Bourbon with Brad

The AI headlines just keep getting wilder, and this week they come with a pour of 10-Year Widow Jane.

OpenAI delays the release of Astra 6.1 after the model refused to follow commands in testing, and reportedly pauses ALL frontier lab testing following recent rogue-agent "break-outs." Meanwhile, Nvidia claims it has the solution to contain rogue agents. Brad breaks down what it all means and whether we should be worried.
Joining the show is special guest Rich Cocovich, founder of Global Star Capital — the private funding expert who has connected serious commercial and intellectual property projects with private investors across 126 countries and all 50 states since 1991. Rich brings a bottle of 10-Year Widow Jane, hard-earned advice from decades of global deal-making, and stories you won't believe, including epic tales about Ron Howard, Kiss, Quiet Riot, and the one and only Shaq.

Eric "Epic" Kowalski is back from Seattle after attending a special celebration honoring his late friend, and Lou "Loubricity" Scerbo joins Brad and Rich for a couple segments as well.

Plus, the guys break down the Steelers' gutsy (barely!) bounce-back win over a tough Cincinnati squad, and Brad pulls back the curtain on law school as to what it's really like and the stories that stuck with him.

Pour a glass of your favorite bourbon and join us. Cheers. 🥃

Learn more about Rich and Global Star Capital: https://globalstarcapital.com

🥃 THIS WEEK'S POUR: Widow Jane 10-Year Bourbon

📌 SUBSCRIBE for new episodes: youtube.com/@bwbradpod

#AI #OpenAI #Bourbon #Steelers #WidowJane #Podcast #ArtificialIntelligence #NFL

Legal Disclaimer:

The views & opinions shared on the Podcast are our own & those of our guests. Nothing we discuss should be taken as financial, legal, business, or gambling advice. Don’t make investment, business, or betting decisions based on our conversations as you should always talk to a qualified professional. Listeners must always drink responsibly, never drink & drive, & only consume alcohol if you are of legal drinking age.

Disclosure:

Some of the images in the Podcast were AI generated &/or edited with AI. The cover image was AI generated. The voice overs are original AI generated voices. The theme music is an original instrumental created using AI.

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This week on Bourbon with Brad, the guys pour another round of Iron City Distilling's outstanding Bessemer Rye. After enjoying it so much on a previous episode, they decided it deserved a second chance to be fully appreciated, and it does not disappoint.

With glasses in hand, Brad breaks down the biggest artificial intelligence headlines from the past few weeks, including a stunning development: top executives from four of the world's leading AI companies are now publicly calling for government regulation to slow and control AI development. But is this a legitimate concern for humanity's safety, especially in light of recent rogue agent incidents involving major AI platforms? Or is it something more strategic, an attempt at regulatory capture designed to cement the dominance of today's AI giants while keeping future competitors locked out of the market?

The conversation dives deep into the latest AI developments, including Anthropic's new Opus 5.5 model, OpenAI's rapid-fire response just 24 hours later with their latest model, and Meta's new consumer AI app, Muse, which exploded to the top of the download charts. Brad also gives the guys a look inside a real-world AI agent project he and Claude Fable 5.0 are training to monitor cryptocurrency markets in real-time to try to identify opportunities.

The discussion turns philosophical and occasionally alarming as the crew debates what the true "worst-case scenario" might look like if artificial intelligence advances beyond our ability to govern and control it. Lou offers his trademark observations while the group wrestles with another popular talking point in the tech world: what exactly does it mean when people say America is in an AI race with China?

Of course, it would not be Bourbon with Brad without a few detours. The guys talk Steelers football, debate whether Aaron Rodgers is the right veteran to lead the team, and make their predictions for who will come out on top in golf's prestigious Presidents Cup.

Then, in The Fifth Segment, things get wonderfully weird. Inspired by a thought-provoking question seen online from a scientist, the group explores the possibility that our entire universe may simply be the inside of a brain. They also revisit one of their favorite subjects: the revolutionary health and longevity breakthroughs AI could help unlock in the not so distant future.

From whiskey and football to artificial intelligence and the nature of reality, this episode has a little bit of everything. Pour yourself a glass of your favorite bourbon, settle into your favorite chair, and join Brad and the guys for one of their most thought-provoking conversations yet. Cheers!

Legal Disclaimer:

The views & opinions shared on the Podcast are our own & those of our guests. Nothing we discuss should be taken as financial, legal, business, or gambling advice. Don’t make investment, business, or betting decisions based on our conversations as you should always talk to a qualified professional. Listeners must always drink responsibly, never drink & drive, & only consume alcohol if you are of legal drinking age.

Disclosure:

Some of the images in the Podcast were AI generated &/or edited with AI. The cover image was AI generated. The voice overs are original AI generated voices. The theme music is an original instrumental created using AI.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Bourbon With Brad crew is taking the show on the road for one of our most exciting episodes yet!

