Podcast appearances and mentions of Dave Morin

This week's a big one: the squad kicks it off with Starlink on planes, Zoox vs. Waymo, and YouTube's skinny bundle before taking the big swing — data centers in space as the emerging SpaceX-IPO narrative. Sam and Dave break down the real entrepreneurship skill: tell the huge story, earn the trust multiple, and consistently deliver “20 cents on the dollar” to keep the flywheel of cash spinning (re: Elon Musk and Sam Altman but thread lightly, you don't want to end up like Elizabeth Holmes or Sam Bankman-Fried). Jess celebrates a win with The Information after getting CNBC to correct their reporting. Then they touch on how the backlash against AI is growing as the 101 billboards fill up with more AI company ads. From Sorkin's 1929 zeitgeist to smuggling Nvidia chips into China to “IPO everything and pray the American economy survives,” it's never a dull episode with Brit, Dave, Jess, and Sam. Stay tuned for next week's 2026 predictions… and drop yours in the comments.Chapters:05:50 Netflix vs Paramount - Who's going to win the deal and is this an Inverse AOL-Time Warner?16:56 Golden Globes nominees and Disney+'s Taylor Swift docuseries17:49 Bundling unbundling YouTube's skinny bundle and sports21:29 Starlink on planes = fewer redeyes24:55 Zoox vs Waymo28:15 Space GPUs and the data centers in space33:57 The modern entrepreneurship skill: narrative flywheel41:38 Jess's and The Information's win correcting CNBC's refuted chip story46:04 AI narrative in China vs US47:16 AI backlash: energy prices, water restraints, and kid's mental health52:06 The 101 Billboard Bubble Index57:17 Will the SpaceX, OpenAI, Anduril, or Anthropic IPOs save the economy?58:30 Sorkin's book predicted the AI bubble?We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/RiKVJD_3ziMConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

We began the program with four interesting guests on topics we think you should know more about! This year, the market is flooded with new A.I. toys, and some of them may not be appropriate for all ages! U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s 40th Trouble in Toyland report.Guest: Rory Erlich, New Economy Campaign Associate with the Public Interest Research With the holidays in full swing, so are the light decorations, candles, and ovens! The Red Cross responds to 20% more home fires during the holiday months.Guest: Jeff Hall, Regional Communications & Marketing Program Manager for the American Red Cross of Massachusetts If you haven’t bought that Christmas Tree yet, Dave Morin has tips to pick out the best tree – If you’ve already got the tree up, learn about proper indoor care so it lasts throughout the new year!Guest: Dave Morin, Past President and Association Communications for the Massachusetts Christmas Tree Association ‘Tis the season to make everything merry and BRIGHT! We all love seeing those holiday lights, but how much will it cost you this season?Guest: Kate Peters, Director of Residential Energy Efficiency for Eversource See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bitcoin's down, so the Lessins turned down the heat and pulled out their winter gear. The More or Less squad jumps from SF's drone-powered crime-fighting memes (Daniel Lurie's “no drugs” moment) to how creator-content strategy now drives real deal flow. Jess says 2026 will split the AI tide (we unfortunately did have to touch on AI), with Meta's missing enterprise story dragging its CapEx dreams, while AWS is suddenly courting founders again. From Apple's design chief Alan Dye jumping to Meta to questioning whether OpenAI's “code red” was a decoy, the squad never misses when it comes to the latest thinking in Silicon Valley.Buy Slow's Modern Etiquette book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G4HSKSY5Chapters:Chapters:01:10 Kudos to SF Mayor, Daniel Lurie!07:14 Doom scrolling on a Garmin watch12:34 Holiday gift guides: AI robots, Duolingo piano, Matic vac mop, etc14:30 The creator-VC playbook 21:27 Instagram RTO 5 days per week leadership reality check22:08 Alan Dye leaves Apple for Meta 26:09 Jess' 2026 prediction: The Big Tech divergence is coming27:46 Meta's enterprise gap28:46 AWS outreach to Sam: Bedrock Nova and startup credits31:45 Sam Altman's code red memo -- is it a decoy?33:51 Gemini latency vs GPT why speed matters for Brit (Ad opp?)44:39 Is Aaron Levie for or against AI?46:40 Waymo's safety report and Dave's FSD usage51:21 Recapping the Slow holiday party + Offline's next58:28 Slow's Modern Etiquette Book plug (Link to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0G4HSKSY5)We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTubeConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Pre-Thanksgiving chatter from the Lessins' Surf Shack: Jess, Brit, Dave, and Sam pinball from holiday-card automation to trillion-dollar AI geopolitics. Brit trades Minted for Canva+GPT, Jess admits to maintaining a 600-row address spreadsheet, Sam unveils Slow's Etiquette Book, and Dave still can't believe we can't pay in USDC. Don't worry this year's Thanksgiving edition will live up to its hype, the crew gets into the real stuff too: Google's TPU push vs. Nvidia's moat, Meta reportedly buying billions in TPUs, whether Google can shave 10% off Nvidia's revenue, and more.Chapters:06:45 The San Francisco consensus and Silicon Valley's real innovation marketing11:10 Elon Zuck and megaphone-powered distribution14:30 Why interface distribution will decide AI winner17:20 Memory isn't real lock-in switching between ChatGPT and Gemini21:40 OpenAI's identity crisis: Apple-style computer vs Meta-style attention26:30 Google complex vs OpenAI complex how the narrative flipped29:10 Google TPUs vs Nvidia Meta's rumored buying spree33:20 AI infrastructure economics depreciation CapEx margins36:00 Macro vs micro elections risk cycles 40:10 DOE's Genesis Mission and where the analogy breaks44:00 OpenAI's Jony Ive device timeline48:30 Why distribution still beats novelty53:15 Final takeaways: marketing distribution and business-model warsWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/7BbWHm3KODwConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Dave Morin is co-founder and managing partner of Offline Ventures, a venture fund and studio backed by Apple as anchor investor. He was an early employee at Facebook, then founded the mobile social network Path.In this episode of World of DaaS, Dave and Auren discuss:Why Meta's AI ads work while Netflix, Amazon, and Spotify fail at recommendationsHow Offline runs its venture fund/studio hybridParasocial relationships and the loneliness crisisDepression as the #1 disease by 2030 and breakthrough treatmentsLooking for more tech, data and venture capital intel? Head to worldofdaas.com for our podcast, newsletter and events, and follow us on X @worldofdaas.You can find Auren Hoffman on X at @auren and Dave Morin on X at @davemorin.Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Jessica kicks things off with Brit's five-hour Brit-chella extravaganza—red latex, Light Balance blackout choreo, Ke$ha surprise, and more. The crew checks in on Jessica's IG detox, TikTok's new "self control badges", ChatGPT launching group chats, Google Gemini taking the lead, and why “just be Google” might be the winning AI brand strategy as AI melts into UX. Sam calls 2026 OpenAI's make-or-break year and trashes their consumer subscription thesis; Jessica argues ad/commerce is the only viable lane. Markets stay frothy (Nvidia), hyperscaler debt risk rises, the White House preempts 50-state AI chaos, and Coinbase x Kalshi turns prediction markets into a spectator sport. Meme corner closes the loop and a possible Femme-etiquette school spinoff make its debut.Chapters:00:37 Intro and Brit-Chella Recap10:33 Jessica's Instagram detox check-in and what changed15:59 TikTok's anti screen-time badges17:48 ChatGPT launches group chats; why Meta missed its chance20:51 Google Gemini takes the lead in the AI race23:37 OpenAI's monetization problem; no one buys the consumer story29:14 Just be Google — higher brand credibility, revenue streams, and distribution39:33 Breaking: Nvidia earnings are still growing43:14 White House EO to preempt state AI regulation; why federal matters48:06 Coinbase and Kalshi prediction markets, culture, and compliance53:12 Meme Corner: RIP 6–7, hello 4156:03 Make SF Dress Up Again: Femme-Etiquette SchoolWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/ahZTkLfJTykConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

