Join the More or Less crew for a Summer Edition from the cabins! We dive into how AI is reshaping hiring, the future of resumes, the rise of agentic coding assistants, and why service businesses suck (unless you're Brit doing a fun side-hustle ). As always, we tackle the latest in tech news from The Information, from OpenAI's copyright battles to the next phase of Bumble and the realities of Tesla's Robotaxis.

We’re also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspod

Connect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less, we dive into the escalating AI talent wars, Meta’s bold moves, and what the latest hires really mean for the future of AI innovation. The More or Less team break down why product execution is overtaking research wizardry, what's happening between OpenAI and Microsoft, and how AI is reshaping inbound for all markets.We’re also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less: Is Austin out-innovating San Francisco in self-driving tech? Why Apple’s WWDC liquid glass announcement a bigger deal than you think. The real story behind Meta’s $14B Scale AI move, and the new economics of AI talent. Plus, what’s next for startup investing in an era where talent trumps business models. We’re also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

This week on More or Less, we debate whether tech culture is unwatchable, why “Substacker” might be the last job standing, and if Build-A-Bear is secretly the next great AI company (move over, Nvidia). Plus: the real risks of self-driving Teslas on field trips, the myth of the “everything app,” and why the future just might be all about vibes. Come for the hot takes, stay for the man cave updates.Takeways: - The film 'Mountain Head' received mixed reviews, with some finding it unwatchable.- Substack's CEO predicts that 'substacker' will be one of the six main jobs in the future.- AI is expected to lower the cost of content creation, making it easier for creators to enter various industries.- The competitive nature of the content creation landscape. There is a significant barrier to entry regarding truth in the creator economy.- Authenticity is crucial for creators when launching products.- Build-A-Bear exemplifies how a brand can leverage AI for future growth.- Self-driving technology raises important safety and ethical questions, especially for children.- Investors are often driven by the potential for market cap expansion, thus creating the narrative of an "everything app"- The future of technology will likely involve more personalized and specialized solutions.We’re also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/britChapters:00:00 The Rise of Personalized Robotics02:55 Home Renovations and the Ultimate Man Cave05:45 Critique of Mountain Head: A Cinematic Disappointment08:55 The Future of Work: Substack and Creator Economy12:00 AI's Impact on Content Creation and Distribution14:57 The Evolution of Creator Brands and Product Authenticity18:08 The Supplement Market: Trends and Concerns20:55 Hardware Innovations: AR, VR, and Snap's Future27:55 The Future of Snap and OpenAI's Potential Acquisitions30:02 Innovative Wearables and the Concept of the E-Cane33:07 Build-A-Bear: The Unexpected AI Company35:59 The Everything App: Future of Digital Consolidation40:00 Elon Musk's PR Strategies and Tesla's Self-Driving Technology47:58 AI in Everyday Life: Unique Applications and Experiences

This week on More or Less: Investors too squeamish for OnlyFans, AI makes the creator economy weirder (and richer), and why your next ETF might be Mormon. Plus, the real reason nobody watches your full podcast, and a healthy dose of tech industry self-roasting.

Takeaways

• OnlyFans presents a unique investment opportunity despite its controversial nature.
• Market dynamics in the sex work industry are shifting due to platforms like OnlyFans.
• Investment perspectives on controversial industries are evolving with societal changes.
• Digital identity verification is becoming increasingly important in the tech landscape.
• AI is transforming content creation and user interaction on platforms like OnlyFans.
• The need for robust age verification systems is critical for online safety.
• Social engineering poses significant risks to digital security and identity verification.
• The intersection of technology and privacy raises important ethical questions.
• New technologies are emerging to address identity verification challenges. Cybersecurity is a growing concern in today's digital age.
• Personal security measures are becoming increasingly important.
• The evolution of media is leading to new forms of content consumption.
• Platforms like TBPN are disrupting traditional media models.
• Cultural shifts are changing the landscape of digital content.
• Celebrity ventures are becoming significant players in the market.
• The importance of remembering complex passwords cannot be overstated.
• Media companies must adapt to the soundbite era to stay relevant.
• Tech hiring is experiencing a downturn post-pandemic.
• The de-stigmatization of platforms like OnlyFans is creating new opportunities.

We’re also on ↓

• X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/moreorless

Connect with us here:

1. Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin
2. Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin
3. Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin
4. Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

Chapters

00:00 Celebrating Milestones and Listener Engagement

03:00 The Business of OnlyFans and Its Market Dynamics

05:58 Investment Perspectives on Controversial Industries

09:04 The Evolution of Digital Identity and Security

12:00 The Intersection of Technology and Privacy

14:59 The Future of Age Verification and Digital Safety

17:53 The Role of AI in Content Creation and Interaction

20:59 Exploring New Technologies for Identity Verification

24:06 The Implications of Social Engineering and Security Risks

34:00 Navigating Cybersecurity Challenges

36:55 The Importance of Personal Security

39:57 Media Evolution and Disruption

44:03 The Future of Tech and Media

49:57 Cultural Shifts in Digital Content

53:58 Celebrity Ventures and Market Trends

This week, Sam and Dave are joined by a very special guest: Synthetic Fidji. Yes, an AI version of Fidji Simo, created after the real one politely declined (hey, the show must go on, okay?).

They get into:

• the bull and bear case for vibe coding
• Gemini vs. GPT (is Sam having second thoughts?)
• why GitHub might be quietly, ruthlessly winning the AI dev race
• the identity crisis no one’s cracked with LLMs

Plus: OpenAI just spent $6 billion on hardware to team up with Jony Ive, the MEO phone is suddenly everywhere, and more.

We’re also on ↓

• X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspod
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/moreorless
• Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspod

Connect with us here:

1. Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin
2. Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin
3. Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin
4. Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

00:00 Introduction

01:24 OpenAI CEO of Applications?

07:55 Tools that ACTUALLY work

18:47 Is everyone lying about vibe coding?

43:10 The big identity problem with LLMs (and Zapier)

52:26 Google I/O: "Who cares?"

54:13 Is OpenAI big tech? They buy Jony Ive's startup

56:17 The "hyper-viral" Methaphone. How?

59:40 Outro

What happens when Sam gets fed up with shady secondary brokers mid-recording?

He starts vibe coding a platform to replace them—live on the pod!

On this week’s More or Less, the gang dives deep into the messy mechanics of the secondary markets and how early cashouts might be a bigger red flag than anyone wants to admit.

Plus:

• Airbnb’s déjà vu product strategy
• The quiet crisis in venture liquidity (and who’s actually good at selling)
• OpenAI’s new “CEO of Applications”, and
• The looming threat of Trump’s nonprofit tax crackdown (and what it means for Harvard, endowments, and… Froyo)

We’re also on ↓

X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspod

Instagram: https://instagram.com/moreorless

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspod

Connect with us here:

1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin

2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin

3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin

4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

The countdown to Episode 100 is on, but this week, it's more news and less Sam.

Jessica, Brit, and Dave dig into a jam-packed week across tech, AI, VC, and culture—starting with Dave topping a surprise list of top angel investors (yes, above Peter Thiel), raising questions about who really shows up on cap tables and why no women made the cut.

The crew unpack:

• Windsurf’s $3B acquisition by OpenAI
• Apple’s potential move to replace Google with its own AI search in Safari
• A historic week of M&A with DoorDash, Datadog, and Function Health, and
• Why tech was (mostly) absent from this year’s Met Gala

We’re also on ↓

X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspod

Instagram: https://instagram.com/moreorless

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspod

Connect with us here:

1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin

2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin

3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin

4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

00:00 Trailer

01:24 Nearly 100 episodes

02:35 Top one angel investor: David Morin

07:22 Big M&As and vibe coding

20:09 Digital media

22:09 Is Google search dying?

30:13 New Netflix interface

32:18 Fund entities and structures (Sam, don't listen!)

44:37 Pop culture corner: Barry Diller

46:20 Pop culture corner: Met Gala

54:44 Happy birthday to Jess

55:26 Outro

Jess, Sam, Brit, and Dave are back on More or Less with plenty to unpack—from Meta and Google’s AI sprawl to Snap’s fading relevance and the monetization questions hanging over tech.

Here’s what they get into:

– Why OpenAI is crushing the consumer AI game

– Sam’s new startup: The Ruck Rock fitness empire

– Meta’s AI app confusion (and Ray-Ban power moves)

– Snap’s ad crash—and a left-field fix involving Sam Altman

– AI and mental health: the risks no one’s talking about

Plus: the parenting trick Meghan Markle and Sam both swear by—and why Dave might soon be replaced by an AI on the board.

We’re also on ↓

X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspod

Instagram: https://instagram.com/moreorless

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspod

Connect with us here:

1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin

2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin

3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin

4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

00:00 Trailer

01:20 AI investors, New York, Austin

05:01 The Ruck Rock, Methaphone, Weighted Tungsten cases

11:02 Meta AI, Google Gemini, ChatGPT

21:46 The way to win in AI

31:39 Snap snapped, and macroeconomics too

34:29 Thinking Machines Lab

38:21 AI and mental health

45:32 Pop culture: Beyonce, Warriors, Meghan Markle

48:56 Outro

Jess, Sam, Brit, and Dave returned from spring break to catch up on chaotic headlines from the last week — from Tesla’s bad quarter to Google’s courtroom drama.

On the docket:

– the antitrust cases shaking up Google, Meta, and the entire ad economy

– is OpenAI quietly building the next Facebook?

– Sam’s theory on “zombiecorns”

– is OnlyFans the new Uber?

We’re also on ↓

X: https://x.com/moreorlesspod

Instagram: https://instagram.com/moreorless

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspod

Connect with us here:

1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin

2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin

3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin

4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit

00:00 Trailer

01:25 Recruiting PMs and hard-to-fake filters

08:34 Google anti-trust legal theater

13:58 Market narratives and fruit monopolies

22:21 LLMs and media companies

25:49 Is the web dying?

32:05 People want resonance

38:19 Adult content and AI

40:59 Meme stock Tesla and messiah Elon

47:30 How Musk handles the poliola

49:15 "Spam" Lessin's factory-farmed VC unicorn end

52:23 National medal of motherhood

55:48 Be the mountain, not the storm

58:10 Outro and announcement