The Trough of Disillusionment

This week, Alex has a hard stop, AB is lost in Tokyo, and Brian and Troy go deep on sovereignty — who has it, who’s lost it, and whether it’s even possible to get it back for publishers and everyone else downstream of Big Tech.They debate whether Substack-style independence represents true sovereignty or just a different kind of dependency; ad tech’s extractive economics, and why “agentic ad buying” won’t fundamentally change a usurious system; and how OpenAI’s march toward becoming the next Google signals another era of centralization.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:24 Welcome* 06:35 How do publishers reclaim sovereignty?* 22:29 AdTech* 40:00 OpenAI In Browser Wars* 57:57 Good Product* 01:04:02 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

This week, we talk about how the information space rewards vibes over verification, the second-order effects of video swallowing social media, and how institutions lost the narrative war to influencers, memelords, and politicians who understand that truth is optional so long as the narrative is upheld.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:28 Welcome* 01:49 Old Internet Is Truly Dead* 06:44 Authentic Media Relationships* 10:11 The “Social” In Media* 20:16 AI In Commerce* 23:03 OpenAI Is A Better Google* 32:28 Who wants fake?* 35:33 Anemoia* 38:19 What is our next reality?* 49:51 Rapping “Fat” Troy* 50:21 AB On Rich People & Media Companies* 56:17 Hasan Piker Shock Collar* 01:00:12 Good Product* 01:01:40 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

This week, we talk about Anthropic’s humanist branding, the fading idea of cool in a fractured culture, and why Gen Z’s nostalgia for the analog world might be the real rebellion. Plus: Anonymous Banker joins to break down why the math behind Paramount buying The Free Press for $150 million includes “free severance” as it will push out many CBS News workers.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:29 Welcome* 00:58 Listener Feedback* 07:32 Milan Aesthetics* 11:46 Taste vs Slop* 21:51 Gen Z Nostalgia* 27:28 Claude’s “Brand Residency”* 29:23 Can AI be cool?* 36:45 The Free Press Deal* 48:21 Good Product* 52:25 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

Sora 2’s selfie-movies, Meta’s Vibes, and OpenAI’s Pulse point to shorter, agentic, video-first habits—and a shrinking role for text. Even The New York Times is saying newsletters are too wordy and need more video.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:21 Welcome* 03:09 Aux Bons Crus* 07:42 Gen Z & Find My* 09:18 Sora 2 & Vibes* 20:43 Pulse* 23:57 AI In Commerce* 30:46 NYT World Newsletter* 37:18 People Inc. Acquired FeedFeed* 39:40 New Creator Tools On YouTube* 46:07 CloudFlare Metadata Signals* 50:57 Good Product* 56:33 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

Plus: the evolving role of communications officers in the information wars, OpenAI’s new Pulse, Kimmel’s comeback, and the New York Times’ super app ambitions.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young’s People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey’s The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer’s Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:42 Gaming in Japan* 08:02 CCO Role In The Information Space* 13:48 Kimmel Comeback* 21:51 Good Racket* 41:00 New York Times’ Super App* 45:59 ChatGPT Pulse* 55:16 Good Product* 01:01:08 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

This week: Trump’s war on the media expands and intensifies; AI doomers vs AI maximalists; and Anonymous Banker on what’s behind the Puck-Air Mail deal.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer's Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:31 Welcome* 01:10 Trump's War On Media & Free Speech* 24:25 AI Doomerism* 36:00 Puck-Air Mail Deal With AB* 46:05 TBPN* 52:56 Good Product* 01:00:33 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

We talk about how fandom now powers news, why comedians have turned into pundits, and how combat dynamics are incentivized by the feed. We also explore the blurring of media and politics, from Charlie Kirk’s rise as both activist and media brand to Sam Altman’s combative interview with Tucker Carlson. Along the way, we debate whether niche formats like link dumps and newsletters offer an antidote, and what happens to publishing economics as Google admits the open web is in decline.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer's Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:46 Welcome* 02:43 Charlie Kirk Killing* 12:54 The Great Media Singularity* 30:25 Google Says Open Web Is Dying* 40:00 Publishers Getting Paid* 48:21 Apple Announcement* 55:48 Rupert Got What He Wanted* 58:15 Good Product* 01:00:03 Good Conversation* 01:02:43 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

Troy surveys the media landscape and finds a rich buffet of options and many admittedly smaller models that are working just fine, notwithstanding the gloom that shrouds large swathes of institutional media. Perhaps a sign of the times: renewed interest in niche print titles, particularly ones that cater to the affluent and can play a convening role. Alex laments Google's great escape from a structural antitrust remedy. Anonymous Banker weighs in on the logic behind Paramount buying The Free Press and why other Substack deals are coming. Plus: The case for $100 chicken nuggets topped with caviar box at the US Open, padel's rise and AI creativity's ick factor.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer's Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:32 Welcome* 02:19 Everything is Fine* 22:45 Vogue* 28:21 Google* 40:12 J.Crew AI Models* 42:57 US Open With AB* 55:34 Paddle vs Pickle* 01:00:07 Where's the money going AB?* 01:05:55 Good Product* 01:11:12 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

Plus: the demise of cultural criticism, publishers embracing apps again, and an activist investor taking on The New York Times.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer's Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:33 Welcome* 01:02 AI & Coffee* 19:39 Re-brands* 28:13 Decline Of Cultural Criticism* 36:39 Apps Are Back* 50:54 NYT Activist Investor* 55:54 Good Product* 01:04:29 Outro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com

We start with Charlie Warzel’s essay in The Atlantic, “AI Is a Mass-Delusion Event”, a sober reframing of where we are with AI right now. Pablos insists LLMs are “average engines,” not wisdom machines—good at language, terrible at judgment. Stop anthropomorphizing. These are tools that make daily processes cheaper, faster, or more efficient. Drop illusions of creativity or sentience. From there, we shift to the next disruption wave: hard tech. Pablos sketches self‑sailing wind cargo ships, space‑based solar that beams power down, and small borehole nuclear reactors. He argues hyperscalers’ compute demands will inadvertently fast‑track clean energy. We finish on media. Why Michael Wolff’s perfectly framed summertime Amagansett Instagram missives find beautiful tension reframing sharp political commentary as a kind of lifestyle content. Good media always finds new intersectionality. Enjoy these last wonderful weeks of summer.* Watch us on YouTube* Troy Young's People vs Algorithms newsletter* Brian Morrissey's The Rebooting newsletter* Alex Schleifer's Human Computer* Follow Alex, Brian and Troy on TwitterChapters:* 00:00 Open* 00:36 Welcome* 03:48 AI, what is it good for?* 21:16 Is AI conscious or not?* 25:14 What's next in tech innovation?* 35:24 Is it worth the investment?* 39:52 Exciting or Scary Tech* 42:44 The Force of Media* 55:47 Good Product This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.peoplevsalgorithms.com