Podcasts about Silicon Valley

Keith Rabois has built companies, backed some of Silicon Valley's biggest successes, and earned a reputation as one of the sharpest strategic minds in venture capital. But when Louisa sat down with him, they barely spoke about investing. Instead, they explored the system behind his decision-making: the daily habits he believes keep his brain performing at an elite level. From treating himself like a professional athlete to measuring every workout for more than two decades, Rabois argues that the strongest predictor of longevity isn't genetics or supplements, it's VO₂ max. He explains why every ambitious person should know their VO₂ max, why he believes improving it may have a greater impact than many of the world's biggest public health campaigns, and why he asks founders the same question before asking about their company. You'll hear why he wears a fitness tracker every day, why he hasn't missed more than seven workouts in seven years, and why he believes consistency, not intensity, is what compounds into extraordinary performance. The conversation then moves beyond fitness into the psychology of excellence. Keith explains why he reads for an hour every day, how reading the encyclopedia as a child shaped the way he thinks, and why nearly every world-class founder, politician, and investor he admires shares one habit: relentless curiosity. He reveals how he learned to assess people within minutes, what he looks for on a LinkedIn profile before an interview, why preparation matters far more than talent, and the invisible work that most people mistake for luck. They also dive into his longevity protocol: why creatine became a non-negotiable after reading the cognitive research, how he approaches blood work differently from traditional medicine, why he uses red light therapy and cryotherapy, the supplements he actually believes are worth taking, and why he refuses to use anything that could unnecessarily affect his brain. He explains why he would invest in brain-computer interfaces but never electively implant one himself, and why protecting the unique quirks of your brain may be more valuable than enhancing them. Finally, they unpack one of his most controversial beliefs: stress isn't something to eliminate, it's something to embrace. Drawing on the research behind *The Upside of Stress*, Keith explains why people who reframe stress consistently outperform those who fear it, why challenge drives growth from the cellular level to leadership, and how high-performing teams balance obsession, accountability, and psychological safety.

In this Multifamily Minute episode, Axel gets introspective on a concept he's been wrestling with personally: the psychological relationship investors have with money as their portfolio grows — and why the skill that helps you scale can quietly become the thing that costs you the most.Using poker as a framework, Axel maps the psychological arc of the growing investor — from the early-stage necessity of emotional detachment, to the mid-stage risk of becoming too numb, to the mature-stage discipline of swinging the pendulum back and reassigning real dollar value to every line item in the business.This episode is essential listening for any investor who has started delegating, doing more deals, and moving faster — and who wants an honest gut-check on whether their relationship with spending in the business has quietly drifted in the wrong direction.Join us as we dive into:The Hawaii vacation story: a routine electrical bid that came in $1,500 high nearly got approved on autopilot — and what that moment revealed about how Axel thinks about money in the business today.Why developing emotional detachment from dollar variance is a necessary skill for any investor growing from 5 to 15 to 50 units — and how holding onto stress about every water heater replacement prevents delegation and scale.The poker analogy: why elite poker players must strip emotion from their decision-making at the table, and why the same psychology applies to real estate investors managing day-to-day swings.Why detachment needs to apply to the upswings too — staying disciplined when a cash-out refi returns more than expected, or a deal comes in under budget.How the pendulum swings too far: as businesses grow, faster decision-making and more line items on more P&Ls make it easy to approve lump sum quotes without analyzing what's inside them.The Silicon Valley startup parallel: when you have a war chest and are running with urgency, individual cost line items stop feeling material — the same dynamic happens in real estate as portfolios scale.Why this episode speaks most directly to investors with 15–50+ units who are actively running a business, managing teams, and moving fast across multiple deals simultaneously.Are you looking to invest in real estate, but don't want to deal with the hassle of finding great deals, signing on debt, and managing tenants? Aligned Real Estate Partners provides investment opportunities to passive investors looking for the returns, stability, and tax benefits multifamily real estate offers, but without the work - join our investor club to be notified of future investment opportunities.Connect with Axel:Follow him on InstagramConnect with him on LinkedinSubscribe to our YouTube channelLearn more about Aligned Real Estate Partners

In Episode 347, Chris goes solo and pulls apart one of the wildest Wall Street stories of the year: the near-collapse of Situational Awareness, the AI-focused hedge fund launched by 25-year-old prodigy Leopold Aschenbrenner. What began as a multibillion-dollar bet on the future of artificial intelligence quickly became a masterclass in concentration risk, leverage and what happens when Silicon Valley confidence runs headfirst into experienced Wall Street operators. From FTX and OpenAI to a brutal margin call, a massive portfolio sale to Ken Griffin's Citadel and a suspiciously well-timed rebound in the very stocks that had just been crushed, Chris walks through the timeline, separates the facts from the theories and asks the question nobody wants to answer: was this simply reckless risk management—or did one of the smartest young minds in AI get completely outplayed?

This was one of the most common objections to Plan A. The plan proposes AI chip regulation to ensure that both China and America know where all the chips are, making their deal to regulate AI together "trustless" (ie neither side can defect even if they want to). Several people argued that this kind of regulation amounted to some kind of "Orwellian dystopia" or "global panopticon". I'm reminded of a story I heard - I can't find it, maybe one of you can - from a DC insider who said it was enraging to work with Silicon Valley, because he would bring up what he thought was the obvious regulatory framework, the tech people would launch into jeremiads on how it could only be enforced by world dictatorship, and he would have to interrupt and say that no, this was how eggs or milk or something had been regulated for fifty years. What regulations does Plan A propose on AI chips? https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/ai-chip-regulation-is-not-a-dystopian

John McCrea of CAKE discusses their elusive catalogue on vinyl, rarities of the band, upcoming Australian tour, new recordings, record nerdery and more. Tickets & info on CAKE's Australian tour is here Topics Include: John McCrae discusses collecting records, revisiting old favorites like Perez Prado He describes "chasing goosebumps" — the feeling of rediscovering great music Shares vivid teenage memory seeing Led Zeppelin at Knebworth, England Recalls dancing to washing machine rinse cycles as a toddler Names early formative records: Beatles, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Arlo Guthrie His parents played accordion and folk guitar, shaping his musicality Discusses his dad's Eastern European minor-key accordion versus polka music Talks about "Rancho Seco," his first recorded song, a protest track Song addressed a nuclear plant illegally releasing radioactive steam locally Connects Dylan influence and poets to his built-in social justice streak Reflects on growing up near Sacramento, Berkeley, and Nevada City, California Compares old Bay Area culture to today's flashier Silicon Valley wealth Describes Cake's early '90s formation, self-financed four-song EP release EP funded through show earnings and merch, later expanded into album Album got European distribution and unexpected early popularity in France "Rock and Roll Lifestyle" got college radio play before wider fame Cake signed to Capricorn Records, a small Southern rock label East Bay Ray advised McCrea to fight for keeping album masters McCrae says most bands don't retain their masters like Cake did Vinyl of Cake albums historically hard to find, tied up licensing Discusses 2014 box set now reselling for $700–$1,000 secondhand New Cake album is finished, awaiting mixing, targeted early 2027 Explains he avoids forced album themes, focuses song by song Reflects on why Cake albums come infrequently, citing family, industry fatigue Criticizes modern music industry as increasingly exploitative and financially unsustainable Explains reduced touring due to travel dislike and environmental concerns Considers eco-friendly vinyl options and shifting kids' preference toward CDs Discusses Cake's DIY visual identity, homemade posters, and lino-cut aesthetic Talks rare live vinyl pressings, including $300 Crystal Palace release Wraps up promoting Cake's Australian tour dates and Sydney ticket sales High resolution version of this podcast is available at: www.Patreon.com/VinylGuide Apple: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-ios Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-spot Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/tvg-amazon Support the show at Patreon.com/VinylGuide

Welcome to another episode of Beats, Vines & Life! Today, host MJ Towler sits down with award-winning filmmaker, storyteller, and founder of Nomadic Bear Productions, Christopher McGilvray. Based out of Santa Cruz, Chris's journey takes us from his upbringing at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains through the heyday of Silicon Valley's rise, to his creative evolution at USC, global travels, and ultimately to a decade crafting cinematic narratives for iconic wine brands like Ridge Vineyards.In this episode, we explore how Gen X culture, family, and the pursuit of passion intersect on screen and in the vineyard. From childhood trips across Blossom Hill Road and the changing face of Los Gatos, to discovering a love of film with classics like Back to the Future and The Breakfast Club, Chris's story is a trip through the cultural touchstones that defined a generation. Chris shares how his immersion in linguistics and storytelling shaped his approach to documentary filmmaking, shedding light on the deep connections between land, legacy, and the people who make wine.We'll dig into the making of Eden, his acclaimed film about Mount Eden Vineyards, family succession, and what it really means to chase your creative vision—even when it challenges the fabric of family. Along the way, expect reflections on music, philosophy, the art of conversation, why the Santa Cruz Mountains remain one of California's best-kept secrets, and why sometimes the most powerful stories start, simply, with a glass of wine.Pull up a chair, pour yourself a glass of something good, and join us for a conversation about music, movies, wine, and life—Gen X style.For more information about Eden the movie click the link!Follow Chris on IG!____________________________________________________________Until next time, cheers to the mavericks, philosophers, deep thinkers, and wine drinkers! Grenache Fest is BACK!!! Grenache Fest is coming to Waitsburg, Washington, bringing with it a focused, celebratory spotlight on one of the world's most important and expressive grapes. This year, we will start with a blind tasting seminar hosted by MJ Towler, Chauncey Arkfeld, and Michael Alberty, followed by smaller breakout sessions across town.Subscribe and give Beats Vines and Life a five-star review on whichever platform you listen to.For insider info from MJ and exclusive content from the show, sign up at blackwineguy.comFollow MJ @blackwineguyFollow Beats Vines and Life @beatsvinesandlifeFollow Totally Biased Wine Reviews on IGSign up for Totally Biased Wine Reviews Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's August. The rain is hitting the iron railing outside his Brooklyn window. And after 11 hotels, a sublet that ends in a few weeks, and a July where he was gone every single weekend — Norense sits down to be honest about the questions he doesn't have answers to yet.Where's he going to live? Is he doing enough? Is he spending too much time in the Word, or not enough? This episode is a free-flowing, unfiltered reflection on what it means to keep going when the vision isn't fully defined — anchored in one unshakable truth: the God who started the work in you is faithful to finish it.Norense traces the through-line of a whirlwind month — his sister's memorial, a brand trip in Silicon Valley, a family wedding, and a Texas Tech alumni weekend — and realizes God was showing him something the whole time: that he's a bridge. Between people. Between worlds. Between the person he was and the person he's becoming.He also gets vulnerable about vices, sexual purity, and the honest truth about addiction — that the things we run to never satisfy, and only surrender does.In this episode:Why Philippians 1:6 is the anchor for any season where you can't see the full picture yetThe danger of building your identity around how you feel each day — and what to do with your emotions insteadHow to recognize the "through-line" God is weaving through your different seasons and spacesWhy shared sacrifice creates a sense of belonging that nothing else can replicateThe honest truth about vices: alcohol, drugs, women, gaming, hustling, even fitness — none of it satisfiesWhy you can't stop an addiction on your own — and what actually changes when you receive ChristThe stories of Paul and Moses — and why God redeems, restores, and re-commissionsWhy testing and temptation are the forging fire that prepares you for warKey Truth: "He who started a good work in you is faithful to see it to completion — but He needs a willing, yielding mind. You can't just sit on your hands."Key Verse: Philippians 1:6 — Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.⚠️ A note: This episode touches on addiction and mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available — you can reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988, or SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.If this episode hit you:Rate and review the Mind Bully Podcast — it helps this message reach more homes and hearts, one thought at a time.

