More or Less

The podcast discusses the challenges of hybrid work models and the move back to the office. They explore improving communication technologies for remote and hybrid work, as well as the earnings and valuations in the tech industry. The hosts also tease new potential features for the podcast.

The hosts discuss when companies should quit, reminisce about failed investments, and debate U.S.-China tech policy. They also explore the potential ban on TikTok, the power of quitting, and the changing landscape of venture capital. The podcast touches on storage services, surviving startups, and the trade imbalance between atoms and bits. They express excitement about artificial intelligence and express gratitude to the audience.

The Morins and the Lessins devise a playbook on the future of sports media. Plus, a More or Less debate on a new study on Wegovy. Articles and research discussed: https://www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=166301 Show Notes: 0:00 - Introduction: The hosts discuss ESPN's declining subscriber numbers and revenue challenges. They debate whether equity ownership for athletes could help and what innovations ESPN could make. 2:18 - ESPN's issues: The hosts discuss ESPN's high content costs, difficulty being a distributor in a direct-to-consumer world, and how sports rights are priced to perfection. 9:12 - Barstool Sports: The hosts discuss Barstool Sports' acquisition and subsequent return to its founder due to his controversial behavior. They debate whether "crazy" founders luck into windfalls. 16:00 - Solutions for ESPN: The hosts discuss innovations like new formats, storytelling, and interactive experiences. They debate whether betting is the best form of interactivity. 25:00 - Longevity science: The hosts discuss a new study showing a weight loss drug can reduce heart attack risk by 20%. They debate the risks of healthy people taking such drugs. 34:00 - Wrap up: The hosts summarize the major problems discussed and look forward to recording together in person next time.

This week, inspired by Barbie and Taylor Swift, the Morins and the Lessins debate the future of franchises and brands. Plus, the latest in the ecommerce wars and the winners and losers if room-temperature superconductors actually become a thing. Articles and research discussed: https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12008https://www.theinformation.com/articles/shein-makes-an-aggressive-pitch-to-woo-u-s-amazon-sellershttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/inside-tiktok-ceos-plan-to-play-offense Show Notes: 0:00 Taylor Swift concert and Barbie movie - The hosts discuss the cultural impact of the recent Taylor Swift concert and the Barbie movie. 0:13 Fast fashion brand Shein - The hosts discuss the rise of Chinese fast fashion brand Shein and its impact on Amazon. 0:27 Live shopping - The hosts discuss the trend of live shopping on social media platforms and whether it will take off. 0:38 Superconductors - The hosts discuss recent breakthroughs in room temperature superconductors and the potential impact. Brought To You By: ⁠⁠⁠The Information⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Slow Ventures⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Offline Ventures⁠⁠

Are we just playing into Elon's game with Twitter? The Lessins and The Morins debate and take different sides on whether seed investing can survive. Plus, what's Ruth Porat really up to at Google? Discussed: Google’s Darkest Days: After Three Deaths, a Workforce Reckons with a Changed CompanyThe Power Law: Venture Capital and the Making of the New Future Seed Investing Can't Turn Back On Show Notes: 00:00 - The hosts discuss Elon Musk rebranding Twitter as 'X'. They argue that Elon is doing it mainly to stay in the news cycle and get attention. They joke about how Elon is just like any other internet user, changing DNS records and making mistakes. 06:29 - The hosts discuss Google. They talk about Google's AI strategy, the promotion of Ruth Porat to President, and mental health issues at Google. They debate whether Google has lost its way or is still well positioned. 13:44 - Sam explains his view that 'seed investing is dead'. He argues that the venture capital model has broken down and companies are overvalued and unable to make a profit. Dave and Sam discuss how they prefer investing in 'weird' areas. 20:18 - The hosts debate whether venture capital will fundamentally change or just become a less good business. They agree that while seed investing will still exist, the previous model is over.

The Morins and Lessins debate the fizzling hype around AI and the Hollywood strike. Plus, Threads’ next move. Discussed:  https://www.theinformation.com/articles/deal-activity-on-the-rise-as-bankers-say-merger-conversations-are-picking-up https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_graham_the_incredible_creativity_of_deepfakes_and_the_worrying_future_of_ai https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.09009 https://dudeperfect.com/tour Show Notes: 0:00 Threads had a strong launch but questions remain around engaging content and audience building. 5:00 There is debate about the impact of AI on content, with concerns about AI-generated content and tools. The actors' and writers' strike highlights issues around voice, likeness, and copyright. 15:00 There are differing views on the capabilities and impact of large language models and AI technologies. Some argue the hype has outpaced reality while others see potential if issues around data and synthetic content can be solved. 30:00 The actors' and writers' strike is seen as justified by some to push for changes to copyright law to account for AI, voice, and likeness rights. Others want a quick resolution to minimize disruption. 35:00 Live experiences are seen as becoming more important compared to AI and digital content, as illustrated by the popularity of the Dude Perfect live show. Brought To You By: ⁠The Information⁠ ⁠Slow Ventures⁠ ⁠Offline Ventures⁠

