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Latest Episodes:

From Customer Service To The Classroom – AI Agents Are Coming For It All With Alan Bekker Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

Brett Winton and ARK analyst Jozef Soja dive deep into the rapidly evolving world of AI agents—software entities that are increasingly automating enterprise functions like customer support. They explore why AI agents are gaining traction, how they’re priced, and the potential for a new kind of agent-versus-agent arms race between companies and consumers. Later in the episode, they’re joined by Dr. Alan Bekker, founder of eSelf.ai and former Head of Conversational AI at Snap, who shares his journey from building voice agents for call centers to launching a real-time, face-to-face AI tutoring platform. Alan offers insights into how the rise of large language models (LLM) is reshaping education, what makes a great AI tutor, and why a visual, embodied presence is crucial for learning.

Key Points From This Episode:

00:00:00 What enterprise AI agents actually do and how companies like Salesforce are pricing them
00:03:41 Why $2 per AI conversation may already undercut human support costs
00:05:04 The Return On Investment (ROI) model behind agent adoption and enterprise productivity
00:06:41 Why agent-based software may retain higher pricing power than other AI tools
00:09:11 The coming arms race: AI agents negotiating with other AI agents
00:12:30 Scaling demand for customer service with intelligent automation
00:15:04 Vertical vs. horizontal Software as a Service (SaaS) in the AI agent ecosystem
00:16:43 AI’s impact across the software stack—SaaS, Platform as a Service (PaaS) , and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
00:17:56 Why building your own AI apps may soon be cheaper than onboarding SaaS
00:20:01 ARK's internal hackathon and how non-engineers are becoming developers
00:20:29 Guest: Dr. Alan Bekker joins to discuss the evolution of conversational AI
00:22:04 The journey from decision trees to LLMs: Lessons from Snap’s AI team
00:27:32 Seeing GPT’s impact from inside: OpenAI’s early partner outreach
00:31:47 Why face-to-face AI tutors found strong product-market fit in education
00:33:59 eSelf’s go-to-market strategy: Partnering with publishers as a business to business to consumer (B2B2C) wedge
00:36:24 Pricing real-time AI tutoring tools in a margin-conscious market
00:40:00 Business to consumer (B2C) aspirations: Moving toward a direct-to-student tutoring product
00:44:56 What’s still missing for real-time AI to match human-level teaching
00:48:03 The psychological impact of avatars: Building trust through embodied agents
00:51:43 Why personalization—not just LLM knowledge—matters in tutoring
00:54:20 Democratizing learning: LLMs as the end of expert-driven education

Tesla Robotaxi Vs. Waymo | The Brainstorm EP 92 Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Sam Korus, Nick Grous, and Daniel Maguire discuss the future of robotaxis, focusing on Tesla's advancements in autonomous vehicle technology compared to Waymo. They explore the implications of Tesla's data advantage, production capabilities, and the regulatory landscape affecting the rollout of robotaxis. The conversation also delves into market dynamics, consumer behavior, and potential partnerships in the ride-hailing space, highlighting the challenges and opportunities ahead for Tesla and the autonomous vehicle industry.

If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.

Key Points From This Episode:

Tesla is set to launch its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.
Tesla has a significant data advantage over Waymo, gathering nearly 10 million miles of data daily.
The cost of Tesla vehicles is significantly lower than Waymo's, making them more accessible.
Safety is a top priority for Tesla, influencing their cautious rollout strategy.
Tesla's production capabilities allow them to scale much faster than Waymo.
The regulatory environment is evolving, potentially easing the path for autonomous vehicles.
Tesla's ridership model could allow for greater market penetration compared to Waymo.
Consumer behavior will play a crucial role in the adoption of robotaxis.
The partnership strategy of Tesla differs from Waymo's, focusing on direct consumer engagement.
The conversation highlights the skepticism surrounding the rapid deployment of autonomous vehicles.

For more updates on Public.com:

Website: https://public.com/

YouTube: @publicinvest

X: https://twitter.com/public

Stablecoins And Circle's IPO | The Brainstorm EP 91 Jun 13, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Sam Korus discusses stablecoins with Lorenzo Valente and Raye Hadi. They explore the definition of stablecoins, their impact on the US dollar, and the competitive dynamics between major players like Tether and Circle. The conversation delves into the role of stablecoins in emerging markets, their business models, and the potential convergence with AI transactions. They also address concerns regarding stability, privacy, and the future of stablecoins in the financial ecosystem.

Key Points From This Episode:

Stablecoins are pegged to a dollar value to reduce volatility.
Tether and Circle dominate the stable coin market with 85% share.
Emerging markets are increasingly using stablecoins for transactions.
The business model of stablecoins relies on reserve backing and transaction fees.
Stablecoins can unlock significant amounts of dead capital in emerging markets.
AI agents may prefer stablecoins for their programmable nature.
Concerns about de-pegging and liquidity are prevalent in the market.
The future of stablecoins could be expansive if regulatory frameworks support them.
Stablecoins are currently about 1% of the US money supply.
The potential for stablecoin supply to grow to 1.5 trillion in the next five years.

For more updates on Public.com:

Website: https://public.com/

YouTube: @publicinvest

X: https://twitter.com/public

Give First, Build Communities, And Rethink Mentorship: Brad Feld’s Startup Philosophy Jun 12, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of FYI – For Your Innovation, ARK's Director of Research Brett Winton sits down with Brad Feld — co-founder of Foundry, Techstars, and longtime venture capitalist — to unpack his latest thinking on startup communities, mentorship, and how founders can build better networks by giving first. After taking time away from public life to reflect, Brad returns with a new book, Give First: The Power of Mentorship, and a sharpened view on the distinction between transactional ecosystems and community-led innovation. He shares lessons from nearly two decades with Techstars, thoughts on remote vs. in-person work post-COVID, and how mentorship can be redesigned for the next generation of entrepreneurs. The conversation also explores the cultural shifts introduced by AI, the hidden friction in monetizing online engagement, and why Brad believes the best way to shape a network is to invest in others before you know what you’ll get in return.

Key Points From This Episode:

00:00:00 Why Brad Feld “hibernated” from public life and how it changed his perspective
00:04:24 From default yes to default no: Reclaiming time and creative energy
00:06:28 Navigating remote work: Company culture and post-COVID office dynamics
00:09:49 When revenue goes negative: COVID-era crisis stories from Rover and SeatGeek
00:12:25 The Give First philosophy — and how it became Techstars’ guiding principle
00:17:50 Finding mentorship as a founder: What works and what definitely doesn’t
00:19:15 The power of peer mentorship and showing up without expectations
00:23:16 How online culture’s transactional mindset erodes community trust
00:26:00 Boulder Startup Week and the importance of local founder energy
00:30:41 Brad’s Random Day tradition: 15-minute meetings, one goal per person
00:35:17 Techstars vs. YC: Origins of the mentor-driven accelerator model
00:40:27 Building startup communities from scratch: What actually works
00:46:05 Founders must lead: Differentiating between startup communities and ecosystems
00:49:00 Mentorship at scale: Applying Techstars’ playbook to community growth
00:54:08 Frictionless networks: Why “Give First” accelerates stronger connections
01:00:16 AI’s impact on software development, legal workflows, and personal productivity
01:04:07 Coding with AI: Brad’s firsthand experience building a web app with Cursor

Speed Running Mary Meeker's AI Trends | The Brainstorm EP 90 Jun 04, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Nicholas Grous and Sam Korus are joined by ARK Chief Futurist, Brett Winton, to delve into the Mary Meeker AI Trends Report, discussing the rapid adoption of AI technologies, the evolving role of AI in trust and validation, and the changing landscape of search behavior. They explore the monetization of AI, the investment landscape, and the future of autonomous vehicles, concluding with a positive outlook on AI's trajectory.

Key Points From This Episode:

The rapid pace of AI adoption is unprecedented.
AI is reshaping how we validate information and trust sources.
Search behavior is evolving with the integration of AI.
Monetization strategies for AI are becoming clearer.
Investment in AI infrastructure is crucial for growth.
Autonomous vehicles are on the brink of mainstream adoption.
AI's role in education could revolutionize assessment methods.
The competition between the US and China in AI is intensifying.
Consumer behavior is shifting towards AI-driven solutions.
Optimism about AI's future is warranted despite pessimistic narratives.

For more updates on Public.com:

Website: https://public.com/

YouTube: @publicinvest

X: https://twitter.com/public

Google IO And Open AI’s $6.5 Billion Bet | The Brainstorm EP 89 May 30, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Nicholas Grous and Sam Korus discuss the recent Google I.O. event and OpenAI's significant acquisition, exploring the implications for generative AI and the competitive landscape between Google and Apple. They delve into Google's unified strategy for integrating AI across its ecosystem, the introduction of new tools for creators, and the potential future of AI hardware. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities for both tech giants as they navigate the evolving AI landscape.

Key Points From This Episode:

Google's I.O. showcased a unified strategy for generative AI.
The integration of AI into Android and Chrome is a key focus.
Project Mariner aims to enhance browser capabilities with AI.
Veo 3 represents a significant advancement in AI video generation.
Generative AI tools are democratizing content creation.
Apple needs to innovate quickly to stay competitive in AI.
The future of AI hardware may not require screens.
Privacy concerns will shape the design of new AI devices.
Google's consumer-facing products are still strong despite past failures.
The competition between Google and Apple will define the AI landscape.

For more updates on Public.com:

Website: https://public.com/

YouTube: @publicinvest

X: https://twitter.com/public

AI Meets Biotech: The Future Of Protein Therapeutics With Mike Nally And Jason Silvers May 29, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of FYI – For Your Innovation, Brett Winton and ARK analyst Nemo Despot sit down with Generate Biomedicines CEO Mike Nally and CFO Jason Silvers to explore how generative AI is transforming the discovery and development of protein-based therapeutics. Founded in 2018 by Flagship Pioneering, Generate Biomedicines is building a “self-driving lab” that combines machine learning, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and high-throughput wet lab automation to dramatically accelerate drug development. The conversation dives into how Generate is reimagining protein therapeutics — going beyond trial-and-error methods to a data-first, design-driven model for creating novel medicines. The team discusses the company’s proprietary approach to integrating structural biology with functional data, the economic implications of reducing time-to-market from 13 years to under 9, and how their platform could unlock treatments for diseases that have been historically undruggable. They also touch on strategic partnerships, scalability, and how AI is shifting the biotech business model from artisanal science to an industrialized, data-driven enterprise.

Key Points From This Episode:

00:01:30 Why Generate Biomedicines is rethinking protein drug discovery from first principles
00:04:40 How their structure-first approach differs from peers like AbSci and Recursion
00:07:04 Using cryo-EM to build proprietary protein interaction datasets
00:10:57 Traditional drug discovery is random, expensive, and inefficient — here’s how Generate is changing that
00:16:58 From concept to clinic in 18–24 months: Accelerating timelines through AI
00:20:47 Going beyond efficiency: Unlocking access to undruggable biology
00:24:48 Turning cryo-EM into a high-throughput data engine for model training
00:31:20 The long-term vision: Patient-specific protein therapeutics
00:40:00 Why scalability gives Generate an edge over traditional biotech
00:47:52 The future of biotech as a research & development (R&D) sharing economy
00:54:19 Adapting fast: Keeping pace with generative AI advances across the stack
01:00:16 The KPI (key performance indicator) for platform success: Rate of improvement

Anyone Can Code With AI | The Brainstorm EP 88 May 22, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Nicholas Grous and Frank Downing explore the transformative potential of agentic coding and AI-assisted software development. They conduct a live demo showcasing how coding agents can simplify the development process, making it accessible to non-technical users. The conversation delves into the implications of these technologies on the economy, the future of knowledge workers, and the democratization of software development. The hosts emphasize the importance of experimentation with these tools and encourage listeners to engage with the technology firsthand.

Key Points From This Episode:

Agentic coding is revolutionizing software development.
AI-assisted coding tools are becoming more prevalent.
Live demos help illustrate the power of coding agents.
Non-technical users can now create applications easily.
The potential for entrepreneurship is expanding rapidly.
Coding agents can significantly reduce development time.
The total addressable market for coding tools is vast.
Knowledge workers can now create their own software solutions.
AI tools are enabling creativity in ways previously unimaginable.
Everyone with an internet connection can become a knowledge worker.

For more updates on Public.com:

Website: https://public.com/

YouTube: @publicinvest

X: https://twitter.com/public

Mapping The Brain: The Future Of Neuroscience With Dr. Jin Hyung Lee May 15, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of FYI - For Your Innovation, ARK’s Chief Futurist, Brett Winton, and Research Analyst Nemo Marjanovic, sit down with Dr. Jin Hyung Lee, a leading neuroscience researcher at Stanford University. Dr. Lee and her team are pioneering breakthroughs in understanding brain function—an essential step toward diagnosing and treating neurological disorders. The conversation explores the complexities of the brain, the challenges in defining and diagnosing neurological diseases, and why current diagnostic tools are still crude. Dr. Lee discusses how her research combines optogenetics, fMRI, and AI to create functional maps of the brain, leading to potential breakthroughs in treating conditions like epilepsy and Alzheimer’s. The trio also examines the broader implications of AI-powered diagnostics, how machine learning is revolutionizing precision medicine, and why we may be on the verge of a neuroscience revolution.

Key Points From This Episode:

Why defining brain function is crucial for diagnosing and treating disorders
The role of optogenetics and fMRI in understanding the brain
How AI and data-driven diagnostics are advancing neuroscience
The intersection of molecular and imaging diagnostics in healthcare
The shift toward personalized and predictive medicine

Is Apple's Dominance Under Threat? | The Brainstorm EP 87 May 14, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Sam Korus and Nicholas Grous discuss the recent ruling in the Apple vs. Epic Games lawsuit, which has significant implications for Apple's App Store policies and revenue model. They explore the potential impact on developers and the broader ecosystem, as well as Apple's challenges in the tech landscape, including AI and hardware issues. The conversation also touches on the rise of no-code solutions and how they can disrupt traditional software development.

Key Points From This Episode:

Apple is facing challenges to its App Store dominance.
The Epic Games ruling allows developers to link to external payment options.
This ruling could lead to a significant revenue shift for Apple.
Developers are cautiously optimistic about the ruling's implications.
Apple's internal ad network may help offset potential revenue losses.
The tech landscape is evolving rapidly, especially in AI.
No-code solutions are becoming increasingly accessible and disruptive.
Companies may be overpaying for SaaS (Software as a Service) tools that can be built in-house.
Interns can add value by creating in-house tools to save costs.
The importance of hands-on experience with new technologies.

For more updates on Public.com:

Website: https://public.com/

YouTube: @publicinvest

X: https://twitter.com/public

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