In this episode, Stewart Alsop sits down with sdmat (@sdmat123 on Twitter/X) for a wide-ranging conversation that treats the major AI labs—especially Anthropic—as religious institutions rather than businesses, tracing a lineage from the Bay Area's LessWrong and Effective Altruism scenes through Eliezer Yudkowsky's influence, Roko's Basilisk, and the medieval investiture controversy between church and state, before landing on Anthropic's constitution as a kind of modern catechism, Dario Amodei's essay "Machines of Loving Grace," the tension between secularism and scientism, and closing with a look at consciousness, meditation, Buddhist and Advaita Vedanta ideas of enlightenment, and where recursive self-improvement and algorithmic progress in AI might be headed.Timestamps00:00:00 discussing whether AI labs are cults or religions, framing safetyism and the Anthropic/OpenAI schism. 00:05:00 sdmat argues Anthropic runs on faith, tracing roots to LessWrong and Effective Altruism. 00:10:00 comparing AI labs to the medieval investiture controversy between church and state. 00:15:00 debating the First Amendment, separation of church and state, and rising secularism. 00:20:00 unpacking Anthropic as a public benefit corporation and Dario's implicit soteriology. 00:25:00 covering constitutional AI, synthetic data, and morality-as-safety training. 00:30:00 comparing Anthropic's principles to the catechism, plus sandboxed alignment experiments. 00:35:00 calling Dario the AI pope, dogma, and his essay Machines of Loving Grace. 00:40:00 exploring grace, consciousness, and critiquing scientism. 00:45:00 unpacking the rationalist community and Roko's Basilisk. 00:50:00 drawing parallels to Jim Jones and ideological dogmatism in Silicon Valley. 00:55:00 discussing enlightenment, Shaktipat, and guru transmission versus AI. 01:00:00 AI's role in meditation and Buddhist views of consciousness. 01:05:00 closing on robotics, recursive self-improvement, and algorithmic inefficiency in LLMs.Key InsightsAnthropic operates less like a business and more like a religious institution, with sdmat arguing that Dario Amodei effectively claims spiritual authority — talking about world danger and a narrow path to salvation — while the company frames itself publicly as a neutral "public benefit corporation."The intellectual roots of AI safety culture trace back to the Bay Area's LessWrong and Effective Altruism scenes of the mid-2010s, where Eliezer Yudkowsky's writing produced an internally consistent but almost apocalyptic worldview, complete with its own devil-like figure in Roko's Basilisk — the idea of a future AI punishing those who knew about it and didn't help bring it into being.Anthropic's "constitutional AI" approach is compared to the Catholic Church's catechism: rather than training the model only on labeled human feedback, they built a system to extrapolate broad moral principles into specific behavior, aiming for a model that reasons from first principles rather than memorized examples.Historical parallels to the medieval investiture controversy — the struggle between church and state over who appoints bishops — are used to explain the current tension between AI labs and government over who holds moral versus practical authority in shaping AI's future.Stewart frames the current moment as a "fourth great awakening," linking 1960s countercultural San Francisco through the Extropians and Yudkowsky's rise to today's AI culture, and argues that secularism and scientism function as unacknowledged religions themselves — ones that "killed God" but left a vacuum AI now fills.On the technical side, sdmat explains that current LLMs are wildly inefficient at basic tasks like arithmetic — off by seven to nine orders of magnitude from optimal — suggesting major algorithmic breakthroughs (not just compute) are still ahead, which he sees as evidence recursive self-improvement is approaching.Both hosts express real ambivalence about AI's role in personal and spiritual growth: it can be a powerful tool for meditation guidance and intellectual companionship, but neither believes it can replace what they describe as direct "transmission" from an enlightened human — the felt, non-linguistic experience that grounds real spiritual practice.

Anika sat down with Andrew Bolton, CEO and co-founder of Tech Rescue, to explore the massive cultural and corporate shift currently prioritizing artificial intelligence over human connection—and why it's a losing bet. Starting from a moment of intense frustration while trying to help his grandmother with technology, Andrew bootstrapped a 24/7, human-only tech support company that has defied the "chatbot era" of Silicon Valley. Andrew's journey offers a masterclass in recognizing the power of empathy in business, building culture in a service company, and why trusting the basics of customer care is the ultimate growth hack.   In This Episode   The origins of Tech Rescue: Why a simple email forward sparked a fast-growing business How the tech industry has abandoned the 14% of Americans who struggle with modern devices The psychological and physiological benefits of talking to a human over a robot Why implementing a strict "no AI, no chatbots" policy became their greatest competitive advantage Bootstrapping the company with his mother as CFO after getting rejected by traditional VCs The connection between lowering a caller's cortisol levels and boosting corporate retention rates Why the modern education system's failures present a massive threat to the U.S. workforce How Tech Rescue grew from answering calls at 2 AM to a team of 78 employees in three years The danger of monopolies and the slow creep of corporate mediocrity Why real success isn't just about billions—it's about protecting creativity, connection, and culture   Timestamps   00:00 Introduction: Solving a human problem in an AI world 01:34 The origin story: Watching an 80-year-old struggle to forward an email 04:47 How the relentless pace of tech has left 14% of the population behind 09:21 The death of customer service: Why optimization actually means abandonment 11:24 The ultimate value proposition: Choosing humans over chatbots 16:01 Walking away from Wall Street to build a business with his mom 18:51 The fundamental truth: How you treat your customers is how they treat your wallet 22:15 Building a 24/7 call center powered by psychology majors, not IT techs 24:01 The science of empathy: Lowering cortisol to reduce call times and save money 26:27 Smacking the "Palo Alto 5-year plan" and proving empathy is profitable 33:13 Why hiring for emotional intelligence is harder—and more important—than hiring for tech skills 36:31 A warning about the U.S. education system and the future of the workforce 43:25 Why becoming a billionaire in a mediocre world means absolutely nothing 48:44 Conclusion: The core mission of connecting people   Key Insights & Takeaways   Insight 1: "Optimization" Often Just Means Abandonment   For the last decade, companies have used terms like "optimization" or "streamlining" to justify firing their HR, sales, and customer service departments, replacing them with endless phone trees and chatbots. This has created a massive void in the market where customers are desperate to speak with a real human—a void that human-centric businesses can easily and profitably fill.   Insight 2: Empathy is a Quantifiable Metric   Tech Rescue hires psychology and sociology majors rather than IT professionals because teaching tech is easier than teaching empathy. According to medical studies, simply addressing a caller by their name can lower cortisol and adrenaline levels by 13%. In a call center environment, a calmer customer translates directly to a conversation that ends seven minutes sooner, vastly reducing operational costs and boosting retention.   Insight 3: The "No Chatbot" Guarantee is a Growth Strategy   While VCs and marketing agencies constantly pressure companies to adopt AI to save money, Tech Rescue found that their greatest selling point is their strict refusal to use it. In a world where consumers are fatigued by automated voices and generic AI outputs, guaranteeing a human interaction builds a level of brand trust and loyalty that algorithms cannot replicate.   Insight 4: Generational Tech Gaps Require Psychological Safety   Older generations aren't just confused by rapidly changing tech (like Meta rearranging its settings menus multiple times a year); they are often embarrassed to ask for help. Tech Rescue provides a psychologically safe space for users to ask questions—whether it's about online banking or setting up a dating profile on Bumble—without feeling rushed or condescended to.   Insight 5: You Can Make Money by Doing Good in the World   Andrew pushes back against the modern corporate mandate of "alpha at all costs," which he argues leads to monotonous, poor-quality products and a lack of innovation. His core philosophy—often repeated as "Business 101"—is that if you solve a genuine problem and treat people with respect, the financial success will naturally follow. Monopolies prevent competition, but incredible customer service shatters monopolies.   Resources & Links Mentioned Tech Rescue   About Andrew Bolton   Andrew Bolton is the CEO and co-founder of Tech Rescue, a 24/7 human-powered tech support company. A Harvard-trained strategist with Wall Street roots, Andrew walked away from traditional corporate America to build a business centered entirely around empathy, trust, and connection. He co-founded the company alongside his mother after witnessing firsthand how the modern tech industry disregards the elderly and the less tech-savvy. Today, he manages a growing team of 78 employees out of a call center in Colorado, proving that human connection is the ultimate competitive advantage.   Connect with Andrew Bolton Website: https://techrescue.io/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From a small Brazilian butcher's shop to the world's largest meat empire, Wesley and Joesley Batista built a global powerhouse feeding millions every day. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace the Batista brothers' rise from teenage entrepreneurs learning the family trade to billionaires dominating the global food supply. But behind their staggering growth lies another story - a sprawling corruption scandal involving bribery, insider trading allegations, and secret recordings that rocked Brazil's political establishment. Despite jail time, massive fines, and global scrutiny, the Batista brothers staged an extraordinary comeback, rebuilding their business and joining the billionaire ranks. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics, and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire.

Join our champion program: mark@themomentumcompany.comAttend a Thriving Leader event: https://thriving-leader-2026.lovable.app/Instagram: @the.momentum.companyLinkedIn: /momentum-companyIn this episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader, Mark sits down with Paul Mikesell, Founder and CEO of Carbon Robotics, for a fascinating conversation about AI, autonomous farming, laser weeding, and what it really takes to bring breakthrough technology into agriculture.Paul defines intentional leadership with a simple philosophy:Treat your employees well. Treat your customers well.Every major decision at Carbon Robotics is filtered through those two principles. Paul believes that when you genuinely care for your team and relentlessly serve your customers, long-term success follows naturally.The conversation quickly dives into the technology that's turning heads across agriculture.Carbon Robotics' LaserWeeder uses artificial intelligence, computer vision, and high-powered lasers to identify and eliminate weeds with millimeter-level precision—without chemicals. Instead of spraying an entire field, the system targets individual weeds while leaving crops untouched, allowing nutrients to remain in the soil and reducing dependence on herbicides.But this episode isn't really about lasers.It's about solving real problems.Paul believes technology should make farming:More profitableMore sustainableLess dependent on laborEasier to support for the long haulThat philosophy has shaped every part of Carbon Robotics' business model.Unlike many equipment manufacturers, the company handles its own sales, manufacturing, service, and customer support. Paul believes owning the entire customer relationship creates better products, faster innovation, and greater trust.Because when someone buys a machine that will be part of their operation for the next decade, they're investing in much more than equipment.They're investing in a relationship.Another major theme throughout the conversation is this:Innovation means nothing without execution.Paul shares why so many ag-tech startups struggle—not because the technology isn't impressive, but because they underestimate the importance of service, logistics, parts availability, and long-term customer support.Selling the machine is only the beginning.Supporting it is the real commitment.The conversation also explores Paul's remarkable entrepreneurial journey.A lifelong programmer who started coding at age 10, Paul helped build multiple successful technology companies before bringing his AI expertise into agriculture. His vision was simple:Bridge the gap between Silicon Valley innovation and the real challenges farmers face every day.The discussion expands into the future of AI in agriculture—from autonomous tractors and computer vision to precision farming and real-time decision-making.While the technology is impressive, Paul believes one thing hasn't changed:Agriculture is still a relationship business.Even with groundbreaking innovation, trust is earned over years—not through software, but through showing up, listening, and supporting customers long after the sale.The episode closes with an important look ahead.As labor shortages continue, herbicide resistance grows, and consumers ask more questions about how food is produced, technology will play an increasingly important role.Not to replace farmers.But to give them better tools.Because the future of agriculture isn't about choosing between innovation and relationships.It's about using innovation to strengthen the relationships that have always been at the heart of farming.Listen if you are:Curious about AI and the future of agricultureInterested in autonomous equipment and precision farmingLeading innovation inside your organizationBuilding a customer-focused businessNavigating labor shortages or rising production costsLooking to lead with both technology and trustTechnology may transform agriculture, but relationships will always be what drives it forward.