The Morins and Lessins debate what the Threads launch means for this era of social media. And, body hacking with Brit.  Discussed: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/openai-plans-chatgpt-personal-assistant-for-work-setting-up-microsoft-rivalry?rc=hwneun https://www.theinformation.com/forum/posts/524?rc=hwneun https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/01/science/consciousness-theories.html Show Notes: 00:00 Twitter vs. Threads - Meta's new Twitter competitor called Threads, built on Instagram. Debate if it can "kill" Twitter. 06:08 The Future of Social Graphs - Debate if social graphs still relevant given rise of algorithmic feeds on TikTok. Threads may succeed if it can transplant Instagram's graph. 13:33 Content on Threads - Brit discusses the type of content she may post on Threads, noting it could attract a mainstream Instagram audience. 14:24 Audience - The hosts debate who Brit's audience on Threads may be, with Brit noting lifestyle-focused women in their 30s and 40s who are not currently on Twitter. 17:01 Algorithmic vs. Graph-Based - They discuss how Threads will likely use algorithms to boost content but the social graph provides a foundation. 31:01 Twitter's Future - The hosts debate whether Twitter is dying but agree it's hard to see it re-energizing in a positive direction. 39:04 Chat GPT Engagement Down - Dave shares that usage of Chat GPT and other AI chatbots is declining as initial excitement fades. 44:12 Full Body Scans - The hosts discuss new startups building full body scanners for early disease detection, though some question if the technology is meaningful yet. Brought To You By: ⁠⁠The Information⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Slow Ventures⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Offline Ventures⁠⁠

The Morins and the Lessins debate the question of how much of a "misfit" you have to be to win in tech and whether or not the M&A market will coming roaring back. Plus, "More or Less" lightning round on the Musk v. Zuckerberg cage match. Discussed: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/musk-v-zuckerberg-and-silicon-valleys-dangerous-roadhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-microdosing-ketamine-lsd-magic-mushrooms-d381e214 https://michaelafreemanmd.com/Research.html https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/psilocybin-treatment-for-major-depression-effective-for-up-to-a-year-for-most-patients-study-showshttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/a-long-strange-trip-for-the-uber-for-nurses?rc=hwneun Show Notes: 00:01 Databricks buying Mosaic for $1B - The group discusses the deal, with Britt arguing it signals a return of M&A activity. Others are more cautious, saying one deal does not make a trend. They debate if deals are coming back. 07:12 Drug use and mental health in Silicon Valley - There are differing views on neurodivergence in founders and the role of drugs. Dave argues most founders suffer from mental health issues and need tools to manage it. Others debate the line between creativity and responsibility. 25:18 "Crazy founder" narrative - They debate whether founders need to be "crazy" or "misfits" to succeed. Jessica argues the narrative excludes many potential founders and is problematic. Sam says most founders are "crazy" because they don't fit into normal jobs. 34:06 Elon vs Zuckerberg "fight" - While finding the potential fight silly, they see it as a symptom of lack of clear direction in tech culture currently. Brit argues women founders would never do something so ridiculous. Brought To You By: ⁠⁠The Information⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Slow Ventures⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Offline Ventures⁠

Entrepreneurs and investors the Morins and the Lessins discuss what the antitrust armageddon means for venture capitalists and the challenges of creator-led businesses. Plus, Pharrell's debut (tech?) fashion collection and what we learned this week.  Discussed: https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/ftc-sues-amazon-for-manipulative-prime-signup-process https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/google-microsoft-ftc-complaint-antitrust-cloud-licensinghttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-02-23/doj-preparing-suit-to-block-adobe-s-20-billion-deal-for-figma  https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/pharrell-williams-stages-louis-vuitton-debut-pont-neuf-2023-06-20/ Show Notes: 00:02 - Antitrust actions against big tech companies like Amazon, Google and Meta are making acquisitions difficult for startups. This is limiting venture capital returns though these lawsuits are expected. There are few exit opportunities. 07:11 - Funding creators through a holding company that owns their various ventures better aligns their incentives with investors'. This approach works better than funding individual creator projects like Mr Beast burgers which can fail. 13:13 - Taylor Swift's fans making and trading friendship bracelets with her song lyrics at concerts has become a collectible marketplace. This shows how trends can emerge organically in the creator economy. 26:00 - Investing in verticals that creators fully own may yield better returns than individual projects. This distributes risk across multiple revenue streams. 37:23 - Pharrell Williams' Minecraft-inspired fashion show for LVMH highlights how gaming and online culture is influencing trends in fashion and design. 46:08 - Technology that can play music outdoors at high volume yet remain inaudible to neighbors is exciting though still nascent. When it works, it renews enthusiasm for innovation. 47:20 - While the Bay Area faces challenges, the energy and innovation in Silicon Valley that has fueled tech growth remains alive. Brought To You By: The Information Slow Ventures Offline Ventures

Entrepreneurs and investors The Morins and The Lessins discuss the week in tech, including Reddit's API changes, the perilous state of venture capital and Google's coming antitrust wars. Discussed: https://www.theinformation.com/articles/why-youtube-could-give-google-an-edge-in-aihttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/tcv-raised-50-to-75-less-than-planned-for-new-venture-fundhttps://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jun/13/ai-used-to-create-new-and-final-beatles-song-says-paul-mccartneyhttps://www.theinformation.com/articles/andreessen-horowitz-merges-fintech-and-consumer-teams-after-some-bets-fizzle?rc=hwneun Show Notes: 00:00:01 - Hosts Jessica, Brit, Sam and Dave introduce the podcast and Jessica thanks listeners for recommendations. 00:09:34 - They discuss Reddit charging app developers fees for its API and how this impacted Google search results according to an article. Brit and Sam share their perspectives from working at Facebook and in media. 00:19:16 - They debate whether AI is a game changer for the business models of social media APIs. Sam argues the public web is dying while Dave thinks there will still be niche communities. 00:25:14 - They discuss the current state of venture capital funding. Sam believes the conveyor belt model is broken while Brit mentions $84 trillion in wealth from retiring baby boomers flooding into private markets. 00:35:52 - Lightning Round: - They debate whether more smart regulation is needed for Google's search business. - They share their views on an AI generated Beatles song, with Dave thinking it's a cool moment. 00:46:00 - They plug the new Twitter account for the pod @moreorlesspod. Brought To You By: ⁠⁠The Information⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Slow Ventures⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Offline Ventures⁠⁠