Pivot - podcast cover

Pivot

New York Magazinenymag.com
Every Tuesday and Friday, tech journalist Kara Swisher and NYU Professor Scott Galloway offer sharp, unfiltered insights into the biggest stories in tech, business, and politics. They make bold predictions, pick winners and losers, and bicker and banter like no one else. After all, with great power comes great scrutiny. From New York Magazine and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Episodes

Cable Wars, FTC vs. Amazon, and Elon vs. the ADL

Scott is back! He and Kara waste no time digging into Charter vs. Disney and the FTC’s possible Amazon suit. Our Friend of Pivot is CEO and National Chair of the Anti-Defamation League, Jonathan Greenblatt. He shares his thoughts on being on the receiving end of Elon Musk's latest tweetstorm. You can follow Jonathan at @JGreenblattADL. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nym...

Sep 08, 20231 hr 15 minEp. 435

Land of the Giants: How Tesla Became the Elon Musk Co.

Not many people can name the original founders of Tesla. So how did two guys who wanted to build an electric car create a company synonymous with Elon Musk? Listen to more from Land of the Giants here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sep 05, 202338 min

The Apple Vision Pro, Being Present, and Scott’s Hair

Scott Free August is over, welcome to Scottember! As we head into the holiday weekend, Kara and Scott open the listener mail bag to answer questions about whether we’ve hit peak Apple, how to stay present with kids, and what to do when you’re working for a company whose policies don't match your morals. Plus, do Apple Vision Pros make you look rich?! And when was Scott's last good hair day? Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choi...

Sep 01, 202347 minEp. 434

Electric Vehicles, Tech Giant Land Grab and Co-Host Joanna Stern

Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern is Kara's co-host as Scott-free August comes to an end. They explore how Trump's mugshot is spawning merch from the right and the left, and what to expect from the upcoming iPhone 15. Then, Joanna's investigation into the best EVs on the market and why a group of Silicon Valley elite is buying up land in northern California. Our Friend of Pivot is Professor Peter Turchin, author of "End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegra...

Aug 29, 20231 hr 4 minEp. 433

GOP Debate, AI in Medicine and the Right Wing's New Favorite Song with Co-Hosts Louie Swisher and Dr. Jeffrey Swisher

All in the family! Kara's son Louie Swisher and her brother Dr. Jeffrey Swisher join her to co-host. The trio discuss Ronan Farrow's new reporting on Elon Musk and Oliver Anthony's hit song "Rich Men North of Richmond." Then, they survey the current GOP primary field and discuss the pros and cons of AI in medicine. You can follow Jeff on Twitter at @jeffreyswisher. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling...

Aug 25, 202354 minEp. 432

The Future of Threads, Biotech, and Education

A minor break in Scott-Free August (because Scott misses you all): Kara and Scott open the listener mail bag to answer your questions about Instagram Threads, biotech, and education. Stick around to hear a listener call in from a cornfield, and about the origins of the Kara and Scott relationship. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aug 22, 202341 minEp. 431

Trump Indictments, Blind Side Drama, and Co-Host Don Lemon

Journalist and anchor Don Lemon joins Kara for his first major conversation about leaving CNN, what he's been doing since, and what he's planning to do next. He also chats with Kara about the Trump indictments, The Blind Side family's controversy, and more. You can follow Don at @donlemonofficial. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at @pivotpodcastofficial. Follow us on TikTok at @pivotpodcast. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad ...

Aug 18, 202359 minEp. 430

Maui Fires, the Hollywood Strikes, and Co-Host George Hahn

George Hahn is back to join Kara as co-host! They discuss the latest in the Zuckerberg v. Musk cage match, Sam Bankman-Fried reporting to jail, and Donald Trump’s looming fourth indictment. Then, the Maui wildfire is now the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century, and the Writers’ Guild went back to the table with producers. Then, we’re joined by co-creator of the RuPublicans, Craig DeForest. You can follow the RuPublicans at @rupublicans on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram and Threads at...

