Podcast Summary: Big Technology Podcast - CNBC's Jim Cramer: Big Tech Hot Takes, NVIDIA $10 Trillion?, Building Wealth In Any Market

Date: December 17, 2025
Host: Alex Kantrowitz
Guest: Jim Cramer (Host of CNBC’s Mad Money, Author of “How to Make Money in Any Market”)

Episode Overview

This dynamic episode of Big Technology Podcast features a lively, insightful in-studio conversation between host Alex Kantrowitz and CNBC icon Jim Cramer. The main focus: Cramer’s “hot takes” on today’s tech giants—Apple, Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Tesla, Nvidia, Oracle, and OpenAI—as well as broader themes on investing, wealth building, and the future of technology. Cramer shares actionable wisdom from his new book and delivers unfiltered commentary, personal anecdotes, and his distinctive blend of humor and candor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Apple: Luck, Leverage, and AI (02:00–03:28)

• AI and Apple’s Strategy:
  • Alex suggests Apple either “outsmarted everyone by sitting out AI” or “outsmarted themselves.”
    • Jim Cramer responds: "It's better to be lucky than good..." indicating Apple benefited from fortunate circumstances rather than pure strategic brilliance.
• Platform Dynamics:
  • Apple’s shift to controlling consumer access is compared to the AOL era, benefiting from its dominant user base and now extracting value in B2B deals.
• Risks and Future Threats:
  • Cramer notes device risk: “With Apple the risk is that there is a device that comes out and either just places the phone or cuts off its growth.” (03:36)

2. Meta: Glasses, Ad Dominance, and Use Cases (04:15–08:08)

• Zuckerberg’s Push on Glasses:
  • Both recount hands-on RayBan glasses stories but agree mass adoption needs many killer use cases.
    • “We need, like, a thousand. No, need like 10,000 more good use cases. In the meantime, I think that Apple's just getting better.” (05:22, Jim Cramer)
• Meta’s Enduring Power in Ads:
  • Cramer sees Meta as an unstoppable ad juggernaut:
    • “Mark is going to have, along with YouTube, 50%, if not 70% of the advertising market. And that's a very big market.” (06:33)
  • Tells his daughter: “Just send Zuckerberg a check... you'll make a lot of money.”
• Category Winners & Other Ad Platforms:
  • Praises Reddit and Spotify for their ad potential and laments underpricing on Reddit.

3. Amazon: Post-Bezos Challenges, Alexa, and Internal AI (08:25–13:19)

• Leadership and Stock Sentiment:
  • Cramer: “Amazon just needs web services to go to 23% growth and we need to see the real growth of Azure, which I think is overstated, not illegal.” (09:03)
  • Notes the market’s nostalgia for founder magic: “Jobs and Bezos...” as faith drivers.
• Alexa & Internal Tools:
  • Praises Alexa Plus for its usability, sharing playful anecdotes.
  • Details a concern: Amazon's Cedric AI tool now drafts product docs, removing the intended “pain” discipline of Amazon’s written culture.
    • Jim Cramer: “That's very disappointing. It was always to be laser focused on your own mind. That's disappointing.” (12:03)

4. Google: Search Fortress & Waymo’s Strength (13:32–15:36)

• Indestructible Search Revenue:
  • Alex: “Until someone builds another search ads business, it doesn't matter what ChatGPT does. Also, Waymo is a beast.” (13:36)
• Universal Praise:
  • Cramer: “Google is magnificent and I just cannot believe how good it is. It's just fabulous.” (14:18)
  • Both discuss leadership (Ruth Porat) and humility as hallmarks of Big Tech winners.

5. Microsoft: Embedded Strength & Vertical AI (16:35–18:10)

• Azure's Unstoppable Trajectory:
  • Alex: “Azure is a freight train that only OpenAI can derail.”
  • Cramer: “There is no train coming at the freight train. I think that Microsoft is the freight train.” (17:20)
  • But also: Frustration at Microsoft’s deep embedding into user workflows: “They're just so good at embedding. I mean, I'm just glad they're not embedding in my brain.” (17:54)
• OpenAI’s Challenge?
  • Cramer argues OpenAI can’t unseat Microsoft, especially not in core verticals.

6. Tesla: Self-Driving, Batteries, and Global Context (20:38–23:41)

• Autonomous Vehicles:
  • Alex: “Self driving is going to have to work. And it might.”
  • Cramer: “I trust nothing (no other car on the road over AVs)... Waymo ain’t ever weaving.” (21:24)
  • Predicts dramatic reduction in traffic deaths.
• Battery Tech’s Potential:
  • “I think the battery division is going to solve a lot...” and Musk’s vision for grid power (22:07).
• China’s Rise & Historical Anxiety:
  • Cramer compares US anxieties about China to Cold War-era fear of Russia (22:36–23:41), stressing he doesn’t buy the idea of inevitable Chinese dominance.

7. Nvidia: AI ROI and Extraordinary Leadership (24:26–27:04)

• Is Nvidia Overhyped?
  • Alex: “We’re going to need an ROI on AI eventually.”
  • Cramer: “The reason I believe in Jensen still is because when he has a new chip... it will show you how you could pitch a perfect game every single time.” (24:36)
    • Sees Nvidia AI as practical—with robotic “Waymo-like” applications for everything from bartenders to deep learning.
• $10 Trillion Valuation?
  • Alex: “When is Nvidia going to hit $10 trillion?”
  • Cramer: “I think it’s not a problem... I think Jensen’s different from you and me.” (26:42)

8. Oracle: The FOMO Gamble, Cloud Risks (27:04–28:03)

• The OpenAI Contract Bet:
  • Alex: “Either the best or the worst FOMO gamble of all time.”
  • Cramer: “It looks like the worst FOMO gamble... That 300 [billion dollar] RPO number was the bridge too far.” (27:15–27:54)
• Market Risks:
  • References “Operation Market Garden bad”—a historical analogy for overreach.

9. OpenAI: Too Much Riding, But They Might Pull It Off (28:03–29:57)

• Elite Cachet Drives Valuation:
  • Cramer: “They have the ability to pull it off because they're darlings...there are enough elites in this country to shower him [Altman] with money. Because the elites are back...we're a bit of a kleptocracy in the country.” (28:10)
• Oracle Is the Weak Link:
  • “Oracle is the weakness, not OpenAI...when you have that kind of cachet, someone will give him money. Should they? I don't think so, because they really don't have any real edge.”
• Models: Commodity, Not Moats:
  • Both agree that AI models might become bland utilities, lose differentiation, and that platform advantage may rest with distribution (Apple, Microsoft, etc.).

10. CoreWeave: Undervalued Challenger (32:10–33:57)

• Impressing the Skeptic:
  • Cramer admits he entered skeptical, left their dinner as a believer:
    • “Three hours later... I said, oh my God, I'm going to recommend it... Intrader understands it. And in the end, the stub is worth much more than people realize.” (33:00)
• Execution and Attitude:
  • Praises CEO Michael Intrader, noting the company might be “in better shape than the haters say.”

Book Discussion: “How to Make Money in Any Market” (35:43–41:31)

• Cramer’s Core Advice:
  • Recommends splitting investments: 50% index funds for stability, 50% individual growth stocks (if you can stomach it).
    • “Long term compounding individual stocks that have a good balance sheet and a great [thesis]...one individual stock may make up for everything.” (36:39)
  • Criticizes day trading/gambling in favor of disciplined stock picking.
• Anecdotes:
  • Nvidia millionaires: Policemen, teachers, retirees who changed their financial lives by following long-term conviction (38:37).
• Life Lessons from Family Loss:
  • Contrasts his father (lost everything “averaging down” on failing stocks) and a coworker who got rich via regular investment in solid companies.
    • “I was a creature of them not knowing and a creature of us losing all our money, and I didn’t want that ever to happen [to others].”

Okta Story (41:36–42:34)

• Humorous personal story about his daughter trying to get a job at Okta:
  • “She goes, dad, I listen to you talk to all these masters of the universe. I'm going to go outside and point in a building, get me a job. And she pointed at Okta. And I had to go to Okta. And it was Saturday morning. I went to the security. I said, I know Todd McKay and the big security guys. Get out of the building. And she goes, dad, see, you're not so hot.”

Wealth Principles and Final Reflections

Role of Cash (42:34–43:00)

• Cramer: “You can go down to 15% cash. I don't want more than that, because then you ruin the power of compounding. I've got to keep you in reinvesting those dividends. No day trading, please. No options, please.”

The Purpose of Money (43:10–43:51)

• Profound final answer:
  • “The purpose of money is to make it so... everybody had healthcare... Tax people, tax rich people until a lot of money's taken away from them so that can help healthcare. We have to give healthcare care to people, and that's everything... Whatever extra money we have should go so that everybody can have healthcare in this country.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Apple’s Success:
  • “It's better to be lucky than good.” – Jim Cramer (02:05)
• On Meta’s Ad Power:
  • “Mark is going to have, along with YouTube, 50%, if not 70% of the advertising market.” – Jim Cramer (06:33)
• On Google:
  • “Google is magnificent and I just cannot believe how good it is. It's just fabulous.” – Jim Cramer (14:18)
• On Microsoft:
  • “There is no train coming at the freight train. I think that Microsoft is the freight train.” – Jim Cramer (17:20)
• On Amazon's struggles:
  • “Amazon just needs web services to go to 23% growth and we need to see the real growth of Azure, which I think is overstated, not illegal.” – Jim Cramer (09:03)
• On OpenAI's Situation:
  • “There are enough elites in this country to shower him [Sam Altman] with money. Because the elites are back...we're a bit of a kleptocracy in the country.” – Jim Cramer (28:10)
• On Nvidia’s Future:
  • “When it was at 300 billion, he [Jensen Huang] told me it could be a couple trillion. And everyone laughed...I believed and I believe.” – Jim Cramer (26:42)
• On Wealth's Purpose:
  • “If we give everybody health care, then we're a successful country and that's what it should be for.” – Jim Cramer (43:10)

Important Timestamps

• Apple & AI: 02:00–03:28
• Meta & Ad Dominance: 04:15–08:08
• Amazon's Leadership: 08:25–13:19
• Google's Indestructibility: 13:32–15:36
• Microsoft Freight Train: 16:35–18:10
• Tesla & AVs: 20:38–23:41
• Nvidia AI ROI: 24:26–27:04
• Oracle FOMO: 27:04–28:03
• OpenAI’s Elite Fixation: 28:03–29:57
• CoreWeave Challenger: 32:10–33:57
• Book Segment & Wealth Principles: 35:43–43:51

Conclusion

This episode delivers a masterclass in tech sector analysis and practical investing wisdom. Jim Cramer’s perspectives are equal parts sharp, nostalgic, and deeply human—balancing admiration for visionary leadership with critical realism about current market risks. The closing segments on wealth, family, and the social responsibility of money provide a poignant end to a rollicking, insightful hour.

Recommendation: Pick up Cramer’s book “How to Make Money in Any Market” for more in-depth personal finance and investing guidance, and stay tuned to Big Technology Podcast for further industry deep-dives.