This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  After 2 months of cringe-posting references to strawberries, OpenAI have released their latest model: o1. And AI heads are losing their minds. Ostensibly, it's intended for the kind of thorny math and reasoning problems that LLMs tend to struggle with. The guts aren't public, but it seems to use chain-of-reasoning prompts to really force itself to 'think'.  So, is it any good? Is this a huge step change on the path to AGI. We investigate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Intel may have more or less invented modern digital computing, but it hasn't been going so crash hot lately. Following decades of strategic missteps and blunders, it's now experiencing weakening earnings and stock price declines as it attempts to engage in the mother of all turnaround jobs with a little help from the US government. Now, the sharks are circling, with Qualcomm popping up as a potential acquirer. In this ep, we discuss what brought Intel to this point, what might happen next, and some general microchip chatter.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Intel Outside

How Many Rs Are There In Strawberry? (PREVIEW)

We didn't cover the Apple iPhone keynote last week because it wasn't particularly exciting and there were virtually no surprises. But, having been given a week to ruminate on it, we have thoughts. In this ep, we talk about why analysts have been obsessed with an AI-driven iPhone supercycle, why Apple has backed itself into a corner by overcharging for RAM, and the slow death of the smartphone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accelerating The iPhone Supercycle

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  Social media. Is it too dank for the malleable and developing mind? The Australian government seems to think so. Labor has joined the ranks of a number parties and bodies in various jurisdictions in attempting to set a lower age limit for social media.  We consider the following questions:  Why? How would it work? Who is to blame for society crumbling?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Them Kids Ain't Right (PREVIEW)

For decades, technologists have fantasised about the ultimate prize: a humanoid robot, available to consumers and industry, which can perform a range of humanlike tasks. The recent AI moment has reignited those aspirations, with everyone from Tesla to Apple – and a handful of ambitious startups – either openly or secretly working on humanoid robot projects. In this ep we round up the rumour mill, and talk about what these things could actually be useful for, and why they're suddenly everywhere. (In spirit, if not actuality.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humanoid Robots: Just Another Guy In Your House

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  The tech world has been ablaze over the past week or so, both ironically and unironically, about the concept of Founder Mode. Inspired by a short essay by Paul Graham, 'founder mode' vaguely posits that there's a natural point in a startup's existence where it gives up being led by a single founder with a ton of agency, and instead becomes led by professional managers via delegation. Graham, and others, suggest that you don't need to do that, and can keep running even very big tech businesses as a lethal operator calling all the shots. In this freewheeling ep, we discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Boys Go Founder Mode (PREVIEW)

Brazil has slapped a ban on X, as the culmination of a dispute between the platform and the country’s judiciary over censorship. It’s weird, because Elon Musk’s platform has complied with government requests from other countries, like Turkey and India. So what’s the deal? In this ep, we talk about Musk's free speech crusade, the Brazilification of the web, and the general vibes around the X business right now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

X vs Brazil

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov was arrested over the weekend in France, with prosecutors  accusing him of violations discovered as part of an investigation into child exploitation material, drug trafficking and fraudulent transactions on the platform. It’s more than plausible that stuff like that is happening on Telegram. But there’s certainly something unusual going on here too. Telegram has evolved from a messaging app into a full-blown social media platform – and one that is relatively uncensored and pretty wild. And despite the discourse over the past few days being focused on end-to-end encryption, that’s not really what people use Telegram for. In this ep, we dive into the weird world of Telegram, and engage in some healthy, baseless speculation about Durov's arrest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Telegram: Oh, So Posting Is ILLEGAL Now?

Apple's profit from "Services" is set to surpass profits from iPhones within a couple of years, which is pretty crazy, really. Of the ~$80-90b Apple make a year in "Services", around 25% of that comes from Google handing over north of $20 billion per year to be the default search engine in Safari. For years, Google has been freaked out by the prospect of Apple building their own search engine, as outlined in Raph's piece here. A judge has now ruled this is ILLEGAL. What will come of this? What's the deal with seach? Links  Judge rules that Google ‘is a monopolist’ in US antitrust case – The Verge Raph's piece on Apple Maps and its role. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google's Apparently Illegal Monopoly

Nike: The brand of brands. When it comes to brands, they're top dog. When it comes to returning money to shareholders, less so. At least this year. As Nike have pursued the quest to become as close as an apparel company can be to a tech business, their share price has tanked – this year by over 30%. A former executive's LinkedIn post went about as viral as a LinkedIn post can go, lamenting Nike's turn to e-commerce and performance marketing thanks to their current CEO, the former head of ServiceNow, and advice from McKinsey. Very Down Round areas. Links:  Nike: An Epic Saga of Value Destruction - Massimo Giunco See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nike: Barefoot is Illegal (PREVIEW)

It's quarterly earnings season, and some of our favourite tech companies are looking a bit shaky. Not because they're not making money – they are – but because they're spending it on new data centres and AI research.  In this episode, we take stock of the current earnings reports, and touch on a few interesting tidbits like Amazon's softness in e-commerce and Intel's moment of reckoning. Also, when we recorded this, markets were teetering on the edge of meltdown. So get ready for some adjacent chat there.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You Gotta Spend Money To Make Money

Meta this week released the latest update to their LLM, Llama 3.1. It is ostensibly a "frontier model" on par with its OpenAI, Anthropic and Google rivals. The difference i: anyone can download the model and the weights and run it, and build on it wherever and however they want, without paying Meta a cent. Why?  Glowed up Mark Zuckerberg wrote an article to explain his reasoning; the boys dissect: what the hell is going on? Links  Open Source AI Is the Path Forward – Mark Zuckerberg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Llama-ma-mazing!