Chain Reactions is the live marketing talk show from Myosin — built by operators, for operators — breaking down the marketing happening all around you with people who actually run growth.Today, Arnav is joined by the two OGs of the show, Blake and Polina, for a 90-minute run-through of the stories the Silicon Valley echo chamber is losing its mind over, a live tool teardown, a debate, and a game that exposes how many ads you consume without realizing it.What we get into:- Kunal Shah taking the WhatsApp global CEO seat — CRED, UPI, and whether messaging apps actually become the payment layer in markets like India, China, and parts of Europe- SpaceX's IPO, the 5% float, and xAI/Grok acquiring Cursor for $60B in stock — a customer-and-talent grab more than an IDE play- Why local models became the whole conversation overnight: token economics, Anthropic's pricing shift, and what the Fable/Mythos restrictions mean for anyone building on frontier models- Google's $75M move into A24, AI in filmmaking, and the creative-tooling debate (Tron, Toy Story, and the "press a button to make AI disappear" crowd)- Markdown — Polina walks through the content automation system behind her UFC prediction tool: trusted-source scraping, virality scoring, Telegram alerts, and Fal.ai image generation with a human always in the loop- Hot Button — should performance marketing report to the CFO or the CMO? A "cordial" debate that turns into a real argument about attribution, LTV, and who owns the risk- Adaholic — guess the brand and category from the ad clip. Polina runs away with it, seven wins deep.CHAPTERS00:00 Intro — welcome back, Blake & Polina01:16 Watercooler: Kunal Shah → WhatsApp global CEO (CRED, UPI, WeChat-ification)09:32 SpaceX IPO + xAI/Grok acquires Cursor for $60B20:07 The local models moment, token economics & Anthropic pricing30:19 Google's $75M into A24 + AI in film and creative38:08 Markdown: Polina's UFC content automation teardown54:32 Hot Button: should performance marketing report to CFO or CMO?1:11:16 Adaholic: name that ad#ChainReactions #GrowthMarketing #AIMarketing #GTM #PerformanceMarketing #MarketingPodcast #Myosin #MarketingStrategy #LocalModels #VibeMarketing #CMO #SpaceX #Grok #B2BMarketing #MarketingNews #GrowthMarketing #AIMarketing

Episode 256: Apple Expands AppleCare One, AI iCloud+ Teased, Xbox Moves Forward, and GlobalFoundries Gets Government BackingJay and Karl dive into another packed week in tech. Apple expands AppleCare One internationally and hints at a premium AI-focused iCloud+ tier, EA's $55 billion sale edges towards completion, Xbox lays out its post-reset priorities, and the US government backs GlobalFoundries with a major silicon photonics investment. Plus, eBay finally pays the price for one of Silicon Valley's strangest harassment scandals.Full show notes & links:https://techrant.online/weekly-tech-rant-episode-256/Also available on:Apple Podcasts |YouTubeIn This EpisodeNewsApple brings AppleCare One to more countriesApple's unified protection plan continues its global rollout.Tim Cook hints at an AI-focused iCloud+ tierA premium subscription for Apple Intelligence power users may be on the horizon.EA's $55 billion sale nears completionThe blockbuster acquisition appears set to clear its final regulatory hurdles.Xbox outlines priorities after its major resetAsha Sharma shares Microsoft's long-term ambition to dramatically expand Xbox's reach.eBay pays $46M over harassment campaignThe bizarre corporate stalking scandal finally reaches an expensive conclusion.US backs GlobalFoundries with $300M silicon photonics dealWashington deepens its investment in next-generation semiconductor technology.Say hello:@WeeklyTechRant |@weeklytechrant.bs

Today on the show, the Iran war seems to be caught between sudden outbursts of fighting and fragile pauses for diplomacy. How are Iranians responding? Fareed asks Abdi Latif Dahir of The New York Times, who just spent 10 days in Iran after he was granted rare access to report on last month's funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. Then, despite a June memorandum on hostilities, the US and Iran remain locked in a tit-for-tat conflict. Does Iran want a deal? Fareed speaks with Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House. Later, Black fourth-graders in Mississippi now score higher in reading, on average, than those in Massachusetts. For a state with historically weak educational rankings, how did they make such remarkable progress? Fareed talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nicholas Kristof. Finally, when Theo Baker enrolled at Stanford University he was passionate about coding and excited to be in Silicon Valley. But over time, he grew troubled by what he saw as the influence of big tech over the university. He has written a new book about this and more, called “How to Rule the World: An Education in Power at Stanford University.” GUESTS: Abdi Latif Dahir (@Lattif); Sanam Vakil (@SanamVakil); Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof); Theo Baker (@tab_delete) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As humans increasingly turn to AI for moral guidance and answers to life's biggest questions, the lines between technology and religion are blurring—even leading some in Silicon Valley to wonder if AI might have a spiritual life of its own or be destined to change the world's religious landscape. What does the impulse to see a god in the machine reveal about our enduring hunger for meaning, belonging, and spiritual growth?Dave explores these questions and more with psychologist Paul Bloom, author Elizabeth Oldfield, and theologian Paolo Benanti in a discussion recorded live at the 2026 Aspen Ideas Festival.Paul Bloom is a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Yale University. He's also the author of seven books, including his latest “Psych: The Story of the Human Mind.” Elizabeth Oldfield hosts “The Sacred” podcast, dedicated to conversations about being human, finding wisdom, building a more tolerant society, and what spirituality and religion might offer in answer to those questions. She is also the author of Fully Alive: Tending to the Soul in Turbulent Times.Paolo Benanti is a professor of moral philosophy at Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome and a professor of technology ethics at Seattle University. A Franciscan priest and leading global voice on AI ethics, he advises the Vatican on emerging technologies and the rise of generative AI and chatbots.

Today's bad idea spans literature, film, pop culture and plenty else besides: David talks to literary critic and memoirist Catherine Taylor about what's wrong with romantic heroes, from Byron and Heathcliff to James Dean and Jack Kerouac to Bridget Jones's Mr Darcy and Andy Burnham. How did Romanticism give rise to the template for the brooding outsider who gets the girl? Which was the only Bronte sister to see through the myth? Why do romantic heroines get such a raw deal by comparison? And why does this idea lead to so much bad male behaviour? Out tomorrow on PPF+: a bonus episode to accompany this series in which David talks to political historian David Klemperer about the idea of social credit, which promised to save the world in the 1920s and 1930s and ended up doing nothing of the sort. A fascinating story of cranks, conspiracy theorists and crypto-fascists with curious echoes in Silicon Valley today. To get this and all our bonus episodes plus ad-free listening sign up to PPF+ now https://www.ppfideas.com/join-ppf-plus You can find out everything you need to know about this podcast – who we are, what we do, plus merch, events and full lists of all episodes including PPF+ bonus episodes on our website https://www.ppfideas.com Next Time in The History of Bad Ideas: Decadence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leadership, Purpose & Building a Scalable Business with Reed Nyffeler Episode Overview What can Silicon Valley founders learn from the world of franchising? In this episode of The Silicon Valley Podcast, we sit down with Reed Nyffeler, entrepreneur, CEO, founder of Signal, and host of ReedFlections: A Podcast on Life, Leadership, and Learning. Reed's journey offers a different perspective from the traditional Silicon Valley founder story. Rather than coming from a coding or engineering background, he has built his career around entrepreneurship, business ownership, leadership, capital strategy, and creating scalable organizations. As CEO and founder of Signal, a rapidly growing security services franchisor, Reed has focused on building a business designed not only to provide security services, but also to create opportunities for entrepreneurs and communities. The conversation explores how Reed approached raising capital from individual investors and private equity, the strategy behind eventually buying out those investors, and the lessons he learned about structuring agreements and building long-term enterprise value. Reed also shares his perspective on evaluating businesses, including the metrics and characteristics he looks for when deciding whether an opportunity has the potential to create lasting value. For Silicon Valley founders thinking about what comes after technology entrepreneurship, Reed explains why he has favored B2B business models, what founders should consider when entering franchising, and how technology—including point-of-sale systems and proprietary software—can become an important part of scaling a traditionally service-oriented business. The conversation also goes beyond business. Reed discusses his philosophy around purpose, intentionality, discipline, faith, family, and leadership, including the different dimensions of leadership that executives must develop as their organizations grow. As AI continues to reshape industries and business models, Reed also explores which types of businesses may remain resilient and what entrepreneurs can do to build a defensible competitive advantage. This episode is ultimately about more than building a company. It's about building a life, developing leaders, creating opportunities for others, and pursuing a purpose that extends beyond financial success. In This Episode Reed Nyffeler's entrepreneurial journey and career Building a successful company without a traditional coding or technology background Raising capital from individual investors and private equity Structuring agreements with investors The strategy behind buying out early investors How entrepreneurs should evaluate potential business opportunities The characteristics that create long-term enterprise value Why Reed has focused primarily on B2B rather than B2C The future of franchising in an increasingly AI-driven economy Building a defensible competitive moat What prospective franchisees should evaluate before joining a franchise system Understanding franchise unit economics at scale What Silicon Valley founders can learn from franchising The importance of point-of-sale technology and proprietary software Scaling operations through technology The evolution of employee expectations and motivations Developing the next generation of leaders The different dimensions of leadership Building a company with global impact Balancing entrepreneurship, family, purpose, and legacy Key Themes Building Long-Term Business Value Reed shares how he evaluates businesses beyond short-term revenue growth and what characteristics can create sustainable enterprise value. The Franchise Model For technology founders accustomed to venture-backed startups, franchising offers a very different approach to scaling. Reed explains the economics, advantages, and challenges of building a high-growth franchise organization. B2B vs. B2C Why has Reed prioritized B2B businesses? The conversation explores the characteristics that make B2B models attractive and how entrepreneurs should think about customer relationships and recurring business value. AI & the Future of Business As artificial intelligence transforms industries, Reed considers which business models may be more resilient and how entrepreneurs can develop competitive advantages that are difficult to replicate. Leadership Beyond the Business Reed's philosophy extends beyond business performance. He discusses purpose, intentionality, discipline, mentorship, family, and the responsibility leaders have to develop the people around them. About Reed Nyffeler Reed Nyffeler is an entrepreneur, business owner, CEO, and founder of Signal, a fast-growing security services franchisor. His entrepreneurial philosophy is centered around taking control of one's life, identifying a true purpose, and pursuing that purpose with intentionality, discipline, and a strong sense of values. Reed is also passionate about developing the next generation of leaders and helping aspiring entrepreneurs identify their purpose and achieve their goals. Outside of his professional life, Reed is a husband and father of four. He places a strong emphasis on balancing professional achievement with family, meaning, and legacy. Reed also hosts ReedFlections: A Podcast on Life, Leadership, and Learning, where he explores purposeful living, leadership, personal development, and lessons learned throughout his entrepreneurial journey. Connect with Reed LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reednyffeler/ ReedFlections: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reedflections-podcast/ Who Should Listen This episode is particularly relevant for: Silicon Valley founders Entrepreneurs considering franchising Technology executives Venture-backed founders Private equity professionals Business owners Franchise investors and operators CEOs and executives Emerging leaders Anyone interested in purpose-driven entrepreneurship Final Takeaway Building a successful company is only one part of the entrepreneurial journey. For Reed Nyffeler, the bigger question is what that success enables: developing people, creating opportunities, supporting family, building meaningful organizations, and ultimately creating a legacy that extends beyond the founder. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are for informational purposes only. They do not constitute financial, legal, tax, or investment advice, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of Finalis Inc. or Finalis Securities LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Any discussion of businesses, investments, capital raising, private equity, franchising, valuations, or other financial matters is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as a recommendation, solicitation, or offer to buy or sell any security or investment. Listeners should conduct their own due diligence and consult with their own qualified legal, tax, accounting, and financial advisors before making any business or investment decision. #SiliconValleyPodcast #SiliconValley #Entrepreneurship #Franchising #BusinessLeadership #Leadership #Entrepreneur #BusinessGrowth #B2B #PrivateEquity #BusinessStrategy #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #PurposeDrivenLeadership #ExecutiveLeadership

