OWITH.ai - Only What's Important to Hear around AI and Tech

• Power Plays and Tech Shifts: From Regulatory Controversies to AI Ambitions

  Good morning from OWITH.ai, the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in the AI and tech world.In December, The Boring Company, Elon Musk's underground transportation venture, faced scrutiny following an incident in a Las Vegas tunnel where a fire drill resulted in two firefighters being hospitalized with chemical burns. Nevada's workplace safety regulator, OSHA, issued severe safety violations against the company. However, within 24 hours of a phone call from Steve Davis, president of The Boring Company, to Chris Reilly from Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo's office, these citations were rescinded. This unusual rescission raised questions about the influence of powerful businesses on regulatory processes. State regulators stated that the citations were reviewed and deemed invalid after intervention from the governor’s office. Critics argue this indicates undue political influence on an agency meant to operate independently. Further irregularities emerged in the handling of the case file, including missing evidence of meetings between The Boring Company and the governor's office and essential documents explaining the citation withdrawals. This reportedly led to a chilling effect within Nevada OSHA, where staffers involved in the case faced demotion or reprimand. In response to an investigation by Fortune, Nevada OSHA updated its records to ensure accuracy and revised its policies for investigating high-profile employers. This situation underscores concerns about regulatory oversight and the influence large corporations can exert on state processes.Transitioning to another significant development... On November 17, 2025, Fortune's CEO Daily highlighted several crucial developments across corporate governance, politics, and global economics. A report from the Conference Board noted a shift in corporate board composition towards older, predominantly male directors with reduced diversity. This change followed the U.S. Court of Appeals overturning Nasdaq's diversity rules and executive orders dismantling diversity programs. Consequently, there has been a significant decrease in disclosure of directors' race and ethnicity among companies in the Russell 3000 and S&P 500 indices. Key trends include a decline in women directors' appointments, an increase in older board members, and a focus on directors with expertise in technology and cybersecurity. The demand for "trophy directors" is waning as more boards limit directorships per individual.In political news, President Donald Trump reversed his stance on the Epstein files, urging Republicans to release investigation materials, causing division within the party. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lifted flight restrictions imposed during a government shutdown with hopes of normalizing air travel before Thanksgiving.Switching gears to international economic news... Japan experienced an economic contraction of 1.8% due to U.S. tariffs affecting its automotive sector and a decline in tourism following China's advisory against travel to Japan amid diplomatic tensions.In financial news, Goldman Sachs is on track for a record year in global mergers while Phia, an AI shopping agent founded by Phoebe Gates, faced scrutiny over data collection practices. President Trump announced tariff eliminations on beef, coffee, and tropical fruits to address grocery affordability ahead of midterm elections.Transitioning now to developments within the tech industry... The Fortune Brainstorm AI Gathering scheduled for December 8-9 in San Francisco will feature prominent speakers from OpenAI, Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Zoox discussing topics like agentic AI in retail and autonomy in defense. Speculation abSupport the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin

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• Breaking Down 'Elephants vs. Unicorns': Venture Capital's Shift, AI's Impact, and Global Tech Dynamics

  Good morning from OWITH.ai, the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in the AI and tech world.Erica Wenger, a three-time founder and venture capitalist, is challenging the conventional focus on "unicorn" startups by advocating for "elephants." These emphasize resilience, strong business fundamentals, and longevity. Her "elephants, not unicorns" thesis critiques the obsession with high valuations, seeking to identify companies with sustainable success. In 2023, Wenger founded Park Rangers Capital, raising $4.3 million for its first fund. The firm focuses on startups that embody her elephant philosophy, with early investments in companies like Superpower and Beehiiv. Wenger uses a national park analogy to describe the ideal VC-founder relationship: founders are the majestic national parks, while VCs are park rangers who support and protect them without overshadowing their work. Her approach resonates with industry leaders who admire her innovative branding and community engagement strategies.Recent deals in the venture capital landscape include Chaos Industries raising $510 million led by Valor Equity Partners and Gopuff securing $250 million led by Eldridge Industries. Additionally, Cognizant acquired 3Cloud and Investcorp acquired Kanawha Scales & Systems. NVP Capital raised $80 million for its second fund focused on enterprise software and AI companies, and Renee Shah joined Redpoint Ventures as a partner from Amplify Partners.In response to recent electoral losses and cost-of-living concerns, the White House is considering reducing tariffs on various food imports such as beef, bananas, coffee, and fruit. This potential policy shift is part of broader efforts to address economic challenges faced by consumers.There is a significant shift toward integrating artificial intelligence (AI) in business and technology. CEOs are increasingly viewing layoffs as strategic moves rather than setbacks. This trend reflects a changing business environment where AI is seen as a tool for efficiency and cost reduction. Corporations like Amazon, Target, and Verizon have announced large-scale layoffs attributed to AI advancements rather than economic downturns. The stock market has reacted negatively to the perceived AI bubble, with significant declines in shares of companies heavily investing in AI. Concerns over inflated profits and substantial capital expenditures related to AI have fueled investor skepticism. Globally, economist Mohamed El-Erian warns of potential negative outcomes from the AI bubble while concerns grow over credit market vulnerabilities. Additionally, new Visa-Mastercard settlements might alter credit card reward structures amid these shifting dynamics.Verizon is preparing for a major workforce reduction amidst challenging financial times. The newly appointed CEO aims to transform Verizon's culture and cost structure by exiting non-profitable businesses and converting stores into franchises.Apple and Tencent have reached an agreement regarding payments within Tencent’s WeChat service. This deal is significant for Apple as it looks to strengthen its position in China amidst local competition.In cybersecurity news, law enforcement agencies executed "Operation Endgame," dismantling numerous servers used by cybercriminals involved with various malware operations. This coordinated effort resulted in significant arrests and seizures.On the tech front, companies like Meta are revamping services such as Facebook Marketplace with new features as part of their ongoing innovation efforts.A study by Cisco reveals that only 36% of companies have formal change management plans for AI adoption. Without such plans, firms may struggleSupport the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin

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• 2025-11-15 Saturday Special

  Each Saturday we take the headlines of daily podcast and ask ChatGPT to create a Sci-Fi story inspired by the news. The outcome for this week is this short story.Support the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin

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• Insights from OWITH.ai: Navigating the AI and Tech Landscape for Success in 2025

  Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world.The resurgence of consumer-focused companies in the market is evident, with successful exits in 2025 showcasing the potential for well-run businesses in the sector. Despite challenges, opportunities exist for companies that can establish brand loyalty. Venture deals in AI and consumer sectors highlight ongoing interest and investment in consumer-focused companies. The success of brands like Skims demonstrates the value of strong branding and strategic marketing efforts in capturing consumer attention.Microsoft is leveraging learnings from OpenAI's custom chip effort to inform its own custom silicon development. Waymo has become the first robotaxi provider to offer highway rides, showcasing advancements in autonomous transportation. Valve's new VR headset, "Steam Frame," powered by Qualcomm silicon, demonstrates advancements in AI infrastructure and virtual reality technology.Hilton's CEO's focus on rebuilding the hotel giant's culture has resulted in reduced staff turnover and high employee satisfaction levels. Various market updates include the end of the U.S. government shutdown, mixed market movements in Asia, and unexpected contraction in the U.K. economy. Elon Musk's Boring Co. faced safety violations in Nevada, while Cloudflare CEO criticized Google for search monopoly abuse. OpenAI expects losses through 2028 before swinging towards profits by 2030.The limitations and misconceptions of current AI technology are discussed, emphasizing the specialized nature of AI models and the need for accurate information. Advancements in chatbots for safer interactions and image generation for high-quality pictures are highlighted. The HunyuanImage 3.0 model outperformed competitors in generating human-preferred images. Tencent released various vision models, showing progress in AI research and industry. The State of AI Report 2025 predicts increased AI adoption across industries with potential security risks. Researchers developed Chronos-2, a model for forecasting multiple time series simultaneously, representing a significant advancement in time series forecasting with implications for various applications requiring accurate predictions.Support the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin

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• AI in the News: Funding, Heists, and CEO Strategies

  Good morning from OWITH.ai: the podcast that gives you only what's important to hear in AI and tech world.Elias Torres's startup, Agency, has raised $20 million in Series A funding to focus on agentic AI for customer success. The company's product, Kai, aims to automate customer service and provide a full picture of individual customers by analyzing data from various sources. With the rise of AI agents in customer service, leveraging AI will be crucial for businesses in the future. The company has received funding from various ventures for their innovative approach to AI in customer service.China has accused the U.S. government of stealing $13 billion worth of Bitcoin in 2020, marking one of the largest crypto heists in history. Softbank sold its stake in Nvidia for $5.8 billion to fund AI investments. Yann Lecun, an AI pioneer at Meta, is reportedly considering leaving to start his own startup focusing on "world models" rather than large language models. CEOs are focusing on adapting to economic uncertainty and global complexity by investing in AI, training employees on new tech, diversifying supply chains, and seizing opportunities.CEOs are navigating the global economy's 'frog-boiling' conditions. AMD forecasts a revenue growth of 35% per year for the next three to five years, driven by AI chip demand. In other news, Ford CEO makes a 'brutal' business decision after studying Tesla and Chinese EVs, Trump suggests a 50-year mortgage idea, Winklevoss's Gemini faces losses, and Apple sells a $150 sling for iPhones designed by Steve Jobs' iconic turtleneck designer.The debate over whether China is leading in the AI race has been sparked by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's comments. Advanced reasoning AI models are found to be vulnerable to hacks, emphasizing the need for stronger safety measures. Legal challenges faced by OpenAI regarding potential harmful effects of its models raise ethical considerations. Both Chinese and American companies are making significant strides in AI development, indicating that the AI race is ongoing.Support the showThanks for listening! Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin

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