TBPN: Diet TBPN – October 27, 2025

Hosts: John Coogan & Jordi Hays
Release Date: October 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the recent buzz in the technology and finance spheres, centering on the rapid growth of AI music platforms like Suno, the cultural and business implications of generative AI in music, and evolving trends among tech leaders. John and Jordi’s discussion, peppered with trademark irreverence, also touches on gaming news, the ongoing AI “bubble” debate, and the corporate fascination with generative AI for advertising. The episode closes with a look at job market trends, quirky tech community moments, and a tease for an upcoming interview with Microsoft’s CEO.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Suno’s Explosive Revenue and the Business of AI Music

Timestamp: 00:00 – 06:01

• Suno, an AI music generator app, reportedly quadrupled its ARR to $150 million, leading to speculation about its actual paying user base and revenue streams.
  • “Can someone explain where this revenue comes from? Who is paying? What’s actually going on?” – John [00:09]
• The hosts compare Suno’s scenario to Deepseek’s spending on GPT-4 tokens, framing the question of value: Are most revenues coming from casual users, enterprise contracts, or model scraping?
• The viral entertainment aspect: People experiment with genre-crossovers (e.g., turning DMX into a 1960s jazz song) and marvel at personalized music generation.
  • “It's just so undeniably magical to be able to generate a song. There is a massive amount of people that will just pay for that magic experience today.” – Jordi [02:16]
• The experience is likened to Garageband’s democratization of music tools, drastically lowering barriers to entry.

Legal & Cultural Questions

• There’s speculation about copyright and legal challenges regarding the appropriation and transformation of artists’ styles.
  • “I think there’ll definitely be a lawsuit.” – John [01:45]
• Hosts question long-term impacts: Is the real competition Spotify, music production software, or even gaming platforms?
• The value prop for artists: If AI-generated tracks create royalties for original artists, then there’s a case for symbiosis—but making “net new” music could cannibalize real creators’ income.

2. Potential and Threats for Music and Streaming Platforms

Timestamp: 03:24 – 05:57

• Crunching the big question: Is AI music a threat to Spotify, Fruity Loops, or games like Fortnite?
• Interestingly, OpenAI is expected to enter the “music as meme” category—a product designed for entertainment over serious listening.
  • “OpenAI is working on an AI music product. I would expect that OpenAI eats the category of music as meme.” – Jordi [03:33]
• Traditional music streaming is protected by high quality standards and artist relationships, but AI could disrupt monetization models.
• Spotify’s pivot to podcasts is viewed as a response to music royalty pressures; AI music could further upend the economics.
  • “If I’m gonna and somebody’s generating AI gonna, I’m cool with that—if I’m getting paid like that’s a normal song.” – Jordi [05:50]

3. Cultural Trends: Tech Bro Facelifts & Gaming

Timestamp: 06:01 – 07:16

• Aging tech executives are reportedly turning to cosmetic procedures to maintain a youthful image.
  • “Men in tech are increasingly spending thousands of dollars on procedures such as mini facelifts, neck lifts and eyelid lifts to beat the signs of aging.” – John [06:15]
• The “Console Wars” are declared over, with Halo coming to PlayStation—a notable shift in the platform strategy between Microsoft and Sony.
  • “Microsoft owns Xbox but is very much like console agnostic. And Sony is very much like all in on PS5 as like the core strategy.” – John [06:57]

4. Is AI a Bubble? Parsing the Hype

Timestamp: 07:24 – 08:50

• The hosts break down the argument that AI is not a bubble by noting solid big tech fundamentals, low leverage, and the early innings of a supercycle (“think 1994 vs. 1999”).
• At the same time, they joke about the unpredictability of calling bubbles:
  • “If you’re trying to figure out if we’re in a bubble or not, I recommend going outside, picking a daisy… and then whatever you end up landing on, that’s what’s going to happen.” – Jordi [08:35]
• Reflections on dot-com era exits, with some entrepreneurs lucky to cash out before the crash.

