The Information's 411

The Information reporter Miles Kruppa talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about AI chipmaker Groq's revenue projections. We also talk with Raquel Urtasun, Founder & CEO of Waabi, about autonomous trucking and Nikhil Buduma Co-Founder & Chief Scientist Ambience  about AI in healthcare. Lastly we break down Amazon, Google and Shopping AI agent wars with our reporter Ann Gehan. Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/amazon-locks-googles-ai-shopping-agentshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/ai-chipmaker-groq-slashes-projections-soon-sharing-investorsTITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.

Joe Marchese, Co-Founder of Human Ventures, talks with Jessica Lessin, our founder, CEO, and editor-in-chief, about AI's effect on ad businesses. Shaown Nandi, Director of Technology at Amazon Web Services, discusses the Chief AI Officer role. Kashish Gupta and Harsha Kapre join to discuss Snowflake’s investment in Hightouch, and our reporter Aaron Holmes breaks down AI’s impact on lowering software switching costs.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/cursors-global-success-lifted-chinahttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/ai-cloud-startup-fireworks-discusses-4-billion-valuation-deal-lightspeed-indexhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/microsofts-rivals-lean-ai-pry-away-longtime-customershttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/spotify-is-booming-except-for-its-ad-business TITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts.

The Information’s Cory Weinberg talks with TITV Host Akash Pasricha about Figma IPO winners. We also break down the busy earnings week ahead, with four of the Magnificent Seven – Meta, Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon – with our co-executive editor Martin Peers. And AI reporter Stephanie Palazzolo discusses OpenAI's GPT-5.Articles discussed on this episode:  https://www.theinformation.com/articles/figma-ipo-set-windfall-silicon-valleys-biggest-nameshttps://www.theinformation.com/briefings/samsung-make-tesla-chips-16-5-billion-dealhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/ramp-talks-raise-21-billion-valuation-30-june-financinghttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/openais-gpt-5-shines-coding-tasksThe Information’s TITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts. 

Tom Hale, CEO of Ōura, talks with our Founder and Editor-in-Chief Jessica Lessin about the future of health tracking. We also talk with our reporter Theo Wayt about Tesla's Optimus robot and our weekend sports reporter Sarah Germano about sports league investments and AI's impact on sports.Articles discussed on this episode: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openais-gpt-5-shines-coding-taskshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/elad-gil-plots-1-5-billion-fund-stretching-definition-solo-gphttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/inside-teslas-secretive-optimus-robot-programhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/sports-leagues-hunt-startup-investments-chummy-style-venture-capitalThe Information’s TITV airs on YouTube, X and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts. 

Host Akash Pasricha discusses Vanta’s new funding round and growth in security and compliance software with CEO, Christina Cacioppo. We also talk with Amber Venz Box, co-founder of LTK, who explains their creator commerce marketplace, revenue streams, and perspective on AI's impact, emphasizing human-generated content. The Information reporter Sri Muppidi breaks down OpenAI's record-breaking $40 billion funding round and its complex governance. And lastly, insights into the Trump administration's new AI action plan, focusing on deregulation and ideological bias in AI development from our reporter Sylvia Varnham O'Regan. Articles discussed on this episode: A New AI Startup Takeover ListFounders Fund, Dragoneer Each Commit $1 Billion–Plus to OpenAI DealMusk Giggles as Tesla TanksBots or Bust: ServiceNow’s Bill McDermott Makes an All-In Bet on AIThe Information’s TITV airs on YouTube, X, Facebook and LinkedIn at 10AM PT / 1PM ET. Or check us out wherever you get your podcasts. 

This episode kicks off with an exclusive interview featuring Cristóbal Valenzuela, CEO of AI video company Runway, who discusses their innovative enterprise sales strategy and the "forward-deployed technical artists" helping companies embrace non-traditional content creation. Our second guest, Tomas Tungus, General Partner at Theory Ventures, reveals the key metrics he's fixated on when assessing AI startups, offering a data-heavy dive into financial health, growth rates, and the nuances of revenue reporting in the fast-paced AI market. Finally, the episode concludes with an update on Crusoe, the data center company making a bold play in the cloud computing space. Reporter Anissa Gardezy details Crusoe's ambitious revenue projections for its AI cloud business and its role in major projects like Stargate, as it aims to compete with industry giants like Oracle and ultimately become a leading cloud provider.Articles discussed on this episode:https://www.theinformation.com/articles/how-runway-hopes-to-outrun-open

This episode features interviews about critical developments in artificial intelligence. Our Apple reporter, Aaron Tilley, discusses the brand’s struggle to keep top AI talent. Steve Jang, Founder and Managing Partner at Kindred Ventures, discusses the future of ride-sharing with robotaxis and the ongoing "browser wars" between Perplexity's Comet and OpenAI. Our cloud reporter, Anissa Gardizy provides updates on OpenAI's significant data center expansion with Oracle and the evolving Stargate project. Additionally, Dani Yogatama, CEO of Reka, shares insights on his company's recent funding, efficient multimodal AI models, and strategies for attracting talent. Articles discussed on this episode:Why Apple Is Losing Ground in the AI Talent War (It’s Not Just Money)OpenAI, SoftBank at Odds Over Data Center ProjectOpenAI Greatly Expands Data Center Deal With Oracle

Today’s episode features Box CEO Aaron Levie, who discusses how AI is transforming enterprise software and whether it's a threat or an opportunity. We also analyze Figma's highly anticipated IPO valuation with our financial columnist Anita Ramaswamy, discussing its impressive growth and the impact of AI. Finally, cybersecurity and enterprise tech reporter Aaron Holmes unpacks the recent Microsoft SharePoint hack, its implications for government and businesses, and the ongoing cybersecurity challenges for Microsoft, including how CEO Satya Nadella's pay is now linked to security improvements.Articles discussed on this episode: Figma’s IPO May Be Hot, but Its Outlook Is MurkyFigma Sets Tentative IPO Pricing RangeHackers Exploit Microsoft Flaw in File-Sharing Software

We hear from Tom Schmidt of Dragonfly Capital about what the stablecoin legislation means for startups and why crypto M&A is so hot right now. Co-executive editor talks about how Netflix has matured over the years, Weekend editor Abe Brown goes into detail about our flying cars story, and our CEO Jessica Lessin gets into our Vibe Coding survey results. Hosted by Akash Pasricha. Articles discussed on this episode: A Flying Taxi Finally Nears Takeoff With an Unlikely Boost From ToyotaAs Crypto Bill Passes, Bank Bosses Feel HeatThe Education of Roku’s Anthony Wood25 Great Books for Summer 2025The Information Survey: Nearly 75% of Respondents Are Vibe Coding

The Information’s Asia Bureau Chief Jing Yang gives us a view from the ground on the AI startup scene in China, diving deep into DeepSeek’s challenges, Manus, and the hurdles humanoid robotics companies are facing there. Plus, banking reporter Michael Roddan shares his findings from an investigation into quantum and AI company SandboxAQ, and TITV host Akash Pasricha speaks with Slow Ventures General Partner Sam Lessin about why seed investing is a tale of two cities right now. Articles discussed on this episode: DeepSeek’s Progress Stalled by U.S. Export ControlsWhy Humanoid Robots Are the Latest Front in America’s Tech War With ChinaLavish Spending and Weak Growth Engulf Billionaire-Backed AI Startup SandboxAQThe Information’s Creator Economy Database

OpenAI is working on agent tools that build spreadsheets and presentations, and The Information’s Stephanie Palazzolo and TITV Host Akash Pasricha break down her reporting. Plus, we talk with our IPO reporter Cory Weinberg about his exclusive story on blockchain lending company Figure’s IPO and the IPO market broadly. And TITV sits down with 500 Global CEO and founding partner Christine Tsai to talk about her latest exit and which country outside the U.S. she is investing more in.

Meta's Mark Zuckerberg sits down with The Information's Jessica Lessin to talk about his vision of personal super intelligence and how that differs from the way the world is talking about AI today. The conversation also covered Zuckerberg's strategy for deploying capital and why he's putting servers inside tents.

Jessica sits down with journalist and Pivot host Kara Swisher to discuss what's wrong with Silicon Valley and next in news. 

Sand Hill Road has gone crypto-crazy, making it the best time ever to be a cryptocurrency or blockchain-based startup. Six such companies drew our attention enough to make it into this year’s The Information 50 list of promising startups. They range from an environmentally friendly cryptocurrency to the “picks and shovels” businesses enabling others to develop crypto products—such as nonfungible token marketplaces—or make sure they’re legally compliant. In today’s episode, executive editor Amir Efrati speaks with crypto reporter Hannah Miller about the startups that made the cut. Then Hannah talks to the co-founder of one of them—Audius, a blockchain-based music-streaming service trying to give musicians a bigger cut of streaming revenue. Its crypto tokens are already worth $1 billion collectively. Check out the final episode of our five-part series.

Cryptocurrency is soaking up attention, but financial services technologies involving fiat currency have also never been hotter. This week we continue our special five-episode series on The Information 50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion, by taking a look at five fintech startups that made the cut. In this episode, The Information’s Amir Efrati speaks with reporter Kate Clark about the startups that made our list, why “banking as a service” is on the rise, and why this year’s record $87 billion in fintech startup funding doesn’t represent the peak. Then Kate interviews Itai Damti, co-founder of Unit, the top startup on our list, and Henrique Dubugras, co-founder and co-CEO of corporate card startup Brex, about the fintech frenzy and what’s coming next.

This week we continue our special five-episode series on The Information 50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion, by taking a look at the B2B category. More than half the startups in this group reflect two big pandemic related trends: companies trying to control spending on subscription software apps, and their constant search for new employees.  The Information’s Amir Efrati talks to reporter Kevin McLaughlin about the six startups that made the cut and valuation trends in enterprise software. Efrati then talks to Jonathan Siddarth, founder and CEO of Turing, which helps companies hire pre-vetted, remote engineers from all over the world. Listen to find out why the fast-growing company, barely three year old, is No. 1 on our list.

This week we continue our special five episode series on The Information 50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion. In episode two, executive editor Amir Efrati first talks to reporter Malique Morris about commerce startups worth watching, including a budding rival to Shopify, a fashion marketplace and a facilitator of limited-edition merchandise “drops” for celebrities and shows such as “Succession." Next, Malique talks to Rachel Tipograph, founder and CEO of MikMak, an advertising-tech provider for consumer brands, which could be a beneficiary of Apple’s restrictions on iPhone advertisers.

This week, The Information released TI50, our annual list of the most promising startups valued at less than $1 billion. Over the next five episodes of The Information 411 podcast, you’ll hear from The Information reporters who put the list together and from the founders whose companies made the list. In episode one, executive editor Amir Efrati first talks to reporter Kevin McLaughlin about the companies in the list’s Enterprise AI category and how machine learning tools and services are proliferating and being applied in the real world. Next, Amir talks to Clement Delangue, co-founder and CEO of Hugging Face, the #1 ranked company in the Enterprise AI category. It’s a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Why are so many instant delivery startups popping up? Cory talks to The Information's Mark Di Stefano about the buzzy sector and one controversial company in particular, Gorillas. Then, Steve LeVine, author of the new The Information newsletter The Electric, explains the geopolitical dynamics in the battery industry.

What happens when a small town becomes a choke point for tens of thousands of Amazon deliveries every day? Cory talks to The Information’s Paris Martineau about what residents’ struggles in a small Massachusetts town tell us about the challenges of Amazon’s rapid physical expansion. Then, Hong Kong bureau chief Shai Oster explains why the Chinese government cracked down on ride-hailing firm Didi Chuxing just after it went public.