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PODCAST

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson

A podcast about understanding how tech works and the way it is changing the world. Hosted by Andrew Sharp with Ben Thompson.

All Episodes

00:12:47

(Preview) Llama 3.1 and Zuckerberg’s Open Approach,...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/07/25

Meta debuts a powerful new LLM, Mark Zuckerberg makes the case for an open approach to AI, and Ben explains the Crowdstrike mess and why this episode highlights fundamental tensions between security and competition. At the end: Updated thinking on Netflix and what it wants from the ad business, and marveling at Apple's spending spree in Hollywood.

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00:20:35

(Preview) What Trump Could Mean for Tech, X as a News...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/07/18

Projecting antitrust policy in a second Trump administration and explaining the splintered interests among little tech and big tech, checking in with the state of X under Elon Musk, and two ChatGPT testimonials help explain the status quo. At the end: Both hosts choose new jobs and new favorite teams.

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00:16:13

(Preview) Once More Unto the EU Breach, No Apple or...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/07/11

Ben and Andrew return with thoughts on Apple's calculus in the EU, why better App Store policies may not have mattered, perspectives from US and EU citizens, and follow-up to Ben's article on various EU regulatory ambitions. Then: The news that neither Apple nor Microsoft will take observer seats on the OpenAI board, Paramount's merger and an endorsement of irrational Hollywood, Apple unveils its F1 movie, bubble tea takes, and President Mr. Beast.

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00:18:19

(Preview) Perplexity and the Media, Burning Furniture...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/06/27

Perplexity and the choices facing publishers in the AI era, revisiting the decisions and structural forces that led to media struggles in the online economy, and an emailer from the EU who wonders about the costs of the expansive language in the digital markets act. At the end: Ice cream, and a few interview recs for the break.

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01:08:55

The FTC Sues Adobe, Keynote Season and Progress, A...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/06/20

Lessons from the FTC's lawsuit alleging that Adobe has violated consumer protection laws in its cloud services business, a question about the vibes at WWDC and other tentpole keynotes across big tech, and a few more notes on Apple, including Facebook's data calculus, the DRI model, and stress-testing the developer concerns with respect to the Vision Pro.

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00:11:54

(Preview) Your WWDC Emails: GenAI for Work Email,...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/06/18

Answering listener questions in the wake of WWDC, including thoughts on AI for Outlook, whether Apple competitors will allow data access to Apple Intelligence, cloud questions, chip questions, and more.

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01:07:26

Apple Gets Intelligence, Unpacking the Partnership...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/06/12

Reviewing all things WWDC in 2024, including the introduction of Apple Intelligence, why Apple's vision for mainstream AI was compelling, the Apple partnership with OpenAI, questions about Private Cloud Compute, and lots more.

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00:12:56

(Preview) Microsoft’s Recall Mess, The Future of...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/06/10

A look at Microsoft Recall and the implications of the security changes that were announced this weekend, follow-up questions on what Netflix may build in its advertising business, and a few countervailing notes on the possibility of a dark GPU sequel to the dark fiber story after the dot com bubble.

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00:12:53

(Preview) What Walmart Could Offer to Advertisers,...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/06/06

A look at Walmart’s challenges and opportunities as it builds an ad business, how Walmart became a differentiated competitor to Amazon, and a question about AI skepticism spawns extended discussion of life in the middle of a bubble. At the end: Picks for the NBA Finals.

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01:10:29

Generative AI and Hardware Upgrades, Google History...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/06/03

A question about generative AI and the hardware powering voice assistants, projecting the GPU future with the dot com bubble as context, and thoughts on Amazon’s capital expenditures and the state of AWS and Amazon Supply Chain. At the end: An Elon hater reviews the Cybertruck.

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00:12:48

(Preview) Big Questions About an AI Future, The State...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/05/30

A question about the spectrum between LLMs and AGI spawns a conversation about where and how AI might introduce upheaval in the workplace, what TSMC can teach us about probabilistic LLMs, whether AI will be a feature for all big companies or a differentiating product for one winner, and frustrations at the barriers to entry that have thus far allowed big tech to retain control of AI's mainstream applications. Also: An important note about Scarlett Johannson.

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00:11:45

(Preview) Can Microsoft Make PCs Cool Again?, What...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/05/23

The Microsoft Build conference and the introduction of Copilot+ PCs, the potential for Windows as an AI platform that gives developers more certainty, and reactions to Scarlett Johansson's statement about her negotiations with Sam Altman and the launch of GPT-4o.

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01:05:46

Netflix Gets the NFL for Christmas, The Streaming...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/05/20

A variety of notable Netflix developments over the past few weeks, Hollywood's continued move to a (kinda) rebundled future, and what sports leagues are learning as internet realities take hold across entertainment. At the end: Andrew finally watches "Her" and shares his review.

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00:17:36

(Preview) Good and Bad from Google I/O, Google and...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/05/17

Reactions to two hours of Google on stage this week, thoughts on what an AI makeover for search will mean for businesses that rely on Google for customer acquisition, and answers to mailbag questions on Google Cloud, Apple's rumored partnership with OpenAI, Amazon, and the continued ascent of SpaceX and Starlink.

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00:10:38

(Preview) OpenAI and the Latency Leap, Questions...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/05/14

Reactions to the GPT-4o demo, a reminder that OpenAI looks more and more like a consumer tech company, and questions about a potential partnership with Apple. At the end: A follow-up on Apple’s ads, and an emailer defends the Bumble CEO.

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01:08:11

A Disastrous (and Resonant) New iPad Commercial, The...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/05/09

The iPad commercial that made the Internet angry this week, a question about Google search spawns thoughts on the various futures of Google's business, and a few observations on the Tom Brady roast as a reflection of Netflix strategy. Plus: A final word on the iPad and its utility.

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00:12:59

(Preview) Apple in China and Japan, The iPad as a Mac...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/05/07

A question about Apple sentiment in China spawns memories of Apple's entrance to Japan, the utility of the iPad as a Mac replacement (and why the Vision Pro would be the better option for that job), plus Apple acquisitions, Apple's growth premium, and where, exactly, Meta is spending all that money in the Metaverse.

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00:14:49

(Preview) The NBA Creates a Rights Bidding War, The...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/05/02

Parsing the latest reports on the battle for the NBA's next round of broadcast rights, a question about the NBA schedule and how the league should think about competing with the NFL, and the implications of an increasingly bleak outlook for regional sports networks.

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00:10:31

(Preview) Virtual Reality and the Innovator's...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/04/29

Ben proposes a potential update to Clayton Christensen's theory of disruption, why the latest round of Meta market skepticism is not as crazy as the last few episodes, questions about Facebook and Apple, and an emailer wonders whether Uber is the future aggregator for transportation and beyond.

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00:11:25

(Preview) TikTok and the E-Commerce Giants, The FTC...

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson ·

2024/04/25

Why TikTok makes more sense for Wal-Mart and Amazon than Oracle and Microsoft, and the FTC's ban on noncompete agreements prompts reflections noncompetes in Silicon Valley and the decline of trust across society. At the end: A question about Bluey and purchasing power for streamers, and an update on Drake's AI freestyle.

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199 results