#34: 7 Trillion Reasons Why

The gang unpacks all the latest news about OpenAI and Sam Altman. Plus, does Google have a shot in AR/VR? And our dream Vision Pro apps.

Takeaways

• Sports media has become a successful form of linear storytelling in the internet age, creating a national monoculture.
• The globalization of sports presents challenges in creating a unified global sports event.
• The Vision Pro and Quest devices offer different experiences, with the Vision Pro being more suitable for work and the Quest providing a more immersive gaming experience.
• There is a debate on the potential role of Google in the face computer market, with some believing that Google's strategy may not be successful.
• The Vision Pro and Quest strategies have different focuses, with the Vision Pro being more spatial computing oriented.
• The potential of spatial computing and its impact on social software is a topic of interest and exploration.
• Communication and social interaction in the Vision Pro present challenges that need to be addressed.
• There is excitement and positive impressions of the Vision Pro, with potential for professional and enterprise applications.
• Agents and their role in AI are gaining attention, with potential for enhancing various tasks and workflows.
• OpenAI's plan to raise $7 trillion for AI chips is seen as absurd and lacking credibility.
• Tech leaders making outrageous statements can harm the perception of the tech industry and overshadow the serious work being done.
• The episode highlights the need for rational and disciplined business practices in the tech industry.

Show Notes

00:00:46 - Introduction and Welcome

00:00:57 - The Full Quad Gathered

00:02:50 - AI News Discussion

00:03:02 - Vision Pro Analysis

00:03:45 - Missed Pop Culture Corner

00:04:58 - Superbowl and Taylor Swift Discussion

00:07:40 - Brock Purdy's Super Bowl Performance

00:08:26 - Sports Documentary Entertainment Genre

00:10:52 - Sports Media as the Final Frontier

00:12:13 - National vs. International Sports

00:13:06 - The Monoculture of Sports

00:14:04 - NBA and Global Sports Tournaments

00:15:00 - The Flailing Olympics

00:15:41 - The Decline of Olympic Storytelling

00:17:14 - AI News and Vision Pro

00:17:43 - Vision Pro vs. Oculus

00:18:06 - Vision Pro as a Work Machine

00:18:17 - Oculus Content and Games

00:18:49 - Camera and Social Potential

00:19:20 - Spatial Computing

00:20:24 - Google's XR Software Shift

00:21:19 - Android vs. iOS in XR Space

00:25:01 - Content-Driven Business Models for XR

00:25:43 - Vision Pro's Unique Position in XR

00:26:09 - The Potential of the Spatial Internet

00:29:05 - Social Software Challenges

00:35:20 - Developer and Creator Interest in Vision Pro

00:38:03 - Zillow Gone Wild and Vision Pro Ideas

00:38:44 - Music Video Apps 

00:39:45 - Gaming and Social Apps

00:41:37 - Professional Apps

00:42:07 - Aviation Apps

00:45:59 - AI News

00:46:23 - OpenAI's Agent

00:46:46 - Brett Taylor's New Company Launch

00:47:17 - OpenAI Search Product

00:49:20 - Google's AI Rebranding to Gemini

00:51:34 - OpenAI's $7 Trillion Semiconductor Funding Strategy

00:53:43 - The Era of Absurdist Capitalism?

00:54:03 - The OpenAI Governance Crisis

00:55:11 - A Rational Comparison to the US Budget

01:00:15 - The Tree Removal Story

01:02:09 - Episode Wrap-Up and Thanks