Recently, the eponymous founders of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz went public in announcing their support for Trump in order to protect what they called "little tech" – as opposed to "big tech" To them, little tech basically means startups, which they believe are under threat from "bad government policies". While big tech is trying to entrench it's advantage with regulatory capture, little tech just wants to party. We discuss the new battlelines, and – crucially – tell you which team to support. Links  The Little Tech Agenda – Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Into The Goldilocks Zone (PREVIEW)

You are no doubt aware that the world suffered a fairly significant IT outage at the end of last week, affecting everything from TV broadcasts to supermarkets and airports. Turns out it was because of cybersecurity company CrowdStrike releasing a thoroughly bung update to Windows machines. In this ep, we talk about the incident, how susceptible the world is to single points of IT failure, and other assorted and sundry topics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CrowdStruck

A recent political incident involving the former president provide a stress test of X under Elon Musk. It also provides us with an opportunity to do a side-by-side comparison of how it was reported on the various post-twitter clones: Threads, Bluesky and Mastodon.  Additionally, the several loud noises at the Trump rally led to a cascade of Silicon Valley stalwarts to endorse the Republican nominee for president – we examine the profound political shift that has occurred over the past 8 years in our usual cool-headed and analytical manner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tech Trump Turn (PREVIEW)

Real estate tech is an underrated part of the broader tech ecosystem. From listing and buying platforms to property management apps and everything in-between, there's a suite of tech solutions for selling, buying, renting, investing and just having a squiz at property. In this ep, we take a little tour through real estate tech, which mostly ends up as a struggle session.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investigating Real Estate Agent Drip

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  While the northern hemisphere is on summer holiday, we grind. Given there's not much tech news floating around as a result, we continued the discussion of AI from last episode – this time getting wildly philosophical about legal rights and the art of creation. With a few diversions along the way ;). Links  I Made This – Hypercritical See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who Made This? (PREVIEW)

Over the past few weeks, several equity reports – from the likes of Goldman Sachs and Barclays – have sounded the alarm on the amount of capital expenditure currently being spent by the tech industry on building out AI capacity. Analysts and investors are asking: how are you going to pay for all this? And how long do we have to wait for that? In this ep, we talk about the current discourse, connect it to the dot com bubble, and arrive at a 100% correct take no one could possibly dispute.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're Spending How Much On Graphics Cards?

Australia's experiment with forcing big tech to pay media companies like Nine and News Corp for content is running into choppy waters, as Meta refuses to play ball and Google seems less keen on news than it once was.  In this episode, we catch up with the media and how it's handling today's dynamics of the internet and – especially – the new era of AI deals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gimme Money! Media Edition

Nuclear is in the air. (Not literally.) In Australia, politicians are debating it, while a huge range of nuclear startups are ruling it out for funding and attention. In this episode, we chat about nuclear power and how the tech industry is talking about it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Small Modular Nuclear Reactor For Every Australian (PREVIEW)

Nvidia is the engine room of the AI moment, but they are struggling a little right now. The stock underwent a massive correction this week, and founder Jensen Huang is reportedly worried that the gravy train is about to end. We used that as an excuse to dive into a few interesting trends going on in AI, Apple's moves, whether the hype is matching the product, and what it all means. Note: we said in this episode that Apple was striking an AI deal with Meta, but now Bloomberg is saying it ain't so. Still, broader point holds. Links  Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Is on Top of the World. So Why Is He Worried? – The Information See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hitting The Nvidia Wall

Tencent is one of the largest and most valuable companies on earth, with operations that touch just about every part of the digital economy in China and beyond. From WeChat to gaming to film production to payments, Tencent continues to expand far beyond its original station as a Chinese app developer. In this ep, we take a tour through Tencent, including its weird connections to a South African company. Classic Down Round material.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's Tencent All About?

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  You thought that because COVID was long over you could stop hearing about GameStop. Wrong! Keith "RoaringKitty" Gill has returned, and the notorious meme stock has been pumping as a result. We took this as an excuse to revisit the GameStop story from the beginning, exploring the factors which led to the original phenomenon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

GameStop Revisited (PREVIEW)

This week, Apple held the keynote at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), where it traditionally announces its upcoming software updates. As predicted, the company announced its moves into generative AI – which it is bundling under the name Apple Intelligence – alongside a partnership with OpenAI. In this ep, we dive into the announcements, and what they mean for Apple going forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WWDC 2024: AI For The Rest Of Us Chumps

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  A few weeks ago, Microsoft announced its new Surface Laptop with Copilot + PC, which it intends to be a direct competitor with the MacBook Air. On the one hand, it's an interesting attempt to get Windows PCs back into competition. ON the other hand, it's also an attempt by Microsoft to wind LLMs an AI into its operating system. In this ep, we talk about the Apple/Microsoft rivalry, and whether these attempts to cram AI in at the operating system level will appease investors who are looking for revenue. Links  Down Round on X Down Round on Instagram Down Round on TikTok See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Down Round Featuring Microsoft Copilot + PC (PREVIEW)

For a long time, it wasn't a great look for startups and big tech – outside of companies like Microsoft – to openly work with the military-industrial complex. That was for contractors like Raytheon and General Dynamics. Tech generally maintained the sunny disposition that it was better to enable world peace through well targeted digital ads. That has changed, and startups like Anduril are now positioning themselves as a new generation of military supplier, marrying Silicon Valley innovation with surveillance tools and military weaponry. In this ep, we look at the history of Silicon Valley and the military, and this new crop of weapons makers. Links  Defence and Anduril unveil first Ghost Shark prototype ‘The machine did it coldly’: Israel used AI to identify 37,000 Hamas targets – The Guardian Down Round on X Down Round on Instagram Down Round on TikTok Sign up for Down Round Premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tech-Military Complex

In the first part of a two-part episode on Google and OpenAI's tough PR challenges of the past couple of weeks, we dive into Google's launch of AI summaries on the web, which led the venerable search engine to recommend pregnant women blast cigs and amateur chefs to mix glue into their pizza sauce. We chat about the rocky launch, what it means for Google, and how it might affect the web going forward. Later this week, premium subscribers can hear us talk about OpenAI's fight with Scarlett Johanssen and its own employees over NDAs. (Sign up here and you won't miss out!) Links  Google CEO Sundar Pichai on AI-powered search and the future of the web – The Verge Down Round on X Down Round on Instagram Down Round on TikTok Sign up for Down Round Premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google & OpenAI's Rough Couple Of Weeks (Pt. 1)

It's time for another edition of DOWN ROUND Q&amp;A. We solicited questions from both or premium members in Discord and our followers on X, and today we're answering them for you. We cover everything from macOS to LLMs to Boeing and smart homes. Links  Down Round on X Down Round on Instagram Down Round on TikTok Sign up for Down Round Premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Down Round Q&A: Your Boneheaded Questions, Answered

