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The fireworks have faded, the reunions have ended, and the last dumpling is a distant memory. Now the numbers are in. The receipts, the records, and the data that reveals what kind of holiday this year's Spring Festival really was. From tourism hauls to box office gold, we break down how China rang in its Year of the Horse. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
Once the fireworks fade and the tables clear, reality creeps back in. Your thoughts move at molasses speed, your energy flatlines, and that cozy holiday haze suddenly feels suspiciously like a coma. It's not just exhaustion. It's your body coming down from weeks dialed up to eleven, crash-landing straight into the office. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
As a change of pace, the Round Table team is bringing horse stories to life! But this time, we've swapped a story from the past for a story from... the future? Enjoy the third and final installment: Round Table's Unexpected Guest. On the show: Steve, Yushun, Fei Fei & the team
As a change of pace, the Round Table team is back in the saddle with another horse drama! Grab your headphones and enjoy the second installment: Bo Le and the Thousand-Li Horse. On the show: Steve, Yushan, Fei Fei & the team
The final night of the year carries unusual weight. For centuries, China's ritual has been quiet but deeply symbolic: staying awake together as the old year slips away. When did this tradition begin? How did people spend Spring Festival Eve in ancient times? And how did staying awake become inseparable from watching sketches, spotting celebrities, and asking if the Gala is better than last year? On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
Across history, three rhythms define Spring Festival: the journey home, the way people gather, and the form celebration takes. In this series, Round Table traces these transformations through a sustained conversation between ancient and modern China. We explore how going home, celebrating together, and holiday fun have been reshaped across dynasties, technologies, and generations. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
This Chinese New Year, why not let cinema inspire your China travel itinerary? As many international visitors still hit a digital wall, China is rolling out the welcome mat with new guidelines. How will it open its digital doors? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun
Forget New Year's Eve in Times Square. The real spectacle unfolds across China, where one broadcast commands a billion viewers. The Spring Festival Gala is less a television show than a shared ritual, part time capsule and part fever dream, weaving ancient tradition with viral spectacle. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun
A new American private school has replaced the teacher at the front of the classroom with a personal chatbot for every child. The model swaps the standard six-hour academic day for hyper-efficient, two-hour learning sprints. It is an exchange that places supreme value on personalized data transfer over human-led instruction. But can it work? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
While the nation powers down for Spring Festival, some workers are powering up. They are skipping the family banquet to deliver yours, guard the temple fairs, and keep the city humming through the holiday lull. Meet the new wave of urban stayers choosing holiday shifts over hometown reunions and cashing in on the busiest downtime of the year. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
Robots are on vacuum duty, apps are delivering feasts, and AI is writing your greetings. The most traditional holiday of the year is being powered by the "Lazy Economy." Is technology saving the Spring Festival traditions or simply replacing them? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun
Traditional marketing tries hard to pull everyone in. But what if your most powerful move was to willingly lose a customer? It sounds counterintuitive, yet a strategy called "dissuasion" is proving just that. Sometimes, the clearest way to attract your true audience is to politely show others the door. / At what time of the day do you crash(14:46)? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun
In the warmth of southern China, winter means something different: it's a construction project. Venture into a mall to find a mountain of steel and manufactured snow, where professional skiers train and the après-ski includes spicy hot pot. This is how a region defies geography to bring the quintessential hobbies of the frozen north to its warm, southern shores. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Ding Heng
The Full Circle: Senior gamers, airplane hospitals, tasteless tomatoes / The classic bathhouse has been reinvented. Today, sprawling 24-hour mega-complexes have replaced it, transcending their original purpose. These are not merely for bathing; they are destinations where you can work from a private pod, enjoy a high-end meal, watch films, and essentially live for a full day (18:31)! On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Ding Heng
You slice into a flawless tomato with glossy skin and bright red flesh, only for a letdown to follow. There is no sweetness, no acidity, just water and fiber. This small disappointment has become so common, many people assume that's just how tomatoes are now. China is tackling that exact issue by biotech, smart innovation and more. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
Around the world, specialized healthcare is often limited by geography. China is now testing a novel solution to close that gap. Instead of evacuating patients, this experiment brings care to them by flying the hospital itself. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
Winter is the ultimate stress test for our energy system. As temperatures plunge nationwide in China, the demand for electricity surges. From heating millions of northern homes to powering the non-stop factories in the south, this seasonal surge creates a complex, high-stakes challenge that is unmatched in scale and intensity anywhere on Earth. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei.
