Down Round
- Episodios
- 315
- Se publica
- cada semana
- Último episodio
- 9 Nov 2026
Sobre el podcast
The number one podcast about tech business and culture, from James "JR" Hennessy and Raph Dixon.
Episodios 315
The Spy Who Shagged Me 2 Starring Jensen Huang
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has been outed as having had an affair with Alice Huang (no relation), a Chinese businesswoman suspected of being a spy. Not only is it juicy gossip, but it's got the markets and the …
Notas del episodio
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has been outed as having had an affair with Alice Huang (no relation), a Chinese businesswoman suspected of being a spy. Not only is it juicy gossip, but it's got the markets and the establishment in a tizzy about what it means for his role in US AI supremacy.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
https://linktr.ee/downroundSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
R.I.P The Free Internet
Reddit's CEO has stated that the forum site will move to “a logged-in-only experience”, and has pointed the finger at AI for forcing this change. When you ask google "Best Computer to buy 2026 Reddit" it now …
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Reddit's CEO has stated that the forum site will move to “a logged-in-only experience”, and has pointed the finger at AI for forcing this change. When you ask google "Best Computer to buy 2026 Reddit" it now gives you the reddit consensus in it's summary, you're no longer browsing Reddit and giving them precious ad revenue. Is this the last domino to fall for the death of the 'free internet' as we once knew it? And moreover, does that even matter?
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A Monumentally Important Episode
Years in the future historians will cite this humble podcast episode as a first hand account of an irreversible shift. There is now only the before and the after. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
BONUS: Richard Cooke Book Launch Interview
Friend of the pod Richard Cooke has published his new book - The Last Best Place on the Internet: A Human History of Wikipedia. At his book launch in Sydney, James and Raph of Down Round podcast fame sat down …
Notas del episodio
Friend of the pod Richard Cooke has published his new book - The Last Best Place on the Internet: A Human History of Wikipedia. At his book launch in Sydney, James and Raph of Down Round podcast fame sat down for a discussion of the work, the human interest story behind it, and of course AI.
Grab yourself a copy of the book here: https://richardcooke.com/books
Recorded live at Gleebooks Sydney on 15/10/26
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tesla Roadster And Apple Home
Elon Musk and his cronies over at Tesla had an event last week where they showed off the latest version of the Roadster. You may be thinking 'hey, didn't they announce that car like 8 years ago?' Yes, they did …
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Elon Musk and his cronies over at Tesla had an event last week where they showed off the latest version of the Roadster. You may be thinking 'hey, didn't they announce that car like 8 years ago?' Yes, they did, yet it remains unreleased. Tesla have also kicked that can down the road another 2 years, announcing a 2028 release. Who better to detangle this web of theatrics than Henno and the Riph Raph.
Also, Raph gives his thoughts on the newly announced Apple Homeview, a device which should be right up his alley as an Apple Home user.If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Firmus IPO Disaster
Over the course of a week, Aussie neocloud company Firmus went from expecting a $40B IPO to cancelling it all together. The company and its Co-CEO Oliver Curtis have, to some, become a punching bag for the …
Notas del episodio
Over the course of a week, Aussie neocloud company Firmus went from expecting a $40B IPO to cancelling it all together. The company and its Co-CEO Oliver Curtis have, to some, become a punching bag for the media and online critics alike. On the other hand, some are suggesting that Australia's 'tall poppy syndrome' may be obscuring a key opportunity for the country to get a slice of the AI pie. In this episode, Raph and Jimbo take us through the media circus day-by-day to diagnose what went wrong.
Get your tickets for the Richard Cooke Book launch AKA Down Round LIVE (GET IN QUICK, ONLY STANDING ROOM LEFT!): https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1647769
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hallowed Be Thy Tokens
Some higher-up from Anthropic tried to talk the Pope into conceding that AI agents have a consciousness. Your hosts, Henno and The Riph Raph, discuss why they would make this claim, whether it's a possibility …
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Some higher-up from Anthropic tried to talk the Pope into conceding that AI agents have a consciousness. Your hosts, Henno and The Riph Raph, discuss why they would make this claim, whether it's a possibility, and what it really means to be sentient.
Get your tickets for the Richard Cooke Book launch AKA Down Round LIVE: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1647769
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Did Sam Altman Steal My Medicare Card?
OpenAI "hacked" an Australian Government website and said NOTHING!? Well, sort of?Albo pulled up his big boy pants and stormed up to New York on Thursday to tell the world and Sam Altman that he was displeased …
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OpenAI "hacked" an Australian Government website and said NOTHING!? Well, sort of?
