JB Straubel was Elon Musk’s battery guy. Now he’s trying to turn what some see as trash into power for the electric vehicle revolution. Straubel was there at the earliest days of Tesla, and in his 15 years with the electric vehicle company, he played an integral role: he developed the battery pack used in the first Tesla vehicle, was the company’s Chief Technology Officer, and now sits on the board of directors. But his day job is running the battery-recycling startup Redwood Materials, and he envisions a future where recycled batteries power our cars, cell phones and power tools. So could companies like his one day replace the oil giants who fueled the last century? Why does he think humans have room to work harder? And can the Tesla board manage Musk as he takes on a growing role in U.S. politics, including advising the Trump administration? Straubel speaks to WSJ’s Tim Higgins and Christopher Mims in episode three of our interview series Bold Names.

Check Out Past Episodes

Bold Names: Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks' 

Bold Names: Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff and the AI ‘Fantasy Land’ 

Further Reading

The Boom in Battery Metals for EVs Is Turning to Bust 

Cost-Cutting Lessons From Musk World for DOGE 

The Withering Dream of a Cheap American Electric Car 

What Americans Get Wrong About Electric Cars 

One of the Brains Behind Tesla May Have a New Way to Make Electric Cars Cheaper 

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Can Hollywood work with artificial intelligence? And if so, under what terms? Stability AI CEO Prem Akkaraju and actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt went head-to-head last month at WSJ Tech Live discussing that and more. They were joined by WSJ senior personal tech columnist Joanna Stern. We play you highlights of that conversation. Julie Chang hosts.

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Plus, crypto advocates land legal win after a federal appeals court rejects the Treasury Department’s sanctions on Tornado Cash. And, Shopify looks to court bigger clients. Julie Chang hosts.

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Tesla’s Gigafactory in Austin, Texas ran afoul of environmental overseers, with toxins spewed into the air and a dead deer found in a pond, according to Wall Street Journal reporting. WSJ reporter Susan Pulliam joins host Belle Lin to discuss her findings, including how the Journal uncovered the story and how far back alleged environmental problems at Tesla’s plants go.

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Plus, Google proposes more changes to its search results in Europe. And Best Buy says President-elect Donald Trump’s new proposed tariffs will raise prices for customers. Danny Lewis hosts.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook has done something that has eluded many other corporate leaders: He’s cracked the code on working with President-elect Donald Trump. What’s his playbook? And will others follow suit? WSJ reporter Chip Cutter joins host Julie Chang for a look at how some corporate executives could work with the new administration. Plus, artificial intelligence could help bring down the cost of college. We explain how.

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Plus, prospective Bitcoin investors are instead buying shares in a software company that owns tens of billions of the cryptocurrency’s tokens. And Chinese tech company Bilibili beat quarterly expectations thanks to a new videogame release. Danny Lewis hosts. 

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Ukraine’s drone suppliers are ramping up production of computer-guided drones to aid in its fight against Russia. WSJ Ukraine bureau chief James Marson joins host Belle Lin to talk about how these killer robots differ from other drones on the battlefield today. Plus, why the “smart” home of tomorrow has some people wishing for the “dumb” home of yesteryear.

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Marc Benioff is one of the most outspoken names in tech. The billionaire co-founder of customer relationship software company Salesforce has been pivoting the company’s focus to artificial intelligence agents to help its clients manage customer service and other needs. But he has some strong opinions about how others are promoting AI, from how Microsoft is marketing its Copilot feature to companies like Amazon buying up nuclear power contracts for their data centers. And yet he says he’s as excited about AI as he was the day that Apple’s Steve Jobs sent him one of the first iPhones. So what can AI actually do, and what’s a ‘fantasy’? Benioff speaks to WSJ’s Christopher Mims and Tim Higgins in episode two of our interview series Bold Names.

Check out Episode 1: Bold Names: Why This Tesla Pioneer Says the Cheap EV Market 'Sucks' 

Further Reading

A Powerful AI Breakthrough Is About to Transform the World 

With ‘Founder Mode,’ Silicon Valley Makes Micromanaging Cool 

AI Agents Can Do More Than Answer Queries. That Raises a Few Questions. 

At Marc Benioff’s Salesforce, It’s One Big Family—Until Trouble Hits 

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Plus, Polymarket blocks users in France from placing new bets. And the U.K.’s competition watchdog recommends investigating Apple and Google’s mobile ecosystems. Belle Lin hosts.

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