AI Content and the War for Your Attention
What happens when AI starts generating content for everyone—and no one wants to watch it?
In this episode, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes and ad tech veteran Antonio García Martínez join a16z General Partner, Erik Torenberg to unpack the shifting economics of attention: from the rise of “AI slop” and spammy feeds to the difference between what we want to pay attention to and what platforms push on us.
They explore:
How AI changes what gets created and what gets seen
Why internet ads still mostly suck
The return of group chats—and the slow death of mass culture
Based on Chris’s new book The Sirens Call, this is a candid look at what AI might amplify or break in our online lives.
Timecodes:
0:00 Introduction
1:47 Meet the Guests: Chris Hayes & Antonio Garcia Martinez
3:01 The Economics of Attention & AI Slop
6:38 Acquisition vs. Retention: The Attention Challenge
10:01 Fame, Identity, and Social Media Fragmentation
13:21 The Group Chat Solution & Privacy
16:01 Business Models, Community, and Technology
19:01 Mass Culture, Fragmentation, and the Algorithm
23:01 Ad Tech, Personalization, and Advertising Effectiveness
29:01 The Future: AI, Growth, and Abundance
Resources:
Find Chris on X: https://x.com/chrislhayes
Find Antonio on X: https://x.com/antoniogm
Learn more about Chris’ book ‘The Sirens' Call’: https://sirenscallbook.com/
Learn more about Antonio’s book ‘Chaos Monkeys’: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/chaos-monkeys-antonio-garcia-martinez?variant=32207601532962
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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Please note that the content here is for informational purposes only; should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice or be used to evaluate any investment or security; and is not directed at any investors or potential investors in any a16z fund. a16z and its affiliates may maintain investments in the companies discussed. For more details please see a16z.com/disclosures.
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Web3 Ad Markets Explained | Antonio García Martínez
In this episode of Empire, we're joined by Antonio García Martínez, Founder of Spindle, New York Times best selling author, and tech leader with experience ranging from Facebook to Goldman Sachs. Today's episode delves into the intricate world of advertising, contrasting traditional Web2 paradigms with emerging Web3 possibilities. Learn about the the decentralization of advertising platforms, evolving monetization models, and the ethical implications surrounding data privacy.
- -
Follow Antonio: https://twitter.com/antoniogm
Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Santiago: https://twitter.com/santiagoroel
Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod
Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j
Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7
Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw
Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/
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Get 5% off your business insurance today with Vouch, the leading insurer of crypto startups. With over 4000 clients, Vouch offers exclusive coverages with crypto enhancements including Directors & Officers with digital asset regulatory defense and Cyber that includes smart contract vulnerabilities.
Get started today at https://vouch.us/web3/blockworks
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Use code EMPIRE30 to get 30% off Permissionless 2023 in Austin: https://blockworks.co/event/permissionless-2023
- -
Timestamps:
(00:00) Who is Antonio García Martínez?
(06:35) The Facebook Ad Market
(10:41) Sourcing Off-Platform Data
(18:46) The State of the Ad Market
(24:14) Ad Space Landscape
(26:41) Are Web2 Platforms Listening to you?
(29:10) Hardware VS Software Layer
(32:02) The State of Crypto Ad Markets
(36:48) Vouch ad
(37:56) Permissionless Ad
(39:21) Web3 Impact on Ad Markets
(44:32) Ad Marketplaces
(51:25) Web3 Master of Ads
(55:35) How Does Spindl Work?
(01:00:25) Web3 User Tracking
- -
Resources:
Ghostery Pixel Tracking
https://www.ghostery.com/
LumaScape - A visual guide
https://lumapartners.com/lumascapes/
Facebook isn't Listening to you (Antonio Wired Piece)
https://www.wired.com/story/facebooks-listening-smartphone-microphone/
- -
Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
E4: The AI Moment with Amjad Masad, Flo Crivello, Dan Romero, and Antonio Garcia Martinez
We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.
(0:00) Preview of the debate
(2:23) Sponsor
(3:10) Flo’s take on the AI moment and AGI
(5:45) Amjad’s take on the AI moment
(8:03) Antonio's skepticism about transhumanism
(9:10) Human tendencies color the debate about agency
(11:25) The inflection point is a jump in generality
(13:14) AI's effect on coding
(16:57) Weakness in current models
(19:18) Bounties and the future of work
(21:48) Antonio's skepticism around bounties
(25:00) Who will capture value, incumbents or startups?
(27:26) "All knowledge work will be automated in 20 years"
(30:10) Who will be the biggest beneficiaries of this shift?
(31:50) What AI companies should VCs invest in?
(32:26) Sponsor
SPONSORS: SHOPIFY | OMNEKY
Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive
Thank you Omneky for sponsoring The Cognitive Revolution. Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work, customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real-time advertising data, to generate personalized experiences at scale.
