Tokenmaxxing, OpenAI's shopping spree, and the AI Anxiety Gap  From OpenAI's shopping spree to the growing divide between AI insiders and everyone else, the Equity crew unpacks the biggest stories shaping the industry this week.

From OpenAI's shopping spree to the growing divide between AI insiders and everyone else, the Equity crew unpacks the biggest stories shaping the industry this week.

The AI gold rush is pulling private wealth into riskier, earlier bets  | TechCrunch On a recent episode of Equity, we talked to Arena Private Wealth to explore a growing trend: family offices bypassing VCs to gain direct exposure to AI startups, turning them from passive investors into active participants.

On a recent episode of Equity, we talked to Arena Private Wealth to explore a growing trend: family offices bypassing VCs to gain direct exposure to AI startups, turning them from passive investors into active participants.

Can orbital data centers help justify a massive valuation for SpaceX? | TechCrunch On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, we debated Elon Musk's vision for data centers in space.

On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, we debated Elon Musk's vision for data centers in space.

Sora’s shutdown could be a reality check moment for AI video | TechCrunch Is this just normal corporate strategy, or are we about to see a broader pullback on AI-generated video?

Is this just normal corporate strategy, or are we about to see a broader pullback on AI-generated video?

VCs are betting billions on AI's next wave, so why is OpenAI killing Sora? Equity breaks down why OpenAI pulled the plug on Sora, what Meta’s back-to-back legal losses mean, and more of the week's headlines.

Equity breaks down why OpenAI pulled the plug on Sora, what Meta’s back-to-back legal losses mean, and more of the week's headlines.

ReelShort made $1.2 billion on werewolf romances. Watch Club wants to do it better. Equity digs into the rise of "microdramas," the short-form, mobile-first shows quietly becoming a multi-billion dollar industry, with Watch Club founder Henry Soong.

Equity digs into the rise of "microdramas," the short-form, mobile-first shows quietly becoming a multi-billion dollar industry, with Watch Club founder Henry Soong.

Do you want to build a robot snowman? | TechCrunch On the latest episode of the Equity podcast, we recapped CEO Jensen Huang’s GTC keynote and debated what it means for Nvidia’s future.

On the latest episode of the Equity podcast, we recapped CEO Jensen Huang’s GTC keynote and debated what it means for Nvidia’s future.

Nvidia has an OpenClaw strategy. Do you?  Equity breaks down Nvidia's GTC keynote plus xAI's reboot, Travis Kalanick's complicated comeback, and Uber's $1.25B bet on Rivian.

Equity breaks down Nvidia's GTC keynote plus xAI's reboot, Travis Kalanick's complicated comeback, and Uber's $1.25B bet on Rivian.

The PhD students who became the judges of the AI industry Arena’s founders join Equity to explain how their AI leaderboard became the go-to LLM benchmark, address neutrality concerns, and discuss what comes after chatbots.

Arena’s founders join Equity to explain how their AI leaderboard became the go-to LLM benchmark, address neutrality concerns, and discuss what comes after chatbots.

Wiz investor unpacks Google’s $32B acquisition | TechCrunch Shardul Shah of Index Ventures walks us through Google's biggest acquisition ever.

Shardul Shah of Index Ventures walks us through Google's biggest acquisition ever.

Wiz's first investor breaks down Google's $32B acquisition Equity breaks down the largest venture-backed acquisition in history, a DOGE data breach, and the growing battle between Anthropic and the Trump administration.

Equity breaks down the largest venture-backed acquisition in history, a DOGE data breach, and the growing battle between Anthropic and the Trump administration.

How Poppi went from a Shark Tank pitch to a $1.95B exit Allison Ellsworth joins Equity to talk about her journey from creating Poppi in her kitchen to selling it to pitching on Shark Tank and selling to PepsiCo for nearly $2 billion.

Allison Ellsworth joins Equity to talk about her journey from creating Poppi in her kitchen to selling it to pitching on Shark Tank and selling to PepsiCo for nearly $2 billion.

Will the Pentagon’s Anthropic controversy scare startups away from defense work? | TechCrunch On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, we discussed what the controversy means for other startups seeking to work with the federal government.

On the latest episode of TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, we discussed what the controversy means for other startups seeking to work with the federal government.

Anthropic vs. the Pentagon, the SaaSpocalypse, and why competitions is good, actually Equity breaks down the Pentagon’s split with Anthropic over AI control, OpenAI’s role in defense tech, and the week’s biggest startup and tech headlines.

Equity breaks down the Pentagon’s split with Anthropic over AI control, OpenAI’s role in defense tech, and the week’s biggest startup and tech headlines.

How PopSockets broke the VC-backed consumer hardware mold PopSockets founder and former CEO David Barnett tell Equity how he scaled the consumer hardware brand, their $10–20M Amazon fight, and why he stepped down as CEO.

PopSockets founder and former CEO David Barnett tell Equity how he scaled the consumer hardware brand, their $10–20M Amazon fight, and why he stepped down as CEO.

Who's really running AI? Inside the billion-dollar battle over regulation with Alex Bores  Alex Bores joins the Equity podcast to discuss the RAISE Act, the super PAC battle shaping AI policy, and what real AI regulation in the U.S. could look like.

Alex Bores joins the Equity podcast to discuss the RAISE Act, the super PAC battle shaping AI policy, and what real AI regulation in the U.S. could look like.

Is crypto growing up? Tether risk, Stripe’s stablecoin play, and the GENIUS Act explained Token Relations CEO Jacquelyn Melinek joins Equity to make sense of how the market has changed and what in the world of crypto is built to last.

Token Relations CEO Jacquelyn Melinek joins Equity to make sense of how the market has changed and what in the world of crypto is built to last.

Why creators are ditching ad revenue for chocolate bars and fintech acquisitions  Equity⁠ unpacks how creators are diversifying beyond ads, whether their model can scale beyond the top 1%, everything happing at India's AI Impact Summit, and more of the week's headlines.

Equity⁠ unpacks how creators are diversifying beyond ads, whether their model can scale beyond the top 1%, everything happing at India's AI Impact Summit, and more of the week's headlines.

Google Cloud's VP for startups on reading your 'check engine light' before it's too late  Google Cloud’s vice president of global startups, Darren Mowry, joins Equity to discuss how Google Cloud is competing for AI startups, and what founders should be thinking about as they scale.

 Google Cloud’s vice president of global startups, Darren Mowry, joins Equity to discuss how Google Cloud is competing for AI startups, and what founders should be thinking about as they scale.

Flapping Airplanes on the future of AI: 'We want to try really radically different things' | TechCrunch "We're exploring a different set of tradeoffs."

"We're exploring a different set of tradeoffs."

AI burnout, billion-dollar bets, and Silicon Valley's Epstein problem Equity is digging into the week's biggest deals and departures, from billion-dollar bets on fusion and robotics to the tech exodus reshaping AI companies like xAI and OpenAI.

Equity is digging into the week's biggest deals and departures, from billion-dollar bets on fusion and robotics to the tech exodus reshaping AI companies like xAI and OpenAI.

Glean’s fight to own the AI layer inside every company  Glean CEO and founder Arvind Jain joins Equity to break down how enterprises are thinking about AI architecture, what's driving consolidation, and what's real versus hype in the agent space. 

Glean CEO and founder Arvind Jain joins Equity to break down how enterprises are thinking about AI architecture, what's driving consolidation, and what's real versus hype in the agent space. 

This Sequoia-backed lab thinks the brain is 'the floor, not the ceiling' for AI Flapping Airplanes' founders join Equity to discuss why investors wrote the lab a $180M check, what the "neolabs" generation means for AI development, and more.

Flapping Airplanes' founders join Equity to discuss why investors wrote the lab a $180M check, what the "neolabs" generation means for AI development, and more.

How far will Elon Musk take the ‘everything’ business as SpaceX and xAI merge? Elon Musk is building something bigger than a single company. Equity breaks down the SpaceX and xAI merger, the rise of the personal conglomerate, Waymo’s $16B raise, AI chip wars, and more.

Elon Musk is building something bigger than a single company. Equity breaks down the SpaceX and xAI merger, the rise of the personal conglomerate, Waymo’s $16B raise, AI chip wars, and more.

Uber puts another chip on the self-driving roulette table The Equity podcast crew rolls through Uber's AV partnership strategy, why Waabi's "simulation-first" approach might be different, IPO news, and more.

The Equity podcast crew rolls through Uber's AV partnership strategy, why Waabi's "simulation-first" approach might be different, IPO news, and more.

The SpaceX IPO could finally happen (and it's a big deal)  Equity unpacks why SpaceX's IPO feels different, how secondary markets are heating up, and what investors are actually looking for in pre-IPO shares.

Equity unpacks why SpaceX's IPO feels different, how secondary markets are heating up, and what investors are actually looking for in pre-IPO shares.

AI CEOs transformed Davos into a tech conference Tech CEOs dominated Davos while AI startups raise hundreds of millions on mission statements alone. Equity breaks it all down on today's episode.

Tech CEOs dominated Davos while AI startups raise hundreds of millions on mission statements alone. Equity breaks it all down on today's episode.

OpenAI and Anthropic are making their play for healthcare, and we're not surprised Equity digs into why Anthropic, OpenAI, and the rest of the AI world is suddenly obsessed with healthcare, and more of the week's headlines. 

Equity digs into why Anthropic, OpenAI, and the rest of the AI world is suddenly obsessed with healthcare, and more of the week's headlines. 

The multi-billion AI security problem enterprises can't ignore  What are enterprises really worried about with AI? WitnessAI and Ballistic Ventures join Equity to break down the rise of AI security, a potential $1T market, and the risks of autonomous AI agents.

What are enterprises really worried about with AI? WitnessAI and Ballistic Ventures join Equity to break down the rise of AI security, a potential $1T market, and the risks of autonomous AI agents.

CES 2026 was all about “physical AI” and robots, robots, robots AI left the screen at CES 2026. The Equity podcast team unpacks humanoid robots, physical AI, big deals, and the week’s biggest tech news.

AI left the screen at CES 2026. The Equity podcast team unpacks humanoid robots, physical AI, big deals, and the week’s biggest tech news.