The squad is complete again! We get into AI wearables: rings, necklaces, even earrings, after Dave hints his stealth ring startup is almost ready. Waymo quietly rolls out SF–San Jose service (still no freeways), while private-jet owners email senators about the shutdown. The squad goes over Andy Rubin's humanoid robotics launch, Sam's backwards Panopticon sign, Apple's Issey Miyake iPhone “sock/pocket,” and that Slow's etiquette school is now getting international interest. We wrap with Janitor AI's romance boom, Sam building an AI kids-podcast pipeline with ElevenLabs, Brit wanting McConaughey to voice romance, Jess taking an Instagram detox, and more.Chapters:01:18 AI in interior design and AI slop; Why AI commerce still feels broken04:59 Apple week iPhone Air vs Pro08:49 Wearable AI flood Ray-Bans, rings, and other wearables15:32 Jess deletes Instagram and maybe email21:05 Multitasking vs focus23:32 Andy Rubin's new robotics company27:15 SORON reveal and home deterrence roadmap29:15 Military research to practical deterrent systems30:29 Panopticon conference room and GDPR simplification32:29 Waymo expansion and route quirks35:35 Apple Issey Miyake iPhone pocket sock38:40 Slow's Etiquette Finishing school goes global44:50 The Lessin Family AI generated kids podcast49:06 BBC scandal media bias and blowback54:12 Lawfare the financialization of lawsuitsWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/pA20Sk63yYEConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

It's Etiquette Finishing School Day at Slow Ventures, Sam dials in from the Four Seasons in a Brioni suit to recap Slow's first-ever Etiquette School—covering caviar bumps, sommelier tips, and the “low heart rate” approach to leadership. The crew argue that etiquette now matters in tech because trust is scarce and “PMF-only” is an outdated YC-era story. Jess also unpacks details from Apple's Gemini deal, Sequoia's leadership shuffle, Anthropic's latest numbers, and crypto's meme-driven chaos. Watch till the end for free No Kings and Queens of Corbet protest tees from Sam.Chapters:02:33 Etiquette Day at Slow — Sam's recap from the Four Seasons07:00 Why etiquette matters for founders in 202513:20 Apple x Google: Gemini to power Siri17:24 Apple's AI strategy: Restricting Spend on AI20:04 LLMs vs search the new user behavior shift27:40 Sequoia's leadership handoff36:44 Meme coin corner Jelly's 400M rise and community-led products47:55 Waymo swarms El Camino AI meets the real world50:30 Sam's "No Kings and Queens" merchWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/zv4VdtKpQQkConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

With Jess running The Information's massive WTF conference and Sam off-grid on a mountain, Brit and Dave hold down the fort with Stuart Landesberg, CEO of Seneca, a Slow- and Offline-backed startup building autonomous firefighting drones. Between deep tech inside jokes, Stuart coins pro-America tech and breaks down how Seneca's five-drone strike teams deploy 500 lbs of foam across 30 square miles in under ten minutes—even at night. Wildfires now drain over a trillion dollars a year from the U.S. economy, and Seneca's model of detect early, respond fast, outperforms retrofitting homes or relying on pilots. With demand rising from cities, utilities, and insurers protecting $5T in assets, Stuart's focused on building long-term enterprise value, not chasing the AI hype cycle.Join the Seneca team: https://seneca.com/careers/Chapters:03:28 Stuart's path to Seneca and the wildfire problem10:36 The true economic cost of wildfires12:10 Prevention vs. suppression; prescribed burns and costs16:19 Exponential fire growth; strike teams and early knockdowns19:46 Autonomy + sensors; choosing actions in real time20:45 Five drones, 30 square miles, sub-10-minute response22:20 Night ops: why autonomy wins when pilots can't fly25:42 Regulators, HOAs, utilities: who's pulling adoption forward27:40 Capital, AI hype, and choosing long-term partners31:32 Founder advice; unexpected demand from private stakeholders39:38 Culture: Stoicism, Amor Fati, learning from crashesWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

The gang is back with a spicy opener: Brit calls out Dave for dismissing her “AI-assisted” doc as work slop, while Sam argues lowbrow culture now imitates machines and highbrow culture resists them. We break down OpenAI's early, hallucination-prone Atlas browser and debate whether it's a real agent platform, just memory capture, or total $$$ burn. Sora hype is cooling as TPUs rise—with Jessica noting how The Information's TPU scoop even nudged NVIDIA to move faster. OpenAI's compute could approach ~$45B/year at ~3 GW, forcing new financing models and tough research vs GTM trade-offs—Sam calls it Pascal's Wager for Big Tech. We close on AWS outages, crypto leverage swings, and why “swag is dead,” replaced by bespoke gifting as the new status move. Just another week of your favorite Technology podcast with the Morins and Lessins.Chapters:00:38 — Gang is back: notes on last episode and Yasso bars01:20 — Revisiting last week's “AI Work Slop”: Brit vs. Dave 03:49 — Culture vs. LLMs: highbrow resists, lowbrow imitates07:16 — Bot etiquette: Bot joining Zoom calls and writing thank you letters12:16 — OpenAI Atlas: early tests, hallucinations & agency potential17:29 — Sora hype cools: the consumer AI novelty cycle19:47 — The TPU plot twist: NVIDIA gets pushed to move faster22:40 — $45B compute future: Pascal's Wager for Big Tech29:05 — AWS outages: one-offs vs systemic risk33:29 — The X Game: Mr.Beast, “manual slop,” and the screenshot era43:38 — Swag is dead: bespoke gifting = new status flex53:43 — Sports, socials & 2026 predictionsWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/VDYdIoHe4XAConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Jessica and Dave dive into the messy intersection of AI, culture, and the next wave of consumer tech. From the rise of “AI slop” to whether founders should build apps just for themselves, they debate what survives the model wars and what gets eaten alive. Along the way: 2025 Silicon Valley weirdness, $1B AI comp with no products, GLP-1 memes, kids treating Fortnite like the new social network, and California's crackdown on youth tech. It's part therapy session, part future forecast—the only technology podcast that you should listen to before you head into the weekend.Chapters:00:40 Intro: The first “Jave” episode01:17 The Grove lore: Ground zero of social networks03:19 What's actually working in consumer AI?12:26 The Information's mobile app and engagement lift14:51 Summarization as the killer consumer use case16:17 The “AI slop” problem in real work product19:35 2025 Silicon Valley culture: dead internet, Sora slop, $1B comp21:08 Refounding era (Handshake) and trendwatching23:01 Startup to watch: BitRig and iPhone apps that build apps25:06 Why personalized apps32:54 OpenAI Dev Day paranoia: Who gets eaten?44:32 Parenting choices: Roblox/YouTube vs curated apps58:36 Algorithmic novelty vs repetition comfort01:02:47 OpenAI recalibrates adult contentWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/Iug0dyIlpsAConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less: Jess drops The Information's scoop on Oracle's shaky GPU rental margins and how it spooked markets, while Sam insists AI workloads will soar, even if profits don't. Dave crunches the numbers: an “Apollo program every 10 months,” data centers now powering half of U.S. GDP, and capital getting sucked from factories into GPUs. On the culture beat: Google's Zeitgeist goes no-swag chic, Taylor gets her own Google Easter egg, and Instagram ads become the prototype for AI's ad future, Restoration Hardware jet memes, Waymo etiquette, Bari Weiss' $150M Free Press–meets–CBS glow-up, and more. Never a dull moment with the MOL squad.Chapters:01:17 – Slow's Etiquette Finishing school on 11/5 (Apply here: https://luma.com/vmd7rz6j)04:02 – Why everyone is replicating YC demo day17:15 – AI bubble check + Sora usage uptick18:04 – Oracle GPU rental margins scoop21:21 – Quantum skepticism24:26 – AI bubble propping up the U.S. GDP33:20 – OpenAI renting GPUs; finance structures everywhere38:48 – Where AI profits come from: ads, subs, commerce (nothing proven)42:31 – Bari Weiss' Free Press sold for $150M; CBS Editor-in-Chief57:06 – Yoni Rechtman's “self-promotion” stunt + Sam's viral MrBeast post on XWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/p1bmrugU_6EConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Never a dull moment with the More or Less squad: Jessica questions whether Sora is just a novelty or the start of an AI-native social economy, arguing OpenAI needs its own device to escape current platform limits. Brit calls it “Vine meets MySpace,” highlighting its cameo mechanic as a creator tool that could outpace Meta's AI video. Dave says Sora only needs to be entertaining and pitches OpenAI's real graph play: embedding ChatGPT in group chats. Sam compares Sora to Truth Social, not Instagram, arguing power and narrative—not unit economics—drive the AI capex boom. The squad also touches on the “dead internet theory,” the importance of context over data, and the limits of LLM understanding, with side notes on Swifties and always-on AI wearables.Chapters:04:59 What is Sora? The Vine meets MySpace take06:40 Early Sora product gaps: identity, friending, moderation07:37 Creator utility vs novelty: will people care09:51 Sora is Truth Social, not Instagram; Sam is Tom11:20 Power vs ownership: modern mercantilism in AI14:03 Loose on copyright, tight on moderation—the 2x216:36 Production value is a false god17:59 What is AI slop? Dead internet theory primer20:16 Idealized ideas: vibe-coded pitches fool no one22:18 Does entertainment alone create an economy26:05 If you ran OpenAI, what would you build28:39 The obvious social graph: ChatGPT in your group chats30:53 Why OpenAI needs a device: voice multitasking plus identity UX34:31 Context is king; models know nothing about you36:19 Don't sell your data; keep your context moat38:02 Sutton vs LLMs: prediction without understanding43:22 AI capex as narrative: Chinese housing and '99 fiber analogiesWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/tDsh5VdoTpcConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

No Morins this week—just Jess and Sam, trading Gossip Girl “dear listener” asides for a tour of tech's new power map. From Meta's in-store glasses push to Apple's “Find My” doubling as Gen Z's stealth social network, the real story is how distribution and lock-in shape the future. Sam frames “mercantilism 2.0,” where global trade routes of capital now run through Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv, and Riyadh, with figures like Elon Musk and Sam Altman acting as brokers of $10B+ flows.In true Sam fashion, the conversation highlights why LLMs aren't true moats, pointing instead to the infrastructure layer (chips, power, data centers) and the UX layer (distribution, product polish). Nvidia's securitized GPU deals illustrate how structured finance and alliances are reshaping competition.The takeaway: early-stage VC may finally be moving past hype, becoming sober—and therefore interesting—again.Chapters:02:02 – Meta Ray-Bans: friction as onboarding strategy05:31 – Mercantilism 2.0: Tech's new trade routes07:56 – Elon's real genius: moving $10B+ into frontier tech09:27 – Sam Altman as mega-capital trade-route broker12:40 – Starlink V3 and the network-layer power shift16:08 – Could Elon own planetary communications?18:35 – Find My = stealth social network21:04 – Strategy assets over DCF: power, data centers, chips23:41 – LLMs aren't the moat; moats shift lower/higher27:44 – AI's expense revives structured finance30:56 – Nvidia as the East India Company of compute33:50 – Will a handful of players control all the assets?39:57 – Early-stage VC is sober (and exciting) again43:05 – TikTok's heat moved to AI: the attention shiftWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

The More or Less team go deep on the rumored TikTok deal: licensing the algorithm vs. owning influence, who actually controls the For You page, and why data localization misses the point. We debate A16Z's evolving role, Sequoia's must-have-access imperative, and what a “TikTok US CEO” would really do.Chapters:00:48 - Intro + Ty Haney's crypto-invisible loyalty rails 02:38 - “Do the weather” for Silicon Valley05:04 - Alcatraz as brand strategy (and why)11:22 - TikTok deal setup: ownership shuffle vs. real control20:05 - What does a TikTok US CEO actually do? “Shell upon shell”22:40 - “I want a human to pick my feed” — the curation comeback24:21 - Slow's Etiquette School: leveling the playing field37:31 - Meta's new glasses: HUD, wristband typing, live captions44:33 - LLMs as the new youth battleground; customizing AI personalities48:45 - Mid-cap IPOs, rate cuts, and why “number didn't go up”53:14 - The case for exclusive, hyper-local print (and price it high)We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/P3Gzl2ZDXWwConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Workday CTO Peter Bailis talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about the company's $1.1 billion acquisition of Sana and their broader AI strategy. We also talk with The Information's Stephanie Palazzolo and Turing's Jonathan Siddharth about how labs are using "reinforcement learning gyms" to train AI models, and we get into the new era of consumer crypto and on-chain identity with Ty Haney of Try Your Best and Dave Morin from Offline Ventures. Lastly, we get an inside look at the IPO market with The Information's Katie Roof and Industry Ventures' Hans Swildens.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/ventures-limited-partners-see-lifeline-ipo-wavehttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/anthropic-openai-developing-ai-co-workersTITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.Subscribe to: - The Information on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theinformation4080/?sub_confirmation=1- The Information: https://www.theinformation.com/subscribe_hSign up for the AI Agenda newsletter: https://www.theinformation.com/features/ai-agenda

