Podcasts about Silicon Valley

What happens when a high school government teacher becomes America's most trusted voice on democracy? Sharon McMahon transformed from classroom educator to social media sensation by explaining politics with facts, civility, and clarity. Known as "America's Government Teacher," she reveals how she accidentally became a democratic educator during the pandemic and shares insights from her book The Small and the Mighty about unsung American heroes. She discusses why working with your enemies might be democracy's secret weapon and tackles divisive topics from constitutional reform to political violence. Discover why history favors doers over critics and what it truly means to do "the next needed thing" in challenging times.---Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable.With his decades of experience in Silicon Valley as a Venture Capitalist and advisor to the top entrepreneurs in the world, Guy's questions come from a place of curiosity and passion for technology, start-ups, entrepreneurship, and marketing. If you love society and culture, documentaries, and business podcasts, take a second to follow Remarkable People.Listeners of the Remarkable People podcast will learn from some of the most successful people in the world with practical tips and inspiring stories that will help you be more remarkable.Episodes of Remarkable People organized by topic: https://bit.ly/rptopologyListen to Remarkable People here: **https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/guy-kawasakis-remarkable-people/id1483081827**Like this show? Please leave us a review -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!Thank you for your support; it helps the show!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big Tech's spending on AI infrastructure, like data centers, is so enormous that it's reshaping the U.S. economy on a scale likened to the building of the railroads. AI is also now at the center of geopolitical conflicts, as President Trump strikes a deal with Nvidia allowing it to sell its chips to China, upending longstanding national security policy. And yet, the much-hyped launch of OpenAI's ChatGPT-5 has left many users underwhelmed. We take stock of the way the AI industry is reshaping our world. Guests: Zoë Schiffer, oversees coverage of business and Silicon Valley at WIRED Mat Honan, editor in chief, MIT Technology Review Brian Merchant, tech journalist, writes the "Blood in the Machine" newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the closely-watched Consumer Price Index for July, economists–and CNBC's Steve Liesman–are debating the impact of tariffs on economic data points. AI platform Perplexity has offered Google a $34 billion bid for its Chrome browser. Jonathan Kanter, former DOJ Assistant Attorney General under President Biden, shares his perspective on the AI wars for search engine dominance. After Cava's quarterly report, the fast casual chain's stock plummeted over 24%. CEO Brett Schulman isn't worried, though; the morning after the release, he discusses his focus on delivering value for hungry consumers. Plus, Silicon Valley's interest in “superbabies” is rising. Steve Liesman - 17:04Brett Schulman - 22:57Jonathan Kanter - 31:16 In this episode:Steve Liesman, @steveliesmanJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Historian Quinn Slobodian (Crack-Up Capitalism, Hayek's Bastards, and the forthcoming Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed) walks Moira and Adrian through the fate of IQ on late 20th century and early 21st century right wing thought. How did this concept bring together the nationalist right and self-described libertarians? How did it become a load bearing self-identifier for many a "gifted" kid of the 1990s? And how did it take hold so thoroughly among the Silicon Valley elite?

Notion te regala 3 meses del plan Business + IA ilimitada

Making water from thin air at 1¢/liter? Listen to this!More #WaterTech insights? Subscribe to my newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6884833968848474112

Innovation is often a word associated with Silicon Valley, but the home of payments innovation is farther north in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.   In this episode, IPA's Ben Jackson visits Sioux Falls and talks about what is coming next in payments with Trent Sorbe, Chief Payments Officer at First International Bank and Trust and Kota Pay, and the IPA's CEO, Brian Tate.  They discuss how Sioux Falls became a hub for financial services, the future of payments including stable coins and open banking, and the role that banks will play going forward.  Mark your calendars for our Compliance Boot Camp this September in Chicago—an essential event for professionals looking to build compliance expertise and earn CLEs. We will be covering a variety of topics from EWA to Regulation E to AI.  This podcast was recorded on July 30, 2025. Things may have changed by the time you hear it.   

Think business is boring? What about when your streaming bill goes up, or your favorite restaurant files for bankruptcy? Do you ever wonder what's going on behind the scenes? Business Wars gives you a front row seat to the biggest moments in business, to explain how they shape our world. In the latest season, they explore the AOL Time Warner merger, a deal that became one of the most expensive and chaotic corporate disasters on record, one that permanently scarred both companies. Listen to Business Wars: The AOL Time Warner Disaster right now wherever you get your podcasts: Wondery.fm/BW_IFDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reza Olangian, a dual US-Iranian citizen, left behind his life in Silicon Valley to spy for Iran in the capital. And by the time DEA special agent Jeffrey James Higgins found out about him in 2011, Olangian was trying to acquire hundreds of surface-to-air missiles. That kicked off an elaborate, multi-country sting operation… and a 25-year prison sentence. Jeffrey believes the Iranians are using more surrogates to acquire weapons today.  Prefer to watch your podcasts? Find us on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@IntlSpyMuseum/podcasts.  Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/  And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by E-mail at SpyCast@Spymuseum.org.  This show is brought to you from Goat Rodeo, Airwave, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pittsburgh's success in the robotics space didn't happen overnight. It's been over 40 years in the making, with education, business, and new innovations all coming together to make the city one of the big robotics hubs alongside Boston and San Francisco.The Pittsburgh Robotics Network has been a key player in that success, giving individuals, companies, and universities the opportunity to collaborate on projects and business opportunities. Executive Director, Jennifer Apicella, joins us on the podcast to give us a background on Pittsburgh's industry and to share her take on the commercialization of robotics and automation.A key theme in this episode is how you don't have to replicate the success of the big cities. Every place is different, and part of Pittsburgh's success has been to lean into its unique strengths and industry challenges. In other words, you don't need your city to become the next Silicon Valley to be successful. In this episode, find out:A recap of the great bars, restaurants and bowling alleys we explored around PittsburghJennifer explains what the Pittsburgh Robotics Network does and how it's helping to support new technology and industry growthSome background on why the Pittsburgh Robotics Network was started and built by the community it now representsHow the group measures success and why commercialization is key to developing technologies that solve real problemsHow other cities and regions can learn from what Pittsburgh has done without needing to copy the same formulaThe challenges of working in a non-profit in a for-profit industry and how Jennifer balances different prioritiesJennifer's advice for becoming a better part of the local technology communityWhy the key to commercialization is about looking beyond the tech and focusing instead on problemsPlans and predictions for Pittsburgh's industry in the next five years Enjoying the show? Please leave us a review here. Even one sentence helps. It's feedback from Manufacturing All-Stars like you that keeps us going!Tweetable Quotes:"I think it's just really important that you stop being obsessed with the technology... rather than being inspired by the technology, be inspired by the problem that it's solving."“Like any kind of industrial revolution, this is going to be largely highly disruptive to all humans. Society is going to change. People are going to change, businesses are going to change. Are you on the right side of that change?”“Commercialization is key. The world is sitting by waiting to see what robotics and autonomy look like at scale. How do you take something and not need it to be custom-built?”Links & mentions:Pittsburgh Robotics Network, a community that connects more than 125 advanced technology companies across multiple industriesIndustrial Solutions Network, an interconnected group of manufacturing technology companies working on a common missionGrapperia Pittsburgh, a cocktail bar with a huge selection of speciality cocktails, grappa and amariUmami Izakaya, a Japanese restaurant and bar serving modern Asian cuisine in PittsburghArsenal Bowl, originally Arsenal Lanes, this bowling alley combines unique décor with live music and...

How do you grow predictable revenue for your non-profit initiative?  In this value-packed episode of Leaders of Transformation, host Nicole Jansen sits down with Jonathan Beck, founder of WeGive—a powerful SaaS platform transforming how nonprofits and faith-based organizations engage donors and fuel their missions. After co-founding PayStand, a global leader in digital payments, and building a successful career in Silicon Valley, Jonathan felt a strong pull to return to his roots and serve the nonprofit world. With WeGive, he's merging innovative technology with purpose, helping mission-driven leaders build stronger supporter relationships and generate sustainable, predictable revenue. Jonathan shares how donor engagement is evolving from basic transactions (“Giving 1.0”) to immersive, personalized experiences through what he calls a Giving Experience Platform. Today's donors expect more than forms and receipts—they want meaningful stories, deeper connection, and seamless digital interactions. Nicole and Jonathan discuss how nonprofits and churches can elevate engagement, integrate modern tech like Salesforce and Planning Center, and use AI to reduce administrative burden. They also dive into the real-world challenges leaders face when navigating digital transformation—and how to overcome them with clarity and confidence. Whether you're an executive director, outreach pastor, fundraising professional, or mission-driven entrepreneur, this episode will inspire you with fresh ideas and actionable strategies to amplify your impact. What We Discuss in This Episode How is “Giving 3.0” different from traditional fundraising methods? What is a “Giving Experience Platform” and how does it work? Why are personalized donor journeys critical for today's nonprofit growth? What practical steps help nonprofits increase donor retention and conversion? How does WeGive integrate with tools like Planning Center, Salesforce, and more? Which donor engagement strategies work best for Gen X and Millennial supporters? What are the biggest barriers to technology adoption in the nonprofit sector—and how can leaders overcome them? How does AI streamline repetitive nonprofit tasks and elevate donor relationships? Who are WeGive's ideal clients—and how do they measure success? What pricing models make advanced fundraising tech accessible for growing organizations? Podcast Highlights 0:00 - Evolution of Giving Platforms 6:09 - Donor Journey: From Online to Mailbox 7:54 - Effortless Fundraising Boosts Connections 12:25 - Church Software Usability Challenges 13:42 - Enhanced Church Giving Tools 17:27 - WeGive: Seamless Donation Experience 21:47 - Nonprofits Lack Innovation Culture 25:37 - Essentials for Any Church 29:21 - Flexible CRM and Payment Solutions 30:09 - Affordable Platform Fees for Nonprofits 34:27 - AI-Driven CRM Insights 36:47 - Entrepreneurial Insights and Innovation Favorite Quotes “Today's donors are purchasing a piece of their identity, and the product is delivered via communication. It's not just a transaction—it's a relationship.” ~ Jonathan Beck “Most nonprofit tools are stand-alone point solutions. What we need is an integrated giving commerce flow that merges online and offline experiences.” ~ Jonathan Beck “AI and integrated platforms are finally letting small teams create the personal, high-touch donor journeys that used to be reserved for huge organizations.” ~ Jonathan Beck Be sure to check out WeGive.com for more info, a demo, or to explore partnership opportunities. Looking to take your nonprofit or church fundraising to the next level? This episode is your roadmap. Episode Resources: https://leadersoftransformation.com/podcast/business/541-the-future-of-giving-adapting-for-the-next-generation-with-jonathan-beck/ Check out our complete library of episodes and other leadership resources here: https://leadersoftransformation.com ________

Is AI a threat to your career—or the ultimate tool to help you lead and innovate? In this episode of Engineer Your Success, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Greg Shove shares how artificial intelligence can be used to sharpen thinking, improve leadership, and unlock growth. With over 35 years in tech and seven startups under his belt, Greg explains how to become an AI driver—using AI as a thought partner rather than a shortcut—and why early adoption can give leaders and teams a lasting competitive edge. You’ll learn: How to avoid losing yourself in the grind of entrepreneurship or leadership. Why adopting AI early can give you more room to innovate and grow. The mindset shift from “AI is cheating” to “AI is a thought partner.” Practical ways to integrate AI into your daily work for better thinking, leadership, and results.

