Diet TBPN: October 16th, 2025

Overview

This episode dives into groundbreaking advancements in AI, particularly in cancer research, the competitive landscape between tech giants like Google and OpenAI, and broader implications for industries ranging from healthcare to finance. The hosts also explore cultural and economic shifts, including trade wars, creator economies, and the evolving role of AI in business and creativity.

Notable Quotes

- Is this the ChatGPT moment for AI and bio, or is this the 2005 DARPA Grand Challenge that took 20 years until Waymos were on the street? - John Coogan, on the significance of Google's AI-driven cancer research breakthrough.

- OpenAI is an amazing company, and these are impressive numbers. Also, a company losing $20 billion a year with $13 billion of revenue, making business deals that project hundreds of billions in future spending with a private valuation of half a trillion is mental. - Jordi Hays, on OpenAI's financial trajectory.

- When it's difficult to make something, it's valuable. And when anyone can have it instantly, it's absolutely worthless. - Jordi Hays, reflecting on the value of creativity and effort in the AI era.

🧬 AI in Cancer Research

- Google announced a significant milestone in AI-driven cancer research, leveraging their C2S scale 27B foundation model to generate hypotheses about cancer cellular behavior, validated in living cells.

- John Coogan used a Call of Duty metaphor to explain the breakthrough, likening cancer cells to enemy players and the immune system to a team hunting them down. The AI's role is to make cold tumors visible to the immune system, akin to lighting them up on a mini-map.

- The hosts debated whether this marks a transformative moment for AI in biology or a long-term incremental step.

💰 Tech Giants and Competitive Dynamics

- Jordi Hays questioned whether OpenAI can compete with Google's vast resources in areas like healthcare, given its focus on other priorities.

- The timing of Google's announcement, juxtaposed with OpenAI's controversies, was seen as a strategic PR win for Google.

- The conversation touched on the broader implications of AI breakthroughs for industries and the potential regulatory hurdles that could slow progress.

📈 OpenAI's Financial Ambitions

- OpenAI's financials were dissected, revealing $13 billion in revenue but $20 billion in annual losses. Despite this, the company projects $100 billion in revenue within three years.

- The hosts compared OpenAI's trajectory to other tech giants like Nvidia and Tesla, noting the unprecedented speed of its growth projections.

- They discussed the potential for OpenAI to dominate software revenue and its partnerships with major players like Walmart and Shopify.

🎨 AI and Creativity in Business

- The use of AI in creative industries was explored, with examples of AI-generated advertising and tools for businesses like Zavo, an AI-powered ERP for restaurants.

- Jordi Hays highlighted the resourcefulness of startups using AI creatively, contrasting scrappy campaigns with high-budget productions from established companies.

- The hosts speculated on the future of AI-native businesses, drawing parallels to the rise of DTC e-commerce brands leveraging platforms like Shopify.

🌍 Economic and Cultural Shifts

- The episode touched on geopolitical developments, including a trade war with China and India's shifting oil trade policies.

- The hosts discussed the creator economy, contrasting the effort-reward dynamics of platforms like YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).

- Other topics included the risks of lead contamination in consumer products, the rollout of Starlink on United Airlines, and the cultural significance of new U.S. Mint coins featuring innovators like Steve Jobs.