More or Less

The Morins and Lessins debate what the Threads launch means for this era of social media. And, body hacking with Brit.  Discussed: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openai-plans-chatgpt-personal-assistant-for-work-setting-up-microsoft-rivalry?rc=hwneun https://www.theinformation.com/forum/posts/524?rc=hwneun https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/01/science/consciousness-theories.html Show Notes: 00:00 Twitter vs. Threads - Meta's new Twitter competitor called Threads, built on Instagram. Debate if it can "kill" Twitter. 06:08 The Future of Social Graphs - Debate if social graphs still relevant given rise of algorithmic feeds on TikTok. Threads may succeed if it can transplant Instagram's graph. 13:33 Content on Threads - Brit discusses the type of content she may post on Threads, noting it could attract a mainstream Instagram audience. 14:24 Audience - The hosts debate who Brit's audience on Threads may be, with Brit noting lifestyle-focused women in their 30s and 40s who are not currently on Twitter. 17:01 Algorithmic vs. Graph-Based - They discuss how Threads will likely use algorithms to boost content but the social graph provides a foundation. 31:01 Twitter's Future - The hosts debate whether Twitter is dying but agree it's hard to see it re-energizing in a positive direction. 39:04 Chat GPT Engagement Down - Dave shares that usage of Chat GPT and other AI chatbots is declining as initial excitement fades. 44:12 Full Body Scans - The hosts discuss new startups building full body scanners for early disease detection, though some question if the technology is meaningful yet. Brought To You By: ⁠⁠The Information⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Slow Ventures⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Offline Ventures⁠⁠

The Morins and the Lessins debate the question of how much of a "misfit" you have to be to win in tech and whether or not the M&A market will coming roaring back. Plus, "More or Less" lightning round on the Musk v. Zuckerberg cage match. Discussed: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/musk-v-zuckerberg-and-silicon-valleys-dangerous-roadhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214 https://michaelafreemanmd.com/Research.html https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/psilocybin-treatment-for-major-depression-effective-for-up-to-a-year-for-most-patients-study-showshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/a-long-strange-trip-for-the-uber-for-nurses?rc=hwneun Show Notes: 00:01 Databricks buying Mosaic for $1B - The group discusses the deal, with Britt arguing it signals a return of M&A activity. Others are more cautious, saying one deal does not make a trend. They debate if deals are coming back. 07:12 Drug use and mental health in Silicon Valley - There are differing views on neurodivergence in founders and the role of drugs. Dave argues most founders suffer from mental health issues and need tools to manage it. Others debate the line between creativity and responsibility. 25:18 "Crazy founder" narrative - They debate whether founders need to be "crazy" or "misfits" to succeed. Jessica argues the narrative excludes many potential founders and is problematic. Sam says most founders are "crazy" because they don't fit into normal jobs. 34:06 Elon vs Zuckerberg "fight" - While finding the potential fight silly, they see it as a symptom of lack of clear direction in tech culture currently. Brit argues women founders would never do something so ridiculous. Brought To You By: ⁠⁠The Information⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Slow Ventures⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Offline Ventures⁠

Entrepreneurs and investors the Morins and the Lessins discuss what the antitrust armageddon means for venture capitalists and the challenges of creator-led businesses. Plus, Pharrell's debut (tech?) fashion collection and what we learned this week.  Discussed: https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/ftc-sues-amazon-for-manipulative-prime-signup-process https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/google-microsoft-ftc-complaint-antitrust-cloud-licensinghttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-23/doj-preparing-suit-to-block-adobe-s-20-billion-deal-for-figma  https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/pharrell-williams-stages-louis-vuitton-debut-pont-neuf-2023-06-20/ Show Notes: 00:02 - Antitrust actions against big tech companies like Amazon, Google and Meta are making acquisitions difficult for startups. This is limiting venture capital returns though these lawsuits are expected. There are few exit opportunities. 07:11 - Funding creators through a holding company that owns their various ventures better aligns their incentives with investors'. This approach works better than funding individual creator projects like Mr Beast burgers which can fail. 13:13 - Taylor Swift's fans making and trading friendship bracelets with her song lyrics at concerts has become a collectible marketplace. This shows how trends can emerge organically in the creator economy. 26:00 - Investing in verticals that creators fully own may yield better returns than individual projects. This distributes risk across multiple revenue streams. 37:23 - Pharrell Williams' Minecraft-inspired fashion show for LVMH highlights how gaming and online culture is influencing trends in fashion and design. 46:08 - Technology that can play music outdoors at high volume yet remain inaudible to neighbors is exciting though still nascent. When it works, it renews enthusiasm for innovation. 47:20 - While the Bay Area faces challenges, the energy and innovation in Silicon Valley that has fueled tech growth remains alive. Brought To You By: The Information Slow Ventures Offline Ventures

Entrepreneurs and investors The Morins and The Lessins discuss the week in tech, including Reddit's API changes, the perilous state of venture capital and Google's coming antitrust wars. Discussed: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/why-youtube-could-give-google-an-edge-in-aihttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/tcv-raised-50-to-75-less-than-planned-for-new-venture-fundhttps://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jun/13/ai-used-to-create-new-and-final-beatles-song-says-paul-mccartneyhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/andreessen-horowitz-merges-fintech-and-consumer-teams-after-some-bets-fizzle?rc=hwneun Show Notes: 00:00:01 - Hosts Jessica, Brit, Sam and Dave introduce the podcast and Jessica thanks listeners for recommendations. 00:09:34 - They discuss Reddit charging app developers fees for its API and how this impacted Google search results according to an article. Brit and Sam share their perspectives from working at Facebook and in media. 00:19:16 - They debate whether AI is a game changer for the business models of social media APIs. Sam argues the public web is dying while Dave thinks there will still be niche communities. 00:25:14 - They discuss the current state of venture capital funding. Sam believes the conveyor belt model is broken while Brit mentions $84 trillion in wealth from retiring baby boomers flooding into private markets. 00:35:52 - Lightning Round: - They debate whether more smart regulation is needed for Google's search business. - They share their views on an AI generated Beatles song, with Dave thinking it's a cool moment. 00:46:00 - They plug the new Twitter account for the pod @moreorlesspod. Brought To You By: ⁠⁠The Information⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Slow Ventures⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Offline Ventures⁠⁠

Entrepreneurs and investors The Morins and The Lessins discuss the week in tech including Apple's head scratchy VR rollout, VR vs. AI in the interface wars, and crypto's 'nothing burger'. Discussed: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/whats-clear-and-blurry-about-apples-vision-pro-headset https://thedebrief.org/intelligence-officials-say-u-s-has-retrieved-non-human-craft/ https://www.theinformation.com/articles/the-best-and-worst-case-scenarios-for-coinbase Show Notes: 00:01 Introduction - The podcast discusses technology news and opinions from the perspectives of people who have been in Silicon Valley for decades. 09:18 Apple's Reality Pro - The hosts discuss Apple's new Reality Pro headset. While some of the technology is impressive, they question whether it will be a mainstream consumer product anytime soon. 19:07 UFO Disclosures - The hosts discuss recent government disclosures about unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs). While some find the materials science data interesting, they remain skeptical about claims of alien spacecraft. 28:20 SEC Lawsuit Against Coinbase - The SEC recently sued Coinbase, arguing many crypto businesses operate illegally. While the lawsuit may provide some clarity, the hosts debate whether the SEC's aggressive approach is the right way to regulate the crypto industry. 34:57 Wrap Up - The hosts share wins of the week and discuss Father's Day gift ideas. Brought To You By: ⁠⁠⁠The Information⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Slow Ventures⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Offline Ventures⁠⁠