🍎 “Teacher’s pet AI” — Alpha’s 1st AI school. Ford’s assembly tree. Chanel’s 250-page magazine. + GCal dating.

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Best One Yet Hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell Release Date: August 13, 2025

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1. Alpha School: The First AI-Driven Educational Institution

Timestamp: 05:43 - 09:36

Overview: Alpha School marks a groundbreaking shift in education by replacing traditional teachers with AI-driven chatbots. Priced at $40,000 annually, this for-profit private school offers a personalized learning experience tailored to each student's needs.

Key Points:

• AI Integration: Alpha School utilizes AI for all academic instruction, including subjects like reading, writing, and math. Each student interacts with their own AI instructor, ensuring lessons are neither too basic nor too advanced. Nick highlights, "It's kind of a Goldilocks situation" (07:22).

• Scalability and Expansion: Currently operating in Austin, Brownsville, and Miami, Alpha School plans to expand to 13 additional locations, including major cities like New York City and San Francisco. Jack notes, "They have three schools so far... 13 more schools planned for this fall" (06:24).

• Performance and Demographics: The school boasts that its students rank in the top 1-2% nationwide. However, the high tuition suggests a selection bias towards affluent families. Nick sarcastically remarks, "These are the children of wealthy techies, not a cross section of America" (06:50).

• Hybrid Model: While AI handles academics, human "guides" provide emotional and motivational support, earning over $100,000 annually. This blend aims to address the non-academic aspects of student development.

• Curriculum Enhancement: With AI efficiency, students spend 2-3 hours on core subjects and use the remaining time on skills like public speaking, financial literacy, and teamwork. Jack summarizes, "AI can do those things. But what AI cannot do is produce human passion" (09:05).

Notable Quotes:

• Nick: "It's aggressively using AI isn't cheating at Alpha School it's fully expected." (06:10)
• Jack: "Their students score in the top 1 to 2% of the country." (06:47)

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2. Ford’s Revolutionary Assembly Tree

Timestamp: 09:36 - 13:48

Overview: Ford Motor Company is redefining its manufacturing process by transitioning from the iconic assembly line to an innovative "assembly tree." This strategic move aims to halve the cost of their electric vehicles (EVs), making them more competitive against cheaper Chinese models.

Key Points:

• Assembly Tree Concept: Unlike the linear assembly line introduced by Henry Ford in 1913, the assembly tree divides the car-building process into three distinct branches: front, middle, and back. This adaptation acknowledges the fundamental differences between EVs and traditional gasoline-powered cars. Jack explains, "It's like a moment of reflection. They got out of therapy" (12:04).

• Cost Reduction Goals: Ford targets a 50% reduction in vehicle prices by decreasing the number of parts by 20%, fasteners by 25%, and labor hours by 40%. Nick summarizes, "Save on time, save on parts, save on people" (12:22).

• Competitive Pressure: Facing intense competition from affordable Chinese car manufacturers, Ford's traditional assembly line cannot sustain their market position. The shift to an assembly tree is a direct response to these market pressures. Jack adds, "When the going gets tough, the tough get investing." (12:56).

• Financial Investment: Ford is investing $5 billion to overhaul its manufacturing infrastructure, a bold move to ensure long-term survival amid policy changes and market shifts. Nick states, "Spending is the only way Ford will survive this." (13:31).

• Historical Context: The assembly tree represents the most significant change in Ford's vehicle design and production since the Model T, highlighting the company's commitment to innovation.

Notable Quotes:

• Jack: "It represents the most radical change on how we design and how we build vehicles at Ford since the Model T." (12:38)
• Nick: "If it doesn't invest, it'll slowly decline and Ford will be forgotten." (13:36)

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3. Chanel’s 250-Page Arts and Culture Magazine

Timestamp: 15:29 - 19:49

Overview: Chanel has ventured beyond fashion by launching a substantial 250-page arts and culture magazine. This publication serves as a collector's item, available exclusively at select independent bookstores, reinforcing Chanel's commitment to enduring cultural presence over fleeting trends.

