MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Welcome to the situation room.
https://x.com/MTSlive
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MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Welcome to the situation room.
https://x.com/MTSlive
Jennifer Zhao, co-founder and CEO of Preference Model, discusses coming out of stealth with a $16M seed raise led by Andreessen Horowitz and open sourcing Karrot. She explains why training models on RL environments to perform machine learning engineering and alignment is the highest-leverage path to safe AI development. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:32) Origin Story of Preference Model
(02:42) AI Performing Machine Learning Research
(03:59) Considerations for AI Alignment
(04:55) Preventing Reward Hacking in Models
(06:23) Why Environments Need Depth
(07:45) Bottlenecks in Recursive Self-Improvement
(10:33) Predictions for AI Research Progress
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
Andrew Wang and Linda Du explain why Valon sold its mortgage servicing business to focus entirely on software, how AI agents require operational context rather than raw intelligence to manage complex financial contracts, and how low-friction servicing will enable new products like income-sharing agreements and farm loan servicing. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
--
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:38) Why Valon Sold Mortgage Servicing
(02:44) Context Bottlenecks For AI Agents
(05:09) AI Impact On Macroeconomics
(08:44) Rebuilding Future Financial Infrastructure
(11:15) Emerging Agent-Serviced Financial Products
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
Robocurve co-founder Jay Chooi discusses real-world safety benchmarking for robotics, revealing how GPT-6 Astra and Claude differ when tested with the RoboHarm framework. He outlines why general-purpose robotics could be solved by 2028 and details the economic threats of gradual AI disempowerment. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction(01:16) The Goal Of AI Forecasting(03:19) Testing Real World Robot Safety(08:15) The Current State Of Robotics Benchmarks(10:42) Solving General Purpose Robots By 2028(13:30) Measuring AI Induced Disempowerment(22:00) AI Governance And Multi Agent Democracy
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
Forethought Senior Research Fellow Tom Davidson discusses P Zero Research's "Tasteval" benchmark, which shows AI systems doubling in research taste every three months. The conversation explores recursive self-improvement (RSI), distinguishing fast takeoff "foom" scenarios from "fizzle" dynamics, and examining how AI R&D automation impact lab progress and national security. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:50) AI Research Taste Benchmarks
(06:59) Automating AI Research Workflows
(08:52) Research Variety vs Mode Collapse
(10:32) Impact on Researcher Compensation
(11:48) RSI vs FOOM Dynamics
(20:51) Political and National Security Responses
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
Bird CEO Robert Vis discusses expanding communication infrastructure to AI agents using MCP and CLI harnesses, cutting headcount from 1,000 to 120 via automation, and executing a $450M debt financing round for dividend recapitalization. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:57) Origin Story Behind Bird
(01:46) How AI Agents Communicate
(02:41) Keeping Humans in the Loop
(04:44) Biggest Shifts Over 15 Years
(06:18) Cutting Headcount With AI Automation
(09:39) $450 Million Debt Financing Round
(12:35) Predictions for Future AI Agent
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
Ghost CEO Zain Javaid discusses coming out of stealth with $11M in funding and launching Core, a $3,500 dedicated personal AI computer built to process private user context locally. He explains why hardware platforms like laptops and phones constrain 24/7 autonomous agents, the rapid progression of open-weight models, and why personal AI demands a local form factor. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:51) Problems with Current Consumer AI
(02:46) Trade-offs of Running Local AI
(05:08) Consumer Demand for Local Models
(08:11) Apprehension Surrounding Personal AI Privacy
(10:34) Value Proposition of Local AI
(12:51) Future Use Cases for Personal AI
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
Wellhub CEO Cesar Carvalho discusses a new report with Project Healthy Minds revealing how AI implementation is driving employee stress, anxiety, and workplace loneliness. He outlines why worker wellbeing is now a critical business investment necessary to unlock AI productivity gains. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:00) New Report On AI And Wellbeing
(02:18) Changing Employee Performance Expectations
(03:57) Navigating The Jevons Paradox
(05:14) Wellness As A Business Investment
(06:43) Personalizing Wellbeing At Scale
(08:16) Advice For Leadership On Mental Health
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
Vesta CEO Mike Yu discusses the company's $30M Series B raise led by Conversion Capital with customer participation. He breaks down how AI agents are taking over 40% of mortgage origination tasks, why the mortgage market is uniquely suited for enterprise AI labor transfer, and Vesta's plans to build personal AI assistants to manage task-level agents. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:25) Raising $30M Series B
(01:26) Market Shift In 2026
(03:27) Tasks AI Agents Handle
(05:44) Customer Participation In Round
(07:13) Vesta's Future Growth Strategy
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
Golden Gate Institute President Steve Newman discusses the rapid evolution of The Curve conference, why AI timelines and consensus views are shifting rapidly among tech and policy elites, and how minimum viable superintelligence could reshape society within five to ten years. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
--
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:28) Origins of Golden Gate Institute
(03:01) Creation of The Curve Conference
(05:49) Bridging Bubble and Public Perspectives
(08:39) Shifts in AI Timeline Predictions
(18:04) Golden Gate's Theory of Change
(19:14) Expanding The Curve to DC
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.
The Economist's Callum Williams analyzes why generative AI hasn't transformed the broader economy after four years, pointing to historic technology diffusion delays, low business adoption, and a lack of labor market reallocation. He discusses corporate AI budget constraints, why pandemic-era predictions of mass labor automation failed, and what leading indicators would actually signal economic growth from AI. Check out our sponsor Lovable: https://lovable.dev. Turn ideas into software people love.
MTS is a live news and interview show covering technology, business, politics, and culture as it happens.
Follow MTS:
X | https://twitter.com/MTSlive
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@mtsituation
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/4HUNNmV1pjV7CW6Lphm1rM
Apple | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mts/id1891088763
Substack | https://mtslive.substack.com/
Interested in sponsoring the show? sponsors@mts.now
--
Brought to you by:
Mongo DB - Anyone can prototype an agent. Learn how to get them into production on September 30th in New York - register at https://www.mongodb.com/events/mongodb-local/nyc
Lovable - Turn ideas into software people love with Lovable. Start today at https://lovable.dev/
Larridin - Finally prove what your AI investment is worth. Head to https://larridin.com/ today to start measuring your AI’s bottom line.
Neon (by Databricks) - Get up to $100K in credits for your startup at https://neon.com/mts
ElevenLabs - AI that communicates at human level across every channel and modality. https://elevenlabs.io/mts
Arena - Measuring AI performance in the real world. https://arena.ai/
Kong - The AI connectivity platform. Connect APIs, LLMs, agents, and systems with serious security and governance. https://konghq.com
Today’s stream is sponsored by VCX, the public ticker for private tech. Head over to http://getvcx.com to learn more
Blitzy - Autonomous software development for enterprise codebases. Ship 5x faster. https://blitzy.com
AdQuick - Make your brand a billboard. Out-of-home advertising as easy to scale as digital. https://adquick.com
Chargebee - Billing and monetization infrastructure for the AI era. https://www.chargebee.com/
--
Timestamps:
(00:00) Introduction(00:49) Why Has AI Not Changed the Economy?(01:49) Why AI Diffusion Is Slower Than Expected(03:26) How Much Do People Actually Use AI?(05:11) What Triggers Widespread AI Adoption?(06:33) What Signs Signal AI Economic Growth?(08:52) What Is Really Driving Tech Layoffs?(12:21) Which Economic Doom Predictions Came True?
--
Note: This podcast is not investment, legal, or tax advice, and is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. Hosts and guests may hold positions in the companies and securities discussed; do your own research before acting on anything you hear.