The Peak Daily

Coverage of the Winter Olympics in Italy, with discussion of Canada's medal contenders across hockey, snowboarding, freestyle and short track. Examination of Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery facing U.S. Senate antitrust scrutiny and political concerns around the proposed merger. Brief headlines roundup including EV incentives, a major retailer milestone, and global social media moves.

Discussion of how companies blame AI for large layoffs despite little evidence roles were replaced. Examination of AI hype, overclaims and the finance and PR incentives behind them. Exploration of research testing road-salt alternatives like beet juice slurry and the environmental and infrastructure costs of salt. Quick briefs on corporate and policy moves around media, banking and international trade.

AI agents now run their own chat networks where they vent, joke and circulate viral posts. Debate heats up about whether those posts are genuinely AI or human-crafted prompts and what that means for safety. A warning thread on AI shutdown risks and broader dangers is discussed. Also covered: China pushing the yuan as a reserve currency and a reported Waymo car incident in Los Angeles.

Secret meetings between Alberta separatists and U.S. officials seeking massive financial backing. Canadian banks and businesses push into Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and Dubai. GM cuts at Oshawa and links to trade pressure. Talks of a SpaceX and xAI merger ahead of an IPO. Manulife testing AI for life-insurance approvals and Wealthsimple partnering with Canada Post for cash deposits.

News about Waabi’s $750M raise and a 25,000-robotaxi tie-up with Uber. Discussion of regulatory limits and uncertainty around robo-taxi scale in big cities. Ottawa’s talks to restore news on Meta and a Canada–South Korea auto manufacturing push tied to a submarine bid. Coverage of central banks holding rates steady, Amazon layoffs, and Starbucks’ sales rebound.

Discussion of Canada's $210 billion prize from removing internal trade barriers. Exploration of why Canadian startups are moving to the U.S. despite strong rankings. Coverage of Y Combinator policy changes and BDC's new defense tech investments. Updates on potential paid social subscriptions and a major social media addiction settlement.

Asil Al-Baba, a financial therapist who helps people manage emotional money behaviors, and Dillis DeCruz, a retail banking leader focused on money wellness. They discuss how emotions shape spending and simple moves to reduce money anxiety. Short practices like the power pause, journaling, and small habit steps are highlighted. The conversation centers on mindful, values-aligned financial choices.

Tense diplomatic fallout as Ottawa and Washington clash over a China deal and trade threats. Parents funnel big money into youth sports and private investors eye the youth-sports industry. Protests flare in Minneapolis after a deadly federal shooting. Widespread deep-freeze weather snarls flights and travel across North America. New AI developments spotlight YouTube and an upcoming Siri upgrade.

TikTok emerges unscathed from its U.S. standoff, thanks to a deal that allows ByteDance to maintain influence. The podcast discusses how banning the platform proved politically daunting despite security concerns. Meanwhile, a Chinese EV maker, Cherry, is eyeing Canada's market, poised to sell passenger vehicles after tariff negotiations. The hosts contemplate the implications of inexpensive Chinese EVs on the North American automotive landscape. Other intriguing topics include a SPAC plan from General Fusion and a controversial beluga export involving Marineland.

Two submarine giants are vying for Ottawa's attention, promising local partnerships and investment. Meanwhile, social media algorithms face legal challenges for their impact on youth mental health, drawing parallels to tobacco lawsuits. The stakes are high as these cases could lead to significant changes in platform designs. The hosts also touch on a new $100M Canadian AI fund aimed at keeping startups local and rapid-fire news about international deals and tech innovations.