<![CDATA[People vs Algorithms: Podcast]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/s/the-pva-showhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!b-ph!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F07c00655-3018-4098-85c5-a4bc679ca23c_600x600.pngPeople vs Algorithms: Podcasthttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/s/the-pva-showSubstackThu, 30 Apr 2026 21:10:27 GMT<![CDATA[Spooning the Gravy]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/spooning-the-gravyhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/spooning-the-gravyFri, 24 Apr 2026 10:03:20 GMTTroy’s vibe coding project has moved into high gear, as institutional and personal memory becomes the point of leverage with media’s ultimate goal shifting to how to get the right people in the saloon. Claude Design and GPT-Image 2 reinforce the same message: You’re either high-end craftsman or you’re orchestrating AI systems, like it or not. Plus: Tim Cook hands over the CEO reigns after Apple’s boring decade, why media is about artists, suits and engineers, the dismal fate of much of Vox’s publishing assets, the emptiness of cloned media assets and why there’s leverage in coming out of the kitchen to spoon the gravy, no matter how much you’ve accomplished.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:52 Building on Top of LLMs

  • 03:41 Welcome

  • 04:31 Vibe Coding Costs

  • 09:00 Memory as Moat

  • 13:38 Wiki Maintenance Problem

  • 16:41 Workers Training Replacements

  • 18:13 McClatchy Content Scaling

  • 25:25 Community as Real Value

  • 32:43 Monitoring the Situation Review

  • 35:20 Are Designers Cooked

  • 37:58 Dotcom Agency Flashback

  • 40:19 AI Kills The Agency Model

  • 42:36 Displacement And Value Stack

  • 45:38 Farm To Table Humans

  • 47:13 Apple’s Boring Decade

  • 51:47 Nvidia Chips And China

  • 55:40 Event Format And Layers

  • 57:29 Vox Sale And Media M&A

  • 01:01:27 Media Notes And Widgets

  • 01:06:59 Collectibles As Asset Class

  • 01:09:12 Good Product

  • 01:14:43 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Humans in the Loop]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/humans-in-the-loophttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/humans-in-the-loopFri, 17 Apr 2026 10:03:05 GMTTroy unveils his vibe-coded media system that produces a daily briefing based on his entire media diet, underpinned with a memory layer that acts as a second brain of PvA thinking. This would turn media from a game of speed to one of accumulated worldview. We also unpack the rise of fakes, from the clip economy to Allbirds pivot to AI; handicap the Pope vs Trump battle; and get a report from an international journalism festival in Italy.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:34 Welcome

  • 02:48 Troy The Vibe-Coder

  • 11:54 Takeaways Process And Limits

  • 17:52 AI Slop And Meme Warfare

  • 25:37 Clips Economy

  • 32:32 Allbirds AI Pivot

  • 37:37 Anthropic vs OpenAI Chart

  • 47:02 Journalism Hierarchy

  • 49:30 LinkedIn Is a Sad Place

  • 54:01 Vibe Coding and API Economy

  • 57:56 World Economy Summit

  • 59:48 Good Product

  • 01:05:34 Outro

]]><![CDATA[The Great Media Reorientation]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-great-media-reorientationhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-great-media-reorientationFri, 10 Apr 2026 10:03:19 GMTB2B is a refuge; see the Acquired ad rates. The Boston Globe's TikTok star Emily Sweeney proves a Dorchester accent is leverage when the internet has flattened everything. The next newsroom brawl will be over AI use. Political figures now have to be expert content creators. Even geopolitics aren't immune: Iran is beating the U.S. with its AI Lego video trolling. In tech, Sam Altman lies a lot and might be a sociopath, but it could be these are required traits in his field. Vibe coding Big Hot Take has turned Troy into an AImaxxer who believes company structure will change. Finally, a hypothesis that the true emblem of American wealth is getting a boat.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:41 Welcome

  • 03:10 Media Business Reset

  • 07:05 B2B And Niche Wins

  • 10:30 Altman Narrative Wars

  • 13:18 CEO Archetypes Debate

  • 18:31 OpenAI IPO Reality

  • 20:58 Mythos Model Hype

  • 24:04 Building Hot Takes

  • 31:15 Vibe Coding Impacts

  • 36:48 Politics As Creators

  • 39:04 Trolling As Statecraft

  • 40:34 Boston Globe TikTok Accent

  • 44:13 Artists Versus Engineers

  • 46:43 Midas Touch Deal Breakdown

  • 51:27 Copycat Creator Acquisitions

  • 56:23 NYT Reporting And AI Newsrooms

  • 01:02:23 Clipping Economy Explained

  • 01:07:42 Boats As Status Symbol

  • 01:10:48 Good Product

  • 01:12:57 Outro

]]><![CDATA[New Media Energy]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/new-media-energyhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/new-media-energyFri, 03 Apr 2026 10:03:01 GMTTroy and Brian react to OpenAI buying TBPN: It pays to have viewpoints and approaches that are preferred by the powerful.
FeedMe's Emily Sundberg joins as a guest this week. We discuss why new media like TBPN is beating legacy media not by distribution hacks or aesthetics but in energy. Legacy media relies on structural energy that’s dissipated while new media is built on earned energy, which is more organic, relatable and even fun.
Plus: Puck vs Vanity Fair, Troy's vibe coding addiction, and why venture capital isn't cool.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:28 OpenAI Buys TBPN

  • 08:13 Welcome

  • 10:11 Vibe Code Corner: PVA Hot Take

  • 17:17 Agents and Future Org Charts

  • 22:08 Emily Vibe Coded Side Apps

  • 25:18 Future of Media Trends

  • 33:11 Feed Me Business Overview

  • 37:39 Events Merch and Energy Thesis

  • 43:32 Scaling Feed Me carefully

  • 47:34 Why TBPN works

  • 53:01 Defining new media

  • 56:43 Vanity Fair vs Puck

  • 01:01:20 Aspirational media and detachment

  • 01:06:15 Events business reality

  • 01:09:37 Cool or Not Cool Corner

  • 01:15:05 Good Product

  • 01:17:25 Outro

]]><![CDATA[The War on Slop]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-war-on-slophttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-war-on-slopFri, 27 Mar 2026 10:01:26 GMTOpenAI is pivoting to the enterprise, Kentucky farmers are modern folk heroes by not selling their land for a datacenter, and Meta and YouTube get the Big Tobacco treatment. Plus: Troy gives a progress report on his vibe coded Personal Intelligence Media Platform, AB’s take on Vox Media’s podcast business and MarketBeat’s profitable fin-pub hustle, and Wired’s reinvention as a Big Tech critic.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:44 Reptile Rescue

  • 03:08 Welcome

  • 04:39 PVA Mixer

  • 06:17 PageMaker nostalgia

  • 09:12 Building PIMP

  • 20:52 AI slop and media value

  • 33:21 UI Design on Trial

  • 36:47 Tucker vs The Economist

  • 38:29 Vox Podcast Sale

  • 45:11 LinkedIn and Social CRM

  • 47:26 Wired Subscriptions and Tech Scrutiny

  • 49:53 Atlantic Cruise Events

  • 51:52 Zombie Franchises and Propaganda Ads

  • 55:02 Reality TV Loses to UGC

  • 57:15 MarketBeat Subscription Arbitrage

  • 01:03:28 Good Product

  • 01:06:07 Outro

]]><![CDATA[First Principles Meet the Real World]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/first-principles-meet-the-real-worldhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/first-principles-meet-the-real-worldFri, 20 Mar 2026 10:03:12 GMTBut physiotherapists still use accountants, dentists are in great shape and our own vibe coding experiments run into snags.
Plus: The return of Travis Kalanick and the Mount Rushmore of tech titans, Google Stitch, who lost BuzzFeed, The Trade Desk’s woes, the Oscars as reflective of the end of the old Hollywood model, why The Economist is catnip for billionaires, and why mass layoffs and rapid rehiring are the new corporate norm.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:57 Welcome