Key Points:

• Magazine Concept: Combining elements of Vogue and The Economist, Chanel's magazine focuses on cultural essays and in-depth articles rather than showcasing products. Jack describes it as "like Vogue magazine meets the Economist with a sprinkling of indie cinema" (16:07).

• Exclusivity and Availability: The magazine is intentionally limited to 20 independent bookstores in the U.S., emphasizing its value as a collectible item. It is not available online or through mail, enhancing its exclusivity.

• Cultural Focus: Articles delve into topics such as AI-generated art, the business of sculpture, and other sophisticated cultural discussions, aligning with Chanel's brand image. Nick highlights, "It's all indirectly related to Chanel" (17:05).

• Brand Strategy: By avoiding platforms like TikTok, Chanel distinguishes itself from other luxury brands that engage heavily in viral social media trends. This strategy underscores Chanel's dedication to timeless culture over ephemeral memes. Jack summarizes, "Never meme, legends never meme" (18:25).

• Market Positioning: Amidst declining sales of luxury products, Chanel's investment in a high-quality physical publication signifies a strategic move to reinforce brand prestige and cultural relevance.

Notable Quotes:

• Jack: "It's thick enough to be a coffee table book or honestly, a weapon." (16:54)
• Nick: "Social media is dominated by short term memes, not long term brands and values." (18:10)

---

Additional News Briefs

Timestamp: 19:53 - 23:01

Stock Market and Economic Indicators:

• Inflation Report: Consumer prices rose by 2.7% in July compared to the previous year, leading to a stock market rally on hopes of a possible interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve in September. Jack notes, "Stocks rallied Tuesday on hopes that the Fed will cut interest rates" (20:20).

Perplexity's Bold Move:

• Acquisition Attempt: AI startup Perplexity proposes purchasing Google’s Chrome browser for $34.5 billion, a significant premium over its private market valuation of $18 billion. This move aims to secure a foothold in the AI race by controlling a widely used web browser. Nick comments, "Perplexity thinks they can win the AI race if they own the browser that you already use the Internet with" (20:35).

Taylor Swift’s New Album Announcement:

• Life of a Showgirl: Taylor Swift revealed her upcoming album, Life of a Showgirl, on her boyfriend's podcast, New Heights hosted by Kelsey Brothers. The album's release date is yet to be determined but is expected before October 13th. Jack humorously notes, "Taylor doesn't really do podcasts, but she made an exception" (20:55).

---

Best Fact Yet: Understanding Shingles

Timestamp: 21:14 - 24:27

Overview: Nick shares a personal experience with shingles, providing an informative segment on the condition, its symptoms, and treatment options.

Key Points:

• What is Shingles? Shingles is a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. It manifests as a painful rash typically appearing in a single stripe on one side of the body. Nick explains, "Shingles is basically the comeback tour of chickenpox" (21:45).

• Symptoms: Common symptoms include migraines, headaches, chills, vomiting, and a painful, localized rash. Jack adds, "Is it contagious? If you start touching my scabs, it's not gonna look good for you." (22:15).

• Contagiousness and Prevention: While shingles itself is less contagious, the virus can spread to individuals who haven't had chickenpox, potentially causing chickenpox in them. Avoiding contact with the rash can prevent transmission.

• Vaccination and Treatment: There is a vaccine available, primarily recommended for older adults. Antiviral medications can expedite recovery and alleviate symptoms. Nick mentions, "There is an antiviral I already jumped on that helps it all go away faster" (22:26).

Notable Quotes:

• Nick: "It's caused by the same virus that gave you chickenpox as a kid." (21:52)
• Jack: "Dude, is it contagious?" (22:15)

---

Conclusion and Takeaways

Timestamp: 19:03 - 19:49

Jack and Nick wrap up the episode by summarizing the key points from each story:

• Alpha School: Emphasizes AI-driven personalized education with human emotional support.

• Ford's Assembly Tree: Illustrates Ford's strategic investment to halve car prices amidst competitive and economic pressures.

• Chanel's Magazine: Highlights Chanel's commitment to enduring cultural values over ephemeral social media trends.

