced by Antica Productions.
Kristin Fracchia is a growth and marketing exec who has helped scale companies from early stage to public, including Chegg and Magoosh. She is an unabashed generalist and lifelong learner, who has flexed between roles leading marketing, growth, sales, product, finance, business development, and business operations. Her current passions are helping companies leverage AI to their advantage and mentoring early career leaders. Prior to working in tech, she obtained a PhD and dabbled in academia, earning an excellence in teaching award from the University of California. Questions and topics we discussed in this interview include: How Kristin is learning about new tools like Clay.com to stay adaptable as a marketer in this budding field of GenAI How should marketers think about getting their brands more visibility on gen AI tools and chat-based search tools like ChatGPT? What's the business impact that obtaining AI visibility would have on business growth? What is generative engine optimization (GEO)? And how is this field emerging and evolving? What tools can marketers use today to determine how their marketing is being impacted by genAI? What should marketers tell their leadership teams about how genAI search may impact their marketing strategies and how we should all start adapting And more! You can connect with Kristin on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinfracchia/ You can find me on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kennysoto/ Past guests of The People of Digital Marketing include April Dunford, Amanda Goetz, Melissa Rosenthal, Bill Macaitis, Miruna Dragomir, Andrew Capland, Erik Newton, Andy Crestodina, Sarah Bedrick, Michael Wieder, Dan McGaw, Kathleen Booth, Foti Panagiotakopoulos, Tommy Walker, Lea Pica, Maya Grossman, Sara Pion, Margaret Kelsey, and more. Music for this podcast comes from www.davidcuttermusic.com
According to Schmidt (accessed 2024), the three sections of the statement of cash flow are operating activities, investing activities and financing activities. I believe that all three sections are important, and that the specific situation of the company may place more relative importance on one over another. For example, while most businesses very actively manage their operating activities, for some companies, such as manufacturers, physical investments might be more or most critical. While for other companies, outside investors may, for a short or long period, be the lifeblood of the company, even moreso than operations. Schmidt (accessed 2024) adds that the statement of cash flows is one of three major financial statements and describes cash inflows and outflows across a time period such a month, quarter or year. Schmidt (accessed 2024) adds that the statement of cash flow serves as a bridge between the balance sheet and income statement, but that the latter two don't directly cash activity over a time period because they are the result of accrual accounting. As a result, Schmidt (accessed 2024) adds that the statement of cash flows generally serves as a cash flow instrument for both management, investors and analysts. The company I have selected is Amazon. According to Chegg (accessed 2024): “If you analyze Amazon's Statement of Cash Flows for the past 5 years how would you rate their performance and what recommendations would you make? The absence of share issuance or repurchase in 2022 is noteworthy for creditors assessing equity levels and financial leverage. Considering the complex interplay between these factors, how might creditors balance short-term liquidity concerns with the long-term creditworthiness of Amazon, especially in a dynamic market influenced by technology and e-commerce trends?” In regards to the Audio Partners Cash Flow document given in the instructions for this Discussion assignment, I noticed that Cash Provided or Used by Operating Activities across the five years went from -$1,075,000 to -$581,575 to $10,945,420 to $48,711,124 to $91,586,275 to $134,388,551.I believe that this represents a very consistent, even powerful progression for the company demonstrating strength in the company's financial position, as a very general measure of course. References: Chegg (accessed 2024). Question: If you analyze Amazon's Statement of Cash Flows for the past 5 years how would you rate their performance and what recommendations would you… https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/questions-and-answers/analyze-amazon-s-statement-cash-flows-past-5-years-would-rate-performance-recommendations--q124491902 Schmidt, J., (accessed 2024). Statement of Cash Flows. CFI. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/accounting/statement-of-cash-flows/#:~:text=The%20three%20sections%20of%20the,method%20or%20the%20indirect%20method. According to Schmidt (accessed 2024), the three sections of the statement of cash flow are operating activities, investing activities and financing activities. I believe that all three sections are important, and that the specific situation of the company may place more relative importance on one over another. For example, while most businesses very actively manage their operating activities, for some companies, such as manufacturers, physical investments might be more or most critical. While for other companies, outside investors may, for a short or long period, be the lifeblood of the company, even moreso than operations. Schmidt (accessed 2024) adds that the statement of cash flows is one of three major financial statements and describes cash inflows and outflows across a time period such a month, quarter or year. Schmidt (accessed 2024) adds that the statement of cash flow serves as a bridge between the balance sheet and income statement, but that the latter two don't directly cash activity over a time period because they are the result of accrual accounting. As a result, Schmidt (accessed 2024) adds that the statement of cash flows generally serves as a cash flow instrument for both management, investors and analysts. The company I have selected is Amazon. According to Chegg (accessed 2024): “If you analyze Amazon's Statement of Cash Flows for the past 5 years how would you rate their performance and what recommendations would you make? The absence of share issuance or repurchase in 2022 is noteworthy for creditors assessing equity levels and financial