  • 01:18 Who’s Cooked

  • 04:28 First Principle Thinkers

  • 15:02 PvA Claude Projects

  • 27:11 Finest Act of Self Mythologizing

  • 31:06 PvA Mount Rushmore Lineup

  • 37:15 The Economist Deal

  • 43:17 Buzzfeed End is Near

  • 48:48 Trade Desk Failures

  • 54:21 Oscars

  • 01:03:05 Good Product

  • 01:22:32 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Systems Are King]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/systems-are-kinghttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/systems-are-kingFri, 13 Mar 2026 10:02:54 GMTYouTube became a $550 billion juggernaut by building the infrastructure: the algorithm, the ad stack, the creator revenue share, the living room app. It spent more on content than almost anyone else without producing it.
Meanwhile, legacy media companies that bet everything on premium content are pivoting to events, harvesting their websites for ad yield, and watching their audiences migrate to platforms they don't control.
X tells the same story: a product that isn't even particularly good has become the most influential information network in the world because of the raw, unmediated network it sits on top of.
On an individual level, those who can build personal systems are establishing leverage.
The lesson: Power is durable power doesn't come from what you make, it comes from the system you build around it.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:26 Cool Things

  • 03:52 Welcome

  • 11:44 AI Writing and Newsrooms

  • 15:27 Epstein Grammar Power Flex

  • 21:11 Wealth Shifts to Older Audiences

  • 25:19 Iran War and X as Truth Feed

  • 32:35 Barry Diller Eyes CNN

  • 38:27 YouTube Becomes Media King

  • 50:30 Everything Is Cooked

  • 01:04:00 Takeaways

  • 01:05:51 Good Product

  • 01:08:21 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Hating the Player and the Game]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/hating-the-player-and-the-gamehttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/hating-the-player-and-the-gameFri, 06 Mar 2026 11:02:30 GMTBlock’s 40% employee purge says more about Jack Dorsey’s CEO skills than AI. David Zaslav gets only a PE golf clap for making Warner Bros shareholders money. McDonald’s CEO becomes a symbol of out-of-touch financializers. But hope is on the way as Cal AI’s teenage founders bootstrapped their way to riches.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:47 Welcome

  • 01:45 Human Computer’s Ballgame

  • 06:46 AI & Game Dev

  • 08:51 Anthropic Pentagon Clash

  • 14:04 AI Narrative Wars

  • 17:37 War News Fragmentation

  • 28:43 Layoffs & AI Excuses

  • 32:36 Holding CEO’s Accountable

  • 44:29 Cal AI Exit

  • 48:09 SXSW Nostalgia

  • 53:53 Good Product

  • 58:12 Outro

]]><![CDATA[The AI Reckoning]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-ai-reckoninghttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-ai-reckoningFri, 27 Feb 2026 11:01:55 GMTData shows widespread trepidation over the AI, whether it’s datacenter construction or possible job displacement, yet little public discussion has taken place. We discuss how that’s changing as AI becomes a political issue. Meanwhile, another reckoning is happening with a return of cancel culture in a new and improved version; the open web faces its own reckoning as grotesque user experiences lead it into a doom loop; and private capital faces a squeeze that will hurt M&A.

Chapters:

  • 00:50 Irish Hospitality

  • 04:37 Intro

  • 07:30 AI & The State of the Union

  • 24:21 Cancel Culture

  • 35:19 Death of the Open Web

  • 42:43 Private Capital

  • 50:38 Money Making Opportunity

  • 01:00:30 Good Product

  • 01:06:26 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Best/Worst of Times]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/bestworst-of-timeshttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/bestworst-of-timesFri, 20 Feb 2026 11:02:58 GMTThey unpack the "orality thesis" and what the shift from written to spoken culture means for how we think, communicate, and vote. On the media side, they map out what's actually working right now: audience-first elite brands, B2B trojan horses like Hearst, expert creator newsletters, and the relentless pull of performance marketing, and AI-generated monkey content on YouTube. Plus: a report from the Swiss Alps.

Chapters:

  • 00:39 Welcome

  • 05:13 Orality Thesis

  • 08:42 Writing vs Talking

  • 12:07 Doom-Maxing

  • 22:58 Leadership Crisis

  • 33:16 The Best and Worst of Media

  • 52:06 Synthetic YouTube Content

  • 56:36 Good Product

  • 01:03:41 Outro

]]><![CDATA[AI Anxiety]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/ai-anxietyhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/ai-anxietyFri, 13 Feb 2026 12:04:07 GMTThe age of AI is off to a shambolic start. Anthropic and OpenAI ran Super Bowl ads that fell flat. The gap is widening between the AI-pilled true believers and the Normals, as AI becomes yet another existential anxiety. Plus: Alex breaks down the design systems deployed by Trump vs Mamdani, and Troy says The Washington Post has a product problem.

