People vs Algorithms

This week, we discuss a new framework for the media industry that separates content into two distinct categories: "above the line" and "below the line" media. The line in question represents the threshold of human uniqueness in content creation. Above it lies the territory where human creativity, insight, and expertise still reign supreme. Below it, we find the realm increasingly dominated by AI-driven processes and automation. Plus: Taylor Lorenz and the question of whether packaged media can retain talent; AI dwindling the value of curation; synthetic social networks; and praise for bullshitters. Watch us on YouTubeTroy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Human ComputerFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

The heart of organizations is tension, which when productive can lead to great outcomes. If it goes to extremes, disaster. This week, we discuss tension at OpenAI between its non-profit mission and massive ambitions, the tensions of hacking attention to sell products, the Trump tension between the truth and making a valid a point, and the tension between tech changing consumer expectations and media business models.Episode links:NotebookLM from Google.Seb Young's music project, Chronically Offline.Eating the pets video.Channel 5, Aurora Migrant Gang 'Takeover'Elsewhere:Watch us on YouTubeTroy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

We discuss the Department of Justice’s antitrust case against Google as a classic case of fighting the last war. And even if Google’s monopoly is dismantled, history shows to be careful of what you wish for because what comes next could be worse. Plus: Airmail’s weird business, the struggles at Food52 and why chicken parm is a great American product.Watch us on YouTubeTroy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

This week we’re joined by Emily Sundberg and celebrate our 100th episode, talking about classic topics like X vs Threads and is Silence the best product.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

Founders can force change that managers (call them operators) can’t, at least as efficiently. Plus: AI land grab update, Gannett’s commerce play goes away, and the Sicilian tonnara and summer books. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on Twitter

This is shaping up to be a TikTok election where relatability is at a premium. The successful rollout of the Harris-Walz ticket is moving authenticity from loudly telling the truths others dare not to something softer and more familiar. Plus: the recalibration of remote work, AI backlash and the difficulty of deciding level of spending on content as the weight of many publisher models shifts to indirect monetization paths.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:04:18 Political Campaign Strategies13:00 Generational Shifts and Voting Patterns19:20 The Future of Media and Technology31:07 Prediction Markets and Media35:46 Media Products and Betting Data38:16 The Future of Remote Work40:33 AI and Its Ethical Implications42:42 Peter Thiel on Joe Rogan's Podcast45:19 The Role of VCs in Politics49:20 Good Product

This week, we discuss conversations vs interviews, why social networking has been replaced by algorithmic content, YouTube’s pivotal role in the emerging media space, and why the Olympics were a great media product.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:59 Introduction04:22 Diving into the Elon Musk and Donald Trump Conversation11:59 Bias in Media and Algorithms19:33 Mr. Beast Controversy23:35 YouTube's Role in Content Regulation25:38 The Evolution of Social Networks31:06 The Future of Media and Streaming38:17 Good Product

A federal judge has ruled Google a monopoly for locking up distribution with Apple. We discuss the percent and likely impact. Also, memes as the media format of the moment, as they become how big events like the Olympics and presidential election become participatory. Meanwhile, YouTube is becoming modern TV.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:01:13 Google Declared a Monopoly02:08 Historical Parallels with Microsoft05:00 Apple's Role and Strategic Decisions06:47 Google's Financial Strategies10:55 The Evolution of Paid Search19:39 The Role of Memes in Modern Media30:09 Authenticity and Political Tactics33:15 Twitter's Advertising Struggles41:11 Media Landscape and Axios Layoffs48:16 AI in Media and SearchGPT Review56:10 YouTube's Dominance and Content Trends

OpenAI is readying a new search engine, Meta is pushing further into search with Llama, Perplexity is cutting deals with publishers. This week, we look to what the future of search looks like. Plus: why Nike ended up in Wall Street’s doghouse, why Tucker Carlson is a podcast star, and why Pulp Fiction still works.Nike: An Epic Saga of Value DestructionTroy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:01:07 Discussing the Future of Search04:05 Challenges and Opportunities in Search09:03 Vertical Search and AI Overviews11:16 Google's Exclusive Deals and Market Shifts19:04 The Future of News and Subscription Models24:05 The Rise of Media Personalities28:18 Media Brands vs. Individual Personalities30:04 Challenges for Legacy Media Brands38:04 Nike's Digital Marketing Dilemma44:48 Good Product