5. Generative AI in Advertising: Oreos and Beyond

Timestamp: 08:50 – 10:18

• Oreo’s parent company reportedly invested $40 million in a generative video AI model, claiming to cut ad production costs by up to 50%.
  • Hosts remain skeptical about ROI, suggesting much of the spend is about internal positioning:
  • “It’s hard not to see this holding like a huge waste of money that somebody high up said, like, I’m going to be the AI guy at Mondelez.” – Jordi [09:39]
• The “billboard as a strategy” is discussed as an example of pure marketing bravado.
• Satirical commentary on how brands will use generative AI posturing as innovation theater.

6. Crypto, NFTs, and Community Memes

Timestamp: 10:18 – 11:00

• The show lampoons the rise of “friend.com” and the sometimes cringe attempts of corporate and Web3 branding.
  • “We’re not just using generative AI. We are generative AI. We are the future of food.” – John [09:56]
• Discussion of NFTs and the ongoing cultural relevance of CryptoPunks.

7. Labor Market, Economic Signals & Posting on X

Timestamp: 11:00 – 12:18

• Noting the divergence between stock market performance and job openings, especially after the launch of ChatGPT and rising interest rates.
• Executives exploit AI narratives for layoff justifications, often masking over-hiring.
• Reference to Timothy Mellon’s $130 million bailout of US troops, highlighting the enduring power of old money, wrapped in a tongue-in-cheek tone.

8. Community Frustrations & Upcoming Interview Tease

Timestamp: 12:00 – 12:31

• The hosts express fatigue with X (Twitter) engagement, referencing algorithm changes and influencer gripes.
  • “At this point, I’ve lost all motivation to post on X... I’m done with this place. Well done, Elon Musk.” – John [11:44]
• The episode ends with appreciation for their audience and a preview that Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, will join the next day.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On AI music magic:
  “It’s just so undeniably magical to be able to generate a song. There is a massive amount of people that will just pay for that magic experience today.” — Jordi [02:16]

• On copyright risk:
  “I think there’ll definitely be a lawsuit.” — John [01:45]

• On tech leaders’ cosmetic trends:
  “Men in tech are increasingly spending thousands of dollars on procedures such as mini facelifts, neck lifts and eyelid lifts to beat the signs of aging.” — John [06:15]

• On the unpredictability of market bubbles:
  “If you’re trying to figure out if we’re in a bubble or not, I recommend going outside, picking a daisy... and then whatever you end up landing on, that’s what’s going to happen.” — Jordi [08:35]

• On AI advertising hype:
  “If you want to make money in the AI boom, go and get $40 million for a project like this. It’s genius.” — John [09:48]

• On X engagement and algorithm frustration:
  “At this point, I’ve lost all motivation to post on X. The new algorithm is so demoralizing.” — John [11:44]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:00] – Introduction; Suno AI Music Revenue
• [01:10] – The magic and controversy of AI-generated genre remixes
• [02:34] – Democratizing music creation, Garageband analogy
• [03:24] – AI music’s competition: Spotify, music production, or gaming?
• [05:46] – Spotify’s podcast pivot and AI’s monetization model
• [06:01] – Tech bro facelifts; cosmetic trends in Silicon Valley
• [06:53] – Halo coming to PlayStation; Console wars are ‘over’
• [07:24] – AI "bubble" debate; tech supercycle reflections
• [08:50] – Oreo’s $40 million AI ad gamble
• [09:56] – Generative AI marketing parody (friend.com, NFT culture)
• [10:48] – CryptoPunks and NFT communities
• [11:00] – Labor chart analysis and layoff narratives
• [11:44] – Frustration with X engagement; social algorithm changes
• [12:18] – Closing remarks and tease for Satya Nadella interview

Final Thoughts

This eclectic episode of TBPN offers a candid, rapid-fire tour through the latest—sometimes bizarre—fronts in technology: from AI’s disruptive march through music and advertising, to the social mores of tech elites and community angst over online platforms. Their energetic banter strikes a balance of skepticism, wry humor, and cultural observation, making even the wildest industry headlines both digestible and entertaining.