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Quantum news, David Sacks vs. Anthropic, SB 53 AI bill, Sysco’s impact on American food
Maya, Priya, and Anika start by unpacking why they need to edit the podcast, while their other podcaster friends just upload the raw file.This week they dive into reports that the Trump administration may (or may not?) take a stake in quantum computing companies. The hosts break down what quantum is and what the important use cases are. They dive into Google’s new “Quantum Echo” breakthrough, which is basically the first time a quantum computer has done something verifiably useful and repeatable.Next they talk about the latest X tech drama, which is David Sacks the Crypto Czar arguing with Anthropic about AI regulation like SB 53. The hosts outline SB 53 and discuss whether it actually hurts AI startups like Sacks claims. They also talk about how Trump tried to pass anti-AI regulation in the “Big Beautiful Bill” and what the future of regulation can and should look like.After a brief tangent on cafes in SF, it’s time for the usual Get the Check segment. The girls investigate a viral video accusing food distributor Sysco of ruining American restaurants. While mostly true, the viral video got some key stats wrong.00:00 Intro00:30 Rumors Trump admin is taking stakes in quantum computing03:58 What is quantum computing06:46 What use cases does quantum computing solve12:17 Google's Quantum Echo breakthrough16:22 David Sacks vs. Anthropic on AI regulation23:59 Jack Clark’s essay26:57 SB 1047, Safe and Secure Innovation for Frontier AI Act32:11 Our thoughts on the AI regulation debate37:27 State vs. federal AI regulation43:20 Would Sysco “Get the Check”46:09 Side note about coffee shops in SF51:34 Sysco’s company background52:23 Sysco's controversies
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China’s REM export controls, Anduril’s Eagle Eye AI helmet, Zepto raises $450M
It’s day 21 of the government shutdown. The pod’s true fans were there when Maya told everyone to put money on the Kalshi 15+ days shutdown market two weeks ago.If you still haven’t made a Kalshi account, you’re probably not a true fan, but on the upside, if you do it now, Kalshi is giving Get the Check listeners $40 after they trade 100 contracts if you use this link:https://kalshi.com/r/getthecheckThe hosts start by talking about China’s new rare earth mineral export controls. They added another five to the list, so there are 12 now if you’re keeping track like we are. Everyone’s always talking about how cooked the US is if we don’t have rare earths, but the hosts also dive into the history of the market and how China was able to monopolize it. TLDR: we basically let them, but hindsight is always 20/20 (and some people’s foresight is also 20/20, like Maya with the Kalshi markets). The US is now partnering with other countries, and we’re even willing to go Down Under and start a $700M fund with Australia to get our hands on these minerals.Next, the show takes a sci-fi turn with the Anduril EagleEye glasses. The last time the military tried AR/VR glasses, soldiers performed worse with them on, but now there’s a take two, with Microsoft in the backseat and Anduril leading. The goal of EagleEye is to create a digital map of the battlefield so that soldiers get information from other soldiers’ feeds, drones, sensors, and more.Taking a quick intermission to ask you to rate us on Spotify and give us a thumbs up on YouTube. It helps our profitability, which is hanging on by a thread, much like Zepto’s…Zepto is GoPuff for India, and they just raised $450M at a $7B valuation. Speaking of India, Happy Diwali y’all! In India, people go to the grocery store four times more frequently, so Zepto introduced 10 minute delivery, which is the only way delivery can be even quicker than walking a few blocks. They own the full stack of delivery, unlike other apps that deliver goods from third parties like grocery stores. Tune in to find out if Zepto will “Get the Check.”00:00 Kalshi government shutdown market 02:47 China’s rare earth mineral export controls16:45 Anduril's EagleEye AI helmet 35:14 Zepto raises $450M for delivery in India
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50:26
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50:26
Figure 03 humanoid launch, OpenAI Dev Day and AMD deal
It seems like Anika was waiting for this week’s recording to confront Maya about something she said (or rather didn’t say) in the group chat. Once they get that out of the way, the hosts discuss Figure’s 03 humanoid announcement, the Israel-Palestine deal Trump is brokering, and OpenAI’s Dev Day.Figure 03 is Figure’s latest humanoid and the pod says it would get their check 1000%. The hosts talk about product improvements compared to 02 and how 03 is focusing on a humanoid in the home use case. They also dive into Helix, which is its AI system that allows the humanoid to receive natural language prompts like “go wash the dishes.” AI is a critical breakthrough for humanoids because it allows them to do tasks they haven’t seen before and haven’t been explicitly programmed for. Finally, the hosts talk about the realistic timeline for these getting into homes and commercial spaces.Next, they cover OpenAI Dev Day. OpenAI might be going from a chat interface to full operating software with in-chat apps like the ability to @Zillow and an apps SDK, which means developers can build in the OpenAI ecosystem. They also cover the AMD deal that pairs 6 GW of planned compute with the option for OpenAI to buy up to 160 million AMD shares at a cent each. The market has been buzzing since, with AMD popping in a good way, but some investors worried AI is going to pop in the bad way.00:00 Intro03:14 Figure announces the Figure 03 humanoid35:43 OpenAI Dev Day and AMD deal
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54:18
Government Shutdown, Doordash launches Dot, Thinking Machine launches Tinker
It’s Tech Week and Get the Check’s one-year anniversary! Maya may have never believed in this milestone, but we know you all did. This Tech Week, the pod is co-hosting a DJ set at the Composio office on Sunday morning. Link’s in the bio!The hosts kick it off with DoorDash’s new delivery robot called Dot. It is an in-house autonomous vehicle built by DoorDash Labs that can drive on both roads and sidewalks. They break down how it could automate up to half of DoorDash’s deliveries, why Phoenix is the testing ground for every AV startup, and how dot’s modular design could make it surprisingly profitable. Priya and Anika also discuss how Berkeley lowkey had food delivery bots five years ago.Next, they dive into the October 1st government shutdown, explaining why Democrats are using the tactic to force Republicans to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse Medicaid cuts from the “Big Beautiful Bill.” They trace how the shutdown connects back to Trump-era tax cuts, which states have the most to lose, and why Democrats are betting that voters will still blame Republicans despite initiating the standoff. The hosts also discuss the shutdown’s real-world effects like furloughed workers, national parks going unstaffed, and what it means for the market.Finally, they cover Tinker, the first product from Thinking Machine Labs, Mira Murati’s $12 billion AI startup. They explain how Tinker’s fine-tuning API lets researchers train models with reinforcement learning (RLHF) without managing GPUs, which is a move that could make AI development cheaper and more customizable.00:00 Intro 02:23 DoorDash launches Dot 17:54 Why the government is shut down 30:58 Thinking Labs launches Tinker
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OpenAI’s $1 trillion infra play, OpenAI goes into ads, Tik Tok’s final verdict, Until Labs Series A
The hosts are back and diving into a massive week for OpenAI. They start with Nvidia’s $100B investment, which will fund OpenAI’s GPU purchases, and explain why this circular deal doesn’t necessarily signal an AI bubble. They also break down OpenAI’s trillion-dollar infrastructure buildout and the roles Oracle and CoreWeave are playing.Next, they cover OpenAI’s new product Pulse and the growing rumors about ads. Maya and Anika debate whether Pulse will actually work. Comment whose side you’re on and if you’ve tried Pulse (or know someone who can plug the pod a Pro subscription).Then they shift to TikTok’s final deal, announced by Trump, and why it’s such an atypical M&A process. With handpicked buyers instead of an open bidding war, the hosts talk about what this means for creators, the algorithm, and TikTok’s valuation.Finally, in the Get the Check segment, they cover Until Labs, a biotech startup that just raised $58M to push forward organ cryopreservation. Their long-term vision is extending the life of donor organs…and eventually freezing humans to pause biological time. If you’re wondering how, tune in for the full breakdown.
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