Albo pulled up his big boy pants and stormed up to New York on Thursday to tell the world and Sam Altman that he was displeased with OpenAI's recklessness in allowing their bots to scrape the "Medicare statistics reporting service portal". But, it didn't necessarily break any laws - it didn't use any passwords or workarounds - it just found some unprotected files and took them for research. Raph and James hike up some big boy pants of their own to get to the bottom of what really went down, and whether or not we should be freaking out about it.Get your tickets for the Richard Cooke Book launch AKA Down Round LIVE: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1647769
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
AI for the Normies
Raph and James sit down to answer a simple question: what the hell does an average person need an AI agent for?This question arises from the recent launch of Joe Schmoe-targeted agentic AI platforms like …
Notas del episodio
Raph and James sit down to answer a simple question: what the hell does an average person need an AI agent for?
This question arises from the recent launch of Joe Schmoe-targeted agentic AI platforms like Instinct and Meta's Muse. Until now, AI agents have been the pipe dreams of techno sickos, who aim to use them for nefarious means like booking pickleball courts. Are the normies ready to start agentically booking holidays?
Richard Cooke Book launch AKA Down Round LIVE: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1647769If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
I Don't Wanna Be A Paperclip
After a former Anthropic employee went on a press tour telling everyone he quite because the stuff they're cooking up is big and scary, a whole new round of discourse has hit the proverbial fan. Many of the big …
Notas del episodio
After a former Anthropic employee went on a press tour telling everyone he quite because the stuff they're cooking up is big and scary, a whole new round of discourse has hit the proverbial fan. Many of the big players have come out to say "yes, we SHOULD be pumping the breaks!" but only in a particular way and without too much government intervention? There's a whole lot to dig through and a whole lot of ulterior motives at play here, and Henno and The Riph Raph are here to get to the bottom of it.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
AGI is here?
Artificial General Intelligence. Computers using computers. Computers getting Raph a coffee because he yelled "me coffee". Computers curing diseases before we even discover them. Computers discovering the …
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Artificial General Intelligence. Computers using computers. Computers getting Raph a coffee because he yelled "me coffee". Computers curing diseases before we even discover them. Computers discovering the infinite money glitch and creating a work-free utopia. Sound familiar? Well, it should! Because clearly, since the release of OpenAI's GPT-6: Astra, Artificial General Intelligence has been achieved! We're here! Take-off! Well, kind of?
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Flock Cameras: Safety or Surveillance?
In the past few years, Flock Safety have peppered the United States with their license plate reading cameras. Together, they form a lattice network capable of tracking anyone with pinpoint accuracy across a …
Notas del episodio
In the past few years, Flock Safety have peppered the United States with their license plate reading cameras. Together, they form a lattice network capable of tracking anyone with pinpoint accuracy across a wide area. Lately, they have become the subject of widespread backlash, as citizens raise numerous concerns including privacy, misuse by law enforcement (including ICE), and the cameras being left up despite their contracts not being renewed. Is this the beginning of the end for individual privacy? Or did it already die years ago?
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Cameras on Everything: Hardware in 2026
That damned rumour mill is spinning up again with word that the next AirPod Pro model will feature cameras in the ear buds. Is this really true? Kind of, but probably not the way you think. James and Raph sat …
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That damned rumour mill is spinning up again with word that the next AirPod Pro model will feature cameras in the ear buds. Is this really true? Kind of, but probably not the way you think. James and Raph sat down to discuss the prevalence of cameras and surveillance in modern tech/our lives. But first, Raph gives James a gift?
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
AI Markers: The Scarlet Letter
The EU is making AI companies put identifiable markers in their AI generated content, so that they can be easily spotted as such. A lot of the big hitters have played ball, but it opens up an interesting …
Notas del episodio
The EU is making AI companies put identifiable markers in their AI generated content, so that they can be easily spotted as such. A lot of the big hitters have played ball, but it opens up an interesting discussion about how much AI use earns the title of slop, who stands to benefit from it, and whether or not the models' outputs are going to be worse as a result.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Demis Hassabis and Google's AI Plan
Demis Hassabis has stepped up/down/around from his position as CEO of Google Deepmind, becoming Chair of Deepmind and Chief Scientist at Alphabet. "Henno and the Riph Raph" discuss how this reflects on Google …
Notas del episodio
Demis Hassabis has stepped up/down/around from his position as CEO of Google Deepmind, becoming Chair of Deepmind and Chief Scientist at Alphabet. "Henno and the Riph Raph" discuss how this reflects on Google and it's AI landscape as a whole.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wunderkind No More
Eminent babychild/investor Leopold Aschenbrenner has been in the news lately as his over-leveraged AI fund "Situational Awareness" collapsed in a dramatic fashion. Interestingly, the portfolio shares striking …
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Eminent babychild/investor Leopold Aschenbrenner has been in the news lately as his over-leveraged AI fund "Situational Awareness" collapsed in a dramatic fashion. Interestingly, the portfolio shares striking ideological similarities with the Down Round Investment Fund™️...
