Shows
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE71: Risk Taking, Contrarianism, and Growth [Byrne on Interintellect]In this episode, Byrne Hobart joined Matjaž Leonardis in Austin for an Interintellect salon — a platform for 21st-century intellectual discourse—to discuss his new book Boom: Bubbles at the End of Stagnation, exploring how technological advancements, market paradoxes, and historical and modern financial bubbles — from the Manhattan Project to cryptocurrencies — reveal the complex dynamics between innovation, ideology, ambition, and hyper-financialization in a nonpolitical, high-quality conversation among leading and emerging thinkers.Interintellect is a creator platform for intellectual seekers to host salons for the 21st century. Join the conversation at https://interintellect.com.Attend...2025-04-241h 39
"Upstream" with Erik TorenbergE136: Trump V2: Tariffs, American Dynamism, Higher Ed | Byrne HobartIn this episode, Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart discuss the economic consequences of Trump's tariffs, OpenAI's recent innovations, and their implications for white collar work. They also explore the potential market shifts, the resilience of the US dollar as a reserve currency, and the state of elite higher education institutions like Harvard in the current geopolitical climate.—📰Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess —RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 🎙️Investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, a...2025-04-201h 02
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE70: OpenAI’s Open Source Strategy, Volatility & Tariffs, and Automation’s Consequences w/ Byrne HobartThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg explore how technological advancements, policy shifts like Trump's tariffs and U.S. industrial policy, the re-industrialization of America, the influence of institutions like Harvard, the evolving role of the U.S. dollar, and the rise of OpenAI are reshaping global markets, businesses, and the future of artificial intelligence.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Trump's Tariffs and Economic Impact: The recent tariff impl...2025-04-171h 06
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE69: Good vs Bad Bubbles, Stagnation, and Bitcoin [Byrne on Bankless]In this episode of The Riff, we are releasing a conversation Byrne Hobart had on the Bankless podcast about Byrne's book Bitcoin, exploring the provocative idea that speculative Bubbles—while sometimes destructive—can be powerful drivers of innovation, with examples from history and present-day trends like AI and crypto, ultimately highlighting the value of embracing risk to shape a transformative future.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Bubbles as coordina...2025-04-101h 45
"Upstream" with Erik TorenbergE132: AI Managers, US vs China Analysis, and AI Art w/ Byrne HobartToday on Upstream, we’re sharing an episode of The Riff (originally aired on April 1, 2025). Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart explore the shifting dynamics of global trade between China and the US, the potential for AI to replace senior rather than junior roles in the workplace, and the economic structure of live entertainment markets like StubHub.—📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess —RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 🎙️Investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, and co-ho...2025-04-0551 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE68: Chinese Free Trade, AI Managers, and Why AI Art is ArtThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the transformative impact of technological change on global trade, AI’s disruption of senior roles, the debate over AI-generated art, and market dynamics—particularly in live entertainment ticketing—offering a wide-ranging and thought-provoking discussion.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
US-China Trade Relations: There's an interesting role reversal where China is now championing free trade while the US has become more protection...2025-04-0153 min
"Upstream" with Erik TorenbergE130: Elon Musk’s Network Effects and Checking in on Chinese AI w/ Byrne HobartThis week on Upstream, we're releasing an episode of The Riff (originally aired on March 25, 2025) where Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart discuss Don Jr.'s leveraging of the Trump brand, Dustin Moskovitz's departure to address AI risks, economic impacts of various policies, and geopolitical considerations with a focus on AI and China's tech ambitions.—📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse —2025-03-2959 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE67: Hidden X-Risk, Network Effects of Elon’s Empire, and American HegemonyThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg explore Donald Trump Jr.'s financial leverage of the Trump brand, Dustin Moskovitz's shift toward AI existential risks, Elon Musk's strategic decisions with Twitter, potential U.S. recessions, political party shifts, China's AI policy, and the broader impact of these developments on Wall Street and Main Street.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Political Brand Leveraging & Business: Byrne discussed how Donald Trump Jr...2025-03-2558 min
"Upstream" with Erik TorenbergE125: Palantir’s Politics, Elon’s Approach to DOGE, and AI’s Effects on Writing w/ Byrne HobartToday on Upstream, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg dive into the wide-ranging effects of technological change on media and society. They cover the AI debate, blogging's social impact, AI's influence on search and data, the changing news industry, foreign aid cuts, and the rise of new tech elites.This episode originally aired on The Riff (March 11, 2025).—📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/Turpen...2025-03-1356 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergThe Politics of Alex Karp and Palantir, DOGE Breakdown, and AI vs BloggingThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg explore the effects of technological change on media and society, covering topics such as the AI debate, blogging's social impact, AI's influence on search and data, the changing news industry, foreign aid cuts, and the rise of new tech elites.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
AI and Written Content: The comparison is made to how society adapted to blogging, which was init...2025-03-1156 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergBill Gates’s Persona, Against Copying Berkshire Hathaway, and Making the Economy More Like ChipotleThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg examine why Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway can't be successfully replicated today, analyze Bill Gates's public versus private persona, and consider how economic growth manifests as "premium mediocre" options like Chipotle. ---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Berkshire Hathaway's Unrepeatable Success: Buffett's empire evolved through historical accidents and unique market conditions that no longer exist—trying to copy it today misses what made it spe...2025-02-251h 01
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergUS vs China’s Strategies, Uber’s Growth Model, AI Supply ChainsThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss technological inflection points and examine how legal frameworks mask continued globalization despite apparent retrenchment, explores US-China dynamics, analyzes AI industry structure and emerging models, and considers Uber's strategic positioning against autonomous vehicles. ---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Globalization isn't truly reversing, but adapting through legal structures that help bypass trade barriers (like routing Chinese goods through Vietnam)
China's economic model succ...2025-02-191h 03
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergOpenAI Deep Research, Elon’s Potential Hostile Takeover, and AI Agent CompaniesThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the transformative impact of technological advancements, particularly OpenAI's research, Elon Musk’s $97 billion offer to acquire its controlling nonprofit, and the implications for business, jobs, regulation, and Musk's strategies with X and Doja.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Musk made a $97.4 billion offer to buy the nonprofit that controls OpenAI.
Byrne highlighted that while AI research may be slightly lower qualit...2025-02-1159 min
"Upstream" with Erik TorenbergE115: New Tariff Implications, DeepSeek and Open Source Analysis, and Meta’s Big Bets w/ Byrne HobartErik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart discuss the implications of recent tariffs, the impact of AI advancements like DeepSeek, Meta's investments in VR and AI, stock market dynamics, and differing perspectives on open-source AI models.—📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse —RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 🎙️Investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik T...2025-02-061h 07
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergTrump’s Tariffs, Open Source AI Models, and The Future of VRThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg explore the impact of technological advancements on markets and businesses, covering topics like global trade tariffs, political populism, AI's evolving role, open-source vs. proprietary models, stock market trends, and Meta’s investments in the metaverse and AR.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Trump's tariff approach (particularly the proposed 25% on Canadian goods) makes sense as a negotiating bluff but is problematic as long-t...2025-02-041h 09
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergMarkets React to DeepSeek, Threads vs X, and Stargate AnnouncementThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the major disruptions in tech and business driven by AI advancements, examining reactions to DeepSeek's announcements, stock impacts on companies like Nvidia, volatility in AI investments, Meta's Threads, Elon Musk’s influence on X, the role of tech in a politically charged landscape, and how governments could shape industrial strategies to support national champions.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
The announ...2025-01-281h 06
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergTrump Coin, US Industrial Policy, and TikTok BanOn this week's episode of The Riff, Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart explore the impact of technological change on markets, touching on meme investments, ESG, the rise of meme stocks and coins, Trump’s policies, China’s economic strategies, industrial policy debates, and how these factors could shape the future political and economic landscape.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Trump's recent cryptocurrency launch represents a significant shift in his fina...2025-01-231h 04
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergZuck’s PR, The Loneliness Economy, and OpenAI Corporate StructureThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg explore the historical paradigms from agrarian to industrial eras and potential future growth, while also addressing challenges in adopting new technologies like AI, institutional constraints at companies like Meta, post-COVID loneliness, the Scandinavian economic model, China's deflation concerns, and structural issues within OpenAI, all through a mix of personal anecdotes and historical insights.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Historically, economic growth rate...2025-01-181h 02
Just Asking QuestionsByrne Hobart: What happened to progress?How do we escape stagnation and accelerate progress? What if bubbles are actually good? Just asking questions.
"They promised us flying cars. All we got was one hundred forty characters." Those were the words of Peter Thiel over a decade ago, lamenting technological stagnation. The character limit has since increased, but his point remains the same: Innovation in the software world of "bits" has accelerated, but progress in the material world of "atoms" has been stubbornly slow, at least in his telling.
Economist Tyler Cowen, who popularized the term "Great Stagnation," argued that we picked a...2024-12-271h 17
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergHow Jensen Huang Outpaces Tech Giants w/ Tae Kim, author of THE NVIDIA WAYThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg is joined by Tae Kim, author of The NVIDIA Way, exploring NVIDIA's remarkable journey, culture, and what sets the company apart under Jensen Huang's leadership.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
NVIDIA's success stems from its relentless work culture, emphasis on talent cultivation, and ability to execute at high velocity while minimizing internal politics.
The company's "rough justice" philosophy in business partnerships, part...2024-12-261h 00
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergPod Shops; Contrarian Vibe Checks; Scaling Laws AnalysisThis week, Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart discuss the pod shop hedge fund model, market cycles, AI pricing models, and the future of AI-generated content, with Byrne offering insights on hedge fund evolution, the current market environment, and AI's impact on entertainment and society.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
Pod shop hedge fund model has evolved to focus on delivering uncorrelated returns rather than just beating market indices, with...2024-12-191h 06
Keen On AmericaEpisode 2276: Byrne Hobart on Booms, Bubbles and the End of StagnationThere is a counter intuitive school of thought - represented by Tyler Cowen, Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen - which suggests that America, for all its technological innovation, remains trapped by long term economic stagnation. So it’s no coincidence that the Austin based investor, consultant, and writer, Byrne Hobart’s co-authored new book, Boom, comes with enthusiastic blurbs from Cowen, Thiel and Andreessen. If we are to escape our current stagnation, Hobart explained to me when we met in Austin, then we might welcome economic bubbles such as our current AI craze. To get to a boom, he even...2024-12-1933 min
BanklessWhy Bubbles are Good | Byrne HobartHow can economic bubbles be good for the world? Byrne Hobart is a financial analyst known for his newsletter "The Diff" which covers tech, trends and economics. Byrne has been on the periphery of crypto for longer that this podcast has existed In this podcast we discuss the book he has co-authored, Boom: Bubbles and the End of Stagnation, where he makes the case for why human progress has stagnated and why speculative bubbles might be the only way out. ------ 📣 DYDX | UNLIMITED ERA https://bankless.cc/dydx-unlimited ------...2024-12-181h 38
"Upstream" with Erik TorenbergE103: Byrne Hobart on What The First AI Agents Will Do + China, Google AnalysisThis week on Upstream, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the potential of AI agents in tech support, economic impacts of passive investing, historical financial strategies of Warren Buffett, and the implications of tariffs and technological developments in national wealth.—📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess 🙏Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse —SPONSORS:🤲🏼 GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into different charitable programs...2024-12-151h 01
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergAI Agents are Coming; China’s Internet; Google Wants to WinThis week, Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart discuss AI's economic implications, the rise of passive investing, gambling markets, and Warren Buffett's early investment tactics, examining how technological advancements shape economic metrics, market dynamics, and industry shifts.---🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.---Highlights from the Episode:
AI's economic impact may follow a J-curve pattern - initially deflationary as it reduces costs, but potentially inflationary later through increased monetization and energy consumption
Passive investing's domi...2024-12-121h 02
"Upstream" with Erik TorenbergE99: This Era’s Inflection Points with Byrne Hobart | DOGE, Elon, OpenAIThis week on Upstream, Byrne Hobart discusses the potential impacts of the Department of Government Efficiency, insights from leaked OpenAI emails, Trump's and Elon Musk's policies and their economic implications, and the future of prediction markets in organizational decision-making. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/279fae71-9087-46b7-a2e6-b6e17d8fdf6b—📰Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess 🙏Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/Tu...2024-11-3058 min
Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)Boom, busts, and long term progress with Byrne HobartBy popular demand, Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Byrne Hobart for a 3rd conversation to discuss Byrne’s book "Boom: Bubbles and the End of Stagnation." They explore how periods of irrational market enthusiasm often create lasting value despite their painful endings. Using examples from the 1990s fiber optic boom that enabled modern streaming to today’s AI investment surge, they examine how even when investment manias end badly, they frequently pull forward crucial technological development that benefits society long-term. Byrne and Patrick weave through historical cases like Bell Labs to present day examples in crypto and energy infr...2024-11-141h 42
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergHow Bubbles Create The FutureOn this week’s episode of The Riff, explore the impact of technological change on markets and businesses, discussing economic bubbles, the future of AI, the post-election political landscape, and Byrne's upcoming book Boom, which examines the role of bubbles in infrastructure development. For full shownotes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/44975e08-681b-484a-9f8f-64588f17da2f—🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.—RECOMMENDED PODCAST:🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing wi...2024-11-1458 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergElection Analysis, Heresy, and Real EstateThis week, Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart explore the evolving landscape of heretical ideas, election dynamics, AI and crypto’s market impacts, prediction markets, the shifting Overton window, contrarian perspectives, and trends in housing and smaller social networks. For full shownotes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/77be6b84-0f55-4dcc-9dd1-c69341272e2e---📰Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess---RECOMMENDED PODCAST:🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing wit...2024-11-071h 01
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergVenture Scale, Y Combinator, and Financial BubblesIn this episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart discusses his upcoming book about financial bubbles, venture scale businesses, creator financing, and prediction markets. For full shownotes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/d084ef81-e3cd-41b2-be04-b6fc2bbe3f7a📰Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess---SPONSORS:📑 Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at https://carta.com/investo...2024-10-241h 03
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergFreemium Apps, Restaurants, and Search with Patrick McKenzieIn this special episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart is joined by Patrick McKenzie, host of the podcast Complex Systems to discuss a range of topics including app business models, restaurant industry economics, AI's impact on productivity, the evolution of search technologies and more.🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/---RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:🎙️ Complex SystemsPatrick McKenzie (@patio11) talks to experts who understand the complicated but not unknowable systems we rely on. You...2024-10-171h 27
"Upstream" with Erik TorenbergE85: Analyzing Everything with Byrne Hobart and Patrick McKenzieThis week on Upstream, we’re releasing a conversation between Patrick McKenzie and Byrne Hobart where they navigate the compelling terrains of in-app purchases and restaurant economics. They dive into the monetization strategies of video games and the influence of food delivery platforms like DoorDash on pricing and menu designs and explore the bridge between finance, technology, and human behavior through airport currency exchange models and the emerging role of AI in economic data processing.—🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/—SPON...2024-10-121h 25
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergAI Art, Young Founders, and Disrupting Higher EducationThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the shifting dynamics of careers and education, the notion of "auto-paternalism" in organizational choices, Spotify's growth strategy in a mature market, the future of podcasts and audio content, and the intricate relationship between AI art, property rights and more.🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/---RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest t...2024-10-101h 00
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergFacebook vs MySpace, Why Peter Thiel is Wrong About Competition, and OpenAI Corporate StructureThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg dive into a range of fascinating topics such as the evolution and future of OpenAI's business model, economic rationale behind corporate buybacks, changing software economics, China's recent equity market surge and more.🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/---RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture...2024-10-0357 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergCult Stocks, Tech Media, and Technological RevolutionsThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss cult stocks like Tesla and Palantir, debate whether AI or globalization will impact jobs more, explore the energy transition's unexpected reversal, analyze Forbes' content strategy and more.🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/---RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.Appl...2024-09-271h 02
Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)Bits, Bytes, and Burgers with Byrne HobartPatrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined again by Byrne Hobart, writer of The Diff, for a follow up conversation about “whales” – and so much more – across the gaming, aviation, software, hospitality and fast food industries. Patrick and Byrne also discuss their writing process, knowledge management, and how they use AI tools.–Full transcript available here: www.complexsystemspodcast.com/byrne-hobart-whales-miscellany–Sponsors: Safebase Ready to save time and close deals faster? Inbound security reviews shouldn’t slow down your team or your sales cycle. Leading companies use SafeBase to eliminate up to 98% of inbound security...2024-09-261h 26
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergDegrowth, Private Equity, and the EU Tech IndustryThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg tackle the current state of the EU's tech sector, evolution of private equity firms, consumer credit defaults, online reputation management and more.🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/---RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com...2024-09-1956 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergThe Silicon Valley Canon, Smart Contracts, and the Yen Carry TradeOn this week’s episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the Silicon Valley Canon, impact of tech on traditional markets, the evolution of smart contracts, risks of currency carry trades and more.🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/---RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.2024-08-291h 03
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergNavigating Tech Antitrust and the Future of AIOn this week’s episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss tricky antitrust decisions, Balaji’s Network State, the dynamics of content moderation, and more.🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj---RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.Apple Podcasts: https://podca...2024-08-221h 03
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergThe Age of the AI OrganizationThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg are joined by Omar Shams, the founder of Mutable AI, for a deep dive into Omar’s great piece, The AI Organization. In this conversation, they explore the potential of AI to transform organizational productivity, the limitations of financial metrics in GDP, and AI's role in political processes and societal structures.🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj---RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Raboi...2024-08-081h 05
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergMental Models and Financial Infrastructure with Patrick McKenzieThis week, Byrne Hobart is joined by Patrick McKenzie (patio11), host of the podcast Complex Systems, to discuss the complexity and endless fascination of financial infrastructures, the role of fraud in finance, talent spotting strategies and the importance of building networks.🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj---SPONSORS:BABBEL: 🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes...2024-08-011h 03
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergResurgence of Prediction Markets, AI Adoption and Complex Financial SystemsThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the resurgence of prediction markets, the balance of sophisticated vs. 'dumb' money, Biden's nomination odds and the impact of AI on software economics.🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj---SPONSORS:BABBEL: 🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at...2024-07-251h 01
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg2024 Election Updates, Partisanship on Wikipedia, and Amazon’s Media BusinessOn this week’s episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss how the 2024 presidential election has changed, why Wikipedia’s partisanship problem is difficult to solve, and the strategy behind Amazon’s media business.🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj---SPONSORS:BABBEL: 🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-wor...2024-07-1859 min
Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)Writing the first draft of financial history with Byrne HobartPatrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Byrne Hobart to discuss Byrne’s vantage point as writer of The Diff, a tech and finance newsletter. Byrne explains the toxicity of the 30-year mortgage, the dynamics of the finance newsletter ecosystem, how rationalist epistemics can be applied to hedge funds, and the joy of learning about an industry from scratch.–Full transcript here: https://www.complexsystemspodcast.com/episodes/writing-history-byrne-hobart/ –Sponsors: SafebaseReady to save time and close deals faster? Inbound security reviews shouldn’t slow down your team or your sales cycle. Leading c...2024-07-1850 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergMeritocracy, Modeling Globalization, and The Burden of KnowledgeThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg dive deep into David Graeber's controversial concept of 'Bullshit Jobs,' exploring its validity and impact. They also discuss the future of labor and employment in the era of AI, the intricate dynamics of globalization, and the complexities of corporate governance.🔥Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj---SPONSORS:BABBEL: 🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just t...2024-07-111h 02
"Media Empires" | The Business of Newsletters, Podcasts, Creators, and Data AcquisitionThe Transformation of Media with Byrne Hobart of The DiffByrne Hobart, creator of the newsletter The Diff and Capital Gains, joins Erik Torenberg to discuss the intricate evolution of media industries. In this conversation, they delve into the comparative success of print and digital media, the economic transformation of the news sector, the disruption in media landscapes and the emerging scenarios in financial journalism.🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj--RECOMMENDED PODCAST:🎙️ Second Opinion - A new podcast for health-tech insiders from Christ...2024-07-021h 04
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergChamath & Tinder, Threads API, and the Difficulties of Scaling AI LabsThis week, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss a lesser-known Chamath Palihapitiya story, the index rebalancing trade as a postmodern part of finance, AI labs, crypto, and more. beehiiv: Head to https://beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months.Byrne Hobart is hiring an associate! Check out the JD here: https://www.thediff.co/jobs/🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj---SPONSORS:BABBEL: 🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new lan...2024-06-271h 04
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergAI Therapy, 4chan, and Why Conferences Are Like CitiesThis week, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg discuss the economics of conferences and cities, rise of meme stocks, future of coding in the age of AI and more. beehiiv: Head to https://beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months.🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj---This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and ex...2024-06-201h 06
The DiffThe Bid/Ask View of Who Gets to Raise and What Gets TradedThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week. (00:00) - The Bid Ask View of Who Gets to Raise and What Gets Traded
(06:40) - A Word From Our Sponsors
(07:38) - Privacy and Insurance
(08:59) - AI Fragmentation
(09:40) - Too Central to Fail?
(10:45) - Meritocracy
(11:54) - Activism
2024-06-1012 minThe DiffThe Bid/Ask View of Who Gets to Raise and What Gets TradedThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - The Bid/Ask View of Who Gets to Raise and What Gets Traded
(06:41) - Privacy and Insurance
(08:06) - AI Fragmentation
(08:49) - Too Central to Fail?
(09:54) - Meritocracy
(11:03) - Activism
2024-06-1011 minThe DiffDetails!This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Details!
(08:53) - A Word From Our Sponsors
(09:48) - The Google Feedback Loop
(10:42) - Fees on What?
(12:41) - The Micro Meta Turnaround
(14:34) - Yes, We're Doing the Meme Stock Thing Again
(15:39) - Diverisification
2024-06-0317 min
"Company Breakdowns"Stripe's Unbundling Strategy and AI's Impact on Education with Byrne Hobart [The Riff]Today we’re sharing an episode of The Riff podcast where Erik Torenberg and writer- investor Byrne Hobart discuss the future of AI & education, analyze several companies including Stripe's shift towards unbundling, and the possibility of 24-hour markets.
🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj
Subscribe to this season of Company Breakdowns for analysis of Reddit, Databricks, and more! Subscribe to Company Breakdowns' newsletter: https://company-breakdowns.beehiiv.com/
Company Breakdowns is a part of the...2024-05-2959 minThe DiffGet Used to a More Hallucinatory Search ExperienceThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Get Used to a More Hallucinatory Search Experience
(09:19) - Cap Structure Arbitrage and Elon Musk
(10:51) - Active, Passive, and Risk
(12:57) - Convergent Evolution
(14:09) - Market Timing
(15:01) - It's All Ads!
2024-05-2815 minThe DiffOne Edge or Many? Reflections on Renaissance TechnologiesThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - One Edge or Many? Reflections on Renaissance Technologies
(11:22) - Retention
(12:24) - Training Data
(13:20) - Social Networking Primitives and Local Maxima
(14:33) - Renting
(15:02) - Ads
2024-05-2015 minThe DiffInvisible EfficienciesThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Invisible Efficiencies
(06:49) - Making a Market
(07:53) - Outsourcing
(09:35) - Multicloud
(10:53) - Can Frackers Collude?
(12:37) - Infrastructure
(13:25) - Area Man Tweets
2024-05-1314 minThe DiffMartingale BeliefsThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Martingale Beliefs
(07:18) - Country Equity
(08:25) - Costs and Benefits
(09:38) - Continuation Funds
(10:36) - Deepfaking the Dead and the Last Generation of Celebrities
(11:47) - Mature Financial Systems
2024-05-0613 minThe DiffAI Ruins Education the way Pulleys Ruin PowerliftingThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - AI Ruins Education the way Pulleys Ruin Powerlifting
(12:38) - The Other Kind of Bank Unwind
(13:30) - AI Asset Plays
(14:15) - Retail Rides Again
(14:59) - Single-Family Rentals
(16:21) - AI Math
2024-04-2917 minThe DiffWho's Afraid of Index Funds?This is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Who's Afraid of Index Funds?
(10:25) - The Market for Data
(11:52) - Crowded Careers
(12:42) - Black Boxes, Everywhere
(13:32) - Externalities
(14:45) - Intra-Elite Conflict
2024-04-2216 minThe DiffMost Market Phenomena are Older than they LookThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Most Market Phenomena are Older than they Look
(06:58) - Labor Arbitrage
(07:40) - Reddit and Search
(09:23) - On-Prem
(10:21) - Audience of One
(11:07) - Ads Everywhere
2024-04-1512 minThe DiffThe Data Business, At Three ResolutionsThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - The Data Business, At Three Resolutions
(08:45) - The Instagram Numbers
(09:57) - Trader Pay
(11:08) - The Distribution of Near-Misses
(12:54) - Benefits
(13:34) - Funding Cycles
2024-04-0814 minThe DiffAlgorithmic CollusionThis is an audio version of the free newsletter. Read the newsletter at thediff.co, and subscribe for an additional 3 posts (and podcasts!) per week.
(00:00) - Algorithmic Collusion
(08:38) - Operationalizing Secrecy
(09:36) - Product Convergence
(10:00) - Black Box Update
(10:49) - Data Scarcity
(11:41) - Cash Management
2024-04-0112 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergContent Moderation, AI in Advertising, and the Future of Social SecurityIn this episode, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss how technological changes influence markets and business adaptability. They explore the dynamics and challenges of e-commerce roll-ups, the unique economic incentives of large platforms like Facebook and Google, the complexities of content moderation on social media platforms, and social securities' future liabilities and taxes.---This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you t...2024-03-211h 00
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE20: Content Moderation, AI in Advertising, and the Future of Social SecurityIn this episode, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss how technological changes influence markets and business adaptability. They explore the dynamics and challenges of e-commerce roll-ups, the unique economic incentives of large platforms like Facebook and Google, the complexities of content moderation on social media platforms, and social securities' future liabilities and taxes.---This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you t...2024-03-2155 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergHedging against Life, Outage Economics, and Open Source vs Proprietary AIOn today’s episode, Byrne Hobart delves into the intricacies of technology-induced market shifts, hedge fund dynamics, Byrne’s post on outage economics, and the evolving landscape of open source and proprietary AI models.---This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.---2024-03-141h 07
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE19: Hedging against Life, Outage Economics, and Open Source vs Proprietary AIOn today’s episode, Byrne Hobart delves into the intricacies of technology-induced market shifts, hedge fund dynamics, Byrne’s post on outage economics, and the evolving landscape of open source and proprietary AI models.---This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.---RECOMME...2024-03-141h 02
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergUnderstanding Real Estate with Brad HargreavesOn this week's episode of The Riff, Erik and Byrne sit down with Brad Hargreaves, founder of General Assembly and Common and editor at real estate publication Thesis Driven. They do a deep dive on everything real estate, from investing to housing policy to urbanism.The Riff is sponsored by Brave. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign.---The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co---Check out Brad's new podc...2024-02-151h 04
The Hobcast Book Show157: Austen: The Next Generation - with Linda O'ByrneThe appeal of the works of Jane Austen never diminishes. As each new TV or film adaptation comes out, so a new generation discovers the enduring magic of Austen's world, even two centuries after her death. Austen wrote six novels, with Pride and Prejudice her most celebrated. Our guest this week, Linda O'Byrne, has written six novels that take Austen's world twenty years into the future, each focusing on the lives of the young women from the next generation of the D'Arcy, Bennett and Wickham families - The Cousins of Pemberley series. Linda began writing them during the lockdown...2024-01-221h 22