Philipp Wehn, the co-founder and CEO of Nexxa.ai, shares how he transformed his fascination with technology into a successful entrepreneurial journey from a small German village to Silicon Valley. Inspired by a book about Silicon Valley, Philipp paved his way into the tech industry despite not having a technical background. His story is a testament to the power of self-awareness and determination in overcoming challenges like imposter syndrome and leveraging strengths in creativity, strategy, and sales to succeed in the startup world. Philipp is the Co-Founder & CEO of Nexxa.ai, the AI startup defining Agent Augmented Engineering in Heavy Industries. He is a German immigrant and follows his dream of becoming a serial entrepreneur in the USA. He belongs to Germany's Top40under40 and is part of the upcoming Andreessen Horowitz Speedrun Batch. In this episode, you'll hear about: Philipp Wehn's journey from a small German village to becoming a successful entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. Overcoming challenges like imposter syndrome and leveraging strengths in creativity, strategy, and sales. Creation of Nexxa.ai, focusing on AI solutions for productivity in heavy industries, inspired by experiences in the rail industry and Siemens. The power of networking in Silicon Valley, emphasizing the importance of giving more than receiving. Strategies for securing early customers and investors, highlighting resilience and adaptability in the competitive funding climate. Insights into maintaining an athlete's mindset, focusing on discipline and consistent effort to achieve success. Follow and Review: We'd love for you to follow us if you haven't yet. Click that purple '+' in the top right corner of your Apple Podcasts app. We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast. Supporting Resources: Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippwehn/  Website - Nexxa.ai  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwckKi2lJuc  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCOgkBg75fw  https://www.amazon.com/Finite-Infinite-Games-James-Carse/dp/1476731713  Alcorn Immigration Law: Subscribe to the monthly Alcorn newsletter Sophie Alcorn Podcast: Episode 16: E-2 Visa for Founders and Employees Episode 19: Australian Visas Including E-3 Episode 20: TN Visas and Status for Canadian and Mexican Citizens Immigration Options for Talent, Investors, and Founders Immigration Law for Tech Startups eBook  

