Tech Brew Ride Home

Latest Episodes:

Thu. 06/26 – Conflicting AI Legal Rulings Jun 26, 2025

Show notes

The legal rulings on AI are finally coming in. The problem is, they’re contradictory, so we’re not getting any legal clarity yet. Creative Commons but for AI training data. Is DeepSeek’s R2 model being stymied by lack of access to Nvidia chips? And another deep look at the question of: is AI taking jobs at tech companies, right now?

Links:

Microsoft sued by authors over use of books in AI training (Reuters)
Trump Mobile reiterates claims that new phones are 'made in America' (USAToday)
Creative Commons debuts CC signals, a framework for an open AI ecosystem (TechCrunch)
OpenAI, Microsoft Rift Hinges on How Smart AI Can Get (WSJ)
DeepSeek’s Progress Stalled by U.S. Export Controls (The Information)
Salesforce CEO Says 30% of Internal Work Is Being Handled by AI (Bloomberg)
AI Killed My Job: Tech workers (Blood In The Machine)

Wed. 06/25 – Never Wear A Suit In Tech Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

AI is transforming job search on both sides of the equation. A first court ruling on using copyrighted books to train AI. New AI releases from Google devs will want to know about. How your kids 3rd grade teacher is using AI. And why did Apple push an ad to everybody?

Sponsors:

Shopify.com/ride

Links:

Tue. 06/24 – Is Microsoft Struggling To Sell Copilot? Jun 24, 2025

Show notes

A new Xbox branded Meta Quest. Amazon is expanding same day delivery even more. What does it mean for the AI race if ChatGPT seems to be outcompeting Microsoft’s Copilot offerings in the enterprise space? Why is Wall Street leading the way on AI adoption? And what exactly is Mira Murati’s big new AI startup going to do, exactly?

Sponsors:

Venice.ai/techmeme and code: techmeme

Links:

After a year of waiting, Microsoft's Meta Quest 3S "Xbox Edition" is here — our hands-on review of this (very) limited edition partnership (Windows Central)
Amazon bringing same-day delivery to ‘millions’ of rural customers (The Verge)
Tesla Robotaxi Incidents Draw Scrutiny From US Safety Agency (Bloomberg)
Waymo’s robotaxis are now available on the Uber app in Atlanta (The Verge)
ChatGPT's Enterprise Success Against Copilot Fuels OpenAI and Microsoft's Rivalry (Bloomberg)
Goldman Sachs launches AI assistant firmwide, memo shows (Reuters)
Thinking Machines Lab’s $2B Seed Round Is Biggest By A Long Shot (Crunchbase News)
How Ex-OpenAI CTO Murati’s Startup Plans to Compete With OpenAI and Others (The Information)

Mon. 06/23 – Tesla Launches Its Robotaxi Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

Tesla launches its robotaxi service in Austin. Apple is negotiating desperately to avoid an EU fine coming as soon as this week. Also, why doesn’t Apple do some acquihires to get back in the AI game? Maybe Perplexity would be attractive? The Music industry gathers tools to detect AI. And is there a global divide growing when it comes to AI access?

Sponsors:

1Password.com/ride

Links:

Tesla launches robotaxi service in Austin (Financial Times)
Jony Ive Deal Removed From OpenAI Site Over Trademark Suit (Bloomberg)
Apple locked in last-minute App Store negotiations to avoid Brussels fines (Financial Times)
Apple Will Need to Leave Its M&A Comfort Zone to Succeed in AI (Bloomberg)
Apple Executives Have Held Internal Talks About Buying AI Startup Perplexity (Bloomberg)
The music industry is building the tech to hunt down AI songs (The Verge)
The Global A.I. Divide (NYTimes)

Fri. 06/20 – A Shenzhen-like Production City In The US? Jun 20, 2025

Show notes

Meta has some new smartglasses. How long can the TikTok groundhog day go on? Masa Son wants to create a Shenzhen-like production city here in the US. Are your smart cameras a national security threat to the home front in a war? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.

Sponsors:

Factor75.com/ride

Links:

Weekend Longreads Suggestions:

Scientists once hoarded pre-nuclear steel; now we’re hoarding pre-AI content (ArsTechnica)
Why Everything in the Universe Turns More Complex (QuantaMagazine)

Thu. 06/19 – What Would AGI Actually Look Like? Jun 19, 2025

Show notes

Are we about to see a summer of layoffs in Silicon Valley? Midjourney’s new video model. Meta continues its acqu-hire spree with some folks we know. Microsoft has its own nuclear option with OpenAI, while OpenAI is starting to get worried about its models being nuclear dangerous? And what even IS AGI?

Sponsors:

CornbreadHemp.com/ride and code RIDE

Links:

Wed. 06/18 – Oh Yeah. What About TikTok? Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

Remember how that TikTok ban or sale thing has never been resolved? Yeah. Sam Altman describes the money he says Meta is throwing at AI researchers. Is xAI the one with the real money crunch in the AI race? And a review of the first of this new wave of smartglasses.

Sponsors:

Quince.com/ridehome

Links:

Trump will grant TikTok another 90-day extension in enforcement of sale-or-ban law (CNNBusiness)
Sam Altman says Meta tried and failed to poach OpenAI’s talent with $100M offers (TechCrunch)
Musk’s xAI Burns Through $1 Billion a Month as Costs Pile Up (Bloomberg)
YouTube to Add Google’s Veo 3 to Shorts in Move That Could Turbocharge AI on the Video Platform (The Hollywood Reporter)
Amazon expects to cut corporate jobs as it relies more on AI (NBCNews)
Xreal’s One Pro Are a Stopgap Ahead of True AR Smart Glasses (Bloomberg)

Tue. 06/17 – Open AI Still Needs To Placate Microsoft Jun 17, 2025

Show notes

Among the many snags to OpenAI shifting to for-profit, the Microsoft snag is still the biggest issue. More Intel job cuts coming. Would you believe a Roblox game involving gardening is maybe bigger than Fortnite? And two big firsts: most people get their news from social media, and streaming is now the king of all TV watching.

Sponsors:

MackWeldon.com promocode BRIAN

Links:

OpenAI Seeks New Financial Concessions From Microsoft, a Top Shareholder (The Information)
OpenAI and Microsoft Tensions Are Reaching a Boiling Point (WSJ)
OpenAI wins $200 million U.S. defense contract (CNBC)
Intel will lay off 15% to 20% of its factory workers, memo says (The Oregonian)
Amazon Prime Day stretches to four days of deals this year (The Verge)
Generation Alpha’s FarmVille Is Growing Like Crazy in Roblox (NYTimes)
For the first time, social media overtakes TV as Americans’ top news source (NiemanLab)
It’s Official: Streaming Is Now the King of TV (NYTimes)

Mon. 06/16 – What Happens When Search Abandons The Web? Jun 16, 2025

Show notes

Ads finally come to WhatsApp. Are we about to get a literal Trump phone? More ads on your TV. All ads are about to become AI. And at the end of the show, a bit of an essay from me about Google, AI, and what I think is about to happen to the larger web, literally right now.

Sponsors: