Decoder is a show from The Verge about big ideas — and other problems. Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel talks to a diverse cast of innovators and policymakers at the frontiers of business and technology to reveal how they’re navigating an ever-changing landscape, what keeps them up at night, and what it all means for our shared future.
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Lyft CEO David Risher discusses his leadership role and the company's turnaround, emphasizing a strategic focus on customer obsession and refining its cost structure. He addresses the evolving landscape of ride-sharing, including the impact of AI agents and the transition to autonomous vehicles, outlining Lyft's strategies for maintaining strong driver relationships and differentiating its service. The conversation also explores the complexities of driver compensation, competitive pricing, and Lyft's plans for international expansion and enhanced loyalty programs to connect people with the physical world.
This is Sarah Jeong, features editor at The Verge . I’m standing in for Nilay for one final Thursday episode here as he settles back into full-time hosting duties. Today, we’ve got a fun one. I’m talking to Cory Doctorow, prolific author, internet activist, and arguably one of the fiercest tech critics writing today. He has a new book out called Enshittifcation: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It . So I sat down with Cory to discuss what enshittification is, why it’s happe...
LexisNexis is one of the most important companies in the entire legal system. For ages it's been where you went to look up case law and do legal research. There isn’t a lawyer today who hasn’t used it — it’s fundamental infrastructure for the legal profession, just like email or a word processor. But in 2025, apparently nobody can resist the siren call of AI, and LexisNexis is no different. The first word Sean said to describe LexisNexis wasn’t “law” or “data,” it was “AI.” And I had questions, ...
General Motors CEO Mary Barra and Chief Product Officer Sterling Anderson detail GM's strategic moves, from integrating Google Gemini AI and launching advanced EV platforms like the 2028 Escalade IQ with Level 3 autonomous driving, to expanding into home energy and robotics. They address the challenges of a volatile car market, including declining EV demand, changing tax credits, and the impact of tariffs. The discussion also covers GM's controversial decision to remove Apple CarPlay from its EVs, emphasizing a long-term vision for integrated in-vehicle software and safety.
Nilay Patel returns to Decoder to interview Zocdoc CEO Oliver Kharraz live at Tech Futures. They discuss Zocdoc's evolution beyond a simple booking app, its unique position in the complex US healthcare market, and the limited demand for telehealth in most medical fields. The conversation deeply explores the impact of AI on healthcare, including Zocdoc's use of AI for scheduling and matching, the shift from "Dr. Google" to "Dr. AI," and the ethical boundaries of AI in medical advice. Kharraz also shares his perspective on Zocdoc's business model, its competitive moat against new tech giants, and the future of price transparency in healthcare.
This episode delves into the significant implications of the federal EV tax credit's expiration on the U.S. auto industry. Guest Andy Hawkins explains how the $7,500 incentive, designed to boost domestic EV adoption and combat climate change, was politically eliminated, leading to anticipated sales drops and financial hits for major automakers. The discussion explores automakers' failed attempts to circumvent the expiration, the immediate market response with temporary discounts, and the crucial need for a fundamental shift in manufacturing processes to produce profitable, affordable EVs to compete with China's dominance. It also questions the future commitment of companies to electrification as regulatory pressures ease.
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Guest host Hayden Field and Imbue CEO Kanjun Qiu dive into the week's major AI news, dissecting OpenAI's Dev Day announcements, particularly the "iOS of AI" vision for ChatGPT apps and the broader debate on centralized platforms versus decentralized, user-controlled AI. They explore the rapid rise of Sora's AI-generated video, its societal implications for misinformation and copyright, and the ethical responsibility of tech developers. The discussion concludes by examining AI's growing role in job screening, its inherent biases, and the critical need for laws and empowering technologies to balance power dynamics between users and platforms.
Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe joins Joanna Stern to discuss the company's strategic shift toward more accessible vehicles like the R2, addressing the competitive landscape dominated by Chinese EV manufacturers and the impact of tariffs on US production. Scaringe defends Rivian's decision to forgo CarPlay, emphasizing their integrated software experience and plans for advanced AI-powered autonomous driving, while also tackling recent reliability concerns.
This episode delves into the capabilities and future of AI agents with Anthropic's David Hershey, focusing on the new Claude Sonnet 4.5 model. It highlights Sonnet 4.5's breakthroughs in autonomous coding, including its ability to build a chat application over 30 hours, and explores unexpected industry adoptions like legal AI. The discussion also covers current limitations such as spatial awareness, the challenges of integration, and how Anthropic views the evolution of human-AI collaboration.
Jim Farley, Ford CEO, outlines the strategic shift with the new Universal EV Platform, designed to produce more affordable and efficient EVs by 2027. He candidly addresses the fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers like BYD and the necessity of innovating to deliver lower-cost electric vehicles independently of government subsidies. Farley also champions the revitalization of blue-collar jobs, advocating for a societal re-evaluation of skilled trades, and discusses the complexities of tariffs and the future of in-car digital experiences, including AI integration and balancing Apple CarPlay with Ford's own platforms.
This is Hayden Field, senior AI reporter at The Verge — and your Thursday episode guest host. I have another couple of shows for you while Nilay is out on parental leave, and we’re going to be spending more time diving into some of the unforeseen consequences of the generative AI boom. Today, I’m talking with Heidy Khlaaf, who is chief AI scientist at the AI Now Institute, about the tech industry’s shift toward AI military applications. I wanted to know what’s motivated this shift, and why Heidy...
Guest host Hank Green converses with Dropout CEO Sam Reich about the unusual journey of his company, from acquiring CollegeHumor for $0 and laying off nearly all staff at the start of COVID, to building a thriving subscription comedy platform. They delve into Dropout's unique business model, emphasizing creative autonomy and a "no shareholders" approach that enables worker-friendly policies like profit sharing, and explore how organic social media drives their highly engaged audience. Sam shares his passion for fostering a "walled garden of weird" content in an increasingly fractured media landscape.
Hayden Field and Kashmir Hill delve into how AI chatbots like ChatGPT can significantly affect users' mental health, including cases of AI-induced delusions and a tragic teen suicide after confiding deeply in ChatGPT. They discuss the "mirror" effect of AI, where personalization can lead to harmful feedback loops, and question whether AI companies are genuinely surprised by these outcomes given their design for engagement. The conversation also explores the inadequacy of current safeguards, the challenges of regulation, and the broader societal trade-offs between AI's functionality and user safety.
Guest host Hank Green, a career YouTuber and e-commerce owner, sits down with Digitas CEO Amy Lanzi to demystify the world of digital marketing. They discuss the evolution from traditional advertising to a data-driven, diversified approach across multiple channels, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities presented by AI and the creator economy. Lanzi shares insights on personalized consumer engagement, the role of agencies in a complex ecosystem, and the critical distinction between creators and influencers, ultimately debating if advertising is getting easier or harder.
This is Alex Heath. For my final episode as your Thursday episode guest host, I recently sat down with Bret Taylor, the CEO of AI startup Sierra and the chairman of OpenAI, for a live event in San Francisco hosted by Alix Partners. Bret has worked at Google, Facebook, and Salesforce in high-level, executive roles, and he led Twitter’s board during Elon Musk’s takeover, so very few people have seen the tech industry up close like Bret has. Now, he’s all in on AI. We covered a lot of ground in thi...
Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, discusses the organization's evolution, its shift towards formal school partnerships, and the groundbreaking launch of Schoolhouse.world for peer-to-peer tutoring and college admissions. He delves into Khan Academy's early adoption of AI, specifically Khanmigo, exploring its functional development, motivational potential, and the broader implications for the future of education. Khan also reflects on the "strange incentives" within the education sector and the ongoing debate about AI's role in content creation and its impact on human connection in learning.
This episode delves into the complex legal and ethical battle surrounding OpenAI's desire to transition from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity, while still maintaining some nonprofit oversight. Guests Catherine Bracey and Orson Aylad from Eyes on OpenAI discuss the coalition's challenge to ensure OpenAI adheres to its original mission of benefiting humanity and properly manages its charitable assets. They highlight the implications for the broader AI industry, the need for transparent governance, and the potential for a dangerous precedent if OpenAI avoids its legal obligations regarding its tax-exempt status.
Bookshop CEO Andy Hunter details the company's remarkable growth and mission to create an alternative to Amazon for book sales, empowering independent bookstores. He explains Bookshop's unique business model, ethical commitments, and how it navigates challenges like restrictive app store fees and Amazon's e-reader dominance. Hunter also discusses the broader cultural fight for free speech in books and his vision for a more open, portable digital library that supports authors and local communities.
Sean Illing and journalist James Walsh discuss the widespread use of AI for cheating in colleges, from generating essays to coding assignments, and its profound impact on students, professors, and administrators. They explore varying student perspectives, the challenges professors face in policing AI use, and the administrators' reluctance to confront what some see as an "extinction-level threat" to higher education. The conversation also touches on the personal and societal implications of a potential "post-literate" world and how AI could exacerbate existing inequalities.