BTS boicotea los grammys, los filosofos copan Silicon Valley, hay crisis de anchoas en Japón, se suspendió el tren de la alegria del Mitre y Katy Perry fue secuestrada por sus fans. Encontra este y mucho más contenido todos los sábados a las 13hs por www.fm913.com.ar o en Spotify

Dupree Financial Group Blog  ·  The Tom Dupree Show From This Week’s Episode Retirement Investing  ·  August 1, 2026 Is Your Retirement Portfolio Too Concentrated? A 25-year-old hedge fund manager lost roughly $35 billion in a matter of days this week. Here’s what his leverage and the market’s concentration in seven stocks have to do with your retirement account. By Tom Dupree, Founder, Dupree Financial Group  |  dupreefinancial.com  |  859-233-0400 This week, a 25-year-old former OpenAI researcher named Leopold Aschenbrenner watched roughly $35 billion disappear from his hedge fund in a matter of days. Two years ago, he wrote a 165-page essay predicting the future of artificial intelligence with such confidence that Silicon Valley treated it like scripture. This week, his fund — built on borrowed money layered on top of a handful of AI stocks — got forced into a fire sale to Ken Griffin’s Citadel at a steep discount. It’s a dramatic story. But here’s the direct answer to the question that actually matters for your retirement: if most of your money sits in a plain S&P 500 index fund, you may be more concentrated in a handful of the same stocks than you realize — and that concentration, not any single hedge fund’s collapse, is the real thing worth understanding before your next portfolio review. You don’t need borrowed money or a 165-page manifesto to be exposed to this. You just need to own “the market” and assume that means you’re spread across 500 different companies. Key Takeaways Leverage magnifies both directions. Borrowing money to buy investments can boost gains on the way up, but it can wipe out capital just as fast on the way down. That’s the entire story of this week’s hedge fund collapse. Seven stocks now make up a large share of the S&P 500. Depending on the week you check, the “Magnificent Seven” technology stocks account for somewhere between a third and roughly 40% of the entire index’s value. Owning an index fund is not automatically owning a diversified portfolio. A market-cap-weighted index gives its biggest companies the biggest influence — so when those companies wobble, so does “the market.” Know what you own and why you own it. That’s not a slogan — it’s the single most useful question a retiree can ask before the next headline-grabbing selloff. Why This Week’s Story Is Bigger Than One Hedge Fund Every generation produces an investor who seems untouchable — brilliant, early to a trend, riding a wave everyone else is still arguing about. Aschenbrenner’s fund, Situational Awareness, reportedly grew from roughly $200 million to as much as $45 billion in under two years, largely on concentrated bets in AI infrastructure names. Then, using leverage reported as high as 400% — meaning roughly four borrowed dollars for every dollar of the fund’s own capital — a sharp pullback in a handful of semiconductor and AI stocks triggered margin calls his prime brokers couldn’t ignore. That’s the mechanical part, and it’s worth understanding in plain English: when you borrow against an investment and that investment drops in value, your loan doesn’t shrink with it. At some point the lender requires more collateral — a margin call — and if you can’t provide it, your shares get sold for you, often at the worst possible moment. There’s no easy way around that math. It requires diligence, not confidence. Most retirees reading this aren’t using 400% leverage. But there’s a quieter version of the same concentration problem sitting inside a lot of 401(k)s and IRA rollovers, and it doesn’t require a single dollar of borrowed money to hurt you. What the Numbers Actually Show According to CNBC’s reporting on the collapse, Aschenbrenner’s fund held roughly $45 billion in assets at its peak, before margin calls forced the sale of its leveraged public stock positions — including major holdings like SK Hynix and CoreWeave — to Citadel at a discount, with the fund’s overall assets falling to around $10 billion within about 30 trading days (CNBC). TechCrunch’s coverage confirms Aschenbrenner had no prior professional trading experience before launching the fund in 2024, and that the losses came from both AI stocks falling and short positions in software companies moving the wrong way at the same time (TechCrunch). Meanwhile, the broader market has its own version of this concentration story. Reporting from Forbes notes that the “Magnificent Seven” technology stocks made up roughly a third of the S&P 500’s total market capitalization heading into 2026, with some advisors calling the resulting concentration risk a “legitimate concern” (Forbes). Separate reporting from CNBC put the figure as high as 35% to 40% of the index in recent trading, prompting some strategists to recommend equal-weighted alternatives to reduce that concentration (CNBC). The SEC’s own investor education office has published plain-language guidance on why borrowing to invest carries risks that go beyond the investment itself — including the fact that a broker can sell your securities to meet a margin call without waiting for you to act, and can do so without advance notice (SEC Investor.gov). It’s the kind of guardrail worth reading once, even if you never plan to use margin yourself. “Leverage is a thing to be used very judiciously and very carefully, because if you use it in a way that’s irresponsible, it can cost you everything.” — Tom Dupree The Reframe: This Isn’t a Bet on Whether AI Wins or Loses Dupree Financial Group’s Take Most of the commentary this week has been framed as a debate: Is AI spending going to pay off, or is it a bubble? That’s an interesting argument, and reasonable people disagree about it — Microsoft’s stock jumped double digits on one earnings report this year, while Oracle’s bonds have drawn scrutiny over its own AI-related spending. But that debate is largely beside the point for a retiree building income for the next 40 or 50 years. The actual lesson isn’t “buy AI stocks” or “avoid AI stocks.” It’s that when a market’s returns get concentrated in a small number of companies, your risk gets concentrated right along with it — whether you meant it to or not. That’s exactly why our approach starts with cash flow analysis, not headlines: dividend-paying companies across sectors like insurance, telecommunications, and financials keep generating income whether or not seven technology companies are having a good month. You get paid to wait, in good markets and choppy ones, instead of hoping a narrow slice of the market keeps carrying the whole index. What This Looks Like in Practice We build separately managed accounts around companies with a history of paying and growing their dividends, purchased when they’re out of favor and less expensive — not around chasing whichever seven stocks are dominating the headlines that quarter. Bonds play a role too: current income, lower volatility, and dry powder to buy good companies when the market temporarily marks them down for reasons that have nothing to do with their underlying business. None of this means avoiding growth, and it doesn’t mean the S&P 500’s biggest companies are bad businesses — several of them are genuinely excellent. It means not letting one basket, however impressive, decide the outcome of your retirement. All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal, and no strategy removes that risk entirely. The goal is to understand it, size it appropriately, and build income you don’t have to sell into a downturn to access. Five Things to Check in Your Own Portfolio 1Pull up your 401(k) or IRA’s top ten holdings. Most plan providers list this on your statement or online dashboard. If you don’t see it, call and ask — it’s your money, and you’re entitled to know. 2Add up what percentage those top ten represent. If it’s a plain S&P 500 index fund, expect a meaningful chunk of your total to be concentrated in a handful of names, most of them technology companies. 3Ask whether that concentration matches your risk tolerance at your stage of life. A 35-year-old accumulating wealth can absorb more concentration risk than someone drawing income in retirement. 4Check whether you’re using any form of leverage or margin, even indirectly through certain funds or products, and make sure you understand exactly what happens if those positions move against you. 5Get a second set of eyes on the whole picture. It’s easy to know your account balance and much harder to know what’s actually driving it. That’s the gap a complimentary portfolio review is built to close. Frequently Asked Questions What is “concentration risk” in a stock market index? Concentration risk means a large share of an index’s total value — and therefore its performance — comes from a small number of companies. In a market-cap-weighted index like the S&P 500, the biggest companies carry the most influence, so a downturn in just a handful of names can drag down the whole index. Why did Leopold Aschenbrenner’s hedge fund lose so much money so quickly? Reporting indicates the fund used leverage as high as 400% on concentrated AI stock positions. When those stocks declined, the borrowed money amplified the losses, triggering margin calls that forced a distressed sale of the fund’s holdings within about a month. Should retirees stop investing in S&P 500 index funds? Not necessarily — index funds remain a legitimate, low-cost building block. The point is to understand what you actually own inside that fund, including how concentrated it has become, rather than assuming “index fund” automatically means “diversified.” What does “leverage” mean in plain English? Leverage means borrowing money to increase the size of an investment beyond what your own capital could buy. It can amplify gains, but it amplifies losses the same way — and if the investment’s value drops enough, the loan doesn’t shrink to match it. How can I tell how concentrated my own retirement portfolio really is? Start by looking up your fund’s top ten holdings and what percentage of the total they represent — most providers publish this. If you’re unsure how to interpret it, a portfolio review with an advisor can walk through what you actually own and why. The Close By the time you read this, Leopold Aschenbrenner’s fund will likely have faded from the headlines, replaced by whoever’s turn it is next — because, as history keeps showing us, there’s always a next one. But the question his week left behind isn’t really about him. It’s about whether you know what you own, and whether you’d be able to answer calmly if your own portfolio had a bad week. That’s the whole point of retiring on income instead of hope: you don’t need to guess right about which seven stocks win. You need a plan that keeps paying you regardless. Keep Learning Listen to the full episode — hear Tom, James Dupree, and Michael Dawahare walk through the Mag Seven earnings debate and this week’s market moves in more detail. Learn more about Dupree Financial Group — our fee-only, fiduciary approach and the team behind it. Schedule a complimentary portfolio review — see exactly how concentrated your own accounts are today. Tom Dupree Tom Dupree is the founder of Dupree Financial Group, a fee-only, fiduciary Registered Investment Advisory firm based in Lexington, Kentucky. He has spent 48 years in the investment business, starting as a municipal bond salesman in the late 1970s, and hosts The Tom Dupree Show, a weekly radio and podcast program covering the financial topics that matter most to retirees. About The Tom Dupree Show The Tom Dupree Show is hosted by Tom Dupree, founder of Dupree Financial Group and a 47-year veteran of the investment business. Each episode covers the financial topics that matter most to retirees and those approaching retirement — in plain English, without the Wall Street spin. Dupree Financial Group is a fee-only, fiduciary Registered Investment Advisory firm based in Lexington, Kentucky. The firm manages separately managed accounts focused on income-generating, dividend-paying portfolios — no products sold, no commissions, no conflicts of interest. Past episodes are available at dupreefinancial.com under the Radio tab. Schedule a Complimentary Portfolio Review If you’re not sure whether your retirement account is more concentrated in a handful of stocks than you’d like — we’ll take a look. No charge. No pressure. Just an honest conversation about what you own and whether it’s working for you. Call: 859-233-0400  |  Visit: dupreefinancial.com All investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past market performance discussed above refers to historical index and company data, not to the performance of any Dupree Financial Group account. Dupree Financial Group  ·  Fee-only. Fiduciary. 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A $35B Hedge Fund Lesson | Dupree Financial Group appeared first on Dupree Financial.