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  The pain for the gaming industry doesn't seem over, with Xbox closing studios, more layoffs, Sony fighting with its fanbase and growth looking sluggish. It raises one big question: has blockbuster game development outrun its ability to actually make money? In this episode, we return to the world of gaming to discuss Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, the increasingly fraught big budget gaming financial model, and a few fun digressions along the way. Links  Inside Microsoft’s Xbox turmoil – The Verge Down Round on X Down Round on Instagram Down Round on TikTok See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AAA Gaming Apocalypse (PREVIEW)

Apple and Google are both on the precipice of announcing deeper integration of generative AI into their respective operating systems. Google's IO conference is this week, and reporting abounds that Apple has inked a deal with OpenAI to integrate GPT with iOS. There's a big question as to whether they're doing this because users actually want it, or because investors and the market thinks they should. In this episode, we talk about Google and Apple, what their AI implementations might look like, and just where this is all going. Also, a sad mea culpa for the Rabbit R1. Links  Apple Nears Deal With OpenAI to Put ChatGPT on iPhone – Bloomberg Google I/O 2024 will be all about AI again – The Verge Sign up for Down Round Premium Down Round on X Down Round on Instagram Down Round on TikTo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They're Putting AI In The Bloody Phones Now

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  Quantum computing has been a research and academic pursuit for decades, but it has been picking up buzz over the last few years as both big tech companies and smaller startups get into the space. The Australian government recently announced a $1 billion investment into quantum startup PsiQuantum, which gives us an excuse to talk about it. What is quantum computing? Is it actually useful? Can I buy one? All will be answered, and more. WARNING: The words 'qubit' and 'entanglement' will be used.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Into The Quantum Realm (PREVIEW)

Anyone who lives in Australia would be aware of Foxtel's new streaming box Hubbl, thanks to an absolutely overwhelming ad campaign pitching it. We talk about the Hubbl, and use it as an excuse to dive into streaming more generally, and what's been going on since the last time we talked about it. Links  Foxtel faces its streaming apocalypse – AFR Down Round on X Down Round on Instagram Down Round on TikTok Sign up for Down Round Premium See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OK Fine, We'll Talk About Hubbl

Well, it happened: the US passed legislation to force ByteDance to divest TikTok in the country. Now, the company technically has 12 months to make it happen. But is that the end of the story? In this episode, we discuss how we arrived at this point, what avenues TikTok has left, and who or what might acquire TikTok if it comes down to that. Links  TikTok could soon be sold. Here's how much it's worth and who could buy it. – CBS Byte-Dance was told to sell TikTok or face a ban. There are legal complications – NPR Down Round on X Down Round on Instagram Down Round on TikTok See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TikTok Ban Watch 2024: The Final Chapter (?)

Everything is chatbots now. Every company must become a purveyor of bespoke chatbots.The latest cab off the rank is Meta, which just unveiled Llama 3, the latest version of its open source LLM. But this time they have integrated it deeply into Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, whacking a big nasty chatbox over the searchbar in all these apps. In this episode, we talk about Meta's strategy in AI, and what Zuck might be cooking. Links  The Dwarkesh pod with Zuckerberg Down Round on X Down Round on Instagram Down Round on TikTok See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now It's Meta's Turn To Go All In On AI

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  As Downies will know well, one of the themes we're keeping an eye on is the number of products and product categories that are trying to replace the smartphone, which has been lagging in sales and hype of late. Two devices which pitched a bold new path forward are the Humane AI Pin and the Apple Vision Pro. Based on reviews, neither of them are looking very good at all. We discuss. Links  Humane AI Pin review: not even close – The Verge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have We Replaced The Smartphone Yet? (PREVIEW)

Over the past few weeks, there has been a surprising amount of movement in the AI music space. Suno and Udio are two lavishly funded AI music generation startups which just launched new models, which allow you to make songs in a wide range of genres from prompts. While not perfect, they both sound pretty good. At the same time, Spotify is trialling AI-generated playlists, seemingly laying the groundwork for their own generative music. In this ep, we talk about the new models and what they might be used for. Links  AI-Music Arms Race: Meet Udio, the Other ChatGPT for Music - Rolling Stone Former Google DeepMind researchers launch AI-powered music creation app Udio See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Coming Tsunami Of AI Music

This week, we're joined by Kyle Harrison, who is General Partner at Contrary, a US venture capital fund. As well as investing, Kyle writes the newsletter Investing 101 2.0, where he shares his various insights into the VC ecosystem – including where, in his view, it's all gone wrong. Kyle joins us to chat about the state of VC after the end of the tech boom, why he doesn't think anyone has learned their lesson, and what he thinks will happen with AI on both the tech and the investment side. Links  The Puritans of Venture Capital – Kyle Harrison See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Capital Inferno Heaven (feat. Kyle Harrison)

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  Sometimes a company merges with or acquires another, and it turns out to be a bad idea. That's OK. We all make stupid decisions. There's nothing to be ashamed of, even when we're talking about multibillion-dollar deals. Some of these bad acquisitions aren't just about a culture mismatch or poor due diligence, though. Some of them speak to executives making a bet on the future of the economy – and betting wrong. In this ep, we go through some of the worst tech acquisitions of all time, and why they're interesting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Worst Tech Acquisitions Of All Time (PREVIEW)

One of the great turnarounds in 21st century was the tobacco industry's shift toward a so-called 'smokeless' future – agreeing that cigs are pretty bad for you, and that a range of hi-tech vapes could be a less bad replacement. Of course, it hasn't actually worked out that well, with public health bodies and governments around the world cracking down on vapes for targeting kids with flashy influencer marketing campaigns and cool flavours. In this ep we talk about the rise of vapes, the changing tobacco industry, and new trends (Zyn, etc)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vapes:  Smoking, but less cool and more illegal

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  This week, we're back on Apple. There are two big reasons: one, they're being sued by the United States on antitrust grounds. And secondly, multiple news reports suggest they are looking for a partner in the generative AI space – which might be Google, or Anthropic, or any number of others. We dig into these two stories, and what they say about the current state of tech – and why AI might be at a low point of the hype cycle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple Takes A Sideways Step On AI (PREVIEW)

