The Knowledge Project
Episode's summary
Could a slowdown in data center construction actually help Big Tech? NLW explores how the post-election backlash could give hyperscalers cover to rein in spending, boost cash flow, and strengthen their competitive position—and whether the AI investment boom can cool without crashing. In the headlines: OpenAI says ChatGPT search is gaining on Google, Meta acquires coding startup Conductor, and Apple cuts employee AI spending limits.
Could a slowdown in data center construction actually help Big Tech? NLW explores how the post-election backlash could give hyperscalers cover to rein in spending, boost cash flow, and strengthen their competitive position—and whether the AI investment boom can cool without crashing. In the headlines: OpenAI says ChatGPT search is gaining on Google, Meta acquires coding startup Conductor, and Apple cuts employee AI spending limits.
Episodes
1132-
Why a Data Center Slowdown Benefits Big Tech
ListenedCould a slowdown in data center construction actually help Big Tech? NLW explores how the post-election backlash could give hyperscalers cover to rein in spending, boost cash flow, and strengthen their competitive position—and whether the AI investment boom can cool without crashing. In the headlines: OpenAI says ChatGPT search is gaining on Google, Meta acquires coding startup Conductor, and Apple cuts employee AI spending limits.
1131-
How the Midterm Results Change AI
ListenedThe Democratic wave is bringing new scrutiny to AI, but how much will actually change? NLW breaks down the election’s implications for data center construction, AI regulation, and the emerging 2028 presidential race—and why the backlash could lead to a better deal for local communities rather than a halt to the AI build-out. Check out How We Got Here Ep. 2 - How We Made the Wrong Things Cheap https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-we-got-here-with-nlw/id6822359990 https://open.spotify.com/show/7h55KSq0XwIjdWzwF2zgNV?si=cb76360051ec48a0 Learn More about the AI Champions Program: https://www.besuper.ai/champions Brought to you by: KPMG – New KPMG and UT Austin research shows what separates “AI Amplifiers” from everyone else. Learn more at kpmg.com/us/AIamplifiers Granola - The AI notepad for people in back-to-back meetings. Try it free granola.ai/brief…
1130-
AI Lurches Toward Recursive Self-Improvement
ListenedAI is getting better at building better AI—but how close are we to recursive self-improvement? New MIT research shows a frontier model directly editing a smaller model’s weights, while Anthropic signals accelerating AI-led research. NLW explores what these developments actually demonstrate, why GrokBot’s rising costs are reigniting the debate over AI subsidies, and whether faster model improvements will translate into wider adoption—or run into the same organizational barriers holding businesses back today. Check out How We Got Here Ep. 2 - How We Made the Wrong Things Cheap https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-we-got-here-with-nlw/id6822359990 https://open.spotify.com/show/7h55KSq0XwIjdWzwF2zgNV?si=cb76360051ec48a0 Learn More about the AI Champions Program: https://www.besuper.ai/champions Brought to you by: KPMG – New KPMG and UT Austin research shows what separates “AI Amplifiers” from everyone else. Learn more at…
1129-
How to Deslopify Your AI
ListenedAI slop shifts the burden of thinking from the person producing the work to whoever receives it. In this Operators’ Cut, Nufar Gaspar joins NLW to share practical habits for creating better work with AI, from developing your own point of view and teaching models your taste to building effective review checkpoints. NLW also breaks down how he uses AI to produce How We Got Here while keeping control of its perspective and narrative. Check out How We Got Here Ep. 2 - How We Made the Wrong Things Cheap https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-we-got-here-with-nlw/id6822359990 https://open.spotify.com/show/7h55KSq0XwIjdWzwF2zgNV?si=cb76360051ec48a0 Learn More about the AI Champions Program: https://www.besuper.ai/champions Brought to you by: KPMG – New KPMG and UT Austin research shows what separates “AI Amplifiers” from everyone else. Learn more at kpmg.com/us/AIamplifiers Granola - The AI notepad for people in back-to-back…
1128-
AI Won’t Make Our Minds Useless According to 400 Years of History
ListenedWhat if abundant intelligence makes human ambition expand rather than human relevance disappear? NLW explores Venkatesh Rao’s “Cognitive Mercantilism,” which uses the history of capitalism to challenge assumptions about AI and our intellectual future. From the agricultural revolution to today’s AI agents, the episode examines how cheaper intelligence could unlock new desires, new work, and possibilities we haven’t yet imagined. Source: https://contraptions.venkateshrao.com/p/cognitive-mercantilism Listen to the new How We Got Here with NLW: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-we-got-here-with-nlw/id6822359990 https://open.spotify.com/show/7h55KSq0XwIjdWzwF2zgNV?si=cb76360051ec48a0 Learn More about the AI Champions Program: https://www.besuper.ai/champions Brought to you by: KPMG – New KPMG and UT Austin research shows what separates “AI Amplifiers” from everyone else. Learn more at kpmg.com/us/AIamplifiers Granola - The AI…
