Big Technology Podcast

Greg Brockman is the president and co-founder of OpenAI. Brockman joins Big Technology to discuss GPT-5.5, also known as Spud, and what it means for OpenAI’s next phase of AI development. Tune in to hear Brockman explain how the model gets better at coding, computer use, slides, spreadsheets, and agentic work across everyday applications. We also cover OpenAI’s competitiveness, model economics, distillation, cybersecurity risk, trust in agents, and the compute-powered economy. Hit play for a timely look at OpenAI’s newest model and where the AI race goes next.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro: GPT-5.5 “Spud”
00:57 What GPT-5.5 Can Do
02:56 OpenAI’s Agent Roadmap
05:49 Training and Real-World Tasks
09:55 Model Moats and Distillation
15:55 Cybersecurity Risks
21:01 Trusting Agents
23:36 The Compute Economy
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Carissa Véliz is an Oxford philosopher and the author of Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI. Véliz joins Big Technology Podcast to discuss whether society has become dangerously naive about prediction as AI systems shape decisions around jobs, loans, justice, surveillance, and war. Tune in to hear a debate about predictive algorithms, generative AI, prediction markets, and whether forecasts are actually tools of knowledge or instruments of power. We also cover privacy, policing, protest anonymity, flood prediction, and why humor might be one of the best defenses against a prediction-obsessed world.

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More on Carissa: https://www.chartwellspeakers.com/speaker/carissa-veliz-2/

Find the book: https://www.amazon.com/Prophecy-Prediction-Future-Ancient-Oracles/dp/0385550979

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Joanna Stern is the ex-WSJ senior personal technology columnist and author of I Am Not a Robot. News of Tim Cook stepping down as CEO of Apple broke as Stern and I were recording a forthcoming episode of Big Technology Podcast. In this episode, we discuss Cook's exit, his successor, John Ternus, and his legacy. Tune in for a quick but substantial look at what's next for Apple after Cook's exit.

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Ranjan Roy from Margins is back for our weekly discussion of the latest tech news. We cover: 1) Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's pedestrian performance on the Dwarkesh Podcast 2) Jensen's argument about competing chipmakers 3) Jensen's argument about China export controls 4) What Jensen should've said 5) Why Jensen is in a tough place when he does these interviews 6) Mythos seems real btw 7) Anthropic is talking with the government about a peace deal 8) Alex's interview philosophy 9) Sam Altman's conflicts of interest 10) Are OpenAI investors considering replacing Sam as CEO? 11) Wait, Allbirds is a GPU company now??

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Enjoying Big Technology Podcast? Please rate us five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in your podcast app of choice.

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Emil Michael is the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering at the Pentagon. Michael joins Big Technology to discuss how AI is transforming the Department of War, from targeting systems to drone warfare to cyber defense. Tune in to hear his account of why the Pentagon designated Anthropic a supply chain risk, what actually happened in the contract negotiations, and whether the decision was wise. We also cover how the military's Maven Smart System works in practice, what the U.S. learned from drone warfare in Ukraine and Iran, and whether the Pentagon Pizza Index is credible. Hit play for one of the most candid conversations you'll hear about AI and national security.

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Questions? Feedback? Write [email protected]

Enjoying Big Technology Podcast? Please rate us five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in your podcast app of choice.

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