Squawk Pod

Nvidia’s $500 billion deal with top Wall Street firms has sparked a debate about circular spending in the AI ecosystem. Ed Zitron is a critic of the investments pouring into the industry, and he shares his bearish take on AI. Brett Schulman, CEO of fast casual chain Cava, is keeping his eye on consumer confidence amid salmonella and cyclospora outbreaks in the U.S. Schulman discusses the impact foodborne illness has had on the restaurants, despite Cava’s food supply chain being unimpacted by issues. Plus, former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb discusses President Trump’s Executive Order on childhood vaccines and the pressure it may create for state leadership. 

Ed Zitron - 03:47

Brett Schulman - 14:03

Dr. Scott Gottlieb - 22:41 

In this episode:

Leslie Picker, @LesliePicker

Michael Santoli, @michaelsantoli

Brian Sullivan, @SullyCNBC

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nvidia is taking in $500 billion in new financing from major Wall Street firms as CEO Jensen Huang touts chips as the next “investable asset.” Former senior White House policy advisor on AI Sriram Krishnan discusses America’s tech race with China and the next opportunities in artificial intelligence, including in cyber security. CNBC’s Dan Murphy reports on the new normal in the Strait of Hormuz, a Tesla-SpaceX merger could fast-track Elon Musk’s pay package, and a Staten Island judge has ordered an emergency pause on Mayor Mamdani’s new pied-a-terre tax. Plus, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger is intervening in the sale of Dominion Energy to an out-of-state company. The moderate democrat discusses Virginia’s business ecosystem and the primaries underway in multiple states across the country. 

Dan Murphy - 04:22

Gov. Abigail Spanberger - 15:06

Sriram Krishnan - 31:53 

In this episode:

Abigail Spanberger, @GovernorVA

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Melissa Lee, @MelissaLeeCNBC

Dan Murphy, @dan_murphy

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta will open source its most powerful AI models, including a new model called Muse Glimmer. AI investor Vinod Khosla discusses the evolution of AI, investment opportunities in the space, and tech’s ability to support communities displaced by data centers by way of tax changes. Plus, President Trump has renewed his effort to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook, and Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick says the Grand Theft Auto VI extended trailer will be worth watching on Netflix in a few weeks…but it’s likely not the beginning of an acquisition. 

Vinod Khosla - 05:03

Strauss Zelnick - 30:12

In this episode:

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Melissa Lee, @MelissaLeeCNBC

Katie Kramer, 

@Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a surprise to Wall Street, the Labor Department reported a loss of 23,000 nonfarm jobs in July. CNBC’s Rick Santelli and Steve Liesman break down the report and what it means for the broader health of the economy. Representative Greg Casar (D-TX) is focused on AI’s impact on the labor force in his latest legislation to tax hyperscalers, while MIT Associate Professor Kevin Esvelt is closely watching AI’s achievements in science. He considers the implications of a new study from the Arc Institute that showed AI-created viruses are viable in the real world. Plus, in a child harms case in New Mexico, Meta was ordered to pay $567 million into an abatement fund, and OpenAI plans to release a home device to consumers. 

Rep. Greg Casar - 14:23

Rick Santelli & Steve Liesman - 25:24

Kevin Esvelt - 32:13

In this episode:

Greg Casar, @RepCasar

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Melissa Lee, @MelissaLeeCNBC

Steve Liesman, @steveliesman

Rick Santelli, @RickSantelli

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Google is reshuffling its AI team, moving Demis Hassabis from CEO to chairman of Google DeepMind. Hassabis will also take over the chief scientist role of Alphabet after the current chief scientist Jeff Dean leaves the company. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that President Trump has called Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh multiple times since Warsh stepped into his role. Google board member and former Fed vice chairman Roger Ferguson weighs in on both Google’s AI strategy and the relationship between the central bank and the White House. Plus, Jamie Dimon has a warning for investors, CNBC’s Sharon Epperson reports on the major wealth transfer from boomers, including the complicated inheritance of real estate. 

Roger Ferguson            23:17

Sharon Epperson           35:34

In this episode:

Sharon Epperson, @sharon_epperson

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Former Fed Chair and former Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen discusses Kevin Warsh’s new regime at the Federal Reserve and the persistent inflation in the United States. After the first U.S. intervention in the Japanese yen in decades, she discusses global economic stability and the changes still to come, thanks to AI. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi discusses the road ahead for autonomous vehicles and safety after Uber reported weaker-than-expected second quarter results and guidance. Plus, SpaceX’s spending surge has rattled investors, the markets are digesting news of a potential deal with Iran, and Chipotle’s jalapenos are causing concern. 

Morgan Brennan - 8:31 

Janet Yellen - 20:43 

Dara Khosrowshahi - 35:41 

In this episode:

Dara Khosrowshahi, @dkhos

Morgan Brennan, @MorganLBrennan

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a newsmaking–and market-moving–interview, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggests that the U.S. may have a deal with Iran as soon as today or tomorrow. He says, the “K-shaped economy is over,” and the era of the “C-shaped” economy has arrived. Plus, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel is at the Aspen Economic Strategy Group meeting for his company’s latest earnings release; he’s looking forward to new innovations like Snap’s Specs to drive demand for AI compute.

Treasury Sec. Scott Bessent - 14:10

Evan Spiegel - 44:59

In this episode:

Scott Bessent, @SecScottBessent

Evan Spiegel, @evanspiegel

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After months of negotiations broke down, New York State filed a lawsuit against prediction market Kalshi. Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour responds to the allegations that his platform is “quintessentially gambling” and that it seeks to avoid paying the appropriate taxes. Then, Adam Isles, head of cybersecurity for the Chertoff Group, discusses the cyberattacks on water systems across seven U.S. states. He considers the likelihood that Iran is behind the attacks, as well as how vulnerable Americans are to attacks with the newest forms of technology. Plus, the U.S. is intervening to prop up the Japanese yen, and it’s a busy summer at the box office, with The Odyssey extending its time in theaters to meet demand for 70mm screenings.

Tarek Mansour - 15:23

Adam Isles - 37:01 

In this episode:

Tarek Mansour, @mansourtarek_

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Federal Reserve, under Kevin Warsh, has decided to keep interest rates steady. Former Fed vice chairman Roger Ferguson discusses the decision and the FOMC member dissents. After Dr. Anthony Fauci’s testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Committee Chair Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) discusses his plan to consider holding Dr. Fauci in contempt for exercising his Fifth Amendment rights 111 times throughout the hearing. CNBC’s Dan Murphy reports on the latest strikes between the U.S. and Iran, and Amos Hochstein, former White House Senior Advisor for President Biden, discusses strategies in regional conflict and its impact on global energy.  

Roger Ferguson - 5:05

Sen. Rand Paul - 21:11

Dan Murphy - 37:03

Amos Hochstein - 42:50

In this episode:

Rand Paul, @SenRandPaul

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk

Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.