FYI - For Your Innovation

In this milestone 100th episode of the Brainstorm podcast, Sam Korus, Brett Winton, and Nick Grous dive into the latest tech developments, including Tesla's surprising Robotaxi app release and its implications for the future of autonomous vehicles. They explore the potential of Tesla's expansion, the challenges of consumer adoption, and the broader impact on transportation costs and habits.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Tesla's unexpected Robotaxi app release has sparked significant interest, indicating a strong market demand for autonomous ride-hailing services.The potential removal of safety drivers from Tesla's Robotaxis could mark the beginning of rapid service expansion and a shift in transportation dynamics.The conversation explores the challenges of changing consumer preferences from car ownership to relying on ride-hailing services, emphasizing cost and convenience factors.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode of FYI, ARK’s Brett Winton and Charlie Roberts speak with Dmitry Shevelenko, Chief Business Officer at Perplexity, about the company’s evolving role in the future of the agentic internet. They discuss how Perplexity is carving out its place in the AI ecosystem—not as just a wrapper, but as a full-stack answer engine built for research, action, and trust. Dmitry outlines how Perplexity balances product excellence, model orchestration, and subscription alignment to serve both consumers and enterprises. He also highlights the team’s bold vision for Comet, their AI-native web browser, and how it fits into a future shaped by AI agents and voice interfaces.Key Points From This Episode:00:00:00 How Perplexity positions itself within the AI assistant landscape—and what makes it stand out to ARK.00:02:37 Why the analyst team prefers Perplexity for researching earnings calls, transcripts, and filings.00:03:58 Dmitry explains why only a few agentic AI systems may dominate—and why productization still matters.00:06:10 The team discusses Perplexity's potential for rapid user growth and why context portability may remain limited.00:07:51 How the agentic internet could reshape browsing—and why half of current screen time may be up for automation.00:09:33 A breakdown of Perplexity’s monetization strategy, centered on consumer and enterprise subscriptions.00:12:28 Why the company avoids ad-based business models in favor of long-term trust alignment with users.00:13:17 Introducing Pro Perks: how Perplexity returns affiliate value to users instead of monetizing with ads.00:14:28 The vision of a future where your personal agent negotiates on your behalf with merchants' AI agents.00:15:43 Why link-based performance advertising is vulnerable in an agentic world—and which ad models might persist.00:18:10 Charles on building trust and resisting “sycophantic” behavior in AI agents.00:19:47 Perplexity’s view that the same AI assistant can serve both personal and professional needs.00:22:12 How Comet, the new Perplexity browser, lets agents perform real-world actions—like buying books and managing LinkedIn.00:26:00 The team explores how reduced friction leads to increased curiosity and new behaviors online.00:28:15 Brett asks how browser context, data, and distribution contribute to Perplexity’s strategy and the Chrome bid.00:30:08 How voice interfaces may disrupt browsing—and how Perplexity is preparing for that shift.00:32:18 Why big companies struggle with probabilistic AI outputs—and how that limits speaker adoption.00:34:06 On mobile, Perplexity aims for deeper OS integration beyond just launching a mobile browser.00:35:18 When asked about BCI, Charles emphasizes staying agile over trying to predict distant tech horizons.00:37:04 Why Perplexity focuses on augmenting human curiosity—rather than chasing AGI or superintelligence.00:38:15 Perplexity’s role in debugging and breaking through AI tool limitations—rather than generating code.00:40:01 Charles responds to “just a wrapper” critiques, explaining Perplexity’s orchestration layer and search infra.00:43:13 Execution velocity as a cultural differentiator—and why adaptability is key to Perplexity’s growth.

