Ninety minutes after they wrapped a conversation about YouTube, Google and the future of AI video, Ben and Andrew reconvene to make Ben eat his words about Meta's inability to ship and react to Vibes — a new feed in the Meta AI app for short-form, AI-generated videos. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Post by Alexandr Wang — X Get all episodes of Sharp Tech, Sharp China, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Tal...
Sep 26, 2025•16 min
On today's show Andrew and Ben begin with a 60-second iPhone review before turning to YouTube and Google's abundance of AI opportunities. Then: Six questions about the AI bubble, including reactions to Nvidia's investment in OpenAI, Oracle's financing vs. cloud incumbents, Microsoft's spending strategy, the looming power crisis, and more. At the end: A salute to the bubble prince, more on Meta's smart glasses, and "presage" confirmation. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Ch...
Sep 26, 2025•33 min
Andrew and Ben react to the Meta Ray-Ban Display and the progress of the Meta Neural Band, including keynote FOMO, debating the value of handwriting words in the air, the strategic logic of shipping these products now, an incredible price point, and lots more. From there: A look at the Intel-Nvidia partnership that was announced Thursday morning, and Ben's thoughts on YouTube after a visit to New York City for an afternoon with creators and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. At the end: Positive buzz on li...
Sep 19, 2025•39 min
Thoughts on Apple's new generation of iPhones—which are genuinely exciting—and why the underwhelmed reaction from fans and analysts reflects choices that Apple made a long time ago and a new direction that lowers the ceiling on any release. From there: Mail on Apple's messaging and the competition in China, Oracle's strategy in the AI era, Midjourney and Meta, the strategic logic (or not) of Reality Labs investments, whether and how Netflix could attempt a Disney-ification (at the Sphere? via ac...
Sep 12, 2025•34 min
Talking through Google’s big win in court this week, including the confounding opinion from Judge Amit Mehta, a strategy that paid off for Google, anti-monopolists and the Chrome crusade, and the hidden cost of Apple’s Google money. From there: Mail on ChatGPT’s follow-up questions, a KPop Demon Hunters digression, what really killed Hollywood’s creativity, Microsoft’s future in the AI era, Adobe and Salesforce vs. disruption concerns, trailing edge chips, ASML, and Nvidia comes to DC. To email ...
Sep 05, 2025•21 min
Unpacking the latest round of Nvidia earnings and the questions that loom over the company's future in China. Then: Answering a few of the most common objections to the US government's plans for Intel, and why the current path may be the least bad option on the board. At the end: A look at KPop Demon Hunters, Netflix dominance, the modern movie business, and dual monitor desk strategies. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Nvid...
Aug 29, 2025•1 hr 32 min
Ben and Andrew discuss a monster earnings report for Meta, the mechanics of how they got there, and the newfound trust the company enjoys from investors. Then: Reactions to GPT-5 and subsequent updates from OpenAI, the strategic logic of the changes, questions about OpenAI leadership, the AGI race, and prompts to engineer the right LLM tone. At the end: A question on bubbles and the implications of our current circumstances, Apple's interests vs. America's interests, Blackberry's thin client com...
Aug 15, 2025•1 hr 36 min
Andrew and Ben discuss Ben’s article on Apple and AWS in the AI era, including a call for Apple to make an acquisition, a bit of AWS history, AWS as the new Azure, and the challenge of making changes amidst continued success. Then: Thoughts on Google’s Genie 3 breakthrough and OpenAI’s open weights models, and questions on Intel, scrutiny of Lip-Bu Tan, whether AI will compound the fertility crisis, and an emailer who wants to eliminate advertising from the human condition. To email the show: em...
Aug 08, 2025•21 min
Intel's future in leading edge manufacturing looks more uncertain, while prospects for the US semiconductor supply chain are beginning to look more promising. Then: Google's earnings inspire a question about Big Tech in AI, who will win the entertainment space in AI, thoughts on doomerism and marketing, Apple's App store promises and a very bad week for the Tea development team, a question about The Ringer and Grantland, and a note on life coaching and Apple's 2TB storage plan. To email the show...
Jul 30, 2025•1 hr 33 min
The pay-per-crawl model for compensating content creators on the Internet, what sorts of content might win if that market actually materializes, and the grim outlook for today's digital publishers. From there: Thoughts on the cost structures that can succeed, the value of community and direct connections to customers, and Stephen Colbert's exit at CBS. At the end: Questions on big tech's hiring power, contractors at startups, Chinese AI development, F1 broadcast rights, alternative rock, and wha...
