Latest Interviews
Showing 496–510 of 3,131 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- Y Combinator16 min
Inside The Startup Building Reusable Rockets
Aaron Epstein, Andy Lapsa, Tom Feldman
Stokes Space, founded in 2019 by former Blue Origin engineers Andy and Tom, is developing the Nova two-stage rocket to achieve full reusability for both orbital stages and drastically reduce launch costs. Backed by nearly $1 billion in funding and operating from a 168,000-square-foot factory in Kent, Washington, the company plans to execute its first orbital launch later this year from Historic Complex 14 in Florida. The team aims to establish daily launch cadence and ubiquitous space access by integrating in-house manufacturing with a proprietary software platform to manage rigorous testing and FAA-regulated operations.
- The Economist7 min
Will humans still fight in future wars?
Helsing co-founder Torsten Reil argues that European defense must pivot rapidly toward autonomous systems to counter enemy swarms in future human-free battlefields, citing Russia's successful adaptation and the threat of being outmatched without immediate action. This strategic urgency is reinforced by Germany's tenfold increase in effective spending power and a broader shift in European manufacturing confidence, which positions the continent to lead in counter-swarm innovation despite political volatility in key nations like France and the UK. Consequently, defense investments are increasingly targeting mass autonomous deployments to ensure machines fight machines, thereby eliminating the ethical dilemma of sending personnel into no-go zones while securing European sovereignty.
- a16z1h 21m
Marc Andreessen's 2026 Outlook: AI Timelines, US vs. China, and The Price of AI
Marc Andreessen, Jen Kha, Eric Torenberg
Andreessen Horowitz is aggressively deploying capital across contradictory AI strategies, betting that a bifurcated future will feature elite proprietary "God models" alongside a vast market of rapidly catching up open-source alternatives. This approach addresses a global duopoly dynamic where Chinese open-source breakthroughs like DeepSeek and Kimmy challenge US dominance, prompting a shift in US policy toward maintaining competitiveness rather than restricting development. By leveraging massive deflation in input costs and value-based pricing models, the firm positions its portfolio to capitalize on unprecedented revenue growth and a historical pattern of rapid adoption despite public skepticism.
- Goldman Sachs12 min
Oil Market Impacts from Venezuela
Following the U.S. capture of President Maduro and the installation of an interim government, Venezuela's political transition has triggered a muted market reaction while positioning heavy crude supply for potential growth through 2030. Goldman Sachs projects that increased U.S. reinvestment could boost daily output from 800,000 to 2 million barrels, creating symmetrical short-term volatility but ultimately depressing global prices by approximately $4 by the end of the decade. Concurrently, the geopolitical fracture has driven gold prices up nearly 3% as major powers compete for commodity dominance, with U.S. refiners and energy firms poised to capitalize on the realignment of heavy crude flows toward the West.
- Milken Institute34 min
A Conversation with US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker | Middle East & Africa Summit 2025
Matthew Whitaker, Michael Milken, Matt Winokur, Mike
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Winokur outlines a strategic pivot toward equalizing allied defense spending and accelerating the adoption of autonomous, low-cost warfare systems to counter escalating threats from Russia, China, and North Korea. He emphasizes a shift from high-cost legacy platforms to scalable drone technology and calls for a societal readiness model inspired by Nordic nations to manage volatility in the Arctic and the volatile Sahel region. Looking ahead, Winokur frames President Trump's agenda as a bid for "durable peace" driven by "peace through strength," aiming to end the Ukraine conflict while establishing free trade and dialogue with historic adversaries.
- The Economist11 min
Why relationships are declining across the world
Jonathan Rosenthal, Sue-Lin Wong, Jason Palmer
Rising global singlehood rates, driven by pandemic-induced social skill deficits and restrictive dating app algorithms, have created a demographic shift where nearly half of young adults remain unpartnered across major economies. This trend exacerbates structural gender divides, fueling the emergence of involuntary celibate movements and feminist backlash while simultaneously reshaping housing demand and accelerating fertility declines. Experts warn that failing to positively redefine masculinity risks entrenching these polarized dynamics, which will significantly impact future social safety nets and political stability.
- All-In Podcast1h 43m
Massive Somali Fraud in Minnesota with Nick Shirley, California Asset Seizure, $20B Groq-Nvidia Deal
Nick Shirley, Friedberg, Chamath Palihapitiya
Independent journalist Nick Shirley's viral investigation exposed approximately $110 million in potential fraud within a single Minnesota daycare and healthcare case, revealing a broader $9 billion entitlement scandal driven by fictitious enrollments and a patronage system. While federal prosecutors have characterized the scheme as "industrial scale" and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has dispatched agents to inspect facilities, the report also raises contentious allegations regarding political panderings by Governor Tim Walz and accusations that funds may support international terrorist organizations. This exposé has sparked national debate over systemic government waste, with predictions that similar trillions in unaccounted funds could be uncovered nationally by 2026, potentially reshaping the fiscal priorities of upcoming elections.
Warren Buffet & Charlie Munger's Greatest Lessons
Warren Buffet, Charlie Munger, David Senra, Molly O'Shea
In September 2025, podcaster David Senra pivoted from solo biography reviews to a new deep-conversation format titled "David Senra by David Senra," partnering with Sycom and securing Michael Dell as the presenting sponsor. The series distinguishes itself by targeting entrepreneurs with over a decade of sustained success, utilizing a massive database of 30,000 research notes to facilitate unscripted dialogues that prioritize durable business longevity over transient startup hype. Backed by a strategic rejection of standard advertising in favor of multi-year brand partnerships and a rigorous guest selection process, the show aims to become the definitive archive of wisdom for high-level founders.
- The Economist14 min
The most influential books of all time
Ollie, Catherine, Josie DeLapp
Hosts Ollie, Brian Aldiss, Catherine, and Josie DeLapp analyze how foundational texts like *Frankenstein* and *A Room of One's Own* shifted cultural paradigms from divine to human agency while establishing materialist requirements for creativity. The discussion further evaluates *Pride and Prejudice* and the *Harry Potter* series for their economic and social redefinitions of marriage and childhood, noting Rowling's controversial stance on gender as a flashpoint for debating the limits of artistic expression. Ultimately, the dialogue concludes that literature functions as a vital vehicle for conceptualizing the future and preserving human joy against purely ideological critiques.
Jeffrey Katzenberg's $2.8 Billion Fund
Jeffrey Katzenberg, ChenLi Wang, Molly O'Shea
Founded in 2016 by Jeffrey Katzenberg, Sujay Keshav, and Anthony Noto, WonderCo has evolved from an investment holding firm into a builder strategy that has generated eight startups and targets $400 million in annual free cash flow. The firm deploys capital ranging from $500,000 seed checks to $75 million for proprietary builds like Wonder Health, prioritizing founders with deep grit over standard benchmarks to navigate a predicted 2026–2027 market reckoning. Their portfolio includes major unicorns such as Cruise, Harvey, and 1Password, reflecting a philosophy that identifies critical gaps in markets ranging from longevity to workplace AI where immediate ROI and tangible utility are required for survival.
- a16z43 min
Where does consumer AI stand at the end of 2025?
Anish Acharya, Olivia Moore, Justine Moore, Bryan Kim
The analysis identifies a "winner-take-most" dynamic in the LLM market where ChatGPT retains dominance with nearly 900 million weekly users, despite significant growth in Google's Gemini desktop base and emerging competition from specialized startups. While major labs struggle with risk-averse product execution and internal compute allocation conflicts, 2026 is projected to trigger a consumer builder boom driven by unified multimodal models and shifting revenue models toward usage-based pricing. Experts predict this landscape will favor opinionated, standalone applications from startups over the incremental improvements offered by big technology incumbents.
- Milken Institute29 min
Visionaries of Tomorrow: A Conversation with Nova Sky Stories Founder & CEO Kimbal Musk | MEA Summit
Founded by Kimball Musk in 2022, Nova Sky Stories revitalized Intel's shuttered drone division by transitioning from unprofitable free displays to a cash-flow-positive model of ticketed narrative entertainment that employs top talent from Pixar and Marvel. The company has secured partnerships with Jeff Katzenberg and Pharrell Williams to execute major productions in 43 countries, including a historic 3,000-drone show at the Vatican and events for the Abu Dhabi royal family. Targeting a scalable market of two million ticket sales by 2026 through local fleet bases and localized storytelling, Nova Sky Stories aims to establish "Art in the Sky" as a profitable alternative to traditional concerts and theme parks.
Why Lightspeed Bet on xAI, Neuralink, Suno, Granola, & Pika | Michael Mignano
Michael Mignano, Molly O'Shea, Daniel Ek
Michael Seibel, a partner at Lightspeed managing a $30 billion fund, argues that human creativity in devising novel business models remains the critical defense for AI startups against incumbent capabilities. He outlines a shifting investment landscape where accelerated funding cycles, larger check sizes, and a pivot toward early-stage user retention dynamics are reshaping how venture capital approaches generative AI opportunities. Additionally, Seibel predicts a transformation from the current creator economy to a "recommendation media" model while forecasting near-term IPOs for major players like OpenAI and Discord.
- All-In Podcast1h 18m
All-In x Kill Tony: A Hilarious Holiday Special
Tony Hinchcliffe, Chamath, Friedberg, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks
The All-In Podcast team hosted its second annual holiday party in San Francisco, featuring comedian Tony Hinchcliffe to fill the void of Chamath Palihapitiya while Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg delivered personal roasts. During the event, the hosts presented their annual "Bestie Awards" to identify major business winners like NVIDIA and Alphabet alongside political and scientific winners such as the crypto industry and asteroid nucleic acid discoveries. The gathering also served as a platform to discuss free speech trends, comedy industry shifts, and future technological breakthroughs while mocking specific political and social figures.
- The Economist9 min
Why China wants Taiwan
Mainstream Beijing officials dismiss the notion of trading Taiwan for US concessions, viewing the island as a non-negotiable historical necessity that requires decades of patriotic re-education to overcome its democratic identity. While analysts note that Donald Trump's unpredictability creates diplomatic openings to unsettle Taiwanese voters, the prevailing strategy avoids immediate military conflict in favor of a long-term timeline extending 30 to 40 years. Current discourse involves debating Taiwan-specific governance models that differ from the Hong Kong precedent, aiming for a negotiated reunification that extinguishes local democracy without triggering full-scale war.