Andrew and Ben return from the holidays to discuss Ben’s Article AI and the Human Condition, and various responses to the preponderance of pessimistic forecasts for what AI will mean for the future, including thoughts on employment, sex, and the problem with trying to regulate human nature. Then: An email about OpenAI spawns discussion of cultural assumptions, market incentives vs. social incentives, and tech as an amoral force. At the end: Unpacking the logic of Nvidia’s deal with Groq, a regulator’s own-goal, questions on streaming TV vs. music, sperm racing, and advice for a listener debating whether to embrace suburban living.
All content for Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson is the property of Andrew Sharp and Ben Thompson and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Andrew and Ben return from the holidays to discuss Ben’s Article AI and the Human Condition, and various responses to the preponderance of pessimistic forecasts for what AI will mean for the future, including thoughts on employment, sex, and the problem with trying to regulate human nature. Then: An email about OpenAI spawns discussion of cultural assumptions, market incentives vs. social incentives, and tech as an amoral force. At the end: Unpacking the logic of Nvidia’s deal with Groq, a regulator’s own-goal, questions on streaming TV vs. music, sperm racing, and advice for a listener debating whether to embrace suburban living.
(Preview) New iPhones and an Absence of Awe, How Oracle Wins in the AI Era, Questions on MidJourney, Meta, and Armageddon
Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson
33 minutes 43 seconds
4 months ago
(Preview) New iPhones and an Absence of Awe, How Oracle Wins in the AI Era, Questions on MidJourney, Meta, and Armageddon
Thoughts on Apple's new generation of iPhones—which are genuinely exciting—and why the underwhelmed reaction from fans and analysts reflects choices that Apple made a long time ago and a new direction that lowers the ceiling on any release. From there: Mail on Apple's messaging and the competition in China, Oracle's strategy in the AI era, Midjourney and Meta, the strategic logic (or not) of Reality Labs investments, whether and how Netflix could attempt a Disney-ification (at the Sphere? via acquisition?), and a message to the Armageddon heretics.
Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson
Andrew and Ben return from the holidays to discuss Ben’s Article AI and the Human Condition, and various responses to the preponderance of pessimistic forecasts for what AI will mean for the future, including thoughts on employment, sex, and the problem with trying to regulate human nature. Then: An email about OpenAI spawns discussion of cultural assumptions, market incentives vs. social incentives, and tech as an amoral force. At the end: Unpacking the logic of Nvidia’s deal with Groq, a regulator’s own-goal, questions on streaming TV vs. music, sperm racing, and advice for a listener debating whether to embrace suburban living.