Jul 24, 2025•29 min
A week of news surrounding Windsurf and Google (and now Cognition), why the Silicon Valley ecosystem as we've known it appears to be coming to an end, and why the hiring and acquisiton conventions emerging now are a clear win for big tech. From there: A counterfactual on the founding of OpenAI, and various reactions to Cloudflare's plans to block AI crawlers by default and offer a pay-per-crawl model to LLMs and websites. At the end: An email about having a second child spawns a discussion about...
Jul 18, 2025•1 hr 33 min
The considerations for Apple and its potential partners as the company considers external help with its project to supercharge Siri, a word about risks for Google and Microsoft in the AI era, and thoughts on a second ruling regarding the scope of the fair use doctrine and LLM training. At the end: Politics and LLMs, bad news for TSMC engineers, and variety of thoughts on F1: The Movie and the future for F1 the sport. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stra...
Jul 10, 2025•15 min
On today's show Andrew and Ben begin by breaking down a favorable ruling for Anthropic in a case concerning copyrighted material, the fair use doctrine, and LLM training. Then: A midsummer mailbag with questions on huge salaries for big names in tech that may be past their prime, waiting for AI to suggest software solutions, starting careers from scratch in 2025, Huwaei’s ascent and China’s commitment to Apple, Taylor Swift, shortform video regulation, recommendations for would-be watch collecto...
Jun 26, 2025•1 hr 17 min
On today's show Ben and Andrew answer questions about the future of engineering jobs, the definition of vibe coding, Meta's AI upside, ChatGPT-led fashion shows, xAI as a third-tier streamer, and bitter lessons as autonomous driving becomes more viable. At the end: An emailer follow-ups on last week's conversation about normies and AI risk. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube xAI Raising Money, xAI and Oracle, Xbox = Windows — ...
Jun 24, 2025•10 min
Ben and Andrew react to reports that in addition to adding Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang, Meta’s now in advanced talks to hire prominent AI investors and frequent Stratechery guests, Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross, for an offer that could exceed $1 billion. Then: Follow-ups on Perplexity and Apple, the calculus for both sides amid reports of between OpenAI and Microsoft, a question about ‘Apple in China’ and culpability for the last 20 years of decision-making, and thoughts on the competition betwee...
Jun 19, 2025•14 min
As the dust settles after keynote season, Ben and Andrew answer mailbag questions and talk through the future prospects for Cursor and Perplexity, multi-modality possibilities for AI devices, Apple's advantages if they deepen their partnership with OpenAI, more on Meta's investment in Scale AI, the business logic of chasing superintelligence, and takes on an AI conversation between Bill Simmons and Chuck Klosterman. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Strat...
Jun 17, 2025•12 min
A variety of announcements at WWDC, and why Apple’s lack of jaw-dropping news or boundary pushing plans was the most sensible approach available this year. Then: Questions about Meta’s AI execution, as the company reportedly invests $14.8 billion in Scale AI and its CEO Alexander Wang. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Apple Retreats — Stratechery Meta Is Creating a New A.I. Lab to Pursue ‘Superintelligence’ — New York Times ...
Jun 12, 2025•59 min
What’s gone wrong for Nike and why a deal with Amazon is likely the best way forward, the history of the U.S. military and Silicon Valley, and rationale for both sides of the Meta-Anduril partnership. At the end: Some corrections on Ukraine’s drone attack and more thoughts on the future of high-trust trade. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Nike on Amazon; Nike’s Disastrous Pivot; Inevitability, Intentionality, and Amazon — S...
Jun 05, 2025•8 min
Reactions to Sunday’s shocking reports out of Russia and why the virtues of a shipping container may become more complicated in years to come. Then: questions on foldable phones, the io upside, and the future of apps, and NASCAR goes to streaming, where early returns are positive. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Ukraine stages audacious attack on airfields deep in Russian territory — Financial Times Daily Update: Thinking T...
Jun 02, 2025•10 min
Discussing Ben's Article on the future of the agentic web, including the virtues of the ad-supported internet we've enjoyed for the last three decades, why that model is becoming less viable as the years pass, and the potential for new solutions as agentic web traffic proliferates in the years and decades to come. At the end: An epiphany surrounding AI workflows and chain of thought exchanges between employers and their employees. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel —...
May 29, 2025•12 min
Ben and Andrew react to the news that OpenAI is acquiring Jony Ive's hardware startup for $6.5 billion worth of stock, including questions about the form factor of future AI devices, challenges inherent to manufacturing hardware in 2025, the logic of these ambitions for OpenAI, and yes, a few words about the 9-minute video announcing the deal. At the end: Google's plans for its search business, Veo 3 and gen AI videos, and Ben's appearance on the Bill Simmons Podcast this week. To email the show...
May 22, 2025•1 hr 5 min
The implications of last week’s announcements on AI investments from Saudi Arabia and the UAE (and the repeal of the AI Diffusion rules), Ben’s thoughts on OpenAI’s acquisition of Windsurf, and questions about Android and VRBO vs. Airbnb. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Get all episodes of Sharp Tech, Sharp China, Stratechery Updates and Interviews, Greatest of All Talk, Asianometry and the Dithering Podcast as part of Stra...
May 19, 2025•9 min
Reactions to a revamped app and the expanded ambitions of Airbnb, an excellent email about practical considerations for leaders if AI accelerates a bifurcation of society, and thoughts on HBO's rebrand and ESPN's new streaming app. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Airbnb’s New App, Experiences and Services, Chesky’s Founder Mode — Stratechery Update It’s Not Max, It’s HBO Max: Streaming Service Flips Name Again — Bloomberg G...
May 15, 2025•11 min
Talking Platform Power and 15 years of App Store arguments, with topics including Ben's memories from Microsoft, the difference between regulating platforms and aggregators, and the case for intervening in the App Store today. Then: Eddy Cue testifies that Apple is exploring AI search options for Safari, and a New York Magazine feature on ChatGPT in colleges sparks thoughts on tech, higher education, and Blue Books. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Strat...
May 08, 2025•1 hr 19 min
Ben's Daily Update on Friday and Apple's argument appealing the order in Epic v. Apple, the risks facing Apple as they've continued to fight these battles the past several years, and questions for the future as the present gets increasingly messy. At the end: Meta's plans for AI business agents, an emailer asks whether Meta's message today means Facebook failed yesterday, and a proposal for AI officiating in the NBA is soundly rejected. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Cha...
May 05, 2025•14 min
A 360 degree look at Meta's AI efforts after Ben's sitdown with Mark Zuckerberg and Meta's launch of a standalone AI app. Then: Reactions to Wednesday's holding that Apple violated a court order and may be criminally liable for its behavior, responses to an email about a broadened understanding of consumer welfare, and a Punchbowl News headache for Amazon. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube An Interview with Meta CEO Mark Zuck...
May 01, 2025•10 min
After last week's conversation about AI for companionship, Ben and Andrew answer emails about the future of personalized LLM answers, speculative costs and benefits, the tension between building trust and building a product with 3 billion customers, and much more. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube ChatGPT Memory, Boundaries and AI Companions, Auren — Stratechery Update Tech’s Two Philosophies — Stratechery How People Are Real...
Apr 28, 2025•11 min
Talking through Ben's article on Apple and the Ghosts of Companies Past, including Apple's religious commitment to privacy, untapped platform potential in AI, parallels to Intel, and why Tim Cook is probably the wrong CEO to undertake the cultural shifts today that may be required for the company to thrive tomorrow. At the end: An AppleTV+ public service announcement. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Apple and the Ghosts of ...
Apr 24, 2025•1 hr
Talking through the implications of memory capabilities for ChatGPT, the future of AI companionship, OpenAI's platform ambitions, and why Google Circles never found a market. At the end: College football, tech, and a bit of Bell Labs history. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube ChatGPT can now remember and reference all your previous chats — Ars Technica ChatGPT Memory, Boundaries and AI Companions, Auren — Stratechery Update G...
Apr 21, 2025•16 min
Tracing the history of Facebook to understand the challenges for the government in this month's FTC v. Meta trial, and thoughts on the nature of competition on the Internet and its impact on the economy at large. To email the show: email@sharptech.fm @SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube @Stratechery Channel — YouTube Meta v. FTC, The Three Facebook Eras, Video Slop and Market Forces — Stratechery Update Regulators and Reality — Stratechery Get all episodes of Sharp Tech, Sharp China, Stratechery ...
Apr 17, 2025•1 hr 9 min