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Future of Computers ft. Dan Nolan
One of the oldest friends-of-the-pod, Dan Nolan returns triumphant, joining James and Raph for some victory laps and speculation on the future of AI and computing. If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your …
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One of the oldest friends-of-the-pod, Dan Nolan returns triumphant, joining James and Raph for some victory laps and speculation on the future of AI and computing.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Battle Lines are Drawn
President Xi has weighed in on the AI chat, touting the virtues of open source models as a great equaliser for AI as a tool across the world. Some American AI heads are shitting and pissing their pants because …
Notas del episodio
President Xi has weighed in on the AI chat, touting the virtues of open source models as a great equaliser for AI as a tool across the world. Some American AI heads are shitting and pissing their pants because of the threat open source could pose to their business models. James and Raph discuss the potential road map for a future where China's powerful and cheap models take a dominant position in the market, and also touch on the idea of distillation.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
OpenAI: New App, New Lawsuit, New Beef
🥚 I WANT TO CONSULT THE EGG. 🥚 In a grab-bag style, James and Raph plunge into the murky waters of OpenAI's current state. They're being sued by Apple for [allegedly] doing corporate espionage, they've released …
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🥚 I WANT TO CONSULT THE EGG. 🥚
In a grab-bag style, James and Raph plunge into the murky waters of OpenAI's current state. They're being sued by Apple for [allegedly] doing corporate espionage, they've released a new desktop app which is alienating parts of their audience, and Sam "Scam Altman" Altman is on twitter chatting a bunch of shit about his competitors. Where is this all going? STAY TUNED TO FIND OUT.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bending Spoons' Spending Boons
Bending Spoons, a company you may not have heard of, went public last week and had a decent pop. Some people are attributing this as a short bet on software. The boys sit down to discuss the market dynamics at …
Notas del episodio
Bending Spoons, a company you may not have heard of, went public last week and had a decent pop. Some people are attributing this as a short bet on software. The boys sit down to discuss the market dynamics at play and dissect the company's playbook. PLUS! Cow chat.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Don't Tread on GPT
We're back to discuss this whole Anthropic Mythos thing again, this time with a focus on one question: Should the U.S. government exercise control over the AI companies, deciding what is and isn't suitable for …
Notas del episodio
We're back to discuss this whole Anthropic Mythos thing again, this time with a focus on one question: Should the U.S. government exercise control over the AI companies, deciding what is and isn't suitable for release? Also, Raph sings a song.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Snap Specs
Glasses/goggle chat is so back, folks. Today our hosts convene to discuss Snap, the company best known for creating Snapchat. You know, the app for teenagers and perverts alike. Last week they announced their …
Notas del episodio
Glasses/goggle chat is so back, folks. Today our hosts convene to discuss Snap, the company best known for creating Snapchat. You know, the app for teenagers and perverts alike. Last week they announced their new 'SPECS', a chunky pair of AR glasses. They make some big promises, but a high price tag and a few obvious hurdles brought them wide skepticism and ridicule online. Paradigm shift coming? iPhone is dead? Possibly? but probs not.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Anthropic's Fable is TOO POWERFUL
Anthropic has been talking up their world-threateningly powerful new Mythos model, suggesting it needs to be held back from the public because we cretins can't be trusted with it. So they gave us a nerfed …
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Anthropic has been talking up their world-threateningly powerful new Mythos model, suggesting it needs to be held back from the public because we cretins can't be trusted with it. So they gave us a nerfed version called 'Fable', but the US government got tipped off, said "Not today, champ" and forced Anthropic to take it back down. James and Raph come together this week to discuss why this all happened, the marketing of AI as big and scary, and also plastic in your balls.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
WWDC 2026
Apple's annual World Wide Developer Conference happened on Monday. It was an odd one, with a large emphasis on safety and trust, with a little bit of mea culpa sprinkled in after their promised AI features from …
Notas del episodio
Apple's annual World Wide Developer Conference happened on Monday. It was an odd one, with a large emphasis on safety and trust, with a little bit of mea culpa sprinkled in after their promised AI features from a few years ago have still failed to ship. Did they announce any cool new features coming to your iPhone in the coming months? Well, that depends if you think protecting children from gore and nudity is 'cool', you little sicko.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Anthropic: Might IPO Maybe Sometime Eventually?