Twitter:
@CogRev_Podcast
@amasad (Amjad)
@antoniogm (Antonio)
@altimor (Flo)
@dwr (Dan)
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@labenz (Nathan)
Subscribe to our Substack: https://cognitiverevolution.substack.com/
Websites:
cognitivervolution.ai
replit.com
teamflowhq.com
omneky.com
Show Notes & references:
Eliezer Yudkowsky: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/FKNtgZrGYwgsz3nHT/bankless-podcast-159-we-re-all-gonna-die-with-eliezer
Paul Christiano: https://paulfchristiano.com/
AI Feedback: https://www.anthropic.com/constitutional.pdf
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The HR industry is at a crossroads. What will it take to construct the next generation of incredible businesses – and where can people leaders have the most business impact? Hosts Nolan Church and Kelli Dragovich have been through it all, the highs and the lows – IPOs, layoffs, executive turnover, board meetings, culture changes, and more. With a lineup of industry vets and experts, Nolan and Kelli break down the nitty-gritty details, trade offs, and dynamics of constructing high performing companies. Through unfiltered conversations that can only happen between seasoned practitioners, Kelli and Nolan dive deep into the kind of leadership-level strategy that often happens behind closed doors. Check out the first episode with the architect of Netflix’s culture deck Patty McCord.
https://link.chtbl.com/hrheretics
This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.
148 - This is How Crypto Fixes the Internet | Antonio García Martínez
✨ DEBRIEF | Unpacking the Episode: https://shows.banklesshq.com/p/debrief-antonio
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------ Topics Covered
0:00 Intro 6:00 Antonio Garcia Martinez 9:25 AdGrok 14:00 Paying for the Internet 19:50 How Advertising Works 29:10 Facebook Culture 36:30 The Attention Squeeze 41:00 The Double-Edged Sword 48:20 Free Speech 58:00 Digital Identity 1:03:00 Owning Web3 Data 1:07:45 Web3 Today 1:16:20 Growth in Crypto 1:21:15 Antonio in 2022 1:24:45 The Web3 Ad Model 1:27:15 Closing
------ Resources:
Antonio García Martínez https://twitter.com/antoniogm
Spindl https://twitter.com/spindl_xyz
The right to never be forgotten https://www.thepullrequest.com/p/the-right-to-never-be-forgotten
Why Spindle(e)? https://blog.spindl.xyz/p/why-spindle?utm_source=profile&utm_medium=reader2
----- Not financial or tax advice. This channel is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This video is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research.
Disclosure. From time-to-time I may add links in this newsletter to products I use. I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Bankless writers hold crypto assets. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures
EP 26: Chaos Monkey’s author Antonio García Martínez talks book, Facebook conspiracy theories, and a Web3 debate
In the 26th episode author of Chaos Monkeys and former Facebook PM Antonio García Martínez joins to discuss his experiences visiting Ukraine during the current crisis, debunking the biggest Facebook conspiracy theories, announces his new Web3 company, and then debates Zach about it!
(0:00) - Intro
(1:27) – Welcoming Antonio García Martínez (AGM)
(4:04) – AGM’s greatest hits
(7:45) – Ad tech
(10:04) – Why AGM wrote Chaos Monkey
(14:50) – His character in Chaos Monkey
(17:19) – Bringing your whole self to work
(19:14) – Politics in social media
(26:17) – Converting to Judaism
(30:58) – Visiting Ukraine
(35:19) – Current thing theory
(43:25) – Chamath example
(46:45) – What’s something everyone incorrectly believes is true?
(51:16) – Facebook isn’t listening to your phone
(56:09) – IG vs Twitter ad targeting
(57:56) – AGM announces his Web3 company
(1:04:28) – Zach agrees in a Web3 debate
(1:06:41) – Fundamental business models in Web3
(1:11:44) – Web3 skepticism
(1:15:44) – Acquisitions in Web2 vs Web3
(1:22:53) – Web3 macro analysis
(1:25:00) – Farcaster
(1:31:54) – Will Zach invest?
(1:36:02) – Outro
Mixed and edited: Justin Hrabovsky
Produced: Andrew Nadeau and Rashad Assir
Executive Producer: Josh Machiz
Music: Griff Lawson
🎙 Listen to the show
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
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Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0...
Follow on Socials
📸 Instagram - https://instagram.com/cartoonavatars
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/cartoonavatars
🎬 Clips on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@cartoonavatars
About the Show
A Saturday morning podcast hosted by Logan Bartlett (Partner and Managing Director at Redpoint Ventures) covering the tech news with his friends and other people with industry expertise.
Executive Producer: Rashad Assir
Producer: Leah Clapper
Mixing and editing: Justin Hrabovsky
Check out Unsupervised Learning, Redpoint's AI Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@UCUl-s_Vp-Kkk_XVyDylNwLA
🎥 Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCugS0jD5IAdoqzjaNYzns7w?sub_confirmation=1
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📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theloganbartlettshow
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About the Show
Logan Bartlett is a Software Investor at Redpoint Ventures - a Silicon Valley-based VC with $6B AUM and investments in Snowflake, DraftKings, Twilio, and Netflix. In each episode of The Logan Bartlett Show, we sit down with the people behind today’s most important startups and extract the tactics, lessons, and frameworks they’ve learned the hard way. Conversations span hiring to GTM, product, growth, fundraising and everything in between - collectively forming the ultimate playbook to make you a better CEO, investor or board member.
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#AIS: Antonio Garcia Martinez & Glenn Greenwald debate Ukraine, moderated by David Sacks
This debate was recorded LIVE at the All-In Summit in Miami and included slides. To watch on YouTube, check out our All-In Summit playlist: https://bit.ly/aisytplaylist
0:00 David Sacks tees up the show: Debating the US intervention in Ukraine
This debate was recorded LIVE at the All-In Summit in Miami!
1:49 Opening statements from Glenn & Antonio
15:29 Debating US involvement, regime change motives, & more
32:01 Final word & wrap
Follow the guests: https://twitter.com/ggreenwald https://twitter.com/antoniogm Follow the besties: https://twitter.com/chamath
https://linktr.ee/calacanis
https://twitter.com/DavidSacks
https://twitter.com/friedberg
Follow the pod:
https://twitter.com/theallinpod
https://linktr.ee/allinpodcast
Intro Music Credit:
https://rb.gy/tppkzl
https://twitter.com/yung_spielburg
Intro Video Credit:
https://twitter.com/TheZachEffect
God, 'The Current Thing,' And Apple — With Antonio Garcia Martinez
Antonio Garcia Martinez is an early Facebook employee, author of Chaos Monkeys, former Apple engineer, and writes the Pull Request on Substack. He joins Big Technology Podcast for a wide-ranging discussion touching on what he learned about Apple's ad platform in his short tenure at the company, how he's navigated being held as a symbol for new-right politics and then pushed back on its pro-Putin narrative, what the meme about Ukraine support being "the current thing" really means, and why he's converting to Judaism if he disdains dogma.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
FB vs. Apple on AR and Ads, Twitter's Future, Conflict, Crypto Regulation with Antonio Garcia Martinez & Zach Coelius | E1427
Antonio Garcia Martinez (Chaos Monkeys, The Pull Request) and Zach Coelius (Investor, Coelius Capital) join to discuss a wide range of news topics including Antonio's trip to Ukraine, the one-click company Fast closing down, Elon Musk joining Twitter's board, Apple taking on Facebook in ads (and how it will impact the battle for Ar/VR), crypto regulation and more!
(00:00) Intro
(01:08) Jason catches up with AGM & Zach Coelius
(11:03) Vanta - Get $1,000 off automating your SOC 2 at https://vanta.com/twist
(12:18) AGM on going to Ukraine
(23:10) Squarespace - Use offer code TWIST to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at https://Squarespace.com/TWIST
(24:37) Zach and AGM on if the US would go to war
(30:43) Microsoft for Startups Hub - Apply in 5 minutes, no funding required, sign up at http://aka.ms/thisweekinstartups
(32:00) More on Ukraine and America’s feelings towards Putin and Russia
(48:38) Fast (one-click checkout startup) closes down
(52:24) Thoughts on Elon Musk joining Twitter board
(1:02:50) Talking about FB hurt by Apple App tracking transparency update
FOLLOW Zach: https://twitter.com/zachcoelius
FOLLOW Antonio: https://twitter.com/antoniogm
Read the Pull Request: https://thepullrequest.com
FOLLOW Jason: https://linktr.ee/calacanis
FOLLOW Molly: https://twitter.com/mollywood
#251 — Corporate Cowardice
Sam Harris speaks with Antonio García-Martínez about his recent firing at Apple. They discuss his experience in tech, his book "Chaos Monkeys," the controversy at Apple, cancel culture, and other topics.
If the Making Sense podcast logo in your player is BLACK, you can SUBSCRIBE to gain access to all full-length episodes at samharris.org/subscribe.
Learning how to train your mind is the single greatest investment you can make in life. That's why Sam Harris created the Waking Up app. From rational mindfulness practice to lessons on some of life's most important topics, join Sam as he demystifies the practice of meditation and explores the theory behind it.
Recode Decode: Instagram's Adam Mosseri, Facebook's Andrew Bosworth, and former tech insiders on the outside (Live at Code 2019)
In these live interviews from the 2019 Code Conference, Casey Newton first talks to Instagram boss Adam Mosseri and Facebook's head of AR and VR, Andrew "Boz" Bosworth; then; later in the show, he interviews three former tech insiders: former Googler Jessica Powell, ex-Facebooker Antonio García-Martínez, and Twitter/Google veteran Nicole Wong.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Recode Decode: "Chaos Monkeys" author Antonio García-Martinez
Antonio García-Martinez, author of the new tell-all book, "Chaos Monkeys: Obscene Fortune and Random Failure in Silicon Valley," talks with Recode's Kara Swisher about starting a company, getting acquired by Twitter, and defecting to Facebook one year before its IPO. García-Martinez knew from the start that he wanted to write a book, and the end result doesn't mince words with its subjects. He says one of the big takeaways from "Chaos Monkeys" is that Silicon Valley constantly lies to itself, and that that mass delusion has helped it succeed.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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