My fellow pro-growth/progress/abundance Up Wingers,Nuclear fission is a safe, powerful, and reliable means of generating nearly limitless clean energy to power the modern world. A few public safety scares and a lot of bad press over the half-century has greatly delayed our nuclear future. But with climate change and energy-hungry AI making daily headlines, the time — finally — for a nuclear renaissance seems to have arrived.Today on Faster, Please! — The Podcast, I talk with Dr. Tim Gregory about the safety and efficacy of modern nuclear power, as well as the ambitious energy goals we should set for our society.Gregory is a nuclear scientist at the UK National Nuclear Laboratory. He is also a popular science broadcaster on radio and TV, and an author. His most recent book, Going Nuclear: How Atomic Energy Will Save the World is out now.In This Episode* A false start for a nuclear future (1:29)* Motivators for a revival (7:20)* About nuclear waste . . . (12:41)* Not your mother's reactors (17:25)* Commercial fusion, coming soon . . . ? (23:06)Below is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation. A false start for a nuclear future (1:29)The truth is that radiation, we're living in it all the time, it's completely inescapable because we're all living in a sea of background radiation.Pethokoukis: Why do America, Europe, Japan not today get most of their power from nuclear fission, since that would've been a very reasonable prediction to make in 1965 or 1975, but it has not worked out that way? What's your best take on why it hasn't?Going back to the '50s and '60s, it looked like that was the world that we currently live in. It was all to play for, and there were a few reasons why that didn't happen, but the main two were Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. It's a startling statistic that the US built more nuclear reactors in the five years leading up to Three Mile Island than it has built since. And similarly on this side of the Atlantic, Europe built more nuclear reactors in the five years leading up to Chernobyl than it has built since, which is just astounding, especially given that nobody died in Three Mile Island and nobody was even exposed to anything beyond the background radiation as a result of that nuclear accident.Chernobyl, of course, was far more consequential and far more serious than Three Mile Island. 30-odd people died in the immediate aftermath, mostly people who were working at the power station and the first responders, famously the firefighters who were exposed to massive amounts of radiation, and probably a couple of hundred people died in the affected population from thyroid cancer. It was people who were children and adolescents at the time of the accident.So although every death from Chernobyl was a tragedy because it was avoidable, they're not in proportion to the mythic reputation of the night in question. It certainly wasn't reason to effectively end nuclear power expansion in Europe because of course we had to get that power from somewhere, and it mainly came from fossil fuels, which are not just a little bit more deadly than nuclear power, they're orders of magnitude more deadly than nuclear power. When you add up all of the deaths from nuclear power and compare those deaths to the amount of electricity that we harvest from nuclear power, it's actually as safe as wind and solar, whereas fossil fuels kill hundreds or thousands of times more people per unit of power. To answer your question, it's complicated and there are many answers, but the main two were Three Mile Island and Chernobyl.I wonder how things might have unfolded if those events hadn't happened or if society had responded proportionally to the actual damage. Three Mile Island and Chernobyl are portrayed in documentaries and on TV as far deadlier than they really were, and they still loom large in the public imagination in a really unhelpful way.You see it online, actually, quite a lot about the predicted death toll from Chernobyl, because, of course, there's no way of saying exactly which cases of cancer were caused by Chernobyl and which ones would've happened anyway. Sometimes you see estimates that are up in the tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of deaths from Chernobyl. They are always based on a flawed scientific hypothesis called the linear no-threshold model that I go into in quite some detail in chapter eight of my book, which is all about the human health effects of exposure to radiation. This model is very contested in the literature. It's one of the most controversial areas of medical science, actually, the effects of radiation on the human body, and all of these massive numbers you see of the death toll from Chernobyl, they're all based on this really kind of clunky, flawed, contentious hypothesis. My reading of the literature is that there's very, very little physical evidence to support this particular hypothesis, but people take it and run. I don't know if it would be too far to accuse people of pushing a certain idea of Chernobyl, but it almost certainly vastly, vastly overestimates the effects.I think a large part of the reason of why this had such a massive impact on the public and politicians is this lingering sense of radiophobia that completely blight society. We've all seen it in the movies, in TV shows, even in music and computer games — radiation is constantly used as a tool to invoke fear and mistrust. It's this invisible, centerless, silent specter that's kind of there in the background: It means birth defects, it means cancers, it means ill health. We've all kind of grown up in this culture where the motif of radiation is bad news, it's dangerous, and that inevitably gets tied to people's sense of nuclear power. So when you get something like Three Mile Island, society's imagination and its preconceptions of radiation, it's just like a dry haystack waiting for a flint spark to land on it, and up it goes in flames and people's imaginations run away with them.The truth is that radiation, we're living in it all the time, it's completely inescapable because we're all living in a sea of background radiation. There's this amazing statistic that if you live within a couple of miles of a nuclear power station, the extra amount of radiation you're exposed to annually is about the same as eating a banana. Bananas are slightly radioactive because of the slight amount of potassium-40 that they naturally contain. Even in the wake of these nuclear accidents like Chernobyl, and more recently Fukushima, the amount of radiation that the public was exposed to barely registers and, in fact, is less than the background radiation in lots of places on the earth.Motivators for a revival (7:20)We have no idea what emerging technologies are on the horizon that will also require massive amounts of power, and that's exactly where nuclear can shine.You just suddenly reminded me of a story of when I was in college in the late 1980s, taking a class on the nuclear fuel cycle. You know it was an easy class because there was an ampersand in it. “Nuclear fuel cycle” would've been difficult. “Nuclear fuel cycle & the environment,” you knew it was not a difficult class.The man who taught it was a nuclear scientist and, at one point, he said that he would have no problem having a nuclear reactor in his backyard. This was post-Three Mile Island, post-Chernobyl, and the reaction among the students — they were just astounded that he would be willing to have this unbelievably dangerous facility in his backyard.We have this fear of nuclear power, and there's sort of an economic component, but now we're seeing what appears to be a nuclear renaissance. I don't think it's driven by fear of climate change, I think it's driven A) by fear that if you are afraid of climate change, just solar and wind aren't going to get you to where you want to be; and then B) we seem like we're going to need a lot of clean energy for all these AI data centers. So it really does seem to be a perfect storm after a half-century.And who knows what next. When I started writing Going Nuclear, the AI story hadn't broken yet, and so all of the electricity projections for our future demand, which, they range from doubling to tripling, we're going to need a lot of carbon-free electricity if we've got any hope of electrifying society whilst getting rid of fossil fuels. All of those estimates were underestimates because nobody saw AI coming.It's been very, very interesting just in the last six, 12 months seeing Big Tech in North America moving first on this. Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta have all either invested or actually placed orders for small modular reactors specifically to power their AI data centers. In some ways, they've kind of led the charge on this. They've moved faster than most nation states, although it is encouraging, actually, here in the UK, just a couple of weeks ago, the government announced that our new nuclear power station is definitely going ahead down in Sizewell in Suffolk in the south of England. That's a 3.2 gigawatt nuclear reactor, it's absolutely massive. But it's been really, really encouraging to see Big Tech in the private sector in North America take the situation into their own hands. If anyone's real about electricity demands and how reliable you need it, it's Big Tech with these data centers.I always think, go back five, 10 years, talk of AI was only on the niche subreddits and techie podcasts where people were talking about it. It broke into the mainstream all of a sudden. Who knows what is going to happen in the next five or 10 years. We have no idea what emerging technologies are on the horizon that will also require massive amounts of power, and that's exactly where nuclear can shine.In the US, at least, I don't think decarbonization alone is enough to win broad support for nuclear, since a big chunk of the country doesn't think we actually need to do that. But I think that pairing it with the promise of rapid AI-driven economic growth creates a stronger case.I tried to appeal to a really broad church in Going Nuclear because I really, really do believe that whether you are completely preoccupied by climate change and environmental issues or you're completely preoccupied by economic growth, and raising living, standards and all of that kind of thing, all the monetary side of things, nuclear is for you because if you solve the energy problem, you solve both problems at once. You solve the economic problem and the environmental problem.There's this really interesting relationship between GDP per head — which is obviously incredibly important in economic terms — and energy consumption per head, and it's basically a straight line relationship between the two. There are no rich countries that aren't also massive consumers of energy, so if you really, really care about the economy, you should really also be caring about energy consumption and providing energy abundance so people can go out and use that energy to create wealth and prosperity. Again, that's where nuclear comes in. You can use nuclear power to sate that massive energy demand that growing economies require.This podcast is very pro-wealth and prosperity, but I'll also say, if the nuclear dreams of the '60s where you had, in this country, what was the former Atomic Energy Commission expecting there to be 1000 nuclear reactors in this country by the year 2000, we're not having this conversation about climate change. It is amazing that what some people view as an existential crisis could have been prevented — by the United States and other western countries, at least — just making a different political decision.We would be spending all of our time talking about something else, and how nice would that be?For sure. I'm sure there'd be other existential crises to worry about.But for sure, we wouldn't be talking about climate change was anywhere near the volume or the sense of urgency as we are now if we would've carried on with the nuclear expansion that really took off in the '70s and the '80s. It would be something that would be coming our way in a couple of centuries.About nuclear waste . . . (12:41). . . a 100 percent nuclear-powered life for about 80 years, their nuclear waste would barely fill a wine glass or a coffee cup. I don't know if you've ever seen the television show For All Mankind?I haven't. So many people have recommended it to me.It's great. It's an alt-history that looks at what if the Space Race had never stopped. As a result, we had a much more tech-enthusiastic society, which included being much more pro-nuclear.Anyway, imagine if you are on a plane talking to the person next to you, and the topic of your book comes up, and the person says hey, I like energy, wealth, prosperity, but what are you going to do about the nuclear waste?That almost exact situation has happened, but on a train rather than an airplane. One of the cool things about uranium is just how much energy you can get from a very small amount of it. If typical person in a highly developed economy, say North America, Europe, something like that, if they produced all of their power over their entire lifetime from nuclear alone, so forget fossil fuels, forget wind and solar, a 100 percent nuclear-powered life for about 80 years, their nuclear waste would barely fill a wine glass or a coffee cup. You need a very small amount of uranium to power somebody's life, and the natural conclusion of that is you get a very small amount of waste for a lifetime of power. So in terms of the numbers, and the amount of nuclear waste, it's just not that much of a problem.However, I don't want to just try and trivialize it out of existence with some cool pithy statistics and some cool back-of-the-envelopes physics calculations because we still have to do something with the nuclear waste. This stuff is going to be radioactive for the best part of a million years. Thankfully, it's quite an easy argument to make because good old Finland, which is one of the most nuclear nations on the planet as a share of nuclear in its grid, has solved this problem. It has implemented — and it's actually working now — the world's first and currently only geological repository for nuclear waste. Their idea is essentially to bury it in impermeable bedrock and leave it there because, as with all radioactive objects, nuclear waste becomes less radioactive over time. The idea is that, in a million years, Finland's nuclear waste won't be nuclear waste anymore, it will just be waste. A million years sounds like a really long time to our ears, but it's actually —It does.It sounds like a long time, but it is the blink of an eye, geologically. So to a geologist, a million years just comes and goes straight away. So it's really not that difficult to keep nuclear waste safe underground on those sorts of timescales. However — and this is the really cool thing, and this is one of the arguments that I make in my book — there are actually technologies that we can use to recycle nuclear waste. It turns out that when you pull uranium out of a reactor, once it's been burned for a couple of years in a reactor, 95 percent of the atoms are still usable. You can still use them to generate nuclear power. So by throwing away nuclear waste when it's been through a nuclear reactor once, we're actually squandering like 95 percent of material that we're throwing away.The theory is this sort of the technology behind breeder reactors?That's exactly right, yes.What about the plutonium? People are worried about the plutonium!People are worried about the plutonium, but in a breeder reactor, you get rid of the plutonium because you split it into fission products, and fission products are still radioactive, but they have much shorter half-lives than plutonium. So rather than being radioactive for, say, a million years, they're only radioactive, really, for a couple of centuries, maybe 1000 years, which is a very, very different situation when you think about long-term storage.I read so many papers and memos from the '50s when these reactors were first being built and demonstrated, and they worked, by the way, they're actually quite easy to build, it just happened in a couple of years. Breeder reactors were really seen as the future of humanity's power demands. Forget traditional nuclear power stations that we all use at the moment, which are just kind of once through and then you throw away 95 percent of the energy at the end of it. These breeder reactors were really, really seen as the future.They never came to fruition because we discovered lots of uranium around the globe, and so the supply of uranium went up around the time that the nuclear power expansion around the world kind of seized up, so the uranium demand dropped as the supply increased, so the demand for these breeder reactors kind of petered out and fizzled out. But if we're really, really serious about the medium-term future of humanity when it comes to energy, abundance, and prosperity, we need to be taking a second look at these breeder reactors because there's enough uranium and thorium in the ground around the world now to power the world for almost 1000 years. After that, we'll have something else. Maybe we'll have nuclear fusion.Well, I hope it doesn't take a thousand years for nuclear fusion.Yes, me too.Not your mother's reactors (17:25)In 2005, France got 80 percent of its electricity from nuclear. They almost decarbonized their grid by accident before anybody cared about climate change, and that was during a time when their economy was absolutely booming.I don't think most people are aware of how much innovation has taken place around nuclear in the past few years, or even few decades. It's not just a climate change issue or that we need to power these data centers — the technology has vastly improved. There are newer, safer technologies, so we're not talking about 1975-style reactors.Even if it were the 1975-style reactors, that would be fine because they're pretty good and they have an absolutely impeccable safety record punctuated by a very small number of high-profile events such as Chernobyl and Fukushima. I'm not to count Three Mile Island on that list because nobody died, but you know what I mean.But the modern nuclear reactors are amazing. The ones that are coming out of France, the EPRs, the European Power Reactors, there are going to be two of those in the UK's new nuclear power station, and they've been designed to withstand an airplane flying into the side of them, so they're basically bomb-proof.As for these small modular reactors, that's getting people very excited, too. As their name suggests, they're small. How small is a reasonable question — the answer is as small as you want to go. These things are scalable, and I've seen designs for just one-megawatt reactors that could easily fit inside a shipping container. They could fit in the parking lots around the side of a data center, or in the basement even, all the way up to multi-hundred-megawatt reactors that could fit on a couple of tennis courts worth of land. But it's really the modular part that's the most interesting thing. That's the ‘M' and that's never been done before.Which really gets to the economics of the SMRs.It really does. The idea is you could build upwards of 90 percent of these reactors on a factory line. We know from the history of industrialization that as soon as you start mass producing things, the unit cost just plummets and the timescales shrink. No one has achieved that yet, though. There's a lot of hype around small modular reactors, and so it's kind of important not to get complacent and really keep our eye on the ultimate goal, which is mass-production and mass rapid deployment of nuclear power stations, crucially in the places where you need them the most, as well.We often think about just decarbonizing our electricity supply or decoupling our electricity supply from volatilities in the fossil fuel market, but it's about more than electricity, as well. We need heat for things like making steel, making the ammonia that feeds most people on the planet, food and drinks factories, car manufacturers, plants that rely on steam. You need heat, and thankfully, the primary energy from a nuclear reactor is heat. The electricity is secondary. We have to put effort into making that. The heat just kind of happens. So there's this idea that we could use the surplus heat from nuclear reactors to power industrial processes that are very, very difficult to decarbonize. Small modular reactors would be perfect for that because you could nestle them into the industrial centers that need the heat close by. So honestly, it is really our imaginations that are the limits with these small modular reactors.They've opened a couple of nuclear reactors down in Georgia here. The second one was a lot cheaper and faster to build because they had already learned a bunch of lessons building that first one, and it really gets at sort of that repeatability where every single reactor doesn't have to be this one-off bespoke project. That is not how it works in the world of business. How you get cheaper things is by building things over and over, you get very good at building them, and then you're able to turn these things out at scale. That has not been the economic situation with nuclear reactors, but hopefully with small modular reactors, or even if we just start building a lot of big advanced reactors, we'll get those economies of scale and hopefully the economic issue will then take care of itself.For sure, and it is exactly the same here in the UK. The last reactor that we connected to the grid was in 1995. I was 18 months old. I don't even know if I was fluent in speaking at 18 months old. I was really, really young. Our newest nuclear power station, Hinkley Point C, which is going to come online in the next couple of years, was hideously expensive. The uncharitable view of that is that it's just a complete farce and is just a complete embarrassment, but honestly, you've got to think about it: 1995, the last nuclear reactor in the UK, it was going to take a long time, it was going to be expensive, basically doing it from scratch. We had no supply chain. We didn't really have a workforce that had ever built a nuclear reactor before, and with this new reactor that just got announced a couple of weeks ago, the projected price is 20 percent cheaper, and it is still too expensive, it's still more expensive than it should be, but you're exactly right.By tapping into those economies of scale, the cost per nuclear reactor will fall, and France did this in the '70s and '80s. Their nuclear program is so amazing. France is still the most nuclear nation on the planet as a share of its total electricity. In 2005, France got 80 percent of its electricity from nuclear. They almost decarbonized their grid by accident before anybody cared about climate change, and that was during a time when their economy was absolutely booming. By the way, still today, all of those reactors are still working and they pay less than the European Union average for that electricity, so this idea that nuclear makes your electricity expensive is simply not true. They built 55 nuclear reactors in 25 years, and they did them in parallel. It was just absolutely amazing. I would love to see a French-style nuclear rollout in all developed countries across the world. I think that would just be absolutely amazing.Commercial fusion, coming soon . . . ? (23:06)I think we're pretty good at doing things when we put our minds to it, but certainly not in the next couple of decades. But luckily, we already have a proven way of producing lots of energy, and that's with nuclear fission, in the meantime.What is your enthusiasm level or expectation about nuclear fusion? I can tell you that the Silicon Valley people I talk to are very positive. I know they're inherently very positive people, but they're very enthusiastic about the prospects over the next decade, if not sooner, of commercial fusion. How about you?It would be incredible. The last question that I was asked in my PhD interview 10 years ago was, “If you could solve one scientific or engineering problem, what would it be?” and my answer was nuclear fusion. And that would be the answer that I would give today. It just seems to me to be obviously the solution to the long-term energy needs of humanity. However, I'm less optimistic, perhaps, than the Silicon Valley crowd. The running joke, of course, is that it's always 40 years away and it recedes into the future at one year per year. So I would love to be proved wrong, but realistically — no one's even got it working in a prototype power station. That's before we even think about commercializing it and deploying it at scale. I really, really think that we're decades away, maybe even something like a century. I'd be surprised if it took longer than a century, actually. I think we're pretty good at doing things when we put our minds to it, but certainly not in the next couple of decades. But luckily, we already have a proven way of producing lots of energy, and that's with nuclear fission, in the meantime.Don't go to California with that attitude. I can tell you that even when I go there and I talk about AI, if I say that AI will do anything less than improve economic growth by a factor of 100, they just about throw me out over there. Let me just finish up by asking you this: Earlier, we mentioned Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. How resilient do you think this nuclear renaissance is to an accident?Even if we take the rate of accident over the last 70 years of nuclear power production and we maintain that same level of rate of accident, if you like, it's still one of the safest things that our species does, and everyone talks about the death toll from nuclear power, but nobody talks about the lives that it's already saved because of the fossil fuels, that it's displaced fossil fuels. They're so amazing in some ways, they're so convenient, they're so energy-dense, they've created the modern world as we all enjoy it in the developed world and as the developing world is heading towards it. But there are some really, really nasty consequences of fossil fuels, and whether or not you care about climate change, even the air pollution alone and the toll that that takes on human health is enough to want to phase them out. Nuclear power already is orders of magnitude safer than fossil fuels and I read this really amazing paper that globally, it was something like between the '70s and the '90s, nuclear power saved about two million lives because of the fossil fuels that it displaced. That's, again, orders of magnitude more lives that have been lost as a consequence of nuclear power, mostly because of Chernobyl and Fukushima. Even if the safety record of nuclear in the past stays the same and we forward-project that into the future, it's still a winning horse to bet on.If in the UK they've started up one new nuclear reactor in the past 30 years, right? How many would you guess will be started over the next 15 years?Four or five. Something like that, I think; although I don't know.Is that a significant number to you?It's not enough for my liking. I would like to see many, many more. Look at France. I know I keep going back to it, but it's such a brilliant example. If France hadn't done what they'd done in between the '70s and the '90s — 55 nuclear reactors in 25 years, all of which are still working — it would be a much more difficult case to make because there would be no historical precedent for it. So, maybe predictably, I wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than a French-scale nuclear rollout, let's put it that way.On sale everywhere The Conservative Futurist: How To Create the Sci-Fi World We Were PromisedMicro Reads▶ Economics* The U.S. Marches Toward State Capitalism With American Characteristics - WSJ* AI Spending Is Propping Up the Economy, Right? It's Complicated. - Barron's* Goodbye, $165,000 Tech Jobs. Student Coders Seek Work at Chipotle. - NYT* Sam Altman says Gen Z are the 'luckiest' kids in history thanks to AI, despite mounting job displacement dread - NYT* Lab-Grown Diamonds Are Testing the Power of Markets - Bberg Opinion* Why globalisation needs a leader: Hegemons, alignment, and trade - CEPR* The Rising Returns to R&D: Ideas Are not Getting Harder to Find - SSRN* An Assessment of China's Innovative Capacity - The Fed* Markets are so used to the TACO trade they didn't even blink when Trump extended a tariff delay with China - Fortune* Labor unions mobilize to challenge advance of algorithms in workplaces - Wapo* ChatGPT loves this bull market. Human investors are more cautious. - Axios* What is required for a post-growth model? - Arxiv* What Would It Take to Bring Back US Manufacturing? - Bridgewater▶ Business* An AI Replay of the Browser Wars, Bankrolled by Google - Bberg* Alexa Got an A.I. Brain Transplant. How Smart Is It Now? - NYT* Google and IBM believe first workable quantum computer is in sight - FT* Why does Jeff Bezos keep buying launches from Elon Musk? - Ars* Beijing demands Chinese tech giants justify purchases of Nvidia's H20 chips - FT* An AI Replay of the Browser Wars, Bankrolled by Google - Bberg Opinion* Why Businesses Say Tariffs Have a Delayed Effect on Inflation - Richmond Fed* Lisa Su Runs AMD—and Is Out for Nvidia's Blood - Wired* Forget the White House Sideshow. Intel Must Decide What It Wants to Be. - WSJ* With Billions at Risk, Nvidia CEO Buys His Way Out of the Trade Battle - WSJ* Donald Trump's 100% tariff threat looms over chip sector despite relief for Apple - FT* Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival - FT* Threads is nearing X's daily app users, new data shows - TechCrunch▶ Policy/Politics* Trump's China gamble - Axios* U.S. Government to Take Cut of Nvidia and AMD A.I. Chip Sales to China - NYT* A Guaranteed Annual Income Flop - WSJ Opinion* Big Tech's next major political battle may already be brewing in your backyard - Politico* Trump order gives political appointees vast powers over research grants - Nature* China has its own concerns about Nvidia H20 chips - FT* How the US Could Lose the AI Arms Race to China - Bberg Opinion* America's New AI Plan Is Great. There's Just One Problem. - Bberg Opinion* Trump, Seeking Friendlier Economic Data, Names New Statistics Chief - NYT* Trump's chief science adviser faces a storm of criticism: what's next? - Nature* Trump Is Squandering the Greatest Gift of the Manhattan Project - NYT Opinion▶ AI/Digital* Can OpenAI's GPT-5 model live up to sky-high expectations? - FT* Google, Schmoogle: When to Ditch Web Search for Deep Research - WSJ* AI Won't Kill Software. It Will Simply Give It New Life. - Barron's* Chatbot Conversations Never End. That's a Problem for Autistic People. - WSJ* Volunteers fight to keep ‘AI slop' off Wikipedia - Wapo* Trump's Tariffs Won't Solve U.S. Chip-Making Dilemma - WSJ* GenAI Misinformation, Trust, and News Consumption: Evidence from a Field Experiment - NBER* GPT-5s Are Alive: Basic Facts, Benchmarks and the Model Card - Don't Worry About the Vase* What you may have missed about GPT-5 - MIT* Why A.I. Should Make Parents Rethink Posting Photos of Their Children Online - NYT* 21 Ways People Are Using A.I. at Work - NYT* AI and Jobs: The Final Word (Until the Next One) - EIG* These workers don't fear artificial intelligence. They're getting degrees in it. - Wapo* AI Gossip - Arxiv* Meet the early-adopter judges using AI - MIT* The GPT-5 rollout has been a big mess - Ars* A Humanoid Social Robot as a Teaching Assistant in the Classroom - Arxiv* OpenAI Scrambles to Update GPT-5 After Users Revolt - Wired* Sam Altman and the whale - MIT* This is what happens when ChatGPT tries to write scripture - Vox* How AI could create the first one-person unicorn - Economist* AI Robs My Students of the Ability to Think - WSJ Opinion* Part I: Tricks or Traps? A Deep Dive into RL for LLM Reasoning - Arxiv▶ Biotech/Health* Scientists Are Finally Making Progress Against Alzheimer's - WSJ Opinion* The Dawn of a New Era in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Treatment - RealClearScience* RFK Jr. shifts $500 million from mRNA research to 'safer' vaccines. Do the data back that up? - Reason* How Older People Are Reaping Brain Benefits From New Tech - NYT* Did Disease Defeat Napoleon? - SciAm* Scientists Discover a Viral Cause of One of The World's Most Common Cancers - ScienceAlert* ‘A tipping point': An update from the frontiers of Alzheimer's disease research - Yale News* A new measure of health is revolutionising how we think about ageing - NS* First proof brain's powerhouses drive – and can reverse – dementia symptoms - NA* The Problem Is With Men's Sperm - NYT Opinion▶ Clean Energy/Climate* The Whole World Is Switching to EVs Faster Than You - Bberg Opinion* Misperceptions About Air Pollution: Implications for Willingness to Pay and Environmental Inequality - NBER* Texas prepares for war as invasion of flesh-eating flies appears imminent - Ars* Data Center Energy Demand Will Double Over the Next Five Years - Apollo Academy* Why Did Air Conditioning Adoption Accelerate Faster Than Predicted? Evidence from Mexico - NBER* Microwaving rocks could help mining operations pull CO2 out of the air - NS* Ford's Model T Moment Isn't About the Car - Heatmap* Five countries account for 71% of the world's nuclear generation capacity - EIA* AI may need the power equivalent of 50 large nuclear plants - E&E▶ Space/Transportation* NASA plans to build a nuclear reactor on the Moon—a space lawyer explains why - Ars* Rocket Lab's Surprise Stock Move After Solid Earnings - Barron's▶ Up Wing/Down Wing* James Lovell, the steady astronaut who brought Apollo 13 home safely, has died - Ars* Vaccine Misinformation Is a Symptom of a Dangerous Breakdown - NYT Opinion* We're hardwired for negativity. That doesn't mean we're doomed to it. - Vox* To Study Viking Seafarers, He Took 26 Voyages in a Traditional Boat - NYT* End is near for the landline-based service that got America online in the '90s - Wapo▶ Substacks/Newsletters* Who will actually profit from the AI boom? - Noahpinion* OpenAI GPT-5 One Unified System - AI Supremacy* Proportional representation is the solution to gerrymandering - Slow Boring* Why I Stopped Being a Climate Catastrophist - The Ecomodernist* How Many Jobs Depend on Exports? - Conversable Economist* ChatGPT Classic - Joshua Gans' Newsletter* Is Air Travel Getting Worse? - Maximum Progress▶ Social Media* On AI Progress - @daniel_271828* On AI Usage - @emollick* On Generative AI and Student Learning - @jburnmurdoch Faster, Please! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. 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In this episode, Steve Morin, a veteran software engineer from Silicon Valley who has worked with major companies such as Instagram, Autodesk, Yahoo, and Asana, shares his insights on AI strategy, industry trends, and the challenges of integrating new technologies such as generative AI.The discussion covers various topics including the concept of AI 'wrappers,' the importance of brand and consumer preference, the future of user experience, and effective change management for adopting AI tools within engineering teams.Steve also elaborates on the nuances of building AI-native companies, the strategic importance of design and user experience, and the necessity of tailored change management approaches for successful AI integration.--Key Moments:Discussing AI WrappersConsumer Preferences and BrandingDefensibility in AI StartupsVoice Technology and Full-Stack AI StartupsAdopting AI in Engineering Teams--Key Links:Connect with Steve Morin on LinkedInMentioned in this episode:AI Opportunity FinderFeeling overwhelmed by all the AI noise out there? The AI Opportunity Finder from HatchWorks cuts through the hype and gives you a clear starting point. In less than 5 minutes, you'll get tailored, high-impact AI use cases specific to your business—scored by ROI so you know exactly where to start. Whether you're looking to cut costs, automate tasks, or grow faster, this free tool gives you a personalized roadmap built for action.

