DealBook Summit Podcast: “Inside This Year's DealBook Summit”

Host: The New York Times (Andrew Ross Sorkin)
Date: December 1, 2025

Overview

This episode serves as a preview and sampler for the annual DealBook Summit, a high-profile event in New York City hosted by Andrew Ross Sorkin from The New York Times. The summit brings together influential voices from politics, business, sports, and culture to discuss pressing topics shaping today's world. This podcast introduces audiences to some of this year’s headline-making conversations, providing teasers and key soundbites from interviews with leaders like Serena Williams, OpenAI CEO, Governor Gavin Newsom, Halle Berry, Erica Kirk, Palantir and Anthropic CEOs, Blackrock, and Mr. Beast.

Main Discussion Highlights

Introduction to the DealBook Summit

• Andrew Ross Sorkin (00:02):
  • Introduces himself as the founder of DealBook.
  • Sets the stage for the Summit, emphasizing in-depth interviews with high-impact leaders and personalities from diverse spheres—politics, business, and culture.

“Every year, I interview some of the world's most influential leaders across politics, culture and business at the Dealbook Summit, a live event in New York City.”
— Andrew Ross Sorkin (00:02)

Women in Sports: Serena Williams

• Serena Williams (00:17):
  • Pushes back against the notion that women's sports are finally "having a moment," asserting their longstanding value and visibility.
  • Challenges perceptions and calls out the shift in recognition rather than substance.

“Women's sports is not having a moment. It's always been there. You guys are just noticing.”
— Serena Williams (00:17)

The Future of AI: OpenAI CEO

• OpenAI CEO (presumed Sam Altman, 00:23):
  • Discusses the critical, ongoing intersection of AI advancement and societal readiness.
  • Suggests a philosophy of co-evolution between technology and society for responsible deployment.

“We gotta put these systems out into the world. Society and the technology have to co evolve.”
— OpenAI CEO (00:26)

Preview of Other Featured Guests

Andrew Ross Sorkin (00:31):
Gives a rundown of notable speakers and fresh perspectives at the summit, including:

• California Governor Gavin Newsom
• Actor and producer Halle Berry
• Erica Kirk (widow of Charlie Kirk)
• CEOs of Palantir, Anthropic, and Blackrock
• Jimmy Donaldson (Mr. Beast)

The segment promises a mix of candid discussions on governance, business strategies, creativity, and influence in the digital era.

“On this year's podcast, you'll hear my unfiltered conversations with California Governor Gavin Newsom, actor and producer Halle Berry, Erica Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, the CEO of Palantir and Anthropic in Blackrock, and Jimmy Donaldson, known better as Mr. Beast.”
— Andrew Ross Sorkin (00:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Serena Williams (00:17):
  “Women's sports is not having a moment. It's always been there. You guys are just noticing.”
• OpenAI CEO (00:26):
  “We gotta put these systems out into the world. Society and the technology have to co evolve.”
• Andrew Ross Sorkin (00:02):
  “Every year, I interview some of the world's most influential leaders across politics, culture and business at the Dealbook Summit…”

Key Timestamps

• 00:02 — Andrew Ross Sorkin introduces the DealBook Summit concept and this year’s ambitions.
• 00:17 — Serena Williams addresses misconceptions about women’s sports visibility.
• 00:26 — OpenAI CEO on the balancing act of AI progress and social development.
• 00:31 — Preview of other major guests and the diversity of discussion topics.

Tone and Takeaways

Throughout, the tone is direct, energetic, and ambitious, reflecting the Summit’s commitment to unfiltered, current conversations. Speakers express both urgency and optimism, as well as a willingness to challenge prevailing narratives.

This preview positions the DealBook Summit podcast as essential listening for those engaged in the critical conversations of the moment—whether in sports, technology, policy, finance, or cultural innovation.

Note: This summary covers only the preview content released in the episode and not the full individual interviews, which are available in subsequent episodes or recordings from the summit.