Clawdbot Creator Peter Steinberger Joins, Meta's Premium Subscription Plans | Jamie Cuffe, Ben Lerer, Lucas Atkins, Bridgit Mendler, Jeff Miller, Aaron Frank

Clawdbot Creator Peter Steinberger Joins, Meta's Premium Subscription Plans | Jamie Cuffe, Ben Lerer, Lucas Atkins, Bridgit Mendler, Jeff Miller, Aaron Frank

January 27, 2026 3 hr 49 min
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🤖 AI Summary

Overview

This episode dives into the intersection of technology, AI, and business, featuring discussions on viral AI projects, advancements in satellite communications, the evolution of media ventures, and the future of autonomous drone racing. Guests include Peter Steinberger, creator of MoltBot, and leaders from various industries discussing their groundbreaking projects and insights.

Notable Quotes

- With great power comes great responsibility. This is the worst these models will ever be, and they’re already incredible. - Peter Steinberger, on the potential and risks of AI agents.

- The best way to learn new technologies is to have fun with them. Build for the models, not just for humans. - Peter Steinberger, on his approach to innovation.

- Media is the sexiest bad business in the world. The key is to stay niche and build something you love. - Ben Lerer, reflecting on lessons from scaling digital media.

🧠 The Rise of Personal AI Agents

- Peter Steinberger shared the journey of MoltBot, an open-source AI assistant that integrates seamlessly across apps and devices.

- MoltBot’s viral success highlights the demand for personal AI agents that simplify daily tasks, from managing fitness goals to automating workflows.

- Steinberger emphasized the importance of building tools that cater to AI models’ strengths, such as Unix-based CLIs, to maximize efficiency.

- He envisions a future where apps are replaced by hyper-personalized AI-driven solutions, reducing reliance on traditional software.

🚀 Innovations in Satellite Communications

- Bridgit Mendler, CEO of Northwood Space, discussed their $100M Series B funding and a $49.8M Space Force contract.

- Northwood’s vertically integrated approach manages the entire ground infrastructure stack for satellite communications, enabling rapid deployment and scalability.

- The company aims to accelerate ambitious space missions by addressing supply chain, deployment, and regulatory challenges.

- Mendler highlighted the potential for diverse applications, from dynamic spacecraft movement to timely satellite imagery.

📈 Lessons from Scaling Media Ventures

- Ben Lerer, co-founder of Lerer Hippeau Ventures, reflected on his journey with Thrillist and the challenges of scaling a media business.

- He warned against overextending in pursuit of growth, emphasizing the value of staying niche and community-focused.

- Lerer highlighted the shift in media value toward individual creators and platforms, advising against chasing venture-scale ambitions in traditional media.

🤖 AI in Enterprise and Open-Source Models

- Lucas Atkins, CTO of Arcee AI, discussed their transition to developing proprietary language models, including a 400-billion-parameter release.

- He emphasized the importance of task-driven reinforcement learning to enhance model performance and the need for U.S.-based sovereign AI solutions.

- Atkins noted the competitive landscape, with China leading in open-source AI, and the growing demand for customizable, enterprise-grade models.

🏁 Autonomous Drone Racing and Anduril’s Expansion

- Jeff Miller, VP of Marketing at Anduril Industries, announced the launch of a global AI drone racing league, focusing on software-driven competition.

- The league will feature standardized hardware, with teams competing based on their AI coding capabilities.

- Anduril is also expanding its marketing efforts, including collaborations with NASCAR and Ohio State University, and scaling its manufacturing footprint in Long Beach.

- Miller emphasized Anduril’s commitment to showcasing raw, transparent product development and scaling efforts.

AI-generated content may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon as a sole source of truth.

📋 Episode Description

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  • (03:37) - Clawdbot Rebrands to Moltbot

  • (45:55) - Meta Announces $6B Corning Deal

  • (48:45) - Meta To Test Premium Subscription Plans

  • (56:29) - Ramp's New Super Bowl Ad

  • (59:20) - Timeline Reactions

  • (01:14:30) - Jamie Cuffe, founder and CEO of Pace, an AI operations partner for leading insurers, announced the company's $10 million Series A funding led by Sequoia Capital. He discussed Pace's role in automating back-office operations for major insurers like Prudential and The Mutual Group, focusing on tasks such as new business intake, policy servicing, and claims processing. Cuffe highlighted the company's approach of converting standard operating procedures into natural language instructions for AI agents, enabling efficient and scalable automation of complex insurance workflows.

  • (01:28:57) - Ben Lerer, a native New Yorker, is the co-founder and managing partner of Lerer Hippeau Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm, and the founder of Thrillist, a digital media company. In the conversation, he reflects on his journey from launching Thrillist during New York's nascent tech scene to navigating the challenges of scaling a media business amid evolving digital landscapes. He emphasizes the importance of staying true to one's passion, the pitfalls of overextending in pursuit of growth, and the value of building niche, community-focused media ventures.

  • (01:58:58) - Lucas Atkins, Chief Technology Officer at Arcee AI, discusses the company's transition from customizing enterprise language models to developing their own, including the release of a 400-billion-parameter model. He highlights the shift in defining "small" language models, now considered to be under 50 billion parameters, and emphasizes the importance of task-driven reinforcement learning in enhancing model performance. Atkins also addresses the competitive landscape, noting the scarcity of U.S.-based open-source models and the need for sovereign AI solutions.

  • (02:12:54) - Bridgit Mendler, an American actress, singer, and entrepreneur, is the CEO and co-founder of Northwood Space, a satellite data startup. In the conversation, she discusses Northwood's recent $100 million Series B funding round and a $49.8 million contract with the Space Force, highlighting the company's rapid growth and its mission to streamline satellite communications by managing the entire ground infrastructure stack. She also emphasizes the importance of vertical integration to address challenges in supply chain, deployment, and regulatory approvals, aiming to accelerate the deployment of diverse and ambitious space missions.

  • (02:28:36) - Jeff Miller, Vice President of Marketing at Anduril Industries, discusses the company's expansion into merchandise, including collaborations with NASCAR and Ohio State University, and the launch of high-demand items