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Eric Newcomer | newcomer.co

Newcomer Pod

A Tech News and News podcast

#133 in Tech News · 🇪🇸
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About the show

Hi, I'm Eric Newcomer. With this podcast, I dive straight into the heart of the tech industry, interviewing top investors and founders. I’m bringing my sensibility as someone who understands the inside story of Silicon Valley but who is happy to poke and prod as to why the tech world operates like it does. If you want first-person and insider information delivered to your newsletter, subscribe to my podcast at newcomer.co on Substack.

Newest episodes

Perplexity CEO on NVIDIA and Who Wins the AI Race

24 min

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas explains where the real money in AI is and how Perplexity plans to compete with the biggest AI companies. In this Newcomer interview, Srinivas discusses Jensen Huang’s leadership, Perplexity’s relationship with NVIDIA, and the shift from AI search to agents that automate work. He explains why he’s betting on business customers, how Perplexity uses multiple AI models, and what makes an AI product worth paying for. The conversation covers competition with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, the evolution of Comet, Computer, and Teammates, and how Perplexity used its own coding agents to build a database that he says saves tens of millions of dollars annually. Plus, Srinivas responds to Perplexity’s doubters and discusses a potential IPO.

Former Amex CEO on What Business Leaders Are Getting Wrong

1 hr 8 min

Kenneth Chenault on why venture capital needs to change, what great leaders stand for, and how AI could reshape business without sacrificing trust. Former American Express CEO and General Catalyst Chairman Ken Chenault joins Eric Newcomer to discuss the lessons that shaped his career, from taking risks early in life and joining Bain to leading one of America’s biggest companies. Chenault explains why business leaders need clear principles, his views on merit and diversity, Harvard’s response to political pressure, and why CEOs cannot stay silent when their core values are at stake. He also breaks down General Catalyst’s evolution beyond traditional venture capital, investing in Stripe at the Series A, using AI to transform legacy businesses, and why he believes the “move fast and break things” era is over. The conversation also explores whether AI is in a bubble, responsible AI development, the future of American business, and Chenault’s belief that companies can pursue both profit and purpose.

Aydin Senkut on How Robotics Could Reshape the Economy

54 min

Read the full Emergent list of 29 promising startups here: https://www.newcomer.co/p/emergent-2026AI could create a world with billions of agents, millions of robots, and entirely new industries we have barely begun to imagine.Felicis founder and former Google product manager Aydin Senkut joins Eric Newcomer to break down the technologies he believes will define the next decade, from artificial intelligence and robotics to biotech and the infrastructure powering the AI boom.Aydin explains why he believes robotics is finally reaching an inflection point, how AI could transform healthcare and drug discovery, and why the biggest opportunities may come from solving problems that previously looked impossible. He also shares lessons from joining Google when it had roughly 30 employees, building Felicis from a $41 million first fund into a firm managing billions, and backing companies including Shopify, Canva, Adyen and Supabase.They also discuss the AI bubble debate, why Aydin believes the underlying demand matters more than market hype, the companies building the infrastructure behind AI agents, and why Google may be better positioned for the AI era than many people realize.

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All episodes

The newest 50 of 213 episodes

Perplexity CEO on NVIDIA and Who Wins the AI Race

24 min

Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas explains where the real money in AI is and how Perplexity plans to compete with the biggest AI companies. In this Newcomer interview, Srinivas discusses Jensen Huang’s leadership, Perplexity’s relationship with NVIDIA, and the shift from AI search to agents that automate work. He explains why he’s betting on business customers, how Perplexity uses multiple AI models, and what makes an AI product worth paying for. The conversation covers competition with OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, the evolution of Comet, Computer, and Teammates, and how Perplexity used its own coding agents to build a database that he says saves tens of millions of dollars annually. Plus, Srinivas responds to Perplexity’s doubters and discusses a potential IPO.

Former Amex CEO on What Business Leaders Are Getting Wrong

1 hr 8 min

Kenneth Chenault on why venture capital needs to change, what great leaders stand for, and how AI could reshape business without sacrificing trust. Former American Express CEO and General Catalyst Chairman Ken Chenault joins Eric Newcomer to discuss the lessons that shaped his career, from taking risks early in life and joining Bain to leading one of America’s biggest companies. Chenault explains why business leaders need clear principles, his views on merit and diversity, Harvard’s response to political pressure, and why CEOs cannot stay silent when their core values are at stake. He also breaks down General Catalyst’s evolution beyond traditional venture capital, investing in Stripe at the Series A, using AI to transform legacy businesses, and why he believes the “move fast and break things” era is over. The conversation also explores whether AI is in a bubble, responsible AI development, the future of American business, and Chenault’s belief that companies can pursue both profit and purpose.

Aydin Senkut on How Robotics Could Reshape the Economy

54 min

Read the full Emergent list of 29 promising startups here: https://www.newcomer.co/p/emergent-2026AI could create a world with billions of agents, millions of robots, and entirely new industries we have barely begun to imagine.Felicis founder and former Google product manager Aydin Senkut joins Eric Newcomer to break down the technologies he believes will define the next decade, from artificial intelligence and robotics to biotech and the infrastructure powering the AI boom.Aydin explains why he believes robotics is finally reaching an inflection point, how AI could transform healthcare and drug discovery, and why the biggest opportunities may come from solving problems that previously looked impossible. He also shares lessons from joining Google when it had roughly 30 employees, building Felicis from a $41 million first fund into a firm managing billions, and backing companies including Shopify, Canva, Adyen and Supabase.They also discuss the AI bubble debate, why Aydin believes the underlying demand matters more than market hype, the companies building the infrastructure behind AI agents, and why Google may be better positioned for the AI era than many people realize.

Immad Akhund on Building Mercury, AI Agents & Taking On Big Banks

52 min

Mercury CEO Immad Akhund on the AI startup funding frenzy, agents that spend money, and the future of banking. Immad joins Eric Newcomer to discuss building Mercury to $1 billion in annualized revenue, competing with JPMorgan Chase, and developing financial tools for AI agents. What happens when an agent can move money, make purchases, or help run a business? They explore the controls and human oversight those tools need, plus the possibility of companies with no employees. As a founder and active angel investor, Immad also explains why he sees signs of a startup funding bubble. With 10 or 20 funded companies competing in categories that once attracted just one or two, he argues that plenty of AI startups and their investors will lose, even as the technology creates major winners. The conversation also covers Y Combinator valuations, building AI tools in-house instead of buying software, and why Mercury is hiring more as its engineers adopt AI. Subscribe to Newcomer for conversations with the founders and investors shaping Silicon Valley. Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC.

Alex Kantrowitz on OpenAI, Nvidia & What Could Derail the AI Boom

1 hr 6 min

OpenAI’s revenue confusion, Apple’s AI missteps, and Nvidia’s investments raise a bigger question: how much depends on the AI boom continuing?Big Technology founder Alex Kantrowitz joins Eric Newcomer to examine OpenAI and Anthropic’s businesses, the market’s sensitivity to their growth, and the competition reshaping Big Tech.They discuss Apple’s siloed culture and struggles with Apple Intelligence, Meta’s push into personal AI assistants, and Amazon’s resistance to outside shopping agents. The conversation also covers Google’s position in the AI race, Microsoft’s missed opportunities, and questions around Nvidia investing in companies that buy its chips.Alex and Eric debate AI safety, access to powerful models, and the trade-offs of giving assistants more personal information. They also explore how Google’s AI Overviews are affecting publishers, Silicon Valley’s hostility toward the press, and what it takes to build an independent media business.

Reid Hoffman on ChatGPT, Data Centers & Why America Needs AI

52 min

Reid Hoffman on ChatGPT, the future of jobs, and why he believes the AI boom is keeping America out of a recession. The LinkedIn co-founder joins Eric Newcomer to explain why America needs to keep building AI while being careful about how powerful new systems are released. He shares why nobody can confidently predict AI’s impact on employment, how AI-native startups could disrupt established businesses, and what it would take to help workers navigate that transition. Hoffman also recounts knowing three people whose lives he says were saved by ChatGPT as a medical second opinion. He argues for making AI medical assistants, legal advice, and tutoring more widely accessible, with privacy protections and clear rules. The conversation covers the backlash against AI, data center investment, the limits of universal basic income, and how AI-driven prosperity could benefit local communities. They also discuss government debt, political corruption, AI safety, longevity, and the potential for AI to advance cancer research. Subscribe to Newcomer for conversations with the founders, investors, and technology leaders shaping Silicon Valley.

Josh Elman on Apple, AI Agents & Why Startups Can Still Win

51 min

Why did Josh Elman leave Apple, and where can AI startups still win against OpenAI? The former Siri and Apple Intelligence team member explains why he’s betting on a new wave of consumer companies. Josh joins Eric Newcomer to discuss his move to Andreessen Horowitz, what held Siri back, and how Apple can rebuild users’ trust. He shares why OpenClaw changed his thinking about startups and why founders don’t need to build their own AI models to create valuable products. They also explore personal AI agents, the future of shopping and travel, lessons from Musical.ly and TikTok, AI-generated entertainment, and the opportunities for new AI devices. In this episode, we discuss working on Siri and Apple Intelligence, why OpenAI and Anthropic won’t be the only AI winners, how OpenClaw helped inspire Josh’s return to venture capital, what personal AI agents could change about everyday life, TikTok, microdramas, and the next consumer platforms, and how to build products people trust and keep using. Subscribe to Newcomer for conversations with the founders, investors, and technology leaders shaping Silicon Valley.

Former SEC Official on FTX, Crypto & Silicon Valley’s Fraud Problem

58 min

Renee Jones on how billion-dollar startups escaped public scrutiny, why founders became more powerful than their boards, and what happens when private markets operate in secrecy. Renee Jones, Boston College Law School professor, former SEC official, and author of Untamed Unicorns, joins Eric Newcomer to examine how the startup financing system shifted from investor oversight to founder control. Renee explains how changes to securities laws allowed companies to raise enormous sums while remaining private, avoid meaningful disclosure, and delay going public indefinitely. They discuss what FTX, Theranos, WeWork, and Uber reveal about startup governance; why unicorn valuations can be misleading; how employees are asked to accept stock without the information needed to value it; whether venture capital’s AI obsession is distorting innovation; and why Renee believes stronger disclosure and financial controls are essential. They also debate the SEC’s approach to crypto, the political power of the industry, and whether meaningful private-market reform is still possible. Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, executives, and policymakers shaping the tech industry.