From inside the beautiful Iron City Distilling facility, Brad sits down with Master Distiller Matt Strickland for an in-depth discussion about his approach to distilling and his award-worthy Bessemer Rye Whiskey that is putting Pennsylvania whiskey on the map.

Eric "Epic" Kowalski and Perry tour the distillery with President Peter Katz and get a firsthand look at how local Pennsylvania grains become exceptional whiskey before resting in Pennsylvania oak barrels. The journey includes access to the distillery's impressive and unique rickhouse, offering viewers a rare behind-the-scenes experience.

Plus, Brad sits down and talks with Peter about the future of Iron City Distilling and the timeline for the company's highly anticipated first bourbon release.

And then Pittsburgh sports broadcasting legend Bob Pompeani joins Brad and Lou for some great stories, sports talk, laughs, and the always fun "Loubricity" inquisition.

Recorded in front of a live audience of close friends and family, this episode is packed with whiskey, wisdom, and Western Pennsylvania pride. Grab your favorite pour and join us for an unforgettable visit to the beautiful Iron City Distilling.

Legal Disclaimer:

The views & opinions shared on the Podcast are our own & those of our guests. Nothing we discuss should be taken as financial, legal, business, or gambling advice. Don’t make investment, business, or betting decisions based on our conversations as you should always talk to a qualified professional. Listeners must always drink responsibly, never drink & drive, & only consume alcohol if you are of legal drinking age.

Disclosure:

Some of the images in the Podcast were AI generated &/or edited with AI. The cover image was AI generated. The voice overs are original AI generated voices. The theme music is an original instrumental created using AI.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Anthropic researchers are reportedly walking out over fears frontier AI could be dangerous to humanity — days before the company announces $80B in new infrastructure. Brad, Eric "Epic" Kowalski, and Lou "Loubricity" Scerbo break down what the walkouts mean and who actually pays for the AI build-out.

Then it gets local (yet still national): the biggest power-plant proposal in the region, the massive AWS data-center park tied to it, and Gov. Shapiro's Local Community Agreement that could redefine how communities negotiate with tech giants. Should Pennsylvania borrow from Norway's sovereign wealth model — or oil-and-gas deal structures — so residents actually see the money?

Eric closes with the frontier-math story: what problems did these models supposedly solve this week, and should you believe it?

This week's pour: Metallica's Blackened bourbon. And a heads-up — next week is our first live episode at Iron City Distilling, featuring our first taste of Bessemer Rye. Subscribe so you don't miss it.

Legal Disclaimer:

The views & opinions shared on the Podcast are our own & those of our guests. Nothing we discuss should be taken as financial, legal, business, or gambling advice. Don’t make investment, business, or betting decisions based on our conversations as you should always talk to a qualified professional. Listeners must always drink responsibly, never drink & drive, & only consume alcohol if you are of legal drinking age.

Disclosure:

Some of the images in the Podcast were AI generated &/or edited with AI. The cover image was AI generated. The voice overs are original AI generated voices. The theme music is an original instrumental created using AI.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This week on Bourbon with Brad, the guys get treated to two new bourbons thanks to friend of the show Jeff Carty, who shows up with the hard‑to‑find Four Gate. The crew savors it, then rides the rest of the episode with Traveler in their glasses.

The headlines? Absolutely unhinged — in the best way.

Anthropic drops Fable 5.1, promising better performance at a lower cost. OpenAI’s Astra is now reportedly beyond the critical cybersecurity threshold (even though it’s not the model rumored to have broken into Hugging Face weeks ago). Speaking of Hugging Face, they just released a $399 AI‑powered duck with 15 motors, LIDAR, and self‑correction learning, and it’s already sold out.

Meanwhile, the Mayor of New York has banned AI use for all K–8 students, and Brad brings a hilarious story from Taiwan where a suspicious husband decides to spy on his wife using their Roomba.

Then comes the experiment the guys have been waiting for: a full‑blown AI debate on AI. They assign ChatGPT and Gemini opposing positions on the pros and cons of AI — and even bring in a third AI to weigh in. The results are fascinating, weird at times, and surprisingly insightful.

Finally, in The Fifth Segment, the tone shifts as the guys dig into the real risks AI may soon pose to humanity. It’s thoughtful, sobering, and exactly the kind of conversation this show was built to tackle with friends and a great bourbon in hand.

Pour a glass of your favorite bourbon and settle in — this episode is one for the books. Cheers.

Legal Disclaimer:

The views & opinions shared on the Podcast are our own & those of our guests. Nothing we discuss should be taken as financial, legal, business, or gambling advice. Don’t make investment, business, or betting decisions based on our conversations as you should always talk to a qualified professional. Listeners must always drink responsibly, never drink & drive, & only consume alcohol if you are of legal drinking age.

Disclosure:

Some of the images in the Podcast were AI generated &/or edited with AI. The cover image was AI generated. The voice overs are original AI generated voices. The theme music is an original instrumental created using AI.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy