People vs Algorithms

We debate whether Anthropic painted itself in a corner with its safety messaging, if Snap Specs pass the taste test, Elon as American icon, and the World Cup and Trump’s UFC fight showcasing the profound weirdness and contradictions at the heart of the American experience. Plus: Anonymous Banker on why Fox paying $22 billion for Roku makes sense and Troy says someone will buy Semafor.
* 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
* 00:23 Welcome
* 01:52 Field Notes Update
* 07:38 PvA Mixers and Cannes
* 11:05 Anthropic Export Controls
* 18:57 Who Controls Intelligence
* 22:29 Snap Specs Taste Test
* 31:38 Media Ads Are Over
* 38:18 World Cup Soft Power
* 45:50 Elon The Trillionaire
* 49:11 Fox Buys Roku
* 56:30 Post Text Media Future
* 01:02:58 Good Product
* 01:05:37 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

Seen one way, AI has democratized the creative process. Seen another, we are swimming in a sea of mediocrity that inevitably crowds out attention to human-led creativity. Plus: Handicapping Hot AI IPO Summer, YouTubers as Hollywood's saviors, GLP-1s vs impulse manipulators and Breaker's Lachlan Cartwright on assesses the characters in the 60 Minutes dram that’s like Viagra for media newsletters. Finally, an ode to the old-standby of cocktail parties: pigs in a blanket.
* 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
* 00:40 Welcome
* 02:11 AI Design Pet Peeve
* 06:25 What Field Notes Is
* 14:47 Abundance Versus Quality
* 24:34 Taste Process
* 32:19 YouTube IP Breakout
* 39:09 Fable 5
* 48:27 GLP-1 Economy Shock
* 50:58 PvA Overtime with Lachlan Cartwright
* 55:20 60 Minutes Drama
* 01:12:15 Good Product
* 01:21:48 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

ChatGPT is advertising it as a souped-up Clippy to help with date-night recipes and sibling road trips. What happened to superintelligence and curing cancer? Disruptive forces always invite pushback, as Bari Weiss is learning at CBS. In PvA OT: Anonymous Banker on People Inc's AI-hedge with MGM and why YouTube ecosystem events are far better than typical media events.
* Ballgame
* 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
* 01:06 Welcome
* 01:36 Ballgame
* 05:19 PvA Corrections
* 06:27 AI Regulation Arrives
* 11:10 Why Everyone Hates AI
* 18:14 Work Slop
* 26:40 Portable AI Memory Moats
* 35:26 60 Minutes Media Drama
* 45:36 AI Slop Culture War
* 52:50 World Cup and NBA Summer
* 54:55 PvA Overtime with AB: People Inc Eyes MGM
* 01:03:47 YouTube Events and Networking
* 01:10:51 Good Product
* 01:16:23 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

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