AI Regulatory Capture Bet: Why OpenAI & Anthropic Stopped Competing on Tech

You know we're deep into summer when Jess leaves the pod early to catch Benson Boone... for the eighth time. This week, the More or Less squad revisits the Anthropic and OpenAI IPO speculation. Their views haven't changed, but their AI usage certainly has. Dave ditches Anthropic for GLM 5.2 on cost, while Sam argues the AI model wars are effectively over, and the frontier labs know it, which is why they're spending more time in Washington than competing on model quality. America also gets its first serious open weights model. The squad also unpacks OpenAI's hardware ambitions after its much-hyped device turns out to be... an Alexa speaker. Sam explains why Sam Altman's $8 billion Johnny Ive acquisition was effectively free, thanks to narrative capitalism. Plus: real-time voice AI, passive listening devices, peptides, Hinge's new social proof feature, Jay-Z turning New York into a festival, and why biological age tests are basically the clout score of your body.Chapters:0:00 Episode Teaser0:44 Episode Start2:18 Anthropic IPO This September?5:29 Dave Dumps Anthropic for GLM 5.28:22 When Is Better AI Worth Paying For?12:15 AGI Is Dead, AI Is Political Now16:15 America's First Open Weights Model By Thinking Machines21:22 Why Sam Is Depressed About AI29:07 OpenAI Built... an Alexa? The $8B Johnny Ive Bet31:38 Silicon Valley Goes Hollywood36:03 Would You Wear an Always-On Mic?37:08 OpenAI's Live Voice Model41:14 Sam's Peptide Experiment43:36 Hinge Launches “Friend’s Take” 46:11 Jay-Z's NYC Takeover48:16 Biological Age Is Just a Clout ScoreWe’re also on ↓X: https://twitter.com/moreorlesspodInstagram: https://instagram.com/moreorlessSpotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/moreorlesspodConnect with us here:1) Sam Lessin: https://x.com/lessin2) Dave Morin: https://x.com/davemorin3) Jessica Lessin: https://x.com/Jessicalessin4) Brit Morin: https://x.com/brit