Kumail Nanjiani is a stand-up comedian, a movie star, and an Academy Award-nominated screenwriter. Now he's returning to stand-up comedy after a six year break and co-starring as Abraham Lincoln in the hit Broadway show Oh, Mary!. Kumail sits down with Mike to discuss all the twists and turns of his career, including co-writing The Big Sick with his wife Emily Gordon for producer Judd Apatow. Plus, how Kumail coped with the unexpected reception of the Marvel movie Eternals, and what Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg really think of the show “Silicon Valley.”Please consider donating to World Central Kitchen

The Silicon Valley company Palantir spent years treading water as a tech outsider in the S&P 500. The company's recent success, as WSJ's Heather Somerville reports, is due in large part to CEO Alex Karp's ability to find opportunities in crises, as well as to the Trump administration. Michelle Hackman hosts.   Further Listening: - Inside ICE's Aggressive Approach to Arresting Migrants- Why Trump Is Ready to Send Missiles to Ukraine - Iran May Be Running Out of Options Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to another thought-provoking episode of Build a Better Agency! Host Drew McLellan is joined by serial entrepreneur and AI transformation expert Greg Shove for a timely conversation that will change the way you think about integrating artificial intelligence into your agency. If you've been wondering how to move beyond surface-level AI experiments and truly future-proof your agency, this episode is a must-listen. Greg shares his unique journey from being a non-technical founder in Silicon Valley to steering his latest venture, Section, into the heart of the AI revolution. Drawing on real-life examples and client experiences, Greg breaks down the critical stages agencies must navigate to become truly AI-enabled—from overcoming workforce anxiety to moving entire teams from novice to proficient. He and Drew discuss why deploying AI isn't like rolling out traditional software, the pitfalls of treating it as such, and why thoughtful, transparent leadership is essential in guiding teams through change. Listeners will walk away with practical frameworks like OAT (Optimize, Accelerate, Transform) to help assess where their agency sits on its AI journey and concrete steps for encouraging adoption across their team. Greg also provides actionable advice for evaluating the sea of AI tools on the market, empowering agency leaders to strategically experiment and prioritize high-value use cases without getting overwhelmed. Plus, they dig deep into the profound business model shifts AI will bring—and how being prepared to pivot can turn disruption into your agency's biggest opportunity.   Whether you're anxious, excited, or somewhere in between about the rapid pace of AI, this episode will inspire you to lead the change confidently. Tune in to reimagine how you—and your team—can harness AI to drive efficiency, deepen client value, and stay ahead in a fast-transforming industry.  A big thank you to our podcast's presenting sponsor, White Label IQ. They're an amazing resource for agencies who want to outsource their design, dev, or PPC work at wholesale prices. Check out their special offer (10 free hours!) for podcast listeners here.   What You Will Learn in This Episode: Navigating workforce anxiety and resistance around AI adoption   Moving agency teams from AI novices to confident, proficient users Why deploying AI isn't like traditional software rollouts Building a culture of experimentation and continuous learning with AI Prioritizing high-value use cases over chasing every new tool The importance of leadership engagement and transparency around AI Preparing for future business model shifts driven by AI innovation

Sam Altman joined CNBC and discussed his path to IPO and OpenAI's new enterprise push. We look at why Silicon Valley startups have been staying private for longer and why OpenAI needs to catch up in enterprise. Plus, this weekend is the tenth anniversary of Google's reorganization under parent company Alphabet. Analysts say a break-up could unlock new value. 

In this thought-provoking episode of the Business of Aesthetics podcast, Michael Walker sits down with Ignacio Fanlo, Silicon Valley entrepreneur and founder of Cloud Medspas, to explore a radical shift in how aesthetic practices could operate in the future. Fanlo unpacks the concept of “aesthetic solo-entrepreneurship,” inspired by the evolution of the haircare and fitness industries, and explains why a decentralized, injector-led model might be the path forward for medical aesthetics. From business model breakdowns and HR myths to the psychology of fear holding back new injectors, this episode is a must-listen for nurses, injectors, and med spa owners looking to build a more autonomous, profitable future.

