People vs Algorithms

We debate the commodification of the human experience, why the upside-down token economics is a more pressing near-term concern, the religious zeal behind SpaceX's valuation, and why HR is the new boogeywoman of the aggrieved and powerful. Plus: Ana Andjelic on why not carrying a phone and having a personal philosopher are new luxury status symbols.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:00 Open
* 00:47 Welcome
* 02:33 Pope Leo on AI
* 13:35 Capitalism vs Humanity
* 23:32 SpaceX IPO Faith
* 29:44 AI and HR Backlash
* 41:42 Counterculture to AI
* 45:38 Euromaxxing With Billionaires
* 49:38 New Status Symbols
* 59:41 Ferrari EV Identity Crisis
* 01:05:10 China Rewrites Luxury Rules
* 01:11:35 Good Product
* 01:17:24 Credits


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

This week, we discuss the chaotic transition to an AI-augmented era, the roiling backlash trying to slow it down, and how we’ll come to terms with a weird new world. Plus: The dénouement of the scale era in publishing and beginning of the “inversion” era of media brands.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:00 Open
* 01:33 Welcome
* 04:55 Graduation Speech AI Backlash
* 05:46 Pope AI Encyclical Buzz
* 07:40 Why People Distrust AI
* 13:23 AI Book Quote Scandal
* 15:16 Steroid Olympics for Creators
* 19:23 Flood of Synthetic Content
* 22:31 Human Only Platforms
* 27:53 LLM Confidence and Hallucinations
* 31:55 Breaking the AI Loop
* 32:38 Google Ends Link Search
* 36:39 Vox Deal and Glue Factory
* 40:30 Inversion Strategy at People
* 43:52 Monetizing Brands via SKUs
* 46:04 Supernatural Comeback Economy
* 48:44 Good Product
* 57:52 Credits


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

Meanwhile, Anthropic is on a $50 billion run rate and raising at a $900b valuation. We look back to the dawn of the assembly line, when workers suffered from “Forditis," a condition of despair caused by a lack of agency and the pressure to keep up with a pace set by machines. Plus: learning from Ferrari, Ryan Cohen's use of the information space for his long-shot takeover bid for eBay, the decline of drinking as structural phenomenon, the end of the road for BuzzFeed, and Italian rock bands.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:00 Open
* 00:38 Welcome
* 04:14 Ferrari Scarcity Mythology
* 11:27 From Ferrari To Anthropic
* 21:33 AI Backlash And Forditis
* 27:19 Thinking Machines New Interface
* 38:13 Narratives Beat Policy
* 41:23 Ryan Cohen Media Populism
* 48:01 BuzzFeed Byron Allen Deal
* 58:37 Good Product
* 01:09:08 Credits


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

While some of this is cover for overhiring during the ZIRP era, there's clearly a move to cut the "coordination tax" that exists within companies. And what starts in tech always moves downstream. Plus: Ted Turner and the end of the media mogul archetype, James Murdoch's move to buy Vox Media's podcast network and New York magazine, and how to tell fake fakes from real fakes at the souk.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:00 Open
* 00:18 Welcome
* 02:02 Brian in Marrakesh
* 04:43 PVA Vibe-Coding: RingRing & Field Notes
* 09:18 AI Is A Job Killer
* 16:48 AI Native Orgs and Jevons
* 26:34 Permanent Underclass Fears
* 31:23 The Last of the Moguls
* 35:32 Murdoch Buys Vox
* 40:49 AI Private Equity
* 42:24 GameStop Targets eBay
* 48:14 Met Gala Tech Takeover
* 50:33 Tech Villains
* 52:40 Good Product
* 01:01:39 Credits


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

This week we dig into how the clip has become the unit of cultural currency and whether it's creating a mass delusion about what people actually want and what is popular. Also: a Waymo hostage situation, a vibe-coded group-texting platform, Apple vs. the interface doomers, Uber's super app survival play, Ben Sasse's deathbed honesty about young people's anxiety, and what the rise of Graham Platner says about the need to be a legible character.
* Watch us on YouTube
* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter
* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter
* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer
* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Chapters:
* 00:00 Open
* 01:05 Welcome
* 04:31 Vibe Coding Field Notes
* 07:55 Fan Feedback
* 11:56 AI Power Games Trial
* 20:51 Next Interface
* 29:06 Can a New AI Phone Win
* 33:28 Why Super Apps Fail
* 38:10 Media’s Next Chapter
* 41:43 AI Replacing Media Work
* 44:51 Clipping And Fake Popularity
* 51:20 Gen Z Nostalgia Anxiety
* 54:23 Politics As Characters
* 59:08 Good Product
* 01:05:00 Credits


This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com