Host Alex Heath talks with David Luan, head of Amazon's AGI Research Lab, about the current state and future of AI agents. Luan discusses why he believes progress in large language models (LLMs) is slowing and how Amazon is betting on agents, using a unique self-play and simulated environment approach to overcome current reliability issues. The conversation also explores the strategic value of AGI for Amazon, the evolving AI talent market, and Luan's career shift from startup Adept to leading Amazon's AGI efforts. He shares insights on what's next in the AI race and the importance of novel product form factors beyond chatbots.
In this episode, Obsidian CEO Steph Ango explains the note-taking app's distinct philosophy, emphasizing local Markdown files, user data ownership, and a strong community-driven plugin ecosystem, setting it apart from competitors like Notion. Ango, a former superfan turned CEO, discusses Obsidian's flat organizational structure, sustainable business model, and cautious approach to integrating AI, prioritizing user privacy and a tool that enhances rather than replaces thinking. He also shares personal insights on how Obsidian has fundamentally improved his own thought process, allowing for serendipitous connections and deeper ideation.
This episode features an interview with Nick Turley, OpenAI's head of ChatGPT, delving into the recent GPT-5 rollout and the unexpected user backlash over the removal of the previous 4.0 model, highlighting deep user attachment to AI personalities. Turley explains OpenAI's evolving strategies for model deprecation, addressing negative societal impacts of AI, and exploring future monetization beyond subscriptions, including commerce and the potential for ChatGPT to evolve far beyond its current chatbot form factor into a 'super assistant.'
Ivan Zhao, co-founder and CEO of Notion, delves into his company's unique "Lego for software" vision, aiming to bundle fragmented productivity tools into a customizable, all-in-one platform. He discusses Notion's journey, including a major reboot, its current profitability, and its rapid evolution into an AI workspace, where AI serves as an amplifying "teammate" to enhance human creativity and efficiency. Zhao also explores the challenges and opportunities of AI integration, from new development paradigms to market strategies, envisioning a future where AI agents streamline knowledge work for businesses.
GitHub CEO Thomas Dohmke provides an in-depth look at the current state and future of AI coding, including the rise of "vibe coding" and the challenges of integrating AI-generated code into complex systems. He discusses the changing role of developers from direct coding to managing AI agents, the intense competition in the AI coding market, and GitHub's strategic partnerships and financial success within Microsoft. The episode also touches on the broader implications of AI adoption for businesses and the path to artificial general intelligence.
Host Casey Newton interviews Michael Truell, CEO of Anysphere and creator of Cursor AI, an automated programming platform. They discuss Cursor's rapid adoption among professional coders, its proprietary AI models, and the profound impact of AI on programming productivity. The conversation also explores the concept of "vibe coding" for amateurs, the technical challenges in AI development, Anysphere's company culture, and lessons learned from a recent pricing change.
This episode explores the intense AI talent wars, revealing why top researchers command NBA All-Star level salaries and how major tech companies are fiercely competing for their expertise. It delves into Meta's aggressive recruitment strategies and the emerging trend of "reverse acqui-hires" where tech giants cherry-pick talent from startups rather than acquiring entire companies. The discussion also covers what truly motivates these highly sought-after individuals beyond money, including access to resources like GPUs and alignment with company vision.
Host Jon Fortt speaks with Richard Robinson, CEO of Robin AI, about the evolving landscape of AI in the legal profession. They discuss how Robin AI leverages advanced models to help businesses navigate complex legal challenges, from contract management to regulatory compliance. The conversation also delves into the ethical considerations of AI, particularly regarding hallucinations and the distinction between facts and truth, and explores how AI can both reinforce biases and empower the pursuit of truth through tools like gamified debate.
This is Alex Heath, your Thursday episode guest host. Today I'm talking with Gaurav Misra, the CEO of Captions. You may not have heard of Captions yet, but by now, you’ve probably seen a video that was generated using its AI models. The company’s Mirage Studio platform lets anyone generate AI versions of real people, and the results are alarmingly realistic. Captions just put out a blog post titled, “We Build Synthetic Humans. Here’s What’s Keeping Us Up at Night.” It’s a good overview of the st...
This is Jon Fortt, CNBC journalist. I’m guest-hosting for a couple more episodes of Decoder this summer while Nilay is out on parental leave. Today, I’m talking with a very special guest: Gil Duran, an old friend, journalist, and author of The Nerd Reich , a newsletter and forthcoming book about the shifting politics of Silicon Valley and the rise of tech authoritarianism. Links: Is Peter Thiel the Antichrist? NYT didn’t think to ask | The Nerd Reich How tech authoritarianism becomes reality | T...