Last week, it was reported that Elon Musk's Neuralink had successfully allowed a patient to play chess with his mind. It represents a small – and maybe a tad overhyped – step towards the company's goal for a full brain computer interface. In this ep, we discuss Neuralink, brain-computer interfaces, and exactly what Musk and others in the space are trying to achieve. Also, the big question: who is the market? Links  Elon Musk wants to merge humans with AI. How many brains will be damaged along the way? – Vox Elon's tweet about 'Blindsight' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neuralink: No monkeys were harmed in the production of this episode

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  Dropbox. There's a name you probably haven't thought about in a while. Once among the hottest startups on Earth, it lost some of its lustre once every major company in the world began offering consumer and enterprise cloud storage. But it's still alive, kicking and profitable – and making a pivot to AI. In this ep, we talk about Dropbox and the other cloud storage businesses of the 2000s and 2010s, and why they're between a rock and a hard place.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dropbox: What's going on up there? (PREVIEW)

This week we're looking at BYD, the Chinese battery maker turned electric vehicle behemoth, which is now the world's biggest EV maker. Following on from our premium episode about the Apple Car a couple of weeks ago, we talk about the current state of the EV market, how BYD found success, and why the world is still relatively slow on the uptake of electric cars. Always remember: build your dreams, folks. Links  Tesla overtaken by China’s BYD as world’s biggest EV maker – FT See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BYD: How hard can a battery and four wheels be?

Well folks, it's happening again. The US is threatening to ban TikTok. A bill is currently worming its way through Congress which would ban the app unless it fully divested itself from ByteDance, its Chinese parent company. This led TikTok to engage battle stations, and launch probably the stupidest PR campaign in recent history. In this episode, we talk TikTok, make predictions about a ban, and pontificate on its effect on politics and culture. Links  TikTok Prompts Users to Call Congress to Fight Possible Ban – NY Times As TikTok Ban Looms, ByteDance Battles Oracle For Control Of Its Algorithm – Forbes TikTok Struggles to Protect U.S. Data From Its China Parent – WSJ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TikTok Ban Watch 2024

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  The fabled Apple car – also known as Project Titan – is no more. After working on it for the last 10 years and blowing $10 billion, the company internally announced that it would scrap the project and reassign many of its staff to generative AI. In this ep, we talk about the Apple car project: why it was originally imagined, what it sought to do, and why it ultimately didn't work out.  Links  How Apple Sank About $1 Billion a Year Into a Car It Never Built – Bloomberg See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Apple Scrapped Its Car (PREVIEW)

One less discussed angle of the rise of AI and widely available LLMs is the relationship dimension. From ChatGPT's personalisation features to AI chatbots on Meta platforms, through to porn and sexbots, many people are using AI for companionship. It's big business too, with The Information reporting that pornbot providers are one category of AI company which are growing without the need for external investment. To unpack the weird world of AI companionship, some of the rising companies in the space, and what it means for society, we're joined by comedian Tom Cashman. (You can watch his brand new special here.) Links  One Class of AI Startups That Can Thrive Without Funding: Porn Chatbots – The Information Snapchat’s new AI chatbot is already raising alarms among teens and parents – CNN ‘Sometimes, It Feels Real’: Character.AI Gives Humans the Chatbots They Desire – The Information Meta’s new AI lets people make chatbots. They’re using it for sex. – Washington Post   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AI Girlfriend Experience (feat. Tom Cashman)

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  Nvidia, the graphics card company turned into AI chip powerhouse, posted its earnings at the end of last week. Surprising no one, they were huge – propelling the company even higher up the charts of the most valuable companies on Earth. In this ep, we unpack the earnings and what they mean, as well as talking about Nvidia's future, and even incompetently attempting to put forward a bear case. Links  Nvidia posts revenue up 265% on booming AI business – CNBC See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Nvidia Earnings Blowout (PREVIEW)

Reddit is going public. After a false start a couple of years ago, the online message board is undergoing the IPO process, setting markets up for the biggest social media IPO since Pinterest in 2019.  The company has filed its S1, which for the first time lets the world peek into Reddit's books, also revealing what it thinks are its biggest risks and opportunities. Join us as we pick through the document for revealing nuggets. Links  Reddit S-1 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unpacking the Reddit IPO

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premium and get access, head here.  The gaming world was ablaze over the past few weeks over reports that Xbox was throwing in the towel and letting some of its biggest exclusive titles go to its eternal rival, the PlayStation. It riled up the Xbox ultras and raised questions about how committed Microsoft is to console gaming – despite its monster $75B acqusition of Activision-Blizzard. It ended up being a little less dramatic than anticipated. But it still raises questions about Microsoft's strategy in gaming, and how the world's biggest company is approaching the rapidly growing -- and increasingly unstable --  gaming market. Links  Microsoft is slowly building to a future where ‘every screen is an Xbox - The Verge Microsoft: four Xbox-exclusive games are coming to PS5 and Nintendo Switch – The Verge Sony’s value reportedly dropped by $10 billion following ‘disappointing’ PlayStation financials See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Great Xbox Surrender (PREVIEW)

Last week, OpenAI announced Sora, its text-to-video model. Only a few people have their hands on it, so all we have to go off are example videos provided by OpenAI. But it looks good – and like a leap forward for AI video creation. This has raised lots of questions. How does it work? How much crap is about to flood our internet feeds? And is Hollywood doomed? All these questions and more are answered to a base level of satisfaction in this episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sora: Watch out, Hollyweird!

This is a free preview of a premium episode. To subscribe to Down Round Premiun and get access, head here.  The word on the street is that Sam Altman, the once embattled and now seemingly fine CEO of OpenAI, is currently out in the market trying to raise money for a new microchip-related venture. The amount of money he's raising? Seven trillion dollars, which is about 10% of global GDP. In this episode, we discuss the insane computing requirements of a company like OpenAI, and why Sam might be looking to find a new friend other than Nvidia. Links  Sam Altman Seeks Trillions of Dollars to Reshape Business of Chips and AI – The Wall Street Journal OpenAI Shifts AI Battleground to Software That Operates Devices, Automates Tasks – The Information See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why Is OpenAI's Sam Altman Raising $7 Trillion? (PREVIEW)

