Plenty of tech industry nonsense to chat about this week, folks. Elon Musk is fathering his 13th child (and a new Grok model) and trying to destroy OpenAI. Everyone is trying to match OpenAI's Deep Research with similar products of their own. The markets are back. As always, Down Round is here to guide you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We got a few requests last week to talk more about OpenAI's Deep Research feature that everyone's been going wild about. We thought it was a good opportunity to return to a topic that we've touched a few times over the past couple of years — what sort of work is being threatened with change by new systems like this? In this two parter, we look at Deep Research and the current prospects for automating white collar work with AI. To subscribe to Down Round Premium, head here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple is worth $3.5 trillion. Trillion with a T. But all is not necessarily well in Tim Cook's kingdom. iPhone sales are slowing and the Apple Intelligence rollout was unimpressive and underwhelming. Now rumours abound that they are abandoning their rescue mission for their VR and AR ambitions. Are Apple floundering? Or just doing things The Apple Way? Who better to discuss than the Down Round boys?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chaos ignited by DeepSeek's powerful AI model sends tech stocks plummeting to historic losses. The conversation dives into the geopolitical implications of China’s rising AI ambitions and its impact on global market dynamics. Training costs for AI are revealed to be much higher than expected, posing challenges for developers. DeepSeek’s advanced reasoning capabilities and the competitive landscape facing American tech giants like Apple and Meta offer a glimpse into the future of the industry. It’s a mix of serious analysis and light-hearted banter as they untangle the madness.

January kicks off with a whirlwind of tech drama. The spotlight is on TikTok and the potential consequences of a ban due to national security fears. Dive into the fascinating rise of DeepSeek, a Chinese AI model reshaping the landscape. The discussions touch on everything from meme coins to the geopolitical tensions surrounding Taiwan’s independence. Plus, catch insights on how political dynamics are influencing TikTok's future strategies and potential buyers. It's a tech lover's paradise!

The number one social media app in the Apple App Store is currently Xiaohongshu, AKA The Little Red Book, the Chinese social shopping app reminiscent of TikTok but with more shopping.  We take a squiz at that, before assessing the latest announcements from Nvidia and what it all means.  Strap in, the boys are back for 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the last couple of weeks, Mark Zuckerberg and Meta have signalled a shift in the way the company is run — eliminating factcheckers, rolling back internal DEI policies and bringing politics content back to company platforms. On the one hand, you can read it as an obvious sop to the incoming Trump administration. But there's definitely a cultural change in the air when it comes to online platforms and politics, and Zuck is right at the coalface. Joining us for this episode is Mike Isaac, tech correspondent and Meta whisperer at The New York Times. He helped us untangle some of the forces driving Meta's change of heart.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On Down Round, we make many predictions. Almost all of them are correct. For this episode, we have used the power of AI to forensically audit a representative sample of episodes over the last year, with the goal of answering the question: just how right were we?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join a hilarious Shark Tank-style session where your startup pitches meet a panel of witty judges. Explore the amusing escapades of renting pools through Swimply and the chaotic logistics behind it. Dive into a quirky concept that mixes funeral planning with car negotiation tactics, blending humor with heartfelt discussions. Engage in lively debates about AI’s potential in improving relationship dynamics. Finally, discover the absurdities of food labeling standards and the hilarious costs tied to regulations, all in a playful and entertaining banter.

This is part two of our annual Xmas spectacular, and we continue to answer your questions. To hear the rest, sign up to premium: downround.netSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.