Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson

(Preview) OpenAI Wants Help from the Government, Apple Taps Google for AI, Q&A on Bubbles, Amazon Groceries, and YouTube TV

Ben and Andrew begin with reactions to the OpenAI CFO discussing a federal "backstop" for prospective financing, as well as Sam Altman's recent comments about OpenAI's spending. Then: An emailer objects to the discussion of Bubble benefits, and questions about Meta's AI spending and a looming the AI backlash as hiring contracts and electricity prices rise. From there: Unpacking the announcement that Apple will use Gemini to power Siri, and two follow-ups to last week's discussion of "Too Big to Fail" in tech. At the end: Thoughts on Amazon's grocery ambitions, Walmart's continued success, the YouTube TV-ESPN dispute, and a listener's mental model of Ticketmaster.

To email the show: email@sharptech.fm

@SharpTechPodcast Channel — YouTube

@Stratechery Channel — YouTube

The Benefits of Bubbles — Stratechery

OpenAI Isn’t Yet Working Toward an IPO, CFO Says — Wall Street Journal

The Deployment Age — Reaction Wheel

Apple to Kick Off 50th Anniversary With Nearly $140 Billion Quarter — Bloomberg

Amazon Earnings, AWS and OpenAI, Did Amazon Solve Groceries? — Stratechery Update

An Interview with Michael Morton About AI E-Commerce — Stratechery Interview

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