The Newcomer Podcast

Reid Hoffman Breaks Silence on Epstein Emails & AI PowerToday on the Newcomer Podcast, Reid Hoffman joins me for a wide-ranging conversation on AI power, regulation, politics, and the future of the tech economy. We get into everything — AGI timelines, Sam Altman’s real competition, AI policy, and why Reid says we’re not in a bubble. We also cover his political involvement this year, the Epstein email revelations, and his views on crypto’s future in Washington.This is a fast, sharp, insider conversation with one of tech’s most influential voices.

MongoDB.local San Francisco is happening on January 15th. Learn more and register here → http://mdb.link/sf-dot-local At the Cerebral Valley AI Summit, we surveyed more than 300 founders and investors with one question:“Which billion-dollar AI startup would you short?” The answers were… blunt.In this episode, Eric, Max Child and James Wilsterman break down the most surprising picks, what they reveal about the state of AI in 2025, and the shifting mood inside the industry. We also revisit the biggest moments from the summit — from agentic AI to the sustainability of today’s valuations.

Buckle up—today's episode takes you inside the war on AI slop and Anthropic's bold plan to fix artificial intelligence's biggest problems. We kick things off at the Cerebral Valley AI Summit, where Anthropic CPO Mike Krieger shares why AI needs to be truth-seeking and what their team is doing to fight misinformation and "brainrot." From explosive funding announcements to real talk about the future of agentic AI, you're getting all the behind-the-scenes intel.

Then, Max Child sits down with Mati Stunashevsky, CEO of ElevenLabs, for a fresh take on how voice AI is taking over everything from customer support and gaming to wild celebrity voice clones. It’s all about authenticity, safety, and vertical-specific innovation—plus, why voice might just be your next favorite interface.

As always, we're diving deep into the industry, serving up candid conversations, and making sense of the latest AI trends, so you can stay ahead in the game.

MongoDB.local San Francisco is happening on January 15th. Learn more and register here → http://mdb.link/sf-dot-local

Everyone has predictions about AI, but what happens when AI predicts itself?

In this episode of The Newcomer Podcast, Eric is joined by Cerebral Valley co-hosts Max Child and James Wilsterman to let AI map out its own 5-year plan. From AGI timelines to AI in healthcare, movies, and beyond.Can AI really forecast its own future, or are we all buying into its self-created hype?

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This is the leadup to our newest installment of the Cerebral Valley AI conference we're hosting on November 12th. In this episode of the podcast, we're joined by the co-hosts of the conference - Max Child and James Wilsterman - as we dive deep into the complete state of the tech startup world. We'll also revisit our annual AI Fantasy Draft and check out how each portfolio performed.

🎙️Topics in this episode:- Where AI investment headed in 2025 and where it's heading in 2026

- The challenges and opportunities emerging from the AI boom

- The latest updates from our Annual AI Fantasy Draft League: who’s leading, who’s lagging, and what bets might pay off next