Zavain Dar on Hugging Face, NVIDIA & Why Silicon Valley Should Pay Attention to China

49 min

What does NVIDIA really get from Hugging Face—and what is Silicon Valley missing about China? Zavain Dar, co-founder of Dimension and an early Hugging Face investor during his time at Lux Capital, joins Eric Newcomer to unpack NVIDIA’s open source strategy, the competition with OpenAI and Anthropic, and why his trips to China changed how he thinks about the future of technology. They discuss China’s AI and biotech boom, the limits of US chip restrictions, and why American startups are building on Chinese models. Plus: Dimension’s Coefficient Bio exit to Anthropic, whether AI can make most human diseases treatable in our lifetime, and why human trials remain a bottleneck. Subscribe to Newcomer for more reporting on the people, companies, and deals shaping Silicon Valley: https://www.newcomer.co

Sam Parr on The Hustle, Hampton & Why the OpenAI-TBPN Deal Was a Mistake

56 min

Sam Parr on getting fired by Airbnb the day before he started, selling The Hustle, and why $10 million in revenue changes everything. Sam Parr, founder of The Hustle and Hampton and co-host of My First Million, joins Eric Newcomer to talk about how he went from an Airbnb firing to an eight-figure media exit. Sam breaks down what 5,000 Hampton founder interviews reveal about the messy middle between $1M and $10M in revenue, what shifts on the other side of that number, why he studies successful businesses before building anything new, how AI is reshaping agency margins, why he thinks OpenAI buying TBPN was a mistake, and how founders can build an audience by going obsessively niche. Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, and executives shaping the tech industry.

This AI Was Trained on a Billion Video Game Clips. Now It Controls Robots.

58 min

How can billions of video game clips train AI to control robots? General Intuition CEO Pim de Witte explains why gaming data may be the missing ingredient for the next generation of robotics and AI agents. Pim de Witte built the world's largest RuneScape private server as a teenager before founding Medal, one of the biggest gaming clip platforms in the world. Today, Medal processes roughly one billion gameplay clips every year, creating a unique dataset that powers General Intuition's AI models for robotics, world models, and autonomous agents. In this conversation with Eric Newcomer, Pim explains why video games may be one of the most valuable training grounds for artificial intelligence, how gaming data transfers to real world robotics, why humanoid robots may not be the future, and what AI means for gamers, developers, and the future of work.

John Coogan on Selling TBPN to OpenAI, Sam Altman & the Future of Tech Media

1 hr 1 min

John Coogan, co-founder of TBPN, joins Eric Newcomer to talk about the acquisition that shocked the tech media world. John breaks down how TBPN went from two guys in suits to one of the most-watched live tech shows on the internet, why OpenAI came calling, what an editorial independence clause actually means in practice, and why he and Jordy chose to sell when they didn't have to. He also gets into the mechanics of building a media brand that works, why they monetized everything from day one, and what Sam Altman actually needs to do better on comms.

Taylor Lorenz Unfiltered on Social Media, Free Speech & the Surveillance State

1 hr 6 min

Taylor Lorenz on why the social media panic is overblown and who's actually driving it. Taylor Lorenz, journalist and author of Extremely Online, joins Eric Newcomer to push back on the moral panic around phones, social media, and screen time. Taylor argues there is no such thing as social media addiction, that age verification laws do more harm than good, and that the groups pushing child protection legislation have their own agendas. She and Eric also get into the surveillance state, anonymous speech online, why podcasters are secretly taking money to book guests, and what the creator economy has gotten badly wrong. Listen to Taylor's newsletter and reporting at UserMag.co. Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, and executives shaping the tech industry.

The Goldman Sachs Exec on AI, Wall Street & the Firm That Went Bankrupt in 40 Minutes

25 min

The Goldman Sachs exec who automated Wall Street on what AI agents actually do to jobs, companies, and the future of enterprise software. Marty Chavez got his AI PhD in 1991 when there were exactly zero AI jobs. So he went to Goldman Sachs and spent decades building the machines that took over Wall Street. Now at Sixth Street and on Alphabet's board, he joins Eric Newcomer at the Cerebral Valley AI Summit in London to explain what actually happens when AI replaces human labor, why a trading firm went bankrupt in 40 minutes because of a bot, and what it really takes to sell software to a large institution. Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, and executives shaping the tech industry.

Ben Smith on Trump, Anthropic & the Collision of Government and Big Tech

55 min

Semafor's editor-in-chief on why Washington has decided Anthropic needs to pick a side. Ben Smith, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Semafor, joins Eric Newcomer to break down the collision between the Trump administration and Anthropic, and what it reveals about the new relationship between Washington and big tech. Ben explains why the government is taking equity stakes in companies, how the Trump family is monetizing the presidency, and why he believes this is one of the most corrupt periods in modern American governance. The conversation also covers the politicization of the Justice Department, why CEOs now flock to Washington instead of avoiding it, the Intel deal and what it signals about industrial policy, and Ben's bet that newsletters and live events can outlast the chase for viral traffic in media. Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, and executives shaping the tech industry.

Aidan Gomez Unfiltered on AGI, China & AI's Biggest Risk

21 min

Aidan Gomez on AGI, China, and the Biggest Risk Facing AI. Cohere co-founder and Transformer co-author Aidan Gomez joins Eric Newcomer to discuss whether we've already reached AGI, why Chinese AI models are being underestimated, the future of enterprise AI, sovereign AI, and why relying on a handful of AI companies could become the industry's biggest risk. If you're interested in artificial general intelligence, OpenAI, Anthropic, Cohere, Chinese AI, AI infrastructure, and the future of machine learning, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at where AI is headed next. Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, and executives shaping the future of technology.

Christina Cacioppo Unfiltered on Fake Compliance, AI Security & Building a $4B Company

46 min

The CEO of a $4 billion compliance company on how her biggest competitor was faking it, and what that means for AI startup culture. Christina Cacioppo, co-founder and CEO of Vanta, joins Eric Newcomer to talk about the scandal that shook the compliance world. Her $4 billion competitor Delve was caught pre-filling compliance reports without doing the actual security work — and customers had no idea. Christina explains how Vanta figured it out, why fake compliance is a better product experience than real compliance, and what happened to Delve's customers after the story broke. The conversation also covers the AI hype cycle and whether it is crypto 2.0, why AI is both the biggest threat and biggest tailwind for security companies, the broken VC equity social contract, and what it really takes to build a $4 billion company without losing sight of the fundamentals. Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, and executives shaping the tech industry.