One of the big crazes of the last few years was consumer genetic testing. Through services like 23andme and AncestryDNA, regular punters could find out their ethnic background, link up with distant cousins, and find out what mysterious blood illnesses they were genetically predisposed to get. But there is trouble in paradise. 23andme has lost a staggering 98% of its value from its peak, and it has people asking: can you build a real, sustainable business from someone spitting into a tube and mailing to to a lab? We dive in. Links  23andMe’s Fall From $6 Billion to Nearly $0 – The Wall Street Journal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23andme: 30% Irish, 30% English, 30% Scottish, 100% cringe

This is a preview of a premium episode. We're currently running a sale on Down Round Premium – head here to score an annual membership for $49 instead of $70. Only until Sunday Feb 11.  Let's face it: Google Search sucks now. We've talked about it on many episodes, along with the broader conversation about how AI might disrupt it. In this episode, we dig a little deeper. What are the factors that made Google Search so successful, and what are the factors making it no longer fit for purpose? We look at new challengers, like Perplexity, and what Google is doing to prepare for the deprecation of its core business – whenever that may be.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google Search: Why it sucks now, and what's coming next (PREVIEW)

Hey! Down Round is still running a sale on premium membership until Friday February 9. Sign up using this link, and you can get an annual membership for $49 instead of the usual $70.  Today we're diving into the world of Australian startups and venture capital. After the end of the post-COVID tech boom, you might find yourself wondering who is investing in what, and where all the money is going now. Well, you're in luck. To help us unpack what Australian tech investment looks like now – as well as give his hot takes on the tech fads and trends of the past few years – we're joined by Damian Fox, partner at Carthona Capital. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's Going On In Australian VC? (feat. Damian Fox)

This is a preview of a premium episode. We're currently running a sale on Down Round Premium – head here to score an annual membership for $49 instead of $70. Amazing stuff.  Last week, we talked about Apple shaky Vision Pro launch, thanks to a number of key developers saying they wouldn't be making apps for the mixed reality headset. This week, the story continues, with Apple officially unveiling its response to recent EU regulation which would force it to open up access to third-party app stores and payment processors in Europe. Of course, in true Apple fashion, the response is a poison chalice. And it's pissed off everyone from Spotify to Epic Games and all in-between. We discuss. Links  Apple's response Thread by Spotify CEO Daniel Ek See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple vs The EU: Brussels goes sicko mode (PREVIEW)

Hey! Down Round is running a sale on premium membership. Sign up in the next week using this link, and you can get an annual membership for $49 instead of the usual $70.  This week we're talking about the much-hyped weight loss drug Ozempic and its producer, Danish pharma giant Novo Nordisk. Thanks to the crazy success of Ozempic, Novo Nordisk is now literally the biggest company in Europe by market cap. Now the vultures are circling, and a whole bunch of drugmakers are rushing competitors to market. We talk about the drug, the company, it's weirdly 'techy' marketing and where it fits into the incoming universe of biotech and pharma tech. Links  Our episode from last year with Tim Doyle, founder of Australian online pharmacy Eucalyptus. Weight-loss drug maker Novo Nordisk becomes Europe’s most valuable company – FT Ozempic is on the rise. That could be a problem for food companies – CNN See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ozempic: The biggest Danish hit since the Smørrebrød

This is a preview of a premium episode of Down Round. To subscribe and listen to this episode and our full archives, go here.  Twitch, the venerable video game livestreaming platform which has repeatedly attempted to become the livestreaming platform for everyone, recently announced a slew of layoffsf. It also confirmed that the company, owned by Amazon, has never been profitable.  Today, we're talking about Twitch: what it is, the escalating troubles it has faced, and why it and the livestreaming business in general has never quite managed to hit its stride.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Twitch: Give me $20, now (PREVIEW)

Apple is releasing its Vision Pro mixed reality headset in the US next month. But some of the biggest platforms in the world – from Netflix to Spotify – have announced they aren't supporting it from the get go. That's partially because it's a niche device with an uncertain chance of success... but could it also be a rebuke of Apple's notorious developer policies, which have pissed off many people over the past decade and a half? We discuss. Links  Apple’s Testy Developer Relationships Threaten to Hamper Vision Pro – Bloomberg Vision Pro may have an app problem, with developers possibly unwilling to commit to Apple's 'revolutionary' new platform – TechRadar See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Vision Pro Developer Revolt

The age of the AI device is upon us. At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, the undisputed star was the Rabbit R1, a standalone AI companion device which uses a 'large action model' to understand the things you like doing on your apps and platforms, and does them for you.  Will it work? Who knows. But Raph bought one. We discussed the hype about the Rabbit, as well as some of the other currents in AI devices which have emerged since the last time we talked about them. Links  Say Hello to Rabbit R1: A Tiny Orange Box That Trades Phone Apps for AI – CNET See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rabbit R1: Another screen for you to look at -- but with AI!

Over the Xmas break, the New York Times announced it would be suing OpenAI for copyright infringement, alleging that its GPT platform is trained on copyrighted NYT content. This has become a problem, according to the NYT, because OpenAI is now a direct competitor. We dive into the lawsuit, and chat a bit about the media, AI and what the future of content looks like. If you're holding out for the last episode of The Down Round Experience... fear not, it's coming this week. Links  The Times Sues OpenAI and Microsoft Over A.I. Use of Copyrighted Work – NY Times OpenAI's response Sports Illustrated Published Articles by Fake, AI-Generated Writers - Futurism See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New York Times vs OpenAI: Whoever wins, we lose

Happy New Year! We trust you're all well. Today, we're looking back on the 2023 that was – diving into some of the episodes we recorded and checking in how those things landed at the end of the year. These include:  Afterpay/BNPL Crypto and NFTs Tech layoffs Instant groceries Dating apps See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Down Round Experience Pt. 4: Happy New Year

This is part 3 of Down Round's Christmas and New Years production, all recorded in one session. To get every part, sign up to Premium here. The Down Round Community is overflowing with geniuses. The next trillion dollar company will no doubt be founded by someone who is currently paying us $7 a month, representing one of the highest ROI investments anyone could make. For today's episode of the Down Round Experience, we're taking your pitches. Our Discord community came with the ideas, and we're evaluating them in the inaugutal Down Round Shark Tank. Joining us is producer and musician Joyride (Rowan Dix) from The Meeting Tree, whose enterpreneurial nous fills out the panel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Down Round Experience Pt. 3: Enter the Shark Tank (ft. Joyride)

