Big Technology Podcast Economics of OpenAI, Tesla’s Robotics Pivot, Hedonic Treadmill — With Slate Money
May 8, 2024
Felix Salmon, Chief Financial Correspondent at Axios, Emily Peck, Markets Correspondent at Axios, and Elizabeth Spiers, Contributing Writer for the New York Times Opinion, dive into the economic implications of AI and robotics. They dissect OpenAI's vast investments and Tesla's robotics pivot while examining societal impacts like the hedonic treadmill. The trio also tackles the complexities of retirement and wealth's effect on happiness, challenging conventional views on financial security and future job landscapes.
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Transcript
Episode notes
OpenAI's Contradictory Strategy
- OpenAI's business model relies on decreasing compute costs and increasing AI value.
- Their proposed $7 trillion investment contradicts this, suggesting a disconnect in their strategy.
AI Blitz Scaling
- Current AI companies, like OpenAI, prioritize market share and IP dominance through rapid investment.
- This "blitz scaling" approach aims to monopolize the AI sector, similar to Big Tech's trajectory.
AI Profitability Puzzle
- While NVIDIA profits from selling AI chips, consumer-facing AI products lack significant revenue.
- True profitability might come from AI consulting or internal cost savings rather than direct sales.