On today’s episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in business and innovation. Topics include the latest on tariffs, layoffs at companies like Amazon and Target, and NBCUniversal’s poaching of Taylor Sheridan.
Next, Yaz and Josh talk to Fast Company senior editor Bryan Lufkin about “ghost jobs” and other hiring trends in the current, uncertain economic climate.
Finally, Yaz interviews Lucy Guo. Guo is the founder of the content creator monetization platform Passes, which lets creators make money from fans through things like selling merch and private chats. The company hasn’t been without controversy and has faced lawsuits accusing it of allowing and encouraging the distribution of illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, as well as engaging in unfair business practices. Guo is also the cofounder of Scale AI, which Meta recently bought a 49% stake in. That sale made her, by some metrics, the youngest self-made billionaire. Yaz spoke to Guo about why she left Scale AI in 2018, how she responds to those lawsuits, and why she doesn’t think we’re in an AI bubble.
For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/newsTo read more of our reporting on hiring trends, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/work-life
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1:13:15
Mamdani’s poster designer breaks down modern political aesthetics
You might not know the name Tyler Evans, but you’ve definitely seen his work. He designed Zorhan Mamdani’s iconic campaign poster, led design for Bernie Sanders’ campaign, and was the Teamster’s creative director. Now the creative director for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Evans has a front-row seat to some of the biggest players in progressive politics.
This week on “By Design,” Evans shared his takes on modern political designs including the “shameful” rise of AI in politics and why the left haven’t been able to counter the MAGA movement.
We’ll also cover the latest in design news (AI slop, Nike, White House demolition) and play our hot-or-not game.
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1:00:01
Energy's next step: A conversation Williams' Jaclyn Presnal (FROM WILLIAMS AND FASTCO WORKS)
Host Greg Lindsay talks to Jaclyn Presnal, Vice President of new energy ventures at Williams. They discuss how her team is developing solutions to navigate growing power demands including carbon capture and solar farms.
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30:29
Inside Meta’s AI advertising strategy
On today's episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in business and innovation. Topics include the AWS outage, Anthropic bringing Claude to the web, Apple rolling back liquid glass, X launching a handle marketplace, and the latest on the federal government shutdown.
Next, Yaz speak to Fast Company senior staff editor Jeff Beer about how Meta’s latest AI advertising features, breaking down what the tools do, why they’re important to the future of your brand, and how they might change what you see on your feed.
Finally, Yaz talks to Kraft Heinz chief growth officer Diana Frost about the company’s plans to split up, how it’s adapting to the Ozempic era, and how it meets customers’ evolving needs.
For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/newsTo read Jeff Beer’s reporting on Meta’s AI advertising business:https://www.fastcompany.com/91415443/how-to-make-sense-of-metas-growing-ai-powered-advertising-machine
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1:12:11
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1:12:11
We need to stop the AI slop before it’s too late
On today’s episode, co-hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen discuss the latest news in business and innovation, including renewed trade tensions with China, Instagram’s new approach to protecting minors from harmful content, and Spotify’s new partnership with Netflix.
Next, AI video technology has come a long way since 2023’s famous fever dream of a video featuring Will Smith eating spaghetti. Tech giants OpenAI and Meta have recently released powerful AI video generators—Sora 2 and Vibes, respectively. Both generators make it possible for users to create hyperrealistic videos, with Sora 2 allowing content to be generated that features “real life” characters. But these videos now add to the heaps of AI-generated image slop that dominates social media feeds, raising concerns about our ability to discern what is fact and fiction. And in our post-truth media ecosystem, only “vibes” seem to matter. Yaz and Josh talk to Fast Company contributing writer Chris Stokel-Walker about the societal and ethical gray areas of this development.
Finally, workwear brand M.M. LaFleur makes versatile, office-appropriate, affordable clothing for professionals. The company had raised money from traditional VC firms prior to the pandemic, but following the pandemic and the start of DTC winter, the company struggled. Yaz speaks with Katie Tidwell, the company’s SVP of sales and operations, about how the company raised $3 million from its biggest fans and individual female investors and how it became profitable.
For more of the latest business and innovation news, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/news
Which companies are on the cutting edge of artificial intelligence? What’s the next major breakthrough in healthcare? How do iconic brands reinvent themselves to appeal to the next generation? Most Innovative Companies is where tech, business, and innovation convene. Join hosts Yasmin Gagne and Josh Christensen as they bring you the latest innovations transforming business and society—and highlights the companies that are reshaping industries and culture.
USA