A version of this essay has been published by firstpost.com at https://www.firstpost.com/opinion/shadow-warrior-from-crisis-to-advantage-how-india-can-outplay-the-trump-tariff-gambit-13923031.htmlA simple summary of the recent brouhaha about President Trump's imposition of 25% tariffs on India as well as his comment on India's ‘dead economy' is the following from Shakespeare's Macbeth: “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing”. Trump further imposed punitive tariffs totalling 50% on August 6th allegedly for India funding Russia's war machine via buying oil.As any negotiator knows, a good opening gambit is intended to set the stage for further parleys, so that you could arrive at a negotiated settlement that is acceptable to both parties. The opening gambit could well be a maximalist statement, or one's ‘dream outcome', the opposite of which is ‘the walkway point' beyond which you are simply not willing to make concessions. The usual outcome is somewhere in between these two positions or postures.Trump is both a tough negotiator, and prone to making broad statements from which he has no problem retreating later. It's down-and-dirty boardroom tactics that he's bringing to international trade. Therefore I think Indians don't need to get rattled. It's not the end of the world, and there will be climbdowns and adjustments. Think hard about the long term.I was on a panel discussion on this topic on TV just hours after Trump made his initial 25% announcement, and I mentioned an interplay between geo-politics and geo-economics. Trump is annoyed that his Ukraine-Russia play is not making much headway, and also that BRICS is making progress towards de-dollarization. India is caught in this crossfire (‘collateral damage') but the geo-economic facts on the ground are not favorable to Trump.I am in general agreement with Trump on his objectives of bringing manufacturing and investment back to the US, but I am not sure that he will succeed, and anyway his strong-arm tactics may backfire. I consider below what India should be prepared to do to turn adversity into opportunity.The anti-Thucydides Trap and the baleful influence of Whitehall on Deep StateWhat is remarkable, though, is that Trump 2.0 seems to be indistinguishable from the Deep State: I wondered last month if the Deep State had ‘turned' Trump. The main reason many people supported Trump in the first place was the damage the Deep State was wreaking on the US under the Obama-Biden regime. But it appears that the resourceful Deep State has now co-opted Trump for its agenda, and I can only speculate how.The net result is that there is the anti-Thucydides Trap: here is the incumbent power, the US, actively supporting the insurgent power, China, instead of suppressing it, as Graham Allison suggested as the historical pattern. It, in all fairness, did not start with Trump, but with Nixon in China in 1971. In 1985, the US trade deficit with China was $6 million. In 1986, $1.78 billion. In 1995, $35 billion.But it ballooned after China entered the WTO in 2001. $202 billion in 2005; $386 billion in 2022.In 2025, after threatening China with 150% tariffs, Trump retreated by postponing them; besides he has caved in to Chinese demands for Nvidia chips and for exemptions from Iran oil sanctions if I am not mistaken.All this can be explained by one word: leverage. China lured the US with the siren-song of the cost-leader ‘China price', tempting CEOs and Wall Street, who sleepwalked into surrender to the heft of the Chinese supply chain.Now China has cornered Trump via its monopoly over various things, the most obvious of which is rare earths. Trump really has no option but to give in to Chinese blackmail. That must make him furious: in addition to his inability to get Putin to listen to him, Xi is also ignoring him. Therefore, he will take out his frustrations on others, such as India, the EU, Japan, etc. Never mind that he's burning bridges with them.There's a Malayalam proverb that's relevant here: “angadiyil thottathinu ammayodu”. Meaning, you were humiliated in the marketplace, so you come home and take it out on your mother. This is quite likely what Trump is doing, because he believes India et al will not retaliate. In fact Japan and the EU did not retaliate, but gave in, also promising to invest large sums in the US. India could consider a different path: not active conflict, but not giving in either, because its equations with the US are different from those of the EU or Japan.Even the normally docile Japanese are beginning to notice.Beyond that, I suggested a couple of years ago that Deep State has a plan to enter into a condominium agreement with China, so that China gets Asia, and the US gets the Americas and the Pacific/Atlantic. This is exactly like the Vatican-brokered medieval division of the world between Spain and Portugal, and it probably will be equally bad for everyone else. And incidentally it makes the Quad infructuous, and deepens distrust of American motives.The Chinese are sure that they have achieved the condominium, or rather forced the Americans into it. Here is a headline from the Financial Express about their reaction to the tariffs: they are delighted that the principal obstacle in their quest for hegemony, a US-India military and economic alliance, is being blown up by Trump, and they lose no opportunity to deride India as not quite up to the mark, whereas they and the US have achieved a G2 detente.Two birds with one stone: gloat about the breakdown in the US-India relationship, and exhibit their racist disdain for India yet again.They laugh, but I bet India can do an end-run around them. As noted above, the G2 is a lot like the division of the world into Spanish and Portuguese spheres of influence in 1494. Well, that didn't end too well for either of them. They had their empires, which they looted for gold and slaves, but it made them fat, dumb and happy. The Dutch, English, and French capitalized on more dynamic economies, flexible colonial systems, and aggressive competition, overtaking the Iberian powers in global influence by the 17th century. This is a salutary historical parallel.I have long suspected that the US Deep State is being led by the nose by the malign Whitehall (the British Deep State): I call it the ‘master-blaster' syndrome. On August 6th, there was indirect confirmation of this in ex-British PM Boris Johnson's tweet about India. Let us remember he single-handedly ruined the chances of a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine War in 2022. Whitehall's mischief and meddling all over, if you read between the lines.Did I mention the British Special Force's views? Ah, Whitehall is getting a bit sloppy in its propaganda.Wait, so is India important (according to Whitehall) or unimportant (according to Trump)?Since I am very pro-American, I have a word of warning to Trump: you trust perfidious Albion at your peril. Their country is ruined, and they will not rest until they ruin yours too.I also wonder if there are British paw-prints in a recent and sudden spate of racist attacks on Indians in Ireland. A 6-year old girl was assaulted and kicked in the private parts. A nurse was gang-raped by a bunch of teenagers. Ireland has never been so racist against Indians (yes, I do remember the sad case of Savita Halappanavar, but that was religious bigotry more than racism). And I remember sudden spikes in anti-Indian attacks in Australia and Canada, both British vassals.There is no point in Indians whining about how the EU and America itself are buying more oil, palladium, rare earths, uranium etc. from Russia than India is. I am sorry to say this, but Western nations are known for hypocrisy. For example, exactly 80 years ago they dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, but not on Germany or Italy. Why? The answer is uncomfortable. Lovely post-facto rationalization, isn't it?Remember the late lamented British East India Company that raped and pillaged India?Applying the three winning strategies to geo-economicsAs a professor of business strategy and innovation, I emphasize to my students that there are three broad ways of gaining an advantage over others: 1. Be the cost leader, 2. Be the most customer-intimate player, 3. Innovate. The US as a nation is patently not playing the cost leader; it does have some customer intimacy, but it is shrinking; its strength is in innovation.If you look at comparative advantage, the US at one time had strengths in all three of the above. Because it had the scale of a large market (and its most obvious competitors in Europe were decimated by world wars) America did enjoy an ability to be cost-competitive, especially as the dollar is the global default reserve currency. It demonstrated this by pushing through the Plaza Accords, forcing the Japanese yen to appreciate, destroying their cost advantage.In terms of customer intimacy, the US is losing its edge. Take cars for example: Americans practically invented them, and dominated the business, but they are in headlong retreat now because they simply don't make cars that people want outside the US: Japanese, Koreans, Germans and now Chinese do. Why were Ford and GM forced to leave the India market? Their “world cars” are no good in value-conscious India and other emerging markets.Innovation, yes, has been an American strength. Iconic Americans like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Steve Jobs led the way in product and process innovation. US universities have produced idea after idea, and startups have ignited Silicon Valley. In fact Big Tech and aerospace/armaments are the biggest areas where the US leads these days.The armaments and aerospace tradeThat is pertinent because of two reasons: one is Trump's peevishness at India's purchase of weapons from Russia (even though that has come down from 70+% of imports to 36% according to SIPRI); two is the fact that there are significant services and intangible imports by India from the US, of for instance Big Tech services, even some routed through third countries like Ireland.Armaments and aerospace purchases from the US by India have gone up a lot: for example the Apache helicopters that arrived recently, the GE 404 engines ordered for India's indigenous fighter aircraft, Predator drones and P8-i Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft. I suspect Trump is intent on pushing India to buy F-35s, the $110-million dollar 5th generation fighters.Unfortunately, the F-35 has a spotty track record. There were two crashes recently, one in Albuquerque in May, and the other on July 31 in Fresno, and that's $220 million dollars gone. Besides, the spectacle of a hapless British-owned F-35B sitting, forlorn, in the rain, in Trivandrum airport for weeks, lent itself to trolls, who made it the butt of jokes. I suspect India has firmly rebuffed Trump on this front, which has led to his focus on Russian arms.There might be other pushbacks too. Personally, I think India does need more P-8i submarine hunter-killer aircraft to patrol the Bay of Bengal, but India is exerting its buyer power. There are rumors of pauses in orders for Javelin and Stryker missiles as well.On the civilian aerospace front, I am astonished that all the media stories about Air India 171 and the suspicion that Boeing and/or General Electric are at fault have disappeared without a trace. Why? There had been the big narrative push to blame the poor pilots, and now that there is more than reasonable doubt that these US MNCs are to blame, there is a media blackout?Allegations about poor manufacturing practices by Boeing in North Charleston, South Carolina by whistleblowers have been damaging for the company's brand: this is where the 787 Dreamliners are put together. It would not be surprising if there is a slew of cancellations of orders for Boeing aircraft, with customers moving to Airbus. Let us note Air India and Indigo have placed some very large, multi-billion dollar orders with Boeing that may be in jeopardy.India as a consuming economy, and the services trade is hugely in the US' favorMany observers have pointed out the obvious fact that India is not an export-oriented economy, unlike, say, Japan or China. It is more of a consuming economy with a large, growing and increasingly less frugal population, and therefore it is a target for exporters rather than a competitor for exporting countries. As such, the impact of these US tariffs on India will be somewhat muted, and there are alternative destinations for India's exports, if need be.While Trump has focused on merchandise trade and India's modest surplus there, it is likely that there is a massive services trade, which is in the US' favor. All those Big Tech firms, such as Microsoft, Meta, Google and so on run a surplus in the US' favor, which may not be immediately evident because they route their sales through third countries, e.g. Ireland.These are the figures from the US Trade Representative, and quite frankly I don't believe them: there are a lot of invisible services being sold to India, and the value of Indian data is ignored.In addition to the financial implications, there are national security concerns. Take the case of Microsoft's cloud offering, Azure, which arbitrarily turned off services to Indian oil retailer Nayara on the flimsy grounds that the latter had substantial investment from Russia's Rosneft. This is an example of jurisdictional over-reach by US companies, which has dire consequences. India has been lax about controlling Big Tech, and this has to change.India is Meta's largest customer base. Whatsapp is used for practically everything. Which means that Meta has access to enormous amounts of Indian customer data, for which India is not even enforcing local storage. This is true of all other Big Tech (see OpenAI's Sam Altman below): they are playing fast and loose with Indian data, which is not in India's interest at all.Data is the new oil, says The Economist magazine. So how much should Meta, OpenAI et al be paying for Indian data? Meta is worth trillions of dollars, OpenAI half a trillion. How much of that can be attributed to Indian data?There is at least one example of how India too can play the digital game: UPI. Despite ham-handed efforts to now handicap UPI with a fee (thank you, brilliant government bureaucrats, yes, go ahead and kill the goose that lays the golden eggs), it has become a contender in a field that has long been dominated by the American duopoly of Visa and Mastercard. In other words, India can scale up and compete.It is unfortunate that India has not built up its own Big Tech behind a firewall as has been done behind the Great Firewall of China. But it is not too late. Is it possible for India-based cloud service providers to replace US Big Tech like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure? Yes, there is at least one player in that market: Zoho.Second, what are the tariffs on Big Tech exports to India these days? What if India were to decide to impose a 50% tax on revenue generated in India through advertisement or through sales of services, mirroring the US's punitive taxes on Indian goods exports? Let me hasten to add that I am not suggesting this, it is merely a hypothetical argument.There could also be non-tariff barriers as China has implemented, but not India: data locality laws, forced use of local partners, data privacy laws like the EU's GDPR, anti-monopoly laws like the EU's Digital Markets Act, strict application of IPR laws like 3(k) that absolutely prohibits the patenting of software, and so on. India too can play legalistic games. This is a reason US agri-products do not pass muster: genetically modified seeds, and milk from cows fed with cattle feed from blood, offal and ground-up body parts.Similarly, in the ‘information' industry, India is likely to become the largest English-reading country in the world. I keep getting come-hither emails from the New York Times offering me $1 a month deals on their product: they want Indian customers. There are all these American media companies present in India, untrammelled by content controls or taxes. What if India were to give a choice to Bloomberg, Reuters, NYTimes, WaPo, NPR et al: 50% tax, or exit?This attack on peddlers of fake information and manufacturing consent I do suggest, and I have been suggesting for years. It would make no difference whatsoever to India if these media outlets were ejected, and they surely could cover India (well, basically what they do is to demean India) just as well from abroad. Out with them: good riddance to bad rubbish.What India needs to doI believe India needs to play the long game. It has to use its shatrubodha to realize that the US is not its enemy: in Chanakyan terms, the US is the Far Emperor. The enemy is China, or more precisely the Chinese Empire. Han China is just a rump on their south-eastern coast, but it is their conquered (and restive) colonies such as Tibet, Xinjiang, Manchuria and Inner Mongolia, that give them their current heft.But the historical trends are against China. It has in the past had stable governments for long periods, based on strong (and brutal) imperial power. Then comes the inevitable collapse, when the center falls apart, and there is absolute chaos. It is quite possible, given various trends, including demographic changes, that this may happen to China by 2050.On the other hand, (mostly thanks, I acknowledge, to China's manufacturing growth), the center of gravity of the world economy has been steadily shifting towards Asia. The momentum might swing towards India if China stumbles, but in any case the era of Atlantic dominance is probably gone for good. That was, of course, only a historical anomaly. Asia has always dominated: see Angus Maddison's magisterial history of the world economy, referred to below as well.I am reminded of the old story of the king berating his court poet for calling him “the new moon” and the emperor “the full moon”. The poet escaped being punished by pointing out that the new moon is waxing and the full moon is waning.This is the long game India has to keep in mind. Things are coming together for India to a great extent: in particular the demographic dividend, improved infrastructure, fiscal prudence, and the increasing centrality of the Indian Ocean as the locus of trade and commerce.India can attempt to gain competitive advantage in all three ways outlined above:* Cost-leadership. With a large market (assuming companies are willing to invest at scale), a low-cost labor force, and with a proven track-record of frugal innovation, India could well aim to be a cost-leader in selected areas of manufacturing. But this requires government intervention in loosening monetary policy and in reducing barriers to ease of doing business* Customer-intimacy. What works in highly value-conscious India could well work in other developing countries. For instance, the economic environment in ASEAN is largely similar to India's, and so Indian products should appeal to their residents; similarly with East Africa. Thus the Indian Ocean Rim with its huge (and in Africa's case, rapidly growing) population should be a natural fit for Indian products* Innovation. This is the hardest part, and it requires a new mindset in education and industry, to take risks and work at the bleeding edge of technology. In general, Indians have been content to replicate others' innovations at lower cost or do jugaad (which cannot scale up). To do real, disruptive innovation, first of all the services mindset should transition to a product mindset (sorry, Raghuram Rajan). Second, the quality of human capital must be improved. Third, there should be patient risk capital. Fourth, there should be entrepreneurs willing to try risky things. All of these are difficult, but doable.And what is the end point of this game? Leverage. The ability to compel others to buy from you.China has demonstrated this through its skill at being a cost-leader in industry after industry, often hollowing out entire nations through means both fair and foul. These means include far-sighted industrial policy including the acquisition of skills, technology, and raw materials, as well as hidden subsidies that support massive scaling, which ends up driving competing firms elsewhere out of business. India can learn a few lessons from them. One possible lesson is building capabilities, as David Teece of UC Berkeley suggested in 1997, that can span multiple products, sectors and even industries: the classic example is that of Nikon, whose optics strength helps it span industries such as photography, printing, and photolithography for chip manufacturing. Here is an interesting snapshot of China's capabilities today.2025 is, in a sense, a point of inflection for India just as the crisis in 1991 was. India had been content to plod along at the Nehruvian Rate of Growth of 2-3%, believing this was all it could achieve, as a ‘wounded civilization'. From that to a 6-7% growth rate is a leap, but it is not enough, nor is it testing the boundaries of what India can accomplish.1991 was the crisis that turned into an opportunity by accident. 2025 is a crisis that can be carefully and thoughtfully turned into an opportunity.The Idi Amin syndrome and the 1000 Talents program with AIThere is a key area where an American error may well be a windfall for India. This is based on the currently fashionable H1-B bashing which is really a race-bashing of Indians, and which has been taken up with gusto by certain MAGA folks. Once again, I suspect the baleful influence of Whitehall behind it, but whatever the reason, it looks like Indians are going to have a hard time settling down in the US.There are over a million Indians on H1-Bs, a large number of them software engineers, let us assume for convenience there are 250,000 of them. Given country caps of exactly 9800 a year, they have no realistic chance of getting a Green Card in the near future, and given the increasingly fraught nature of life there for brown people, they may leave the US, and possibly return to India..I call this the Idi Amin syndrome. In 1972, the dictator of Uganda went on a rampage against Indian-origin people in his country, and forcibly expelled 80,000 of them, because they were dominating the economy. There were unintended consequences: those who were ejected mostly went to the US and UK, and they have in many cases done well. But Uganda's economy virtually collapsed.That's a salutary experience. I am by no means saying that the US economy would collapse, but am pointing to the resilience of the Indians who were expelled. If, similarly, Trump forces a large number of Indians to return to India, that might well be a case of short-term pain and long-term gain: urvashi-shapam upakaram, as in the Malayalam phrase.Their return would be akin to what happened in China and Taiwan with their successful effort to attract their diaspora back. The Chinese program was called 1000 Talents, and they scoured the globe for academics and researchers of Chinese origin, and brought them back with attractive incentives and large budgets. They had a major role in energizing the Chinese economy.Similarly, Taiwan with Hsinchu University attracted high-quality talent, among which was the founder of TSMC, the globally dominant chip giant.And here is Trump offering to India on a platter at least 100,000 software engineers, especially at a time when generativeAI is decimating low-end jobs everywhere. They can work on some very compelling projects that could revolutionize Indian education, up-skilling and so on, and I am not at liberty to discuss them. Suffice to say that these could turbo-charge the Indian software industry and get it away from mundane, routine body-shopping type jobs.ConclusionThe Trump tariff tantrum is definitely a short-term problem for India, but it can be turned around, and turned into an opportunity, if only the country plays its cards right and focuses on building long-term comparative advantages and accepting the gift of a mis-step by Trump in geo-economics.In geo-politics, India and the US need each other to contain China, and so that part, being so obvious, will be taken care of more or less by default.Thus, overall, the old SWOT analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. On balance, I am of the opinion that the threats contain in them the germs of opportunities. It is up to Indians to figure out how to take advantage of them. This is your game to win or lose, India!4150 words, 9 Aug 2025 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit rajeevsrinivasan.substack.com/subscribe