Ed Zitron Unfiltered on OpenAI, Anthropic & Why the Whole Thing Is a Con

58 min

Ed Zitron is back, and he's making his strongest case yet that OpenAI and Anthropic are running a deliberate con on the public. In his second appearance on the Newcomer Podcast, Ed Zitron sits down with Eric Newcomer to break down why he believes there is no real ROI in AI, how Sam Altman and Dario Amodei have hidden the true cost of their products behind subscription pricing, and why enterprises like Uber are already pulling back. Ed also makes the case that the entire culture around AI is a psyop designed to silence skeptics and protect a trillion-dollar house of cards. Eric pushes back throughout, defending the long-term potential of AI and pressing Ed on whether pure skepticism is its own kind of shtick. The result is one of the most honest and combative conversations about AI you'll find anywhere.

How Tech's San Francisco Values Gave Way to the Right

1 hr 6 min

How San Francisco's tech culture went from countercultural idealism to right-wing power, and what it means for the rest of us. Jonathan Weber, editor at large at The New Yorker and author of City on the Edge, joins Eric Newcomer to trace the 30-year arc of how San Francisco became the center of the tech universe, and how the industry that once promised to change the world ended up changing politics instead. From the early commercial internet to the rise of OpenAI and Anthropic, Weber connects the dots between Silicon Valley's cultural roots and its dramatic political shift toward the right. The conversation covers the dot-com boom and bust, the sharing economy's broken promises, why tech executives became dismissive of public concerns, how AI is accelerating the disconnect between the industry and everyday Americans, and what history tells us about where this all goes next. City on the Edge is available now wherever books are sold.Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, and executives shaping the tech industry.

WIRED's Editor on Elon, Trump & Silicon Valley's War on the Press

54 min

WIRED's global editorial director on why Silicon Valley wants to control the press and what she's doing about it. Katie Drummond, global editorial director of WIRED, sits down with Eric Newcomer to talk about the simmering war between tech and media. From surviving the Gawker bankruptcy to now running one of the most scrutinized publications in tech, Katie doesn't hold back on why figures like Peter Thiel and Trae Stevens want to buy or dismantle WIRED, why so much of Silicon Valley turned toward Trump, and what serious tech journalism looks like in 2026. Listen to Katie's podcast Uncanny Valley: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/uncanny-valley-wired/id266391367 Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, and executives shaping the tech industry.

The Man Who Helped Destroy Gawker Is Coming Back For The Rest of Media

1 hr 10 min

The man who helped bring down Gawker is back, and this time he’s coming for the media industry. Eric sits down with Aron Ping D’Souza, the Oxford law student who first pitched Peter Thiel on the idea that would eventually bankrupt Gawker. Today, Aron is building the Enhanced Games, a PED-legal sporting competition, and Objection AI, a Peter Thiel-backed platform designed to investigate news articles line by line using former CIA and FBI agents. They revisit the Gawker lawsuit and the Hulk Hogan case, then dive into the growing crisis of trust in media, from anonymous sourcing to AI-generated journalism. Aron also explains why Ronan Farrow’s Sam Altman profile concerns him and why he believes AI is about to fundamentally reshape how information is created, investigated, and trusted online. Subscribe for weekly conversations with the founders, investors, and executives shaping technology and culture.

Vinod Khosla on the End of Jobs and the Future of Capitalism

1 hr 5 min

Vinod Khosla on Why AI Could End Human Labor and Change Capitalism Forever Vinod Khosla joins Newcomer to discuss AI, capitalism, freedom, education, religion, and why he believes technology will fundamentally reshape how humans live and work. The legendary venture capitalist behind Sun Microsystems and early bets on OpenAI shares his thoughts on why AI could eliminate the need for traditional jobs, how capitalism may evolve in an AI-driven world, and why future generations may no longer need careers purely for survival. He also discusses Silicon Valley’s biggest blind spots, the future of education and creativity, human purpose after AI, why institutions are failing to adapt, and what comes next for entrepreneurship and innovation. Vinod also explains why he thinks most people underestimate the speed of AI progress, and what happens when intelligence becomes effectively unlimited. Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping technology, media, startups, and culture.

Katie Jacobs Stanton on Elon, Trump & Why Silicon Valley Won’t Speak Up

56 min

Silicon Valley has more power than ever, so why won't it speak up? Katie Jacobs Stanton, former Twitter executive, Obama White House alum, and founder of Moxxie Ventures, joins Eric Newcomer to talk about what's really happening inside the Valley right now. They get into why tech leaders stayed silent when ICE showed up in Minnesota, what Sam Altman's Molotov comment really exposed, and why Katie thinks the current AI cycle is building on quicksand the same way the dot-com era did. Plus: her seat on Yahoo's board, what Kara Swisher's "take your space" advice looks like in practice, why Democrats need to worry about a lot more than AI, and the one portfolio bet she's most excited about right now. Watch the full episode for an inside look at tech, politics, and where Silicon Valley goes next.

Amanda Askell on AI Consciousness, Claude & Silicon Valley’s Biggest Fear

55 min

Amanda Askell, AI safety researcher at Anthropic, joins Eric Newcomer to break down one of the biggest and most uncomfortable questions in tech right now: could AI systems like Claude become conscious, and if they do, what do we owe them? They discuss why treating AI systems poorly might matter more than people think, how researchers are approaching questions of AI consciousness, and why some of the biggest fears about artificial intelligence are not the ones most people are talking about. The conversation also explores the future of AI alignment, the risks of getting it wrong, and how Silicon Valley is thinking about building powerful systems responsibly. Watch the full episode for a deeper look at where AI is headed and the ethical challenges that come with it. Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping technology, startups, and the future.

Kara Swisher — "I'd rather have Ted Cruz make decisions about AI"

52 min

Kara Swisher has spent decades as the most feared journalist in Silicon Valley. She predicted the January 6th insurrection in 2019. She called out Zuckerberg on hate speech years before it became a mainstream conversation. She warned about techs drift toward right wing politics before anyone wanted to hear it. And she has been right about most of it.Eric sat down with Kara Swisher — CNN Contributor, Author, Podcast Host — to talk about Sam Altman and whether she was too close to him during the OpenAI board crisis, why she thinks Silicon Valley has become addicted to playing the victim, her take on Elon Musk, Mark Andreessen and Peter Thiel, why she would rather have Ted Cruz making decisions about AI than the tech industry itself, and what she thinks is coming next.One of the most honest and unfiltered conversations on this channel.

Jim Lanzone — "They Had a Chance to Sell for $44 Billion. They Didn't."

1 hr 0 min

Jim Lanzone has spent his entire career betting on companies the internet forgot about and making them matter again. CEO of Ask.com, Tinder, and now Yahoo. Eric sat down with him to find out how he pulled off the turnaround nobody thought was possible, what single decision handed Google the internet, and why Yahoo is building its own AI search product for the first time in over a decade.They get into the $44 billion Microsoft deal Yahoo walked away from, why AI chatbots are failing publishers and what needs to change, how Yahoo Scout is trying to do search differently, and what 700 million users actually looks like in 2026.If you think Yahoo is a relic, this conversation will change your mind.

The Startup That Crashed Its Own Servers Because of Open Claw

1 hr 25 min

VCs surveyed across the industry ranked their most exciting enterprise tech companies and the #1 early stage pick was a name almost nobody had heard of. Eric sits down with Han Wang, CEO of Mintlify, the knowledge infrastructure platform that quietly powers the docs for Anthropic, Lovable, and thousands of other companies and found out their servers crashed overnight because of Open Claw before Han even knew what it was. Then in the second half, Eric talks to Jesse Zhang, CEO of Decagon, ranked #4 on the late stage list in a category that includes some of the most well funded names in enterprise AI, on how agents are replacing call centers, why voice AI is closer than you think, and where the customer experience space is headed in the next three years. Two of the most exciting under the radar bets in enterprise AI right now, in one episode.

Matt Mahan — "California's Failure Is the Best Ammunition Trump Has Ever Had"

1 hr 5 min

Matt Mahan is the Mayor of San Jose and a candidate for Governor of California. He is one of the only prominent Democrats in the state willing to say out loud that California's failure to fix housing, homelessness, and energy costs has handed the MAGA movement its best ammunition. It isn't a partisan argument. It's a governance one. In this conversation, Eric sits down with Matt to get into why California has spent $20 billion on high speed rail and delivered nothing, why the billionaire wealth tax will backfire, and how San Jose reduced homelessness by a third without raising taxes. They also get into his break with Gavin Newsom, the tech industry's growing political power, and what a competence first Democratic message actually looks like in practice. They also talk about what's next — the jungle primary on June 2nd, what Matt thinks California needs from its next governor, and why he believes fixing the state is the most powerful counter to what's happening in Washington right now.

Shardul Shah — "I wired the money before knowing what they were building"

56 min

Shardul Shah, Partner at Index Ventures, was one of the first checks into Wiz — the Israeli cybersecurity company Google acquired for $32 billion. It wasn't luck. It was a decade-long relationship with the founders, a willingness to wire money on conviction alone, and a philosophy that treats risk calculus as a fool's errand.In this conversation, Eric sits down with Shardul to unpack how the Wiz deal actually came together, what Google really bought for $32 billion, and why mid-sized acquisitions almost always fail. They get into how Index thinks about doubling down across funds, why Shardul refuses to invest in a founder he's only met over Zoom, and what he saw in the Wiz founders a decade before anyone else was paying attention.They also talk about what's next — the categories Shardul is hunting, the founders he's already betting on, and why he thinks everything that happened with Wiz should stretch every entrepreneur's sense of what's possible.Eric Newcomer covers the inner workings of startups and venture capital. Subscribe for interviews with the people building and funding the next generation of tech.

Barry McCardel on Why Everyone Is Copying Palantir’s Playbook (And Getting It Wrong)

1 hr 2 min

Barry McCardel spent years at Palantir before co-founding Hex, the AI data platform he describes as “Cursor for data.” In this conversation with Eric Newcomer, he breaks down Palantir’s business model, the truth about forward deployed engineers, how AI agents are changing data analytics and business intelligence, and why Hex is taking a different path in enterprise software.They also get into AI agents, the future of data work, the reinvention of business intelligence, whether white-collar jobs are really at risk, and the fight over Anthropic, defense tech, surveillance, and government power.