leverage. Considering the complex interplay between these factors, how might creditors balance short-term liquidity concerns with the long-term creditworthiness of Amazon, especially in a dynamic market influenced by technology and e-commerce trends?” In regards to the Audio Partners Cash Flow document given in the instructions for this Discussion assignment, I noticed that Cash Provided or Used by Operating Activities across the five years went from -$1,075,000 to -$581,575 to $10,945,420 to $48,711,124 to $91,586,275 to $134,388,551.I believe that this represents a very consistent, even powerful progression for the company demonstrating strength in the company's financial position, as a very general measure of course. References: Chegg (accessed 2024). Question: If you analyze Amazon's Statement of Cash Flows for the past 5 years how would you rate their performance and what recommendations would you… https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/questions-and-answers/analyze-amazon-s-statement-cash-flows-past-5-years-would-rate-performance-recommendations--q124491902 Schmidt, J., (accessed 2024). Statement of Cash Flows. CFI. https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/accounting/statement-of-cash-flows/#:~:text=The%20three%20sections%20of%20the,method%20or%20the%20indirect%20method. How excellence is in fact a rebellion against the matrix
Getting a college degree can substantially increase your lifetime earnings, but even better is getting someone else to pay for it.I'm talking about scholarships, of course. Every year, public and private institutions dole out about $8 billion in scholarships. Are you getting any of it? I'll talk about how you can.The Rising Cost of CollegeNo question about it: college is expensive. The College Board reports that in 2024, in-state students at public four-year schools are spending an average of $11,260 on tuition and fees for just one year, excluding room and board. Students at private, four-year colleges are spending over $41,500 on tuition and fees alone. With these expenses, it's not surprising that the average student owes close to $30,000 when leaving school. But you don't have to be the average student.Scholarships: Your Key to AffordabilityMany organizations are willing to help you pay for college through scholarships…if you meet their qualifications. Our own Rob West's wife Julie had her own “application assembly line” going, and she was able to land $170,000 in scholarship money. Of course, that took a lot of work…but look at it this way: you can either put in the time and effort now applying for scholarships, or you can borrow and work very hard later to pay back the money. We hope that you'd rather do the work now, so let's dive into some great resources for scholarship money.Top Scholarship ResourcesFastweb: They host more than 1.5 million scholarships totaling nearly $3.5 billion. To get started, create a profile at FastWeb.com. A search feature helps match you to scholarships that meet your individual needs and keeps track of where you've applied.College Board: Known for testing materials like the SATs, the College Board also helps you pay for college. On their site, you can apply for scholarships and internships. They have leads to about 2,200 programs offering nearly $6 billion in college aid every year.Niche.com: This site helps you find not only money but also colleges that cater to your specific major and interests.Scholarships.com: They have a massive database with over 3.5 million scholarship and grant opportunities totaling almost $20 billion. Browse by category or set up a profile to find scholarships specific to your interests.Appily (formerly Cappex): They offer leads on $11 billion in scholarship opportunities and have a tool to help you calculate the odds of getting into a school of your choice before you apply.Chegg: Best known as an online textbook store, Chegg also has great articles about finding and applying for scholarships and grants. Knowing the difference between scholarships and grants could help you land one.Specialized ScholarshipsMany of these scholarship opportunities are merit-based, meaning the higher your grades, the better your chances of landing one. But if you're more athletically inclined, Unigo lets you search for athletic scholarships and a wide variety of funding opportunities offered by specific schools and companies.Peterson's: Known as a clearinghouse for information about colleges and universities, they also host about $10 billion in scholarship opportunities.CareerOneStop: Sponsored by the Labor Department, this site allows you to search more than 8,000 scholarships, fellowships, and grants—money you won't have to pay back.Final TipsOne final idea: check with the financial aid office at the schools you apply to. Sometimes, they have scholarship money available too. We've covered a lot of scholarship sites, and you probably won't use all of them, but try at least a couple. Look for ones that are easy to work with or best match your needs. Many of them will have other features you might find handy.Good luck in your scholarship search!On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:We'd like to start something where we can put some money into an online bank to earn some interest. What would you suggest? My online savings account was compromised, and unauthorized wire transfers were made from it. I'm concerned about how to protect myself, as I didn't receive alerts about the transfers. Do you have any recommendations for securing online accounts and preventing fraud?I'm trying to help my mom, who is 81 years old, invest her money correctly. After selling some rental properties, she has about $500,000 in cash and another $500,000 in IRAs and other accounts. What questions should I ask when interviewing potential financial advisors to manage her money in a way that aligns with her values and needs as an 81-year-old widow?Resources Mentioned:1Password | LastPassBankrate.com | DepositAccounts.comRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA) or Certified Christian Financial Counselor (CertCFC)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions most days at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on the Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. Visit our website at FaithFi.com where you can join the FaithFi Community and give as we expand our outreach.
Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2807: Amanda Brownlow of HelloBrownlow.com reveals six essential items to always buy secondhand, highlighting significant savings and environmental benefits. From baby gear to home decor, Amanda shares practical tips for finding high-quality, affordable secondhand goods. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://hellobrownlow.com/2019/03/05/6-things-you-should-always-buy-secondhand/ Quotes to ponder: "Why waste all that money and resources on purchasing something new, when you can buy it used?" "Stores that specialize in re-selling games and movies make sure that the discs are in great condition." "Keep in mind that a DIY project can cost very little if the decor item you like is almost what you want it to be!" Episode references: Poshmark: https://poshmark.com eBay: https://www.ebay.com thredUp: https://www.thredup.com Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com Vintage Stock: https://www.vintagestock.com Chegg: https://www.chegg.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Pattern Breakers: Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future by Mike Maples Jr, Peter Ziebelman https://amzn.to/4bQrwrx Based on extensive research and real-world examples, this book upends accepted wisdom about how to achieve success when launching a startup or creating a new product. The breakthrough concepts of Pattern Breakers come from the observations of Mike Maples Jr., a seasoned venture capitalist, who noticed something strange. Start-ups like Twitter, Twitch, and Lyft had achieved extraordinary success despite their disregard for “best practices.” In contrast, other startups deemed highly promising often failed, even when they seemed to do everything right. Seeking answers, Maples and coauthor Peter Ziebelman set out to discover the hidden forces that drive extraordinary start-up success. Pattern-breaking success, they reveal, demands a different mindset and actions to harness developments others miss or that may, at first, seem crazy. Pattern Breakers is filled with firsthand storytelling about initial interactions with some of the most transformative start-ups of recent times. Maples and Ziebelman challenge us to rethink how to transcend the ordinary and achieve the extraordinary. About the author Mike Maples, Jr. is an entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and author. He is focused on backing the founders of startup companies at the very beginning of their startup journeys. As a co-founding partner at Floodgate, he's been on the Forbes Midas List eight times for his investments in companies such as Twitter, Twitch, Okta, Outreach, Rappi, Chegg, and Applied Intuition. Maples co-authored Pattern Breakers, which entrepreneurship thought leader Steve Blank calls “the most important book on startups in the last ten years.” He additionally hosts a podcast and newsletter, which explore the pivotal role of pattern-breaking founders in reshaping business and culture in the 21st Century.
On this episode of the Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different we have a conversation with Mike Maples Jr., co-founder of Floodgate, about his new book "Pattern Breakers." We explore the concept of Pattern Breakers, non-consensus thinking, and the breakthrough sequence for startups. Mike shares some insights on the role of language in defining new patterns and the significance of early adopters. The conversation provides valuable perspectives on the mindset and strategies essential for entrepreneurial breakthroughs and category design. You're listening to Christopher Lochhead: Follow Your Different. We are the real dialogue podcast for people with a different mind. So get your mind in a different place, and hey ho, let's go. Mike Maples Jr on Understanding Pattern Breakers Mike Maples Jr. introduces the concept of pattern breakers as individuals or companies that disrupt the status quo by proposing radically different futures. These entities don't just imagine a different future; they live in it, tinkering with new technologies and experiencing firsthand the opportunities to break the limits of current thinking, feeling, and acting. Mike also discusses non-consensus thinking, and how is crucial it is for pattern breakers. It involves challenging widely accepted norms and beliefs to create transformative value. He emphasizes that breakthrough startups often face resistance from the present and the status quo, making it essential for founders to be disagreeable in the right situations. The Breakthrough Sequence for Startups The first step in the breakthrough sequence is achieving insight breakthroughs. Founders need to immerse themselves in the future they envision, understanding new opportunities and creating new patterns. Mike uses examples of legendary founders like Marc Andreessen and Bob Metcalfe, who were visitors from the future, to illustrate this point. Once insight breakthroughs are achieved, the next step is to achieve product-market fit. This involves building what's missing for early adopters and lighthouse customers, who play a crucial role in shaping the direction of a startup. Founders must listen to these early believers and co-create the future with them. The final step in the breakthrough sequence is driving growth. This involves