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Tech Turns to Mining, Meta VR Layoffs, Thinking Machines Shakeup | Matthew Prince, Chirantan Desai, Delian Asparouhov, Deepak Pathak, David Tearse, Blake Resnick

36 snips
Jan 15, 2026
In this engaging discussion, Matthew Prince, CEO of Cloudflare, talks about challenges with Italy's regulatory actions that risk internet freedom. Chirantan 'CJ' Desai, CEO of MongoDB, reveals the company's impressive growth and how it’s evolving for AI applications. Delian Asparouhov from Founders Fund shares insights on holiday deal-making trends. Deepak Pathak of Skild AI announces a significant funding round for creating a general-purpose robot brain. Lastly, Blake Resnick showcases innovative public-safety drones, addressing their real-world applications.
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INSIGHT

Tech Moves Into Mining

  • Big tech is vertically integrating into mining and refining to secure AI supply chains like lithium and copper.
  • The AI boom created industrial-scale demand that pushed companies to own mines and refineries to avoid bottlenecks.
INSIGHT

Copper Supply Could Expand Fast

  • AWS partnered with Rio Tinto to underwrite a new copper refining process to unlock low-grade ore.
  • If the process scales, it could dramatically increase copper supply and ease data-center build constraints.
ANECDOTE

Thinking Machines Leadership Drama

  • Thinking Machines fired CTO Barrett Zoff for alleged unethical conduct and promoted Sumith Chintala to CTO.
  • The episode triggered talent movement back to OpenAI and industry gossip about co-founder equity and startup culture.
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