Insiders React: Death of Google Search? + YC's Startup Wishlist, Trump’s Saudi AI Deals

May 15, 2025

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What happens when Apple hints that Google’s search dominance may be cracking, triggering a $155 billion wipeout in Alphabet’s value?

Many still think Google search is untouchable, but a shift in user behavior and a few lines in DOJ testimony may signal otherwise.

In this episode, Chris Saad, Yaniv Bernstein, and Amir Shevat explore how Apple’s revelation about declining Safari search traffic could mark a turning point for Google, what’s really behind Trump’s Middle East ‘AI investment tour,’ and how YC’s latest startup wishlist shows where the next wave of disruption will come from.

In this episode, you will:

Understand why Apple’s testimony may be a warning shot for Google Search
Learn how AI is reshaping the definition—and monetization—of ‘search’
Analyze Trump’s Saudi tech tour and its real impact on US innovation
Evaluate the shift from ad-driven to subscription-based AI business models
Explore why Y Combinator wants startups to go ‘full stack’ instead of selling to incumbents
Unpack the risks of shiny-object AI ideas vs. defensible startup models
Discover which overlooked AI sectors still have white space for new founders

From Google’s search slowdown to Trump’s headline-grabbing AI deals and YC’s startup roadmap, this episode gives you the strategic insight founders need to navigate tech’s shifting landscape.

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