Apple ships hardware while everyone else ships AI press releases. The MOL quad debates whether Apple's “ignore the hype” strategy wins, why YC is full of “made-to-chart” AI startups, what unique conviction really means for investors, and how meme warfare is becoming the new GTM.Chapters: 01:02 – “Ozempic iPhone” and why “thin” might be back10:06 – Market reaction: “Not enough AI,” money flows to Oracle16:49 – YC protest: is relevance measured by outrage?25:47 – Creator-led startups as an investing edge26:49 – Khosla: bargain hunting is a poor AI bet37:20 – Why money feels unlimited again (FOMO returns)40:29 – Quiet shakeout: sub-$100M seed funds at risk42:05 – Crypto policy clarity as 2025 macro driver50:11 – Meme warfare: the next GTM playbookWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/xzlAjHPZtW4Connect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Another busy week in tech and your favorite quad are back! We go over: Google's antitrust “win,” AI M&A mania, Anthropic's stay-private debate, why lawyers out-earn bankers now, and the barbell reality of internet businesses. We also unpack creator vs algorithm dynamics, the rise of Ozempic, and Sam's wild “AI petty-lawsuit bot” idea.Chapters:02:07 – OpenAI's $300k copywriting hire → AI not there yet09:03 – AI M&A deals are small relative to hype10:55 – Lawyers now out-earning bankers12:40 – Google's antitrust “loss” turned into a win17:31 – Government says “AI will handle capitalism”22:02 – Debate: force unicorns public at $100B+40:15 – Creators must transcend algorithms, not rely on feeds45:07 – Only ~20M Americans really buy things — own that niche56:07 – AI petty-lawsuit bots as the next “big market”57:22 – AI is just compute wars, zero net valueWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/W1HVKJZg7qoConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

In this episode of More or Less, Brit Morin and Dave Morin sit down with legendary VC Tony Conrad (True Ventures) for a candid conversation on the state of venture capital, the real impact of AI, the death of social media, and why non-attribution and EQ matter more than ever.Chapters:01:30 – The Power (and Rarity) of Non-Attribution in Venture 04:00 – Building Culture After the Dot-Com Crash 06:00 – Why We Don't Do This for the Money 08:30 – EQ vs IQ: The Human Side of Venture Capital 11:00 – The Wildfire Story: When VCs Show Up as Humans 16:50 – The Best GPs & Firms: Inspiration from Legacy and Newcomers 22:30 – Space Tech Is Real Venture Capital (Not Just AI) 28:10 – Venture Is a Contact Sport: Lessons from Ron Conway 30:40 – AI Hype: Is There Any Money Left for Startups? 40:00 – Manipulation, Social Media, and the Rise of AEO 49:30 – Building Brands in the Age of AI (and Why We Paused Consumer) 55:00 – The Dangers of AI Hype and Overfunding 57:00 – Why Contrarian Investing Can Wait—Focus on AI Now 1:04:00 – Pop Culture Corner: Taylor Swift, Branding, and First Concerts We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less, the crew dives into the shifting narratives around AI (Finally everyone is getting on Sam's wavelength), the reality of LLM business models, and why infrastructure may not be the gold rush everyone thinks. We debate the hype cycles, the authenticity crisis in startup pitches, and the pitfalls of meme coins in the creator economy. Plus, is Burning Man over, and what can Taylor Swift teach us about brand-building in the internet age? As always, join Jessica Lessin, Dave Morin, Brit Morin, and Sam Lessin for an unfiltered, insider take on what's really happening in Silicon Valley.Chapters:0:40 – Intro and Silicon Valley Homecomings6:40 – AI, SaaS, and the Changing Narrative12:10 – The AI Moment: GPT-5 and the Plateau14:40 – AI Slop and the Devaluation of Content19:40 – OpenAI: From Hype to Sober Reality21:40 – The Problem with Narrative-Driven Startups24:40 – Marketing vs. Product: Who Really Wins?26:40 – Lying, Manifesting, and Silicon Valley Ethics30:40 – The Tower of Babel: Founders vs. VCs vs. AI36:40 – Burning Man: Has It Peaked?39:40 – Polyamory, Netflix Tropes, and the End of Media Originality43:40 – Meme Coins, Crowdfunding, and Creator Economy Pitfalls54:40 – Taylor Swift, Internet Fame, and Brand Lessons for StartupsWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week, the team dives into more meme capitalism, the AI hype cycle, and why San Francisco is still the epicenter of tech ambition (and some very odd real estate choices). We debate the real value behind Perplexity, the future of Chrome, and the myths founders tell themselves about trials and second chances. Plus: Taylor Swift, conspiracy AIs, and the ultimate contrarian takes for VCs and founders. Your usual well rounded and brutally honest weekly episode of More or Less.Chapters:00:00 – Taylor Swift Should Buy Chrome?!02:30 – SF Comeback: The AI Pied Piper Effect06:30 – Meme Capitalism: Conference of the Future14:00 – AI Bubble Watch: Perplexity's Valuation17:30 – Founder Redemption: Always Call Your VCs20:00 – The Dirty Secret of SaaS Trials25:00 – Chrome Antitrust Circus29:00 – AI Hardware: Bring Back the Flashlight35:00 – Taylor Swift: Peak Culture or Just Getting Started?43:00 – Conspiracy AI: The Next Meme Machine?We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less: Jessica Lessin, Dave Morin, Brit Morin, and Sam Lessin dive deep into the surprisingly busy summer of venture capital, the impact of AI on startups, and the changing rules for founders and investors. From Figma's IPO and the rise of meme-driven investing to the challenge of diligence in an AI-saturated world, we tackle the uncomfortable truths and new dynamics shaping Silicon Valley today. Chapters:01:46 – Dude Perfect vs. The Circus: The Internet Killed Local Art05:46 – The Creator Quality Bar Keeps Rising07:46 – Figma IPO: Did Wall Street Fleeced Them?10:46 – SaaS Is NOT Back & The Real IPO Signal13:26 – OpenAI: The Ultimate Meme Stock?15:46 – Seed Investing is Broken in the AI Era20:46 – Valley Mood: Exuberance and Angst22:46 – The Feudalism 2.0 Problem39:46 – The Uncomfortable Truth About Founder Age & Life Stage45:46 – Deep Work, Distraction, and the Future of FoundersWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodYouTube: https://youtu.be/D5Y-WZqsAlEConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