In this episode of FYI, ARK CEO Cathie Wood and Analyst Nick Grous sit down with Vlad Tenev, Co-Founder and CEO of Robinhood. Together they explore how Robinhood is redefining retail investing and financial services—from expanding access to private markets and tokenized assets to transforming its product ecosystem into a fintech super app.Vlad discusses Robinhood’s long-term vision at the intersection of capitalism and democracy, why retail ownership matters more in the age of AI, and how the company is building around the upcoming $124 trillion generational wealth transfer. He also shares the strategic thinking behind Robinhood's expansion into credit, crypto, and international markets, including the development of its own blockchain and stablecoin.Finally, they explore the role of AI in Robinhood’s platform evolution, including the launch of Cortex, and the guiding philosophy behind the company’s product velocity and value-driven subscription model.Key Points From This Episode:00:00:00 Introduction00:11:10 Cathie and Vlad discuss how navigating the bear market made Robinhood and ARK stronger.00:13:25 Vlad outlines Robinhood’s mission and long-term opportunity to empower retail through ownership.00:17:28 ARK’s and Robinhood’s shared focus on expanding retail access to private markets through innovation and regulation.00:20:45 Why treating retail investors as a first-class constituency is an underutilized advantage for public companies.00:23:32 How Robinhood’s product velocity and innovation position it to capture assets during the $124T generational wealth shift.00:24:34 Designing features that work across extended families and using AI to eliminate frictions in moving assets between institutions.00:29:24 How the company decides when to partner, build in-house, or acquire based on speed, capability gaps, and strategic alignment.00:33:16 Vlad explains how Robinhood adapted its crypto strategy across regulatory cycles, culminating in its European tokenization launch.00:39:42 The internal "aha moment" that led to Robinhood’s push into tokenizing real-world assets—from equities to real estate.00:43:44 The tradeoff between adopting existing chains and owning the full product experience via Robinhood Chain.00:45:38 How Robinhood sees the stablecoin market evolving—especially in terms of yield, utility, and international access.00:52:40 Breaking down Robinhood’s growing credit product suite and the reasoning behind its Sage Home Loans partnership model.00:58:41 How Robinhood is using AI to simplify investing and help users understand market movements and options strategies.01:02:13 The extent to which Robinhood is using fine-tuned AI models across internal operations, especially customer service.01:04:49 Why the traditional view that retail investors aren’t “ready” for private markets no longer applies in the internet era.01:07:41 Vlad shares how the company is thinking about retention vs. pricing as Gold adoption scales.01:10:16 Cathie and Vlad reflect on the shared mission to educate investors and broaden access to financial innovation.

In this episode of the Brainstorm, Sam Korus and Nicholas Grous dive into the intriguing world of prediction markets, focusing on the recent partnership between Robinhood and Kalshi. They explore how this collaboration is reshaping access to sports betting across the U.S., especially in states where traditional sports betting remains illegal. The discussion also touches on the broader implications for the industry, including the competitive landscape with major players like DraftKings and FanDuel.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Robinhood and Kalshi's partnership is expanding access to prediction markets, allowing users to bet on sports outcomes through the Robinhood app, even in states where traditional sports betting is illegal.Prediction markets offer a unique fee structure, with Robinhood charging a flat two-cent fee per contract, making it an attractive option compared to traditional sportsbooks.The collaboration between Robinhood and Kalshi highlights a significant shift in the sports betting landscape, posing potential challenges and opportunities for established players like DraftKings and FanDuel.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode of the Brainstorm, Sam, Nick, and ARK Chief Futurist, Brett Winton, explore whether browsers are worth billions and the implications of launching L1 blockchains with stable coins. From the strategic importance of browsers in the AI arms race to the potential future of financial systems, this episode is packed with insights and debates.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:A discussion around the potential worth of browsers, questioning if they are truly worth billions and exploring the strategic importance of browsers in the AI arms race.The conversation delves into the launch of L1 blockchains by companies like Circle to support stable coins, examining the implications for financial systems and institutional adoption.A recurring theme is the tension between centralization and decentralization, particularly in the context of stable coins and their role in the financial ecosystem.Source mentioned: https://tomtunguz.com/chrome-valuation-safari-comparison/For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode of the Brainstorm, Sam, Nick, and ARK Chief Futurist, Brett Winton, dive into the world of OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-5, exploring its advancements and the impact on user experience. They discuss the balance between performance and user engagement, the evolving role of AI personalities, and the potential for AI to become an integral part of daily life. Tune in to hear their insights on the future of AI and its implications for both consumers and enterprises.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:GPT-5 offers a significant improvement in user experience, despite mixed opinions on its performance benchmarks.OpenAI's strategy involves balancing consumer and enterprise needs, with a focus on enhancing AI's practical utility.The emotional connection users form with AI models through personalities is influencing their adoption and usage patterns.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

