The Startup Podcast cover image

The Startup Podcast

Insiders React: China Retaliates Against NVIDIA Embargo + US Startups in Crisis, Google Faces Legal Heat

Apr 24, 2025
39:04

Huawei has just announced a new AI chip—does this mean tariffs accelerating Chinese innovation?


This week, Chris Saad, Yaniv Bernstein, and guest Amir Shevat dig into how the AI trade war and tech monopolies are reshaping the global startup landscape. Plus, on a lighter note: why Sam Altman says politeness in AI prompts is surprisingly expensive.


In this episode, you will:

  • Break down how China’s Huawei is pushing out a homegrown AI chip — and why US tariffs might be backfiring
  • Hear why US arrogance may be accelerating China’s rise in AI innovation, not slowing it
  • Learn how tariffs are hurting startups — from hardware costs to startups skipping Delaware altogether
  • Debate Google’s antitrust showdown: are they abusing market power or just defending their turf?
  • Explore why Perplexity AI is fighting for “choice” — and why it's really about distribution
  • Consider whether saying “please” to ChatGPT actually improves responses — and keeps you off the robot hit list
  • Laugh (or cry) as the team wrestles with whether our political system is just “dumb,” or already boiling over

The Pact

Honour The Startup Podcast Pact! If you have listened to TSP and gotten value from it, please:

Follow, rate, and review us in your listening app

Subscribe to the TSP Mailing List to gain access to exclusive newsletter-only content and early-access to information on upcoming episodes: https://thestartuppodcast.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Secure your official TSP merchandise at https://shop.tsp.show/

Follow us here on YouTube for full-video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNjm1MTdjysRRV07fSf0yGg

Give us a public shout-out on LinkedIn or anywhere you have a social media following


Key links

The Startup Podcast is sponsored by Vanta. Vanta helps businesses get and stay compliant by automating up to 90% of the work for the most in demand compliance frameworks. With over 200 integrations, you can easily monitor and secure the tools your business relies on. For a limited-time offer of US$1,000 off, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.vanta.com/tsp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.


Get your question in for our next Q&A episode: https://forms.gle/NZzgNWVLiFmwvFA2A

The Startup Podcast website: https://tsp.show


Learn more about Chris and Yaniv

Work 1:1 with Chris: http://chrissaad.com/advisory/

Follow Chris on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrissaad/

Follow Yaniv on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ybernstein/


Producer: Justin McArthur https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-mcarthur

Content Strategist: Carolina Franco https://www.linkedin.com/in/francocarolina/

Intro Voice: Jeremiah Owyang https://web-strategist.com/

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts

Save insights instantly, chat with episodes, and build lasting knowledge - all powered by AI.
App store bannerPlay store banner