Aug 15, 202359 minEp. 429

Twitter’s Trump Warrant, and An Abortion Rights Win in Ohio with Co-Host Will Hurd

Republican presidential candidate joins Will Hurd joins Kara as co-host to discuss aging politicians, an FEC efforts to regulate AI in campaign ads, and of course, Barbie. Then, they talk about what the Ohio special election means for the GOP's anti-abortion stance, and whether Trump's legal woes can clear a path for other Republican candidates. You can find Will Hurd on Twitter at @WillHurd. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad ch...

Aug 11, 202356 minEp. 428

Tech Money in Politics, SBF, and Billion-Dollar Barbie with Co-Host Teddy Schleifer

Puck's Teddy Schleifer is Kara's co-host, chatting about Sam Bankman-Fried’s legal woes, Barbie hitting $1 billion, and the Musk v. Zuckerberg cage fight. Then, Donald Trump’s response to his latest indictment, and the money behind the presidential candidates. Then we’re joined by Friend of Pivot and political pollster, Frank Luntz to make sense of the latest poll numbers on the 2024 election. You can follow Teddy at @teddyschleifer, and read his work at Puck.News. Send us your questions by call...

Aug 08, 20231 hr 15 minEp. 427

Trump's Latest Indictment, Strike Update, and Co-Host Savannah Guthrie

We’re starting off Scott Free August strong with TODAY co-host Savannah Guthrie. Kara and Savannah give us a look behind the scenes at how they've prepared for and pulled off some of their most notable interviews, including sitdowns with President Trump, Kamala Harris, Mark Zuckerberg, and more. Also: X will now let users hide their verified checkmarks, Hollywood writers and sudio representatives are expected to meet, and President Trump’s third criminal case of the year. You can find Savannah c...

Aug 04, 20231 hr 11 minEp. 426

Elon Musk’s Outer Space, Scott-Free August Preview, and Guest Ian Rogers

Kara and Scott discuss the comeback of the Chevy Bolt, and Scott’s thoughts on Barbie. Also, what should the government do about the dominance of the Starlink? We preview the guest hosts and topics coming up in Scott-Free August. Plus, we talk crypto with Friend of Pivot and Ledger’s Chief Experience Officer, Ian Rogers. You can find Ian on Twitter at @iancr. Leave us questions and comments at 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adcho...

Aug 01, 20231 hr 11 minEp. 425

Big Tech Earnings, College Admissions Controversies, and UFOs

Kara and Scott talk about the latest interest rate hike, Mitch McConnell’s health scare, and whether the aliens are finally here or not. Plus, it’s earnings season, and the AI effect is making money moves for Big Tech. Then, should colleges do away with legacy admissions? And a listener question about the future of EV charging. We’ve got some more listener mail episodes coming your way soon, so send us your questions! Call 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. ...

Jul 28, 202357 minEp. 424

The X Factor, AI Guardrails, and a Barbenheimer Post-Mortem

Kara and Scott discuss a huge weekend at the box office, and Jeff Bezos' renewed interest in The Washington Post. Plus, WTF is Elon doing with his Twitter re-brand? Also, Big Tech agrees to some AI safety commitments, will they be enough? Friend of Pivot Alondra Nelson led the development of the Biden Administration's Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, she joins us to discuss. You can find Alondra on Twitter…or X…at @alondra. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 25, 20231 hr 10 minEp. 423

Barbenheimer, AI in the Newsroom, and Scott Doubles Down

Kara's got the latest from the Barbie premiere, where YES she saw Mr and Mrs. Gaetz. Scott has some more thoughts on who the real enemy is in the Hollywood strikes (and it's not him!) The government has Big Tech in its crosshairs with the latest proposed M&A guidelines, Google pitches an AI news writing product, and Scott really does think Trump will drop out. But above all, stick around for the listener mail from 10-year-old Henry, who's ready to make some money on the stock market. We’ve got s...

