EPISODE
Dylan Byers, Noah Schochet, Saam Motamedi, Ioannis Antonoglou, Jack Dent, Evan Burns & Jamie Seltzer, Tyler Page
00:01:00 Dylan Byers, a founding partner and senior correspondent at Puck, is known for his in-depth coverage of the media industry. He discusses the challenges David Ellison faces in merging Warner Brothers Discovery with Paramount, highlighting opposition from Democratic state attorneys general, particularly California's Rob Bonta, who seeks to block the deal on grounds that Byers argues are outdated given the current media landscape. Byers also touches on the potential for Hollywood studios to relocate operations in response to regulatory pressures, emphasizing the evolving nature of the entertainment industry.
00:02:00 Noah Schochet, co-founder and CEO of TerraFirma, discusses how he and his co-founder, both former SpaceX engineers, founded the company to revolutionize the construction industry by integrating robotics and automation to accelerate building processes. They retrofit existing heavy machinery with custom-built software and hardware, enabling remote operation and increased efficiency. Schochet emphasizes that while full autonomy may not be cost-effective due to construction's numerous edge cases, achieving approximately 75% autonomy with human oversight can significantly enhance productivity.
00:03:00 Saam Motamedi, a partner at Greylock Partners, focuses on early-stage investments in AI, cybersecurity, and enterprise software. He discusses Greylock's new $1.5 billion fund, Greylock 18, aimed at supporting early-stage founders, particularly in AI. Motamedi emphasizes the vast opportunities in AI across the technology stack, from foundational models to applications, and highlights the potential for multiple significant winners in emerging categories due to the transformative impact of AI on various industries.
00:04:00 Ioannis Antonoglou, co-founder, president, and CTO of Reflection AI, previously served as a founding engineer at DeepMind, contributing to projects like AlphaGo and AlphaZero. In the conversation, he discusses Reflection AI's mission to develop frontier open models, emphasizing the need for exceptional talent and substantial computational resources, exemplified by their recent billion-dollar deal with Nubius. He also reflects on the rapid advancements in AI over the past 15 years, highlighting the importance of adaptability and the exponential nature of progress in the field.
00:05:00 Jack Dent, co-founder and president of Chai Discovery, discusses the company's development of an AI-driven platform for molecular design, likening it to a "Computer Aided design suite for molecules" that enables the creation of new medicines. He highlights the platform's focus on the pharmaceutical industry, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize drug discovery by designing molecules that can effectively target diseases. Dent also notes the rapid advancements in AI models for drug discovery, citing a significant improvement in success rates from 0.1% to 16% over the course of 2025.
00:05:00 Evan Burns, CEO and co-founder of State Affairs, discusses the company's mission to provide real-time insights into policy and regulatory changes affecting businesses, aiming to shift companies from reactive to proactive engagement in the legislative process. He highlights the challenges of navigating antiquated state government systems and the importance of having on-the-ground journalists to gather timely information. Burns also mentions their recent $70 million funding round led by Coatue and Founders Fund, emphasizing plans to expand coverage to city and international levels.
00:07:00 Tyler Page, CEO of Cipher Digital, discusses the company's transformation from bitcoin mining to developing AI data centers, highlighting their current projects totaling 700 megawatts across three sites in West Texas. He emphasizes the importance of site selection, community engagement, and addressing concerns such as water usage and noise, noting that Cipher strives to be a good neighbor by contributing to local infrastructure and ensuring minimal environmental impact. Page also outlines the company's capital market strategy, detailing their approach to financing and partnerships with hyperscalers like AWS and Google.