Chapters:

  • 00:27 Welcome

  • 07:46 Billionaires Flock to Miami

  • 11:21 AI Anxiety

  • 31:08 Design & Government

  • 35:36 Mamdani Design Language

  • 37:43 A Very Difficult Job: Running the WaPo

  • 56:37 Good Product

  • 59:55 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Reputation Matters]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/reputation-mattershttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/reputation-mattersFri, 06 Feb 2026 10:02:22 GMTMeanwhile, brands are facing reputational crises from their ties to the government as Scott Galloway calls for a boycott of companies who sell their products to ICE. Jeff Bezos’ well-earned reputation as a business genius is at risk as his 13-year tenure owning The Washington Post turns into an unmitigated disaster. Meanwhile, Anthropic wants to develop a high-minded reputation by dinging OpenAI for the crime of running advertising. Finally, media might be in its death throes, but there’s always a need for a B2B conference that brings together the buy and sell side of the avocado market.

Chapters:

  • 00:20 Welcome

  • 05:09 Reputational Cost

  • 22:36 Company Reputation

  • 30:56 Bezos & WP Disaster

  • 41:55 Bringing Together The Buy & Sell Side

  • 48:24 AI & Ads

  • 56:31 Good Product

  • 01:01:21 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Mind Control]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/mind-controlhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/mind-controlFri, 30 Jan 2026 11:02:38 GMTToday’s mind control comes in the form of black-box algorithmic recommendation systems, autonomous robotics and agentic AI systems. The trust gap has arrived for algorithms, as seen by the backlash against TikTok's new ownership. Maybe we're hard wired to distrust men in masks. Plus: CBS News tries to “podcast-ify” a legacy network, the Atlantic’s successful pivot to subscriptions and talent, the Washington Post’s execution problems and identity crisis, Yahoo’s attempt to reassert itself through AI search, and the growing realization that community is the last media moat.

Chapters:

  • 00:35 Welcome

  • 04:11 Mind Control

  • 13:39 Clawdbot/Moltbot

  • 17:54 Elon Reframing Tesla

  • 23:46 Minnesota Obscenity

  • 36:06 Algorithms and Social Media

  • 42:17 Hardcore Media Topics

  • 59:14 Local News and Nonprofit Models

  • 01:06:33 Good Product

  • 01:12:05 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Monitoring the Situation]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/monitoring-the-situationhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/monitoring-the-situationFri, 23 Jan 2026 11:03:28 GMTThis week, like old Italian men with their hands clasped behind their backs at construction sites, we are monitoring various situations: Snowmageddon 2026, OpenAI’s inevitable embrace of advertising, Claude Code’s escape from the nerdery, why publishers are embracing prediction markets, the Davos divide between the Mark Carney and Donald Trump styles of communication, and the latest reminder that nothing ever really dies in media, it just mutates.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:46 Welcome

  • 05:30 OpenAI Getting Into Ads

  • 26:29 Claude Code’s Escape From The Nerdery

  • 40:16 Prediction Markets

  • 50:29 Quick Hits

  • 01:15:40 Good Product

  • 01:17:14 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Retro Digital]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/retro-digitalhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/retro-digitalFri, 16 Jan 2026 11:02:53 GMTAfter two decades of scale chasing, feed optimization, and platform dependence, the industry is rediscovering older mechanics that actually work: events, newsletters, sponsorships, classifieds, and direct audience relationships. Plus: The difficulty of changing legacy media organizations; micro-dramas as modern media format; and field notes from CES, the Affiliate Summit and an Ojai turtle sanctuary.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:34 Welcome

  • 03:44 CES 2026

  • 10:40 Semaphore and Media Business Models

  • 15:18 CBS News and Media Transformation

  • 29:48 Creating New Products from Great Talent

  • 32:48 Retro Media

  • 42:35 Affiliate Summit

  • 52:54 Good Product

  • 59:17 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Finding Leverage]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/finding-leveragehttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/finding-leverageFri, 09 Jan 2026 11:03:08 GMTTroy and Brian talk about agentic advertising and why it’s being sold as salvation, the quiet consolidation happening across media and tech, and the shift from institutional power to systems, platforms, and legible individuals. We discuss sovereignty in an automated world, and why “finding leverage” has become the defining challenge for media, marketing, and anyone trying to stay relevant.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:28 Welcome

  • 07:06 Agentic Advertising and AI

  • 11:23 Semafor’s $30 Million Raise

  • 18:54 The Future of Yahoo

  • 24:12 The Rise of YouTube and Influencers

  • 31:08 The Future of Digital Publishers

  • 34:23 Media Personalities and the Creator Economy

  • 37:47 The Ethics of Content and Prediction Markets

  • 47:14 The Future of Major Cities and Job Market Predictions

  • 50:21 The Role of AI and Robotics in Society

  • 55:14 The Battle for Sovereignty and Media Independence

  • 01:01:42 Good Product

  • 01:06:10 Outro

]]><![CDATA[Media Goonstate]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/media-goonstatehttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/media-goonstateFri, 19 Dec 2025 11:02:58 GMTThis week, we wrap up the year with our picks for the biggest narratives, deal guys, hustlers and tech oligarchs.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:17 Welcome

  • 03:22 Vanity Fair Is Back

  • 05:56 Is Weiss good at media?

  • 13:51 Oscars On YouTube

  • 18:03 PvA 2025 Awards

  • 18:28 Personality of the Year

  • 25:31 Media Brand of the Year

  • 30:10 Innovation of the Year

  • 37:29 Overlord of the Year

  • 40:38 Hustler of the Year

  • 43:47 Deal Guy of the Year

  • 45:45 Word of the Year

  • 48:34 Narrative of the Year

  • 54:25 Good Product

]]><![CDATA[The End of the Hollywood Model]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-end-of-the-hollywood-modelhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-end-of-the-hollywood-modelFri, 12 Dec 2025 11:03:20 GMTUnderneath the narrative, the main plotline is the end of Hollywood’s already ailing business model built around scarcity and cable economics. That’s why the big winner of this deal, no matter who ends up owning the asset, is David Zaslav, the consummate Deal Guy. Netflix owning Warner Bros would be a fitting end, as streaming upended the reliable bulwark of Hollywood’s business model and firmly put tech in control.

Plus: The social stigma of AI-generated content, Kalshi’s uninspiring mission to financialize everything, Marco Rubio’s war on woke fonts, Shopify’s agentic commerce play, a new Scorsese documentary, and sad SaaS-vertising invading the NYC subway.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:36 Welcome

  • 04:18 Warner Bros Deal

  • 17:07 Deal Guys

  • 37:59 Font Wars

  • 47:09 Australia Banning Social Media For Teens

  • 54:16 Shopify & AI

  • 01:00:13 Good Product

]]><![CDATA[Code Red]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/code-redhttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/code-redFri, 05 Dec 2025 11:03:11 GMTThis week, Sam Altman shutters side quests to chase speed, reliability, and personalization, and we ask whether he’s a deals guy or a wartime leader in a world where Gemini 3 and Anthropic are catching up. From there we get into the Olivia Nuzzi saga, the New York Times vs David Sachs accountability drama, and another round of Silicon Valley vs East Coast media grievance airing. We close on Bending Spoons’ island of misfit apps, DealBook’s new CEO archetypes in a media world running out of leverage, and Good Product featuring Waymos and Japanese toilets as the most dependable robots in everyday life.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:39 Welcome

  • 07:54 OpenAI Code Red

  • 22:56 Sachs vs NYT

  • 30:02 Olivia Nuzzi Saga

  • 35:07 DealBook Summit

  • 45:16 Bending Spoons

  • 50:24 The Distribution Trap

  • 01:03:33 Good Product

]]><![CDATA[The Hustler Ethos]]>https://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-hustler-ethoshttps://www.peoplevsalgorithms.com/p/the-hustler-ethosFri, 28 Nov 2025 11:02:04 GMTWe get into why America attracts them, how the term was coopted and branded, why competitive instinct sits at the center of real hustle, and how the changing nature of the economy will put a premium on hustling, for better or worse. Plus: Troy’s ‘eggsellent’ adventure at a Holiday Inn Express.

Chapters:

  • 00:00 Open

  • 00:41 Welcome

  • 02:19 Google Ascended

  • 14:24 AI Slop

  • 25:34 Hustlers

  • 44:10 Deal Talk: Warner Bros Discovery

  • 53:02 Good Product

  • 01:01:58 Outro

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