Final Remarks: The hosts encourage listeners to stay informed and adapt to the evolving business landscape, reinforcing the theme that innovation and strategic investment are crucial for long-term success.

---

Note: Timestamps refer to the points in the provided transcript.

Transcript

[Jack]

This is Nick, this is Jack.

[Nick]

It's Wednesday ceviche Wednesday, August 13th. And today's pod is the best one yet. This is a T boy.

[Jack]

The top three pop business news stories you need to know today.

[Nick]

Oh yeah, it is. I am currently suffering from an illness that rhymes with Pringles.

[Jack]

I googled shingles for the first time this morning.

[Nick]

You don't want to. You do not want to.

[Jack]

Nick, I really appreciate your coming to the mics. You've been hibernating all day, saving your energy, resting up for this pod must go on, Jack.

[Nick]

This show must go on. But right now I've got a rash on my back that is bigger than Jeff Bezos biceps.

[Jack]

It's like a successor to chickenpox, right?

[Nick]

It kind of looks like the Verizon logo got exploded onto my sternum. It is not pretty, man. It is not pretty.

[Jack]

Well dude, you're a trooper and I'm so glad to be here with you.

[Nick]

I appreciate it, Jack. Thanks so much. I do feel as bad as owning peloton stock. Oh wait, we still own peloton stock. But Jack, three stories for today's T. Boy, what do we got on the pod?

[Jack]

For our first story, the first school with AI instead of teachers is already here. It's called Alpha school.

[Nick]

So we wanted to find out what a school teaches kids if the teachers are chatbots.

[Jack]

For our second story, Ford motor company is disrupting its most famous invention, the assembly line. Introducing the assembly tree.

[Nick]

So we'll tell you why Ford needs to cut the price of their cars in half and how they're doing it with a tree.

[Jack]

And our third and final story is Chanel. Chanel just launched a physical magazine and it's 250 pages.

[Nick]

Related news, Chanel doesn't even have have a TikTok because legends never meme but.

[Jack]

Yetis before we hit that wonderful mix.

[Nick]

Of stories, I mean fantastic mix of stories, Jack. Prognosis, the best one yet.

[Jack]

It's Wednesday, it's the middle of the week. You're wondering what your calendar looks like through the weekend.

[Nick]

Meeting, meeting, conference call, meeting, meeting, meeting. All on your Google calendar.

[Jack]

But if you're on Gen Z, you put everything in your Google calendar.

[Nick]

Dinner, movie, pre game party on the g cow. We mean everything n dance floor, makeout, late night, 2am pizza, all on the GCAL.

[Jack]

Wall Street Journal did some hard hitting reporting. They found that Google calendar has become the life map of everyone in college for all of their activities.

[Nick]

We're talking color coded blocks for 24 hours of each Day for each thing.

[Jack]

At Williams College, one guy sent a girl he liked a GCAL invite for.

[Nick]

Hookup, and she responded yes. Confirmed.

[Jack]

Boom. Those 27 minutes were blocked on both of their calendars.

[Nick]

Now, full disclosure, Jack and I also use GCAL to run pretty much our entire lives.

[Jack]

Yeah, every recording session, every lunch we have together, every dinner.

[Nick]

And I got full visibility on Jack's everything.

[Jack]

Dude, I used to have the find my access to you, but at some point, you cut that off.

[Nick]

No, no, no, no, no, no. It's an Apple update. It was an Apple update. I get excited about, you know, sending the date night invite to a restaurant to my wife.

[Jack]

Like, that's fun.

[Nick]

I, I, I, I, I think it's cool.

[Jack]

But college kids have taken this to an extreme that we've never seen.

[Nick]

Yeah, they're not having spontaneous late night burritos unless it's on a.

[Jack]

Actually, it's type A plus.

[Nick]

But, Jack, there is one risk to sending someone an invite to the pre game Power Hour on a gcal.

[Jack]

The risk isn't that they say no. No, it's that they say maybe.

[Nick]

And in that case, you need to share a Google Doc with that person to explain why it's even worth it.

[Jack]

Yeah, give them edit access. If they say yes, let's just make.

