Software Defined Talk Episode 564: New Token Machines
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Mar 20, 2026 They unpack NVIDIA GTC’s push for faster, cheaper token-producing GPUs and the idea of companies issuing token budgets to drive hardware demand. The conversation covers FinOps-style token cost management, org redesign risks as AI changes roles, and reports tying AI coding tools to recent Amazon outages. There’s also a playful take on keynote theatrics and a Sphere visit review.
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AI Could Grow Output Or Just Cut Costs
- AI can both drive growth (productivity increases) or be used to cut costs (layoffs); which path companies take determines broader economic impact.
- The hosts debated whether firms will use AI to scale output or to reduce headcount and margins.
Get Good At AI Tools To Stay Valuable
- Learn and master AI tools now to stay valuable, since tooling skill will determine which roles persist.
- Brandon and Coté advised individuals to get proficient with agents and assistant tooling to avoid being replaceable.
Large Firms Still Launch Vanity AI Projects
- Big companies still create vanity or unnecessary projects despite AI momentum; NVIDIA's NemoClaw was called an example of an unlikely-to-adopt open-source spin-off.
- Brandon criticized NemoClaw's scope and name as emblematic of excess funding and poor prioritization.