Markets are seen as rational systems driven by data, while weather seems purely physical and unpredictable. China's meteorological authorities and the Fudan University are now bridging this divide. They have unveiled "Shangji," a pioneering AI model designed to decode the hidden patterns that connect weather forecasts directly to stock market moves. / Can your workout actually be hurting you (18:02)? On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei.
Digital life is rewiring our instincts. In China, eating alone is no longer seen as lonely. It's a curated luxury. From viral solo booths at fast food chains to an entire economy profiting from our collective comfort with solitude, we're exploring the rise of the "social anxiety economy." Why is being blissfully alone in public becoming the new normal? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
The Soapbox: Is Beijing deserving of its fashion critique? / You get a wedding invite. You click. They know. In China, digital invites are turning curiosity into a new kind of social pressure. A simple "save the date" is now a data mine. So, is this the end of the casual RSVP (14:04)? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
Chunyun, the annual Spring Festival travel rush in China, is the world's largest human migration. Each year, it tests the absolute limits of the country's transportation network. In 2026, however, it will test something new: how data, platforms, and policy can fundamentally reshape the experience of mass mobility itself. / Is boredom good for us (15:25)? On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
For the first time, the story of space isn't just about astronauts. It's about farmers using satellite data, engineers designing zero-gravity labs, scientists discovering new drugs, and policymakers crafting the rules. The architects of our future in space are building it from the ground up. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
More protein. Whole milk returns. Ultra-processed foods take a step back. The latest U.S. dietary guidelines have triggered a wave of reactions—some cheering, others confused. Has nutrition science changed its mind, or are we simply rediscovering what was overlooked? On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
A rocket retrieved from the ocean and a strategy to deploy over 200,000 satellites across 14 constellations are not isolated headlines. They are signals of a deeper structural shift redefining the global space industry. We explore the rise of China's commercial space sector and examine its tangible, far-reaching implications for our collective future. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
The 2026 consumer goods trade-in program presents a streamlined process for consumers: claim a voucher, place an order, and receive an immediate discount. Behind this user-friendly interface, however, lies a highly complex system. It requires the exact coordination of central funding, local execution, integrated digital platforms, and real-time verification mechanisms. So what's everyone buying? On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
This is the story of a river that shapes a nation. In the final episode of our series, we trace a decade of evolution along the Yangtze, where regions producing half of China's GDP have rewritten their growth model. They have shifted from a focus on scale to a new paradigm of smart, coordinated integration, a transformation that now offers the world a distinct blueprint for building a sustainable future. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
What connects the quantified self movement, a major fishing ban, and a viral“cry-cry horse"? On the surface, these three stories from this past week appear to exist in separate worlds—one in personal technology, another in environmental policy, and the last in internet culture. We trace how they intersect to reveal a surprising, singular theme about modern systems of monitoring, compliance, and emotional response. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
Imagine a hospital visit where the longest wait is the elevator ride. Now, picture paying for care with a single glance, or shielding your family with one shared insurance wallet no matter where in the country they live. This is not science fiction. It is the new reality in China's healthcare system. Today, we explore the digital keys to this future and how they are transforming the patient experience from stressful to seamless. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
How do you revive a great river? In the first episode of our three-part series, we look at the boldest move yet on the Yangtze: a total fishing ban. And it's working. Native fish are returning and the finless porpoise has reappeared in growing numbers, all while hundreds of thousands of fishermen have traded their nets for new lives on land. Join us for a story of ambitious ecological healing and profound human adaptation along one of China's most important waterways. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
Our cities' greatest resource isn't buried underground; it's hidden in plain sight within the very waste we discard. We journey into the world of urban mining to discover how yesterday's forgotten trash is being reclaimed as tomorrow's essential materials and how this process is turning our cityscapes into a new frontier of resource wealth. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
What if every green purchase earned you tangible rewards? A major new national plan is betting that a points-for-discounts system is the key to unlocking mass green consumption. This is how the initiative could turn your environmental choice into real savings, making sustainability the smartest buy on the shelf. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
After ten years of "Do Not Disturb" signs, the most powerful room in the Forbidden City is back in business. Want to see where the Qing emperors actually lived, worked, and… gossiped? The Hall of Mental Cultivation is finally open. / Why do we doom-scroll our partner's ex (14:49)? On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
China has officially entered a new era of demographic governance with the unveiling of the draft Childcare Services Law. While only about 8% of children under three are currently enrolled in formal childcare, the central government is now positioning it not as a private luxury but as a "basic public service." The draft introduces a mandatory national qualification system and comprehensive background checks. This marks a significant step toward professionalizing a sector long dominated by less regulated and often costly private providers. On the show: Niu Honglin, Steve & Fei Fei
What happens when your closest confidant is an algorithm? As millions form bonds with AI companions, China is responding with pioneering rules for this wild new frontier of digital intimacy. The crackdown on synthetic dependency seeks to build guardrails against emotional manipulation and preempt real-world harm. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun.
Pink Himalayan salt sells for ten times the price of ordinary table salt, wrapped in an aura of wellness and luxury. But what are you really buying? Is it a superior mineral source, or are you paying for little more than a pretty color and clever marketing? We investigate the surprising truth behind the pink. / The Soapbox (14:44). On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun.
In late 2025, the most resonant piece of self-care advice in China didn't come from a lifestyle guru, but from an internet meme: 爱你老己 (Love yourself). A single, linguistically clever phrase blossomed into a cultural phenomenon. Its power was in repackaging the universal truth of self-love into something that felt intimate, shareable, and distinctly modern. This is the story of how language itself became a premier tool for wellness in the digital age. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
As 2026 arrives, China pauses for a three-day national holiday, a dedicated celebration of new beginnings. Join us as we explore this cultural moment where tradition meets modernity, immersing you in the distinctive sounds, cherished flavors, and personal rituals of a nation taking a collective breath before stepping forward into the promise of the year ahead. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
The year 2025 has reached its final chapter, and it's time for all of us to say our goodbyes to the year. To mark this special year-end send-off, we're opening the doors wide for a final "Motivational Happy Place." We've gathered all of our guests, each ready to share a heartfelt, motivational message with our listeners to close out 2025 together. On the show: Steve, Niu Honglin, Yushan, Fei Fei, Laiming & Yushun
Ready to crack the cultural code of 2025? This year's viral words were more than just slang. They were secret signals revealing our collective fears, our defining humor, and the obsessions we couldn't scroll past. We decode the language that truly defined the last twelve months and uncover why these specific terms captured a global moment. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun
Ever get the feeling your headphones are listening more than you are? You might be onto something. While nearly 60 million wireless units shipped in China in just the first half of this year, the real story is a design revolution. Headphones are no longer just an accessory; they're being engineered to become a seamless, intelligent part of your daily rhythm. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun
China is drafting a law to protect Antarctica's environment, aligning with its international responsibilities under the Antarctic Treaty System and aiming to regulate activities on the continent to promote preservation and scientific cooperation. This proactive step reinforces China's commitment to sustainable governance and global ecological stewardship in one of Earth's most fragile and vital regions. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun
It's human nature to want to put a face to a voice, and that instinct is exactly what's fueling the move toward video podcasts. This isn't just a new format; it's deepening the connection between creators and their audience and opening up entirely new ways to tell stories. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun
A health management regulation will take effect soon in the City of Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang Province. How can legal policies help improve people's health? Today we look at how new laws are turning lifestyle into legislation—from your waistline to your daily routine. On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
A startling fact: reported rates of youth depression in China range from 4% to 41%. Why the huge gap? New research points to a fundamental flaw in the diagnostic tools themselves. This has major implications for treatment and policy. / The socks scandal: A 10-Minute guide (14:47). on the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
What if your car could legally say,“I'll take it from here?" China just crossed that threshold, issuing its first permits for conditional self-driving cars on public roads. But what does“conditional”actually mean for drivers—and what tough turns still lie ahead on the path to full autonomy? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun.
Forget personal reading goals. This is about a national ambition. Imagine a government that sees its core job as clearing the path between you and a good book. This is the vision now driving China, transforming reading from a quiet hobby into a public project. We explore the reality of a society built for readers. / Motivational Monday (19:29). On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushun.
In a small county in China, a quiet revolution is reshaping a global jewelry industry. In Zhecheng, central China's Henan Province, lab-grown diamonds are produced at a fraction of the traditional cost. This phenomenon is a clear signal of how China's formidable local economies are becoming pivotal drivers of global markets. What does this county-level prowess mean for the future of global manufacturing and consumption patterns? On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
The distinctive scrape of skates carving ice now echoes in unexpected corners of China. From the tropical south to the northern heartland, a new generation is embracing hockey's grit and speed, recently celebrated in a historic championship sweep. This is a story of a sport on fast-forward: a nation attempting to skate the long journey from curious novelty to genuine contender in record time. / Round Table's Happy Place (21:35)! On the show: Steve, Fei Fei & Yushan
Fei-Fei Li is a Stanford professor, co-director of Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, and co-founder of World Labs. She created ImageNet, the dataset that sparked the deep learning revolution. Justin Johnson is her former PhD student, ex-professor at Michigan, ex-Meta researcher, and now co-founder of World Labs.Together, they just launched Marble—the first model that generates explorable 3D worlds from text or images.In this episode Fei-Fei and Justin explore why spatial intelligence is fundamentally different from language, what's missing from current world models (hint: physics), and the architectural insight that transformers are actually set models, not sequence models. Resources:Follow Fei-Fei on X: https://x.com/drfeifeiFollow Justin on X: https://x.com/jcjohnssFollow Shawn on X: https://x.com/swyxFollow Alessio on X: https://x.com/fanahova Stay Updated:If you enjoyed this episode, please be sure to like, subscribe, and share with your friends.Follow a16z on X: https://x.com/a16zFollow a16z on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/a16zFollow the a16z Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5bC65RDvs3oxnLyqqvkUYXFollow the a16z Podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a16z-podcast/id842818711Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details, please see http://a16z.com/disclosures. Stay Updated:Find a16z on XFind a16z on LinkedInListen to the a16z Podcast on SpotifyListen to the a16z Podcast on Apple PodcastsFollow our host: https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Now on Spotify Video! As a Stanford AI scientist, Dr. Fei-Fei Li realized that artificial intelligence had advanced to a point where it was transforming society faster than most people could understand. Confronted with the ethical, social, and economic risks of this rapid growth, she felt a deep responsibility to guide AI toward serving humanity. This inspired her to co-found the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, developing a framework that prioritizes humankind. In this episode, Dr. Fei-Fei shares how we can harness AI responsibly and design technology that enhances, not replaces, human potential. In this episode, Hala and Dr. Fei-Fei will discuss: (00:00) Introduction (02:33) The Evolution and Limits of Artificial Intelligence (09:56) How AI Models Like ChatGPT Are Trained (14:12) Dr. Fei-Fei's Journey and Responsibility in AI (19:15) How Computer Vision Brings AI to Life (25:59) Ethical AI, Human Dignity, and the Future of Work (32:57) The Three Pillars of Human-Centered AI (35:10) Confronting Fears of AI in Action (39:59) AI in Business: How Entrepreneurs Can Thrive Dr. Fei-Fei Li is a professor of computer science at Stanford University and co-director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI. Her groundbreaking work in computer vision AI has shaped how machines see and understand the world. Dr. Fei-Fei is the author of The World's I See, a memoir that weaves together her personal journey with the history and development of artificial intelligence. Sponsored By: Indeed - Get a $75 sponsored job credit to boost your job's visibility at Indeed.com/PROFITING Shopify - Start your $1/month trial at Shopify.com/profiting. Quo - Get 20% off your first 6 months at Quo.com/PROFITING Revolve - Head to REVOLVE.com/PROFITING and take 15% off your first order with code PROFITING Merit Beauty - Go to meritbeauty.com to get your free signature makeup bag with your first order. DeleteMe - Remove your personal data online. Get 20% off DeleteMe consumer plans at to joindeleteme.com/profiting Spectrum Business - Visit Spectrum.com/FreeForLife to learn how you can get Business Internet Free Forever. Airbnb - Find yourself a cohost at airbnb.com/host Resources Mentioned: Dr. Fei-Fei's Book, The Worlds I See: bit.ly/WorldsISee Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute Website: hai.stanford.edu/ Active Deals - youngandprofiting.com/deals Key YAP Links Reviews - ratethispodcast.com/yap YouTube - youtube.com/c/YoungandProfiting Newsletter - youngandprofiting.co/newsletter LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/htaha/ Instagram - instagram.com/yapwithhala/ Social + Podcast Services: yapmedia.com Transcripts - youngandprofiting.com/episodes-new Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship Podcast, Business, Business Podcast, Self Improvement, Self-Improvement, Personal Development, Starting a Business, Strategy, Investing, Sales, Selling, Psychology, Productivity, Entrepreneurs, AI, Artificial Intelligence, Technology, Marketing, Negotiation, Money, Finance, Side Hustle, Startup, Mental Health, Career, Leadership, Mindset, Health, Growth Mindset, AI Marketing, Prompt, Generative AI, AI for Entrepreneurs, AI Podcast