This is part two of our marathon holiday record. This is a preview – the full episode is available for premium subs. Sign up here. The Down Round holiday episodes continue. As the beers continue to flow, we turn our critical attention to another major tech event of December: the hack and leak of Insomniac Games, a first-party developer owned by Sony.  Links  Insomniac finally responds to hack that leaked ‘Wolverine’ game and more – The Verge GTA 6 hacker handed indefinite hospital order – BBC See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Down Round Experience Pt. 2: Hack the planet (PREVIEW)

Welcome to our holiday special. We have recorded a marathon 4 hour podcast with much holiday spirit (we got drunk), and will be dropping it in parts throughout the holiday season. We started with a quick reflection on the latest news: Bird Scooters has gone under, and Adobe's planned acquisition of Figma has collapsed.  Plus, due to listener demand, we explain our not particularly complex recording and editing process. Our original Adobe episode. Descript audio/video editorSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Down Round Experience Pt. 1 - Bird, Figma/Adobe, and how we make this damned thing

We had it all planned out. A huge Xmas bonanza episode featuring guests, fun, laughs and all you could ever want from a Down Round variety show. But then Raph was struck by a mystery illness and we had to delay it by several days. So, until then, enjoy this delightful backup episode where we dig into the world's biggest companies by market cap, and opine on our future. It isn't financial advice. But we would not blame you if you took it that way.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 10 Biggest Companies In The World

This is a preview of a premium post. To subscribe and get the full episode, go here. For many years, Apple has enforced iPhone dominance by refusing to adopt modern text messaging standards, meaning group chats and multimedia messages between iPhones and Android devices has been fundamentally broken. But last month, Apple announced it would adopt the RCS standard. But at the same time, it came down hard on Beeper Mini, an app which purported to bring the locked down iMessage experience to Android. In this ep, we dive into iMessage and the weird politics of the green bubble. Links  Apple has seemingly found a way to block Android’s new iMessage app – The Verge Apple announces that RCS support is coming to iPhone next year - 9to5Mac Google's site pleading Apple to adopt RCS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

iMessage: Visiting the green bubble leper colony (PREVIEW)

Poor Google. What used to be possibly the best business in human history has taken a few heavy body blows after the rise of generative AI, with the folks in Mountain View no longer looking like the obvious winners of the internet age. Though they were instrumental in building our current AI moment, companies like OpenAI are hogging the limelight. But they've been trying to wrestle that crown back. This month, Google announced Gemini, the model it hopes will challenge OpenAI. But will it? It already seems like it won't be that easy. We discuss. Links  The demonstration video Google just launched a new AI and has already admitted at least one demo wasn’t real - The Verge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Google Has Another Red Hot Go At AI

This is a preview of a premium post. To subscribe and get the full episode, go here. You probably know the story by now. Elon Musk replied positively to a weirdo's anti-Semitic post, which led to an advertiser exodus and Elon melting down at the New York Times DealBook conference. Now, X seems increasingly loaded up with crap tier chum advertising, which is never usually a good sign for a platform. Is the company spiralling? Is it at death's door? Who knows, but it's fun to talk about with friends.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The X Advertising Apocalypse (PREVIEW)

We last updated you on the OpenAI drama a couple of weeks ago, right in the middle of it. Back when it looked like Sam Altman was gone, and the future of AI was up in the air. Ah well! Now that the dust has settled, we're reflecting on what we know about what went down, internet arguments about accelerationism vs decelerationism, and what the near future might hold for OpenAI and AI generally. Links  Microsoft to Become Non-Voting Observer in Latest Shake-up of OpenAI Board – The Information Who Is @BasedBeffJezos, The Leader Of The Tech Elite’s ‘E/Acc’ Movement? – Forbes Our episode on AI Doom Become a premium member of Down Round See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Return of Sam Altman

Welcome...to the silly season. We answer a bunch of your questions which allows us to prognosticate about the future with less constraints than the few there are usually. Topics covered include:  Will AI stagnate? Biden's AI regulation framework Can I have $20? How many beers do we typically drink before a podcast? Will VC stop funding boneheads, or is it built into the system?  Sorry if we didn't get to your question, join the discord and ask in there!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Another Down Round Q&A

The day James left for honeymoon, the unthinkable happened; Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, got boned by his board of directors like a dog. How can a man who took a product from 0 to 100 million users in less than a year, who is on top of the world be so unceremoniously dumped by a board of AI doomers and safety dorks? Well, we dragged James away from the margaritas and discussed all the crazy happenings in the first official Down Round emergency pod.  (Also our first remote recording on non-studio mics, soz)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

🚨EMERGENCY POD🚨 Sam Altman Boned from OpenAI

This is a preview of a premium post. To become a member and get access to more episodes plus our lovely Discord server, go here. Since the last time we did an episode about Airbnb, the company has both done well and faced deeper problems. Earnings look pretty good. But it has also faced political problems – like being functionally banned in NYC – plus a general perception that it has gotten shittier.  So, CEO Brian Chesky says he's going to fix it. That means two things: AI, and putting the boot into hosts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Great Airbnb Crying Tour (PREVIEW)

Once again we’re brought back to the world of AI. Sorry, there’s simply no escape. A few things have happened over the past week:  Elon Musk announced Grok, the first model for his new company xAI OpenAI released a new model as well as a host of new consumer features for ChatGPT - many of which put them in direct competition with the developers who are their API customers. We discuss whether the future of OpenAI is as an API, or a consumer tech play. Humane finally announced its ‘AI Pin’. Does this make the Down Round Hot Gadget Guide?  Lots to go over. So we did.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Grok, OpenAI and Humane: OK, it’s getting stupid now

One of the very first things people realised they could do online was sell their crap. Since that realisation, e-commerce has gotten a little more advanced. But online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, eBay and Gumtree still kick along, promising you the opportunity to find great deals as long as you're willing to drive 40 minutes to some guys house. We go through a whirlwind tour of the online marketplace, how it got to where it is, and the forces making them less essential.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Online Marketplaces: 2 podcast mics, poor condition, free to a good home (PREVIEW)

It's official: Sam Bankman-Fried is GUILTY of committing fraud while running his doomed crypto empire at FTX. The crazy-haired freak took down the credibility of the whole sector while doing it.  The trial -- particularly the testimony of Sam's fellow execs at FTX and Alameda -- turned up all sorts of juicy little details. In this ep, we go through them and reminisce on the crypto exchange that was.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The SBF Trial: Confessions of a spreadsheet criminal