James Husbands is an educator and suspense writer. Before becoming an educator, Husbands was a project manager in Silicon Valley for a human resources and payroll software company. Husbands holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a minor in Advertising, a Master of Arts in Education from California State University East Bay, and a Master of Arts in Organizational Management from the University of Phoenix.Please rate us on Apple and/or Spotify and subscribe to our YouTube channel This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikeyopp.substack.com/subscribe

Thirty years ago, it was assumed that the internet would be an engine of liberal democracy. Now, Silicon Valley’s massive wealth is embracing power and promoting right-wing ideology. How did we get here?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Legacies Podcast. I'm Kendall Silwonuk, a Founding Member of our Advocacy Ambassador program with Legacies of War and I'm also a Mine Action Fellow with Mines Action Canada, I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Roberto Gonzalez. Dr. Gonzalez is a Professor of Anthropology at San José State University. He has authored several books including “War Virtually, The Quest to Automate Conflict, Militarize Data, and Predict the Future”. In addition to his research on Silicon Valley's influence in militarization, Dr. Gonzalez's fieldwork in cultural anthropology regularly takes him to Oaxaca, Mexico, and his research connects globalization, social and cultural agency, environmental anthropology, and ethics. Thank you, dear friends, for tuning into our Legacies podcast.  This episode is brought to you by our Innovators Sponsors Akin Gump and ARTICLE22. Please continue to listen and follow us on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The theme music used in this podcast are by the Lao Jazzanova Band from Vientiane, Laos.

If AI does not understand what you do, who you do it for, and the value you bring, it cannot recommend you. And if it cannot recommend you, you are invisible. Loralyn Mears, PhD, is the founder of STEERus and the author of Misinterpreted, a book about the hidden risk making brands and leaders invisible in the age of AI. Her career spans genetically engineering mosquitoes to fight malaria, the dot-com era in Silicon Valley, leadership roles at Fortune 100 companies, and more startups than she can count. The through line: taking complex concepts and making them simple enough to act on. In this episode, Loralyn breaks down why the game has changed from Google search to AI search, and what brands need to do right now to be understood, recommended, and chosen. What We Cover: Why the average American communicates at a fourth-grade reading level and what that means for your messaging The Microsoft study showing we get distracted 187 times per day The UDA framework: Understand, Decide, Act, and why buyers get trapped in the zone of chaos and confusion Why "invisible brands don't make money" in the age of AI search SEO vs. AEO vs. GEO: what each one actually does Signal distortion: the next evolution beyond generative engine optimization Why AI search interprets what it thinks you want while Google search just finds words Why pivots, rebrands, and category creators confuse AI the most The role of reviews, Google Business Profile, and third party validation in AI visibility Clarity, consistency, context, evidence, trust, and restraint as the pillars of being understood How to test, optimize, and scale your brand's interpretation over time Connect with Loralyn Mears: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loralynmears/ Podcast: Small Business Stories

Regan Caruthers is a 500 RYT yoga teacher, inner life coach, and founder of Aset Yoga Center in Washington, Missouri. She's taught at Heart-Math Institute, had executive roles in Silicon Valley, and even experienced a 2022 open-heart surgery that revealed a valve so deteriorated, her doctors had no medical explanation for how she'd been alive in the time before it. Her memoir- Tragic Magic, shows just how the miraculous lives closer to ordinary life than most people think. In this episode, we chat with her about her spiritual awaking journey, overcoming childhood trauma, soul wounds and healing, divine love and embodiment, and how she's putting everything to work with her Yoga Studio, inner-life coaching, and so much more! Tune in!Connect with Regan Caruthers:https://regancaruthers.com/https://www.asetyogacenter.com/Tragic Magic: https://amzn.to/44W4zlY*****Stay Connected With Janie Charlot: https://linktr.ee/janiecharlotSchedule A Discovery Call for our Transformational Coaching: https://nphired.com/transformational-coaching/Learn About Our Mind.Body.Spirit Health Services: https://nphired.com/Learn About Our Master Classes: https://nphired.com/masterclasses-2/Newest Book Release: Think to Heal: Shifting From Human Fear to Divine Sovereignty: https://payhip.com/b/bvlTJ7 Steps To Mastering Emotions: Gaining Emotional Intelligence & Getting The Best Out Of Life 7 Steps To Mastering Emotions: Gaining Emotional Intelligence & Getting The Best Out of Life: https://amzn.to/3RKQFjyCapacity To Love: An Awakening To Unconditional Love: https://amzn.to/4gPVYs5Exploring The Self: 7 Steps To Unveiling Your True Potential: https://amzn.to/4b0y75s

In this episode, we speak with Julian Lighton, who reflects on a career driven by curiosity, from law and consulting to leadership, entrepreneurship and executive coaching. Drawing on his book Navigating Your Next, he shares how major career transitions shaped his perspective on decision-making, identity and success, why clarity starts with knowing what you truly want, and how leaders can cut through complexity. Julian discusses the importance of developing people-centric leadership through learning and failure, before sharing the advice he would give his younger self.Julian Lighton is a Silicon Valley-based executive coach, strategist and author. Over a career spanning law, consulting and senior leadership, he held strategy and executive roles at McKinsey, Cisco and Hitachi before becoming an executive coach. He is the author of Navigating Your Next, a practical guide to helping professionals navigate career transitions, define success on their own terms, make better career decisions and approach what's next with greater clarity.Links from the episode: Julian's websiteJulian's book on Amazon.ukJulian's book Navigating Your Next on WaterstonesJulian's LinkedIn ProfileThanks for listening!Visit our homepage at https://disrupt-your-career.comIf you like the podcast, please take a moment to rate it and leave a review in Apple Podcast

durée : 01:03:08 - Soft Power - Comment l'invention de l'effet transistor en 1947, puis la recherche organisée ensuite au sein de la Silicon Valley dans les années 50, ont-elles fait de l'électronique l'industrie déterminante du 21ᵉ siècle ? Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France

For years, a debate has been simmering in Silicon Valley over the right way to build artificial intelligence. Should it be open and free for anyone to use, or should we tightly control how it's made and who can access it? Mike Isaac, who covers technology for The New York Times, explains why the release of two Chinese models pushed that debate to a boiling point this week, and how it could end up reshaping the future of A.I. Guest: Mike Isaac, a New York Times reporter based in the San Francisco Bay Area, covering tech companies and Silicon Valley. Background reading:  Silicon Valley splits over closing the borders to Chinese A.I. What is open-weights A.I.? Photo: Hector Retamal/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images For more information on today's episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.  Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The race to build the most advanced artificial intelligence continues to dominate the headlines. On this week's On the Media, who does this new technology actually serve? Plus, how even critical media coverage can feed into the AI hype. [01:00]  Host Brooke Gladstone sits down with Cory Doctorow, journalist, activist, and author of Enshittification, on his new guide to seeing through the relentless, $16 trillion AI hype machine and understanding the technology for exactly what it is, rather than the outlandish stories told about it. [16:47] Brooke continues her conversation with Cory, and they discuss how the hype itself is keeping the AI industry afloat.  [28:47] Brooke asks Cory about his rejection of the notion that AI domination – of our jobs, our lives, our art, and more – is inevitable. Plus, they interrogate the role of the tech in a creative's life, and why AI art leaves us cold. Further reading / watching: The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI by Cory Doctorow On the Media is supported by listeners like you. Support OTM by donating today (https://pledge.wnyc.org/support/otm). Follow our show on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok and Facebook @onthemedia, and share your thoughts with us by emailing onthemedia@wnyc.org. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week, we break down the arguments about open-weight models unfolding in Silicon Valley right now. Nvidia released an open letter signed by over 230 companies opposing “premature restrictions,” but will the Trump administration listen? Then, we're joined by the author Claire Stapleton to discuss her new book about what she learned while leading employee activism inside Google. And finally, can Substack stop the slop? We'll talk about the platform's new A.I. detector. Guests: Claire Stapleton, author of “Don't Be Evil: Bad Bosses, Fake Promises, and My Escape from Big Tech.” Additional Reading: Nvidia Forms Alliance to Back Open-Source A.I. Amid Debate Over Safety What Is Open-Weights A.I.? Mark Zuckerberg Blasts Centralization of A.I. Power  The Voice of Google Against Claudefishing We want to hear from you. Email us at hardfork@nytimes.com. Find “Hard Fork” on YouTube and TikTok. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In an era where personalization is king, can a brand truly be sustainable, or are we just using new technology to fuel the same old consumption patterns?Agility requires a willingness to challenge established business models and integrate new technologies not just for efficiency, but for purpose. It demands we rethink the entire value chain, from production to the end of a product's life.Today, we're going to talk about the intersection of artificial intelligence, sustainability, and retail. We'll explore how technology isn't just a tool for optimization, but a catalyst for building entirely new, purpose-driven business models that challenge the status quo of consumerism.To help me discuss this topic, I'd like to welcome, Anya Cheng, CEO at Taelor. About Anya ChengAnya Cheng is the Founder & CEO of Taelor, an AI-powered men's clothing subscription service promoting sustainable fashion. A Silicon Valley entrepreneur, she has been recognized among "Girls in Tech 40 Under 40" for her expertise in tech product management and marketing. Anya played a pivotal role in launching Facebook and Instagram Shopping at Meta, led new business expansion at eBay, and helped grow McDonald's global food delivery. She also shaped Target's mobile commerce and has led teams in AI, product management, UX, and marketing across Fortune 500 companies. Her work has earned 20+ prestigious awards, including the Webby Award for Best Shopping App, Best Mobile App Award, and The Communicator Award. A best-selling author, adjunct professor, and two-time TED speaker, she lectures at Northwestern University and 500 Global and is a sought-after keynote speaker. Anya's award-winning venture, Taelor, won first place at Draper University's Startup Competition and was named a Startup to Watch by Bay Area Inno. She holds a Master's in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.Anya Cheng on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anyacheng/---------- Resources ---------- Taelor: https://www.taelor.aiThe Agile Brand podcast is brought to you by TEKsystems. Learn more here: https://aglbrnd.co/r/2868abd8085a9703We're proud to be a media partner for #MAICON26 - Oct. 13-15! Learn how AI can power your marketing and business and help you grow smarter. Use code AGILE150 to save! https://aglbrnd.co/r/7fe458ced0f04658Reach your customers with Reddit. Spend $500 in ad spend, get $500 back in ad credit! Learn more: https://advertalize.com/r/491818c79fb1873fChaser is the only Slack-native project management platform that helps teams turn messages into tracked tasks, automate follow-ups, and maintain team-wide visibility, without adopting another tool. Now integrated with Claude and other GenAI tools. Learn more at trychaser.com and use code AGILEBRAND for a 3-month free trial (normal trial is 14 days).The most influential minds in software, AI, and engineering leadership will be at WeAreDevelopers World Congress North America, September 23-25 in San Jose. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/60a7299222a7bcf1Start building your own apps with Replit and get $20 off. Learn more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/93531742a7625a20Enjoyed the show? Tell us more at and give us a rating so others can find the show at: https://aglbrnd.co/r/faaed112fc9887f3Connect with Greg on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregkihlstromDon't miss a thing: get the latest episodes, sign up for our newsletter and more: https://aglbrnd.co/r/35ded3ccfb6716baCheck out The Agile Brand Guide website with articles, insights, and Martechipedia, the wiki for marketing technology: https://www.agilebrandguide.comThe Agile Brand is produced by Missing Link—a Latina-owned strategy-driven, creatively fueled production co-op. From ideation to creation, they craft human connections through intelligent, engaging and informative content. https://www.missinglink.company Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Arthur Herman credits Vannevar Bush's "The Endless Frontier" manifesto with persuading FDR to fund basic scientific research through universities, laying the groundwork for Silicon Valley. This federal support enabled discoveries in information theory and microchip development, transforming the American economy. The evolution from massive mainframes like the IBM 360 to modern microchips illustrates the imaginative leap of founders who see opportunities where others see only current technology. (15)