Anthropic have confidentially filed for an IPO, slipstreaming in behind SpaceX in the race to be the first AI shop to go public. Whether or not you are claude-pilled, the move could shed some light on the guts …
Notas del episodio
Anthropic have confidentially filed for an IPO, slipstreaming in behind SpaceX in the race to be the first AI shop to go public. Whether or not you are claude-pilled, the move could shed some light on the guts of the company and give us a peek at how these AI companies are running things. Also, a humanoid robot thesis is born.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
SpaceX IPO: $1.7 Trillion for What?
Elon Musk's SpaceX is hurtling towards and IPO and have dropped their S1 document. James and Raph come together to elucidate what the hell is going on in there, and how the company attempts to justify a $1.7 …
Notas del episodio
Elon Musk's SpaceX is hurtling towards and IPO and have dropped their S1 document. James and Raph come together to elucidate what the hell is going on in there, and how the company attempts to justify a $1.7 Trillion valuation.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Elon vs OpenAI: Pt. 1
Across timezones and many oceans, our intrepid boys commune via video chat to dig into the top story of the last week or so - Musk vs OpenAI. You may recall that Musk was a part of OpenAI in it's infancy as an …
Notas del episodio
Across timezones and many oceans, our intrepid boys commune via video chat to dig into the top story of the last week or so - Musk vs OpenAI. You may recall that Musk was a part of OpenAI in it's infancy as an AI safety org. Well, now it's gone from a not-for-profit organisation to a public benefit corporation, and Musk reckons he's owed his slice of the pie. Idk something along those lines, I don't know about this stuff, I'm just a truck driver.
If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Kick Streaming: Degenerate Playground
You've heard of Twitch, formerly Justin.tv, the website where you watch sweaty guys play Fortnite. But are you aware that there is a dark and twisted bizarro Twitch called 'Kick'? It's where some of our …
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You've heard of Twitch, formerly Justin.tv, the website where you watch sweaty guys play Fortnite. But are you aware that there is a dark and twisted bizarro Twitch called 'Kick'? It's where some of our planet's greatest degenerates have decided to call home, with extremely lax terms of service allowing them to do and show much more than they could on the comparatively draconian purple app. Your children are watching this filth, mouth agog, and it's letting them vicariously experience what it's like to be the most annoying prick on the high street. Or worse, watching 'rapper' Drake mindlessly bet on slots with house money [allegedly].
Noted establishmentarians James and Raph stretched on their shoulder length rubber gloves to sort through one of the internets strangest pass times - watching other people exist.
But first, a quick run down on GameStop's offer to buy Ebay.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Manus and Meta: Forbidden Lovers
Meta bought this company called Manus AI which is like some sort of computer thing? It's from China but they moved to Singapore? Anyway the deal was basically done but then the Chinese government was like …
Notas del episodio
Meta bought this company called Manus AI which is like some sort of computer thing? It's from China but they moved to Singapore? Anyway the deal was basically done but then the Chinese government was like "actually, nah". Kinda nuts.
Jimmy H and Rapho had a chat about that AND the new Deep Seek drop being a bit of a nothing-burger.If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tim Cook Is Out
ALERT, ALERT: Timmy Cook is officially stepping down from his CEO position, but it's more like a step to one side as he shifts into chairman mode. His replacement has been announced as John Ternus, Apple's …
Notas del episodio
ALERT, ALERT: Timmy Cook is officially stepping down from his CEO position, but it's more like a step to one side as he shifts into chairman mode. His replacement has been announced as John Ternus, Apple's current senior vice president of hardware engineering. So, what legacy is big Cookie leaving behind, and what will change with Ternus at the helm?
ALSO, a quick run down on that Allbirds AI thing from last week.If you like the pod, chuck us a review on your podcast player of choice, or go to downround.net to sign up for PREMIUM to get ad-free listening PLUS an extra episode every week.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aquí están los 40 episodios más recientes de 315. Los anteriores están en el feed del podcast.
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