creating a movement and category design, gradually moving more people to the envisioned future. Mike highlights the importance of using differentiated language to escape the comparison trap and the conformity trap, leading people into a different future. The Role of Big Companies in Creating Breakthroughs Big companies can also create breakthroughs by harnessing inflections and insights to change the future. Mike discusses different approaches big companies can take, such as sustaining innovation, organic growth, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and partnering. However, he also acknowledges the challenges and biases that come with being a successful company. One effective strategy for big companies is backcasting, where leaders stand in the future and look back to the present, envisioning how they achieved a radically different future. This approach helps companies switch their mental scaffolding from being in the present and looking forward to being in the future and looking back to the present. To hear more from Mike Maples Jr on Pattern Breakers and creating breakthroughs for your company, download and listen to this episode. Bio Mike Maples Jr. is an entrepreneur turned venture capitalist. He's co-founder of Silicon Valley based, early-stage VC Floodgate. And the host of the popular “Starting Greatness” podcast. Investments include Twitter, Lyft, Bazaarvoice, Sparefoot, Ayasdi, Xamarin, Doubledutch, Twitch.tv, Playdom, Chegg, Demandforce, Rappi, Smule, and Outreach. Link Connect with Mike Maples Jr.! Floodgate | Twitter | LinkedIn | Starting Greatness Podcast Check out Mike's new book, Pattern Breakers! Amazon Books | Porchlight Books | Starting Greatness | Patte...
Mike Maples, Jr. is a legendary early-stage startup investor and a co-founder and partner at Floodgate. He's made early bets on transformative companies like Twitter, Lyft, Twitch, Okta, Rappi, and Applied Intuition and is one of the pioneers of seed-stage investing as a category. He's been on the Forbes Midas List eight times and enjoys sharing the lessons he's learned from his years studying iconic companies. In his new book, Pattern Breakers: Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future, co-authored with Peter Ziebelman, he discusses what he's found separates startups and founders that break through and change the world from those that don't. After spending years reviewing the notes and decks from the thousands of startups he's known over the past two decades, he's uncovered three ways that breakthrough founders think and act differently. In our conversation, Mike talks about:• The three elements of breakthrough startup ideas• Why you need to both think and act differently• How to avoid the “comparison trap” and “conformity trap”• The importance of movements, storytelling, and healthy disagreeableness in startup success• How to apply pattern-breaking principles within large companies• Mike's one piece of advice for founders• Much morePre-order Mike's book here and get a second signed copy for free. Limited copies are available, so order ASAP: patternbreakers.com/lenny.—Brought to you by:• Enterpret—Transform customer feedback into product growth• Anvil—The fastest way to build software for documents• Webflow—The web experience platform—Find the transcript at: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-find-a-great-startup-idea-mike-maples-jr—Where to find Mike Maples, Jr.:• X: https://x.com/m2jr• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maples/• Substack: https://greatness.substack.com/• Website: https://www.floodgate.com/—Where to find Lenny:• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/—In this episode, we cover:(00:00) Mike's background(03:10) The inspiration behind Pattern Breakers(08:09) Uncovering startup insights(11:37) A quick summary of Pattern Breakers(13:52) Coming up with an idea(15:30) Inflections(17:09) Examples of inflections(28:10) Insights(36:58) The power of surprises(47:36) Founder-future fit(55:33) Advice for aspiring founders(56:41) Living in the future: valid opinions(55:34) Case study: Maddie Hall and Living Carbon(58:40) Identifying lighthouse customers(01:00:53) The importance of desperation in customer needs(01:03:57) Creating movements and storytelling(01:24:22) The role of disagreeableness in startups(01:34:42) Applying these principles within a company(01:40:43) Lightning round—Referenced:• Pattern Breakers: Why Some Start-Ups Change the Future: https://www.amazon.com/Pattern-Breakers-Start-Ups-Change-Future/dp/1541704355• Justin.tv: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin.tv• Airbnb's CEO says a $40 cereal box changed the course of the multibillion-dollar company: https://fortune.com/2023/04/19/airbnb-ceo-cereal-box-investors-changed-everything-billion-dollar-company/• Brian Chesky's new playbook: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/brian-cheskys-contrarian-approach• The Unconventional Exit: How Justin Kan Sold His First Startup on eBay: https://medium.datadriveninvestor.com/the-unconventional-exit-how-justin-kan-sold-his-first-startup-on-ebay-4d705afe1354• Kyle Vogt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylevogt/• The State of Telehealth Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9035352/• The Craigslist Killers: https://www.gq.com/story/craigslist-killers• The social radar: Y Combinator's secret weapon | Jessica Livingston (co-founder of Y Combinator, author, podcast host): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-social-radar-jessica-livingston• Michael Seibel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mwseibel/• The Airbnb Story: How Three Ordinary Guys Disrupted an Industry, Made Billions ... and Created Plenty of Controversy: https://www.amazon.com/Airbnb-Story-Ordinary-Disrupted-Controversy/dp/0544952669• Scott Cook: https://www.forbes.com/profile/scott-cook/• Chegg: https://www.chegg.com/• Aayush Phumbhra on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aayush/• Osman Rashid on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/osmanrashid/• Okta: https://www.okta.com/• The Man Who Makes the Future: Wired Icon Marc Andreessen: https://www.wired.com/2012/04/ff-andreessen/• Peter Ludwig on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterwludwig/• Qasar Younis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/qasar/• Paul Allen's website: https://paulallen.com/• Louis Pasteur quote: https://www.forbes.com/quotes/6145/• What was Atrium and why did it fail? https://www.failory.com/cemetery/atrium• Patrick Collison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrickcollison/• Drew Houston on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewhouston/• William Gibson's quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/681-the-future-is-already-here-it-s-just-not-evenly• Maddie Hall on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddie-hall-76293135/• Living Carbon: https://www.livingcarbon.com• Zenefits (now Trinet): https://connect.trinet.com/• Sam Altman on X: https://x.com/sama• Steve Wozniak on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wozniaksteve/• Horsley Bridge Partners: https://www.horsleybridge.com/• David Swensen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_F._Swensen• Judith Elsea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judithelsea/• 7 Powers: The Foundations of Business Strategy: https://www.amazon.com/7-Powers-Foundations-Business-Strategy/dp/0998116319• Business strategy with Hamilton Helmer (author of 7 Powers): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/business-strategy-with-hamilton-helmer• Lyft's Focus on Community and the Story Behind the Pink Mustache: https://techcrunch.com/2012/09/17/lyfts-focus-on-community-and-the-story-behind-the-pink-mustache/• Logan Green on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/logangreen/• John Zimmer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnzimmer11/• Storytelling with Nancy Duarte: How to craft compelling presentations and tell a story that sticks: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/storytelling-with-nancy-duarte-how• Steve Jobs Introducing the iPhone at MacWorld 2007: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7qPAY9JqE4• Jonathan Livingston Seagull: https://www.amazon.com/Jonathan-Livingston-Seagull-Richard-Bach/dp/0743278909• The paths to power: How to grow your influence and advance your career | Jeffrey Pfeffer (author of 7 Rules of Power, professor at Stanford GSB): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-paths-to-power-jeffrey-pfeffer• Robin Roberts on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robin-roberts-393a934b/• Skunkworks: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/who-we-are/business-areas/aeronautics/skunkworks.html• Vision, conviction, and hype: How to build 0 to 1 inside a company | Mihika Kapoor (Product at Figma): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/vision-conviction-hype-mihika-kapoor• Hard-won lessons building 0 to 1 inside Atlassian | Tanguy Crusson (Head of Jira Product Discovery): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/building-0-to-1-inside-atlassian-tanguy-crusson• Figma: https://www.figma.com/• Atlassian: https://www.atlassian.com/• Vinod Khosla: https://www.khoslaventures.com/team/vinod-khosla/• Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing: https://www.amazon.com/Top-Five-Regrets-Dying-Transformed-ebook/dp/B07KNRLY1L• Chase, Chance, and Creativity: The Lucky Art of Novelty: https://www.amazon.com/Chase-Chance-Creativity-Lucky-Novelty/dp/0262511355• Clay Christensen's books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Clayton-M.-Christensen/author/B000APPD3Y• Resonate: Present Visual Stories That Transform: https://www.amazon.com/Resonate-Present-Stories-Transform-Audiences/dp/0470632011• Ferrari on Prime: https://www.amazon.com/Ferrari-Adam-Driver/dp/B0CNDBN672• Montblanc fountain pens: https://www.montblanc.com/en-us—Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@lennyrachitsky.com.—Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed. Get full access to Lenny's Newsletter at www.lennysnewsletter.com/subscribe
Uber's earnings may seem a little hand-wavy, but there's more to the story. At (00:12) Tim Beyers and Mary Long take a look at earnings from Uber and Toast. Then, (16:34) Alicia Alfiere and Ricky Mulvey ask if AI will kill Chegg, the homework helper. Tickers discussed: UBER, SICP, JOBY, TOST Host: Mary Long Guests: Tim Beyers, Alicia Alfiere, Ricky Mulvey Engineer: Tim Sparks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices