Uptin & Thomas discuss:

- TikTok avoided a U.S. ban by handing data control to Oracle.

- Tesla got warned by California — not over hardware, but over words.

- The Oscars moved to YouTube, admitting TV is no longer the center of attention.

- Chipotle is selling protein, not food.

- And investors are already betting on SpaceX’s IPO ... years before it happens.

Just days after Uptin sold his agency, Uptin and Gary talk honestly about focus vs juggling, personal brand vs client work, and how to know when you’ve made the right move, even when there’s no “right” answer.

They get into:

• Why shiny object syndrome is actually part of the entrepreneur’s gift

• The truth behind “hustle culture” and why Gary stopped using the word

• How algorithms really work — and how to take back control of your attention

• Why managing yourself is one of the hardest skills after leaving a job

• Live streaming, live shopping, and what’s actually next for creators

• Confidence, accountability, modern parenting, and why negativity feels louder than kindness

• AI, IP, and why every creator may soon be in the character business

In this episode, Uptin sits down with David Cox, IBM’s VP of AI Models and head of the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab, to break down the real story of artificial intelligence.Forget the hype.

Forget the talk about superintelligence. Cox explains why the biggest risk is not an all-powerful AI taking over humanity.

The real danger is bad AI deployed at scale, faulty agents making high stakes decisions, and companies using “safety” as a way to control the market.

From sovereign AI to geopolitics, from China’s open model strategy to the coming energy crunch from oversized models, Cox lays out the most important questions that will shape the next decade.

This is the AI conversation people should be having.

Uptin just exited his first company.In this UTP episode, we break down the real story behind selling UP10 Media to Augustus Media — how the deal happened, what the process was really like, and what this means for the creator economy.We cover:• How the acquisition came together• What founders never tell you about exits• The emotions + negotiations behind the scenes• What’s next for Uptin after UP10A raw, honest look at what it takes to build and sell a company in today’s creator-led world.Also a look at Paramount Vs Netflix over Warner Bros.

Uptin & Thomas cover:

• Google vs OpenAI: Wall Street is suddenly betting on Google as Gemini 3 boosts Alphabet and Broadcom — while Microsoft and Nvidia lag.

• Australia Teen Ban: Australia moves to block under-16s from TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat with a national age-verification system.

• India vs Apple: Apple refuses India’s push to preload a government-made “cyber safety” app, setting up a major privacy showdown.

• MrBeast Financial: MrBeast is launching a full financial services platform and mobile carrier, potentially becoming the first creator-led fintech giant.

• Meta’s Pivot: Zuckerberg quietly cuts the metaverse budget by up to 30% as Meta shifts focus fully toward AI.

• Gemini vs ChatGPT — Google drops Gemini 3 and Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff says he switched from ChatGPT after just two hours, signaling a potential shift in the AI race.

• Target’s ‘Diabolical’ Black Friday — People lined up at 3 a.m. for gift bags with candy and shampoo samples, while Lowe’s stole the show with tool-filled buckets and $2,000 appliance giveaways.

• Google’s Hurricane Predictor — DeepMind’s new GraphCast AI beats world-class weather models in 90% of tests, delivering 10-day forecasts in under a minute and raising big questions about Big Tech running global weather.

• Apple Watch vs Rolex — Rolex’s CEO says the Apple Watch actually helped Rolex by getting younger consumers used to wearing a watch, fueling record luxury sales and years-long waitlists.

• Billie Eilish vs Elon Musk — A comment from Billie sparks a full-blown internet culture war between Gen-Z climate anxiety and Silicon Valley techno-optimism.

• Campbell’s Soup Meltdown — A VP is caught on tape calling Campbell’s “food for poor people,” triggering a corporate crisis around brand trust, product pride, and whistleblower retaliation.

• Waymo Freeways & New Cities — Waymo expands to Miami, Dallas, Houston, and more — and begins freeway driving in LA, SF, and Phoenix, pushing robotaxis into real transportation territory.

Tinder’s Head of Product, Mark Kantor, sits down with Uptin to break down the future of dating: AI-powered profile creation from your camera roll, personalized match recommendations, and why Tinder actually wants you to get off the app fast.

We talk swipe fatigue, Gen Z’s new dating rules, safety tech like FaceCheck, the explosion of Double Date mode, and whether AI can ever understand “vibe” or chemistry.

A rare look inside how the world’s most influential dating app is redesigning connection.

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• Home prices: More than half of U.S. homes are worth less than a year ago on Zillow, but most owners are still sitting on huge equity and almost no one is truly underwater.

• Nvidia earnings: Nvidia posts a record $57 billion in quarterly revenue, mostly from AI data centers, raising the question of whether this is an AI bubble or just the new normal.

• Target’s identity crisis: Longtime CEO Brian Cornell is out, an insider is in, and Target is stuck between Walmart prices, Amazon convenience and culture war fatigue.

• Sonder’s collapse: Once a billion dollar Airbnb–hotel hybrid, Sonder goes straight to Chapter 7 liquidation after its lifeline Marriott deal implodes.

• Turkey dinner math: Bird flu and higher wholesale costs behind the scenes, but supermarkets are using cheap turkeys as loss leaders to keep your Thanksgiving bill down.

• White Lotus in France: HBO confirms season 4 in Paris and the French Riviera, setting up a new round of rich people drama in châteaux, beach clubs and luxury hotels.

Meta’s Chief Marketing Officer Alex Schultz joins Uptin & Thomas to break down the future of social media, AI, smart glasses, creators, and why the United States is still the last major country that hasn’t fully embraced WhatsApp.- Why Americans don’t use WhatsApp and Meta’s plan to change that- Smart glasses vs headsets and why Meta believes glasses will win- The Ray-Ban Meta partnership and why the new designs matter- Vibes, Meta’s AI-only content app, early trends and the vision- Meta’s AI strategy across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp- The future of creators & monetization and what platforms won’t tell you- Is social media actually declining? Meta’s internal data says something different- How teens should use social platforms, and Alex’s take on safety & screen time- How Facebook is still huge for Gen Z in Asia, Middle East & beyond- Why Meta still cares about connecting the next billion users - Where VR/AR is headed — gaming → entertainment → productivity- Alex’s digital marketing book & why principles matter more than channels🔥 Then Uptin and Thomas break it all down:- Why the U.S. messaging ecosystem is so different- Whether smart glasses really are the next big consumer device- The future of creator monetization (and why platform payouts are unreliable)-----0:00 - Intro1:35 - Why Americans Still Ignore WhatsApp3:43 - Ray-Ban x Meta Partnership4:57 - Smart Glasses vs Headsets: Who Wins?6:56 - Creator Money: What Platforms Don’t Tell You8:53 - Meta’s Race to Connect the Next Billion9:56 - Why Gen Z Still Uses Facebook (Outside the West)11:00 - Is Social Media Dying? Meta Says No11:17 - How Teens Should Use Social Media12:50 - Vibes App: Meta’s AI-Only Experiment13:55 - Why Marketing Principles Still Matter based on Alex's Book15:29 - Meta’s Big AI Play Across All Apps16:02 - Final Question: What excites Alex the most right now?16:33 - Uptin & Thomas React to the Interview16:43 - Why the U.S. Messaging Ecosystem Is Unique21:58 - Are Smart Glasses the Next Big Thing?24:15 - The Future of Creator Monetization31:42 - Final Notes from Uptin & Thomas

Uptin & Thomas discuss:

• Trump’s proposed 50-year mortgage lowers monthly payments but dramatically increases lifetime interest and doesn’t fix the real issue: housing supply.

• Bitcoin plunged from $126K to under $96K as rate-cut hopes collapsed and high leverage amplified the fall.

• Apple released a $230 knitted iPhone pouch with Issey Miyake, turning the phone into a full-on fashion accessory.

• One in three Americans earning $100K say they’re financially distressed as rising housing, childcare, and inflation erase purchasing power.

• Target launched the “10-4 program,” requiring employees to smile and greet customers to boost holiday sales, sparking debate about forced friendliness.

• Sony bought the rights to Labubu and is developing a movie around the viral collectible toy phenomenon.

• Brittany Kaiser explains why Gen Z finally cares about data privacy and why Telegram’s TON ecosystem could be the next major alternative to Meta.