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergWhat Byrne Hobart Thinks about Nearly Everything (Part Two)This week's episode is the second part of Erik's March 2020 interview with Byrne on Venture Stories from Village Global. Erik and Byrne about generalists vs specialists, how the work of Rene Girard can be used to understand financial bubbles, the role of pseudonyms, why duopolies exist, and more.The Riff is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period.---The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: https://turpentine.co---Check out Erik's new show Request for Startups featuring...2024-01-182h 32
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergWhat Byrne Hobart Thinks About Nearly EverythingToday's episode is a throwback to when Erik interviewed Byrne Hobart for the first time on the Venture Stories by Village Global podcast. Byrne and Erik go deep on technological change, debate centralization versus decentralization, discuss mental models for financial bubbles, and examine human nature from the lens of different thinkers.The Riff is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period.---The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: https://turpentine.co---Check out Erik's new show Request...2024-01-042h 06
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergAntitrust, the Future of Competition, and Higher EducationThis week, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg discuss the failed acquisition of Figma by Adobe, a deep dive on antitrust, Byrne's take on higher education and viable alternatives, unions, and more. The Riff is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period.---The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: https://turpentine.co---Check out Erik's new show Request for Startups featuring a rotating cast of founders and investors sharing their requests for startups they want to exist in...2023-12-281h 03
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergOpenAI updates, macro predictions, and why McDonald’s is a software companyThis week, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg discuss new updatates from OpenAI, Byrne's macroeconomic predictions, the importance of software for Microsoft, and more. Moment of Zen is sponsored by Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period.---The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co---Check out Erik's new show Request for Startups featuring a rotating cast of founders and investors sharing their requests for startups they want to exist in the world, and also their stories of navigating...2023-12-2158 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergHow Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett beat the marketThis week, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg discuss the lessons to be learned from the life of the late Charlie Munger. They explore what made Munger a great investor, how he was different from Warren Buffett, and where to find the next Munger today.---The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co---Check out Erik's new show Request for Startups featuring a rotating cast of founders and investors sharing their requests for startups they want to exist in the world, and...2023-12-141h 02
How I WriteByrne Hobart: How to Write a High-Value Newsletter for 50,000+ ReadersByrne Hobart has a Substack following of over 50,000 subscribers, consisting of some of the smartest people in Silicon Valley — startup founders, venture capitalists, hedge fund managers, you name it. Come learn how he produces high-density, high-insight ideas so consistently. SPEAKER LINKS:Newsletter: https://www.thediff.co/Twitter: https://twitter.com/ByrneHobartLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/byrnehobartWRITE OF PASSAGE: Want to learn more about the next class Write of Passage?Click here: https://take.writeofpassage.school/writing-sprints2023-12-131h 12
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergHedge Funds, VC, and Finding AlphaIn our 5th episode of The Riff, writer Byrne Hobart and investor Erik Torenberg are joined by Thomas Li, the CEO of Daloopa for a deep dive into the world of hedge funds. They discuss what venture capitalists may not know about hedge funds, what most people get wrong, crowding, and risk management. The conversation also touches on the role of the yield curve in investment strategies and the competition between everyday investors and hedge funds.Thomas Li is the CEO of Daloopa, where they provide enterprise grade financial models and model automation to...2023-12-071h 18
THE SPLINTER#3 — BYRNE HOBART (The Diff)Byrne Hobart (@ByrneHobart) is the author of The Diff, a newsletter studying inflections in finance & technology. He is also the host of a new podcast called The Riff, produced by Turpentine (@TurpentineMedia).
In this episode, we discussed the nature of market efficiency & financial bubbles, the importance of risk-taking in society, how best to counter the so-called “degrowth” movement, his forthcoming book with Tobias Huber (@TobiasAHuber) and the promise of Special Economic Zones. 2023-12-011h 33
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE4: A Closer Look at Demographics, Dating, and GlobalizationIn our 4th episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the complex interplay of technology, economic growth, demographics and investment decisions and the socio-technological implications of dating apps on society. They also debate the impact of political leaders' policies on capital markets, focusing specifically on the comparison of Xi Jinping's and Trump's stances and their tangible effects. Need Soc 2 compliance? Get 20% off your first year of Secureframe by mentioning "The Riff" during your free demo: https://secureframe.com/riff---Check out Erik's new show Request for Startups featuring a rotating cast...2023-11-301h 10
"Upstream" with Erik TorenbergE34: Byrne Hobart on Sam Altman, Meta vs Google, and Effective AltruismIn this episode, Erik is joined by Byrne Hobart, author of tech and finance newsletter The Diff, to discuss Sam Altman's ousting from OpenAI, Microsoft's role in the story, and the new competitive landscape for AI companies.--We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.--RELATED PODCASTEvery week investor and writer of the...2023-11-2456 min
"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik TorenbergSam Altman, the Microsoft Bull Case, OpenAI and AI Live Players - The Riff with Byrne HobartThis is a bonus episode for Econ 102 listeners of The Riff with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg, recorded on Monday night 11/20, discussing the evolving story of Sam Altman’s ousting at OpenAI and new home at Microsoft, what OpenAI's next pivot could look like, the new competitive landscape for the big AI players, and Effective Altruism’s role in this drama. Need Soc 2 compliance? Get 20% off your first year of Secureframe by mentioning "The Riff" during your free demo: https://secureframe.com/riffThe Riff is a new podcast from the Turpentine podcast network. Subs...2023-11-2158 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE3: Sam Altman, the Microsoft Bull Case, OpenAI and AI Live PlayersIn our third episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the evolving story of Sam Altman’s ousting at OpenAI and new home at Microsoft, what OpenAI's next pivot could look like, the new competitive landscape for the big AI players, and Effective Altruism’s role in this drama. --We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com....2023-11-2156 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE2: OpenAI, Investing Bets, and Social Media ParadigmsIn our second episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss the role and influence of companies like OpenAI, AI investment opportunities, the whitespace in the future of social media models, and turning cloud networks into real communities.The Riff is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co-We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check...2023-11-1657 min
"The Riff" with Byrne Hobart and Erik TorenbergE1: Psychoanalyzing SBF, Crypto Markets, and Byrne's Biggest InfluencesIn our first episode of The Riff, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg discuss Byrne's writing for his newsletter The DIff, his biggest influences, and the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried.The Riff is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co--We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: LIVE PLAYERS2023-11-1659 min
New FrontierByrne Hobart and Tobias Huber on the Future of AI and the Existential Risk of SafetyismByrne Hobart (@byrnehobart) and Tobias Huber (@TobiasAHuber) join Patrick Blumenthal (@PatrickJBlum) to discuss the future of Artificial Intelligence. They cover:Is AI going to kill us? Is AI going to take all of our jobs and cause massive inequality? Is it going to destroy truth?Is it better to be a tech incumbent or a startup right now?Is the future of software one-time-use?What are the consequences of negative mainstream media coverage of AI?Will model interpretability increase or decrease over time?Will AI be subject to regulatory capture? Will it be over regulated?What would the civilizational...2023-06-191h 33
"Moment of Zen"How SVB Unraveled and Whether Crypto Can Fix Finance with Byrne HobartByrne Hobart joins Antonio, Dan, and Erik to discuss SVB, finance, and crypto.We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.RECOMMENDED PODCAST:The HR industry is at a crossroads. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact? Hosts Nolan Ch...2023-03-181h 31
The ValmyByrne Hobart - FTX, Drugs, Twitter, Taiwan, & Monasticism Podcast: Dwarkesh Podcast Episode: Byrne Hobart - FTX, Drugs, Twitter, Taiwan, & MonasticismRelease date: 2022-12-01Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationPerhaps the most interesting episode so far.Byrne Hobart writes at thediff.co, analyzing inflections in finance and tech.He explains:* What happened at FTX* How drugs have induced past financial bubbles* How to be long AI while hedging Taiwan invasion* Whether Musk’s Twitter takeover will succeed* Where to find...2022-12-041h 30
Dwarkesh PodcastByrne Hobart - FTX, Drugs, Twitter, Taiwan, & MonasticismPerhaps the most interesting episode so far.Byrne Hobart writes at thediff.co, analyzing inflections in finance and tech.He explains:* What happened at FTX* How drugs have induced past financial bubbles* How to be long AI while hedging Taiwan invasion* Whether Musk’s Twitter takeover will succeed* Where to find the next Napoleon and LBJ* & ultimately how society can deal with those who seek domination and recognitionWatch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform. Re...2022-12-011h 30
Clearer Thinking with Spencer GreenbergThe FTX catastrophe (with Byrne Hobart, Vipul Naik, Maomao Hu, Marcus Abramovich, and Ozzie Gooen)What the heck happened with FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried? Were there early warning signs that most people failed to notice? What could've been done differently, and by whom? What effects will this have on the EA movement going forward?Timestamps:00:01:37 — Intro & timeline00:51:48 — Byrne Hobart01:39:52 — Vipul Naik02:18:35 — Maomao Hu02:41:19 — Marcus Abramovitch02:49:38 — Ozzie Gooen03:21:40 — Wrap-up & outroByrne Hobart writes The Diff, a newsletter covering inflections in finance and tech, which has 47,000+ readers. Previously he worked at a hedge fund covering Internet and media companies. Follow Byrne on Twitter at @ByrneHobart or subscribe to The Diff at thediff.co.Vipul...2022-11-293h 24
Narratives107: Byrne Hobart - Bubbles, Finance and the EMHIn this episode of Narratives, we're joined by Byrne Hobart to discuss finance, bubbles, reflexivity, George Soros, the EMH and a whole lot more.William Jarvis 0:05 Hey folks, welcome to narratives. narratives is a podcast exploring the ways in which the world is better than in the past, the ways that is worse in the past, or it's a better, more definite vision of the future. I'm your host, William Jarvis. And I want to thank you for taking the time out of your day to listen to this episode. I hope you...2022-08-151h 02
Narratives w/Will Jarvis107: Byrne Hobart - Bubbles, Finance and the EMHIn this episode of Narratives, we're joined by Byrne Hobart to discuss finance, bubbles, reflexivity, George Soros, the EMH and a whole lot more.
Byrne blogs at the https://www.thediff.co/
2022-08-151h 02
Dwarkesh PodcastByrne Hobart - Optionality, Stagnation, and Secret SocietiesByrne Hobart writes The Diff, a newsletter about inflections in finance and technology with 24,000+ subscribers. Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform.Episode website here. The Diff newsletter: https://diff.substack.com/Follow Byrne on Twitter. Follow me on Twitter for updates on future episodes!Thanks for reading The Lunar Society! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Timestamps: (0:00:00) - Byrne's one big idea: stagnation (0:05:50) -Has regulation caused stagnation? (0:14:00) - FDA retribution (0:15:15) - Embryo selection (0:17:32) - Patient longtermism (0:21:02) - Are there secret societies? (0:26:53) - College, optionality, and conf...2021-10-051h 11
Dwarkesh PodcastByrne Hobart - Optionality, Stagnation, and Secret SocietiesByrne Hobart writes The Diff, a newsletter about inflections in finance and technology with 24,000+ subscribers. Watch on YouTube. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform.Episode website here. The Diff newsletter: https://diff.substack.com/Follow Byrne on Twitter. Follow me on Twitter for updates on future episodes!Thanks for reading The Lunar Society! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.Timestamps: (0:00:00) - Byrne's one big idea: stagnation (0:05:50) -Has regulation caused stagnation? (0:14:00) - FD...2021-10-051h 11
"World of DaaS"Byrne Hobart: Why Airline Loyalty Programs Are Really Just FinTech CompaniesByrne Hobart, Author of The Diff talks with World of DaaS host Auren Hoffman. The Diff is a top newsletter that covers inflection points in finance and technology. Byrne previously worked in data-driven equity research and online marketing. In 2020, Byrne published an article stating that airline loyalty programs are worth more than the airlines themselves. These programs have been key to the airline industry's survival. Byrne and Auren dive in. They break down the mechanics of airline loyalty programs, reveal how airlines survived the pandemic, share lessons that cryptocurrencies can learn from airline loyalty programs, and more.2021-08-0554 min
European StraitsTechnology & Finance w/ Byrne Hobart. Universities. Yahoo. Tangible Stuff. The Media.The Agenda 👇I spoke with The Diff’s Byrne Hobart about basically everything 🎧My latest Sifted column is about university spinouts—and Europe lagging behindYahoo is slowly disappearing from sight. I wrote a new episode in my ‘11 Notes’ seriesAs software eats the world, founders have to tackle tangible stuff: a few ideas on the matterDo you think journalists depict tech as the bad guy? What if we have the context to blame?Today’s episode of Building Bridges is my conversation with Byrne Hobart, a hedge fund alumn...2021-05-121h 00
Nathan Barry Archive021: Byrne Hobart - Build Recurring Revenue With Your NewsletterByrne Hobart is a chartered financial analyst who loves writing about the intersection between finance and technology. He writes The Diff, one of Silicon Valley’s most popular newsletters. In this episode, we dive into how Byrne launched his newsletter, how much he’s earning, and how he publishes five times a week!You’ll learn why Byrne isn’t worried about pirates getting their hands on paid newsletters, and why you should worry about selling hard enough, instead.Byrne talks about how to build recurring revenue, and writing for different types of readers. He also poi...2021-01-111h 07
Palladium PodcastPalladium Podcast 41: Byrne Hobart on the Economy After COVIDByrne Hobart comes on the podcast to talk to Wolf Tivy about what parts of the American economy are real, the phenomenon of inequality increasing during crises, and the impact of COVID-19 on the real economy.
Byrne Hobart works in the financial services industry and writes one of the top newsletters on Substack called The Diff. He has worked at research companies, a hedge fund, and a cryptocurrency startup.
2020-09-091h 24
The Compound and FriendsThe Biggest Threat to Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook and Alphabet with Byrne Hobart (The Diff)Josh's guest on the podcast this week is Byrne Hobart (author of The Diff substack letter, link below) who has just completed a comprehensive series of thought experiments on each of the largest technology stocks. After a conversation with Andrew Walker (Yet Another Value Blogger), Byrne set off to answer the question What could disrupt Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Google or Facebook enough to knock them off their pedestals? It is historically unlikely that the five largest stocks of 2020 will remain the five largest in ten years' time. So which is most vulnerable? And why? Join Josh and Byrne as...2020-09-0447 min
Yet Another Value PodcastByrne Hobart from The Diff on The Death of FANG+Byrne Hobart from The Diff (https://diff.substack.com/) joins us to talk about his recent "The Death of Fang+" series. We dive deep into the question "Which of Amazon / Apple / Microsoft / Google / Netflix / Facebook" is most likely to see serious declines over the next ten years?2020-08-2158 min
People of Growth#006 - Byrne Hobart: On Writing Online and the Benefits of Having KidsByrne Hobart is the writer of The Diff, an email newsletter about inflections in finance and technology. In this conversation, Nate and Byrne chat about having kids, homeschooling, writing online, and tons more.
Follow Byrne:
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Background music: Drifting Korners - Joseph McDade
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· Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app2020-07-2731 min
Village Global PodcastByrne Hobart on COVID-19 and its Effects on the Financial MarketsByrne Hobart (@ByrneHobart), creator of The Diff (diff.substack.com), joins Erik on this episode.They discuss:- How have the past few months changed our understanding of institutions and our trust in them- Is the current environment a win for modern monetary theorists?- Is the current environment a win or loss for bitcoin maximalists that see the Fed as a huge liability?- What should the Fed and Congress have done differently?- Is the government running on autopilot?- How do we make sense of what’s ha...2020-05-162h 07
Subversion with 1517029. 1517 at Home: Byrne Hobart on the Mimetic Theory of BubblesWhy do economic bubbles happen? Historically, theorists have proposed competing theories like the efficient market hypothesis, the easy money theory, and a “heroes and villains” theory. In this workshop and roundtable discussion we explored the mimetic desire theory of bubbles. Based on Rene Girard’s theory of mimetic desire, the mimetic theory of bubbles states that bubbles arise not from copying behavior, but from copying desire.
Byrne Hobart (@byrnehobart)is a finance and technology analyst and writer. His career spans working as an investment analyst at large-scale hedge funds and as a research provider to digital marketing, strate...2020-05-131h 43
Finding My Quiet PlaceBrendan ByrneThis week, we sit down with Brendan L Byrne, space reporter for 90.7 WMFE in Orlando, and talk about why his quiet place is in the back of his house, making craft beer. He talks about how mental focus and detailed planning are required to follow all the steps to make a tasty brew, and the fact that he's in control of all the variables gives him a sense of peace and calm. Photos made with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin lens camera, on Kodak Tri-X 120 film. 2019-09-2835 min