Rick Heitzmann: The AI Boom Is Forcing a New IPO Wave

50 min

Rick Heitzmann of FirstMark joins the Newcomer Podcast to discuss the state of venture capital, the AI investment boom, and why the next wave of tech IPOs may be closer than many expect. Rick shares how investors are thinking about AI infrastructure, the role of data as the core advantage in the AI race, and why massive private capital has allowed companies to stay private far longer than in previous cycles. As AI companies continue raising unprecedented amounts of money, the conversation turns to what happens when that capital eventually runs out and why public markets may become the next step. Eric and Rick also discuss the broader venture cycle, the impact of market uncertainty on IPO timing, and how investors are navigating a period defined by rapid technological change and massive AI spending. This conversation explores how venture capital is adapting to the AI era and what it could mean for the future of startups, public markets, and the next generation of tech giants.

Can Tech Work With Zohran Mamdani? | Julie Samuels

46 min

How does New York’s tech industry navigate AI, city politics, and a new mayor in the Trump era?Julie Samuels, President and CEO of Tech:NYC, joins the Newcomer Podcast to discuss the growing intersection of technology and politics. Samuels has spent years at the center of New York’s tech ecosystem, working with founders and policymakers as the industry becomes a larger force in public policy.Eric and Julie talk about tensions between the tech industry and progressive politics, including the rise of Zohran Mamdani and how tech leaders are navigating a shifting political landscape. They also discuss Trump-era tech politics, efforts to modernize government with technology, New York’s Empire AI initiative, and debates around wealth taxes, billionaire flight, and the energy demands of AI data centers.Julie also explains the work Tech:NYC does behind the scenes to advocate for the industry while trying to bridge the growing gap between technologists and the public.Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping technology, venture capital, and policy.

Jeremy Levine on AI Hype, Market Cycles & Playing the Long Game

55 min

How does one of the most established venture capital firms in the world think about the so called “SaaS apocalypse”? Jeremy Levine of Bessemer Venture Partners joins the Newcomer Podcast to discuss the SaaS repricing, the acceleration of AI, and why venture capital remains a long game.We unpack whether SaaS is broken or simply reset after years of excess, and why AI companies are scaling faster than anything we have seen before. Jeremy shares his perspective on foundation model giants like Anthropic, the coming wave of robotics, and the unsolved manipulation problem that could define the next decade.We also discuss scale in venture capital, how AI is changing investing, and why, in Jeremy’s words, this is ultimately a patient person’s game.

Keith Rabois and Eric Newcomer's Heated Conversation on Tech, Trump, and Tariffs

1 hr 11 min

Keith Rabois joins the Newcomer Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation that moves between tech, venture capital, and politics.On the tech side, we start with Brex being acquired by Capital One and what that means for Ramp. Rabois argues that banks won’t build the “finance organization of the 21st century,” and frames Ramp’s ambition as building the CFO’s “eyes, ears, and actions” across a company. We also discuss Rippling’s strategy, investor responsibilities around integrity and ethics, and how he thinks about “barrels and ammunition” when companies try to do many things at once.From there we get into AI investing and Rabois’s view that what matters is the end-customer value proposition and the durability of the advantage. He explains Rogo as an AI “copilot” for investment bankers and talks about workflow and data moats.The episode also turns heavily to politics and current events: Trump, tech’s relationship with the administration, immigration (including H-1B and O-1 visas), free speech, and foreign policy debates (including China, Europe, and the Middle East). We also argue through a recent incident involving law enforcement and protest/obstruction, and close with Opendoor—where Rabois lays out his view of the company’s turnaround, retail investors, and the company’s weekly “accountability” metrics updates.

Yoni Rechtman Unfiltered on Trump, AI Roll-Ups & Why VCs Backed the Wrong Side

1 hr 1 min

Today on the Newcomer Podcast, we're joined by Yoni Rechtman, a partner at Slow Ventures and one of the most outspoken voices in venture capital right now. Rechtman doesn't hold back on Trump, the tech industry's political reckoning, or where the real opportunities in AI actually are. We talk about why Slow Ventures deliberately avoided foundation models despite the massive returns, where the second-order effects of AI create better investment opportunities, and how the firm is using "growth by buyout" to build billion-dollar companies in unsexy industries like parking lots. We also discuss Silicon Valley's response to the Trump administration, the Alex Pretti shooting, why Rechtman believes most venture capitalists are "amoral financiers" chasing momentum rather than principles, and what happens when the institutions that underpin entrepreneurial capitalism start to erode under authoritarian pressure. Rechtman shares his contrarian investment philosophy of finding "weird takes on important stories," why he thinks Git is structurally broken in the age of AI-generated code, and how AI is inverting every system built on scarce production and abundant attention. This conversation goes beyond typical VC talking points, addressing the uncomfortable questions about what the industry stands for when democracy itself is at stake. 🎙️ New episodes every week! Subscribe and turn on notifications to stay ahead of the next big story. 👇 Watch more from The Newcomer Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Yg1id5olJMOyUnYF5AZnIo2ZXdyYd-L 🔗 Read more at newcomer.co 🐦 Follow us: @NewcomerMedia If you want honest, insider analysis from the heart of tech and venture capital…you’re in the right place.

Tony Fadell Unfiltered on Apple, OpenAI & the Next Big Device

1 hr 3 min

Today on the Newcomer Podcast, we’re joined by Tony Fadell, one of the most influential figures in modern hardware design. Fadell helped bring some of the most important consumer electronics to life and has shaped how people interact with technology.We talk about where the next major tech device might come from, whether it’s a pin, a pen, headphones, or the device already in your pocket, and how Apple and other major tech companies are approaching the future of hardware.We also discuss the rumors surrounding Fadell as a potential contender for the next CEO of Apple, what he would do if he were in that role, and how leadership decisions at that level actually get made. Fadell shares his view on why OpenAI is pursuing a strategy of becoming too big to fail, and what that signals about the next phase of the industry.This conversation goes beyond product launches and press releases, focusing instead on how power, scale, and design choices shape the tech ecosystem.This is the Newcomer Podcast.🎙️ New episodes every week! Subscribe and turn on notifications to stay ahead of the next big story.👇 Watch more from The Newcomer Podcast:https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0Yg1id5olJMOyUnYF5AZnIo2ZXdyYd-L 🔗 Read more at newcomer.co🐦 Follow us: @NewcomerMediaIf you want honest, insider analysis from the heart of tech and venture capital…you’re in the right place.

What the AI Boom Means for Databases and Enterprise Software

29 min

Today on the Newcomer Podcast, we’re at MongoDB.Local for a series of conversations on how enterprise AI is actually being built. MongoDB CEO CJ Desai joins the show 65 days into the role to explain why San Francisco is “back,” how MongoDB is repositioning itself for the AI era, and why unstructured data has made the company’s platform a natural foundation for AI-native applications. He shares his view on the AI hype cycle, the rapid rise of companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, and why MongoDB is staying model-agnostic as AI product cycles accelerate. We also sit down with Rippling’s Head of AI Ankur Bhatt to discuss how AI is being deployed inside a live enterprise system. The conversation covers building agents across payroll, IT, and finance, why agent identity and accountability matter, and how Rippling is approaching permissions, access control, and AI-driven productivity at scale. A grounded look at the enterprise AI stack, from the data layer to real-world deployment. MongoDB #Rippling #AIAgents #VentureCapital

Katie Benner on Meritocracy, Race, and American Education Reform

1 hr 8 min

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by an old friend, New York Times correspondent Katie Benner.We look back on our days covering tech together at The Information and our old podcast Dead Cat, before diving into her new book, Miracle Children: Race, Education, and a True Story of False Promises. The book examines a school reform experiment that claimed a 100 percent college acceptance rate, and what happened when the pressure to prove success overtook reality. Benner’s reporting traces how race, politics, and institutional incentives shaped decisions that ultimately left students paying the price. We talk about how incentives shape outcomes, why well intentioned systems often fail the people they are meant to serve, and what this story reveals about meritocracy, power, and institutional decision making in America. This conversation is not about ideology. It is about how systems behave when results matter more than reality.

2026 Predictions: AI Grammy Winner, OpenAI Buying Pinterest, and MORE

42 min

The AI boom is hitting real limits. In this episode, the Newcomer team breaks down why data centers are running out of power, what is really happening inside OpenAI after its latest shakeup, and why neocloud players like CoreWeave may be heading toward a financial crunch. Eric Newcomer, Tom Dotan, and Maline Renberg explain the investor panic behind the scenes, the brutal GPU economics, and what these cracks mean for the future of AI infrastructure.

The Tech Quotes That Defined 2025

1 hr 12 min

What do Sam Altman, Jensen Huang, Reid Hoffman, Marc Andreessen, and Elon Musk actually believe about the future of tech? In this episode of the Newcomer Podcast, we break down the quotes that defined tech in 2025. From OpenAI and Anthropic to venture capital, regulation, and Silicon Valley power, these are the moments where powerful people said the quiet part out loud. Rather than reacting to headlines, we look at the specific lines that revealed how AI companies think about compute and money, how venture capital is consolidating power, and why tech and politics are now inseparable. We cover: What Sam Altman and OpenAI revealed about scale and compute How VC giants like Andreessen Horowitz and Lightspeed talk about power and access Why AI regulation looks very different in public than it does in private The quotes that mattered more than any keynote or earnings call This is a year-in-review told through the words that shaped it.

The Secret to Raising $9B

43 min

How do you quietly raise $9 billion in a world obsessed with hype? In today’s episode, we break down the rise of Lightspeed Venture Partners: the ultra-successful, strangely under-the-radar mega-fund shaping the next decade of AI, enterprise, and consumer tech. Lightspeed has posted huge exits this year while sidestepping the froth of the AI bubble… so what are they doing differently? But first, we dig into the new rift between Amazon and OpenAI, and how shifting alliances in Big Tech are reshaping the AI economy. Why is Amazon repositioning now? What does it signal for OpenAI, Anthropic, and the broader AI stack? And who actually benefits when tech giants redraw the map? This episode goes deep on: • What makes a mega fund — and why so few succeed • How Lightspeed raised $9B without becoming a public personality cult • Amazon’s evolving AI strategy and why it matters for everyone • Whether the “AI bubble” is real — and who’s insulated if it pops • Who really controls the future of the AI economy If you want to understand power in Silicon Valley right now, this is the episode.

IF NETFLIX WINS WITH WARNER BROS... They’ll STILL Lose to YouTube

24 min

The bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery is over…for now. Netflix shocked Hollywood by announcing a deal to acquire the storied studio and its crown jewel, HBO Max, beating out a massive $108 billion hostile bid from Paramount. But in this episode, we argue that the $87 billion mega-deal is nothing more than a desperate move by Hollywood to consolidate power. David Zaslav’s WBD was a "fiasco," and the merger of "prestige" content like Succession with Netflix's data-driven content has the industry freaking out. The real threat to Hollywood isn't a rival studio, but Silicon Valley. We explain why Netflix and Paramount are fighting each other while the true watch time beast is YouTube and TikTok.