This week, we’re joined by Joe Marchese, operating and build partner at Human Ventures and veteran media exec. We discuss why the obsession with performance marketing has created incentives for many intermediaries to focus on giving the appearance of being responsible for a sale rather than actually contributing to the sale, and how that’s led to short-term approaches that skips the basics of building lasting brands. Plus: What the meting of Kamala Harris says about the direction of news and political campaigns, why Netflix points to a shrinking TV ad market and the perils of operating content and commerce businesses as part of one company. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:00 Introduction06:09 Netflix vs. Apple TV: The Future of Streaming16:51 The Meme Election24:42 The Role of AI in Media and Advertising35:59 The Evolution of Content Creation Tools38:07 The Cookiepocalypse and Ad Tech Cynicism40:31 Performance Media and Brand Building44:37 Content and Commerce: The Houdinki Case Study51:32 The Future of Digital Media and Monetization58:56 Media Investments and Optimism01:01:00 Good Product

The assassination attempt on Donald Trump was a stress test for the Information Space, and a reminder of just how much the media has changed. You had mainstream news outlets jockeying with individuals holding forth with a collection of expertise, conspiracies, jokes, memes and partisan potshots. Some of it was informative, some of it was hilarious, some of it was infuriating, and much of it was… entertaining? We unpack yet another crazy plot twist and look forward to what it means as the media business girds for what looks very likely to be a return to power of Donald Trump and an ascendent political movement that’s to a large degree successfully vanquished the packaged news media. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:00 Introduction02:50 Personal Media Consumption Experiences04:13 The Evolution of Media and Information08:08 Trump's Influence on Media and Politics15:13 The Future of Media in a Polarized World26:23 Trump's Media Mastery and Political Impact38:34 Tech's Political Landscape42:44 Big Tech vs. Small Tech44:26 The Role of Media in Politics49:55 The Rise of YouTube as a Podcast Platform53:58 The Evolution of Digital Advertising01:03:51 Good Product

The tidal wave of crap is a reality in the Information Space. This week, we discuss the rules of winning in the Information Space, including why it helps to get into fights, present as authoritative and authentic, and above all else to be willing to be shameless.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:00 Introduction03:00 Threads and Social Media Dynamics06:16 The Rise of Authenticity11:17 Traditional Media's Role16:19 AI and Productivity32:41 The Role of Hyperbole and Conspiracy Theories34:20 The New Rules of the Information Space42:53 The Importance of Podcasts in Modern Media52:56 Good Product

In this July 4th episode, Alex, Brian and Troy chat about whether life will ever get back to 'normal,' Threads vs. X, gamer saints and AI dogs.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:00 Holiday Podcast Kickoff00:59 Media Industry: Past, Present, and Future02:55 The Canonized Gamer Boy04:20 The Rise of Viral Fame05:54 Threads vs. X: The Social Media Debate07:41 The Future of Social Media09:08 AI and Surveillance in Everyday Life19:56 The Changing Landscape of War22:16 FigmaCon and the Future of Design24:42 Music Industry's Battle with AI27:12 The Future of Publishing and Media34:15 The Role of Legacy Media38:05 Embracing Change in Media40:31 Summertime Recommendations

Troy and Brian discuss the realist mood in Cannes, the key to good brand events, why hotels need a good playlist and Perplexity serving as an AI boogeyman.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:00 Introduction04:17 Media Memberships and Loyalty06:48 Hospitality and Technology12:22 Events and Differentiation14:55 Cannes Observations and Reflections18:01 Media Industry Dynamics27:15 Exploring with AI in Paris and London32:30 The Rise of Perplexity and Content Theft36:33 Publishers vs. AI Crawlers41:27 The Future of Media and Distribution46:24 Good Product

Apple has entered the AI fray with a compelling view of using it to remove friction that gets in the way of people want to get things done. The issue arises for those who create that friction by serving as intermediaries.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:39 Introduction to People vs. Algorithms04:23 Apple's WWDC Highlights10:29 Privacy and Trust in Tech27:30 Microsoft's Rewind Feature Controversy33:33 The Enduring Relevance of the Phone38:45 Advertising Trends and Challenges48:11 The War on the Inbox53:57 Sleep and Technology