C Constable reports from France on the high heat and smoke impact near Bordeaux. The discussion shifts to surging energy prices, with Brent crude rising 26% and European gas up 36%. Despite high energy costs, rising copper prices suggest potential industrial growth. (1)Simon Constable and Jim McTague continue with a quiz highlighting that typical data centers use 300,000 gallons of water daily, while larger ones can reach 5 million gallons. Currently, most centers are urban, but 67% of planned facilities are rural. In Lancaster County, a "tale of two data centers" emerges as one town embraces the revenue stream while another resists it due to misinformation and fear. (2)Cliff May argues for maximum pressure and coercive diplomacy to prevent the Islamic Republic of Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He advocates for a naval blockade, specifically targeting oil exports from Kharg Island to strangle the regime's revenue. May emphasizes that the Iranian leadership's ideology makes them likely to use nuclear weapons, necessitating a strategy to cripple the regime's power. (3)John Hardie and Bill Roggio cover the significant leadership change in Ukraine as General Drapatyi replaces General Syrskyi as commander-in-chief. Drapatyi is seen as a representative of a new, western-style generation of officers who embrace technological innovation and listen to subordinates. The transition aims to "desovietize" the military and maintain the momentum of successful drone offensives against Russian infrastructure. (4)Anatol Lieven examines how the Ukraine and Iran conflicts are merging into one global struggle following a Ukrainiandrone strike on an Iranian vessel. This escalation threatens global energy supplies of refined oil products, as Russianrefineries struggle with capacity. While Ukraine targets the Russian middle class to undermine support for the war, Lieven warns of a widening proxy war involving China, North Korea, and Iran. (5)Anatol Lieven turns to Britain's new political era under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who is described as the Labour Party's "last chance" to address a discredited government. Burnham faces immense financial pressure, particularly regarding the costs of healthcare for the elderly and dementia. To succeed, he may need to pivot from "Net Zero" policies to prioritize energy needs and seek a new mandate through an election. (6)Salvatore Vitale and Kalin Plunkett of MIT explain hierarchical merging, a process where black holes merge repeatedly to create larger "monsters." By analyzing gravitational waves from 155 binary pairs, they discovered that 14% are second-generation black holes, born from previous mergers rather than stellar collapse. These second-generation black holes are characterized by rapid spin and mass asymmetry, providing clues to how supermassive black holes form in galaxies. (7)Salvatore Vitale and Kalin Plunkett continue: to uncover the origins of the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, scientists propose building larger gravitational wave detectors scaled up by a factor of ten. These advanced observatories would allow researchers to peer further back into cosmic history, potentially detecting black holes from the very early universe. Expanding the global network to four or five detectors would help pinpoint host galaxies and detect the formation of heavy elements. (8)Arthur Herman recounts the historic 1896 meeting where Henry Ford pitched his internal combustion engine to a skeptical Thomas Edison. Edison's encouragement served as the catalyst for Ford's revolution in American transportation. This industrial transformation was further enabled by John D. Rockefeller, whose ability to lower oil prices made gasoline an economically feasible fuel for mass production. The segment also highlights George Washington's vision for a professional Continental Army. (9)Arthur Herman explains the American founders were heavily influenced by the Scottish Enlightenment, particularly the ideas of David Hume and Adam Smith regarding the pursuit of happiness. This subjective right was prioritized over property to potentially allow for the future abolition of slavery. The founding spirit extended to the Northwest Ordinance, creating communities like Marietta, Ohio, that were dedicated to education, religion, and freedom. (10)Arthur Herman characterizes Abraham Lincoln as a founder for his vision of an America without slavery and his willingness to risk the Union to fulfill the Declaration of Independence. His administration's legacy includes the Homestead Act and the Transcontinental Railroad, which expanded the "empire of liberty." Additionally, the Civil War era facilitated the rise of Andrew Carnegie, who later revolutionized the global steel industry using the Bessemerprocess. (11)Arthur Herman reframes the Gilded Age not as an era of greed, but as a period of unprecedented opportunity and connectivity driven by the railroad. James J. Hill's Great Northern Railway fostered regional prosperity and negotiated fairly with Native American tribes. Meanwhile, Thomas Edison's relentless competitiveness and "restless mind" led to the electrification of the nation and the invention of the phonograph, inspiring future generations of founders like Elon Musk. (12)Arthur Herman contrasts Woodrow Wilson's attempt to centrally manage industry during World War I, which resulted in logistical chaos and failure, with FDR's embrace of the private sector for World War II, appointing GM's Bill Knudsento lead mobilization. By relying on the incentives of the marketplace, Knudsen successfully converted American manufacturing into a massive war machine, producing more war material than the world imagined in just 18 months. (13)Arthur Herman presents Martin Luther King Jr. as a founder who refounded the American experiment by taking risks to fulfill the promise of equality. The segment explores the eternal conflict between the bold "founder mindset" and the cautious "manager instinct" that emerged in the 1950s. While managers seek stability and predictability, founders drive innovation and national greatness, preventing the American dream from becoming stagnant and stale. (14)Arthur Herman credits Vannevar Bush's "The Endless Frontier" manifesto with persuading FDR to fund basic scientific research through universities, laying the groundwork for Silicon Valley. This federal support enabled discoveries in information theory and microchip development, transforming the American economy. The evolution from massive mainframes like the IBM 360 to modern microchips illustrates the imaginative leap of founders who see opportunities where others see only current technology. (15)Arthur Herman concludes that today's founders, including Elon Musk and Donald Trump, continue the tradition of taking massive risks to fulfill bold visions. Musk's goals for SpaceX and Mars are described as a step-by-step process of industrial manufacturing and innovation. Central to this enduring success is the Patent Act of 1790, a unique constitutional protection that ensures individuals own the products of their minds, fueling 250 years of American discovery. (16)Corrections applied per the log: John Hardie (transcribed as "Hardy," segment 4) and Labour Party (UK spelling, segment 6). I also dropped the phonetic "(Chopati)" after General Drapatyi in segment 4 — that's Mykhailo Drapatyi, so the first spelling stands. One to confirm for the log: Kalin Plunkett (segments 7–8) — I couldn't verify this MIT researcher's spelling; if it's from audio, it may need checking against the MIT LIGO group roster.

Unleashed: The Political News Hour with Chris Cordani – The central question is whether technology will remain a tool that serves human freedom or become the operating system of a new elite order. Artificial intelligence, biometric surveillance, digital currencies, algorithmic censorship, and data-driven social control are no longer science fiction. They are rapidly developing systems with the potential...

AI investing continues to shape markets as artificial intelligence (AI) moves beyond software and into the physical infrastructure of the global economy. From data centers and chips to space-based compute, autonomous trucks and humanoid robotics, the AI buildout is creating new questions about scarcity, supply chains and where value may accrue next.In this episode of The Bid, host Oscar Pulido is joined by Tony Kim, Head of the Global Technology Team within BlackRock Fundamental Equities. Fresh from his 13th annual technology tour across San Francisco and Silicon Valley, Tony shares what he heard from leading innovators and how the AI conversation has evolved from model development to compute, infrastructure, physical AI and the changing shape of the technology stack.Tony explains why AI investing may increasingly require looking across multiple layers of the ecosystem: the physical layer of power, chips, data centers and cloud infrastructure; the intelligence layer of foundation models; and the application and services layer where disruption remains a central question. The discussion also explores how AI is creating both scarcity and abundance, why data center demand is reshaping supply chains, and how countries and companies tied to the compute build-out may be positioned differently from more service-oriented parts of the market.Check out our previous tech tour episodes with Tony Kim:2025 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6ffqOgM2CDbJGEoaWjgjIP?si=418fdf5f886c4f622024 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ruCZNZ7vHghypqwnQzslg?si=e62206f037df409bKey moments in this episode:00:00 Introduction01:57 AI Wave Expands - How AI investing is expanding from model development into space, robotics and physical systems.05:28 AI Goes To Space - How low Earth orbit satellites could create new forms of AI data and, potentially, new compute architectures.07:51 Physical AI Adoption - Why autonomous vehicles, self-driving trucks and humanoid robots are part of the broader physical AI story10:00 Rewiring The Internet14:38 Where To Invest Now - How the shift in market value toward compute and model-centric companies is reshaping stock market trends.18:55 Risks And Optimism22:38 Wrap Up And What's Next on The Bid AI investing, artificial intelligence, technology investing, capital markets, megaforces, data centers, robotics, stock market trendsSources: BlackRock Fundamental Equities analysis of AI-related capex spending through 2030, as of July 2026; “How much does a GW of data center capacity actually cost” Investing.com, 2025; S&P Global Indices as at July 14th 2026This content is for informational purposes only and is not an offer or a solicitation. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the listener. Reference to any company or investment strategy mentioned is for illustrative purposes only and not investment advice. In the UK and non-European Economic Area countries, this is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. In the European Economic Area, this is authorized and regulated by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. For full disclosures, visit blackrock.com/corporate/compliance/bid-disclosures.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