How many more times can we report on a week in tech that changed the world? But here we go again…. We just had a week in Silicon Valley where everything, supposedly, changed. At least according to Keith Teare, publisher of the tech That Was the Week weekly newsletter. But last week really really was a special week, Keith insists. It was the week when AI became an actor. When it broke all our traditional software assumptions by becoming an actor, not an app. It was the week AI entered what Keith calls its 'Stone Age' - the moment machines finally got their own tools and began using spreadsheets, databases, and documents without being explicitly told to. If Keith is right, we're about to live in a world where toys talk back to children and cars introduce themselves to their new owners. Yes, AI is in the earliest stages of learning to think for itself. It was, indeed, just another historic week in Silicon Valley.1. AI Has Crossed the Tool-Use ThresholdThis week marked AI's transition from being a tool humans use to becoming an independent actor that chooses and uses its own tools. ChatGPT can now autonomously access spreadsheets, databases, and documents - Keith compares this to humanity's leap from the Stone Age to the Tool Age.2. OpenAI's $500B Valuation Isn't Crazy - It's StrategicDespite seeming absurd, OpenAI's path from $50B to $500B valuation in 18 months follows classic tech playbook: prioritize growth over early profits ("early profit is mismanagement"), focus on 90% gross margins, and build the biggest possible "money printing machine" before optimizing for profitability.3. Software and Hardware Are Being RedefinedWe're moving toward a world where software becomes invisible - delivered through conversational interfaces rather than visual apps - and hardware becomes interactive through embedded AI. Think toys that talk back to children and cars that introduce themselves to owners.4. Creative Generalists Will Thrive, Specialists Are at RiskAI threatens specialists with rule-based skills (consultants, certain scientists) but enhances "audacious" creative generalists who can think outside the box. AI excels as a servant or co-pilot but can't yet replace original thinking or path-breaking creativity.5. We're Entering an Age of AI EmbeddednessThe future isn't about using AI apps - it's about living in a world where AI is embedded in physical objects and environments, making the entire world interactive. This represents a fundamental shift from digital interfaces to ambient intelligence.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

David Belt turned dumpsters into pools, junkyards into country clubs, and derelict buildings into cutting-edge tech incubators. As the founder of Newlab, he champions “critical technologies” that serve society—not just Silicon Valley. His story is a masterclass in turning constraint into creativity and vision into impact.00:26- About David BeltDavid Belt is the Co-Founder and CEO at Newlab, a hardware-focused startup accelerator in Brooklyn, New York.

Longtime space rivals Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are vying to reach outer space with their giant rockets. Meanwhile, an ecosystem of other space-related startups are racing to be ready to set up shop on the moon and Mars. Lunar Outpost is one of three companies competing to build a space truck for NASA's Artemis missions. Founder and CEO Justin Cyrus is betting there will be a commercial rush to tap into the moon's resources, including critical minerals. He says he wants his company to be the “mobility provider” for the lunar economy. On the latest episode of Bold Names, Cyrus joins WSJ's Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins to discuss why the U.S. and its biggest rivals are in a race to build permanent bases on the moon. Check Out Past Episodes: How Tubi Is Coming for Netflix and YouTube in the New Streaming Wars Tariffs, EVs and China: A CEO Insider's View of the Car Business Booz Allen CEO on Silicon Valley's Turn to Defense Tech: ‘We Need Everybody.' Let us know what you think of the show. Email us at BoldNames@wsj.com Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Read Christopher Mims's Keywords column.Read Tim Higgins's column.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sits down for an extended interview after the ChatGPT-5 launch this week. In a wide-ranging conversation, Altman discusses the impact his AI is having on human agency and hints at the world he envisions, as AI becomes more integrated into every aspect of society. He explains the expensive bet he's making on Silicon Valley's top AI talent, as well as his decision to keep pushing innovation–before focusing on his OpenAI's profitability. Plus, Intel is still in focus on Capitol Hill and Wall Street. Sam Altman - 19:23 In this episode:Sam Altman, @samaJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawk Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

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

Sam Altman joined CNBC and discussed his path to IPO and OpenAI's new enterprise push. We look at why Silicon Valley startups have been staying private for longer and why OpenAI needs to catch up in enterprise. Plus, this weekend is the tenth anniversary of Google's reorganization under parent company Alphabet. Analysts say a break-up could unlock new value. 

Steven Lee raised $40 million in five weeks to fund his own venture firm — with just his reputation, network, and a bet on AI. From being the last kid picked up at school to becoming one of Silicon Valley's earliest investors in breakout companies, Lee shares his journey from his parents' clothing store in Los Angeles, to Twitter, to launching his own fund.

Ben Brady tackles one of the most frustrating challenges agents face: when a listing doesn't move—even after significant price drops. Ben shares personal case studies across different markets, from luxury condos in Nashville to multimillion-dollar homes in Silicon Valley, revealing how price often isn't the root of the issue.Instead, Ben walks you through how to dissect the true problem—whether it's property-specific drawbacks, excess inventory, or buyer psychology—and how to navigate that conversation with your sellers in a tactful but honest way. Learn how to frame expectations, evaluate market competition, and position your listing for future success, even if the timing isn't right today.This episode offers scripts, mindset shifts, and strategy around seller communication that will help you protect your time, maintain relationships, and increase your long-term conversion. It's real talk for real agents in today's tougher market.Timestamps & Key Topics:[00:00:00] – When price drops aren't enough to generate offers[00:01:16] – Why price isn't always the solution in tough markets[00:02:33] – Case study: San Francisco Bay Area luxury listing with no traction[00:03:31] – Identifying property-specific deterrents like location and layout[00:04:01] – How inventory volume changes buyer behavior[00:04:43] – The challenge of delivering honest feedback to sellers[00:05:34] – Setting realistic expectations based on timing and competition[00:06:21] – Leveraging hard truths to spark meaningful seller conversations[00:07:03] – Knowing when to walk away—or put a listing on the “future shelf”

Subscribe to my newsletter to get every episode + the transcript in your inbox every week.Ryan Hoover is the Founder of Product Hunt and Weekend Fund.Ryan's probably helped more founders launch their products than anyone else on Earth. We talk about starting Product Hunt as an email list, and he open sources the growth flywheel that propelled it to one of the most important places in technology.Ryan unpacks how he built and scaled a community around the product, how online communities have changed over time, how we're thinking about software in the age of AI (tech will change, human behavior won't), and how status has changed in Silicon Valley.We also talk about starting Weekend Fund to invest in other founders, his first 400x investment, investing in consumer health, and why he started investing in other funds.Thanks to Ramp for supporting this episode. It's the corporate card and expense management platform used by over 40,000 companies, like Shopify, CBRE and Stripe. Time is money. Save both with Ramp. Get $250 signing-up here. Timestamps:(5:52) Helping founders with software(15:36) Early ideas for Product Hunt in 2013(19:14) Starting as a social email list(26:26) Product Hunt's growth flywheel(31:15) AI won't change human behavior(34:12) An audience is not a community(36:42) Why every community needs utility(38:52) Communities have shifted towards group chats(40:10) How AI changes building products(49:35) Importance of craft(52:30) Starting Weekend Fund, Ryan's 400x investment(56:57) Weekend Fund's software experiments(59:26) What makes Ryan's investing unique(1:02:16) Why Ryan has a small fund(1:07:41) Peptides, GLP-1's, Ketamine(1:18:57) Investing in funds(1:20:53) Ways LPs can add value for GPs(1:23:05) How status has changed in Silicon Valley(1:31:37) Backing founders with secrets, why failing is hardReferencedWeekend FundProduct HuntWayve self-driving carsThe community trapHooked: How to Build Habit Forming ProductsGet Your Wish - Porter RobinsonSocial UtilitiesSilicon Valley's new status symbolsSelfish InvestingFollow RyanTwitterLinkedInPersonal WebsiteSignature BlockFollow TurnerTwitterLinkedInSubscribe to my newsletter to get every episode + the transcript in your inbox every week.

Informed by over fifteen years covering the world's most advanced innovations, Lewington joins journalist Hannah MacInnes to explore the transformative potential of AI and health tech—from early cancer detection and personalised diagnostics to wearable devices that track everything from sleep to blood sugar. Drawing on her new book Hacking Humanity, Lewington shares her own journey of self-experimentation, separates scientific promise from Silicon Valley hype, and asks what it truly means to live a longer, healthier life. With clarity, compassion and infectious curiosity, she shows how we can all take part in shaping a future where medicine is not just reactive but predictive, and where technology helps us stay well, not just treat us when we're sick. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

India and SILICON VALLEY. Sadanand Dhume

As one of Silicon Valley's most respected venture capitalists, Mike Speiser, managing director of Sutter Hill Ventures, doesn't just invest in companies, he often takes a leading role in building them. On the latest episode of Goldman Sachs Exchanges: Great Investors, Speiser discusses his approach to investing with Goldman Sachs' Ken Hirsch. This episode was recorded on July 7, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SED News is a monthly podcast from Software Engineering Daily where hosts Gregor Vand and Sean Falconer unpack the biggest stories shaping software engineering, Silicon Valley, and the broader tech industry. In this episode, they explore Meta's bold push into AI with the launch of Meta Superintelligence Labs, the dramatic twists in the Windsurf acquisition The post SED News: Meta's AI Gambit, Windsurf Shake‑Up, and the UK VPN Surge appeared first on Software Engineering Daily.

Mike Pacchione heard "power of story" but wrote down "tower of story." That mistake somehow led to a Nike speaking gig, which led to a coveted role in Silicon Valley, which led to helping Pat Flynn unlock over a million dollars from speaking. Today Mike charges up high ticket rates for one-on-one coaching and fills his group programs with just a couple emails. No complicated funnels. No big team. Just really good work and the right people. This Week on the Get Paid Podcast: How a misheard phrase turned into a multiple six-figure business Why corporate speakers are terrified of being good (and what Mike does about it) The shockingly simple way he fills Speech Club every quarter Mentioned in this podcast: bestspeech.co/claire  (Mike's freebie on starting speeches) Speech Club (Mike's group program) The Unforgettables (Mike's advanced program) Now it's time to GET PAID Thanks for tuning into the Get Paid Podcast! If you enjoyed today's episode, head over to Apple Podcasts to subscribe, rate, and leave your honest review. Connect with me on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, visit my website for even more detailed strategies, and be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media. Now, it's time to go get yourself paid  

An electrical engineer turned Power Point comedian that became The Comedy Grand Champion on Star Search, made appearances on The Tonight Show, HBO, Comedy Central and America's Got Talent. Don's show is packed with graphs & charts, to shine the light on the funny side of the world that has been sitting right in front of you – you are just too busy working to notice. Don graduated from Stanford University with a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering and went on to working at AT&T Bell Labs where he was part of the team that designed the world's first 32-bit microprocessor. He then moved to Silicon Valley where he helped launch the start-up company, VLSI Technology. Then after 15 years in the tech world, Don quit his job to become a comedian. That year he won $100,000 as the Comedy Grand Champion on Star Search. These days, Don spends most of his time writing and performing custom corporate comedy for companies like Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Ford Motors, and Exxon/Mobil. Don has performed more than 800 corporate shows in the last 20 years and was named the #1 Corporate Comedian by the CBS Business Network.

Jason David (JD) from Gym Force returns! This time, he brought Ayesha Qureshi from Q Line Media to discuss the future of Gym Force. JD shares with Bob and Randy his journey in the startup community, his experiences with funding and venture capital, and the challenges of building a brand. Ayesha—who serves on the Gym Force advisory board—discusses her role in advising startups and the importance of branding and marketing strategy. The conversation also touches on the unique dynamics of the Detroit startup ecosystem and JD's upcoming plans to seek investment in Silicon Valley.

1000: From Hollywood mogul to venture capital visionary, Jeffrey Katzenberg's story is one of bold bets, iconic storytelling, and relentless reinvention. In this milestone 1000th episode of Technovation, host Peter High welcomes Katzenberg to reflect on a remarkable career spanning five decades across film, animation, and now AI-driven venture investing. As the founding partner of WndrCo, Katzenberg backs transformative companies like Netomi (conversational AI), Writer (enterprise GenAI), Alembic (causal AI), and Aura (consumer digital safety). But long before that, he shaped global pop culture as President of Paramount Pictures, Chairman of Walt Disney Studios, and Co-Founder of DreamWorks SKG and DreamWorks Animation. In this wide-ranging and candid conversation, Katzenberg shares: Why the best ideas are risky and why failure is essential to success How DreamWorks was launched just 8 days after being fired from Disney Leadership lessons from icons like Barry Diller and David Geffen The real story behind building Hollywood's most beloved franchises Why AI is both “prose” and “poetry” and what that means for creativity How WndrCo is scaling category-defining businesses across tech This episode explores 50 years of transformation, from The Lion King to Shrek, from studio boardrooms to Silicon Valley pitch rooms. A must-listen for anyone interested in creativity, leadership, and what it takes to build at scale.

In this episode of Tank Talks, we're joined by Michelle Zatlyn, Co-founder, Co-chair, and President of Cloudflare, a company protecting and powering a major part of global internet traffic. Cloudflare helps businesses stay online, load faster, and block threats before they reach the door.Michelle explains how growing up in Saskatchewan shaped her views on leadership and teamwork, and how that experience still guides her as Cloudflare scales. She shares how a hallway conversation at Harvard became the starting point for the business, how they raised their first round of funding without a product, and why they moved to Silicon Valley during a downturn with no connections.She talks through the pressure of going public, the spike in traffic when COVID hit, and how the team responded when customers suddenly needed help keeping their services running. She also walks through Cloudflare's new AI crawler model, how it gives content owners more control, and why a new business model for the web is overdue.From managing billions of attacks a day to helping publishers keep their content protected, Cloudflare shows what it means to stay reliable when the stakes are high, and Michelle makes it clear that good infrastructure only works if people trust it.We explore:* How do you raise money with no product, no revenue, and no connections?* What happens when a hallway idea becomes core infrastructure for the internet?* What changes when your company goes public six months before a global crisis?* Can creators control how AI models use their content?* What can founders do to make their teams more inclusive without making it performative?* Why $100M-to-$1B is more fun than $0-to-$100MThe Canadian Roots and Early Values of a Tech Founder (00:02:36)* Growing up in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan* How cold winters and community spirit shaped her leadership* From science nerd to Silicon Valley co-founderWhy She Left Medicine for Business (00:06:49)* How a summer research job made her rethink med school* Falling into tech through work in Toronto* Applying to Harvard without knowing how to pay for it* The support from Canadian alumni that made it possibleThe Hallway Conversation That Sparked Cloudflare (00:10:50)* A casual remark turns into a business idea* How she and Matthew Prince turned Project Honeypot into a startup* Using their .edu emails to get early help and access* Getting credit for the project instead of taking another classRaising Money With No Traction (00:20:34)* Moving to Silicon Valley in a U-Haul with no connections* Pitching investors with nothing built* Getting $2M on a $4M pre-money valuation* Why the Valley still bets on early-stage founders with clear ideasHiring, Scaling, and Keeping a Startup Culture (00:24:52)* Going from 20 people to over 4,500* Why they still focus on shipping and momentum* How ownership and trust make the difference* Running fast without losing focusGoing Public, Then COVID Hit (00:28:00)* Why they went public when they did* Customers who once said no came running back* What changed when traffic spiked overnight* How customer demand and product pressure collided* Working through the crisis while remote* What Cloudflare learned under fireCloudflare's AI Crawler Controls (00:40:04)* What's happening with AI scraping content* Why Cloudflare built a way to block or license crawlers* The impact on small content creators* How this fits into wider changes to how the web worksDDoS Attacks and Online Threats (00:48:06)* Stopping 190 billion attacks per day* The evolution of DDoS threats in 2025* Why using modern security tools is non-negotiableMichelle's Vision for the Next 15 Years (00:51:18)* Cloudflare as generational infrastructure* Building the most trusted connectivity cloud* Why Internet infrastructure is as vital as plumbingChampioning Women & Diversity in Tech (00:53:27)* Leading by example* Small asks, big impact: improving referral pipelines* Creating space for underrepresented founders and talentCloudflare has grown into critical internet infrastructure, but Michelle talks about it like a work in progress. The problems are large, but they stay focused on solving them one at a time. Her view is practical: strong teams, clear goals, and ongoing effort.About Michelle ZatlynCo-founder, Co-chair & President of CloudflareOne of the most influential leaders in Internet infrastructure, Michelle is a Canadian-born tech executive known for building and scaling Cloudflare into a global powerhouse. A champion for cybersecurity, innovation, and women in tech, she brings passion and grit to every conversation.Connect with Michelle Zatlyn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellezatlyn/Visit Cloudflare Website: https://www.cloudflare.com/Connect with Matt Cohen on LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/matt-cohen1Visit the Ripple Ventures website: https://www.rippleventures.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit tanktalks.substack.com

When you think about successful tech companies, you might picture Silicon Valley giants or venture-backed unicorns. But what about an email marketing platform that's thrived for three decades?Gail Goodman, the former CEO of Constant Contact, helped build a company that defied the odds in an industry where many thought their business model wouldn't work. By focusing on customer needs and creating a strong company culture, she turned this skepticism into a 30-year success story."What I kept from all of it was to stay close to your customer," Gail emphatizes. "Understand the problem you're solving for your customer and stay focused on what they need to successfully use your product."In this episode, Dave Charest, Director of Small Business Success at Constant Contact, reconnects with Gail to explore how to build something that truly lasts. They discuss the power of repeat business, why resilience matters when hitting plateaus, and how staying obsessively close to your customers drives sustainable growth, even when others say it can't be done.Listen to discover practical ways to build stronger customer relationships and create a business that stands the test of time.If you love this show, please leave a review. Go to RateThisPodcast.com/bam and follow the simple instructions.Additional Resources:Constant Contact On-Demand LibraryGetting Started with Constant Contact webinarsMeet Today's Guest: Gail Goodman of Entrepreneurship for All

This season features conversations with key decision-makers who have shaped the evolution of today's leading technology platforms and ecosystems. We talk to C-suite executives, board members, investors, and others who must be bought into the platform journey.In this episode, Avanish and Greg discuss:Greg's journey at the intersection of technology and professional services, including his role building EY's global partnerships practice into a substantial business driverWhy most companies remain confused about partnerships, platforms, and ecosystems, and how successful companies are "built from the ground up" to orchestrate ecosystemsMicrosoft's transformation under Satya Nadella as the gold standard for ecosystem strategy - shifting from competing against everyone to becoming a platform that orchestrates the capital of hundreds of thousands of companiesWhy the future belongs to companies that shift from linear value chains to orchestrated ecosystems where they either orbit around or become the center of mass for other participantsThe urgency for C-suites to think beyond operational AI improvements and envision what their industry will look like in five yearsHost: Avanish SahaiAvanish Sahai is a Tidemark Fellow and served as a Board Member of Hubspot from 2018 to 2023; he currently serves on the boards of Birdie.ai, Flywl.com and Meta.com.br as well as a few non-profits end educational boards. Previously, Avanish served as the vice president, ISV and Apps partner ecosystem of Google from 2019 until 2021. From 2016 to 2019, he served as the global vice president, ISV and Technology alliances at ServiceNow.  From 2014 to 2015, he was the senior vice president and chief product officer at Demandbase.  Prior to Demandbase, Avanish built and led the Appexchange platform ecosystem team at Salesforce, and was an executive at Oracle and McKinsey & Company, as well as various early-to-mid stage startups in Silicon Valley.About GregGreg is the Founder of Sarafin Advisory which he launched in 2024 to provide companies with actionable advice and insights to help them grow Enterprise Value in an era of immense change and opportunity. Previously, Greg spent over 9 years at EY where he was most recently the Global Vice Chair - Alliances and Ecosystems. Prior to joining EY in 2015, he spent seven years as an executive at IMB, running one of the top five accounts at the firm and then managing the professional services P&L for Banking and Financial Markets in North America. He also held significant leadership positions in financial service technology and digital disruption across industries. In addition, he helped found a health payments dot-com and, prior to that, ran his own software development company.About TidemarkTidemark is a venture capital firm, foundation, and community built to serve category-leading technology companies as they scale.  Tidemark was founded in 2021 by David Yuan, who has been investing, advising, and building technology companies for over 20 years.  Learn more at www.tidemarkcap.com.LinksFollow our guest, Greg SarafinFollow our host, Avanish Sahai

Support AND/BOTH: Help us offset production costs while we're growingIn this throwback episode, Ashley sits down with Nicole Lenzen—a solo mom by choice, former wedding dress designer, tech consultant, and now a coach specializing in parental leave transitions. Nicole shares her unique journey through multiple career paths, a major health wake-up call, and the decision to become a solo parent. After navigating an overwhelming return-to-work experience post-leave, she pivoted into coaching to help others through similar transitions.The conversation explores:Why Nicole chose solo motherhood and how her medical diagnosis shaped that decisionHer nonlinear career—from Silicon Valley to couture bridal design to corporate consultingThe messiness and mismanagement of parental leave policies in the U.SHow chronic stress manifests physically—and how that led to Nicole's shift toward a values-aligned lifeCreating human-centered systems within corporate cultureHer current work helping both individuals and companies navigate parental leave with empathy and structureThis episode is filled with powerful reflections on identity, intergenerational trauma, and how corporate systems often fail parents—especially mothers. Nicole and Ashley talk honestly about the emotional and logistical load of parenthood, lack of support in the workplace, and how change is slowly being pushed forward by people who are no longer willing to “stick their head in the blender” and pretend it's normal.Connect with Ashley:Website: https://dovetaildesigns.coPodcast website: https://www.andbothpodcast.com/AND/BOTH Community: https://www.andbothpodcast.com/andboth-communityDovetail® App: https://airtable.com/appn6w6IWipJYIuA3/pagZys7UnECzM46iJ/formSocial:Instagram: @dovetailappFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/dovetaildesigns.coLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyblackington/