OF COURSE, Trump’s AI Czar David Sacks Has ALSO Invested In AI

23 min

In this episode, we break down the revelations around David Sacks, the venture capitalist now serving as the Trump administration’s de-facto AI czar, while simultaneously holding deep financial ties across the AI industry he’s helping shape.Following the New York Times’ recent reporting, we examine how Sacks positioned himself at the center of both AI policy and AI investing, and what happens when the person influencing federal AI strategy is also betting on the companies affected by those decisions.Is this a historic conflict of interest? A new model of tech-government entanglement? Or simply the inevitable outcome of Silicon Valley’s growing political power?We dig into: - How Sacks became the administration’s key voice on AI - The scale of his investments in AI companies - What “no conflict, no interest” looks like in practice - Why industry insiders are divided on whether this is savvy or dangerous - What this means for AI regulation, startups, and U.S. competitiveness

Inside the Sex Cult That Fooled Silicon Valley

34 min

Investigative journalist Ellen Huet joins the show to discuss her stunning new book on OneTaste, the wellness startup that rose to Silicon Valley fame before spiraling into allegations of manipulation, coercion, and cult-like control. We unpack how a company selling “female empowerment” turned into one of tech’s most disturbing cautionary tales, and what its downfall reveals about power, charisma, and the blind spots of the startup world.This conversation goes deeper than the headlines and asks a larger question:How does a community built on self-improvement end up crossing the line into harm?If you follow the intersection of tech, power, psychology, and accountability, this is one you won’t want to miss.

Reid Hoffman on Epstein, Elon Musk, and why AI is NOT a Bubble

1 hr 3 min

Reid Hoffman Breaks Silence on Epstein Emails & AI PowerToday on the Newcomer Podcast, Reid Hoffman joins me for a wide-ranging conversation on AI power, regulation, politics, and the future of the tech economy. We get into everything — AGI timelines, Sam Altman’s real competition, AI policy, and why Reid says we’re not in a bubble. We also cover his political involvement this year, the Epstein email revelations, and his views on crypto’s future in Washington.This is a fast, sharp, insider conversation with one of tech’s most influential voices.

Which $Billion AI Startup Would You Short?

49 min

MongoDB.local San Francisco is happening on January 15th. Learn more and register here → http://mdb.link/sf-dot-local At the Cerebral Valley AI Summit, we surveyed more than 300 founders and investors with one question:“Which billion-dollar AI startup would you short?” The answers were… blunt.In this episode, Eric, Max Child and James Wilsterman break down the most surprising picks, what they reveal about the state of AI in 2025, and the shifting mood inside the industry. We also revisit the biggest moments from the summit — from agentic AI to the sustainability of today’s valuations.

Inside Anthropic’s Plan to Fix AI’s BIGGEST Problem

45 min

Buckle up—today's episode takes you inside the war on AI slop and Anthropic's bold plan to fix artificial intelligence's biggest problems. We kick things off at the Cerebral Valley AI Summit, where Anthropic CPO Mike Krieger shares why AI needs to be truth-seeking and what their team is doing to fight misinformation and "brainrot." From explosive funding announcements to real talk about the future of agentic AI, you're getting all the behind-the-scenes intel. Then, Max Child sits down with Mati Stunashevsky, CEO of ElevenLabs, for a fresh take on how voice AI is taking over everything from customer support and gaming to wild celebrity voice clones. It’s all about authenticity, safety, and vertical-specific innovation—plus, why voice might just be your next favorite interface. As always, we're diving deep into the industry, serving up candid conversations, and making sense of the latest AI trends, so you can stay ahead in the game. MongoDB.local San Francisco is happening on January 15th. Learn more and register here → http://mdb.link/sf-dot-local

AI Predicts Its Own Rise (and Fall)

32 min

Everyone has predictions about AI, but what happens when AI predicts itself? In this episode of The Newcomer Podcast, Eric is joined by Cerebral Valley co-hosts Max Child and James Wilsterman to let AI map out its own 5-year plan. From AGI timelines to AI in healthcare, movies, and beyond.Can AI really forecast its own future, or are we all buying into its self-created hype?

Inside the AI Gold Rush (One Year Later)

1 hr 10 min

Click here to learn more about MongoDB for Startups - https://www.mongodb.com/lp/solutions/startups/partners?utm_campaign=startup_partner&utm_source=newcomer&utm_medium=referral This is the leadup to our newest installment of the Cerebral Valley AI conference we're hosting on November 12th. In this episode of the podcast, we're joined by the co-hosts of the conference - Max Child and James Wilsterman - as we dive deep into the complete state of the tech startup world. We'll also revisit our annual AI Fantasy Draft and check out how each portfolio performed. 🎙️Topics in this episode:- Where AI investment headed in 2025 and where it's heading in 2026 - The challenges and opportunities emerging from the AI boom - The latest updates from our Annual AI Fantasy Draft League: who’s leading, who’s lagging, and what bets might pay off next

Inside Amazon’s $100B Automation Gamble

52 min

Is the AI boom already peaking? In this episode of The Newcomer Podcast, Eric, Madeline and Tom take a hard look at the hype cycle driving Silicon Valley’s latest gold rush — from Andreessen Horowitz’s record-breaking $25 billion year to Amazon’s push to automate its entire workforce.We explore whether AI’s trillion-dollar promise is real innovation, or if the cracks are already showing. From OpenAI’s overblown math claims to Andrej Karpathy’s “State of the Union” reflections, we break down what’s really happening behind the headlines.🎙️Topics in this episode:- Andreessen Horowitz’s $25B AI windfall: how they pulled it off- Amazon’s automation future: are human jobs at risk?- Why AI hype might be masking stagnation in real progress- Who’s actually profiting from the AI boom (and who’s not)- The coming “AI bubble” — is it about to burst?

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