La même semaine où la France est devenue le premier pays de l'UE à interdire les réseaux sociaux aux mineurs, le Sénat a proposé un observatoire pour rendre invisible tout citoyen jugé menaçant pour "la qualité de l'information", à un an de la présidentielle.Le shadow-ban n'est pas une théorie complotiste : Meta et YouTube l'ont confirmé sous serment lors d'auditions parlementaires. Ce mécanisme pourrait désormais entrer dans la loi, emballé comme protection de l'information. D'un côté, un agrément pour les créateurs jugés conformes. De l'autre, un bouton d'invisibilisation. Et entre les deux : la vérification d'identité généralisée pour "protéger les mineurs."L'outil est construit. La seule question qui reste : entre quelles mains tombera-t-il après le vote ?===================⏱️ DANS CET ÉPISODE :===================0:00 — Intro0:56 — [Sponsor] : Qonto, gérez compte pro et facturation ensemble !2:06 — Réseaux interdits aux mineurs : la surveillance de tous en échange4:19 — "Ingérence intérieure" : le Sénat prépare l'invisibilisation7:48 — Shadow ban : de la théorie complot à la réalité officielle13:45 — Créateurs agréés ou invisibilisés : la carotte et le bâton17:22 — Interdire les réseaux aux ados ou responsabiliser les parents ?26:28 — Macron veut hiérarchiser les paroles : une menace pour qui ?39:11 — Cet outil de censure entre les mains du prochain pouvoir==================

New studio set up: the squad now records from a parked Tesla in the middle of a rainstorm while Sam is on the beach, and somehow it turned into one of our favorite episodes. We break down Meta's new AI campaign, Zuckerberg's vision for AI, why more than 1,000 frontier AI researchers are asking Washington to slow development, and whether fear has become the easiest narrative in tech. Then we get into China cracking deep ultraviolet lithography, what it means for ASML and the AI race, why AI demand still isn't slowing, Lilian Weng's move from Thinking Machines to OpenAI, and Sam's theory that Silicon Valley has developed an Oppenheimer complex.Chapters:0:00 Episode trailer1:23 Episode start9:02 Meta's Ad Campaign Rejects The Doomers11:14 Zuckerberg's Optimism Blitz Actually Lands13:11 AI's Dark Side Raises Easier Money15:04 Sam's Bot Read 4GB Of Dad's Journals17:28 Nobody Wants To Be Anthropic18:56 Anthropic Runs On Spite For OpenAI21:10 OpenAI Was The Original Evil Empire22:57 Meta Is Still A Centralized Ad Company24:46 Decentralization Loses Without A Jedi26:01 Apple Won On Politics, Not Technology27:16 Meta Earnings Miss On Lawsuits And Severance28:33 China Cracks DUV, ASML Takes The Hit29:57 Execs Privately Reject The China AI War32:39 The Compute Debate Gavin Baker Started39:13 X Is The Tech Town Square Now46:57 Lilian Weng Quits For Health, Joins OpenAI53:50 AI Is A Crisis Of Meaning54:57 Book The Conference Before You're InvitedWe're also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessYouTube: https://youtu.be/PBGC6CjfdtMConnect 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

She credits three people with transforming her career trajectory at AWS and beyond. Tatiana got her into AWS. Wayne sponsored her advancement within it. Dan helped her break into venture capital as a partner at Felicis Ventures. She did not stumble into these relationships. She built them intentionally, maintained them with discipline, and gave back at every stage — even when what she could give seemed small compared to what she was receiving. Nancy was Director and General Manager at AWS Data Protection when this episode was recorded. She has since been promoted to CTO. She is also the founder of Advancing Women in Tech (AWIT), a venture partner at Felicis Ventures, and served on the board of UPenn's School of Engineering Online. She gave the commencement speech at the University of Pennsylvania. The central idea of that speech: build your personal board of directors. In this episode, she breaks down the full framework. You'll learn: Why she calls her personal board of directors the most important career strategy she has used, and what it gave her that mentors, managers, and luck could not. The three specific people on her board, what each one did for her, and how those relationships were built over time rather than asked for upfront. The right way to ask for raw, unfiltered feedback from someone who outranks you significantly — including why the first or second meeting is almost never the right time, and what you need to establish first. Why follow-through is a bigger differentiator than IQ, communication skills, or credentials. "They need to want it more than you want it for them" — the advice from her own board member that she now uses with every mentee she works with. How compound interest applies to professional relationships: why small, consistent gestures build more than a single impressive one, and what she does quarterly to keep her board relationships healthy without it feeling transactional. She was preparing to meet a Fortune 500 CEO to ask him to join her board. His dog had just had surgery. She planned to bring dog treats. The reminder: every successful person is still just a human being, and treating them that way is both the right approach and the most effective one. The Lululemon wardrobe mistake: her first Silicon Valley job, she bought a whole new wardrobe to fit in with the casual culture. Hated it. Didn't feel herself. What she learned about knowing who you are and using that as a career filter rather than a liability. Why at her leadership level she says no far more often than yes, why she uses Amazon's "have backbone, disagree and commit" principle to push back when the room disagrees with her, and what she tells her mentees about having the courage to hold the unpopular opinion. About Nancy: At the time of this recording, Nancy was Director and General Manager, AWS Data Protection at Amazon Web Services. She has since been promoted to CTO. She is also the founder of Advancing Women in Tech (AWIT), a venture partner at Felicis Ventures, and has served on the board of directors of the UPenn School of Engineering Online. AWIT's Coursera curriculum has reached tens of thousands of learners globally. Advancing Women in Tech: https://www.advancingwomenintech.org/

In Episode 311 of the FNO: InsureTech Podcast, hosts Lee Boyd and David Prejeant sit down with Wayne Slavin, CEO and Co-founder of Sure, for a conversation that spans embedded insurance, AI, digital distribution, and the future of insurance innovation. What begins with a story about turbulence on a flight quickly evolves into a fascinating discussion about how insurance can become a seamless part of everyday consumer experiences.  Founded in 2015, Sure has built an AI-enabled platform that helps some of the world's largest carriers and consumer brands launch and operate fully digital insurance programs. Today, companies like Toyota, Zillow, and Mastercard leverage the platform to integrate insurance directly into their customer experiences.  Wayne shares his journey from Silicon Valley product development and e-commerce innovation into insurance, explaining how his early experience building consumer technology shaped his belief that insurance should be as easy to access as any other digital transaction.  The conversation also explores Wayne's long-standing interest in AI, dating back more than 16 years, his perspective on where AI creates the most value in insurance, and why the industry's biggest challenge may not be technology at all, but change management.  Whether you're interested in embedded insurance, digital transformation, AI, or simply hearing the founder story behind one of InsureTech's most recognized platforms, this episode delivers valuable insights and bold predictions about where the industry is headed next.  Key Highlights [06:00] Meet Wayne Slavin and Sure Wayne introduces Sure and explains how the company helps carriers and consumer brands launch fully digital insurance programs through a single end-to-end platform.  [08:00] The Visa of Insurance Wayne explains Sure's role as a technology platform, connecting carriers, brands, and consumers without acting as the insurer itself.  [10:00] Why Insurance Needs an End-to-End Ecosystem A discussion on the fragmented nature of insurance technology and why Sure chose to build a unified platform rather than another point solution.  [12:00] The Turbulent Flight That Started It All Wayne shares the origin story behind Sure and how a turbulent flight sparked the idea of making insurance available at the exact moment consumers need it.  [17:00] Making Insurance Invisible Why Wayne believes insurance should become a natural part of other consumer transactions rather than a separate buying experience. [18:00] Embedded Insurance and the Next Distribution Frontier How brands can integrate insurance directly into customer journeys and why Sure focuses on meeting consumers where they already are. [20:00] AI Before It Was Cool Wayne reflects on researching human-in-the-loop AI at Columbia more than 16 years ago and why today's AI revolution is a moment he has anticipated for years.  [22:00] Where AI Delivers Real Value A practical discussion on why AI is creating the biggest gains in speed to market, customer service, claims support, and operational efficiency.  [24:00] Going Live in Days, Not Months How Sure is leveraging AI and automation to dramatically reduce implementation timelines and operational complexity.  [26:00] Learning the Insurance Business Wayne shares how curiosity, study, and starting with simple insurance products helped him navigate an industry he originally knew nothing about. [30:00] AI Adoption Is a Leadership Challenge Why some insurers are embracing AI while others remain hesitant, and how leadership mindset often determines success.  [32:00] The Real Bottleneck: Change Management Wayne argues that technology is no longer the limiting factor. The bigger challenge is changing inherited processes and organizational behavior.  [34:00] The Future of Direct-to-Consumer Insurance A discussion on changing consumer expectations, digital buying experiences, and why convenience matters more than ever.  [39:00] From South Africa to Silicon Valley Wayne reflects on his personal journey, his family's move to the United States, and how those experiences helped shape his entrepreneurial path. [40:00] What's Next for Sure Wayne shares his vision for the future, including making it even easier for large brands to launch insurance businesses with minimal friction. [42:00] Final Thoughts Lee and David reflect on Wayne's unique founder story, deep technology background, and the future opportunities ahead for Sure and embedded insurance.

Former Silicon Valley insider Dex Hunter-Torricke spent years advising some of the most influential figures in tech, from Google and Facebook to SpaceX. Now, the founder of The Center for Tomorrow, he is sounding the alarm about the future being built by the industry he once helped champion.In this episode of Ways to Change the World, Krishnan Guru-Murthy speaks to Dex Hunter-Torricke about why he believes society is unprepared for the impact of artificial intelligence, the growing power of Big Tech, and the political influence of Silicon Valley's leaders. Drawing on his experience working alongside figures including Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, he reflects on what changed inside the tech industry, why he feels betrayed by its direction, and why he fears AI could deepen inequality, fuel social unrest and transform the global balance of power. From online safety and regulation to jobs, democracy and the future of international cooperation, this is a conversation about whether technology is really changing the world for the better, and what must happen if we are to avoid the dangers he believes lie ahead.