Technology acts as a compressor. AI is the latest pressure point. This week, we look at compression in software development, marketing and publishing. We then go into the difficult challenge of change management at the Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:53 Mailbag02:41 The Decline of Blockbuster and Rise of Netflix05:14 The Future of Software and AI's Impact10:29 AI in Marketing and Customer Support28:26 Navigating Change in Media Organizations32:05 Digital Transformation in Media35:34 The Decline of Traditional Newspapers38:09 Strategies for Media Reinvention47:36 The Role of Unions in Media49:57 Good Product56:52 Closing Remarks

In this episode Brian, Troy, and Alex talk about AI hallucinations, and how they mirror human misperceptions. Troy believes the open web and traditional media will still hold value, while Alex thinks AI and platforms like Google and social media will take over. They also touch on the future of ad-supported AI services and SEO, Vivek Ramaswamy’s anti-BuzzFeed campaign and a genius idea about electing presidents.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:00 Spicy Takes00:54 AI Hallucinations: The Human Aspect01:49 The Future of AI and Media02:44 Debate: Is the Web Dead?04:45 The Role of Media Brands in the AI Era12:17 Advertising and AI: A New Economy14:29 The Impact of AI on Content Discovery20:30 Legal and Ethical Considerations22:57 The Future of Media and AI Integration27:46 Union Pressures and Performance Reviews30:02 The Future of Media and Open Web34:46 Buzzfeed and Media Outsiders41:26 The Role of AI in Leadership44:46 Good Product49:29 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

What do tech and media look like in five years? Plus: Sam Altman as slippery character and AI comes to search and devices.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:00 Introduction01:28 Sam Altman and Scarlett Johansson Controversy06:43 Microsoft's AI Integration in Hardware13:39 Google AI and the Future of Search20:32 Speculations on AI's Long-Term Effects33:21 Five Years into the Future: A Thought Exercise40:39 AI Redefines Hardware44:50 Advertising in the AI Era50:05 Media Consumption Trends57:36 Good Product01:03:53 Podcast Reflections

Brian, Alex, and Troy get into the new AI updates from OpenAI and Google. They unpack how these big changes might shake up industries like media and advertising, and what that means for our daily tech interactions.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:00 Catching Up and Studio Updates00:46 Introduction to People vs. Algorithms00:59 The AI Revolution: Predictions and Impacts03:00 Reflecting on Last Week's Episode and Media Sustainability09:16 Exploring the New Era of AI and Its Implications11:15 The Potential and Challenges of Advanced AI Interfaces19:14 The Future of Education, Work, and Technology25:05 Universal Basic Compute and Societal Impacts28:27 The Social Media Backlash and GPT-4's Impact30:19 Reflecting on Past Tech Hype: From TCP/IP to the iPhone32:34 The Future of Computing and the Internet38:19 Navigating the Shift: Strategies for Media and Tech Companies43:32 The Role of AI and Social Media in the Future46:56 Creative Missteps: The Controversial Apple Ad50:41 The Evolution of Streaming and Live Content54:34 Good Product

Jess Sibley, CEO of Time, joins Brian and Troy to discuss adapting Time to today’s digital challenges. Jess shares her strategies for navigating algorithm changes and AI, shifting Time’s focus from consumer to business-oriented models, and the implications for digital content and monetization.Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletterBrian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletterAlex Schleifer's Universal EntitiesFollow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterSkip to topic:00:00 Guest Introduction01:13 Navigating the Chaos in Search and AI's Impact on Publishing01:27 Modernizing Legacy Brands and the Shift from B2C to B2B02:42 The Evolution of Media and Google's Algorithm Changes05:49 Exploring Revenue Diversification and the Future of Publishing12:33 The Impact of AI and Search on Media Strategies21:54 Time's Transformation and Strategic Partnerships27:54 The Role of Time Magazine in a Digital Age32:19 Time Studios and Future Media Projects35:15 The Benioffs' Leadership at Time41:54 Exclusive Insights: High-Profile Interviews and Media Impact49:07 Navigating the Media Landscape: Strategy and Culture at Time54:12 Addressing Brand Safety in Journalism01:00:18 The Future of Time: Trust, Impact, and Audience Engagement01:02:42 Good Product: The Significance of AirPods and Music