Squawk Pod

Anthropic has set its IPO price range between $70 and $78 per share, aiming to list on November 19th. CNBC’s Leslie Picker reports on the company’s valuation and what’s at stake for the entire AI ecosystem in that debut, and Anthropic investor Lo Toney discusses Anthropic’s newest financials. Also expected on November 19th: Grand Theft Auto VI. Strauss Zelnick, CEO of the title’s owner Take-Two Interactive, shares his company’s latest financial results and optimism heading into the game’s highly anticipated release. Plus, Wall Street, Main Street, and Nvidia shares are still reeling from Jensen Huang’s scandal. Eamon Javers reports on President Trump’s commentary and what news may still be forthcoming.  Eamon Javers - 6:23Leslie Picker - 14:41Lo Toney - 25:07Strauss Zelnick - 33:00 In this episode:Becky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinEamon Javers, @EamonJaversLeslie Picker, @LesliePickerKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has admitted to having an affair with Alice Huang, a business executive who intelligence agencies have identified as a spy for China. The Nvidia board has begun an independent investigation, and U.S. officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio have raised concerns about Jensen Huang’s relationship. CNBC’s Eamon Javers reports on the scandal and the national security risks at play. Journalist and author of “The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia and the World's Most Coveted Microchip” Stephen Witt discusses the risks to an AI ecosystem revolving around one man. He wrote the book on Jensen Huang–with the cooperation of Jensen Huang–and underscores the CEO’s own emphasis on being a family man. Plus, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy considers the paths ahead for both political parties. He considers the lessons the GOP must learn from their major losses at the midterms, and looks ahead to what could be a pivotal 2028 primary.  Eamon Javers - 02:55Stephen Witt - 18:57Kevin McCarthy - 32:15 In this episode:Stephen Witt, @stephenwittKevin McCarthy, @SpeakerMcCarthyBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinEamon Javers, @EamonJaversCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two days after election day, the Nasdaq notched its largest single-day dollar loss on record after $2.5 trillion in market cap was wiped out from AI, neoclouds, and other tech companies. At play is Democratic state governance and regulation, potential data center slowdown, and the overall tech debt landscape. Anthropic’s IPO could become the fulcrum of the entire tech ecosystem, thanks to circular financing deals in tech and AI. Then, billionaire investor Ron Baron has been invested in Elon Musk for well over a decade. On the day of the annual Baron Conference in New York, the legendary founder of Baron Capital explains his long-standing support of Tesla and SpaceX–despite the hit both stocks took after Thursday’s rout. Plus, Kalshi co-founder and CEO Tarek Mansour discusses potential regulation under Democrats and how pollsters and prediction markets got the blue tsunami right in their midterms forecasts.  Ron Baron - 18:17Tarek Mansour - 41:27 In this episode:Tarek Mansour, @mansourtarek_Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After the Democrats flipped both the House and the Senate, The Information CEO and founder Jessica Lessin discusses tech’s allegiances across different administrations, including how Silicon Valley’s politics may swing with power shifts on Capitol Hill. AI pioneer Kai-Fu Lee, former lead at Google China and at Microsoft China, has penned a new book on leadership: “AI Native.” Most CEOs, he says, are going about the AI revolution all wrong. Lee also believes there’s room for China and the U.S. to win the AI race. Plus, OpenAI has pledged to solicit community input in its data center development in a new series of commitments published today.  Jessica Lessin - 18:11Kai-Fu Lee - 34:54 In this episode:Jessica Lessin, @jessicalessinKai-Fu Lee, @kaifuleeJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Democrats have flipped the House and the Senate in a “blue tsunami” that swept the nation. Pollster and strategist Frank Luntz shares his own exit polling data and considers the motivating factors for many Republicans who voted Democrat in the midterms. Luntz argues, the votes were more a rejection of the GOP than they were an embrace of the left. Then, one Democrat fresh off his reelection win: Maryland Governor Wes Moore. Considered a potential candidate for the 2028 election, Governor Moore discusses the future of the Democratic Party and the hopes of “exhausted” voters. Plus, CNBC’s Megan Cassella reports from Washington, and Robert Frank reports on the voter consensus on taxing the wealthy.  Megan Cassella - 11:14Frank Luntz- 24:29 Gov. Wes Moore - 38:35  In this episode:Frank Luntz, @FrankLuntzGov. Wes Moore, @iamwesmooreJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinMegan Cassella, @mmcassellaRobert Frank, @robtfrank Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.