The Dino Podcast

Spotify’s AI product manager Denis Beslic is back on The Dino Podcast. We discuss the massive buildout of data centers that provide compute for the ongoing AI boom. Big tech’s capital expenditure plans have reached staggering levels. We discuss: will the payoff ultimately materialize from all this spend? What is underneath the hood of the circular deals announced by market participants? And is the AI infrastructure boom sustainable, or a bubble that is ready to pop?

Paul Biggar founded a billion-dollar tech company. Then he became one of Silicon Valley’s most outspoken activists against Israel’s latest war crimes in Gaza. Paul joined this episode of The Dino Podcast to discuss his experience being vocal on the issue of Palestine in an industry that has historically been anything but. We discuss the material ways in which American Big Tech is instrumental to Israel’s war machine and occupation, the historical code of silence about Palestine among venture capitalists and tech founders, and what motivated Paul to speak up now. Paul Biggar is a renowned technologist and expert on compilers. He co-founded CircleCI, a CI/CD developer tool startup that went on to be valued over $1 billion. He also recently started Tech for Palestine, an organization that supports tech builders who aim to help the Palestinian people. If you would like to further their work, please donate to Tech for Palestine: https://techforpalestine.org/donate/ . Also, consider a donation to Pal Legal, an organization which protects constitutional free speech rights of people in the U.S. who advocate for Palestine: https://palestinelegal.org/donate .

Arnaud Bertrand returns to discuss the Israeli and U.S. war with Iran. The 12-day conflict settled into an uneasy ceasefire this week. Arnaud and I explore the origins of conflict with Iran. We also reflect on how successful each side was in achieving its war aims. In the second part of the podcast, Arnaud and I discuss Thomas Piketty’s economic research report “Colonial extraction and unequal exchange have shaped two centuries of North-South inequality”. Follow Arnaud on Twitter X at @RnaudBertrand , and subscribe to his Substack: https://arnaudbertrand.substack.com/

Economist Geoffrey Woglom is back on the Dino Podcast to discuss the Trump tariffs. We cover the administration's biggest moves, from the April 2nd (so-called "Liberation Day") reciprocal tariffs to subsequent negotiations. We explore the economic causes of trade deficits, and we ask whether tariffs are an effective policy instrument to correct them. Lastly, we consider America's negotiation strategy against China. An thoughtful discussion on what is shaping up to be one of the most significant economic events in years.

The pod made it to 30 episodes! We're chatting with Iman Oubou, the co-founder of Vocable.ai, an AI-powered content marketing platform. In her incredible career, Iman has been a scientist, Miss New York pageant winner, author, content marketer, and a repeat founder. I enjoyed discussing her amazing journey and her latest venture.

Try Vocable AI for your content marketing at: www.vocable.ai ; Check out Iman's book "The Glass Ledge" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Glass-Ledge-Through-Self-Sabotage-Embrace/dp/1683648595 . And connect with Iman on Instagram @imanoubou or on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iman-oubou-64009747/

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald joins The Dino Podcast to discuss the Trump administration’s recent arrests of student activists across the United States. The administration has summarily canceled green cards and student visas for students who wrote op-eds critical of the war on Gaza or took part in student protests. We examine the lack of due process in these cases - and what it means for the constitutionally protected right to free speech in America. Lastly, we take Glenn on a visit to the Bodega Corner.

No recording this week, so we're unlocking one of the Patreon bonus episodes. Leadership coach and entrepreneur Alexsandra Guerra came on the pod to discuss attachment styles in romantic relationships. Recorded in December 2024, just getting out from behind the paywall now.

Robert Mazzucchelli is currently the Chairman and CMO of SportEdTV, the world’s leading online platform for sports education. We discussed his journey from tennis pro to startup founder and business executive. In his career, Robert has bootstrapped a successful startup, built a $300 million business line for a global ad agency, launched a luxury menswear line, and co-founded an online sports education business. The journey features incredible successes, as well as difficulties, setbacks, and lessons learned. Robert’s story is a must-listen for any aspiring entrepreneur.

Tatum Brandt is the founder of Brandt Creative Co., an agency that specializes in branding and websites for fitness, sports, and wellness brands. In this episode, we dive into the booming fitness and wellness industry, exploring how to build standout brands in this competitive space. Tatum shares her insights on the latest trends—from run clubs and cold plunges to the rise of athlete influencers—and how brands can effectively tap into the growing demand for community-centered, wellness-focused experiences. We also discuss the power of storytelling in branding – and look back at the female athletes who captured the world’s attention in 2024, from Caitlin Clark to Olympians Kristen Faulkner and Gaby Thomas. If you are a wellness enthusiast or building a brand in the space, check out Tatum’s agency at: www.brandtcreative.co/ and follow her on Instagram at @tatumbrandt .

Denis Beslic, AI PM of Spotify’s Personalization team, returns to the Dino Podcast. We discuss the release of the DeepSeek foundational model from China, and how it has shaken up the tech industry. Denis also lays out how to build great software products incorporating AI and generative AI – a must listen for any product manager or developer. You can follow Denis’s content on his Substack, “AI Product Guy”: https://aiproductguy.substack.com/