Lost in Tech

In this episode of Lost in Tech, Lola Oyelayo-Pearson and Mamuna Oladipo shift focus from tech billionaires shaping the world to how technology is shaping our minds.

Last week, we explored supervillains in tech, but this week, we hone in on a study that reveals how perspectives on gender, race, and ideology are shifting—by country, gender, and generation. As social media reinforces existing beliefs instead of challenging them, the gap between progressive and conservative thinking is widening.

📌 Inside This Episode:
🔹 How Tech is Shaping Minds & Dividing Generations

• New data shows stark ideological shifts by gender and generation—what’s driving this?
• Social media bubble effect—are we just reinforcing our own beliefs instead of broadening perspectives?
• The rise of gender and race issues in content—are algorithms amplifying division?
• What can we do as tech workers to be more conscious stewards of the future?

🔹 Plus, in lighter news…

• Lola teaches Mamuna the meaning of #tatertots. 😂

💡 We made this show for YOU! Got a tech challenge? Need career advice? Send your dilemmas to [email protected] or DM us on @LostInTechPodcast on Twitter.

👍 Like, Subscribe & Follow for real conversations about tech, career growth & everything in between!

Show Notes:

• https://x.com/jburnmurdoch/status/1750849189834022932?s=48&t=7IqdD4d2kgleeLSe-P0PCw
• https://www.ft.com/content/29fd9b5c-2f35-41bf-9d4c-994db4e12998

This week on Lost in Tech, Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Oyelayo-Pearson dive into main character energy in public spaces—specifically how figures like Elon Musk and Donald Trump dominate the headlines and shape global narratives.

📌 Inside This Episode:
🔹 Are We Enabling the Supervillain?

• Elon Musk is demanding more voting power—is this a legitimate move or a step towards unchecked control?
• The media’s role in elevating polarizing figures—are we complicit in making them larger than life?
• Trump’s Republican nomination win—does perception shape economic reality?
• The fine line between influence, power, and when it all becomes dangerous.

🔹 Tech & Culture: When the Lines Blur

• Meta’s billion-dollar GPU investment—why is Zuck hoarding chips?
• The Rabbit R1 at CES—is this the next big thing in personal AI assistants?
• The rise of tech leaders influencing policy, economy, and even geopolitics.

🔹 What We’re Learning:

• Lola & Mamuna reflect on the power struggles playing out in tech, media, and politics.

💡 We made this show for YOU! Got a tech challenge? Need career advice? Send your dilemmas to [email protected] or DM us on @LostInTechPodcast on Twitter.

👍 Like, Subscribe & Follow for real conversations about tech, career growth & everything in between!

Show Notes:

• Elon Musk ask for voting power - https://www.reuters.com/technology/musk-seeks-25-voting-share-tesla-2024-01-16/
• Elon Bloomberg Podcast - https://www.bloomberg.com/elon-inc-podcast
• Media and organizations are businesses. Goal is to make money and gain mindshare.
• Donald Trump wins the republican nomination - https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/1/24/trump-boosts-hold-on-gop-nomination-with-decisive-new-hampshire-primary-win
• Civil War - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDyQxtg0V2w
• For All Mankind Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZS9M52Bd_w
• The Expanse Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQuTAPWJxNo

This week on Lost in Tech, Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Oyelayo-Pearson break down the chaos at OpenAI—from governance drama to Sam Altman’s vision, and what happens when commercial interests collide with an uncertain AI future.

📌 Inside This Episode:
🔹 OpenAI Governance: What Did We Lose?

• How did OpenAI’s governance structure fail?
• What happens when a board doesn’t fully understand its own company’s direction?
• The role of Effective Altruism (EA) in tech—what did we learn from FTX?

🔹 Money vs. Mission: Can AI Ever Be Truly Altruistic?

• AI development costs billions—how does a company balance innovation, ethics, and profit?
• Is a fully altruistic AI even possible in today’s world?
• What does Sam Altman actually think about governance and commercialization?

🔹 What we’re learning:

• Lola & Mamuna reflect on the broader implications of AI leadership and governance.

💡 We made this show for YOU! Got a tech challenge? Need career advice? Send your dilemmas to [email protected] or DM us on @LostInTechPodcast on Twitter.

👍 Like, Subscribe & Follow for real conversations about tech, career growth & everything in between!

Show Notes:

• Hard Fork Sam Altman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBX4xeefPiA

📉 The economy is thriving… or is it?

This week on Lost in Tech, Lola Oyelayo-Pearson and Mamuna Oladipo take a trip down memory lane—back to penpals, pagers, and mailing letters pre-internet. Then, they swap nostalgia for economics hats to unpack the disconnect between economic data and real-life experiences.

📌 Inside This Episode:
🔹 Old-School Communication: What it was like sending actual letters before the internet changed everything. ✉️
🔹 The Economy Says We’re Fine, But…

• Officially, the U.S. economy is “strong.” Unemployment is low, and growth is up.
• So why do millennials and tech workers still feel like they’re struggling?
• Laid-off tech workers from last year are STILL searching for jobs.
• Are inflation and job market fears making things feel worse than they are?
  🔹 What’s REALLY happening in tech jobs?
• Is this a "vibes" problem, or is there a real disconnect between economic numbers and hiring trends?

💡 We made this show for YOU! Got a tech challenge? Need career advice? Send your dilemmas to [email protected] or DM us on @LostInTechPodcast on Twitter.

👍 Like, Subscribe & Follow for real conversations about tech, career growth & everything in between!

Show Notes

Daily Episode - https://open.spotify.com/episode/20KiP6DkNyjVELtqAN6Frj?si=tXB8LatdQqK7Tbfj2accRA

We are so very tardy to the party but hey, we believe better late than never! In this short minisode, Lola & Mamuna talk about end of year reviews in tech. How to think about them, how to navigate them and what to expect (or not).

This week, Lola Oyelayo-Pearson and Mamuna Oladipo skip the small talk and dive straight into Marc Andreessen’s “Techno-Optimist Manifesto.” We explore what it really means to be a techno-optimist, whether bold declarations like these help or harm the conversation, and how personal platforms can shift from self-expression to wielding real-world influence.

Continuing with the theme of amplified voices, we discuss how technology has reshaped the way information spreads—particularly in times of crisis. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has once again highlighted the polarized nature of the internet, where perspectives are shaped not just by facts, but by who holds the mic. How do influencers, tech leaders, and everyday people navigate their role in a world where speaking up—or staying silent—carries consequences?

📌 Inside This Episode:
🔹 Are you a Techno-Optimist?

• The manifesto’s take on innovation, progress, and the future of technology.
• The problem with extreme polarization—can we really reduce people to binary beliefs?
• The nuance of progress—who benefits and who gets left behind?

🔹 The Role of Personal Platforms in a Crisis

• The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how the internet amplifies divisiveness.
• How leaders and influencers choose to engage—or avoid—global issues.
• Lessons from 2020: leading through anti-Blackness, Indigenous genocide, and the expectation for companies to take a stance.

💡 We made this show for YOU! Got a tech challenge? Need career advice? Send your dilemmas to [email protected] or DM us on @LostInTechPodcast on Twitter.

👍 Like, Subscribe & Follow for real conversations about tech, career growth & everything in between!

Show Notes:

• The Techno-Optimist Manfiesto - https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/
• The Bottom Billion - https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-bottom-billion-9780195311457?cc=us&lang=en&

After a short break (turns out we have seasons!), Lola Oyelayo-Pearson and Mamuna Oladipo are back to talk about what’s been happening in tech—from the exodus from Threads to the rise of stablecoins and the latest from X CEO Linda Yaccarino at the Code Conference.

📌 Inside This Episode:
🔹 Is Threads Already Dying?

• Major brands are pulling back—is it just another social media hype cycle?
• Why platforms need time to grow and whether social media is resistant to traditional growth curves.

🔹 Stablecoins & the Future of Money

• Lola takes Mamuna to crypto school—what’s the deal with stablecoins, and why are people moving towards them?
• Did you know PayPal’s USD stablecoin has more consumer protections than standard digital currency? 🤯
• What’s the long-term impact of stablecoins on financial systems?

🔹 X CEO Linda Yaccarino at Code 2023

• What’s next for Twitter/X, and does anyone really trust the platform’s new direction?
• Can advertisers and users still find value on a platform that keeps shifting under Elon’s vision?

🔹 What we’re learning:

• Lola is deep into how to price software—subscription models, profit margins, and why it’s easier in agencies vs. in-house.
• Mamuna is in performance review season and continuing to refine the art of giving and receiving feedback.

💡 We made this show for YOU! Got a tech challenge? Need career advice? Send your dilemmas to [email protected] or DM us on @LostInTechPodcast on Twitter.

👍 Like, Subscribe & Follow for real conversations about tech, career growth & everything in between!

Show Notes:

• Abandoning Threads: https://ktla.com/news/some-major-brands-are-giving-up-on-threads-as-engagement-craters/
• Two types of dollar on PayPal: http://jpkoning.blogspot.com/2023/09/there-are-now-two-types-of-paypal.html?m=1
• What is a stablecoin: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stablecoin
• X CEO Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYymRU-bfpQ

This week on Lost in Tech, Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Oyelayo-Pearson dive into the empire of Elon Musk—from Starlink’s satellite dominance to SpaceX’s vertical integration and Neuralink’s Black Mirror vibes. Is he actually a visionary, or is he turning into a real-life Lex Luthor? 👀

Then, we break down a listener dilemma from a pregnant job seeker weighing two great job offers—one that requires relocation to California and another that lets her stay in Canada and work remotely. How do you evaluate a career move while considering family, benefits, support systems, and long-term career growth? We offer a practical framework to navigate these complex decisions.

📌 Inside This Episode:
🔹 Elon Musk: Innovator or Villain?

• Starlink now owns half of all low-orbit satellites—what does that mean for the internet?
• SpaceX’s vertical integration—when you own the rockets, you make the rules.
• Tesla’s charging network dominance and what it means for EV competitors.
• Neuralink… no seriously, are we living in a sci-fi movie?

🔹 Listener Dilemma: Two Job Offers, One Big Life Change

• How to evaluate job offers beyond just salary—think career growth, flexibility, and support.
• Why being pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t negotiate—we break down maternity leave, benefits, and company culture.
• The relocation factor—is uprooting your family worth the opportunity?
• What gives you energy vs. what drains you? The gut-check method for making career decisions.

🔹 What we’re learning:

• Lola is deep into software pricing strategies—why are there such wild variations in pricing?
• Mamuna is learning something critical: how to actually take vacation. 😂

💡 We made this show for YOU! Got a tech challenge? Need career advice? Send your dilemmas to [email protected] or DM us on @LostInTechPodcast on Twitter.

👍 Like, Subscribe & Follow for real conversations about tech, career growth & everything in between!

Is product management dying? This week on Lost in Tech, Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Oyelayo-Pearson break down Brian Chesky’s controversial comments about getting rid of PMs at Airbnb. Is this the beginning of the end for the role, or is it just another rebranding of what great PMs already do?

Before diving into that, we check in on Threads—Instagram’s latest attempt to compete with Twitter. Is it a real contender or just another short-lived hype cycle?

We also tackle a listener dilemma from a senior product designer who feels like they’re doing more PM work than design. With responsibilities like defining strategy, prioritization, and stakeholder management, they’re wondering if they’re in the wrong role—or if design and PM should even be separate roles at all.

📌 Inside This Episode:
🔹 Threads: Are we really doing this again? How do we make it work for us?
🔹 The Value of the PM Role:

• Brian Chesky’s interview at Config—does Airbnb really not need PMs?
• Why PM responsibilities are constantly evolving and vary widely across companies.
• Does size and org structure matter when defining PM vs. Design roles?

🔹 Listener Dilemma: "Am I actually a PM? My design role feels like something else."

• When roles blur, how do you decide where you fit?
• Defining your energy zones—move towards what excites you.
• How to have an open conversation with leadership about your career path.
• Why titles matter less than the work you do.

🔹 What we’re learning:

• Lola just submitted her first patent application!
• Mamuna is exploring AI prompting for greater efficiency.

💡 We made this show for YOU! Got a tech challenge? Need career advice? Send your dilemmas to [email protected] or DM us on @LostInTechPodcast on Twitter.

👍 Like, Subscribe & Follow for real conversations about tech, career growth & everything in between!

Brian Chesky at Config: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dkfijg7s76o

Lola’s 2019 Blog post - Great designers lean out of Design to make an impact - https://medium.com/@LolaOye/great-designers-lean-out-of-design-to-make-an-impact-93b3bd8e2e2e

🌴 Take that vacation, embrace the unknown, and rethink risk.

This week on Lost in Tech, Mamuna Oladipo and Lola Oyelayo-Pearson dive into the importance of using your PTO, why rest isn’t just good for you—it’s necessary, and how pushing through without breaks can actually work against you.

From there, we discuss the Titan submersible tragedy and what it reveals about designing for human error. The tragedy raises critical questions: Are we too quick to label mistakes as human error when the real issue is poor design? How do we balance innovation, safety, and user experience—especially in industries where risk is inevitable?

Next, we tackle a listener dilemma from someone who is facing a tough career decision. They’ve worked hard to build a strong foundation in their current role, but a new, high-risk, high-reward opportunity is knocking at their door. With TEDx speaker and leadership coach Wendy Knight-Agard, we explore how to evaluate career opportunities using a simple three-question framework:

1️⃣ Do I like the job I’m currently doing?
2️⃣ Do I see a growth path within this role?
3️⃣ Do I like the environment I’m in?

We also break down the fear of failure, the importance of getting comfortable with discomfort, and how to separate personal vs. professional risk. Sometimes, the grass seems greener not because the opportunity is better, but because we’re afraid to grow.

💡 We made this show for YOU! Got a tech challenge? Need career advice? Send your dilemmas to [email protected] or DM us on @LostInTechPodcast on Twitter.

👍 Like, Subscribe & Follow for real conversations about tech, career growth & everything in between!