Insiders React: OpenAI Bets Big on Vibe Coding + Epic Games' Victory Over Apple, Silicon Valley's Talent Crisis

OpenAI just dropped $3B on vibe coding—should software engineers be worried?

And what happens now that Apple’s 30% App Store tax just took a major legal hit?

In this episode of The Startup Podcast, hosts Chris Saad and Yaniv Bernstein are joined by seasoned founder and investor Hooman Radfar (CEO at Collective, ex-VC at Expa) to unpack three seismic shifts shaping the future of tech startups today.

They dive deep into OpenAI’s $3B move into vibe coding, the ripple effects of Apple’s court-ordered App Store concession, and a sobering update on Silicon Valley's AI talent trends.

Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/chA3rYD75uI

In this episode, you will:

•⁠ ⁠Learn why OpenAI is acquiring AI coding startups—and what that means for developers everywhere

•⁠ ⁠Understand how tools like Windsurf and Cursor are changing expectations for startup speed and headcount

•⁠ ⁠Discover why SaaS margins and investor sentiment are shifting under the weight of AI-native startups

•⁠ ⁠Explore how Apple’s legal defeat is reshaping the app ecosystem for founders and product builders

•⁠ ⁠Hear first-hand stories about the limits of current LLM coding assistants—and why user trust may be short-lived

•⁠ ⁠Unpack the growing platform risk as hyperscalers begin to own entire labor categories, not just infrastructure

•⁠ ⁠Debate whether the “two-speed” startup economy (AI-native vs everyone else) is sustainable—or a bubble waiting to pop

Whether you’re an early-stage founder, startup operator, or just trying to make sense of the shifting AI landscape, this episode is packed with hard-earned insights and startup war stories from the frontlines.

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://www.tsp.show/episodes/

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

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