In this episode of The Eric Ries Show, I'm joined by Guillermo Rauch, CEO and founder of Vercel—a company powering the front end of the internet for brands like OpenAI, Nintendo, Chick-fil-A, and many more. Guillermo's journey began far from Silicon Valley, in Argentina, where a Red Hat Linux CD changed the course of his life.We talk about how open source gave him a way in—and why he still believes it's the ultimate growth engine for companies and careers. Guillermo shares what he learned from building developer tools used by millions, and how Vercel became the go-to platform for the AI era.In our conversation today, we talk about the following topics: • How open source paved the way for Guillermo's career• The case for open source as a growth strategy• What makes Silicon Valley special, and how online communities can unlock similar opportunities• The gap between how elite companies ship software and how most others do• How Vercel became the go-to for AI startups• The future of the web: agents, AI clouds, and software 2.0• Guillermo's take on vibe coding and why it's more than just prompts to code• How recursive founder mode helps Vercel stay fast while scaling• The challenge of keeping Vercel open, fair, and resistant to abuse•  And much more!—Where to find Guillermo Rauch: • X: https://x.com/rauchg• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rauchg/• Website: https://rauchg.com/—Where to find Eric:• Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericries.carrd.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • Podcast:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ • YouTube:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@theericriesshow⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ —In This Episode We Cover:(00:00) Intro(01:31) Guillermo's early encounter with open source and how it shaped his path into tech(08:44) Guillermo's early contributions to the open source community (11:03) Why Guillermo ditched Linux for Mac OS(12:28) Guillermo's contributions to MooTools(13:40) How Guillermo landed his first real job before even graduating high school(15:07) Guillermo's early startups and the origins of his entrepreneurial drive(18:40) How moving to Silicon Valley ignited his ambition to found a company(23:45) The story of Vercel—and how it started with an open source project, Next.js(31:40) Open source's impact on talent creation (33:46) Why building the harder thing up front makes everything easier downstream(36:30) What Google got right with Chrome—and how open sourcing it changed the game(39:55) What companies like OpenAI, Nintendo, and Chick-fil-A use Vercel for(43:57) Why so many AI startups are building on Vercel(51:52) What recursive founder mode is(58:17) How Guillermo finds value-aligned founders (1:02:03) Why nearly everyone at Vercel uses AI, without being told to(1:04:50) Using Bezos's Day 1 mindset to fight bureaucracy and move fast(1:09:56) Vercel's approach to vibe coding and AI safety(1:11:32) Guillermo's thoughts on immigration (1:15:37) Why Vercel fights to keep its platform open, fair, and safe for everyone—You can find episode references at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ericriesshow.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠—Production and marketing by ⁠⁠⁠Pen Name⁠⁠⁠.Eric may be an investor in the companies discussed.

More than 100 of the world's largest energy companies are betting that artificial intelligence (AI) will revolutionize how electricity gets made, moved, and managed. But they're not waiting for Silicon Valley to build it for them—they've taken matters into their own hands through an EPRI-led consortium. That initiative is the Open Power AI Consortium, which EPRI launched in March 2025 to drive the development and deployment of an open AI model tailored for the power sector. According to its mission statement, the Open Power AI Consortium “aims to evolve the electric sector by leveraging advanced AI technologies to innovate the way electricity is made, moved, and used by customers. By fostering collaboration among industry leaders, researchers, and technology providers, the consortium will drive the development and deployment of cutting-edge AI solutions tailored to enhance operational efficiencies, increase resiliency and reliability, deploy emerging and sustainable technologies, and reduce costs while improving the customer experience.” “We're really looking at building an ecosystem to accelerate the development and deployment, and recognizing that, while AI is advancing rapidly, the energy industry has its own unique needs, especially around reliability, safety, regulatory compliance, and so forth. So, the consortium provides a collaborative platform to develop and maintain domain-specific AI models—think a ChatGPT tailored to the energy industry—as well as sharing best practices, testing innovative solutions in a secure environment, and long term, we believe this will help modernize the grid, improve customer experiences, and support global safe, affordable, and reliable energy for everyone,” Jeremy Renshaw, executive director for AI and Quantum with EPRI, said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. Among the consortium's members are some of the largest energy companies in the world, including Constellation, Con Edison, Duke Energy, EDF, Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), New York Power Authority (NYPA), Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E), Saudi Electricity Co., Southern Company, Southern California Edison, Taiwan Power Co., and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). It also includes entities like Amazon Web Servies (AWS), Burns and McDonnell, GE Vernova, Google, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Interconnection Authority, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), Khalifa University, Microsoft, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), PJM, Rolls-Royce SMR, and Westinghouse Electric Co. “For many years, the power industry has been somewhat siloed, and there were not many touch points or communication between global utilities, technology companies, universities, and so forth. So, this consortium aims to facilitate making new connections between these important and impactful organizations to increase collaboration and information sharing that will benefit everyone,” Renshaw explained. EPRI, together with Articul8 and NVIDIA, has already developed the first set of domain-specific generative AI models for electric and power systems aimed at advancing the energy transformation. Although the technology has not been released publicly, it will be made available soon as an NVIDIA NIM microservice for early access. This development sets the foundation for more to come.

Episode 642: Neal and Toby unpack the Wall Street Journal's report on Trump's plans to punish big banks for any discrimination against conservatives. Then, the electric car maker Rivian is suing Ohio for not allowing it to sell directly to customers. Also, a report about the OceanGate submersible that sheds some light on what exactly happened that led to the tragedy. Plus, Silicon Valley is undergoing another tech transformation that starts a new chapter coming out of San Francisco.  00:00 - Finding love on top of a mountain 3:30 - Trump has beef with big banks 7:30 - Rivian has beef with Ohio 11:40 - It's official. OceanGate could've been prevented 17:00 - SF is back? 21:00 - Sprint Finish! LinkedIn will even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign so you can try it yourself. Check out LinkedIn.com/mbd for more. Subscribe to Morning Brew Daily for more of the news you need to start your day. Share the show with a friend, and leave us a review on your favorite podcast app. Listen to Morning Brew Daily Here:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.swap.fm/l/mbd-note⁠⁠⁠  Watch Morning Brew Daily Here:⁠ ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@MorningBrewDailyShow⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's episode of Change Agents, Andy speaks with journalist Max Read about the evolution of rationalism and the emergence of the Zizians, a splinter group with radical beliefs. The conversation explores the origins of the group, the role of its central figure Ziz, and the intersection of technology, ideology, and identity. They also examine the dynamics of online communities, the influence of militant veganism within the group, and what the rise of the Zizians suggests about the broader rationalist movement and its place in Silicon Valley. To Visit Max's substack: https://maxread.substack.com/ Change Agents is an IRONCLAD Original Sponsors: Firecracker Farm Use code IRONCLAD to get 15% off your first order at https://firecracker.farm/ AmmoSquared Visit https://ammosquared.com/ today for a special offer and keep yourself fully stocked. With over 100,000 members and thousands of 5-star ratings, Your readiness is their mission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the secret to effective communication isn't adding more—but cutting ruthlessly? Harvard behavioral scientist Todd Rogers joins Guy to reveal the counterintuitive science behind writing that actually gets read. From his groundbreaking research on voter engagement to reducing student absenteeism, Todd has cracked the code on what makes busy people stop scrolling and start responding.In this episode, you'll discover the six evidence-based principles that can transform your emails, presentations, and any written communication. Todd shares surprising findings from randomized experiments—like how deleting every other sentence can double donation rates, and why the most effective Obama fundraising email had just three lowercase letters as the subject line.Whether you're crafting executive briefs, marketing copy, or just trying to get your team to actually read your messages, this conversation will revolutionize how you think about writing.---Guy Kawasaki is on a mission to make you remarkable. His Remarkable People podcast features interviews with remarkable people such as Jane Goodall, Marc Benioff, Woz, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Bob Cialdini. Every episode will make you more remarkable.With his decades of experience in Silicon Valley as a Venture Capitalist and advisor to the top entrepreneurs in the world, Guy's questions come from a place of curiosity and passion for technology, start-ups, entrepreneurship, and marketing. If you love society and culture, documentaries, and business podcasts, take a second to follow Remarkable People.Listeners of the Remarkable People podcast will learn from some of the most successful people in the world with practical tips and inspiring stories that will help you be more remarkable.Episodes of Remarkable People organized by topic: https://bit.ly/rptopologyListen to Remarkable People here: **https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/guy-kawasakis-remarkable-people/id1483081827**Like this show? Please leave us a review -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!Thank you for your support; it helps the show!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today's episode Cecilia Rikap - an expert in the political economy of science and technology - speaks with Paris Marx (host of the excellent Tech Won't Save Us podcast). Cecilia and Paris discussed the subservient approach that Keir Starmer's Labour government has taken to tech policy and how willing Starmer has been to give tech companies whatever they want. They went on to discuss global dependence on US tech monopolists, and the concept of digital sovereignty in the context of the alliance between the Trump administration and Silicon Valley.

How do you go from Michigan small business roots and San Francisco startups to the frontlines of reviving a beloved publishing company—and what have you learned along the way? In this insightful episode, host Ed Parcaut sits down with Eric Jorgensen, CEO of Scribe Media, author, operator, and entrepreneur. Eric opens up about his journey from working in venture-backed Silicon Valley startups (including his decade-long run at Zaarly), to publishing his own books, and eventually stepping in to save Scribe Media after its near-collapse. Drawing from his background as both an operator and an author, Eric shares the skills that helped him navigate crisis, what it means to truly listen to customers, and why clear communication between product and audience is the key to building anything lasting. You'll hear: The difference between self-publishing, traditional publishing, and why owning your book matters Insider lessons from the “jobs to be done” framework for understanding what customers really need Real talk on the challenges and rewards of writing a book (including typos, reviews, covering niche topics, and the emotional journey behind every decision) How Eric and his team helped bring Scribe Media back to life—and what the future holds for authors Whether you're an entrepreneur thinking about taking your story to the page, or a curious listener interested in business turnaround stories, this episode is packed with honest advice, personal stories, and practical tips on telling your story and building your authority. Learn more about Scribe Media, writing your own book, and why sometimes the best path forward is helping others share what they know with the world. Connect with Scribe Media: https://scribemedia.com Connect with Ed Parcaut: https://edparcaut.com Ready to become the authority in your industry? Press play and find inspiration for your own journey! #EdParcaut #EricJorgensen #InnerEdisonPodcast #ScribeMedia #BookPublishing #Entrepreneurship #SelfPublishing #WritingJourney #AuthorLife #BusinessBooks #PublishingAdvice #Ghostwriting #BookMarketing #StartupStories #Leadership #PodcastInterview #BookLaunch #AuthorExperience #PublishingIndustry #Storytelling

What's driving the rapid evolution of AI? Where do emergent behaviors come from? In today's episode, Sanjay Krishnan joins us to unpack how modern machine learning models are developing specialized skill sets, solving increasingly complex problems, and adapting in surprising ways to real-world data. Sanjay is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at the University of Chicago, where his research group focuses on making data systems more reliable – even when the information they handle is messy or incomplete. In the real world, data is often missing, corrupted, or uncertain, and Sanjay's work aims to help databases and information systems still function accurately under those conditions. Currently, Sanjay and his team are exploring several key challenges. One area of focus is building systems that can still provide accurate answers even when the underlying data is only partially complete. They're also developing ways to measure the trustworthiness of a result when the data has been corrupted. Another project involves automatically detecting when sensitive data may have leaked, helping improve both privacy and security in data systems. This conversation outlines: The natural progression of AI over the past 15 years. Three factors that make AI powerful. The role that human-provided data plays in machine learning.  What AI poisoning is, and how it can be identified.  You can learn more about Sanjay and his research by clicking here!