Trending Episodes

The Andrej Karpathy episode.

During this interview, Andrej explains why reinforcement learning is terrible (but everything else is much worse), why AGI will just blend into the previous ~2.5 centuries of 2% GDP growth, why self driving took so long to crack, and what he sees as the future of education.

It was a pleasure chatting with him.

Watch on YouTube; read the transcript.

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) – AGI is still a decade away

(00:29:45) – LLM cognitive deficits

(00:40:05) – RL is terrible

(00:49:38) – How do humans learn?

(01:06:25) – AGI will blend into 2% GDP growth

(01:17:36) – ASI

(01:32:50) – Evolution of intelligence & culture

(01:42:55) - Why self driving took so long

(01:56:20) - Future of education

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State Representative James Talarico of Texas might have been our most requested guest last year. And he seemed to come out of nowhere. Talarico started breaking through with viral videos on TikTok and Instagram. And in those videos, he didn’t sound like your typical Democrat. He’s forthrightly Christian, quoting Scripture to defend progressive positions and challenging Christian nationalism on Christian grounds. And he is now running for Senate in Texas — in a primary field that includes U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett — in what will be one of the most important Senate races this year. So I wanted to have Talarico on the show to talk about his faith, his politics and the way those two have come together in this attentional moment. Because he’s clearly saying things that people are hungry to hear. Mentioned: The Sabbath by Rabbi Heschel “#2352 James Talarico”, The Joe Rogan Experience Common Sense by Thomas Paine Book Recommendations: Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry Jesus and the Disinherited by Howard Thurman The Upswing by Robert D. Putnam and Shaylyn Romney Garrett Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com. You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs. This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Marie Cascione. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Kristin Lin, Emma Kehlbeck, Michelle Harris, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

I like to start the year with a few episodes on things I’m personally working on. Not resolutions, exactly. More like intentions. Or, even better, practices. One of those practices, strange as it sounds, is repeatedly asking the question: “What is this?” It’s a question I got from a book of the same name, by Stephen and Martine Batchelor. In that book, they are describing an approach to Buddhist meditation built on the cultivation of doubt and wonder. You can see that as a spiritual practice, but it’s also an intellectual and ethical one. It is, for me, a practice that has a lot of bearing on politics and journalism. Stephen Batchelor’s latest book, “Buddha, Socrates, and Us: Ethical Living in Uncertain Times,” explores those dimensions of doubt more fully. And so I wanted to have him on the show to discuss the virtues of both certainty and uncertainty, the difficulty of living both ethically and openly. You can see this as a conversation about our inner lives or our outer lives, but of course they are one. And Batchelor, as you’ll hear, is just lovely to listen to. Mentioned: Buddha, Socrates, and Us by Stephen Batchelor What Is This? by Martine Batchelor and Stephen Batchelor Ethics of Care by Carol Gilligan Book Recommendations: Children of a Modest Star by Jonathan S. Blake and Nils Gilman Work Like a Monk by Shoukei Matsumoto The Second Body by Daisy Hildyard Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com. You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs. This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Kristin Lin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Isaac Jones. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Emma Kehlbeck, Jack McCordick, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

In this powerful episode, Paul Alex sits down with health insurance powerhouse Mara Dorne (@maradorne) — a woman who went from losing six businesses, her home, and every sense of stability… to becoming one of the most respected leaders in the health insurance industry, generating over $1 billion in team production. Mara breaks down the real truth behind health insurance sales — the part most people never see. She opens up about failing for six straight months, rebuilding her life as a young mother with no options, and the mindset shift that helped her turn everything around. From navigating a male-dominated field to building elite sales teams across the country, Mara’s story proves that you don’t need experience — you need resilience, ownership, and the courage to go all in. In this conversation, you’ll learn: 🔥 Why health insurance remains one of the most powerful residual income opportunities 🔥 The internal breakthrough that turned Mara from zero income to $92K in six months 🔥 How to develop unshakeable confidence when everyone doubts you 🔥 The traits every winning sales culture MUST have 🔥 What it takes to rise as a female leader in a competitive industry 🔥 How to build a life you design, not a life you inherit If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, a salesperson, or someone rebuilding after hitting rock bottom, this episode will shift your entire perspective. Your network is your NETWORTH! Make sure you're tapped in on all platforms: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024 Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB9ivoJf7ppjuSplOAkEZw LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking to start a business or build another stream of income? Explore resources below: 💳 CashSwipe – Build residual income through payment processingwww.CashSwipe.com 📘 FREE Copy of “Blue to Digital Gold – The New American Dream”www.officialPaulAlex.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did Hannibal march on Rome after his legendary victory at the Battle of Cannae in 216 BC? How could Rome fight on after losing so many men? And, where would their next cataclysmic clash take place…? Join Tom and Dominic, as they discuss the beginning of the end for the once mighty city of Carthage, and her masterful general, Hannibal Barca. _______ To hear our previous series on the rise of Carthage, Hannibal, and the battle of Cannae, go to episodes: 421, 422, 423, 424, 568, 569, 570, 571. _______ To enjoy The Rest is History's curated historical playlists, go to https://therestishistory.com/collection _______ Join The Rest Is History Club: Unlock the full experience of the show – with exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to every series and live show tickets, a members-only newsletter, discounted books from the show, and access to our private Discord chatroom. Sign up directly at therestishistory.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most people don’t fail because of lack of effort, motivation, or discipline — they fail because of a belief they don’t even know they have. In this episode, Paul Alex sits down with Shelly Lefkoe, co-founder of the Lefkoe Institute and one of the world’s leading experts on eliminating limiting beliefs. With over 35 years of experience, Shelly breaks down how unconscious beliefs are formed, why positive thinking doesn’t work, and how the stories you absorbed early in life may still be controlling your success today. You’ll hear real examples of how beliefs like “I’m not good enough,” “mistakes are bad,” and “success requires suffering” silently drive procrastination, burnout, fear, and self-sabotage — even in high achievers and entrepreneurs. Shelly also explains the critical difference between behavior patterns and beliefs, and why lasting change only happens when beliefs are eliminated at the root. If you’ve ever felt stuck repeating the same cycles, pushing harder without real progress, or wondering why you know what to do but still don’t do it — this conversation will hit home. Connect with Shelly Lefkoe on Instagram: @shellylefkoe Learn more and access her free resource here: 👉 https://recreateyourlife.com/free/benefits-2025.php Your Network is your NETWORTH! Make sure to add me on all SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024 Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB9ivoJf7ppjuSplOAkEZw LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out one of my companies: www.CashSwipe.com FREE copy of my book “Blue to Digital Gold – The New American Dream”:www.officialPaulAlex.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“This lightbulb went off that almost no one was asking these questions.” In 2006, Elie Hassenfeld and a few of his friends pooled some money they wanted to donate to charity. And they wanted to find charities where their money would go the farthest in improving lives. That information, it turned out, was incredibly hard to find. That was the seed of GiveWell. For almost a decade, GiveWell has dedicated itself to rigorously researching the impact of charities around the world and channeling donations to the ones that are the most effective at saving lives. It might sound simple, but this was a radically new approach in the world of charitable giving, and the work itself isn’t simple at all. I’ve supported GiveWell through the years. So as the year winds down and other people might be thinking about giving to a charity, I wanted to invite Hassenfeld, GiveWell’s chief executive, on the show to talk through this work. How does it measure impact? Are there limits to what you can measure? As an organization, has it made mistakes? What does it really mean to give well? If you like what you hear, I hope you’ll also consider donating to GiveWell. Learn more at givewell.org. Mentioned: GiveWell “Trust in Radical Truth and Radical Transparency” by Ray Dalio Harlem Children’s Zone Against Malaria Foundation Helen Keller Intl New Incentives No Lean Season Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) PATH GiveDirectly ALIMA Book Recommendations: Factfulness by Hans Rosling with Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund Poor Economics by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com. You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs. This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Jack McCordick. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Isaac Jones. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Kristin Lin, Emma Kehlbeck, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Aman Sahota and Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

(0:00) Bestie intros

(0:23) AI updates: On-prem comeback, token budgets surpass salaries

(19:19) Prediction markets: Super Bowl insider trading, how to police?

(28:44) All-In Liquidity: The ultimate investor conference

(32:48) CBO report: Death spiral, growth opportunity, or golden age?

(48:06) State of the economy and US jobs

(1:03:22) Ferrari's fully electric car goes viral

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Referenced in the show:

https://hbr.org/2026/02/ai-doesnt-reduce-work-it-intensifies-it?ab=HP-latest-text-3

https://x.com/mattshumer_/status/2021256989876109403

https://x.com/Jason/status/2021272988100984862

https://x.com/chamath/status/2022009107964899755

https://x.com/chamath/status/2021991383327027322

https://lobstertank.co/?v=1

https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2026-02/61882-Executive-Summary.pdf

https://www.covers.com/industry/prediction-markets-sportsbooks-super-bowl-nevadabetting-handle-february-2026

https://defirate.com/news/insider-trading-claims-hit-super-bowl-prediction-markets/

https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israeli-soldiers-accused-of-using-polymarket-to-bet-on-strikes-72d53012

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzuvVcH2amc

https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2026-02/61882-Executive-Summary.pdf

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYONGDA188S

https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYFRGDA188S

https://x.com/RealEJAntoni/status/2021608233866027065

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/asplundh-tree-experts-co-pays-largest-civil-settlement-agreement-ever-levied-ice

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edpa/pr/asplundh-tree-expert-co-charged-recruiting-hiring-and-employing-unauthorized-aliens

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tree-company-pay-record-fine-immigration-practices-n805756

https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/kff-la-times-survey-of-immigrants/#d53efe98-31a4-48f1-944f-b1b1aff36c06

How does Henry Raeburn’s Skating Minister represent both the Scottish Enlightenment and the Romantic movement? In what ways does subject Reverend Robert Walker’s personal history connect to the famous Dutch Golden Age? And, how did a controversy about the most reproduced image in Scotland  traumatise the Scottish national identity?  In this new The Rest Is History Club series, Tom is joined by art critic and author Laura Cumming to discuss the histories behind famous paintings and put them in their historical contexts. To hear the full episode, and all the other exclusive new episodes from Laura and Tom's paintings  series, coming out every Wednesday for the next four weeks, join The Rest is History Club at therestishistory.com To hear these exclusive new episodes from Laura and Tom every Wednesday for the next four weeks, join The Rest is History Club at ⁠therestishistory.com⁠.  NEXT WEEK… Jan 23rd: The Angelus - Jean-François Millet  _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Video Editors: Jack Meek + Harry Swan Social Producer: Harry Balden Producers: Tabby Syrett & Aaliyah Akude Executive Producer: Dom Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1. Nicole Kidman Being Romantically Pursued by MGM Resorts Chairman (TMZ) (26:12) 2. FridaBaby responds to claims of ‘sexualized’ baby ads: ‘Humor is personal’ (Syracuse.com) (32:45) 3. Joshua Bassett Says Memoir Rookie Is the 'Most Vulnerable' He's Ever Been: 'A Lot My Family Doesn't Even Know' (PEOPLE) (40:36) 4. Olympic Villages Run Out of Condoms at 2026 Games Due to 'Higher-Than-Anticipated Demand' (PEOPLE) (47:36) 5. Brooks Nader gets food poisoning on private jet en route to lavish 29th birthday celebrations (Page Six) (54:53) - Dear Toasters Advice Segment (58:02) The Toast with Jackie (@JackieOshry) and Claudia Oshry (@girlwithnojob) ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Toast Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toast Merch ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Girl With No Job by Claudia Oshry ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Camper & The Counselor⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lean In Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

(0:00) Intro

(0:50) Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire on stablecoins post-GENIUS Act, interest rate impact, growth in 2026, and the future of money in an AI world

(52:33) CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz on cybersecurity in the AI era, most capable hacker nations, and more

(1:17:53) Archer CEO Adam Goldstein on the state of eVTOLs in 2026 and when to expect them

(1:42:27) Crusoe CEO Chase Lochmiller on powering the trillion-dollar AI buildout

On Public, you can invest in stocks, options, bonds, and crypto. Plus, build your own custom index with AI. Get started at https://public.com— investing for those who take it seriously.

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Intro Music Credit:

https://rb.gy/tppkzl

https://x.com/yung_spielburg

Intro Video Credit:

https://x.com/TheZachEffect

What is America doing in Venezuela? On Jan. 3, the Trump administration launched an operation that ended with the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, who is now in New York City on narcoterrorism and weapons charges. “We’re going to run it, essentially, until such time as a proper transition can take place,” Trump said. Mr. Trump’s policy here is strange for a number of reasons: The U.S. is suffering from a fentanyl crisis, but Venezuela is not known as a fentanyl producer. Venezuela’s oil reserves are not the path to geopolitical power that they might have been in the 1970s. Mr. Maduro was a brutal and corrupt dictator, but Mr. Trump has left his No. 2 in charge. And Mr. Trump ran for office promising fewer foreign entanglements — not more. So why Venezuela, and why now? That’s the question we look at in this conversation. Jonathan Blitzer is a staff writer at The New Yorker. He has profiled Stephen Miller and has been following the U.S. military’s drug boat strikes in the Caribbean, as well as the Trump administration’s evolving agenda in Latin America. He’s also the author of the book “Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis. Mentioned: Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here by Jonathan Blitzer Alien Enemies Act 1979/1980 Refugee Act Monroe Doctrine “How Stephen Miller Manipulates Donald Trump to Further His Immigration Obsession” by Jonathan Blitzer “Who’s Running Venezuela After the Fall of Maduro?” by Jonathan Blitzer Book Recommendations: The Known World by Edward P. Jones What You Have Heard Is True by Carolyn Forché The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com. You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs. This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Jack McCordick. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our executive producer is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Marie Cascione, Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Kristin Lin, Emma Kehlbeck, Marina King and Jan Kobal. Original music by Pat McCusker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The director of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

From sleeping under bridges to building a 9-figure real estate empire, William Fonseca has lived through darkness most people never escape — addiction, homelessness, abuse, and complete loss. But instead of letting his past define him, William transformed his pain into a global mission: saving and educating children around the world through purpose-driven real estate and charitable work. In this powerful and deeply emotional conversation, William breaks down the moment faith redirected his entire life, how he rebuilt from absolutely nothing, and why serving others became the center of his entrepreneurial success. His story is raw, unfiltered, and a reminder that no matter how far you fall, you can rise even higher. 🌎 Want to connect with William Fonseca? Email: wmfonseca@comcast.net Website: wynwooddaycare.com 🎧 If you're searching for inspiration, purpose, or proof that your past doesn’t define your destiny — this episode is for you. Make sure to add me on all social platforms: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024 Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB9ivoJf7ppjuSplOAkEZw LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out one of my companies below: www.CashSwipe.com FREE Copy of my book “Blue to Digital Gold - The New American Dream”:www.officialPaulAlex.com Your Network Is Your Net Worth! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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What if the most terrifying moments of your life were the very things that unlocked your peak potential?

For world-renowned hypnotist and escape artist Danny Zzzz, stepping into a box that's on fire, 180 feet in the air, is just another day at the office.

Danny Zzzz website: https://dannyzzzz.com

But the real escape? It's not from the box—it's from the comfortable life you've settled for.

In this episode of Finding Peak, Ryan Hanley sits down with Daniel Paulin (aka Danny Zzzz) for a raw conversation that started by chance at an airport bar.

They unpack a life story that is anything but ordinary: from being homeless at 13 to building a business empire, surviving a near-fatal bout of insomnia that led him to hypnotherapy, and performing on 17 "Got Talent" stages worldwide.

This isn't just a story about success. It's a masterclass in character development, the power of "acting as if," and cultivating a "raging ignorance to doubt." If you've ever felt stuck, complacent, or afraid to take the next step, this conversation will force you to re-evaluate the box you're living in.

Listen now to learn why the most uncomfortable moments are your greatest opportunities for growth and why success is never about luck.

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What will America’s story be after President Trump? My colleague David Leonhardt did a great series on that question this year, talking to a number of leading politicians. I thought two of those episodes, with Senator Bernie Sanders and with Senator Ruben Gallego, would be of particular interest to you. And they’re great to listen to as a pair. Sanders and Gallego have strong views about where the Democratic Party went wrong and how it can win back working-class voters in particular — views that have a lot of overlap but also some interesting shades of difference. So I wanted to share both conversations. You can learn more about our sister show “The Opinions” here — and subscribe wherever you find your podcasts.

In this episode, Nick Ford breaks down the exact side hustles he used to leave law enforcement without risking his family’s stability. From building an ATM business and merchant services as passive income vehicles to transitioning into AI automation, Nick explains how small, strategic moves created real confidence—not just extra cash. Nick shares why part-time effort can still produce life-changing results, how mindset matters more than money when making the leap, and why marketing and AI are the most valuable skills to learn heading into 2025. He also opens up about betting on himself with a young family, taking a pay cut, and building a future that prioritizes freedom, fulfillment, and optionality. This episode is a must-listen for first responders, military veterans, and anyone looking to build income outside the 9–5 without burning everything down. 🎙 Guest: Nick Ford 📲 Instagram: @exitcommand Your Network is Your Net Worth! Make sure to add me on all SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024 Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB9ivoJf7ppjuSplOAkEZw LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out one of my companies below to see if we can help you: 👉 www.CashSwipe.com 🎁 FREE copy of my book“Blue to Digital Gold – The New American Dream” 👉 www.officialPaulAlex.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

High performance doesn’t always equal fulfillment—and for many men, success at work hides chaos at home. In this episode, Mitchell Osmond breaks down why so many driven, high-achieving men feel disconnected in their marriages, overwhelmed in their personal lives, and silently burned out despite outward success. Mitchell shares his raw journey from financial stress, addiction, and near divorce to rebuilding his mindset, body, marriage, and leadership from the inside out. We dive deep into radical ownership, identity, unhealed childhood trauma, masculine purpose, and why discipline without inner work eventually collapses. Mitchell explains how men can lead powerfully in business without sacrificing their family, health, or peace of mind—and why true leadership always starts at home. This conversation is for men who are winning publicly but struggling privately—and are ready to fix the real problem. 🎙 Guest: Mitchell Osmond 📲 Instagram: @dadnationco Your Network is your NETWORTH! Make sure to add me on all SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024 Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB9ivoJf7ppjuSplOAkEZw LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out one of my companies below to see if we can help you: 👉 www.CashSwipe.com FREE copy of my book “Blue to Digital Gold – The New American Dream” 👉 www.officialPaulAlex.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Level Up Podcast w/ Paul Alex, Paul sits down with David Royce, a founder who built one of the largest residential pest control companies in North America by focusing on systems, culture, and execution in an industry most people overlook. David breaks down how a commission-only sales job in college became the foundation for scaling a pest control business that now generates over $500 million in annual revenue. Instead of chasing trends, he leaned into fundamentals—sales training, leadership development, and building a company that could scale without relying on the founder to do everything. In this conversation, David shares: How early failure in sales shaped his competitive edge Why pest control and other “boring” industries create massive opportunity The role culture plays in attracting top talent How to build systems that allow a business to grow beyond one operator This episode is a must-listen for entrepreneurs, operators, and anyone looking to build real businesses with long-term value. Connect with David Royce on LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-royce-22539425 Make sure to add Paul Alex on all social platforms: Instagram: https://jo.my/paulalex2024 Facebook: https://jo.my/fbpaulalex2024 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNB9ivoJf7ppjuSplOAkEZw LinkedIn: https://jo.my/inpaulalex2024 Looking for a secondary source of income or want to become an entrepreneur? Check out CashSwipe: 👉 https://www.cashswipe.com Get a FREE copy of Paul Alex’s book: 📘 Blue to Digital Gold – The New American Dream 👉 https://www.officialpaulalex.com Your Network Is Your Net Worth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is one of my favorite conversations in recent memory — with the writer Zadie Smith. Smith is the author of novels, including “White Teeth,” “On Beauty” and “NW,” as well as many essays and short stories. Her ability to give language to the kinds of quiet battles that live inside of ourselves is part of why she’s been one of my favorite writers for years. “We absolutely need to gather in our identity groups sometimes for our freedoms, for our civil rights. There’s absolutely no doubt about that. But for that role to be the thing that is you existentially all the way down — that is something that I personally believe all human beings revolt from at some level,” she told me when we spoke last September, shortly before  Trump’s re-election. It’s ideas like these that I found interesting to revisit now, in a starkly different political climate. In this conversation, we discuss Smith’s novel, “The Fraud,” which Smith wrote with Trump and populism front of mind; what populism is really channeling; why Smith refuses the “bait” of wokeness; how people have been “modified” by smartphones and social media; and more. This episode contains strong language. Mentioned: Feel Free by Zadie Smith “Fascinated to Presume: In Defense of Fiction” by Zadie Smith Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman “Generation Why?” by Zadie Smith Book Recommendations: The Director by Daniel Kehlmann The Rebel’s Clinic by Adam Shatz The Diaries of Virginia Woolf Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com. You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs. This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota and Efim Shapiro. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Richard Sutton is the father of reinforcement learning, winner of the 2024 Turing Award, and author of The Bitter Lesson. And he thinks LLMs are a dead end.

After interviewing him, my steel man of Richard’s position is this: LLMs aren’t capable of learning on-the-job, so no matter how much we scale, we’ll need some new architecture to enable continual learning.

And once we have it, we won’t need a special training phase — the agent will just learn on-the-fly, like all humans, and indeed, like all animals.

This new paradigm will render our current approach with LLMs obsolete.

In our interview, I did my best to represent the view that LLMs might function as the foundation on which experiential learning can happen… Some sparks flew.

A big thanks to the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute for inviting me up to Edmonton and for letting me use their studio and equipment.

Enjoy!

Watch on YouTube; listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Sponsors

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* Gemini Deep Research is designed for thorough exploration of hard topics. For this episode, it helped me trace reinforcement learning from early policy gradients up to current-day methods, combining clear explanations with curated examples. Try it out yourself at gemini.google.com

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Timestamps

(00:00:00) – Are LLMs a dead end?

(00:13:04) – Do humans do imitation learning?

(00:23:10) – The Era of Experience

(00:33:39) – Current architectures generalize poorly out of distribution

(00:41:29) – Surprises in the AI field

(00:46:41) – Will The Bitter Lesson still apply post AGI?

(00:53:48) – Succession to AIs

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