Since inception, ARK has researched and published thoughts on the cryptocurrency ecosystem within Big Ideas and through articles, whitepapers, monthly Bitcoin reports and podcasts. Now, in coordination with Bitcoin Park, ARK is pleased to host a monthly conversation with leaders in the Bitcoin space, to discuss everything happening in the rapidly-changing and still nascent Bitcoin ecosystem. Published through the For Your Innovation podcast channels, this monthly series aims to be informative and enlightening, including experts with diverse viewpoints.Guests on this month’s Bitcoin Brainstorm include:Cathie Wood: Founder, CEO and CIO, ARK InvestLorenzo Valente: Director of Research, Digital Assets, ARK InvestPaolo Ardoino: CEO, TetherDr. Arthur Laffer: American EconomistRod Roudi: Co-Founder, Bitcoin ParkKey Points From This Episode: 00:00:00 Introduction00:01:04 The origin of Bitcoin and stablecoins00:04:22 Understanding Tether (USDT)00:10:33 USDT's global growth amid pandemic shifts00:12:15 Dr. Laffer’s history of private money00:17:32 Understanding the USDT mechanics of issuance, reserves, and redemptions00:23:14 Transparency, audits and regulation00:30:26 Challenges of value stability vs dollar peg00:35:20 Gold-backed solutions and the alloy product00:38:58 The role of stablecoins in developed markets00:44:40 Potential competition00:46:00 Commodity trade and global adoption trends00:51:00 Emerging markets00:53:50 Dollar dominance vs local stablecoins01:08:01 Vision for the future Links Mentioned in this Episode: Learn more about Bitcoin Park: bitcoinpark.com

In this episode of the Brainstorm, Sam, Nick, and Multiomics Research Analyst, Shea Wihlborg, dive into the complexities of the FDA's recent decisions and their implications for gene therapy. They discuss the controversial halt of a Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment, the role of AI in drug discovery, and the exciting future of genomics. If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Discussion on the FDA's recent halt of a Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment due to safety concerns.Exploration of the role of AI in improving drug discovery and clinical trials.Insights into the future of gene therapies for both rare and common diseases.The potential impact of regulatory changes on innovation in the biotech industry.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode of the Brainstorm, Sam, Nick, and Director of Research, Digital Assets, Lorenzo Valente, dive into the latest developments from Coinbase, focusing on the launch of the BASE app. They explore the three pillars of the BASE ecosystem: BASE chain, BASE build, and BASE app, and discuss how these innovations aim to enhance user experience with faster transactions, developer tools, and a reimagined non-custodial wallet. The conversation also touches on the integration of social media and financial markets, the evolving landscape of crypto trading, and the potential for new user engagement.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Coinbase launched the BASE app, featuring a faster BASE chain, developer tools, and a rebranded non-custodial wallet.The BASE app integrates NFT minting and decentralized social feeds, creating a hybrid platform for trading and social interaction.There’s potential for BASE to compete with platforms like Robinhood by offering a more crypto-native experience.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode of the Brainstorm, Sam, Nick, and Research Analyst, Jozef Soja, dive into the latest advancements in AI with a focus on Grok4 and Meta's strategic moves. They explore Grok4's impressive benchmark performances, the real-world implications of AI tool use, and Meta's aggressive investments in AI talent and infrastructure.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Grok4 has set new standards in AI benchmarks, particularly in GPQA and Humanities Last Exam, showcasing its advanced reasoning and tool use capabilities.Real-world applications still present challenges for Grok4, highlighting the gap between theoretical performance and practical use.Meta is making aggressive moves in the AI space, acquiring stakes in companies like Scale AI and investing heavily in AI talent to build a super intelligence team.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode of FYI, Chief Futurist, Brett Winton, and Analyst Nemo Marjanovic speak with Alex Zhavoronkov, founder and CEO of Insilico Medicine. Together, they explore the promise of artificial intelligence in transforming the drug discovery process—cutting years off timelines and dramatically reducing costs. Alex shares Insilico’s journey from algorithm-first beginnings to a full-stack AI-driven biotech company, highlighting their unique “pan flute” model approach to drug development and the vision of building a “pharmaceutical superintelligence.” The discussion touches on Insilico’s clinical progress, including a molecule that recently completed a Phase 2 trial, and how its generative platforms are helping to tackle complex diseases with a focus on longevity.Key Points From This Episode:00:00:00 AI's promise in streamlining the drug discovery process00:03:06 The economics of preclinical development and AI’s role in optimization00:04:43 Potential cost and timeline reductions: $2.4B down to $600M, 13 years to 800:07:39 Comparing Insilico’s approach to peers like Recursion and AbSci00:10:35 Literature-driven vs. biology-driven models in drug discovery00:13:07 Why a dominant AI platform could reshape biotech industry consolidation00:14:57 Why biologics may be more suited to AI than small molecules00:17:35 Alex Zhavoronkov on founding Insilico and his mission in longevity science00:21:00 From algorithms to real drugs: Insilico’s transition to clinical development00:23:15 Managing the pace of AI progress vs. the slow cycle of experimental validation00:27:10 How “pharmaceutical superintelligence” enables prompt-to-drug workflows00:32:26 Validation, trust, and why Insilico runs on both old and frontier models00:39:22 The “pan flute” architecture: stacking specialized models with reinforcement learning00:42:36 Building and training a unified multimodal model for chemistry and biology00:45:32 Public data, clean pipelines, and Insilico’s automated validation lab00:50:47 The business model behind Insilico: selling candidates and licensing platforms00:55:12 Why pharma buyers care more about data room quality than pricing01:00:25 On profitability, licensing success, and the dream of a self-sustaining AI biotech01:01:38 Longevity and the search for fundamental mechanisms of aging