This is a preview of a premium episode. To become a member and get access, go here.   It's been a minute since we've checked in on Twitter/X, which has become a playground for whatever Elon Musk thinks is cool at any given moment and yet still has many millions of users. But it certainly hasn't collapsed as some predicted. That said, the situation doesn't look great. The ads haven't come back, users seem to be slipping away, investors are writing down their stake – all while the Israel/Palestine conflict really kicks the tyres of Twitter as an information platform. We dig in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Twitter/X: Checking in on the world's best website (PREVIEW)

Snitch Tech. One of the weirdest trends in tech over the last decade has been the spread of surveillance tech for consumers. Everything from Ring doorbells from Amazon to facial recognition AI and family location tracking software has made it a breeze to film, track and trace your fellow citizens. But it goes deeper. Social networks for ratting out your neighbour. Weird Nextdoor threads. Number plate recognition software for landlords. We're coining it SNITCH TECH, and we're talking about it today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Snitch Tech: You haven't been talking to the cops have ya mate?

This is a preview of a premium episode. To become a member of Down Round Premium, head here. Nintendo has made some of the most popular consumer products of all time, and also invented Mario. Pretty great run! But it's also an interesting business, with a relatively unique approach within the gaming industry and beyond. As the rumoured announcement of the Switch 2 draws ever nearer, we chat about the House of Mario and what makes it tick.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nintendo: Oh yeah, that Italian fella (PREVIEW)

The first iPad was released over a decade ago and pitched as a bold new frontier for consumer computing. It helped kill the netbook and spawned generations of copycat tablets from Android manufacturers and Microsoft. But it hasn't really played out all that well. In fact – despite selling a healthy number of them – the iPad sometimes seems like a mostly forgotten product range, with confusing options and not much by way of innovation. What gives? Are tablets in general a dead end? We discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

iPad: The optimal device for concert photography

Wow! We're checking in on OpenAI again. Reporting over the weekend confirmed that the company is on track to book over $1 billion of revenue this year – suggesting this whole AI thing might have an actual consumer base. Meanwhile, the company released a handful of new features for ChatGPT which demonstrate just how hard they're going for it. We discuss. Links  OpenAI’s Revenue Crossed $1.3 Billion Annualized Rate, CEO Tells Staff - The Information DALL·E 3 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

OpenAI: I'm sorry, I can't help with that request

Elon Musk may be a complete weirdo these days, but SpaceX is still a pretty cool company. Started to assist mankind in its journey to Mars, it has been the leading company in the world of private spaceflight, and the undisputed king of satellite tech.  In this ep we talk about SpaceX, Starlink, the various forces which made it successful, and speculate on what jobs we will have on Mars.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SpaceX: Two idiots go to Mars

YouTube is indisputably the king of online video, and has been virtually since it launched in 2005. It's part of the infrastructure of the internet, and has imprinted itself on the culture through a combo of its algorithmic recommendations engine and sheer scale. But in the age of TikTok, can YouTube be toppled? In this episode, we talk through YouTube's history, key points in its development, and what its future might look like. Also, sadly, YouTubers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

YouTube: Please, hit that like and subscribe

This is a preview of a premium episode. To subscribe and get an extra episode every week, go here. These days it seems just about everyone can make professional looking video. Thanks to the video production tools available to the average user of TikTok, Zoomers are better at editing video than millennials ever were. It leaves the question: what are the classic pro video platforms like Avid, Adobe Premiere and Apple Final Cut Pro doing? At the same time, music production seems like a harder problem to make simple for the masses. In this ep, we dive into the current situation around audio and video production. Links  Bill Gates tries to install Movie Maker – Internal Tech Emails See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Audio & Video Production: Boops, bleeps, etc (PREVIEW)

Among the numerous announcements made at this year's Meta Connect was a new generation of its smart glasses, developed with Ray-Bans. Aside from the usual stuff about capturing photos and listening to audio, Mark Zuckerberg casually dropped that he thinks they will soon be an interface into conversational AI. It comes as there are rumours of other companies considering AI devices, like OpenAI working with former Apple design boss Jony Ive. In this ep, we dive in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI Devices: Hitting the discotheque in your Facebook Ray-Bans

Digital identity references a simple idea: how much a computer system knows about you. But, just like everything else, it's a bit weird these days. People have increasingly fractious online identities, even as the platforms we use and our own governments collect more and more data about us. This episode, we discuss changes in digital identity, and Raph gets to go off about his deep and unabiding love of the surveillance state.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digital identity: Show us yer licence, guvna (PREVIEW)

The smartphone camera arms race seems to be a little less intense these days, but the quality of a phone camera remains one of the major reasons people choose to upgrade – especially when most iPhone and Android devices have been basically the same black glass rectangle for a decade now.  But there's only so much circuitry and lens technology you can cram into a phone. So much of the development has been software level, with machine learning and AI doing heavy algorithmic work to make your photos pop. This ranges from automatic red eye removal and saturation adjustment all the way up to faked photos of the moon. So we ask the bold question: where does smartphone photography go from here? And does it really matter if the photos your phone is taking don't really reflect reality? Links  Samsung caught faking zoom photos of the Moon - The Verge Artificial intelligence and the future of smartphone photography - ZDNet Your smartphone photos are totally fake – and you love it - Washington Post See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phone Cameras: But like... what is a photo, man?

If you pay any attention to tech or VC Twitter, Flexport will have crossed your radar. A freight forwarding business which wants to do for supply chains what Stripe did for payments, Flexport (and its founder Ryan Petersen) has become one of the most hyped startups among a certain flavour of tech poster. Petersen also became a well-known talking head during the COVID supply chain crisis. The company is in the news because Petersen sacked his successor, former Amazon logistics boss Dave Clarke, and has returned to the helm amid a revenue collapse. In this ep, we talk about Flexport, logistics, and what the heck's going on. Links  Flexport CEO Dave Clark resigns from logistics startup after one year in the role - CNBC Can Ryan Petersen Fix Flexport? - The Information See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Flexport: Container go on ship (PREVIEW)

Unity is one of the most popular game engines in the world, powering everything from a solid chunk of the mobile gaming universe to bigger console and PC games. Last week, it managed to annoy basically all of its customers by announcing a new, highly extractive pricing model. In this episode, we dive into what a game engine does, the rise of Unity, and why making everyone who uses your product homicidally angry is the bold marketing move of 2023. Links  Unity plan pricing and packaging updates - Unity Unity plans to change its disastrous new pricing program - The Verge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unity: How to piss off developers with one simple trick

This is a preview of a premium episode. To sign up for Down Round Premium and get an extra episode every week, go here.  This week brought news that Clubhouse, the social audio streaming platform endlessly hyped during the early pandemic, has pivoted away from its original purpose and is now trying to become sort of a group chat for audio instead. It's as good a time as any to talk about social audio, the way people share audio online, and why it's such a tough nut to crack. Links  Clubhouse reinvents itself as an audio messaging app - The Verge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Social Audio: Kicked out of the Clubhouse (PREVIEW)

Wikipedia is one of the most popular websites on earth, and an example of a quasi-utopian internet project which has kind of worked out in the end – and managed to stick around too. Despite some evident problems, it all works surprisingly well. To help us understand Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation which manages it – and the weird world of the editors who keep it functional – we're joined by author Richard Cooke, who is currently writing a book about it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wikipedia: Leave your citations at the door (feat. Richard Cooke)

This is a preview of a premium episode. To sign up for Down Round Premium and get an extra episode a week, go here.  Canva is one of Australia's most successful tech companies. It has proven pretty disruptive to the global design landscape, with its template-based offering making it relatively easy for even novices with zero taste to make stuff that looks pretty good. In this ep, we talk about Canva's effect on design, and where it might go next to justify its sky-high valuation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canva: Graphic designers, your terrible reign is over (PREVIEW)

MrBeast is the most popular individual YouTuber, with over 180 million subscribers. He makes a lot of sleekly produced videos where he gives away money, cars, islands and life-altering surgeries. To some, he is history's greatest philanthropist. To others, he's deeply evil in a way that is hard to articulate. Which side of the divide you fall on is mostly a generational thing. To help us understand the man, the business and the phenomenon that is MrBeast, we're joined by writer Max Read, who formerly edited Gawker and has written for New York Magazine, The New York Times, and The New York Times Magazine. (And possibly other New York related publications.) Max recently authored a feature article for the NYT on MrBeast, making him well-placed to take us on this dark odyssey into the heart of YouTube. Max also writes a newsletter called Read Max, which you should subscribe to.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MrBeast: Staring into the YouTube abyss (feat. Max Read)

This is a preview of a premium episode. To sign up for Down Round Premium and get an extra episode a week, go here.  A fun one for you this week. Over the past few weeks, we've been blessed with many news stories about Bryan Johnson, the tech billionaire who is putting his considerable wealth towards becoming functionally immortal through a weird diet, militant sleep schedule, and injecting himself with his son's blood. Pretty neat! On this episode, we discuss Johnson's quest, and where it fits in with recent Silicon Valley fixation on biotech and the physical sciences.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's up with the anti-ageing vampire billionaire? (PREVIEW)

Snapchat was one of the major social media platforms of the 2010s, and still remains pretty popular with the kids. It helped create much of the modern social media landscape, but hasn't been able to turn that into lasting wins -- in no small part because every innovation it comes up with is pretty quickly cloned by its biggest rival, Instagram. Now it finds itself in a precarious position, with parent company Snap Inc reporting a decline in revenue and the company trying just about every pivot Down Round loves to see, from AI to augmented reality. Links  Snap plunges on first-quarter revenue miss - CNBC Snapchat is releasing its own AI chatbot powered by ChatGPT - The Verge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Snap: We're bringing the dog ears filter back

This is a preview of a premium episode. Sign up for Down Round Premium here. One of the most enduring rumours in tech markets and investing subreddits is that Apple is on the cusp of buying Disney and integrating its IP and content into Apple's tech and distribution network. It's like a sick fantasy for guys with no lives and ZERO swag. It seems pretty unlikely. But with news that returned CEO Bob Iger could be planning to break up the empire and sell off assets like ESPN, the rumour mill is kicking back into gear. We ask the question: should Apple buy at least PART of Disney?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should Apple buy Disney? (PREVIEW)

QR code menus became popular during the pandemic, when everyone collectively decided it was much safer to have your beers delivered to the table at the pub instead of walking up yourself. Now there are a million different providers of QR code menus. But but how does it all work, and is it actually a good business? We dig in. For an extra episode each week, and no ads, subscribe to Down Round premium here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

QR Code Menus: Parma Button Activated

Big news, WeWork fans! The company has announced that it is hurtling towards bankruptcy, with serious doubts about its capacity to continue as a “going concern”. For those who haven’t been paying attention for the past couple of years and assumed it was bankrupt and out of business anyway, this will be a shock.
In today’s ep, we take a tour through the WeWork story — particularly what it has been up to since its famous IPO collapse in 2019.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WeWork: A pre-post-postmortem

Recent years have seen a surge in telehealth and online health delivery — from essential prescriptions to more discretionary health spending. Everyone from smaller boutique startups to Amazon want a slice of the pie. There’s a big debate in the medical community about so-called ‘asynchronous care’ — where a patient and doctor communicate through non-live online services. Pharmacists, already rattled by the retail revolution led by Chemist Warehouse, are also mad about this stuff.
Today we’re joined by Tim Doyle, founder of online healthcare company Eucalyptus, who gives a window into how this stuff works in Australia. And maybe beyond. (No promises.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Press Button, Receive Pharmaceuticals (feat. Tim Doyle)

Twitter is no more. From the ashes rises X, Elon Musk’s cringely-named attempt to actualise one of his long term goals: building an everything app. Musk wants X to be the central place where you post, shop, send money, access financial services and do whatever else it is you do as part of being alive on the planet.
In this episode we dive into the idea of the everything app, and why tech companies have been chasing that dream for at least a decade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elon Musk, X and the promise of the 'everything app'

It’s been a while since we’ve done a Q&amp;A episode, and we know your pressing questions have been accumulating for months. We’re sorry we let it get so desperate.
Thank you to our subscribers on Substack and Twitter (X???) who sent in questions. If we didn’t make it to you, there’s a good chance we’ve got a whole ep planned in future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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