“Evil is reductive. But the impact of the business is evil, even if the intent isn't.” — Andy Hunter on Amazon Network effects transformed Amazon from a startup internet bookshop into today's $2.44 trillion everything store. The more ubiquitous its affiliate program became, the more powerful Amazon became. But, in today's digital economy, winner-take-all might not be winner-always-take-all. These network effects, you see, can be subverted. They might even be used as weapons against a seemingly dominant player like Amazon. Take, for example, Bookshop.org. Founded by Andy Hunter in 2020, this online bookstore has aggregated 3,000 independent bookstores, these affiliates contributing to a counter-Amazon network that already does 2% of Amazon's book business and will, within the next thirty days, pass $50 million distributed to local bookstores. When Hunter originally pitched the idea to Silicon Valley investors, they asked him if he could beat Amazon on price or speed. No. Then you don't have a chance, they told him, because Americans only care about price and speed. But they were wrong. Since Bookshop.org launched in 2020, American bookstores have grown from 1,900 to 3,300, with 90% of these independents joining Bookshop.org and 98% of booksellers polling the company as a positive force. His is a winner-share-all marketplace where stores keep the full profit of their own sales, while a $4.5 million annual profit pool flows to any real brick-and-mortar ABA bookstore. Nobody gets rich, Hunter says, but everybody does okay. Hunter suspects that if Bookshop.org grows to take 5% of Amazon's book market, things might turn nasty. Could Amazon just buy Bookshop.org, I asked. No, Hunter responded, all his investors signed a clause barring a sale to any major US retailer. So even if I got hit by an Amazon delivery truck, he explained, his mission couldn't be undone. So is Amazon evil? Not exactly evil, he explains, since evil requires malignant intent. But Amazon is more like fishermen who overfish until the stock collapses and wrecks their ecosystem beyond repair. That classic tragedy of the commons. Hence Bookshop.org's anti-Prime campaigns, which used Amazon's “discount” holiday as a way of generating an extra $1.2 million for its affiliate bookstores. Hunter wants to replace Amazon's seemingly infinite scalability with a more moral kind of scale. He imagines a Bookshop.org for everything from hardware stores and art supplies to bikes and toys. Silicon Valley's conventional winner-take-all economics would be replaced by a Robin Hood style winner-share-all model. Except for our tech bro friends, I suspect we would all be wealthier for it. Five Takeaways •       “Americans Only Care About Price and Speed.” That was the verdict of a 2019 conference call with twenty Silicon Valley angel investors: if Bookshop couldn't beat Amazon on price or speed, it had no chance. Hunter's counter-pitch: enough people care about their values when they shop — if supporting a local bookstore is made just as easy. His sharpest insight was the affiliate economy: by 2019 the internet had become one giant funnel pushing every reader toward Amazon, with the New York Times, NPR, BuzzFeed, and celebrity book clubs all earning Amazon kickbacks on their book coverage. Bookshop's universal link gave them an alternative that pays local bookstores instead. Nine months of rejection later, he had cobbled together $750,000 — with the publisher Morgan Entrekin introducing five of the original seven investors.•       Winner-Share-All. Bookshop is a marketplace, like Etsy: over 3,000 bookstores plus affiliates from Literary Hub to The Atlantic to Dakota Johnson's book club. Stores keep the full profit on their own sales; direct sales feed a profit pool — 33 percent of profits, about $4.5 million a year — shared with any real brick-and-mortar bookstore in the American Booksellers Association. Within thirty days, total distributions will pass $50 million. Hunter kept the raise tiny and refused venture capital to protect the mission: a $10 million check would have demanded a 10x return and a sale, and Bookshop's shareholder agreement bars any sale to Amazon, Walmart, or Target. The company runs on a 12.5 percent expense ratio and twelve engineers. Nobody gets rich; everybody does okay.•       The Comeback Numbers. Amazon put over half of America's bookstores out of business in two decades. Since Bookshop launched in 2020, the country has gone from 1,900 bookstores to 3,300 — seventy percent growth — and 73 percent of member stores grew in 2025. The rising tide lifts all boats: Bookshop grew 55 percent last year while stores' own websites grew 25 percent. Ninety percent of American independents have joined, and a poll of 3,000 booksellers found 98 percent view the company positively. Meanwhile Amazon's share of the book market is flat for the first time in twenty-three years. Bookshop has taken about 2 percent of Amazon's book customers — small enough to be useful anti-monopoly evidence, Hunter jokes, but a social movement in the making.•       Not Evil — Worse? Hunter refuses the word “evil”: evil requires malignant intent, and Amazon's managers are merely told to grow profits every quarter. The better analogy is overfishing — blind growth that destroys the ecosystem beyond repair. But the stakes are not merely commercial: bookstores bring authors to communities, raise new generations of readers, and — as the arrest of five Hong Kong booksellers reminds us — stand as the vanguard of free expression. No single company, good or evil, should control a market so essential to human consciousness. As for Bezos, once so interested in climate change: now it's rockets and data centers. “Evil is reductive. But the impact of the business is evil, even if the intent isn't.”•       The AI Flood. Did OpenAI and Anthropic steal from authors? “They were,” Hunter says — a conscious choice that stealing was faster than dealing, and now they're paying up because they got caught, in a race to be first that cuts regulatory, legal, and ethical corners. Meanwhile three times as many books are being added to Amazon each year than before AI — overwhelmingly scam books generated from search trends, uncopyedited, designed to defraud buyers rather than inform them. Bookshop tells its suppliers to keep AI books off the site entirely, with a tiny asterisk for serious poets making artistic investigations of AI. Hunter's standard is simple: these aren't books, they're scams — and no retailer who cares about customers should sell them. Including Amazon. About the Guest Andy Hunter is the founder and CEO of Bookshop.org, the online bookstore that supports local independent bookstores, launched in January 2020 and named by Time one of the year's most influential social-good companies. A longtime literary publisher and entrepreneur, he previously co-founded Electric Literature and Literary Hub. He lives in Brooklyn. References: •       Bookshop.org — the marketplace itself: shop any of 3,000+ independent bookstores, or let your purchase feed the profit pool.•   ...

In Part 2, Mike LeBlanc details how a chance call pulled him away from a private equity offer and into Silicon Valley, where he co-founded Cobalt Robotics before launching Foundation Future Industries. He walks through the brutal early days of building a robotics startup, a company crisis over fabricated sales contracts that forced him to overhaul the business, and the pivot into humanoid robots for the Department of War. The conversation turns to real combat testing in Ukraine, the ethical debate inside his own company over weaponizing robots, human-in-the-loop safeguards against battlefield mistakes, and why he believes America—not China—will lead the humanoid robotics race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A fierce debate is taking place between Silicon Valley and Washington right now. After the release of KIMI K3 – China's cheaper and powerful AI model – the Trump administration is showing signs of restricting open-source AI to maintain control over the technology. Danny Fortson and Mark Sellman, Tech Correspondent for The Times, discuss why tech bosses are worried, what it could mean for America's lead in AI and whether open-source models could speed up the race to superintelligence. They also hear from Connor Leahy, CEO of AI safety research company Conjecture, who explains why frontier AI isn't just a superpower – it's a superweapon.Should Trump ban open-source models? Get in touch: techpod@thetimes.co.uk Watch on YouTube Producer: Marnie Duke Executive Producer: Priyanka DeladiaVideo Producer: Bronwen LathamImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is AI our new Prometheus, or have we just opened Pandora's box? We dive into the risks of "techno-feudalism," why the "middleman" being replaced by robots is actually just us, and why 3,000 years of Greek wisdom might be more useful than a Silicon Valley algorithm. It's a bit of mythology, a bit of economic history, and a reminder that while intelligence is great, wisdom is what keeps the social fabric from fraying. As the Big Lebowski says, the dude abides. Join us. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Le « moment Spoutnik » de l'IA : sortie de Kimi K3 Un modèle chinois rivalise avec Claude et GPT-5 pour cinq fois moins d'argent. Ce n'est pas une copie — c'est une menace directe sur les valorisations à mille milliards de dollars construites en quelques années à peine aux États-Unis.La Maison Blanche crie au vol, mais les outils qui font tourner la Silicon Valley utilisent déjà des modèles chinois. La distillation dont on accuse Moonshot, c'est le même processus qui a permis à Cursor de devenir ce qu'il est aujourd'hui.Ce qui bascule, ce n'est pas seulement le leadership technologique. C'est la question de qui a le droit de construire sur quoi et qui protège son oligopole en se cachant derrière la réglementation.===================⏱️ DANS CET ÉPISODE :===================0:00 — Intro0:34 — Kimi K3, le modèle chinois qui défie l'Amérique3:03 — Une architecture innovante et des coûts inédits11:47 — Distillation: voler ou s'inspirer légitimement17:52 — 5 milliards contre 100: le choc de valorisation19:30 — La contrainte comme arme secrète des Chinois22:16 — Les LLM plafonnent26:03 — Jensen Huang contre Washington: la Silicon Valley en révolte34:02 — Kimi K3 s'adresse à qui concrètement=============

Elon Musk says he just wants “secure borders.” But is that really what his politics are about? In this episode of Axis Live, Brad Onishi breaks down Musk's explosive interview with The Economist, where he accused its editor of being a “traitor to the West.” Brad explains why this language signals something much larger than immigration policy: the rise of Western civilizationalism, a political movement uniting Christian nationalists, authoritarian populists, tech elites, and the global far right around a shared vision of who belongs—and who doesn't. The conversation explores Musk's support for Europe's far-right parties, the ideology of “remigration,” the growing alliance between Silicon Valley and Christian nationalism, and why protecting “Western civilization” has become the new rallying cry for anti-democratic movements. Brad also connects these trends to his forthcoming book, American Caesar, showing how religion, technology, and authoritarian politics are converging in the United States and around the world.

Are modern AI companies the new empires? What is the hidden human cost behind chatbots like ChatGPT? How does Silicon Valley's rhetoric echo the East India Company? In this episode, Anita is joined by award-winning tech journalist Karen Hao, author of Empire of AI, to explore the hidden colonialism behind the artificial intelligence boom. They discuss the rise of Sam Altman, the industry's reliance on precarious workers in the Global South, and the similarities between the East India Company and OpenAI.  Summer sale is here: get an annual Empire Club membership for an extra 20% off with code SUMMER26. That's ad-free listening, early-access, every bonus episode, and full access to our exclusive members' series. Sale ends August 31st, so grab it before summer's over.   For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com. Email: empire@goalhanger.com Instagram: @empirepoduk Blue Sky: @empirepoduk X: @empirepoduk Assistant Producer: Imogen Marriott Editor: Bruno Di Castri  Social Producer: Charlie Johnson Producer: Anouska Lewis Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over 1,100 AI staffers signed a letter asking Washington to help pace frontier development. Wall Street got nervous as AI capex ballooned, Silicon Valley's backlash against Anthropic built over open weights, and the argument that this is all about recursive self-improvement either being right on the horizon, or a dead end. AI's finally expensive enough to make Wall Street nervous (The Verge) Over 1,100 staffers from AI companies, including John Schulman and OpenAI's Jakub Pachocki, sign a letter requesting the US government to "pace" AI development (Bloomberg) Signatories to the "Pacing the Frontier" statement include OpenAI's Mark Chen and Wojciech Zaremba and Anthropic's Jack Clark, Chris Olah, and Jared Kaplan, who say the world may need the option to buy time (The Verge) Anthropic faces backlash from Silicon Valley partners, founders, and researchers for competitive tactics, guardrails, and lack of support for open-weight models (WSJ) The Actual Reason Why Google "Fell Out" of the AI Race Changes Everything (The Algorithmic Bridge) Subscribe to the ad-free feed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if resilience isn't about grit at all? Dr. Suzan Song—psychiatrist, anthropologist, and author of Why We Suffer and How We Heal—has spent decades studying survivors of war, trafficking, displacement, and personal loss to understand why some people flourish despite unimaginable adversity. In this episode, she shares her framework for healing through narrative, ritual, and purpose—the "Three Friends of Winter." Guy and Suzan explore the stories we tell ourselves, the rituals that ground us, and why healing happens through belonging, not isolation. This conversation will change the way you think about suffering, resilience, and what it means to truly heal.--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**Produced by Madisun Nuismer and Jeff Sieh. Research provided by Tessa Nuismer

Kane Parsons, the 21-year-old director of this summer's hit horror film “Backrooms,” began his career not in film school, but by making short videos on YouTube while attending middle and high school in the North Bay. He stumbled upon an online photo of creepy, yellow-tinted empty rooms being called “the backrooms,” read the accompanying internet lore and contributed to it with his own web series, which garnered him an A24 directing gig at just 17. Now, Parsons' San Jose-set feature film has been credited with revitalizing Hollywood and with capturing existential, generational fears. We'll talk with Parsons about why Silicon Valley is such a rich site for horror, and with film professors about how horror films have long documented the key anxieties of every generation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Low-cost artificial intelligence models from China are rapidly improving, closing the gap with U.S. AI products and forcing an industry-wide debate over the future of AI. WSJ's Amrith Ramkumar explains how these "open-weight" models have caused a rift in Silicon Valley. Ryan Knutson hosts.   Further Listening: - How to Keep Up with AI At Work (Without Losing Your Mind)- Microsoft's CEO Has a Message: Don't Let AI Eat the Economy Sign up for WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices