Best Max Zeff Podcasts (2025)

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OpenAI wants to power your browser, and that could be a security nightmare 30:53

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3d ago30:53

30:53

The browser wars are heating up again, this time with AI in the driver’s seat. OpenAI just launched Atlas, a ChatGPT-powered browser that lets users surf the web using natural language and even includes an “agent mode” that can complete tasks autonomously. It’s one of the biggest browser launches in recent memory, but it's debuting with an unsolved…

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Sam Altman’s eye-scanning startup wants to prove humanity in the age of AI bots 27:28

5d ago27:28

27:28

Ever wonder if you’re talking to a real person online or just another bot? As bots increasingly outnumber humans online, leading to an explosion of deepfakes and AI-driven fraud, one company has a solution straight out of sci-fi: scanning your iris to verify your identity. Today on TechCrunch's Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan spoke with Adrian Ludwi…

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From SB 243 to ChatGPT: Why it's ‘not cool' to be cautious about AI 30:00

11d ago30:00

30:00

Silicon Valley’s rule? It’s not cool to be cautious. As OpenAI removes guardrails and VCs criticize companies like Anthropic for supporting AI safety regulations, it’s becoming clearer who the industry thinks should shape AI development. On this episode of Equity, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Max Zeff discuss how the line between innovation and…

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Disruption via doping: Enhanced Games founder on the controversial 'future of sports' 32:38

13d ago32:38

32:38

Can performance-enhancing drugs push the limits of human potential? The creators of the Enhanced Games say yes — and they’re building a new sporting event to prove it. Backed by Peter Thiel and Donald Trump Jr.’s 1789 Capital, the Enhanced Games aims to disrupt the Olympics with a competition that allows athletes to dope. Launching in Las Vegas in …

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AI goes enterprise, AltStore raises $6M, and Tesla's FSD investigation 33:38

18d ago33:38

33:38

AI companies are making their much-anticipated enterprise plays, but the results are wildly inconsistent. Just this week, Deloitte announced it's rolling out Anthropic's Claude to all 500,000 employees. On the very same day, the Australian government forced Deloitte to refund a contract because their AI-generated report was riddled with fake citati…

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Why the new H-1B policy helps outsourcers, not startups 27:05

19d ago27:05

27:05

The Trump administration recently announced a massive change to the H-1B visa program, raising the application fee from $2,000-$5,000 to $100,000 per visa. The change has sent shockwaves through the startup world, with founders warning it could price them out of hiring international talent and undermine U.S. innovation. Today on TechCrunch's Equity…

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AI slop, government stops, and startup uncertainty 32:12

25d ago32:12

32:12

The U.S. government shutdown that began this week is the first in seven years. While it might not feel immediately disruptive, for startups waiting on permits, visas, or regulatory approvals, even a few weeks can become an existential problem. On this episode of Equity, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, and Max Zeff talk through how uncertainty is affec…

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California just drew the blueprint for AI safety regulation with SB 53 30:04

27d ago30:04

30:04

California just made history as the first state to require AI safety transparency from the biggest labs in the industry. Governor Newsom signed SB 53 into law this week, mandating that AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic disclose, and stick to, their safety protocols. The decision is already sparking debate about whether other states will follow su…

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From $100B OpenAI deals to $100K visa fees 26:30

1M ago26:30

26:30

From $100 billion OpenAI commitments to $100,000 visa fees, this week showed just how much the tech landscape is shifting. On the latest episode of Equity, Anthony Ha and Max Zeff unpack the AI infrastructure gold rush and tech's talent shuffle. Listen to the full episode to hear about: TikTok’s potential new home, and why Oracle is positioned to w…

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How Chipiron's rethinking the future of MRI 30:29

1M ago30:29

30:29

Medical device funding is hitting levels we haven't seen since 2021, with investors pouring billions into diagnostics and imaging companies. But while innovation has raced ahead, a fundamental problem still hasn't changed: critical medical hardware like MRI machines cost millions of dollars and are gatekept by large hospitals. So how do you take on…

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Live demo fails, AI safety wins, and the Golden Age of Robotics 34:11

1M ago34:11

34:11

This week on Equity, Anthony Ha, Kirsten Korosec, and Max Zeff unpack the biggest moves in AI, robotics, and regulation. Listen to the full episode to hear about: Meta Connect's AR/AI vision and neural wristband control (plus the demos that didn't go as planned) Jack Altman's rapid $275M fundraise and the Altman brothers' expanding Silicon Valley i…

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Why European founders are winning (and it’s not about working less) 33:48

1M ago33:48

33:48

Europe's startup scene is having a moment, with European unicorns multiplying and American VCs setting up shop across the pond. But while European funding dominates the early stages, late-stage capital still flows primarily from the U.S. So what does this mean for European founders, and how is the continent carving out its own identity in an increa…

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Mercor has its moment in the AI data race 28:29

2M ago28:29

28:29

Leading AI labs like OpenAI and Google DeepMind cut ties with Scale AI after Meta invested $14 billion in the data vendor and hired its CEO. But AI labs still need data — leaving an opening for other startups that can supply it. The key players and factors in the AI data market are changing. Lately, it seems like Mercor — an AI hiring platform that…

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Vibe coding? Meet vibe security 27:43

2M ago27:43

27:43

As AI evolves at breakneck speed, attackers are evolving right alongside it. Vibe coding, AI agents, and prompt-based attacks are opening enterprises up to new vulnerabilities daily. The pressure is on for cybersecurity tools to keep pace, and startups are seizing the moment. Few have grown as rapidly as Wiz, which Google is acquiring for $32 billi…

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Atlassian’s $610M bet, and why everyone’s fighting over your browser 27:36

2M ago27:36

27:36

Google just dodged a Chrome breakup bullet, but the biggest twist? The federal judge bought the idea that AI rivals could keep the tech giant in check, even as new competitors gain ground. From Atlassian’s $610 million bet on The Browser Company to OpenAI’s latest maneuvers, the competition for how we navigate the web is just getting started. Today…

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Karen Hao on the making of a $90B AI empire 31:01

2M ago31:01

31:01

Karen Hao, the bestselling author of "Empire of AI," has watched OpenAI go from a nonprofit “laughingstock” into a $90 billion powerhouse chasing artificial general intelligence at breakneck speeds. Hao, who first profiled the company back in 2020, says early visions of building AI “for humanity’s benefit” were quickly overtaken by a familiar Silic…

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Trillion with a ‘T’? That’s a lot of dollars, Nvidia. 30:46

2M ago30:46

30:46

Nvidia reported another massive quarter this week with $46.7 billion in revenue, a 56% year-over-year increase driven almost entirely by AI demand. But despite CEO Jensen Huang's bold prediction of $3 to 4 trillion in global AI infrastructure spending in the next five years, the stock slid as investors questioned how long this kind of growth can la…

Max Zeff Podcasts

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Equity

TechCrunch, Rebecca Bellan, Kirsten Korosec, Anthony Ha, Max Zeff, Theresa Loconsolo

1
OpenAI wants to power your browser, and that could be a security nightmare 30:53

1
Sam Altman’s eye-scanning startup wants to prove humanity in the age of AI bots 27:28

1
From SB 243 to ChatGPT: Why it's ‘not cool' to be cautious about AI 30:00

1
Disruption via doping: Enhanced Games founder on the controversial 'future of sports' 32:38

1
AI goes enterprise, AltStore raises $6M, and Tesla's FSD investigation 33:38

1
Why the new H-1B policy helps outsourcers, not startups 27:05

1
AI slop, government stops, and startup uncertainty 32:12

1
California just drew the blueprint for AI safety regulation with SB 53 30:04

1
From $100B OpenAI deals to $100K visa fees 26:30

1
How Chipiron's rethinking the future of MRI 30:29

1
Live demo fails, AI safety wins, and the Golden Age of Robotics 34:11

1
Why European founders are winning (and it’s not about working less) 33:48

1
Mercor has its moment in the AI data race 28:29

1
Vibe coding? Meet vibe security 27:43

1
Atlassian’s $610M bet, and why everyone’s fighting over your browser 27:36

1
Karen Hao on the making of a $90B AI empire 31:01

1
Trillion with a ‘T’? That’s a lot of dollars, Nvidia. 30:46