In the first part of this week's two-part episode, Ed Zitron walks you through how impossible it will be for OpenAI to stay alive - and how SoftBank’s attempts to help are materially harming the company.

Vote for Better Offline's "Man Who Killed Google Search" as the best business podcast episode in this year's Webby's! Open until April 17! Vote today!
https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/individual-episode/business 

Vote for Weird Little Guys in this year’s Webby's! https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/individual-episode/crime-justice 

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LINKS: https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks

Newsletter: https://www.wheresyoured.at/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/ 

Discord: chat.wheresyoured.at

Ed's Socials:

https://twitter.com/edzitron

https://www.instagram.com/edzitron

https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com

https://www.threads.net/@edzitron

In the first part of this week's two-part episode, Ed Zitron walks you through how impossible it will be for OpenAI to stay alive - and how SoftBank&rsquo;s attempts to help are materially harming the company. Vote for Better Offline's "Man Who Killed Google Search" as the best business podcast episode in this year's Webby's! Open until April 17! Vote today! <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/individual-episode/business">https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/individual-episode/business </a>
Vote for Weird Little Guys in this year&rsquo;s Webby's! <a href="https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/individual-episode/crime-justice">https://vote.webbyawards.com/PublicVoting#/2025/podcasts/individual-episode/crime-justice&nbsp;</a>
---
LINKS: <a href="https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks">https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks</a>
Newsletter: <a href="https://www.wheresyoured.at/">https://www.wheresyoured.at/</a>
Reddit: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/">https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/</a>&nbsp;
Discord: <a href="https://discord.com/invite/QUUQUP9szv">chat.wheresyoured.at</a>
Ed's Socials:
<a href="https://twitter.com/edzitron">https://twitter.com/edzitron</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/edzitron">https://www.instagram.com/edzitron</a>
<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com">https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com</a>
<a href="https://www.threads.net/@edzitron">https://www.threads.net/@edzitron</a>

Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build. 

Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.

Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build. 
Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.

Better Offline

Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build.



Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.

Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build.
 
Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes and scams of everyone from cryptocurrency scumbags to the greediest of the venture capital elite. Tech industry veteran Ed Zitron and a dynamic coterie of guests will help listeners understand the who, how and why of how tech’s most powerful players are changing the world - for better or for worse.

OpenAI Cannot Survive

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c84d9158-e1fc-4705-aca4-b2c0011dbf8c/transcript

In this episode, Ed Zitron walks you through the ridiculousness of OpenAI acquiring Jony Ive’s pre-product hardware startup for $6.5bn in stock - and why it only proves how washed the company might be.

YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline and use code FREE99 for free shipping on orders of $99 or more.

WSJ: What Sam Altman Told OpenAI About the Secret Device He’s Making With Jony Ive
https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/what-sam-altman-told-openai-about-the-secret-device-hes-making-with-jony-ive-f1384005

Bloomberg: OpenAI to Buy AI Device Startup From Apple Veteran Jony Ive in $6.5 Billion Deal
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-21/openai-to-buy-apple-veteran-jony-ive-s-ai-device-startup-in-6-5-billion-deal

---

LINKS: https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks

Newsletter: https://www.wheresyoured.at/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/ 

Discord: chat.wheresyoured.at

Ed's Socials:

https://twitter.com/edzitron

https://www.instagram.com/edzitron

https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com

https://www.threads.net/@edzitron

In this episode, Ed Zitron walks you through the ridiculousness of OpenAI acquiring Jony Ive&rsquo;s pre-product hardware startup for $6.5bn in stock - and why it only proves how washed the company might be. YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to <a href="https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline">https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline</a> and use code&nbsp;FREE99 for free shipping on orders of $99 or more. WSJ: What Sam Altman Told OpenAI About the Secret Device He&rsquo;s Making With Jony Ive <a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/what-sam-altman-told-openai-about-the-secret-device-hes-making-with-jony-ive-f1384005">https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/what-sam-altman-told-openai-about-the-secret-device-hes-making-with-jony-ive-f1384005</a>
Bloomberg: OpenAI to Buy AI Device Startup From Apple Veteran Jony Ive in $6.5 Billion Deal <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-21/openai-to-buy-apple-veteran-jony-ive-s-ai-device-startup-in-6-5-billion-deal">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-21/openai-to-buy-apple-veteran-jony-ive-s-ai-device-startup-in-6-5-billion-deal</a>
---
LINKS: <a href="https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks">https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks</a>
Newsletter: <a href="https://www.wheresyoured.at/">https://www.wheresyoured.at/</a>
Reddit: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/">https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/</a>&nbsp;
Discord: <a href="https://discord.com/invite/QUUQUP9szv">chat.wheresyoured.at</a>
Ed's Socials:
<a href="https://twitter.com/edzitron">https://twitter.com/edzitron</a>
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<a href="https://www.threads.net/@edzitron">https://www.threads.net/@edzitron</a>

Monologue: Jony Ive and OpenAI's New BS Machine

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/50cb2898-0007-4ca3-8a88-b2e50138454d/transcript

In this episode, Ed Zitron is joined by Dan Ryckert, Jeff Bakalar and Jeff Grubb, the new owners of gaming website Giant Bomb, to talk about the hopeful, independent future for games journalism - and media at large.

http://www.giantbomb.com/join

Dan Ryckert: https://bsky.app/profile/danryckert.com
Jeff Grubb: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:bdacp2cmuuyawx553cv2spdy
Jeff Bakalar: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:tyuqlcnoqijzqor53ka2a7o2

YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline and use code FREE99 for free shipping on orders of $99 or more.

You can also order a limited-edition Better Offline hat until 5/22/25! https://cottonbureau.com/p/CAGDW8/hat/better-offline-hat#/28510205/hat-unisex-dad-hat-black-100percent-cotton-adjustable

---

LINKS: https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks

Newsletter: https://www.wheresyoured.at/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/ 

Discord: chat.wheresyoured.at

Ed's Socials:

https://twitter.com/edzitron

https://www.instagram.com/edzitron

https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com

https://www.threads.net/@edzitron

In this episode, Ed Zitron is joined by Dan Ryckert, Jeff Bakalar and Jeff Grubb, the new owners of gaming website Giant Bomb, to talk about the hopeful, independent future for games journalism - and media at large. <a href="http://www.giantbomb.com/join">http://www.giantbomb.com/join</a> Dan Ryckert: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danryckert.com">https://bsky.app/profile/danryckert.com</a> Jeff Grubb: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:bdacp2cmuuyawx553cv2spdy">https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:bdacp2cmuuyawx553cv2spdy</a> Jeff Bakalar: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:tyuqlcnoqijzqor53ka2a7o2">https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:tyuqlcnoqijzqor53ka2a7o2</a> 
YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to <a href="https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline">https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline</a> and use code&nbsp;FREE99 for free shipping on orders of $99 or more. You can also order a limited-edition Better Offline hat until 5/22/25! <a href="https://cottonbureau.com/p/CAGDW8/hat/better-offline-hat#/28510205/hat-unisex-dad-hat-black-100percent-cotton-adjustable">https://cottonbureau.com/p/CAGDW8/hat/better-offline-hat#/28510205/hat-unisex-dad-hat-black-100percent-cotton-adjustable</a>
---
LINKS: <a href="https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks">https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks</a>
Newsletter: <a href="https://www.wheresyoured.at/">https://www.wheresyoured.at/</a>
Reddit: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/">https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/</a>&nbsp;
Discord: <a href="https://discord.com/invite/QUUQUP9szv">chat.wheresyoured.at</a>
Ed's Socials:
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<a href="https://www.threads.net/@edzitron">https://www.threads.net/@edzitron</a>

Saving Games Journalism With Giant Bomb

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/dca08e56-e571-42d4-ab5a-b2e2012f5217/transcript

In this week's monologue, Ed Zitron walks you through the story of how writing The Man That Destroyed Google Search saved his life. 

The Man That Destroyed Google Search: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-man-that-destroyed-google-search/id1730587238?i=1000653621646

YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline and use code FREE99 for free shipping on orders of $99 or more.

You can also order a limited-edition Better Offline hat until 5/22/25! https://cottonbureau.com/p/CAGDW8/hat/better-offline-hat#/28510205/hat-unisex-dad-hat-black-100percent-cotton-adjustable

---

LINKS: https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks

Newsletter: https://www.wheresyoured.at/

Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/ 

Discord: chat.wheresyoured.at

Ed's Socials:

https://twitter.com/edzitron

https://www.instagram.com/edzitron

https://bsky.app/profile/edzitron.com

https://www.threads.net/@edzitron

In this week's monologue, Ed Zitron walks you through the story of how writing The Man That Destroyed Google Search saved his life. The Man That Destroyed Google Search: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-man-that-destroyed-google-search/id1730587238?i=1000653621646">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-man-that-destroyed-google-search/id1730587238?i=1000653621646</a>
YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to <a href="https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline">https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline</a> and use code&nbsp;FREE99 for free shipping on orders of $99 or more. You can also order a limited-edition Better Offline hat until 5/22/25! <a href="https://cottonbureau.com/p/CAGDW8/hat/better-offline-hat#/28510205/hat-unisex-dad-hat-black-100percent-cotton-adjustable">https://cottonbureau.com/p/CAGDW8/hat/better-offline-hat#/28510205/hat-unisex-dad-hat-black-100percent-cotton-adjustable</a>
---
LINKS: <a href="https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks">https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks</a>
Newsletter: <a href="https://www.wheresyoured.at/">https://www.wheresyoured.at/</a>
Reddit: <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/">https://www.reddit.com/r/BetterOffline/</a>&nbsp;
Discord: <a href="https://discord.com/invite/QUUQUP9szv">chat.wheresyoured.at</a>
Ed's Socials:
<a href="https://twitter.com/edzitron">https://twitter.com/edzitron</a>
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<a href="https://www.threads.net/@edzitron">https://www.threads.net/@edzitron</a>

Monologue: How Better Offline Saved Me

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/98bd663e-b5a2-4cda-9e9e-b2de01091313/transcript

OpenAI Cannot Survive

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