What happens when VCs are called the least sophisticated financiers, AI researchers get billion-dollar paydays, and outrage becomes the new marketing? This week on More or Less, the full crew breaks down the state of the AI talent wars, the power of meme-driven marketing, and whether hope (not financial literacy) still drives Silicon Valley. Chapters:01:15 Jersey Shore, Laundry, and Marital Advice05:08 Sydney Sweeney Outrage: Meme Marketing & Stock Surges18:32 VCs Are the Least Sophisticated Financiers22:20 AI Billionaires: Comp Bubbles & Power Laws27:09 Will Billion-Dollar AI Talent Stay?32:24 Social Graph Recruiting: The New Acqui-Hire38:52 AI Comp Bubble: Lessons from the iOS Gold Rush44:22 The Robot That Folds Clothes (and Why It's a Billion-Dollar Job)50:11 Outrage Marketing: Fad or Future?We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less, Sam Lessin, Brit Morin, and Dave Morin dive into the startup world and how today's founders need to bring fun back into the ecosystem, why most public policy around AI is just noise, whether Apple's best move is to simply not care about AI hype, and the business model reckoning for OpenAI. Stay till the very end for a sneaky savage moment from Brit!Chapters:02:00 – The Real Reason Early VC Worked: Fun03:50 – Authentic Fun vs. Fake Fun in Startups05:40 – AI Hacks, JSON, and the Joy of Building09:45 – AI Data, Human Correction, and Social Graphs12:15 – Tesla's Trillion-Dollar Marketing Stunts16:23 – Google's CapEx, Meta's Moat, and AI Spending18:15 – OpenAI's Extension: Business Model Reckoning27:08 – Apple's AI Strategy: Does Not Caring Win?36:20 – AI Companions & The Threat to Social Platforms39:15 – Google's Secret Weapon: Let OpenAI Take the Bullshit47:15 – Founders: Build What You Love, Or Regret It53:30 – Savage Brit & Monjaro Shots in NYCWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MoreorLessPodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

In this episode of More or Less, we dive into the shifting landscape of AI, attention, and business models. From the rise of ChatGPT as both productivity tool and entertainment, to the coming collision between commerce and AI-driven recommendations, the Morins and Lessins debate what's hype, what's real, and where the next big opportunities are for startups and VCs. Plus: the truth about local news, why coding is fun again, and a pop culture corner you won't want to miss. Chapters:01:30 – Wedding Stories & The Early Jackson Hole Days03:00 – Interviewing Mark Zuckerberg Goes Wrong09:30 – Building Audiences: Why Longer is Better (and Sponsors Are Lining Up)14:00 – Is AI for Productivity or Personal Use? The Real Data16:00 – Big Tech vs. Startups: Who Wins Consumer AI?20:00 – Can AI Save Local News? The Verticalization Debate24:00 – The Real Business of Local Data: City Councils and Real Estate28:30 – AI Business Models: Advertising, Affiliate, or Something New?31:00 – Is AI Stealing Attention from Instagram? The Frenetic Race33:00 – Commerce, Discovery, and the Death of Search37:00 – The Productivity Trap: Why Margins Go to Zero39:00 – How Are VCs Really Using AI? The Memory Game40:30 – AI as Entertainment: Coding vs. Netflix43:00 – The Future of Commerce: Push vs. Pull, Meta vs. OpenAI46:00 – Google, Gemini, and the Battle for Relevance47:30 – Late Night Coding: Why Claude Is Addictive53:00 – Pop Culture Corner: Lena Dunham, AI Bands, and WimbledonWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

We're joined by a very special guest, Solana founder Anatoly Yakovenko for a wide-ranging conversation on crypto, tech, and what's next. He breaks down the “punks, hoodies, suits” cycle, why AI is just a product while crypto is a movement, and how stablecoins are quietly driving global USD adoption. He shares his $1T stablecoin prediction, explains the Solana phone's goal to challenge app store monopolies, and argues that crypto's future lies not in mass adoption, but in serving a small group of high-value users.Chapters:00:00 Intro & Anatoly's Backstory03:20 Crypto's Evolution: Punks, Hoodies, and Suits07:00 Bitcoin, Meme Investing, and the Value of Ideas12:00 Meme Coins: Infrastructure and Insanity17:45 Why Build a Crypto Phone? Platform Wars Explained24:00 Talent, Incentives, and the Crypto Dilemma30:00 Stablecoins, Dollar Hegemony, and Global Finance39:50 The Punks Are the Bankers Now41:10 The Internet, Extremes, and the Death of Truth49:00 Engagement, Incentives, and the Future of Platforms52:20 Are the Punks Too Rich to Care?54:30 Wrap-Up: Bold Predictions and Where Crypto Goes NextWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week, the gloves come off. We're diving into Meta's raid on OpenAI, asking if Mark Zuckerberg is the new Yankees of AI and who will be the 'Moneyball' underdog. Plus, a hot take on why usage-based pricing for AI is a flawed model, the challenge of creating 'God-tier' content that works everywhere, and why AI researchers are now earning more than soccer superstars. It's a packed episode you don't want to miss!Chapters:00:00 - Intro01:18 - X vs. Threads: A Tale of Two Internets04:38 - The “God Content” Challenge: Can You Go Viral Everywhere?11:15 - Google's “Last Gasp” to Save Publishers14:23 - The Next Big Thing: Vanity Checks & Gold Delivery20:15 - The Problem with AI Business Models21:52 - Usage-Based Pricing is Generally Bad26:45 - The Big News: Meta's OpenAI Raid29:45 - The AI Moneyball Era: Who are the Oakland A's?34:26 - What Will Meta's New Super-Team Actually Build?41:10 - The “Baller” Leader Move OpenAI Didn't Make42:50 - AI Researchers Are The New Rockstars44:45 - F1 Movie: The Best Film of the Year?We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Join the More or Less crew for a Summer Edition from the cabins! We dive into how AI is reshaping hiring, the future of resumes, the rise of agentic coding assistants, and why service businesses suck (unless you're Brit doing a fun side-hustle ). As always, we tackle the latest in tech news from The Information, from OpenAI's copyright battles to the next phase of Bumble and the realities of Tesla's Robotaxis. We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less, we dive into the escalating AI talent wars, Meta's bold moves, and what the latest hires really mean for the future of AI innovation. The More or Less team break down why product execution is overtaking research wizardry, what's happening between OpenAI and Microsoft, and how AI is reshaping inbound for all markets.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less: Is Austin out-innovating San Francisco in self-driving tech? Why Apple's WWDC liquid glass announcement a bigger deal than you think. The real story behind Meta's $14B Scale AI move, and the new economics of AI talent. Plus, what's next for startup investing in an era where talent trumps business models. We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less, we debate whether tech culture is unwatchable, why “Substacker” might be the last job standing, and if Build-A-Bear is secretly the next great AI company (move over, Nvidia). Plus: the real risks of self-driving Teslas on field trips, the myth of the “everything app,” and why the future just might be all about vibes. Come for the hot takes, stay for the man cave updates.Takeways: - The film 'Mountain Head' received mixed reviews, with some finding it unwatchable.- Substack's CEO predicts that 'substacker' will be one of the six main jobs in the future.- AI is expected to lower the cost of content creation, making it easier for creators to enter various industries.- The competitive nature of the content creation landscape. There is a significant barrier to entry regarding truth in the creator economy.- Authenticity is crucial for creators when launching products.- Build-A-Bear exemplifies how a brand can leverage AI for future growth.- Self-driving technology raises important safety and ethical questions, especially for children.- Investors are often driven by the potential for market cap expansion, thus creating the narrative of an "everything app"- The future of technology will likely involve more personalized and specialized solutions.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/britChapters:00:00 The Rise of Personalized Robotics02:55 Home Renovations and the Ultimate Man Cave05:45 Critique of Mountain Head: A Cinematic Disappointment08:55 The Future of Work: Substack and Creator Economy12:00 AI's Impact on Content Creation and Distribution14:57 The Evolution of Creator Brands and Product Authenticity18:08 The Supplement Market: Trends and Concerns20:55 Hardware Innovations: AR, VR, and Snap's Future27:55 The Future of Snap and OpenAI's Potential Acquisitions30:02 Innovative Wearables and the Concept of the E-Cane33:07 Build-A-Bear: The Unexpected AI Company35:59 The Everything App: Future of Digital Consolidation40:00 Elon Musk's PR Strategies and Tesla's Self-Driving Technology47:58 AI in Everyday Life: Unique Applications and Experiences

Danielle Smith's UCP is targeting school library books it deems "graphic and age-inappropriate". The government is surveying the public before rolling out new standards ahead of the next school year.  2:30 | Max Fawcett, lead columnist at Canada's National Observer, says there's more to this story than "banning books". What do YOU think? EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com  READ CANADA'S NATIONAL OBSERVER: https://www.nationalobserver.com/ 22:00 | Remember Mike Hanson and Dave Morin? They're back after completing TEN marathons in TEN days in TEN provinces, raising ONE MILLION DOLLARS along the way!  READ MORE: https://www.10in10in10.ca/ 35:40 | A complete stranger made Real Talker Sarah's day, prompting her to email the show. We love it! Positive Reflections is presented weekly on Real Talk by our friends at Solar by Kuby.  SUBMIT YOUR POSITIVE REFLECTION: talk@ryanjespersen.com  GET A FREE SOLAR QUOTE: https://kuby.ca/ REGISTER FOR THE REAL TALK GOLF CLASSIC: https://www.ryanjespersen.com/real-ta... FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen  JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: @ryanjespersen  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

What happens when Sam gets fed up with shady secondary brokers mid-recording? He starts vibe coding a platform to replace them—live on the pod!On this week's More or Less, the gang dives deep into the messy mechanics of the secondary markets and how early cashouts might be a bigger red flag than anyone wants to admit.Plus:Airbnb's déjà vu product strategyThe quiet crisis in venture liquidity (and who's actually good at selling)OpenAI's new “CEO of Applications”, andThe looming threat of Trump's nonprofit tax crackdown (and what it means for Harvard, endowments, and… Froyo)We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Prime Minister Mark Carney's new cabinet is making waves—not just at home, but around the world. From military spending signals to the careful choreography with Washington, New Delhi, and Beijing, these picks aren't just about portfolios—they're about priorities. In this episode, we dig into what Carney's picks tell us about Canada's place on the world stage. 3:45 | But first...we take a look at new polling on the "Wexit" movement with 338 Canada's Philippe Fournier, including shocking numbers from UCP supporters in Alberta.  CHECK OUT PHILIPPE'S WORK: https://www.338canada.ca/ 22:00 | It's the perfect time of year to take your kids to Jasper! Ryan shares some of his favourite memories (including a trip to Spirit Island), and lays out some of Jasper's family-friendly activity options. #MyJasper Memories is presented by our friends at Tourism Jasper.  MAKE JASPER MEMORIES: https://www.jasper.travel/ 25:30 | What do Mark Carney's cabinet picks tell us about the PM's approach to foreign relations? Dr. Bob Murray gets into military spending and our relationships with the U.S., India, and China.  FOLLOW DR. BOB: https://x.com/DrRWM 54:00 | Two Alberta boys are about to embark on a remarkable mission: ten marathons in ten consecutive days in ten different provinces. We meet Mike Hanson and Dave Morin.  SUPPORT TEN in TEN in TEN: https://www.10in10in10.ca/ 1:09:00 | Jespo and Johnny debate the "Nine/Nine/Nine" challenge, and read emails from Real Talkers Lisa (menopause), Mark (bitumen), and Tana (pipelines and Alberta separation).  EMAIL THE SHOW: talk@ryanjespersen.com  REGISTER FOR THE REAL TALK GOLF CLASSIC: https://www.ryanjespersen.com/real-ta... FOLLOW US ON TIKTOK, X, INSTAGRAM, and LINKEDIN: @realtalkrj & @ryanjespersen  JOIN US ON FACEBOOK: @ryanjespersen  REAL TALK MERCH: https://ryanjespersen.com/merch RECEIVE EXCLUSIVE PERKS - BECOME A REAL TALK PATRON: patreon.com/ryanjespersen THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING OUR SPONSORS! https://ryanjespersen.com/sponsors The views and opinions expressed in this show are those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the position of Relay Communications Group Inc. or any affiliates.

They're running 10 marathons across Canada in a span of 10 days, and hoping to raise a million dollars to support programs for kids. Mike Hanson and Dave Morin joined us live in studio this morning, right before they kick off an ambitious fundraiser in St. John's tomorrow.

The countdown to Episode 100 is on, but this week, it's more news and less Sam.Jessica, Brit, and Dave dig into a jam-packed week across tech, AI, VC, and culture—starting with Dave topping a surprise list of top angel investors (yes, above Peter Thiel), raising questions about who really shows up on cap tables and why no women made the cut.The crew unpack:Windsurf's $3B acquisition by OpenAIApple's potential move to replace Google with its own AI search in SafariA historic week of M&A with DoorDash, Datadog, and Function Health, andWhy tech was (mostly) absent from this year's Met GalaWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit00:00 Trailer01:24 Nearly 100 episodes02:35 Top one angel investor: David Morin07:22 Big M&As and vibe coding20:09 Digital media22:09 Is Google search dying?30:13 New Netflix interface32:18 Fund entities and structures (Sam, don't listen!)44:37 Pop culture corner: Barry Diller46:20 Pop culture corner: Met Gala54:44 Happy birthday to Jess55:26 Outro

Jess, Sam, Brit, and Dave are back on More or Less with plenty to unpack—from Meta and Google's AI sprawl to Snap's fading relevance and the monetization questions hanging over tech.Here's what they get into:– Why OpenAI is crushing the consumer AI game– Sam's new startup: The Ruck Rock fitness empire– Meta's AI app confusion (and Ray-Ban power moves)– Snap's ad crash—and a left-field fix involving Sam Altman– AI and mental health: the risks no one's talking aboutPlus: the parenting trick Meghan Markle and Sam both swear by—and why Dave might soon be replaced by an AI on the board.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit00:00 Trailer01:20 AI investors, New York, Austin05:01 The Ruck Rock, Methaphone, Weighted Tungsten cases11:02 Meta AI, Google Gemini, ChatGPT21:46 The way to win in AI31:39 Snap snapped, and macroeconomics too34:29 Thinking Machines Lab38:21 AI and mental health45:32 Pop culture: Beyonce, Warriors, Meghan Markle48:56 Outro

Jess, Sam, Brit, and Dave returned from spring break to catch up on chaotic headlines from the last week — from Tesla's bad quarter to Google's courtroom drama.On the docket:– the antitrust cases shaking up Google, Meta, and the entire ad economy – is OpenAI quietly building the next Facebook? – Sam's theory on “zombiecorns” – is OnlyFans the new Uber?We're also on ↓X: https://x.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

With Jess and Sam taking the week off Brit and Dave are joined by two leading voices in venture and tech: Ben Lerer (Managing Partner, Lerer Hippeau) and Morgan Beller (General Partner, NFX; Co-creator of Libra). Together, they dive into the shifting tides of tech, venture, and AI:– OpenAI's next move: A social network?– Venture's broken math– The ‘AI' label inflation, and– Figma's IPO and what it signals for techPlus, Ben and Morgan weigh space travel risks—would you commit to a ticket to Mars?Let us know in the comments below!00:00 Trailer01:16 Guest Intro03:39 VC East Coast scene08:39 Offline from tech10:32 OpenAI social media leak? 15:08 Investing in AI22:59 Like AI companies28:49 Figma's Potentital IPO33:08 LPs and founders are pissed41:52 Pop culture corner: Katy Perry went to space45:02 Humans on Mars by 2040? 46:36 OutroFeaturing: Ben Lerer: https://x.com/benjlererMorgan Beller: https://x.com/bellerWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less, Jessica hosts with Joanna Coles, Chief Content Officer at The Daily Beast, while Sam, Dave, and Brit are off for “spring break”!They explore:• Elon's DC stint• Trump's cabinet leaks: Leaks fuel Rubio-Elon tension• China's AI edge: Cheap tech shakes Valley's leadPlus, Joanna ponders plastic surgery risks in space—will implants hold up?Featuring: Joanna Coles: https://x.com/JoannaColesThe Daily Beast: https://www.thedailybeast.comWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit01:13 The only one standing felt abandoned03:05 Guest intro04:36 What's it like inside the newsroom frontlines07:03 Betrayal, greed, power, ambition, love...12:17 What character is Elon Musk playing20:25 The Donald, the Valley, and the Trade War28:29 What the insider insiders are talking about31:20 Space, plastic surgeons, celebrities37:06 Another pop culture moment: Meghan Sussex40:52 Royalty and the tabloid46:05 Gloria Steinem, women's rights, reproductive health48:23 Moments that break out51:46 Outro

This week on More or Less: Tesla reports a steep drop in deliveries, investor confidence wavers, and BYD continues to close in. The crew also dives into:Elon's "Fake News": More Drama, Less DOGEOpenAI's record-breaking $40B raiseTikTok's algo standoff, andThe UFC's deal with MetaPlus: Brit's True Crime fascination with the Deel v. Rippling spy story!We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit00:00 Trailer01:03 Sam and Dave's clones02:59 Are we getting closer or further away from Mars?05:58 Tesla Drama13:36 Elon News fatigue18:13 Dave social middle ground and drunk Sam20:20 Everyone's vibe coding24:13 OpenAI28:03 Costs vs potential monetization46:43 Rippling v. Deel James Bond Spying49:56 UFC × Meta51:41 Outro

The debate is heating up—DC and Silicon Valley are deeply split over DOGE. This week on More or Less, Jessica and Brit hold down the fort (while the husbands ski Alaska's powder) with media heavyweights Ben Smith of Semafor and Nick Carlson of Dynamo. This week's big swings:• The Signal Group Chat Scandal• DOGE divides: Silicon Valley cheers efficiency, DC smells ideology• China's BYD overtakes Tesla: Is Elon losing supporters?Plus, whispers of fake AI revenue, ChatGPT's image wizardry, and a nod to The Information's SABEW haul. Featuring: 1) Ben Smith: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-smith-04b1403/2) Nicholas Carlson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasmcarlson/We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Ben Smith: https://x.com/semaforben2) Nicholas Carlson: https://x.com/nichcarlson3) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin4) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin5) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin6) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit00:00 Trailer01:29 Our guests and our husband clones08:23 The Signal group chat scandal12:01 The Atlantic's marketing19:25 Ethics impact23:27 DOGE divides35:06 Trump, the tech giants and pragmatism39:35 Wiz deal, arms race, 42:44 11X and straight up fraud49:50 ChatGPT's Image Generator51:41 Using AI: what would JD Vance do? 55:40 AI and journalism side by side57:02 Outro

Silicon Valley's heating up—and we've got the inside scoop.This week on More or Less, Jessica, Dave, Sam, and Brit unpack a whirlwind of drama: Google's $32B Wiz grab, rippling's spy scandal with Deel, and Gwyneth Paltrow's bold intimacy coordinator diss. Dave's back from YC Demo Day, where AI-driven startups are still fetching 25 to 40 million despite shaky traction.Here's what's cooking:• Google's Wiz deal—will Trump's FTC let it fly?• Rippling vs. Deel: a spy caught in a Slack honeypot• Gwyneth says no to intimacy coordinators—culture's shifting• Brit's new AI-built app, Guarding, locks down kids' usernamesPlus, Solana's PR flop, NVIDIA's chip wars, and Elon's billion-dollar X raise.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit00:00 Trailer01:10 No introductions needed03:34 The New York Times Ethics Department07:06 Solana video disaster13:16 Gwyneth Paltrow vs intimacy coordinator17:03 Google acquires Wiz for $32 billion18:59 Trump administration's tech leverage30:08 Brit's app Guardling (higuardling.com)35:06 The Silicon Valley Spy Scandal!46:34 Are there VC spies?50:53 Elon raises a billion for X52:19 Drive-through AI and going bankrupt56:29 Sam Lessin has left the chat59:03 Outro

On this week's episode of More or Less, Jessica, Dave, Sam, and Brit tackle a chaotic week hashing out Waymo's Peninsula push, Sam's million-dollar Mars wager with Brit, and YC's agentic AI craze—fresh from ski season vibes and office debates.Also on the deck this episode:• Waymo's expansion has Jessica ditching Lyft (almost)• Sam vs. Brit: a million bucks on Mars colonization odds• TikTok's sale—Oracle's in, but ByteDance might still call the shots• Anthropic's CEO says AI will write all code soon—engineers aren't having it.Plus, recession drums beat louder, Jessica's tennis mag Racket swings big, and Sam's still trolling with billboards.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit00:00 Trailer + Introduction01:46 Sam has another billboard!04:23 Waymo news09:12 New space age, flying motorcycles, tech CEOs14:21 Starlink, rockets, the space war use case19:56 More or Less bet: humans on Mars by 2040?24:34 Can this entity afford TikTok?27:53 Recession? Who cares?35:32 Startups are recession-proof42:30 Anthropic and vibe coding44:55 Billionaire free caltrain45:29 What's on our Instagram explore pages?47:42 Tennis magazine

Markets move fast—sometimes too fast.This week, Jessica, Dave, Sam, and Brit dissect Trump's crypto reserve play, Nvidia's AI stumbles, and how nostalgia is sneaking back into everything. Recorded amidst ski trips, surf plans, and a billboard that's trolling AI hype, the crew unpacks it all.Also on deck:• Core Weave's $1.7B AI cloud grab signals robotics is the new VC darling• Reports of Discord going public?Plus, Jessica's surf weekend drama, Sam's “Trump Make Poor” bit, and a hot take on why live sports might be overrated. It's chaos, it's volatility, it's Episode 89 of More or Less.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit00:00 Trailer01:10 Make startups weird again02:24 The Brit brand theory04:01 TikTok, DeepSeek and the nostalgia supercycle05:48 Do people even watch live sports anymore? 08:36 Running Point and feminist humor10:12 "New old, old new" companies16:26 "Spam" Lessin's billboard20:35 Driverless Waymo on the 10121:59 Wall Street Journal tech layoffs28:17 Trump make rich, Trump McPoor34:52 AI, AGI and the Top Gun Theory37:40 IPOs, massages, robot sex workers45:16 Girls' surf trip with margaritas and poker47:46 Indian Wells!52:18 Outro

What happens when the biggest VCs, LPs, and founders cram into one basketball stadium? Deals get made, gossip flies, and Dave and Brit Morin find themselves in a very questionable hotel situation. Reporting live from LA, they break down everything happening at Upfront Summit—or at least, everything they overheard by the coffee station.On deck this episode:• is Bezos finally embracing his role as a media mogul?• Meta's $200B spend vs. Grok's lightning-fast scale• what really went down in Silicon Valley?All that, plus Dave's latest case for why everyone should quit social media, in this Episode #88 of More or Less.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: ⁠https://x.com/lessin⁠2) Dave Morin: ⁠https://x.com/davemorin⁠3) Jessica Lessin: ⁠https://x.com/Jessicalessin⁠4) Brit Morin: ⁠https://x.com/brit⁠00:00 Intro01:13 Live from the Upfront Summit03:04 Intuit and taxes06:37 Bezo's media shift12:26 Blantant bias and framing18:53 Meme coins are fascinating25:39 Make Instagram great again32:44 Big Tech and Trump34:19 Google search traffic is down36:35 AI segment: Grok45:08 The AI markets meme narrative55:40 Time Women of the Year Gala59:04 Outro

Elon Musk trolled Jessica on X—at least, that's how it seems.Was it just a marketing stunt for Grok 3, with The Information as the sacrificial lamb?Plus, Humane's AI pin flopped, but HP swooped in for a $160M “rescue.”What does this mean for the AI hardware race? Sam has some strong opinions (spoiler: he's not a fan of AI printers).And the internet's latest rabbit hole: Could Jack Dorsey actually be Satoshi?Social media is unraveling, AI is becoming hyper-personalized (maybe too much so), and the next wave of consumer tech is either flopping or skyrocketing at warp speed.All that—plus the latest chaos in AI, Big Tech, and beyond—on Episode 87 of More or Less.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit(00:00:00) Introduction(00:01:20) Bay Area ski week(00:02:38) Yoga(00:06:43) Grok 3 vs The Information(00:12:26) Best deep research model? (00:19:30) iOS bug and social media isolation(00:23:42) iPhone 16e and status symbols(00:27:49) Digital drugs(00:33:21) Do brands even matter anymore?(00:43:00) Humane fire sale and AI Printers?(00:47:07) Founders who can land a plane(00:53:31) Lost Meta "international spy technology"(00:55:40) More Or Less correspondents(00:56:50) Jack created Bitcoin?(01:00:32) Outro

Elon Musk just threw OpenAI into chaos with a $97 billion bid for its nonprofit arm. But does he actually want it—or is it just for the memes?Meanwhile, Slow Ventures has secured $60M to bet on the future of creators, and Brit and Jessica predict the rise of serial influencers.Oh, and Google Maps is broken. Seriously. All that and more in Episode #86 of More or Less.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspod Instagram: https://instagram.com/moreorless Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspod Connect with us here: 1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin 2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin 3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin 4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit(00:00:00) Trailer(00:01:07) Dressing well(00:03:38) Startups, hybrid work(00:11:47) Efficiency and productivity(00:18:51) Apple Intelligence (00:20:44) Google Maps(00:22:31) Elon's OpenAI bid(00:33:26) Who buys TikTok? (00:35:27) Bill Gates(00:41:31) Investing on people and adventure capital(00:50:30) 360 deals and musicians(00:52:34) Investing in niche creators(00:56:39) Super Bowl LIX and Kendrick Lamar(01:01:55) Outro

Sam and Dave had been toying with the idea of making $$ from meme mania, but after last week's pod, they may have taken it a little too seriously.They launched Jelly-My-Jelly ($JELLYJELLY), a meme coin that shot up to $250M—thanks, in part, to Venmo co-founder Iqram Magdon-Ismail.What happened next? Tune in to Episode #85 to find out.We're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit(00:00:00) Trailer(00:01:01) Ski race and poker(00:03:00) Dave and Sam's newly-launched project(00:13:19) Fartcoin is serious(00:19:11) Everything will be tokenized(00:33:04) PvP system(00:36:47) Regulation side, Coinbase, jellyjelly(00:49:16) DOGE against the US Government?(01:06:56) Pop culture corner(01:09:52) Outro

DeepSeek—a name no one had even heard of until last week—has since given Big Tech a run for its money. Soon after the news, they torched $1 trillion from Nvidia and other giants' market caps. And while AI researchers call it “distillation,” aren't LLMs recursive by design? Everyone's distilling someone else's work. The real question: Did DeepSeek actually crack efficient training? Or just drop the right meme at the right time? We're also on ↓ X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspod Instagram: https://instagram.com/moreorless Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspod Connect with us here: 1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin 2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin 3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin 4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit (00:00:00) Trailer (00:01:03) Under the weather (00:01:43) News overload (00:05:16) Subscriptions, trust, parasocial relationships (00:14:21) DeepSeek and meme warfare (00:29:09) Meme coins and the future of digital economy (00:39:03) Regulation and trends (00:44:04) AI is the tale of two cities (00:49:40) Meta's strategic position (00:55:29) DeepSeek questions (00:59:13) Sam's watchlist (01:01:35) Outro