[Nick]

It a Google hangout, Jack. Let's hit our three stories.

[Unknown]

Fifteen years before this song, two boys from the northeast met in the dorm. They had an idea to cause a cultural storm. It's the best one yet. But the best is the norm, Jack. That's it. I don't even think they need to practice. 50%. That's a fat tip. T Boy City on your @ Liz, if you know, you know. Cause we read to go. We can't wait no more. So just start the show. Start the show.

[Nick]

First, a quick word from our sponsor.

[Jack]

Airbnb.

[Nick]

Yetis. Our show actually started as a side hustle over 10 years ago. It began in secret outside of our bank jobs.

[Jack]

We were worried we'd get fired, so we didn't tell our bosses and we even left our names off the website.

[Nick]

Now, that was our side hustle, a media startup. But there are other side hustles that are a lot less risky than that.

[Jack]

And that have 0% chance of getting you fired. Like being a host on Airbnb.

[Nick]

In this economy, it's a fun and rewarding way to make money off the thing. You're already paying for your house or.

[Jack]

Your apartment, two previous apartments and my current chalet on Airbnb.

[Nick]

And when no one's using it. Why not welcome a family, a couple that just got engaged?

[Jack]

You already have an Airbnb, you just didn't realize it yet.

[Nick]

Your home might be worth more than you think. Find out how [e-mail] host and now a word from our sponsor, Netsuite.

[Jack]

Tariff and trade policies are dynamic, supply chains squeezed and cash flow tighter than ever.

[Nick]

You need total visibility from global shipments to tariff impacts to real time cash flow. And that's NetSuite by Oracle, your AI powered business management suite. Trusted by over 42,000 businesses, NetSuite brings.

[Jack]

Accounting, financial management, inventory, HR into one suite to help you know what's stuck, what it's costing you, and how to pivot fast.

[Nick]

If your revenues are at least in the seven figures. Download the free ebook Navigating Global Trade. 3 insights for [e-mail] tboy for our first story, Alpha School is the first school that uses AI instead of teachers and it's 40,000 bucks a year just to enroll.

[Jack]

Here's what the future of education might look like based on this for profit private school.

[Nick]

Now yetis if you're a parent and you've created an AI avatar of yourself on a casual Saturday afternoon, then you've.

[Jack]

Probably already enrolled your child in Alpha School.

[Nick]

Alpha School. It is the first major K through 12 private school that is proudly AI first.

[Jack]

Aggressively using AI isn't cheating at Alpha School it's fully expected.

[Nick]

Like if you're not getting your algebra lessons from a bot, you are getting an f watched in 2014.

[Jack]

Actually, it's unclear what Alpha School did before AI arrived.

[Nick]

Not exactly clear, but post chatgpt Alpha School is in growth mode right now.

[Jack]

They have three schools so far in Austin, Texas, Brownsville, Texas and Miami, Florida.

[Nick]

We jumped in T boy style to the expansion map and they got 13 more schools planned for this fall.

[Jack]

New York City, Washington, D.C. louisiana San Francisco, Phoenix, Raleigh, Dallas.

[Nick]

Now interestingly, Alpha School boasts that their students score in the top 1 to 2% of the country. But there is a major selection bias here.

[Jack]

Remember that $40,000 a year price tag?

[Nick]

Cha Ching Cha Ching.

[Jack]

These are the children of wealthy techies, not a cross section of America.

[Nick]

Now so far they have a few hundred students enrolled, but the business model, it is scalable.

[Jack]

It's scalable because there's no teachers besties.

[Nick]

If this sounds less like a school, more like a venture capital backed startup, that's because it is.

[Jack]

Alpha School is part of the for profit corporation called Legacy of Education and they're Seizing the chance to disrupt.

[Nick]

There are no human teachers in the building. The academics are all led by AI like you're taught by Professor Arti Fischl. Bot.

[Jack]

Alpha School students spend just two to three hours a day learning about reading, writing, math and traditional school subjects.

[Nick]

But those reading, writing, math and traditional school subjects are part of a personalized education plan for your child. From a bot.

[Jack]

Because everyone has their own bot, you're not teaching to the average student. Each teacher has their own AI instructor, which ensures each student is challenged appropriately.

[Nick]

So, like, you're not being bored by lessons that are too basic, but you're also not being overwhelmed by lessons that are too advanced. It's kind of a Goldilocks situation.

[Jack]

It's not one size fits all. It's custom sizing for every student and for the staff.

[Nick]

This AI school ends your busy work.

[Jack]

There's no grading, there's no lesson plans. The AI does that.

[Nick]

Although we noticed there are humans in the building. They're called guides and they're there for the human part of the experience.

[Jack]

Guides get paid over 100 grand to give students motivational and emotional support as they're working away their arithmetic on their iPads.

[Nick]

Add it all up and Alpha School says that with an AI instructor, they can teach in two to three hours what a regular school teaches in seven.

[Jack]

And with the extra time, the kids learn stuff that schools have missed out on, like public speaking, financial literacy, teamwork, and outdoorsy stuff.

[Nick]

Side note, we personally don't think teachers can be fully replaced by bots, but Alpha School does.

[Jack]

There's no way Mr. Kip is being replaced by Mr. Chatgpt.

[Nick]

You told me so much about Mr. Kip. What a guy, Jack.

[Jack]

But Alpha School also teaches one big thing that AI can never do. We hope.

[Nick]

We hope. So, Jack, what's the takeaway and the lesson from our buddies over at Alpha School?

[Jack]

The first AI school is teaching kids to specialize in one thing.

[Nick]

Yeti's key highlight to the curriculum. Here, the biggest project of the year is called a masterpiece.

[Jack]

Students at Alpha School work all year on a passion project that is due at the end of the year.

[Nick]

We see this as a signal that in the age of AI reading, writing, math and science, they're not as critical as they were before.

[Jack]

AI can do those things. But what AI cannot do is produce human passion.

[Nick]

That's why one student at Alpha Schools built a bike park as their masterpiece.

[Jack]

Another student built a special kind of unique dating app.

[Nick]

We're talking like 13 year old kids building this stuff.

[Jack]

One theme of the future of work is that with AI doing the grunt work, there's still a place for expertise.

[Nick]

And that is why the first AI school is teaching kids to specialize in one thing. For our second story, Ford just announced plans to build a family of $30,000 EVs, half the price of their other Ford cars.

[Jack]

How? By disrupting their most famous invention, the assembly line.

[Nick]

Yetis. Let's set the scene for you. Back in 1913, one year after DiCaprio boarded the Titanic, Henry Ford invented a new way to build things.

[Jack]

Instead of each man building one car, each man assembled one part.

[Nick]

Yes, that was the assembly line. A moment of Zen for logistics and.

[Jack]

A vastly more efficient way to produce things.

[Nick]

It made possible the famous Model T car. A vehicle priced at less than half the typical car at the time.

[Jack]

Well, we got an update. 112 years later, Ford needs to cut the price of their cars in half again.

[Nick]

So our buddies over at Ford are disrupting the assembly line that they created.

[Jack]

On Monday, Ford introduced the assembly tree.

[Nick]

The tree, baby. Now, Jack, I gotta sprinkle on some context here. You went to business school in Michigan, so in my eyes, you are the most smartest car person I've ever met. Can you tell us why does Ford have to cut the price of their car in half?

[Jack]

Byd that's why China has figured out how to make a car way cheaper than America can.

[Nick]

The average new Ford sold today In America is 56 grand. Man.

[Jack]

Car inflation has been out of control since the pandemic.

[Nick]

But interestingly, the opposite situation has been happening in China.

[Jack]

The price of a new car falls there every year. You can now get a $10,000 car from like four or five different brands.

[Nick]

And that is why Chinese cars have been eating up market share in every country, chewing up chassis. And soon they're coming to America.

[Jack]

So Ford is disrupting their 100-year-old invention, the invention that changed the world.

[Nick]

Instead, this new assembly tree will build a car on three lines instead of one. The front, the middle, and the back of the car.

[Jack]

It's a concession that electric cars are. Are fundamentally different than gas powered cars.

[Unknown]

Yeah.

[Jack]

So they should be put together a different way.

[Nick]

It's like a moment of reflection. I feel like this is a takeaway. They got out of therapy, Jack. And what is the result when you make that change from an assembly line to an assembly tree?

[Jack]

Ford hopes that they can make cars with 20% fewer parts, 25% fewer fasteners, and 40% fewer hours of human labor.

[Nick]

Save on time, save on parts, save on people. That is how you compete with a Chinese car company and maybe, just maybe, build a profit puppy.

[Jack]

Here's what the CEO of Ford said yesterday. It represents the most radical change on how we design and how we build vehicles at Ford since the Model T.

[Nick]

And you know what, Jack? I think current Ford's great, great granddaddy would be pretty proud of that.

[Jack]

Actually, as a Michigander, I can tell you he was a tree guy. Big tree guy.

[Nick]

Huge tree guy. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Ford when the going.

[Jack]

Gets tough, the tough get investing.

[Nick]

Now, yetis. Eight years ago, Ford built factories across North America because of Trump's new NAFTA trade deal.

[Jack]

Four years ago, Ford went all in on electric because Biden's big energy bill encouraged it.

[Nick]

But today, Ford's now being punished for both of those. Trump's tariffs are gonna cost it 2 billion bucks this year. And Biden's electric vehicle incentives have ended.

[Jack]

On top of the punishing policy whiplash. China. Competition is intense.

[Nick]

So with profits squeezed and cash short, you'd be surprised that Ford is dropping 5 billion bones to disrupt their own assembly line.

[Jack]

It's counterintuitive. It is, but spending is the only way Ford will survive this.

[Nick]

Because if it doesn't invest, it'll slowly decline and Ford will be forgotten.

[Jack]

Instead of that, here's what Ford's doing. When the going gets tough, the tough get investing.

[Nick]

Now, a quick word from our sponsor.

[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

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[Jack]

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[Nick]

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. For our third and final story, Chanel's newest product ain't clothing. It's a 250 page arts and culture magazine.

[Jack]

We'll tell you why this fashion legend doesn't do memes. They do magazines.

[Nick]

Now, yetis, Jack and I have told you about the luxury lull. Well, sales of Chanel's luxury products actually fell last year for the first time since 2020. By the way, Jack, founded in Paris.

[Jack]

By Coco Chanel, this luxury brand actually moved across the channel in 2018. They're now London based.

[Nick]

Not possible, Jack, they're a $19 billion.

[Jack]

Business that is five times as big as Burberry, four times as big as Prada, and twice as big as Gucci.

[Nick]

And yes, they're still a private company. 115 years later, you can spot a.

[Jack]

Chanel handbag of its big double C logo. One of the Cs is right, one of the Cs is backwards and they.

[Nick]

Interlock and they're both on a quilted leather bag, basically. How else would you describe Chanel, Jack?

[Jack]

The Audrey Hepburn of luxury.

[Nick]

Yeah, like if Gucci is your wild cousin throwing around neon stuff at Thanksgiving, Chanel is the chic grandmother who's just wearing pearls at the head of the table.

[Jack]

How relatable. But the newest idea from Chanel is a product you cannot wear and you can barely hold.

[Nick]

It's a huge magazine, 250 page arts and culture magazine.

[Jack]

It's thick enough to be a coffee table book or honestly, a weapon.

[Nick]

Sit down, stand up and lift with your legs if you want to read this thing.

[Jack]

And the concept here is clever. But first, let's say what this magazine is not.

[Nick]

I like what you did there, Jack. You see, this is not a catalog. The pages are not filled with stuff you can buy or the latest Chanel collection.

[Jack]

What it is is Vogue magazine meets the Economist with a sprinkling of indie cinema.

[Nick]

You see, the editorial in this thing is all indirectly related to Chanel. Basically, it's the kind of stuff Chanel wears would talk about when they're grabbing a double digit latte out together.

[Jack]

It's full of cultural essays. There's a story on AI generated art here, another one on the business of sculpture there.

[Nick]

And there's a whole lot of pearl porn too, right, Jack?

[Jack]

Oh, yeah. Close ups of pearl necklaces. But Chanel is treating the magazine like a collector's item because it's only available at 20 independent bookstores.

[Nick]

Get this. They're making this huge investment for a 250 page magazine, but you can't even buy it online.

[Jack]

They won't mail it to you either, like Restoration Hardware does, even though I asked them. Stop.

[Nick]

In fact, the first and only place you can buy this in America is at the Casa magazine, tiny bookshop in New York City.

[Jack]

Now, part of this is zagging. While others dig, it differentiates Chanel from Louis Vuitton and Hermes.

[Nick]

And part of it is the bigger comeback of the magazine in general.

[Jack]

Physical magazines and catalogs are resurging. They're having a comeback.

[Nick]

But part of the reason is actually our takeaway, which is inspired by a rap song. So, Jack, what's the takeaway for our buddies over at Chanel Legends?

[Jack]

Never meme yetis.

[Nick]

Chanel's TikTok page only has one video. That's it.

[Jack]

One post.

[Nick]

We're talking the biggest social media platform here, where people spend most of their time. Chanel isn't even there.

[Jack]

On the other hand, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, every other luxury brand is playing and posting on Instagram every day.

[Nick]

What those guys are doing is inserting themselves into vinyl viral stories. But Chanel stays above it all.

[Jack]

And we understand what Chanel's trying to do here.

[Nick]

Yeah, here's the strategy. Social media is dominated by short term memes, not long term brands and values.

[Jack]

So Chanel is making a statement. They're saying we're about enduring culture, not passing trends.

[Nick]

Or to paraphrase a rap song, legends never die and legends never meme. Jack, could you whip up the takeaways for us for ceviche Wednesday?

[Jack]

Alpha School teaches kids with AI using human guides for the emotional and behavioral part.

[Nick]

It's the first AI school teaching kids to specialize in one thing.

[Jack]

For our second story, Ford is disrupting their most famous invention. They're going from assembly line to assembly tree to cut the price of their cars in half.

[Nick]

Because when the going gets tough, the tough get investing.

[Jack]

And our third and final story, Chanel's 250 page physical magazine, highlights the fact that they're off TikTok.

[Nick]

Because legends never die.

[Jack]

Legends never meme.

[Nick]

And they never meme. Exactly, Jack.

[Jack]

But yetis, this pod's not over yet. Here's what else you need to know today.

[Nick]

First, stocks rose on Tuesday on the inflation report. You see, consumer prices actually rose 2.7% in July compared to last year.

[Jack]

That's less bad than expected. Tariffs continue to have a low impact on consumer prices.

[Nick]

So let me add this up for a sec, Jack. We got a weak job market, mild inflation. Those could be ingredients for an interest rate cut.

[Jack]

Stocks rallied Tuesday on hopes that the Fed will cut interest rates at their next September meeting.

[Nick]

And second, Perplexity, the AI startup, just made its wildest offer of the year. They want to buy Google's Chrome browser from Google.

[Jack]

Perplexity thinks they can win the AI race if they own the browser that you already use the Internet with.

[Nick]

And you know what? Google is under pressure from the government right now thinking it's a monopoly, so they may be forced to sell their Chrome browser.

[Jack]

So Perplexity's like, do it right now under your own terms. Don't wait till the courts make you sell it.

[Nick]

We'll take it off your hands right now. Piece of cake.

[Jack]

But what makes this so wild is that perplexity is worth $18 billion according to their private market valuation.

[Nick]

But they're offering 34.5 billion to buy Chrome from Google.

[Jack]

They've got some deep pocketed VC backers.

[Nick]

And finally, Taylor Swift announced her brand new album on her boyfriend's podcast.

[Jack]

Taylor doesn't really do podcasts, but she made an exception for New Heights, the one hosted by Kelsey Brothers.

[Nick]

Trust us. We've DMed her. She doesn't always respond.

[Jack]

Now she showed a picture of her new record that was blurred out during the video podcast.

[Nick]

It's called the Life of a Showgirl. The drop date is TBD, but definitely, definitely, definitely before October 13th now time for the best fact yet. This one sent in by the massive rash across my back, also known as shingles.

[Jack]

Rhymes with Pringles. So Nick and I did some research on shingles. It's basically the comeback tour of chickenpox.

[Nick]

Yeah, you see, shingles is actually caused by the same virus that gave you chickenpox as a kid. It's just been hiding under your skin, on your nerves for decades, waiting to make a return appearance. In fact, the reason you have the rash in a line is that it follows a nerve on only one side of your body.

[Jack]

So what are the symptoms of shingles?

[Nick]

Just how much time do you have? Like migraines, headaches, chills. I vomited four times. And painful rash.

[Jack]

Dude, is it contagious?

[Nick]

If you start touching my scabs, Jack, it's not gonna look good for you.

[Jack]

Okay? Is there a vaccine?

[Nick]

Okay, There is. I didn't get it though, because it's mainly just given to older people who are the ones who tend to get shingles.

[Jack]

And how long does it take to go away?

[Nick]

Well, a couple weeks for a rash, but five days for your headaches. Although there is an antiviral I already jumped on that helps it all go.

[Jack]

Away faster and helps ease the symptoms, I hope.

[Nick]

Yeah. Well, dude, you're a champ.

[Jack]

Thanks again for being my co host today.

[Nick]

Always. Always here for it, Jack.

[Jack]

Now I'm going to go pop into some Pringles. That was mean. That was me.

[Nick]

I'm too soon. Jack. Yetis, you looked fantastic today. And if you've got a buddy with a painful skin disease, send them today's show.

[Jack]

And if you're marketer who works at Pringles, yes, you can be a sponsor on the show. This could be the whole kickoff moment.

[Nick]

I think we just gave you brand affinity. You can drop down and give us five stars. That's how you grow the show. And Jack and I will see you tomorrow. And before we go, a happy birthday to legendary Yeti Sebastian. Megan Cedor turning 28 up in Rochester, New York, baby.

[Jack]

Happy birthday to Dylan Steinfeld in Atlanta, Georgia, who submitted many of our best facts yet, yet.

[Nick]

Legendary eddie and Sabrina St. Peter in Clarkson, Michigan. She always has an app for something, including her birthday.

[Jack]

Happy birthday to Andrew Mahler in Sussex, Wisconsin.

[Nick]

And Mara chabin just turned 30 years old over in the fun town in Nashville, Tennessee. And a big shout out to the.

[Jack]

Guy on YouTube who commented that I need to straighten out this shelf right here, the one with the pink hat in the background.

[Nick]

Well, you know what Jack heard you. He did it. And now that she is human eye level.

[Jack]

I didn't put a level on it, but I'm pretty sure that bubble would stay right in between those lines.

[Nick]

I think we're gonna have to make a correction for the next pod, Jack.

[Jack]

And to anyone else celebrating something today, make it a T, boss.

[Nick]

Celebrate the wins.

[Jack]

This is Jack. I own stock of Ford. If you like the best one yet, you can listen ad free right now by joining Wondery and the Wondery app or on Apple Podcasts.

[Nick]

Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. And before you go, before you go.

[Jack]

Tell us a little bit about yourself by filling out a short [e-mail] survey.

[Nick]

We want to get to know you.

[Unknown]

In the summer of 1925, a small Tennessee town became the battleground for the fight between science and faith in America's public schools. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, host of Wondery's podcast, American Historytellers. We take you to the events, times and people that shaped America and Americans, our values, our struggles, and our dreams. In our latest series, when a young science teacher agrees to participate in a test case orchestrated by the ACL youth to challenge Tennessee's ban on teaching evolution, he lands in the center of a raucous the infamous Scopes Monkey trial. Legendary attorneys Clarence Darrow and William Jennings Bryan face off in a sweltering Tennessee courtroom as the world watches fundamentalist Christianity clash with modern science, setting the stage for battles over education and religious freedom for decades to come. Follow American Historytellers on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad free and be the first to binge the newest season only on Wondery. Join Wonder in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today.