In this episode of the Brainstorm, Sam and Nick dive into Robinhood's latest event, exploring its ambitious moves in the crypto market. They discuss how Robinhood is leveraging product velocity to outpace competitors, tokenize US stocks, and introduce innovative features like crypto staking and perpetual futures. They analyze the implications of these developments for the financial services landscape and what it means for the future of investing. If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Robinhood's focus on product velocity to outpace competitors. Tokenization of US stocks and private company shares in the EU. Development of Robinhood's own layer two blockchain. Introduction of crypto staking in the US with higher yields. Exploration of new revenue lines, including a crypto-backed gold card. Building a comprehensive financial ecosystem for the next generation.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

Brett Winton and ARK analyst Jozef Soja dive deep into the rapidly evolving world of AI agents—software entities that are increasingly automating enterprise functions like customer support. They explore why AI agents are gaining traction, how they’re priced, and the potential for a new kind of agent-versus-agent arms race between companies and consumers. Later in the episode, they’re joined by Dr. Alan Bekker, founder of eSelf.ai and former Head of Conversational AI at Snap, who shares his journey from building voice agents for call centers to launching a real-time, face-to-face AI tutoring platform. Alan offers insights into how the rise of large language models (LLM) is reshaping education, what makes a great AI tutor, and why a visual, embodied presence is crucial for learning.Key Points From This Episode:00:00:00 What enterprise AI agents actually do and how companies like Salesforce are pricing them00:03:41 Why $2 per AI conversation may already undercut human support costs00:05:04 The Return On Investment (ROI) model behind agent adoption and enterprise productivity00:06:41 Why agent-based software may retain higher pricing power than other AI tools00:09:11 The coming arms race: AI agents negotiating with other AI agents00:12:30 Scaling demand for customer service with intelligent automation00:15:04 Vertical vs. horizontal Software as a Service (SaaS) in the AI agent ecosystem00:16:43 AI’s impact across the software stack—SaaS, Platform as a Service (PaaS) , and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)00:17:56 Why building your own AI apps may soon be cheaper than onboarding SaaS00:20:01 ARK's  internal hackathon and how non-engineers are becoming developers00:20:29 Guest: Dr. Alan Bekker joins to discuss the evolution of conversational AI00:22:04 The journey from decision trees to LLMs: Lessons from Snap’s AI team00:27:32 Seeing GPT’s impact from inside: OpenAI’s early partner outreach00:31:47 Why face-to-face AI tutors found strong product-market fit in education00:33:59 eSelf’s go-to-market strategy: Partnering with publishers as a business to business to consumer (B2B2C) wedge00:36:24 Pricing real-time AI tutoring tools in a margin-conscious market00:40:00 Business to consumer (B2C) aspirations: Moving toward a direct-to-student tutoring product00:44:56 What’s still missing for real-time AI to match human-level teaching00:48:03 The psychological impact of avatars: Building trust through embodied agents00:51:43 Why personalization—not just LLM knowledge—matters in tutoring00:54:20 Democratizing learning: LLMs as the end of expert-driven education

In this episode, Sam Korus, Nick Grous, and Daniel Maguire discuss the future of robotaxis, focusing on Tesla's advancements in autonomous vehicle technology compared to Waymo. They explore the implications of Tesla's data advantage, production capabilities, and the regulatory landscape affecting the rollout of robotaxis. The conversation also delves into market dynamics, consumer behavior, and potential partnerships in the ride-hailing space, highlighting the challenges and opportunities ahead for Tesla and the autonomous vehicle industry.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Tesla is set to launch its robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.Tesla has a significant data advantage over Waymo, gathering nearly 10 million miles of data daily.The cost of Tesla vehicles is significantly lower than Waymo's, making them more accessible.Safety is a top priority for Tesla, influencing their cautious rollout strategy.Tesla's production capabilities allow them to scale much faster than Waymo.The regulatory environment is evolving, potentially easing the path for autonomous vehicles.Tesla's ridership model could allow for greater market penetration compared to Waymo.Consumer behavior will play a crucial role in the adoption of robotaxis.The partnership strategy of Tesla differs from Waymo's, focusing on direct consumer engagement.The conversation highlights the skepticism surrounding the rapid deployment of autonomous vehicles.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode, Sam Korus discusses stablecoins with Lorenzo Valente and Raye Hadi. They explore the definition of stablecoins, their impact on the US dollar, and the competitive dynamics between major players like Tether and Circle. The conversation delves into the role of stablecoins in emerging markets, their business models, and the potential convergence with AI transactions. They also address concerns regarding stability, privacy, and the future of stablecoins in the financial ecosystem.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Stablecoins are pegged to a dollar value to reduce volatility.Tether and Circle dominate the stable coin market with 85% share.Emerging markets are increasingly using stablecoins for transactions.The business model of stablecoins relies on reserve backing and transaction fees.Stablecoins can unlock significant amounts of dead capital in emerging markets.AI agents may prefer stablecoins for their programmable nature.Concerns about de-pegging and liquidity are prevalent in the market.The future of stablecoins could be expansive if regulatory frameworks support them.Stablecoins are currently about 1% of the US money supply.The potential for stablecoin supply to grow to 1.5 trillion in the next five years.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode of FYI – For Your Innovation, ARK's Director of Research Brett Winton sits down with Brad Feld — co-founder of Foundry, Techstars, and longtime venture capitalist — to unpack his latest thinking on startup communities, mentorship, and how founders can build better networks by giving first. After taking time away from public life to reflect, Brad returns with a new book, Give First: The Power of Mentorship, and a sharpened view on the distinction between transactional ecosystems and community-led innovation. He shares lessons from nearly two decades with Techstars, thoughts on remote vs. in-person work post-COVID, and how mentorship can be redesigned for the next generation of entrepreneurs. The conversation also explores the cultural shifts introduced by AI, the hidden friction in monetizing online engagement, and why Brad believes the best way to shape a network is to invest in others before you know what you’ll get in return.Key Points From This Episode:00:00:00 Why Brad Feld “hibernated” from public life and how it changed his perspective00:04:24 From default yes to default no: Reclaiming time and creative energy00:06:28 Navigating remote work: Company culture and post-COVID office dynamics00:09:49 When revenue goes negative: COVID-era crisis stories from Rover and SeatGeek00:12:25 The Give First philosophy — and how it became Techstars’ guiding principle00:17:50 Finding mentorship as a founder: What works and what definitely doesn’t00:19:15 The power of peer mentorship and showing up without expectations00:23:16 How online culture’s transactional mindset erodes community trust00:26:00 Boulder Startup Week and the importance of local founder energy00:30:41 Brad’s Random Day tradition: 15-minute meetings, one goal per person00:35:17 Techstars vs. YC: Origins of the mentor-driven accelerator model00:40:27 Building startup communities from scratch: What actually works00:46:05 Founders must lead: Differentiating between startup communities and ecosystems00:49:00 Mentorship at scale: Applying Techstars’ playbook to community growth00:54:08 Frictionless networks: Why “Give First” accelerates stronger connections01:00:16 AI’s impact on software development, legal workflows, and personal productivity01:04:07 Coding with AI: Brad’s firsthand experience building a web app with Cursor

In this episode, Nicholas Grous and Sam Korus are joined by ARK Chief Futurist, Brett Winton, to delve into the Mary Meeker AI Trends Report, discussing the rapid adoption of AI technologies, the evolving role of AI in trust and validation, and the changing landscape of search behavior. They explore the monetization of AI, the investment landscape, and the future of autonomous vehicles, concluding with a positive outlook on AI's trajectory.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:The rapid pace of AI adoption is unprecedented.AI is reshaping how we validate information and trust sources.Search behavior is evolving with the integration of AI.Monetization strategies for AI are becoming clearer.Investment in AI infrastructure is crucial for growth.Autonomous vehicles are on the brink of mainstream adoption.AI's role in education could revolutionize assessment methods.The competition between the US and China in AI is intensifying.Consumer behavior is shifting towards AI-driven solutions.Optimism about AI's future is warranted despite pessimistic narratives.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode, Nicholas Grous and Sam Korus discuss the recent Google I.O. event and OpenAI's significant acquisition, exploring the implications for generative AI and the competitive landscape between Google and Apple. They delve into Google's unified strategy for integrating AI across its ecosystem, the introduction of new tools for creators, and the potential future of AI hardware. The conversation highlights the challenges and opportunities for both tech giants as they navigate the evolving AI landscape.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Google's I.O. showcased a unified strategy for generative AI.The integration of AI into Android and Chrome is a key focus.Project Mariner aims to enhance browser capabilities with AI.Veo 3 represents a significant advancement in AI video generation.Generative AI tools are democratizing content creation.Apple needs to innovate quickly to stay competitive in AI.The future of AI hardware may not require screens.Privacy concerns will shape the design of new AI devices.Google's consumer-facing products are still strong despite past failures.The competition between Google and Apple will define the AI landscape.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public

In this episode of FYI – For Your Innovation, Brett Winton and ARK analyst Nemo Despot sit down with Generate Biomedicines CEO Mike Nally and CFO Jason Silvers to explore how generative AI is transforming the discovery and development of protein-based therapeutics. Founded in 2018 by Flagship Pioneering, Generate Biomedicines is building a “self-driving lab” that combines machine learning, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), and high-throughput wet lab automation to dramatically accelerate drug development. The conversation dives into how Generate is reimagining protein therapeutics — going beyond trial-and-error methods to a data-first, design-driven model for creating novel medicines. The team discusses the company’s proprietary approach to integrating structural biology with functional data, the economic implications of reducing time-to-market from 13 years to under 9, and how their platform could unlock treatments for diseases that have been historically undruggable. They also touch on strategic partnerships, scalability, and how AI is shifting the biotech business model from artisanal science to an industrialized, data-driven enterprise.Key Points From This Episode:00:01:30 Why Generate Biomedicines is rethinking protein drug discovery from first principles00:04:40 How their structure-first approach differs from peers like AbSci and Recursion00:07:04 Using cryo-EM to build proprietary protein interaction datasets00:10:57 Traditional drug discovery is random, expensive, and inefficient — here’s how Generate is changing that00:16:58 From concept to clinic in 18–24 months: Accelerating timelines through AI00:20:47 Going beyond efficiency: Unlocking access to undruggable biology00:24:48 Turning cryo-EM into a high-throughput data engine for model training00:31:20 The long-term vision: Patient-specific protein therapeutics00:40:00 Why scalability gives Generate an edge over traditional biotech00:47:52 The future of biotech as a research & development (R&D) sharing economy00:54:19 Adapting fast: Keeping pace with generative AI advances across the stack01:00:16 The KPI (key performance indicator) for platform success: Rate of improvement

In this episode, Nicholas Grous and Frank Downing explore the transformative potential of agentic coding and AI-assisted software development. They conduct a live demo showcasing how coding agents can simplify the development process, making it accessible to non-technical users. The conversation delves into the implications of these technologies on the economy, the future of knowledge workers, and the democratization of software development. The hosts emphasize the importance of experimentation with these tools and encourage listeners to engage with the technology firsthand.If you know ARK, then you probably know about our long-term research projections, like estimating where we will be 5-10 years from now! But just because we are long-term investors, doesn’t mean we don’t have strong views and opinions on breaking news. In fact, we discuss and debate this every day. So now we’re sharing some of these internal discussions with you in our new video series, “The Brainstorm”, a co-production from ARK and Public.com. Tune in every week as we react to the latest in innovation. Here and there we’ll be joined by special guests, but ultimately this is our chance to join the conversation and share ARK’s quick takes on what’s going on in tech today.Key Points From This Episode:Agentic coding is revolutionizing software development.AI-assisted coding tools are becoming more prevalent.Live demos help illustrate the power of coding agents.Non-technical users can now create applications easily.The potential for entrepreneurship is expanding rapidly.Coding agents can significantly reduce development time.The total addressable market for coding tools is vast.Knowledge workers can now create their own software solutions.AI tools are enabling creativity in ways previously unimaginable.Everyone with an internet connection can become a knowledge worker.For more updates on Public.com:Website: https://public.com/YouTube: @publicinvestX: https://twitter.com/public