Jul 21, 202350 minEp. 422

Bob Iger’s Rough Ride, Record-Breaking Heat Waves and Guest Ashlee Vance

Kara and Scott discuss Tesla’s Cybertruck, Tucker Carlson’s new media company, and a drop in Threads engagement. Also, Bob One’s contract has been extended after a rough first year, and SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher has him in her crosshairs. Plus, Earth is experiencing its hottest days on record. What does that mean for politics and infrastructure? Then we’re joined by Friend of Pivot Ashlee Vance to talk all things space and Elon Musk. You can find Ashlee on Twitter at @ashleevance and can...

Jul 18, 20231 hr 17 minEp. 421

Zuck's Second Chance, Lina Khan's Losing Streak, and More

Kara and Scott discuss actors joining writers on the picket line, and Ticketmaster vs. Taylor Swift fans, again.* Also, Threads hit 100 million users in just five days, does its success give Mark Zuckerberg a chance to atone for the sins of his other products? Or will Elon Musk just drag him down into a *checks notes* “literal dick measuring contest.” Plus, the FTC is on an antitrust losing streak, and a listener disagrees with Kara on nuclear energy. You can listen to Kara’s interview with Jake...

Jul 14, 20231 hr 12 minEp. 420

Tesla’s Chargers, The Writers’ Strike, and What Global Policies Will Save the World

Will Tesla’s Charging network provoke the FTC? Can writers take control of their intellectual property? Can our electrical infrastructure support EV expansion? And what global policies could help us prevent technological disaster? Kara and Scott open the listener mailbag…and find Scott a new nickname in the process. We’ve got some more listener mail episodes coming your way soon, so send us your questions! Call 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcas...

Jul 11, 202347 minEp. 419

Meta’s Threads, and A Major First Amendment Ruling

Kara and Scott discuss Apple hitting a $3 trillion valuation, China announcing export restrictions on minerals used in the production of semiconductors, and GQ pulling an article critiquing David Zaslav. Also: Meta’s Twitter competitor, Threads is officially here and racking in the downloads. A certain someone isn’t so happy about that. Plus, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction to prohibit certain communications between the Biden administration and social media sites. And a listener ...

Jul 07, 202358 minEp. 418

The Economy, the Media, and Fatherhood — with Kai Ryssdal

Kai Ryssdal, the host and senior editor of Marketplace, joins Scott to discuss the state of the economy and his take on the media. We also learn how Kai approaches fatherhood and his thoughts on being a good partner. Follow Kai on Twitter, @kairyssdal. Scott opens by discussing masculinity, his time at Cannes, and the fact that the number of billionaires in the world has increased five-fold over the past two decades. Listen to more from The Prof G Pod here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...

Jul 04, 202354 min

Psychedelics in Silicon Valley, and Restrictions on AI Chip Exports

Donald Trump may soon return to Twitter, new F1 team owners, and Wheel of Fortune’s Vanna White wants a raise. Then, psychedelics have a hold on tech industry culture, and the US is considering restrictions on exports of AI chip to China. Plus, a listener question on how local governments can retain talent. Send us your questions by calling us at 855-51-PIVOT, or via Yappa, at nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 30, 20231 hrEp. 417

Rebellion in Russia, Titan Fallout, and Guest Jason Del Rey

Breaking news: Kara Swisher will not referee the cage match between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Also, SpaceX is looking to up its valuation, and Meta wants to shut down access to news in Canada. And this weekend’s insurrection in Russia revealed how unequipped social media is to cover breaking news. Plus, an investigation into the Titan submersible implosion may lead to new regulations. Will the same happen for space travel? Then we’re joined by Friend of Pivot, Jason Del Rey on the decades-l...

Jun 27, 20231 hr 9 minEp. 416

Tesla’s Rising Value, Meta’s AI, and Twitter’s Ad Problem

Kara and Scott are live at Cannes! They discuss Tesla’s market value going up a quarter of a trillion dollars, and Meta letting advertisers know how it’s competing in the AI space. Plus, Twitter’s Head of Ad Sales attended Cannes to assure brands their ads wouldn’t appear near all the bad stuff, and meanwhile GLAAD named Twitter the most dangerous platform for LGBTQ+ people. Then, some questions from the audience. We’ve got some listener mail episodes coming your way soon, so send us your questi...

Jun 23, 202350 minEp. 415

Google’s Sundar Pichai Talks Seach, AI, and Dancing with Microsoft

Nilay Patel, editor in chief of The Verge, talks to Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google and Alphabet about what he thinks of the future of search, and his vision for Google.Listen to more from Nilay in the feed of Decoder with Nilay Patel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 20, 202344 minEp. 414

E.U. Tech Regulation, Bud Light Sales, and Kara Tries the Apple Vision Pro

Kara has a pretty rave review of Apple's Vision Pro, but can she sell Scott on trying it out? Also, E.U is on a tear of technology regulation, including antitrust charges for Google over its advertising practices, and regulation for AI. Plus, Bud Light sales are in a slump following the brand’s handling of the Dylan Mulvaney controversy. And a listener question on what Kara and Scott would do if they were in Linda Yaccarino’s shoes. We’ve got some listener mail episodes coming your way soon, so ...

Jun 16, 20231 hr 11 minEp. 413

Trump Heads to Court (Again), Tesla's Autopilot Danger, and Guest Jennifer Pahlka

Trump Heads to Court (Again), Tesla's Autopilot Danger, and Guest Jennifer Pahlka Kara and Scott talk about George Soros' succession plan, Twitter’s new “odd couple,” and Trump's latest legal battle over classified documents. Then Friend of Pivot Jennifer Pahlka stops by to talk about her critically-acclaimed new book, Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better. Send us your questions! Call 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. You can follow Jennife...

Jun 13, 20231 hr 6 minEp. 412

PGA Tour's Mysterious Merger, Instagram's Pedophile Problem

The SEC is coming for crypto’s biggest players, Fox News says Tucker Carlson broke his contract with a new Twitter show, and Chris Licht is out at CNN. Then, Instagram’s algorithms are promoting accounts sharing child sexual abuse material, and the PGA Tour announced a merger with Saudi-backed LIV Golf. Plus, a listener question on Reddit charging for access to its API. Send us your questions! Call 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...

Jun 09, 20231 hr 1 minEp. 411

Apple's Vision Pro, Chris Licht Outlook, and Friend of Pivot Ben Terris

The Directors Guild avoids a strike, Amazon may join the wireless market, and tech companies prepare for 2024 by acting like it's 2020. Also, Apple finally unveils its headset. Kara and Scott talk about the weird world of Washington with Friend of Pivot Ben Terris, author of "The Big Break: The Gamblers, Party Animals, and True Believers Trying to Win in Washington While America Loses Its Mind." Find The Big Break here. Send us your questions! Call 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn mo...

Jun 06, 20231 hr 11 minEp. 410

Biden Wins the Debt Deal, and AI Extinction

Elizabeth Holmes goes to prison, the Sackler family escapes liability, and Twitter's valuation drops even lower. Also, Congress votes to raise the debt ceiling, but did Speaker McCarthy get floored? Leading AI scientists and entrepreneurs warn of possible extinction. Kara and Scott weigh the odds. Send us your questions! Call 855-51-PIVOT or go to nymag.com/pivot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jun 02, 20231 hr 4 minEp. 409

How worried—or excited—should we be about AI? Recode Media with Peter Kafka

AI is amazing… or terrifying, depending on who you ask. This is a technology that elicits strong, almost existential reactions. So, as a Memorial Day special, we're running an episode of Recode Media with Peter Kafka that digs into the giant ambitions and enormous concerns people have about the very same tech. First up: Joshua Browder (@jbrowder1), a Stanford computer science dropout who tried to get an AI lawyer into court. Then: Microsoft's CTO Kevin Scott (@kevin_scott) pitches a bright AI fu...

May 30, 202355 min